Page 36 - Election Commission Of India

EC notice to AAP leader Atishi over statement on BJP's 'poaching' bid

The Election Commission Friday issued a show-cause notice to Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi, asking her to back with facts her statement that the BJP approached her to join the party. The BJP moved the commission earlier against her claim that the party reached out to her through someone close and asked her to join it. The notice issued by the Election Commission read, "...you are a minister in the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and leader of a national party. The electors tend to believe whatever is being said from public forum by their leaders and in that sense the statements made by them affect the campaign discourse." The poll panel said it expects that there must be a "factual foundation" to the statements made by the AAP leader and since the veracity of the statements made has been contested, she must be able to back it with a factual basis. The AAP leader has been asked to respond by Monday noon. "Now, therefore, you are hereby called upon to furnis

Lok Sabha polls: Rahul Gandhi, Kharge to launch Congress manifesto today

Lok Sabha elections: The Congress has made poll promises focussing on five segments of the society, including women, youth, dalit, farmers and workers

Lok Sabha polls: Not even 40% of 18 or 19-year-olds registered to vote

According to the Election Commission data, less than 40 per cent of the voters between 18-and-19-years-old have registered for the 2024 elections across the country

EC issues guidelines for genuine electors to cast vote without voter I-card

Seeking to ensure that no genuine elector is deprived of the right to vote, the Election Commission has told state poll officers to ignore clerical or spelling errors provided the voter's identity can be established through the voter I-card. It has also said that a voter I-card issued by the electoral registration officer of another assembly constituency will be accepted for identification provided the elector's name is in the electoral rolls of the polling station where he or she has turned up. In case of a mismatch of photograph, the elector will have to produce one of the alternative photo documents listed out by the EC. In an order issued last month, the EC said the electors who are not able to produce their voter I-card will have to furnish one of the alternative photo identity documents for establishing their identity. These include the Aadhaar card, MNREGA job card, passbooks with photograph issued by a bank or post office, health insurance smart card issued by the Labour ..

ECI meets with States, UTs to ensure peaceful, inducement free elections

The meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu was attended by top officials from States/UTs and central agencies

ECI calls meeting to review law and order on borders ahead of LS polls

The State Excise Department has been asked to monitor the production, distribution, sale and storage of liquor and inducements in the form of free goods during the election process

Lok Sabha polls: EC to meet officials to assess security along borders

Election Commission will hold a meeting with top state and Union territory officials and central agencies guarding the borders on Wednesday to assess the security along the borders ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. During the meeting, scheduled to be held at the Election Commission headquarters here, the law-and-order situation and vigilance along the borders in the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections will be reviewed. Officials from states and Union Territories are scheduled to join the meeting through video conference. India shares borders with Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and China.

LS polls: ECI team meets Haryana officials to review election arrangements

A team of the Election Commission of India (ECI) held a meeting with the senior officials of the Haryana government to review the election arrangements for Lok Sabha polls in the state. The five-member team was led by Deputy Chief Election Commissioner Hirdesh Kumar. The meeting here on Monday was chaired by Haryana Chief Secretary T V S N Prasad, according to an official release. Polling for the ten Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will be held in the sixth phase of elections on May 25. During the meeting in which Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur was also present, Chief Secretary Prasad said that no stone will be left unturned to conduct free and fair elections in the state. Prasad said that to conduct impartial and peaceful elections in the state, Haryana has requested 200 companies of central security forces from the ECI, out of which 15 have already arrived. He stated that 19,810 polling stations will be set up in the state, equipped with all basic facilities. Additional

Election Commission asks Centre to stop Viksit Bharat WhatsApp campaign

After receiving several complaints from citizens and Opposition parties, the ECI directed MeitY to stop the delivery of 'Viksit Bharat' WhatsApp messages since the Model Code of Conduct is in force

SC seeks EC response on 'complete count' of VVPAT slips, Congress lauds

The Congress on Monday hailed as an "important first step" the Supreme Court's notice to the Election Commission and the Centre on a plea seeking a complete count of VVPAT slips and said the matter should be decided before the Lok Sabha polls commence. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "The Supreme Court has issued a notice today to the Election Commission on the issue of VVPATs. It bears constant repetition that the Election Commission has refused to meet a delegation of INDIA (bloc) party leaders who have been demanding 100 per cent VVPATs in order to increase public confidence in EVMs and to ensure the integrity of the electoral process." The court on Monday sought responses from the commission and the central government on the plea seeking a complete count of VVPAT slips in polls as opposed to the current practice of verification of only five randomly-selected EVMs through VVPAT paper slips. "The notice is an important first step, but for it to be ..

BJP urges EC to file FIR against TMC leader for 'casteist slur' on PM Modi

BJP has asked the Election Commission to lodge an FIR against Piyush Panda and ban his campaigning for the remainder of the election period for his alleged derogatory remarks

BJP files EC complaint against TMC for posting private info of Rekha Patra

TMC is accused of targeting Sandeshkhali victim and BJP candidate Rekha Patra, sharing her private information on social media

BJP writes to EC, seeks 'stringent action' against Rahul over EVM remark

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of engaging in 'match-fixing' in the Lok Sabha election

Lok Sabha elections 2024: All things to know about phase six of polls

Lok Sabha elections phase six will be conducted on May 25 in seven states and Union territories on 57 constituencies. Notably, Delhi will go to polls in this stage

LS polls: EC censures Cong's Shrinate & BJP's Ghosh for offensive remarks

The Election Commission said the two leaders violated the model code of conduct and that their election-related communications will be closely monitored from now on

Polls latest: Jaishankar on Katchatheevu row, Kejriwal's custody extended

Lok Sabha elections: Jaishankar slams the Congress on the Katchatheevu issue; Arvind Kejriwal's ED custody in the Delhi liquor policy case ends today, and other latest updates

Highlights: BJP fields ex-diplomat Taranjit Sandhu from Amritsar, singer Hans Raj Hans from Faridkot, ex-Cong MP Preneet Kaur from Patiala for LS 2024

From Amit Shah's visit to Assam to US Federal Chair Jerome Powell's statement on interest rates and keeping an eye on inflation, track all the news from around the world here

Ex-Bihar CM, NDA nominee Manjhi owns movable assets worth Rs 11.32 lakh

Former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi, who is the NDA nominee from the Gaya seat, owns movable assets worth Rs 11.32 lakh and has Rs 49,000 cash in hand, according to the affidavit filed by him. Manjhi filed his nomination for the Gaya constituency on Thursday. Voting for the first phase of elections in Gaya, Nawada, Jamui and Aurangabad is scheduled to be held on April 19. As per the affidavit, he owns immovable assets worth Rs 13.50 lakh, while his wife Shanti Devi has immovable assets to the tune of Rs 5.38 lakh. In the 2019 polls, the former CM had declared movable assets worth Rs 10.2 lakh and Rs 40,000 cash in hand. Manjhi's movable assets include four bank accounts, two four-wheelers, a double-barrel breech loading (DBBL) gun and two cows. His wife has one bank account, gold jewellery worth Rs 3.78 lakh and silver jewellery valued at Rs 76,500. The affidavit showed he has no self-acquired immovable asset, and owns a

Voting is not just a right but a responsibility, say voters in Arunachal

For many first-time voters in Arunachal Pradesh voting is not just a right but a responsibility also for building a strong base for a vibrant democracy. First-time voters in Arunachal Pradesh constitute 46,144 of the total 8,82,816 electorate. Voting for the two Lok Sabha constituencies and the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly will be held simultaneously on April 19. Eighteen-year-old Millo Sunyo who will vote for the first time said: "Voting is not just a right but a responsibility of all eligible voters to exercise their adult franchise for building a strong base for a vibrant democracy". She says elections should be free of money culture, and freebies like distribution of petrol, diesel, liquor, edibles, etc. Sunya, who hails from Ziro-Hapoli assembly constituency, said people, especially new voters, should turn out in good numbers as it is essential for a healthy democratic process. "Many a time, we criticise the government but skip participating in the voting process," s

Raj Congress to hold protest against I-T notices, freezing of bank accounts

Rajasthan Congress will hold protests at all district headquarters of the state on Saturday against the fresh notices issued to it by the Income Tax Department and the freezing of the party's bank accounts. General Secretary and spokesperson of Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee Swarnim Chaturvedi said the BJP-led central government is continuously attacking democracy and democratic systems in the country. Public demonstrations will be organised by the district Congress committees at all the district headquarters of Rajasthan on Saturday, he said. All senior leaders, office bearers, and workers of the Congress will participate, he added. As part of a well-planned conspiracy of the central government, the bank accounts of the Congress party were frozen and now undemocratic action is being taken against it by the Income Tax Department which has asked it to pay Rs 1,823.08 crore, he said. This is being done so that the Congress is not able to participate with strength in the genera