Page 44 - Election Commission Of India

Centre defends dropping CJI from election commissioners selection panel

The Centre on Wednesday defended in the Supreme Court the appointment of two new election commissioners (ECs) under a 2023 law that excludes the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee, saying the independence of the Election Commission does not arise from the presence of a judicial member on the committee. In an affidavit filed in the apex court, the Union Law Ministry rejected the petitioner's claim that the two election commissioners were hastily appointed on March 14 to "pre-empt" the orders of the top court the next day, when the matters challenging the 2023 law were listed for hearing on interim relief. The affidavit has been filed in response to a batch of pleas, including those by Congress leader Jaya Thakur and the Association for Democratic Reforms, challenging the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Terms of Office) Act, 2023. "It is submitted that the case of the petitioners is premised on one .

ECI issues directions to remove unauthorised political advertisements

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar warned against the spread of misinformation during the Lok Sabha elections

Lok Sabha elections, phase 1: Nomination process begins, voting on April 19

The nomination process for 102 parliamentary constituencies spread across 21 states and Union territories, where polling would be held in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19, began on Wednesday with the issuance of a notification. According to the notification issued by the Election Commission on behalf of the President, the last date for filing nomination papers is March 27. However, due to a festival, March 28 is the last date for filing nominations for the Lok Sabha seats in Bihar going to polls in the first phase. Voting in four out of 40 seats in Bihar will be held in the first phase. Nomination papers will be scrutinised on March 28. For Bihar, it would be done on March 30. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 20 while for Bihar, it is April 2. The elections for the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on April 19 followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes is on June 4. The states where

Lok Sabha polls 2024: BJP moves EC over Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark

Lok Sabha elections 2024: The 'Shakti' row erupted after Rahul Gandhi's statement made during an address at the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra concluding event in Mumbai on Sunday

Poll calendar: Election 2024 date sheet for most populous urban centres

Andhra Pradesh, which will also hold its Assembly elections simultaneously with the LS polls, and Telangana will go to polls in a single phase on May 13

Use of unaccounted money during elections: EC's fight to continue

Nearly Rs 3,400 crore in cash and other items were seized in the elections in 2022-23, an increase of 835 per cent over 2017-18, the data showed

Media persons on election duty can vote using postal ballots: ECI

In this regard, the Election Commission (EC) wrote to all state chief electoral officers regarding the categories of absentee voters on essential services

Lok Sabha elections 2024: All you need to know about Phase 2 of polls

Lok Sabha polls: The second phase of elections will be held on April 26 across 13 states and UTs. As many as 89 parliamentary seats will be up for polls in phase two, including all 20 seats of Kerala

Lok Sabha elections 2024 phase-wise polling dates for states, UTs: Details

The Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be held in seven phases from April 19. As many as 21 states and Union territories will hold polls on various seats on the inaugural day

NCP vs NCP: SC allows Ajit Pawar faction provisional use of 'clock' symbol

The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to recognise Sharad Pawar's NCP faction and allowed them to use a new symbol for the upcoming state and general elections

BJP accuses Congress of violating MCC, files two complaints with EC

On Tuesday, the former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur led a BJP delegation and filed two complaints with the Chief Electoral Officer in Shimla

From apps to influencers, EC working to increase participation in K'taka

Encouraging the public to use various apps to putting QR codes on voter slips to locate polling booths, the Election Commission is coming out with several initiatives to increase turnout in the coming Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka leveraging technology, EC officials said on Tuesday. Voter Helpline, 'Know Your Candidate' and updating details about number of voters in queue and kind of parking facilities available at polling booths and an elaborate booth election management plan are among the other measures being taken. The EC is also collaborating with social media influencers to encourage people to cast their ballot. Celebrities like head coach of Indian cricket team Rahul Dravid, Jnanpith awardee Dr Chandrashekhara Kambar and Paralympian Girish Gowda are the State election icons. The general elections in Karnataka will be held in two phases on April 26 and May 7 for its 28 constituencies. Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena told PTI that out of the 58,834 polling booths,

Ahmedabad East LS seat Cong candidate Rohan Gupta withdraws from poll fray

Congress candidate from Gujarat's Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha seat Rohan Gupta has said he has withdrawn from the contest due to his father's serious medical condition. Gupta is the Congress' national spokesperson and his name was in the list of candidates declared by the party on March 12. "Due to serious medical condition, my father is admitted in hospital and I am withdrawing my candidature for Ahmedabad east parliament seat as Congress Candidate. I will extend complete support to the new candidate nominated by party," Gupta said in a post on X on Monday. He also posted an image of his handwritten letter to Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil, informing about his decision to withdraw from the poll fray. All 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will witness polling in a single phase on May 7 and vote counting will be held on June 4. The Congress is yet to declare candidates for 19 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has declared 22 candidates in the state so far.

India's key Opposition alliance flounders as general elections near

India's finance minister last week defended the electoral bonds, saying cash received under the system was "legitimate"

India's key Opposition alliance flounders as general elections near

India's finance minister last week defended the electoral bonds, saying cash received under the system was "legitimate"

LS polls: 4,914 weapon holders in Jammu directed to deposit firearms

In view of the Lok Sabha polls being announced, the Jammu administration on Monday directed 4,914 licensed weapon holders to deposit their firearms with police to ensure peaceful conduct of elections. Polling for the Jammu Lok Sabha seat will be held on April 26. "A screening committee led by District Magistrate Sachin Kumar Vaishya has scrutinised 4,914 arms licences and instructed their holders to submit their weapons to ensure the peaceful conduct of the general elections for the Lok Sabha," an official spokesperson said. Vaishya has asked the senior superintendent of police to ensure the implementation of an order in this regard. "The arms and weapons are to be deposited within a period of seven days, and the station house officers (SHOs) concerned shall intimate the licence holders for compliance," the order stated. These licensed weapon holders fall in the catagories of persons released on bail, arms licence holders with criminal offences and arms licence holder who have bee

Markets pricing NDA win in LS polls; eyeing budget proposals now: Analysts

The NDA, experts believe, already had a big boost ahead of the 2024 national elections in Dec 2023, winning assembly elections in three key states (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh)

Lok Sabha elections 2024: All you need to know about Phase 1 of elections

Lok Sabha polls: As many as 21 states and UTs will go to polls in phase one of the Lok Sabha elections. Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand are among states to have their polls in one go on April 19

Model Code of Conduct kicks in as election schedule announced: What is it?

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Here are the key things allowed, not allowed during Model Code of Conduct

Lok Sabha elections 2024: EC orders removal of home secretaries in 6 states

The Election Commission has ordered the removal of home secretaries in 6 states and Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal