Assembly Polls

Shun allurement, prejudice, employ wisdom while casting votes: Prez Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said she hoped that Indians would exercise their right to vote by employing wisdom and shunning allurement, prejudice and misinformation to strengthen the country's electoral system. She also lauded women voters for coming out in large numbers to exercise their franchise during elections. Addressing a 16th National Voters' Day event held here, Murmu asserted that while the right to vote is important, it is also imperative that all citizens exercise it by keeping in mind their constitutional duties. For the last 16 years, the foundation day of the Election Commission (EC) has been celebrated as the National Voters' Day. On November 26, 1949, when the Constituent Assembly adopted the Indian Constitution, 16 of its articles came into force immediately, including one that pertained to the creation of the EC. The EC came into existence on January 25, 1950, a day before India became a republic. The remaining part of the Constitution came into force on

Assam's political season may feel the long shadow of Zubeen Garg's absence

The state is learning that the loss of a cultural icon can be more politically potent than any promise in an election manifesto

Bihar's poll map shows sharp vote share swings amid heavy turnout

JDU dominates with big jumps in vote share while AIMIM suffers sharp declines, even in seats it retained, as Bihar records a strong 66.9% voter turnout

'Everyone from outside is struck by Bihar's rural road connectivity'

In an exclusive interview with Aditi Phadnis, Bihar's Road and Infrastructre as well as Urban Development Minister Nitin Nabin enumerates the developmental strides the state has taken

Bihar elections: From Patna to Purnia, voter turnout climbs across state

Despite voter roll deletions under the SIR process, Bihar's 2025 election saw a record 66.9% turnout, driven by strong participation of women voters across all 243 constituencies

Bihar's first-time voters seek development, don't want Jungle Raj to return

Bihar Assembly elections 2025: The first-time voters, mostly students, are seeing through the facade of slogans and promises. They want change

PM Narendra Modi ends NE outreach with Assam rally, targets Opposition

PM Modi visits five states in three days, calls for peace in Manipur, attacks Congress in Assam, and launches Rs 36,000 crore projects in Bihar ahead of assembly polls

Bihar voter verification row reaches Supreme Court, hearing on July 10

Petitions by RJD, ADR, PUCL, and others argue that Bihar's new verification norms violate electoral laws and fundamental rights ahead of the 2025 polls

ECI holds all-party meetings to resolve booth-level polling issues

ECI said that this grassroots-level engagement has been welcomed by political parties, with their active and enthusiastic participation in meetings

Bihar govt tables Rs 3.17 trn Budget, proposes women-centric schemes

Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who holds the finance portfolio, tabled a Rs 3.17 trillion Budget in the Assembly

Delhi elections 2025: Rahul Gandhi casts vote at Nirman Bhawan's polling booth

Rahul Gandhi casts vote at Nirman Bhawan's polling booth. >

Difficult to define a freebie, our 'hands tied': CEC Rajiv Kumar

Delhi elections on Feb 5, counting on Feb 8

2024: A year of challenges for incumbents and traditional political parties

Internationally, 2025 will be far less frenetic than 2024, which saw more than 60 countries, including India, hold their national electio­ns

SC dismisses petition for reverting to ballot paper voting in elections

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to revert to ballot paper voting in elections in the country. "What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs (electronic voting machine) are not tampered. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with)," remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale. Apart from ballot paper voting, the plea sought several directions including a directive to the Election Commission to disqualify candidates for a minimum of five years if found guilty of distributing money, liquor or other material inducement to the voters during polls. When petitioner-in-person K A Paul said he filed the PIL, the bench said, "You have interesting PILs. How do you get these brilliant ideas?". The petitioner said he is the president of an organisation which has rescued over three lakh orphans and 40 lakh widows. "Why are you getting into this political arena? Your area of work is very different," the bench retorted. After Paul revealed he ha

Exit Poll 2024: BJP-led NDA’s edge in Maharashtra and Jharkhand

Jharkhand and Maharashtra assembly elections concluded on November 20. Can the exit polls predict accurately, or will surprises emerge like in previous elections? Watch the video to find out.

Jharkhand assembly elections 2024: Exit poll prediction

Polling for the Jharkhand Assembly elections has concluded, with voting held in two phases on November 13 and 20.

Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024: Phase 2 Voter Turnout | Jharkhand exit poll

The second phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections concluded on November 20. Watch the video for a district-wise breakdown of voter turnout.

Jharkhand Assembly polls: Nearly 48% voter turnout recorded till 1 PM

Nearly 13 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 9 AM on Wednesday in 38 assembly constituencies in Jharkhand where voting is underway in the second and final phase, officials said. Polling began at 7 AM in 14,218 booths across 12 districts and will continue till 5 PM. However, polling in 31 booths will end at 4 PM though people standing in the queue at that time will be able to exercise their franchise, the officials said. The ruling JMM-led INDIA bloc is seeking to retain power riding on its welfare schemes, while the BJP-headed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is trying to wrest it. "A voter turnout of 12.71 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of polling. Voting has been peaceful," an Election Commission official said. A total of 1.23 crore voters, including 60.79 lakh women and 147 third-gender electors, are eligible to exercise their franchise on Wednesday, another official said. Altogether 528 candidates, including Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren, hi

Fisherfolk at Maharashtra's Dandi Hawar market list concerns as poll nears

The fishing community of Dandi Hawar hopes for lasting solutions to their problems and a commitment from leaders to support their livelihoods

Police seizes Rs 3.70 cr in Palghar amid Maharashtra poll code in place

Police have seized more than Rs 3.70 crore cash from a van in Palghar district of Maharashtra amid the code of conduct in place for the November 20 assembly polls, an official said on Saturday. The cash was seized at Wada in the coastal district on Friday, police inspector Datta Kindre said. "The police's vigilance and flying squad received a tip-off that a van was transporting cash through the district. Based on the information, the team intercepted the van and carried out a check, during which it found that Rs 3,70,50,000 cash was being transported. The driver and security personnel failed to produce valid documents required for the transportation of the cash," he said. They told the police that the cash was being taken from a company based in Navi Mumbai to Vikramgad in Palghar, he added. The cash has since been seized and the Income Tax Department as well as election officials have been informed for further probe, he said, adding that two occupants of the van have been detained