Smriti covers an intersection of politics and governance. Having spent over a decade in journalism, she combines old fashioned leg work with modern story telling tools.
Articles by Smriti Kak Ramachandran
Caste census in works since 2024 polls
The BJP started discussing the issue with the top brass of the party’s ideological fount, the RSS, after last year’s general elections, party leaders said
Published on May 05, 2025 05:48 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
‘With authentic figures, we can have proper allocations’
Union minister Anupriya Patel supports caste-based census for better policy-making.
Published on May 02, 2025 08:12 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Caste census decision shows govt’s commitment to social justice: Pradhan
The cabinet committee on political affairs on Wednesday said the power to conduct caste-based survey rests with the Union government
Updated on May 01, 2025 01:16 PM IST
‘Landmark step’: All NDA parties back Centre
Allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA, such as the Janata Dal (United), the Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas), the Apna Dal and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) hailed the decision
Published on May 01, 2025 06:06 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Next census will include caste enumeration: Govt
Officials suggested that the headcount could commence towards the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027
Updated on May 01, 2025 05:56 AM IST
Caste census a big win for JD(U), NDA: Sanjay Jha
JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha called it a big step that would help in planning policy for the backward and deprived sections more efficiently.
Published on May 01, 2025 05:46 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
RSS cautious about use of caste census as a political tool
The Union government’s decision came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at the former’s official residence.
Published on May 01, 2025 04:00 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Caste census to be part of next population survey: Centre's big move
The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has decided to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census exercise.
Updated on Apr 30, 2025 08:18 PM IST
NDA begins talks on seat sharing in Bihar
According to a senior BJP leader, the process of identifying seats will precede the candidate selection and all the partners will be consulted
Published on Apr 29, 2025 04:00 AM IST
NDA begins seat sharing talks for Bihar assembly polls
There is broad consensus among the NDA allies that Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar will be the face of the election in the state
Published on Apr 28, 2025 01:09 PM IST
Amit Shah dials chief ministers, says ensure no Pakistani stays back in India
The home ministry said its order on revoking visas “will not apply to Long Term Visas (LTVs) and Diplomatic & Official Visas issued to Pakistani nationals”
Updated on Apr 25, 2025 09:17 PM IST
Pahalgam terror attack: Opposition backs govt action, ‘lapses’ in focus
People aware of the details said the government acknowledged “a lapse” that led to the attack, which killed 26 people.
Updated on Apr 25, 2025 03:57 AM IST
RSS welcomes Indus Treaty suspension, travel curbs on Pakistan; says long overdue
New Delhi’s retaliatory measures were decided at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Narendra Modi a day after the brazen attack in Pahalgam
Published on Apr 24, 2025 12:50 PM IST
Pahalgam terror attack: Rajnath Singh to brief leaders at all-party meet today
Twenty six people were killed and several others were injured in the attack carried out by The Resistance Front terror group.
Updated on Apr 24, 2025 11:12 AM IST
Not just Pahalgam attack perpetrators, India will get those behind the scenes too: Rajnath Singh
Rajnath Singh said the terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam was “extremely inhuman” that has “left all of us in deep grief and pain”
Published on Apr 23, 2025 05:06 PM IST
Pahalgam terror attack: PM Narendra Modi cancels scheduled visit to Kanpur
PM Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Kanpur on Thursday to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development projects worth ₹20,000 crore
Published on Apr 23, 2025 02:00 PM IST
No constitutional visualisation of any authority above Parliament: Jagdeep Dhankhar
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar again underlined that Parliament is supreme vis-à-vis framing laws days after he raised questions about the judiciary acting as a “super Parliament”
Published on Apr 22, 2025 04:00 PM IST
‘Article 142 has become a nuclear missile’: VP Dhankhar criticises SC verdict
The SC had, for the first time, prescribed that the President should decide on the bills reserved for its consideration by the governor within 3 months.
Updated on Apr 17, 2025 08:38 PM IST
No dates yet on J&K’s vacant RS seats
A senior BJP leader from the UT said the decision to conduct polls rests with the poll panel and the party has not received any message from the election commission about the likely schedule.
Published on Apr 16, 2025 07:06 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
NDA begins outreach in Bihar to allay Waqf concerns ahead of assembly election
Leaders of both parties, however, assert that the outreach has been designed to prevent communal unrest in the poll-bound state rather than the election
Updated on Apr 14, 2025 04:53 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
BJP, AIADMK seal alliance for 2026 Tamil Nadu elections
AIADMK and BJP will unite for the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections under Edappadi Palaniswami, reviving their alliance after a split in 2023
Updated on Apr 12, 2025 01:49 AM IST
Government, opposition engage in credit war over Rana’s extradition
While the BJP said Rana’s extradition reflects “new India’s” zero-tolerance resolve towards terrorism the Congress said that the Modi government benefited from the “mature, consistent and strategic diplomacy” that began under the UPA rule.
Published on Apr 11, 2025 08:24 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Amit Shah to begin touring poll-bound states, starting with Tamil Nadu
Although the party has chosen to delink the visit to Tamil Nadu with the incipient alliance talks, there is a possibility that the minister will meet senior AIADMK leaders in the state, which goes to polls in 2026
Published on Apr 06, 2025 11:33 AM IST
‘Committed to upholding democratic rules’
Several BJP’s allies — the Janata Dal (United), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Janata Dal (Secular), the Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — supported the bill in the Upper House.
Published on Apr 04, 2025 09:46 AM IST
Watershed moment, says Modi as Rajya Sabha passes Waqf bill
Opposition leader and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge opposed the bill and accused the ruling BJP of trying to snatch the rights of minorities
Published on Apr 04, 2025 08:58 AM IST
Kiren Rijiju tables Waqf Bill in Rajya Sabha after Lok Sabha passes it
The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha late on Wednesday, with 288 members voting in favour of it and 232 voting against.
Published on Apr 03, 2025 02:49 PM IST
Opposition creating anti-Muslim narratives against Waqf bill: NDA
The NDA put up a show of solidarity and strength in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as partners of the BJP rallied around the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
Updated on Apr 03, 2025 03:32 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Parliament face-off likely today as Lok Sabha takes up Waqf bill
The Waqf bill will test the cohesiveness of the NDA as the BJP needs the support of key allies in both Houses.
Updated on Apr 02, 2025 10:32 AM IST
Govt likely to table Waqf Bill in House on April 2
The Union government may bring The Waqf (Amendments) Bill for passage in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday in the last week of the budget session amid a stiff resistance from the Opposition parties.
Published on Apr 01, 2025 05:22 AM IST
Row erupts in RS over SP lawmaker’s Rana Sanga remarks
The RS chairman noted that even though the remarks were expunged from the records, they had already got traction on social media because of how technology works in beaming events live
Published on Mar 29, 2025 07:04 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi