Highlights: EC withholds Akola West Assembly bypoll in Maha after HC order

Lok Sabha elections 2024 latest news: Catch all the latest updates on the announcements related to General Elections here

8:24 PM

EC withholds Akola West Assembly bypoll in Maha after HC order

The Election Commission (EC) decided on Wednesday to withhold the bypoll to the Akola West Assembly seat in Maharashtra, a day after the Bombay High Court said the by-election will not be held as the new member will get less than a year to represent the constituency. The gazette notification to commence the nomination process was to be issued on Thursday and the bypoll was to be held on April 26.

7:30 PM

Cong holds meeting to finalise LS polls candidates for Goa, J'khand

Top Congress leaders met here on Wednesday to discuss and finalise party candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Goa, Telangana and Jharkhand. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, party general secretary K C Venugopal and members of the central election committee, including senior leaders Ambika Soni, Madhusudan Mistry, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Salman Khurshid, were also present.

7:19 PM

Congress leaders hold meeting to finalise candidates for Lok Sabha polls

Top Congress leaders convened on Wednesday to deliberate and conclude the selection of party candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the states of Goa, Telangana, and Jharkhand. Among those in attendance were Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, Party General Secretary K C Venugopal, and members of the central election committee, including senior leaders Ambika Soni, Madhusudan Mistry, Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Salman Khurshid.

7:08 PM

If situation in Kashmir improved, why AFSPA not being revoked, asks Omar Abdullah

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah hit out at the BJP and asked that if the situation in Kashmir has improved as claimed by the central government, then why Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) is not being revoked from Jammu and Kashmir. Omar Abdullah said, "As far as revoking AFSPA is concerned, then I suggest them to start today. When they say everything is normal, militancy is over and everything is good in Kashmir, then what are they waiting for. They should have removed it earlier. I have been waiting for it since 2011 and tried very hard to remove AFSPA."

6:30 PM

Disgruntlement issues over ticket distribution will be resolved: Karnataka BJP chief Vijayendra

Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday expressed confidence that issues which had cropped up within the party due to disgruntlement of aspirants in some constituencies following ticket distribution will be resolved and every one will work for its victory in all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the State. Targeting the ruling Congress in the state, he said despite efforts of that party's leadership, no Minister mustered the courage to contest the coming polls.

6:02 PM

Karnataka BJP lodges complaint with EC over fake WhatsApp message

The Karnataka BJP unit has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission urging them to take action against those circulating a fake WhatsApp message on social media to bring "disrepute" to the party. In its complaint submitted to the State Chief Electoral Officer on March 24, it said that a fake WhatsApp message is being circulated in the social media by miscreants.

5:50 PM

6 candidates in fray for Mizoram's lone Lok Sabha seat

Six candidates have filed nominations for the lone Lok Sabha constituency in Mizoram, election officials said. Polling for the constituency would take place in the first phase on April 19, and the process for filing nominations closed on Wednesday, they said. The state's ruling Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) fielded Richard Vanlalhmangaiha, while the main opposition Mizo National Front nominated its Rajya Sabha MP member K Vanlalvena.

5:08 PM

BJP urges EC to transfer IPS officer whose wife is Cong candidate in LS polls in K'taka

BJP urged the Election Commission to promptly transfer senior IPS officer Hemanth Nimbalkar, whose wife is contesting on a Congress ticket from the Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming polls. The party requested that Nimbalkar be relieved from all election-related duties. Currently serving as Commissioner of the Department of Information and Public Relations, Nimbalkar's wife, Anjali Nimbalkar, is an incumbent MLA representing Khanapur in Belagavi district.

4:57 PM

Lok Sabha polls update: He (Sushil Kumar Rinku) took a longer route (to come to BJP), says Punjab BJP chief

"He (Sushil Kumar Rinku) took a longer route (to come to BJP). We Punjabis are known to be pioneers, we experiment," Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said on former AAP leader Sushil Kumar Rinku joining BJP.

4:49 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024 update: BJP candidate Jitin Prasada files nomination from Pilibhit

Uttar Pradesh Minister Jitin Prasada, who replaced party leader Varun Gandhi as the BJP candidate from the Pilibhit constituency, today filed his nomination papers. "Prasada has submitted the nominations in four sets in Hindi language before the District Election Officer. He has shown his total movable and immovable assets worth Rs 15 crore," Bajpai said.

4:38 PM

Double shocker for AAP in Punjab: MP Sushil Kumar, MLA Sheetal Angural join BJP

In a kick in the teeth for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab,  its Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural joined the BJP in Delhi on Wednesday.

