Election Commission

EC orders probe into voting by foreigners in TN polls, 10 held in Chennai

The Election Commission has ordered a probe into the allegations of foreign nationals "deceitfully" voting in the April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, an official said on Saturday. The EC's action follows a report submitted by the police recently after they arrested ten foreign nationals who attempted to board a flight. The airport officials became suspicious when they noticed indelible ink on their index fingers and alerted the police. The Chennai police said ten foreign nationals were arrested in nine cases for allegedly casting votes in the Tamil Nadu 2026 Assembly polls. They were detained at the Chennai and Madurai airports. Police enquiry revealed that these nationals were from Sri Lanka, the UK and Canada. "They had used fraudulent Indian ID documents to cast the votes. The indelible ink was noticed on their fingers when they attempted to fly out," the police official said. The police Central Crime Branch registered cases and is probing, the official said and added that as

EC to conduct SIR of electoral rolls in Odisha from May 30, says CEO

The EC will conduct a month-long Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Odisha from May 30, an official said on Friday. The exercise will continue till June 28, while the final electoral rolls after the revision will be published on September 6, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha R S Gopalan said. He said training of booth-level officers (BLOs) and booth-level agents (BLAs) will be conducted between May 20 and 29, following which BLOs will undertake door-to-door verification from May 30 to June 28. He informed that rationalisation of the polling stations will also be completed by June 28. The draft electoral rolls will be published on July 5, and claims and objections can be filed till August 4. After disposal of the objections, the final electoral rolls will be published on September 6, he said. Currently, Odisha has 38,123 polling booths, and the number will increase to 45,255 after completion of the exercise, the CEO said. As part of the revision process,

Delhi voter list revision exercise to begin from June 30: Officials

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Delhi's electoral rolls will begin from June 30, officials said Thursday, adding preparations for the exercise covering over 1.5 crore voters have been completed. The Election Commission earlier in the day announced the rollout of SIR in 16 states and three Union territories, including Delhi, in a phased manner beginning May 30. "We have already finished preparations for SIR in Delhi, including training. Further, refresher training will be imparted to the personnel, including the booth level officials (BLOs) for the exercise beginning June 20," said an official of the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office. The final electoral roll of Delhi, following the completion of SIR, will be published on October 7. Over 13,000 BLOs will take part in the door-to-door verification exercise under SIR, he added. An awareness campaign will be launched from Monday to educate voters about verifying and matching their names with the 2002 voter list. The

Despite Cong support, Vijay-led TVK struggles to find more allies

Vijay's TVK falls short of majority in Tamil Nadu and struggles for allies, as political churn unfolds across Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry

SC asks: Can Court direct Parl to include CJI in EC appointments panel

Anoop Baranwal case stated CJI's presence was operational until enactment of new law: SC

WB CEO meets Governor to hand over gazette notification of Assembly polls

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Wednesday met Governor RN Ravi at Lok Bhavan to complete the statutory formalities of handing over the gazette notification containing the names of elected members of the new Assembly following the recently concluded state polls. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Agarwal said the Election Commission's role in the Assembly elections is over except for the completion of the pending poll process in Falta constituency. "I had come to complete the statutory work to submit the gazetted notification, which is done after any election. The list of elected MLAs has been handed over," the CEO said. "Now, constituting the Assembly is the work of Lok Bhavan. The EC role has ended except for completing the Falta poll," he added. The handing over of the gazette notification is a mandatory constitutional norm after the declaration of results, paving the way for the Governor to initiate the process for the constitution of the n

CEC orders immediate arrest of those involved in post-poll violence in WB

The Election Commission's directive came after two persons were killed in alleged incidents of post-poll violence in the state on Tuesday, besides scores of party offices being ransacked

