Page 14 - Election Commission Of India

SC fixes April 16 for hearing pleas against appointment of CEC, ECs

The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed April 16 for hearing a batch of pleas challenging the appointment of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners (EC) under the 2023 law. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh fixed the date for hearing the pleas after advocate Prashant Bhushan said the matter is listed at number 38 and is not likely to reach for hearing during the course of the day. Bhushan requested an urgent hearing of the matter, saying it goes to the root of democracy and the issue is covered by the 2023 Constitution bench verdict. Justice Kant said the court understands all these arguments but a lot of urgent matters are listed every day. "We will fix it on April 16, so that the matter is finally heard," the bench said. Bhushan, appearing for petitioner NGO Association for Democratic Reforms, said the matter involved a short legal question -- whether the 2023 Constitution bench verdict should be followed for the appointment of the CEC an

Willing to talk about putting online booth-wise voter data: EC tells SC

The PILs sought a direction to the poll panel to upload polling station-wise voter turnout data on its website within 48 hours of conclusion of polling in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections

Open to talk about putting online polling booth-wise voter data: EC to SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday noted the Election Commission of India's (ECI) submission that it was willing to deliberate over the demand for uploading polling booth-wise voter turnout data on its website and asked the petitioners to make representations before the poll panel in 10 days. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan was hearing two PILs filed by TMC MP Mahua Moitra and NGO Association for Democratic Reforms in 2019, respectively. The PILs sought a direction to the poll panel to upload polling station-wise voter turnout data on its website within 48 hours of conclusion of polling in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the poll panel, said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar wanted to meet and discuss the grievance. "Here is a new chief election commissioner now. The petitioners can meet him and it may be addressed, he said. The CJI then said, "In the meanwhile, the .

EC to introduce new option in its software to detect 'ghost' voters

Amid the Trinamool Congress raising the issue of 'fake voters', the Election Commission has decided to introduce a new option in its software for the detection of 'ghost' electors, an official said. The new option would help the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) find out if multiple names are attached to a particular EPIC number, he said. "The chief electoral officers in all states have been informed about this decision," he said. On Monday, a letter was sent to the chief electoral officers of the states informing them about a new module for correcting 'duplicate EPIC numbers', the official said. West Bengal's Acting Chief Electoral Officer Dibyendu Das had on Monday held a virtual meeting with senior officials in the districts and briefed them about the decision, he said. Corrections on the voter list of West Bengal have been ordered to be completed by March 21, he added.

CEC calls for discussion on linking of EPIC and Aadhaar on March 18

Election Commission of India (ECI) has invited suggestions from all national and state political parties by April 30, to address any unresolved electoral issues

Matter related to duplicate voter card numbers a 'legacy issue': EC sources

The poll body had recently clarified that irrespective of the EPIC number, an elector can cast a vote only at their designated polling station

Congress slams EC's response on duplicate voter IDs as 'duplicitous'

The Congress on Friday termed as "duplicitous" the Election Commission's explanation on duplicate voter ID numbers and asked the poll body to come clean on the issue. Amid allegations of a cover-up over duplicate voter identity card numbers, the poll panel earlier in the day said it would address the "decades-long" matter in the next three months. "The Congress party rejects this feeble and duplicitous explanation by the ECI and reiterates its demands to come clean on the sanctity of voter lists in India," the Congress' Empowered Action Group of Leaders and Experts (EAGLE) said in a statement. The group said the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a duplicitous response on the issue of the same voter IDs being allotted to multiple voters. "The ECI, in its response, hides behind its processes to offer a feeble explanation. Shockingly but not surprisingly, the ECI has been forced to admit that its voter lists are flawed and not trustworthy," it said. The EC, in a letter is

Duplication of voter card numbers does not indicate fake voters: EC

Amid reports flagging issuance of identical voter card numbers to electors in two different states, the Election Commission on Sunday said duplicate numbers do not necessarily imply fake voters. It also said that while elector photo identity card (EPIC) numbers of some of the voters "may be identical", the other details including demographic details, assembly constituency and polling booth are different. "Irrespective of the EPIC number, any elector can cast a vote only at their designated polling station in their respective constituency in their state or union territory where they are enrolled in the electoral roll and nowhere else," the poll panel said. It explained that identical EPIC numbers or series were allotted to some electors from different states and union territories due to a "decentralised and manual mechanism" being followed prior to shifting of the electoral roll database of all states to the ERONET platform. This resulted in certain state chief electoral officers us

Ruling, opposition parties prepare for Jharkhand assembly face-off

The budget session of the Jharkhand Assembly is set to commence on Monday, as the opposition gears up in its efforts to corner the state government over issues around alleged examination paper leaks, claims of corruption and unemployment. The assembly session will conclude on March 27. The state budget for the 2025-26 fiscal will be tabled on March 3. BJP's Hatia MLA Naveen Jaiswal, after a legislature party meeting here, said, "The people gave their mandate to the JMM-Congress- RJD alliance, but that is being disrespected now. The state government forgot all the promises made to the people of Jharkhand after winning the election. Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi chaired the meeting. "We have decided to question the government on several public issues such as paper leak, rising corruption and unemployment," said Jaiswal. He also alleged that incidents of paper leaks were earlier confined to recruitment tests only, but now it is happening even in board examinations. "This .

