Page 8 - Assembly Elections

Haryana Assembly polls record 67.90% voter turnout, inches closer to 2019

Haryana has recorded a voter turnout of 67.90 per cent with Ellenabad assembly seat in Sirsa district witnessing the highest polling percentage at over 80 per cent, according to the updated figures of the Election Commission on Sunday. The polling for the 90-member state assembly was held on Saturday. In the 2019 assembly polls, the state had recorded 68.31 per cent turnout while in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for 10 seats, the percentage was 64.8. Poll panel data available at 11:55 pm Saturday showed the turnout was 66.96 per cent. Officials had said it would increase once all information comes in. There were more than 2.03 crore eligible voters in the state. Among the districts, the highest 75.36 per cent voting was recorded in Sirsa and the lowest 56.49 per cent in Faridabad district, Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal said on Sunday. The BJP, the Congress, the INLD-BSP and the JJP-Azad Samaj Party alliances, and the Aam Aadmi Party were the key poll contestants. However,

Haryana Assembly elections: Hooda leaves for Delhi ahead of counting

Ahead of Haryana poll results on October 7, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a frontrunner for the chief minister's post, on Sunday left for Delhi where he is likely to meet party leadership. The Congress veteran and former chief minister Hooda will have his night stay at his Delhi residence, sources said. He is likely to meet the party's senior leadership before he returns to his Rohtak residence Monday afternoon, they said. An aide of Hooda said that he left for Delhi from Rohtak residence in the evening. Asked who would be the chief minister if the Congress comes to power, Hooda had Saturday reiterated that there is a laid down procedure in the party, according to which "the opinion of the MLAs will be sought and the high command will decide". About party leaders Kumari Selja and Randeep Singh Surjewala also reportedly being aspirants for the chief minister's post, last evening Hooda told reporters that one can have aspirations in politics but there is a procedure. Votin

Bypolls on 10 Assembly seats INDIA bloc's first test in UP since LS gains

Bypolls on 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh will be a litmus test for the INDIA bloc's unity after the group's success in the recent Lok Sabha polls when they won more than 40 seats, significantly contributing to the BJP's failure to win a simple majority in parliament. However, the two INDIA bloc allies in Uttar Pradesh -- Samajwadi Party and Congress -- have not been able to firm-up a seat-sharing pact for the bypolls even though the Congress has staked claims to contest five of the 10 seats, a proposition the SP may not agree with. Leaders from both the parties say their aim is to defeat the BJP, and they are confident they would contest the bypolls together. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai told PTI, "The party is holding 'Samvidhan Bachao Sammelan' (save Constitution conferences) on all 10 assembly seats that are going to polls. Two such conferences have already been held. We have appointed incharges and observers on all the 10 seats and ground work is on." The assembly

Exit polls predict a Congress return in Haryana, hung house in J&K

While all the exit polls predict a thumping Congress win in Haryana, most suggest a split verdict in Jammu & Kashmir

Haryana Assembly polls 2024 highlights: Voting ends with 65% turnout by 6 pm

Haryana Assembly election Polls 2024 Live Updates: Catch all the latest Haryana election updates here

How did the exit polls fare last time for Haryana & J-K elections? Find out

In Haryana, while the 2014 exit polls were mostly accurate in predicting the BJP's victory, they were significantly off in 2019 when many forecast a decisive win for the BJP

Haryana election: Voting begins for all 90 seats, 1,031 candidates in fray

Polling for all the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana began on Saturday morning amid tight security arrangements, officials said. The fate of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Congress leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Vinesh Phogat, besides the JJP's Dushyant Chautala and 1,027 other candidates, will be decided in the polls in which more than two crore people are eligible to vote. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is eyeing a hat-trick of Assembly election wins in the state, while the Congress is hoping to return to power after 10 years. The counting of votes will be taken up on October 8. The voting is being held from 7 am 6 pm. Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pankaj Agarwal had earlier said 2,03,54,350 voters, including 8,821 centurions, are eligible to exercise their franchise. A total of 1,031 candidates are contesting the election, including 101 women and 464 Independent nominees. A total of 20,632 polling booths have been set up, Agarwal had said. Besides the BJ

Haryana votes for new Assembly: Sportspersons, dynasts, 'turncoats' in fray

Agnipath scheme, wrestlers' protests, farmers' agitation among issues in elections

Haryana Assembly elections updates: BJP will form govt in J-K, Haryana, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Haryana Assembly polls highlights: Catch all the news updates related to Haryana Assembly elections here

Baseless accusations: NC on rumours of post-poll alliance with BJP in J-K

The National Conference (NC) on Friday said it was not in touch with any political party other than INDIA bloc constituents for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir. The party's clarification came amid speculation that it was engaged in backchannel deliberations with the BJP for government formation in the union territory. "The JKNC categorically denies the unfounded rumours of back channel talks with any party outside the INDIA Bloc. Those sensing their impending defeat have resorted to spreading such baseless accusations," the NC said in a statement. A post on X by former Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu late on Thursday night claiming that "NC-BJP negotiations have clearly commenced" fanned the speculation. "NC leadership is now speaking to authorised representatives from the BJP and an unofficial mediator is "mediating". Initial groundwork includes the creation of a "larger interest" fig-leaf to justify the betrayal in Kashmir," Mattu said. He claimed NC president Farooq

