LS polls Highlights: My heart bleeds for the woman molested at Raj Bhavan, says CM Mamata

General Elections 2024: Catch all the latest news updates on the Lok Sabha polls here

10:19 PM

Will PM scrap 50 pc limit on reservations, asks Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi whether he would scrap the 50 per cent limit on reservations in the country, and asserted his party's Nyay guarantees will revolutionise the future course of politics. Addressing a rally for Congress' Pune Lok Sabha seat candidate Ravindra Dhangekar, he said Maharashtra is a "Congress state" in terms of ideology and he loves to visit it. If the Constitution is changed, India will be unrecognisable, the former Congress president said.

8:33 PM

J-K CEO inspects arrangements at counting center, strong rooms for Baramulla Lok Sabha seat

Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir, Pandurang Kondbarao Pole visited Baramulla and conducted a thorough inspection of the counting center and strong rooms designated for the Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency at the indoor sports stadium of the district.

 

While conducting the inspection, CEO Pole reviewed the facilities and arrangements at the counting centre and the strong room to guarantee a smooth and transparent counting process.

8:06 PM

Make polling hours 6am-7pm for May 7 LS elections, Karnataka BJP urges EC citing heatwave

Citing the ongoing heatwave in the state, Karnataka BJP on Friday petitioned the Election Commission with a request to modify the polling hours to the 6am-7pm period in the 14 parliamentary constituencies in the state that goes to polls on May 7.

Polling is currently scheduled to be held in the second phase in the state in 14 segments in the northern districts between 7am to 6pm on May 7.

5:59 PM

BJP's LS poll candidates from South Delhi, Chandni Chowk file nominations

BJP's Lok Sabha poll candidates Ramvir Singh Bidhuri from South Delhi and Praveen Khandelwal from Chandni Chowk filed their nominations on Friday following colourful roadshows that were attended by senior party leaders, including Union minister Piyush Goyal and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami. Goyal, accompanying Khandelwal in a roadshow that started from the Red Fort, claimed that the Congress is going to be "wiped out" from entire north India after the ongoing election.

5:47 PM

North Goa LS seat: In key Sattari taluka, BJP tries to expand reach

The performance of the BJP and Congress in the rural Sattari taluka, covering only two assembly segments, will be a key factor in the North Goa Lok Sabha constituency in the coastal state. The two rival parties are more or less evenly placed in other constituency areas, comprising 20 assembly segments. The scene was identical in Sattari taluka until a few years ago when the BJP emerged as a stronger player.

4:53 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Jailed separatist leader Nayeem Khan's brother files nomination from J-K's Baramulla

Jailed separatist leader Nayeem Khan's brother, Munir Khan, today filed his nomination papers from Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, which is going to polls in the fifth phase on May 20.Nayeem Khan was arrested on July 24, 2017 in a terror-related case. He headed the Jammu Kashmir National Front led by Nayeem Ahmad Khan.

4:47 PM

Can't stop a ‘Rahul Gandhi’ or ‘Lalu Yadav’ from contesting elections, says SC on namesake candidates

An individual cannot be asked not to fight elections just because they share their name with a politician, the Supreme Court said today. A three-judge SC bench made the observation even as it dismissed a plea seeking directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take “urgent steps” to solve the issue of namesake candidates in polls.

4:23 PM

Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq placed under house arrest

 Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was today placed under house arrest and not allowed to offer congregational prayers at the Jamia Masjid here, the managing body of the grand mosque said. Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid said its president "has been again placed under house arrest at his residence this morning by the authorities".

3:41 PM

BJP must answer why Governor did this to a woman?: Mamata on harassment allegations against CV Ananda Bose

Before talking about Sandeshkhali, BJP must answer why Governor did this to a woman working at Raj Bhavan, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said at an election rally today.

3:37 PM

In their 10 years of governance, INDIA bloc did nothing but scams and corruption, says PM Modi at Bolpur rally

 "In their 10 years of governance, INDI alliance did nothing but scams and corruption. They did 2G scam, submarine and helicopter scam, and CWG scam. TMC is also on the same path, they are doing scams in unthinkable ways. Ration scam, recruitment scam, coal scam, animal trafficking scam, and all scams were worth hundreds of crores," PM Narendra Modi said at an election rally in West Bengal's Bolpur, 

3:31 PM

My heart bleeds for the woman molested at Raj Bhavan, it's a shame: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Bengal Governor misbehaved with a woman, he has no right to talk about women of state, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said at a poll rally today.

3:23 PM

Lok Sabha polls: In 2014, people elected me to fulfill big goals, says PM Modi at Bolpur rally

3:14 PM

LJP chief Chirag Paswan threatens legal action against Tejashwi Yadav over reservation remarks

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan on Friday threatened legal action against RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for making "false" statements about the former's stand on reservations. At rallies, especially in the Lok Sabha constituency of Hajipur which Paswan is contesting, Yadav has been alleging that the LJP (R) chief has advocated scrapping of reservations for affluent Dalits.

3:11 PM

Priyanka, Rahul 'irrelevant' in Assam: Assam CM Himanta Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are "irrelevant" in this North Eastern state and they are "past expiry date". He dismissed Vadra's allegations that there is a 'mafia raj' in Assam and claimed that there was peace across the state and all welfare measures were reaching the people.

