Page 4 - Election Comission

ECI permitted WB to pay ex-gratia to families affected by storm: Adhikari

Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Monday claimed that the Election Commission has granted permission to the West Bengal government to pay ex-gratia to the families affected by the storm in Jalpaiguri district on March 31. He alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee were telling lies to the people that the state government was not able to pay compensation to the families affected by the storm as the model code of conduct was in force and the Election Commission has not given permission for it. Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, posted in his X handle the ECI letter dated April 9 granting NOC to the state government's proposal to pay ex-gratia to the families affected by the storm. "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. The renowned pair of pathological and congenital liars of West

Lok Sabha polls 2024: All you need to know about phase seven of polls

The elections for the seventh phase will be held on June 1 in 57 constituencies, and it will cover eight states and UTs

INDIA bloc to raise objection against 'targeting' of Oppn leaders with EC

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee condemned the arrest of Delhi CM Kejriwal; said INDIA bloc will meet with the Election Commission to object against the 'deliberate targeting' of Opposition leaders

NCP vs NCP: SC allows Ajit Pawar faction provisional use of 'clock' symbol

The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to recognise Sharad Pawar's NCP faction and allowed them to use a new symbol for the upcoming state and general elections

Lok Sabha polls: Modi's south India visit, Kejriwal skips summon; 10 points

Lok Sabha elections: PM Modi is set to hold rallies in south Indian states on Monday. His visit follows two days after the Election Commission announced the poll dates, which will commence on April 19

Lok Sabha elections 2024 Phase 3: Voting on May 7, full details here

94 constituencies in 12 states and Union territories will go to polls in the third phase of the 2024 general elections

Pak EC announces Senate election schedule for 11 Balochistan seats

In this electoral process, the Balochistan Assembly will have the authority to elect 11 Senators, comprising seven for general seats, two for women, and two for technocrats

Two election commissioners likely to be appointed by March 15: Report

Two election commissioners are likely to be appointed by March 15 to fill the vacancies created by the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey and the surprise resignation of Arun Goel, sources said on Sunday. Days before the poll panel is expected to announce the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls, Goel resigned on Friday morning. His resignation was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday and the Law Ministry issued a notification to announce it. This leaves Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar as the sole member of the poll authority. Pandey had demitted office on February 14 on attaining the age of 65 years. A search committee under Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and comprising the Home Secretary and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Secretary will first prepare two separate panels of five names each for the two posts. Later, a selection committee headed by the prime minister and comprising a Union minister and Leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha Ad

Elections 2024: EC instructs parties not to involve children in campaigns

The EC reminded all political parties of their responsibility to adhere to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986

Interim Budget: Rs 2,502 cr allocated to law ministry, Rs 385 cr to EC

The Election Commission has been granted Rs 385.67 crore for conducting elections this fiscal, according to documents provided after the presentation of the interim budget on Thursday. Lok Sabha elections are due this summer and could be announced sometime in March. The Law Ministry ministry has been provided Rs 2,502.30 crore this fiscal and Rs 34.84 crore in 2024-25 for procurement of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the poll panel. The sum is meant for providing funds to the Election Commission for procurement of Ballot Units, Control Units and Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) Units by the Election Commission and ancillary expenditure on EVMs and destruction of obsolete EVMs. One control unit, at least one ballot unit and one VVPAT unit make up for one EVM. An expert committee oversees the destruction of old EVMs. An EVM has an average shelf life of 15 years. The poll authority has also been provided Rs 306.06 crore for elections under budget 2024-25. The legis

National Voters' Day: Your dreams are my resolve, Modi's message to youth

Addressing the 'Nav Matdata Sammelan' virtually, Modi emphasised on the value of votes and told the youngsters that their voice will decide the course of the country's direction with their votes

Owaisi opposes 'One Nation, One Election', writes to high-level committee

Expressing opposition to the idea of 'One Nation, One Election', AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday claimed that the proposal will be a "disaster" for Indian democracy and federalism and that it is a "solution searching for a problem". Owaisi, who wrote a letter to Niten Chandra, Secretary of a high-level committee (HLC) 'One Nation, One Election' that has called for suggestions for implementation of the idea, urged the "HLC to duly record the finding that simultaneous elections are neither constitutionally permissible nor necessary, nor viable". In a post on social media platform X, the Hyderabad MP said, "Wrote to the High Level Committee on One, One Election. #OneNationOneElection will be a disaster for Indian democracy & federalism. It is a solution searching for a problem." "I write to you to oppose the proposal of "One Nation, One Election" in my capacity as Member of Parliament and President of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. I have appended my substantive ..