TMC alleges post-poll violence in West Bengal; BJP denies involvement

Incidents of arson and vandalism at offices of the Trinamool Congress were reported across West Bengal on Monday as BJP workers celebrated their landslide victory in the state. Police said TMC offices in Kolkata's Tollygunge and Kasba, in Baruipur, Kamarhati, Baranagar in the suburbs, and in Howrah and Baharampur in the districts were vandalised by mobs since Monday afternoon. An Election Commission official said strict action will be taken against those involved in the rampage and assault, and reports have been sought from the local police to initiate follow-up action. BJP Leader Rahul Sinha, however, rejected the charge that any of his party's workers were involved in vandalism, saying it might be the handiwork of rival factions within the TMC, who were letting out their frustration at party leaders following the election results. At the Bijoygarh-Netajjnagar area in Tollygunge, the election office of TMC candidate and former minister Aroop Biswas was seen vandalised by a mob. So

No victory rallies allowed today after announcement of results: Bengal CEO

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal said no rallies celebrating the victory of candidates will be allowed in the state on Monday as the counting of votes for 293 assembly seats was underway. He said the counting is going fine and no violence has been reported in the state. "We have directed all DMs not to allow any victory rallies today. These victory processions will be allowed from tomorrow. We don't want any post-poll violence and appeal to everyone to stay calm and maintain peace," the CEO said. Political parties need to take permission from local police stations to bring out victory rallies, he said. "There has been no incident of violence. Any poll-related death was reported from anywhere in Bengal," Agarwal said. The poll panel was looking into complaints that agents of different parties were unable to reach the counting centres, special observer Subrata Gupta told reporters earlier in the day.

EC orders repoll in 285 booths in Bengal's Falta on May 21; counting May 24

The Commission's decision effectively annuls the earlier voting in the constituency, with fresh polling now scheduled later this month

West Bengal repolls: Nearly 72% voter turnout till 3 pm in 15 booths

Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, the official said, adding that till 3 pm, the turnout was 72.43 per cent

'SC asked ECI to implement circular, didn't dismiss TMC plea': Kapil Sibal

In the Supreme Court, we decided not to challenge the circular, instead urged the court to implement the circular, said Kapil Sibal while addressing a press conference

'No further order needed': SC on TMC plea against EC order on vote counting

The Supreme Court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against an Election Commission circular on the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal. A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the Election Commission (EC) can choose counting personnel and its April 13 circular cannot be said to be incorrect. The poll body said the circular is very clear that there will be a mix of central and state government employees and the apprehension of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of any wrongdoing is misplaced. The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit. At the outset, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the TMC, said the circular was dated April 13, but they came to know about it on April 29. The bench, which held a special sitting, said that the EC can choose counting personnel from only one pool

TMC alleges unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers, files complaint

The TMC on Saturday said it has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers at an EVM strongroom in Kolkata. TMC workers, who have been camping outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, alleged that eight trunks of postal ballots were brought in at 4 am and were taken to a room, which has no CCTV coverage. "We have been demanding that every single millimetre of space where EVMs and postal ballots be under CCTV surveillance. But as these trunks were taken inside, it was clear that they were taken to a room not under CCTV cover. Why should this happen," a TMC member asked. Voting machines from several assembly segments of northern and eastern Kolkata are stored at the strongroom at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra. As TMC activists were demonstrating, BJP's Shyampukur candidate Purnima Chakraborty reached the spot with her supporters, escalating tensions. Both sides started shouting slogans as police stood between them, attempting to b

WB polls: Voting underway at 15 booths in South 24 Parganas after EC order

Voting began on Saturday at 15 booths in two assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, where the Election Commission ordered repolls a day ago, following reports of electoral malpractices, an official said. The repolls were ordered in 11 polling stations of Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and four in Diamond Harbour. Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, the official said. Polling in these two assembly constituencies was held in the second phase of the state elections on April 29. The repoll order was based on reports received from returning officers and observers of the two constituencies and "material circumstances", the Election Commission official said. The BJP had alleged rampant electoral malpractices in certain polling stations of both the assembly seats under the Dimanod Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The EC had deputed its special observer, Subrata Gup