3:07 PM

BJD leader VK Pandian’s wife Sujata transferred by EC after BJP accused her of being ruling party's agent

The Election Commission of India has asked for the transfer of Sujata R Karthikeyan, wife of former IAS officer and BJD leader V K Pandian, from the Mission Shakti department to a “non-public facing department” with immediate effect, The Indian Express reported

2:45 PM

Lok Sabha polls: Maharashtra govt asks police to take strict action against deepfake creators

The Maharashtra government today ordered the state police to take stern action against those creating deepfakes, saying such content is a  matter of concern amid the poll season. An official release stated that the number of deepfakes and doctored photos being circulated on social media  has increased during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

 

2:34 PM

Congress's attempt to launch Rahul from Raebareli will fail: Home Minister Amit Shah

At a public meeting in Belagavi district, Home Minister Amit Shah today said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh after running away from Amethi and predicted that he will lose the polls there against the BJP candidate by a huge margin. Shah also said former AICC President Sonia Gandhi's multiple attempts to "launch" Rahul Gandhi had failed and claimed that this was the twenty-first attempt.

2:25 PM

Rahul Gandhi's candidature from Raebareli is ‘victory’ for people in Amethi: Smriti Irani

Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani said that Rahul Gandhi's candidature from Raebareli is a “victory" for the people of Amethi. “I want to assure the people of Amethi that the Modi government will return, and we will continue to work for people here, with development being the centre of our focus," she said.

2:06 PM

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Raebareli seat

Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination for the Lok Sabha elections today, hours after the Congress announced its decision to field him from the Raebareli seat. 

1:53 PM

Fielding Rahul from Raebareli a responsibility not just a legacy: Congress

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party has taken a decision to field Rahul Gandhi from Raebareli after a lot of deliberation and strategy. He also justified Priyanka Gandhi Vadra not contesting any election, saying she can reach Parliament by contesting any bypoll, but is currently taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to counter him on his alleged "lies" during campaigning.

1:50 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024 updates: Who is Dinesh Pratap Singh, BJP's Raebareli pick?

With Congress leader Rahul Gandhi set to stand from Raebareli in the Lok Sabha polls, all eyes have turned to BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh. A minister in the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh,  Singh has been picked by the BJP to contest from Raebareli for the second consecutive time. Read here for more details.

1:08 PM

They have accepted their defeat, says Smriti Irani on Congress' KL Sharma nomination

Union Minister Smriti Irani, who currently represents Amethi constituency in the Lok Sabha, on Friday stated that the Gandhi family not fighting from Amethi shows that “they have accepted their defeat here”.  BJP's Smriti Irani, will stand against Congress' KL Sharma. 

12:53 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024 update: Congress candidate Kishori Lal Sharma files nomination from Amethi

KL Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, has been picked by the Congress to stand from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat – a stronghold of the Gandhi family, breached in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

12:52 PM

'I would still want a Gandhi to fight from the seat,' says Congress's Amethi pick Kishori Lal Sharma

Congress's Amethi LS candidate Kishori Lal Sharma today said he would rather a Gandhi fight from the seat, but he cannot refuse the party's order which asked him to fight the election. "Even today, I want the Gandhi family to contest the election from Amethi. But I consider it my duty to accept the order given by the family," Sharma told PTI at the Gauriganj Congress office here.

12:26 PM

Lok Sabha polls: Who is Kishori Lal Sharma, Congress' Amethi constituency candidate?

The Congress today declared Kishori Lal Sharma as its candidate from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Sharma will fight against BJP's Smriti Irani, who defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 General Elections. Read here for more details.

12:19 PM

Congress wants to snatch Dalit, OBC quotas; provide reservation to 'jihadi' vote bank: PM Modi

At the West Bengal rally, PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The Congress wants to change the Constitution, snatch Dalit and Other Backward Classes (OBC) quotas, and provide reservation to 'jihadi' vote bank." PM Modi added that the Opposition cannot bring development and they only know how to divide the society for the sake of votes.

12:02 PM

Don't be scared, don't run away, says PM Modi on Rahul's LS bid from Raebareli seat

Hours after the Congress party announced Rahul Gandhi as its Lok Sabha candidate from the Rae Bareli seat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the result of the  Lok Sabha elections was clear. "And now he is scared to fight at Amethi and ran away to Rae Bareli. I want to tell him, don't be scared, don't run away," PM Modi said.at an election rally in West Bengal's Bardhaman-Durgapur.

11:46 AM

TMC has made Hindus second-class citizens in West Bengal, alleges PM Modi at Bardhaman-Durgapur rally

At an election rally in Bardhaman-Durgapur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that the Trinamool Congress has made Hindus second-class citizens in Bengal. I am not here to enjoy, I want to dedicate my life to serve people, PM Modi also said at the rally.

11:37 AM

Rahul Gandhi will be remembered as the General who left the battlefield: BJP slams Raebareli candidature

"Rahul Gandhi has forgotten his own slogan-'Daro Mat' and ran away from Amethi. Rahul Gandhi running from Amethi has proved to the entire nation that his slogan 'Daro Mat' is loaded with double standards, cowardice and hypocrisy. Rahul Gandhi will be remembered as that General who left the battlefield, left his soldiers, and escaped from the very back door rather than leading from the front," BJP National Spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said today.

11:32 AM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: PM Modi addresses public rally in West Bengal's Bardhaman-Durgapur