Page 18 - Election Commission Of India

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

AAP vs EC on Form 17C: Kejriwal launches website for 'voting transparency'

AAP and election commission clash over Form 17C transparency on election eve. What is Form 17C

Akhilesh alleges electoral Misconduct in Milkipur Bypoll, calls ECI 'dead'

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that police officials were illegally checking voters' ID cards at polling centres, creating an atmosphere of fear and indirectly influencing voting pattern

Delhi Assembly elections: When and where to watch exit poll results live?

Delhi Assembly elections will be held on February 5, with parties campaigning to secure voter support. Check all key details on the voting schedule, exit poll timings, and result announcement here

Milkipur Assembly bypoll: Over 44% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm

Nearly 30 per cent votes were cast in the first two hours of polling for the bypoll in Milkipur Assembly constituency of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm, officials said. According to the Election Commission (EC), 29.86 per cent votes were cast till 11 am. The Milkipur bypoll has turned into a prestige battle between the Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party as the seat is part of the politically significant Ayodhya district. While voting is underway at polling booths, Samajwadi Party leaders alleged that police are checking the identity cards of voters to "create fear" in them. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav posted on X, "The Election Commission should immediately take cognisance of pictures related to the news that Ayodhya Police -- senior police officers included -- is checking the ID cards of voters in Milkipur." "This is a murder of democracy by indirectly influencing voting by creating fear among voters. Such people

Delhi Assembly elections: 19.95 per cent voter turnout recorded till 11 am

A voter turnout of over 19 per cent was recorded in the first four hours of the Delhi Assembly elections on Wednesday. Polling began at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm. According to Election Commission data, 19.95 per cent voters cast their votes till 11 am. The highest voter turnout was recorded in the North East district at 24.87 per cent and Babarpur was leading among constituencies at 31.30 per cent. Central Delhi district recorded the lowest voter turnout at 16.46 per cent with only 11 per cent voters exercising their franchise in Karol Bagh constituency. East Delhi district recorded 20.03 per cent polling, New Delhi 16.80 per cent, North 18.63 per cent, Northwest 19.75 per cent, Shahdara 23.30 per cent, South 19.75 per cent, South East 19.66 per cent, South West 21.90 per cent and West 17.67 per cent, according to the data. There are around 1.56 crore eligible voters in Delhi. Polling is underway at 13,766 stations across all of Delhi's 70 assembly constituencies to deci

Delhi polls: Over 30K police personnel, 220 paramilitary companies deployed

Delhi is on high alert for the assembly polls on Wednesday with over 30,000 police personnel and 220 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed across the national capital for peaceful elections. The voting for the high-stakes Assembly elections began, with the Aam Aadmi Party eyeing a third straight term, banking on its governance record and welfare schemes, while the BJP and the Congress look at resurgence. There are over 1.56 crore voters eligible to cast their ballots from 7 am onwards on Wednesday. Voting will be taking place across 13,766 polling stations in all the 70 Assembly constituencies to decide the fates of 699 candidates in a contest that could reshape the political landscape of the capital. Nearly 3,000 polling booths have been identified as sensitive, and special security arrangements, including drone surveillance, Quick Reaction Team, Striking Team and one company of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been deployed to maintain law and order. "All De

Delhi Assembly elections: PM Modi urges voters to cast their vote

Polling for 70 assembly seats began on Wednesday morning in Delhi, as voters cast their ballots for the 8th Assembly amid tight security

Delhi Assembly elections: 33.31% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm

A turnout of 8.10 per cent was recorded in the Delhi Assembly polls till 9 am on Wednesday with President Droupadi Murmu, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Union minister S Jaishankar among the early voters. Around 1.56 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes. Polling began at 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm. According to Election Commission data, 8.10 per cent of voters had cast their votes till 9 am. North East district recorded the highest voter turnout of 10.7 per cent. Mustafabad was leading among constituencies with 12.43 per cent polling, the data showed. Polling is underway at 13,766 stations across all of Delhi's 70 assembly constituencies to decide the fate of 699 candidates in a contest that could reshape the political landscape of the capital. While AAP is eyeing a third consecutive term, BJP and Congress are hoping for a resurgence in Delhi. In the 2020 assembly polls, Delhi recorded a voter turnout of 62.59 per cent while only 56 per cent of voters participated

EC hits back at AAP: We are three-member body, not run by one person

Amid allegations levelled by the Aam Aadmi Party that the Election Commission is being run by CEC Rajiv Kumar, the poll panel on Tuesday hit back saying it is a three-member body which has collectively noted "repeated deliberate pressure tactics" to malign the poll authority in Delhi polls. It said an impression is being created that the EC is a single member body. In a post on X, the EC said it has decided to have constitutional restraint, absorbing such outbursts with sagacity, stoically and not to be swayed by such insinuations. Top AAP leaders, including its convenor Arvind Karjiwal, have claimed that the EC has been ignoring the BJP's alleged violations of poll code. Kejriwal had alleged that Kumar is not taking action against the BJP to bag a post-retirement assignment. Kumar demits office on February 18 on attaining the age of 65 years. Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu are the other election commissioners. "The 3-member Commission collectively noted repeated deliber