Haryana Assembly polls updates: Whenever you wanted help, BJP backed down, says Priyanka Gandhi

Haryana Assembly polls updates: Catch all the latest news developments related to the Assembly polls here

Rahul trying to misguide public: Rajnath on Congress' claims about Agniveer

Singh also said that reservations in government jobs have been made for those Agniveers who are not retained after completing the mandatory service period

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Latest news updates: Catch all the latest news developments from across the world here

J-K Assembly elections highlights: 65.48% voter turnout recorded in final phase by 5 pm

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election Phase 3: Catch all the latest J&K election updates here

J-K Assembly elections: Over 28% polling recorded till 11 am in third phase

A voter turnout of 11.60 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of polling for the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections of Tuesday, according to Election Commission (EC) data. Polling in 40 assembly segments across seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir began at 7 am amid tight security. Long queues were seen outside polling stations. More than 39.18 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the fate of 415 candidates, including two former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Baig. Polling is underway in three border districts of north Kashmir --? Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara. The assembly segments where polling is being held are Baramulla, Uri, Rafiabad, Pattan, Gulmarg, Sopore and Wagoora-Kreeri in Baramulla district; Kupwara, Karnah, Trehgam, Handwara, Lolab and Langate in Kupwara district; and Bandipora, Sonawari and Gurez in Bandipora district. A total of 202 candidates are in the fray in these 16 segments. Voting is also being hel

J-K elections: Valmiki community votes for first time in Assembly polls

Long denied the right to vote, members of the Valmiki community exercised their franchise for the first time in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections on Tuesday and termed it as a "historic moment". The Valmikis were originally brought to J-K in 1957 from Punjab's Gurdaspur district for sanitation work by the state government. "I am a first-time voter at the age of 45. In my lifetime. We are thrilled and filled with enthusiasm to participate in J-K's assembly elections for the first time. It is like a big festival for us," Gharu Bhati, who voted at a polling station in Jammu, said. Bhati, who has led efforts for over 15 years to secure citizenship rights for his community said, "This is a festival for the entire Valmiki community. We have voters as old as 80 and as young as 18. Two generations before us were denied this right, but justice prevailed when Article 370 was abrogated, granting us citizenship of J-K." "For decades, our community, brought here for sanitation work, was

Enthusiastic voting in J-K polls shows success of policies: Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said the enthusiastic participation of people in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls reflects the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies and "true mainstreaming" of democracy in the Union territory. He also accused previous regimes, especially of the National Conference and Congress, of misusing Article 370 by depriving West Pakistani refugees, Valmiki Samaj and Gorkha community of their citizenship and voting rights. Singh, who represents Udhampur parliamentary constituency, was talking to reporters after casting his vote in the third and final phase of assembly elections at Trikuta Nagar polling station here this morning. The minister was accompanied by his wife and son. We are thankful to the prime minister and the BJP leadership for providing such a pleasant and festive atmosphere (for voting). This type of atmosphere is being witnessed for the first time after decades and this is the true mainstreaming of the democracy in .

J-K Assembly elections: Voting underway for third and final phase of polls

Voting commenced on Tuesday for the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, covering 40 seats across seven districts, including the winter capital Jammu. More than 39.18 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the electoral fate of 415 candidates, including two former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Baig. The election will witness West Pakistani refugees, the Valmiki Samaj, and the Gorkha community exercise their franchise, having gained voting rights for the first assembly polls following the 2019 abrogation of Article 370. They previously participated in the Block Development Council and the District Development Council polls of 2019 and 2020, respectively. Polling began at 7 am in 16 assembly segments in three border districts of north Kashmir amid tight security. The assembly segments in the region going to the polls are Baramulla, Uri, Rafiabad, Pattan, Gulmarg, Sopore, and Wagoora-Kreeri (Baramulla district), Kupwara, Karnah, Trehgam,

Kharge asks J-K voters to 'teach lesson' to those who took away statehood

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir to vote in large numbers in the third and final phase of the assembly polls in the union territory and "teach a lesson" to those who snatched statehood from them. Voting for the third phase is underway in 40 seats across seven districts, including the winter capital Jammu. More than 39.18 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the fate of 415 candidates. In a post on X, Kharge said, "As voting for the third phase of the Jammu and Kashmir elections commences, I urge the people in these 40 Assembly seats to exercise their Democratic rights in large numbers." This is the final chance to "teach a lesson" to those who snatched statehood from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress president said. "Remember, that a single vote can change your destiny and usher in a brighter future, which secures your Constitutional rights," he said. "A single vote is valuable enough to ensure better employment .

J-K Assembly polls: PM Modi, Shah urge voters to exercise their franchise

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged voters to come forward and exercise their franchise in the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections to make the festival of democracy a success. Voting commenced on Tuesday for the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, covering 40 seats across seven districts, including the winter capital Jammu. More than 39.18 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the electoral fate of 415 candidates. "Today is the third and last round of voting in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. I request all voters to come forward and cast their votes to make the festival of democracy a success," Modi said in a post in Hindi on X. "I am confident that apart from the young friends who are going to vote for the first time, women power will also participate in the voting in large numbers," the prime minister said. Polling began at 7 am in 16 assembly segments in three border districts of north Kashmir ami