President Murmu grants assent to Bill for appointment of CEC, ECs

President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to a bill that seeks to put in place a mechanism for the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, according to a government notification issued Friday. The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, has provisions to set up a search committee chaired by the law minister and two other persons not below the rank of secretary, to prepare a panel of five persons for consideration of the selection committee for appointment as CEC or ECs. The bill also has provisions for a Selection Committee, chaired by the prime minister, leader of the opposition and a Union minister, to make recommendations to the President for appointment of CEC and other ECs. The President also granted assent to the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, to replace a British-era law governing the publishing industry and simplify the process of ...

Former CM Chandrababu Naidu alleges 'irregularities' in Andhra voters list

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday wrote a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Andhra Pradesh, complaining about several alleged irregularities in the voters' list. The former chief minister alleged that the YSRCP-run state government is responsible for the irregularities and asserted that the prescribed procedure for enrolment of voters is not being followed. The necessary changes in the electoral rolls are not being made as per the Electoral Manual-2023. Though the manual clearly specifies the procedure for deletion of multiple entries, the procedure is not complied with, as still there are double or multiple entries of voters in several constituencies, he alleged. According to the opposition leader, ineligible persons are being enrolled through online mode and the names of opposition parties' supporters are allegedly being deleted under the directions of the ruling dispensation. Noting that there has been no action on TDP's complaints till now, Naidu called on th

MPs who win Assembly polls have to quit one seat in 14 days, says expert

Several of the MPs who contested the assembly polls and won will have to quit one of the seats in the next 14 days, else they stand to lose their Parliament membership, an expert said citing provisions of the Constitution. The BJP fielded 21 MPs, including Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel and Faggan Singh Kulaste, in the assembly polls -- seven each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, four in Chhattisgarh and three in Telangana. The MPs who win assembly polls will have to quit one of their seats in the next 14 days. "If they don't, on expiry of 14 days, they will lose their membership of Parliament. However, they can continue as member of the state legislative assembly," Constitution expert and former Lok Sabha secretary general P D T Achari said citing Prevention of Simultaneous Membership Rule issued by the president in 1950 under Article 101 of the constitution. While counting is on in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, it will take plac

BRS, Congress spar after EC revokes order for aid to Telangana farmers

However, the poll panel revoked its order after the state finance minister violated the model code by making a public announcement about it

Election department training officials for counting of votes in Mizoram

The Mizoram Election department is giving training to officials on counting of votes for the state assembly election, a senior officer said. Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Madhup Vyas said that a full dress rehearsal for counting will be held through the Encore portal on Thursday. Additional CEO H Lianzela said more than 4,000 counting personnel will be involved in the counting to be held on December 3. Counting will be held in 13 counting centres across the state and there will be 40 counting halls in 13 counting centres, he said. "There are 399 EVM tables and 56 postal ballot tables and over 4,000 personnel for counting of votes," he said. Director General of Police (DGP) Anil Shukla said that "full proof security arrangements have been made for counting of votes." He had said Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), IRBn and Mizoram armed police have been deployed to maintain law and order. All the EVMs are securely placed in the strong rooms in all the district headquarter

State elections: AAP knocks EC's door against BJP's 'poll code violations'

The Aam Aadmi Party has sought swift action against the BJP to "uphold the integrity of the election", currently happening in five states of India.

Rajasthan polls 2023 LIVE: CM Gehlot addresses rally, Owaisi slams Congress

Rajasthan state Assembly elections LIVE: Catch all the latest updates of Rajasthan elections 2023 here

Rajasthan elections 2023 LIVE: Prominent leaders join BJP ahead of polls

Rajasthan state Assembly elections LIVE: Catch all the latest updates of Rajasthan elections 2023 here