EC orders repolling in 15 polling booths in West Bengal on Saturday

The Election Commission on Friday ordered repolling on May 2 in 15 polling stations in West Bengal, where voting was held on April 29 in the second phase of the assembly elections. In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of Bengal, the Election Commission (EC) said the repolling has been ordered based on inputs received from the state poll machinery and voting will be held from 7 am to 6 pm. While 11 polling stations are in the Magarhat Paschim assembly constituency, four are in Diamond Harbour. A report about complaints relating to the Falta constituency is awaited. A large number of complaints was received from the constituency. This is the first time that repolling has been ordered in the present set of assembly polls in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. No repolling was recommended in the first phase of the West Bengal polls held on April 23.

No scope for wrongdoing at counting centres: West Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal on Friday asserted there is no scope for wrongdoing at the counting centres, stating that round-the-clock CCTV monitoring of strong rooms was in place. TMC spokesperson and Beleghata constituency candidate Kunal Ghosh said that party workers and poll aspirants were keeping a vigil at the counting centres, where the EVMs are stored in strong rooms, as per the direction of party supremo Mamata Banerjee. "There is no scope for any wrongdoing given the arrangements made," CEO Manoj Agarwal told reporters. Stating that round-the-clock CCTV monitoring of the strong rooms is underway, he said people can watch the monitors from outside. "One should have reason and evidence for making allegations," he said, maintaining that the complaints are baseless. A senior police officer said enhanced security arrangements have been made at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, the counting centre for several assembly seats in north and east Kolkata housing

Calcutta HC rejects plea against EC order on central staff for vote count

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday dismissed a plea challenging the Election Commission's directive to deploy central government and PSU employees for vote counting in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Polling for the 294-member Assembly was held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4. Dismissing the petition, Justice Krishna Rao held that there was no illegality in the EC's decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from central government or PSU employees instead of state government staff. "It is the prerogative of the office of the EC to appoint the counting supervisor and counting assistant either from the state government or the central government," the court observed. The petition was filed by the TMC, which challenged an April 30 communication issued by the Additional Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, stating that at least one of the counting supervisor or assistant at each table should be a central government or PSU ...

West Bengal records 92.47% turnout in polls, highest since Independence

West Bengal has registered a record 92.47 per cent voter turnout in the two-phase Assembly polls, the highest in the state since Independence, the Election Commission said on Wednesday. In 2013, Tripura had recorded the highest ever voter turnout in an Assembly election at 93.61 per cent. As of 7.45 pm, poll participation in West Bengal in Phase II of the Assembly elections stood at 91.66 per cent. In Phase I of the elections on April 23, the poll participation was 93.19 per cent. "The combined poll percentage over the two phases stands at 92.47 per cent," the poll watchdog said. West Bengal has a voter base of 6.81 crore. Previously, the highest voter turnout in the state was 84.72 per cent in the 2011 Assembly polls. In Phase II, the participation of women electors was marginally higher compared to men. According to the Election Commission (EC), 92.28 per cent of the total women electors voted as compared to 91.07 per cent of men. Commenting on the impressive voter turnout, C

EC directs police to take action over objectionable post targeting WB CM

The Election Commission on Monday directed the police to take stern action over an objectionable social media post, allegedly targeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, officials said. Sharing a screenshot of the objectionable post, the TMC had claimed on Sunday night that a "self-proclaimed 'right-wing nationalist' from UP and a BJP supporter" had made the "vile, insulting, filthy, and highly objectionable caricature of Hon'ble Mamata Banerjee" on social media. It said the post was taken down following a formal complaint. An EC official said necessary directions have been issued to the police to ensure prompt action. "We have taken serious note of it and instructed the police to initiate immediate action. The matter was brought to our attention, and necessary directions have been issued to ensure action," he said. Meanwhile, TMC member Nilanjan Das lodged a complaint with the cybercrime unit of the Bidhannagar Police regarding the matter. Police said an investigation