4:18 PM

News update: EC reprimands BJP's Dilip Ghosh, Congress' Supriya Shrinate' for objectionable remarks

EC found remarks of Dilip Ghosh against CM Mamata Banerjee, Supriya Shrinate's against Kangana Ranaut to be 'undignified and in bad taste'

3:02 PM

MVA partners must stick to 'coalition dharma': Cong objects to candidates declared by Sena (UBT)

The Maharashtra state unit of the Congress today objected to the Shiv Sena (UBT) announcing its candidates for the Bhiwandi, Mumbai South Central and Sangli Lok Sabha seats, saying MVA partners must stick to "coalition dharma". Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat asked Shiv Sena (UBT) to rethink its decision.

2:56 PM

Union minister Gadkari files nomination for Nagpur LS seat

BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari today filed his nomination for the Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, and expressed confidence that the NDA will win the Lok Sabha elections again.

2:18 PM

‘All options open’: says Cong leader Nirupam amid friction in MVA after Shiv Sena (UBT) list

Warning that he was “open to all the options,” Former Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam today expressed his displeasure over the Shiv Sena (UBT) declaring Amol Kirtikar's name as its candidate from the Mumbai North West constituency for the Lok Sabha polls.

2:13 PM

Delhi BJP leaders, workers protest outside assembly, demand Kejriwal's resignation

BJP leaders and workers today protested outside the Delhi assembly's gate, demanding the resignation of arrested Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case and subsequently remanded to the agency's custody till March 28 by a PMLA court.

1:16 PM

Delhi govt will not be run from jail, says Lt Governor VK Saxena

Amidst statements by AAP leaders that Arvind Kejriwal will continue as chief minister even if he is behind bars, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena asserted on Wednesday that  the government will not be run from jail. Speaking at the Times Now Summit, Saxena said: "I can assure the people of Delhi that the government will not be run from jail."

1:13 PM

Shiv Sena (UBT) releases list of 17 candidates for Lok Sabha elections

Shiv Sena (UBT) today released the party's first list of 17 candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Anil Desai will contest from the Mumbai South Central parliamentary constituency.

12:57 PM

Karnataka Lokayukta raids 60 places linked to 13 government officials

The Karnataka Lokayukta officials raided 60 places, belonging to 13 government officials across the state  on Wednesday.

11:59 AM

Congress has concrete plan to tackle unemployment: P Chidambaram

Congress leader P Chidambaram took slammed the BJP-led central government over Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran's reported remarks that the government cannot solve all social and economic problems, and asserted that his party has a concrete plan to tackle unemployment which will be revealed in its manifesto. Nageswaran reportedly stated on Tuesday that it was incorrect to think that an intervention from the Centre could solve every social and economic challenge, contending that a diagnosis was easier than a solution when it concerned problems like unemployment.

 

11:59 AM

Lok Sabha elections: Prakash Ambedkar-led VBA quits MVA alliance in Maharashtra

Prakash Ambedkar-led VBA exits Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra; announces candidates for some Lok Sabha seats

 

11:05 AM

News update: Shiv Sena (UBT) releases 1st list of candidates; fields Anil Desai from Mumbai South

 

 

 

10:06 AM

Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar accuses Centre of "stepmotherly treatment" to Karnataka over development funds

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has accused the central government of "stepmotherly treatment" to Karnataka regarding funds for several development projects amid drought conditions.

 

DK Shivakumar said, "In Karnataka, there was a double-engine government. Chief Minister Bommai, when he was in power himself, admitted on record in the assembly that we would have to fight for our share."

9:55 AM

LS polls 2024: BJP releases list of 40 star campaigners for Madhya Pradesh

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released a list of leaders who would be campaigning for party candidates in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

The list includes the names of 40 leaders who will be star campaigners for the party in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP Chief Jagat Prakash Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Former BJP Chief Nitin Gadkari will campaign for the party in Madhya Pradesh.

9:45 AM

YSRCP chief Jagan to kick off election campaign from today in Andhra Pradesh

YSRCP chief and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy kicking off canvassing for the upcoming elections with a 21-day bus tour named 'Memanta Siddham' (We are all ready), on Wednesday from Idupulupaya in Kadapa district. The bus tour will be Jagan's first election campaign post the announcement of the legislative assembly and Lok Sabha polls by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 16.

9:10 AM

Cong declares candidates for remaining 4 LS seats in Chhattisgarh

The Grand Old Party on Tuesday announced its candidates for the remaining four Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh. With this, the Grand Old Party has announced candidates for all the 11 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The Congress' list features an MLA who is facing an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe, and two women.