Watch: Gyanesh Kumar takes charge as India's 26th Chief Election Commissioner

Gyanesh Kumar has taken office as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, succeeding Rajiv Kumar.

Gyanesh Kumar takes over as CEC, Vivek Joshi as Election Commissioner

Kumar stated that in accordance with the Constitution, the electoral laws and rules issued therein, the Election Commission always stood with the voters

Meet Gyanesh Kumar, India's Chief Election Commissioner and his tasks ahead

Gyanesh Kumar is a retired Indian Administrative Service officer from the 1988 batch of the Kerala cadre

'Hastily' taken decision: Congress criticises Centre's CEC appointment

The announcement of Kumar's appointment came shortly after the selection panel, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, proposed his name

Gyanesh Kumar becomes CEC: How the appointment process has changed

Here's all you need to know about the changed process of selection of Chief Election Commissioner and issues surrounding it

Outgoing CEC calls for early verdicts on poll cases, regulation of freebies

CEC Rajiv Kumar on Monday lamented that hearing of long-pending cases questioning electoral processes "fuel distrust" that petitioners intend to create and said it would be good if such proceedings are scheduled with due consideration to the election period. "This is a specific expectation of India's esteemed constitutional courts (the Supreme Court and 25 high courts)," Kumar, who demits office on February 18, said in his farewell address. He also said that the Election Commission remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing concerns surrounding unchecked freebies and overpromising manifestos. "While the matter related to freebies is currently sub-judice, and I hope for a timely decision from the court, it is imperative in the interim that political promises are backed by clear disclosures on their financial viability and their effect on the fiscal health of the state," he said. Kumar also stressed the need to have a totaliser system to ensure confidentiality in polling ...

Cong claims centre wants to control EC, asks govt to hold CEC appointment

The Congress on Monday asked the government to defer its decision on the new chief election commissioner till the Supreme Court hearing on a petition challenging the constitution of the selection panel. The Congress' side was put forth by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during the meeting of the selection panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said. The meeting took place at the South Block office of the prime minister. Home Minister Amit Shah is the third member of the selection panel. Addressing a press conference soon after the meeting, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said that by removing the chief justice of India from the selection committee, the government has made it clear it wants control and not to preserve the credibility of the Election Commission. Singhvi did not disclose anything on what transpired in the meeting apart from saying that Gandhi attended it. The selection committee is learnt to have recommended the name of the next CEC to

Rajiv Kumar's term ends Feb 18, new election body chief to be named soon

A selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet early next week to finalise the name of the next chief election commissioner, sources said on Friday. The panel also comprises the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and a Union Cabinet minister nominated by the prime minister. The panel could meet either on Sunday or Monday ahead of the retirement of incumbent Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on February 18. It will recommend a name from among the candidates shortlisted by a search committee. The president will then appoint the next CEC based on the recommendation. After Rajiv Kumar, Gyanesh Kumar is the senior-most election commissioner. His tenure is till January 26, 2029. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu is the other election commissioner. So far, the senior-most election commissioner (EC) was elevated as CEC following the retirement of the incumbent. However, after a new law on appointments of the CEC and ECs came into force last year

Jharkhand lone outlier as youth voter share declines, shows ECI data

Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Sikkim, West Bengal, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh witnessed some of the sharpest declines of young electors

SC to hear pleas challenging new law for CEC, EC appointments on Feb 19

The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed February 19 to hear pleas against the appointment of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners under the 2023 law saying if anything happens in the interregnum, the consequences are bound to follow. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh was told by advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for an NGO, that earlier the pleas were scheduled to be heard on Wednesday but now they have been listed for hearing on February 19. Bhushan said the urgency in the matter is that Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar is scheduled to superannuate on February 18 and the government may appoint the new CEC under the 2023 law, which is under challenge. The bench said, "We are fixing the matter for hearing on February 19. If anything happens in the interregnum, then the consequences are bound to follow." Bhushan, appearing for NGO 'Association for Democratic Reforms', said the apex court registry has informed them that as Justice Kant wa

Delhi election results 2025: How to check live results on ECI website

Delhi election results 2025: As vote counting continues for the Delhi Assembly elections on Saturday, the BJP has taken an early lead over the AAP