Delhi Assembly elections: EC bans exit polls before 6:30 pm on February 5

displaying any election matter, including results of any opinion poll or any other poll survey, in any electronic media would be prohibited during the 48-hour period

Kejriwal writes to EC, demands independent observers in his constituency

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal has alleged attack on his party workers ahead of the Delhi assembly polls and demanded that the Election Commission appoint independent observers in his New Delhi constituency. In a letter to the Election Commission, Kejriwal has also demanded arrest of BJP workers allegedly involved in such incidents and suspension of police officers concerned. No immediate reaction was available from the BJP and the Delhi Police over Kejriwal's claims. In the letter, the former Delhi chief minister also cited some alleged incidents of attack on AAP workers in his New Delhi constituency. AAP MLA Mohinder Goyal was allegedly assaulted during a public rally in Rohini area here on Saturday. The incident took place when Goyal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from the Rithala Assembly segment, was interacting with the local residents of Pocket H in Sector 11. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Saturday wrote a letter to the Election Commission, alleging that the BJP worker

Delhi assembly polls: 7,552 eligible electors opt for home voting facility

A total of 7,552 electors have opted for the home voting facility, available to elderly voters and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), for the upcoming Delhi Assembly election. The home voting facility is available to voters above 85 years of age and PwDs, offering them the option to cast their votes from their homes, it said. According to a statement, the Election Commission of India (ECI) deployed 206 teams of polling officers across 11 districts and 70 Assembly constituencies in the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT), ensuring smooth and timely execution as per ECI guidelines. As of January 31, 2025, 92 per cent of registered home voters have successfully cast their votes. This includes 5,982 senior citizens and 998 persons with disabilities. District West recorded the highest home-voting turnout at 94 per cent, the statement said. It mentioned that polling officials and security personnel visit voters' residences to collect their votes and voters are notified in advance .

Delhi polls: CEO Vaz assures voter-friendly steps for smooth Feb 5 voting

Around 1.56 crore voters are set to exercise their electoral franchise in the Delhi Assembly election on February 5 as voter-friendly measures have been put in place for the smooth polling process, Chief Electoral Officer R. Alice Vaz said. To facilitate voting, 13,766 polling stations have been set up across 2,969 polling premises. Of these, 733 polling stations are designated for persons with disabilities, Vaz said. Around 1.56 crore voters, including 83.76 lakh men, 72.36 lakh women, and 1,267 individuals from the third gender will cast their ballot on February 5. The Delhi Election Office has introduced several voter-friendly measures to ensure a smooth polling process. These include ramps, wheelchairs, medical teams, crche services, themed polling stations, a queue management mobile application and a home voting option for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, she said. Vaz emphasised that over 1 lakh polling personnel have been deployed, and all polling stations will

Party spent Rs 1737.68 cr on LS elections 2024: BJP's report to ECI reveals

The Bharatiya Janata Party spent Rs 1,737.68 crore for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, according to the expenditure report submitted by the party to the Election Commission of India. Of the total amount, Rs 884.45 crore was spent on general party propaganda, while Rs 853.23 crore was allocated for candidate-related expenses. Around Rs 611.50 crore was spent on media advertisements that included advertisements in print and electronic media, bulk SMS campaigns, and promotional content across cable, websites, and TV channels. The party also spent Rs 55.75 crore on publicity materials such as posters, banners, hoardings, and flags to bolster its election outreach. Additionally, the BJP's expenditure on public meetings, processions, and rallies including arrangements for stages, audio setups, barricades, and vehicles stood at Rs 19.84 crore. Campaign-related travel expenses formed another significant portion of the party's budget. The travel expenditure of star campaigners authorised b

Election rules change row: SC orders EC to preserve video clips of polling

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Election Commission of India to preserve video clips of the polling during the pendency of the pleas against the decision to increase the maximum number of voters per polling station from 1,200 to 1,500. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar passed the order the counsel for the Election Commission of India (ECI) sought time to respond to the PIL filed by one Indu Prakash Singh. Singh has challenged the panel's communications in August 2024 for increasing the number of voters per polling stations in each constituency. "The counsel appearing for respondent number 1 prays for further time to file affidavit. Let the affidavit be filed within three weeks from today. We deem it appropriate to direct respondent no 1 to maintain the CCTV recordings as they were doing earlier," the bench said. The top court on January 15 sought responses from the Centre and the poll panel on Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's

Kejriwal responds to EC notice on Yamuna water controversy, submits report

Accompanied by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal visited the EC office in New Delhi