Page 44 - Election Commission Of India

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

No exit poll from 7 am of Apr 19 to 6.30 pm of June 1: Election Commission

The Election Commission has issued a notification banning the conduct, publication or publicising of exit polls between 7.00 am of April 19 and 6.30 pm of June 1 when votes will be cast for the Lok Sabha and four state assembly polls. The notification issued on Thursday also made it clear that under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 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 ending with the time fixed for the conclusion of the poll. Besides Lok Sabha polls, assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim are going for elections. Separately, bye-election to 25 assembly constituencies in 12 states are also being held in this period.

Using app, citizens send 79,000 complaints of poll code violations: ECI

The Election Commission said that since the announcement of General elections on March 16, there have been numerous complaints of MCC violations on the cVigil app, most of which have been resolved

LS polls: Over 79K violations reported so far through C-Vigil app, says EC

The Election Commission (EC) on Friday said its C-Vigil mobile application has become an effective tool in the hands of people for flagging poll code violations and since the announcement of the Lok Sabha election, more than 79,000 complaints have been received. More than 99 per cent of the complaints have been resolved and close to 89 per cent of those were resolved within 100 minutes, the poll panel said. More than 58,500 complaints (73 per cent of the total number of complaints) received were against illegal hoardings and banners, the EC said, adding that over 1,400 complaints received pertained to money, gifts and liquor distribution. Close to 3 per cent of the complaints (2,454) were related to defacement of property. Of the 535 complaints received for display of firearms and intimidation, 529 have been resolved, the poll panel said. A total of 1,000 complaints were for campaigning beyond the prohibited period, including those related to the use of speakers beyond the permitt

Lok Sabha polls: Oppn seals Bihar deal; RJD to contest 26 seats, Congress 9

Lok Sabha polls: The RJD, which drew a blank in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, will fight on 26 seats in Bihar, while the Congress will contest on 9 seats, including its 2019 win - the Kishanganj constituency

Ceiling for LS polls expenditure: District poll panels fix menu, rates

Candidates in Punjab's Jalandhar can spend Rs 15 for a cup of tea and the same price for a samosa they offer to people during public meetings and campaign trails in the Lok Sabha elections. However, those in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla can spend Rs 7 for a cup of tea and another Rs 7.50 for a piece of samosa, considered a staple snack in many parts of the country. With polls to elect the 18th Lok Sabha approaching, district poll panels are fixing the rates for expenses as part of the election expenditure monitoring process. The candidates will have to manage their expenditure within the prescribed limit. These rate cards often become a subject of "meme-fest" on social media about the prices not being in sync with the current inflation level. In most states, including Andhra Pradesh, the expenditure ceiling for a Lok Sabha candidate is set at Rs 95 lakh. However, in Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Sikkim, the limit is slightly lower at Rs 75 lakh per candidate. Similarly, for Union territori

Lok Sabha elections: Filing of nominations for second phase begins

The process of filing nominations for 88 parliamentary seats across 12 states in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections began on Thursday. The notification for the second phase of the parliamentary polls -- to be held on April 26 -- was issued by the Election Commission on behalf of the president early on Thursday. The last date for filing nomination papers for this phase is April 4. On April 5, the nomination papers will be scrutinised in all states and Union Territories, except Jammu and Kashmir. In Jammu and Kashmir, the scrutiny will be held on April 6. Polling in one part of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency will also be held during this phase. The notification for elections in the Outer Manipur constituency was included in the gazette notification issued for the first phase on March 20. Fifteen assembly segments in the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency will go to the polls in the first phase on April 19. Thirteen assembly segments of the constituency will go

LS polls: EC's notice to Supriya Shrinate, crisis in K'taka Cong. 10 points

Lok Sabha elections: Amid the political row over campaign conducts and remarks, the last day to file nominations for Lok Sabha elections phase one ends today

EC issues show-cause notices to Ghosh, Shrinate for remarks targeting women

The Election Commission on Wednesday issued show-cause notices to BJP leader Dilip Ghosh and Congress leader Supriya Shrinate for their offensive remarks against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kangana Ranaut respectively. Ranaut has been fielded by the BJP from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi Lok Sabha seat for the parliamentary elections. Their remarks were "undignified and in bad taste", the Election Commission (EC) said. The poll panel said that prima facie, the two remarks were violative of the Model Code of Conduct and its advisory to political parties to maintain dignity during electioneering. The two have been asked to respond to the show-cause notices by March 29 evening.