Page 49 - Election Commission Of India

President Murmu grants assent to Bill for appointment of CEC, ECs

President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to a bill that seeks to put in place a mechanism for the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, according to a government notification issued Friday. The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, has provisions to set up a search committee chaired by the law minister and two other persons not below the rank of secretary, to prepare a panel of five persons for consideration of the selection committee for appointment as CEC or ECs. The bill also has provisions for a Selection Committee, chaired by the prime minister, leader of the opposition and a Union minister, to make recommendations to the President for appointment of CEC and other ECs. The President also granted assent to the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, to replace a British-era law governing the publishing industry and simplify the process of ...

ECI reviews poll preparedness in AP, stresses on error-free electoral rolls

A team of Election Commission officers on Saturday reviewed the preparedness for next year's general elections and directed officials to ensure that the electoral rolls are free of any errors and maintain transparency while conducting polls. The ECI team led by Senior Deputy Election Commissioners Dharmendra Sharma and Nitish Kumar Vyas issued these directives to officials of Nandyala, Anantapur, Sri Satyasai, NTR, Annamayya, Chittoor and Tirupati districts during a two-day review meeting that ended on Saturday. The Election Commission officers told the district officials to be ready to conduct elections without errors or any scope for any untoward incidents and stressed maintaining transparency and accountability, an official release said. They noted that maintaining error-free electoral rolls is the key to holding elections peacefully. The EC officials directed the collectors and superintendents of police to properly train the election officials.

Election Commission to release final voters' list of Bengal in January

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will release the final voters' list of West Bengal early next month, a senior official said on Saturday. Once the list is published, the poll panel will send its full bench to the state, he said, adding that communications have been sent to the chief secretary and chief electoral officer (CEO) asking them to start preparations for the Lok Sabha polls. "The final list will be published early next month followed by the visit of the full bench of ECI to the state. We have directed the chief secretary and CEO of West Bengal to start preparations for the 2024 general elections," he told PTI. A top bureaucrat said the poll panel has directed the chief secretary to prepare a list of administrative officials (IAS officers) and police officers (IPS and WBPS) detailing their current postings and the duration of their stay in the particular position. "Preparing lists of IAS and IPS officers mentioning their current postings before any election is routine

Elections to 3 Rajya Sabha seats from Delhi, 1 from Sikkim on January 19

Elections to four Rajya Sabha seats -- three from Delhi and one from Sikkim -- will be held on January 19, the Election Commission said on Friday. The six-year term of Sanjay Singh, Sushil Kumar Gupta and Narain Dass Gupta (all from the Aam Aadmi Party) ends on January 27 next year. The term of Hishey Lachungpa (Sikkim Democratic Front) ends on February 23 next year. Singh is in judicial custody after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy. He has been under suspension from the Rajya Sabha since July 24 for unruly behaviour in the House. In a statement, the EC said the election to fill up the four vacancies will be held on January 19 (Friday). The nomination process will start on January 2 with the issuance of notification and January 9 will be the last date to file papers. As per established practice, the polling will take place from 9 am to 4 pm and the counting of votes will commence from 5 pm. The EC noted t

Delhi HC asks EC to 'act' against Rahul Gandhi over 'pickpockets' remark

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission of India to take a decision as expeditiously as possible, preferably within eight weeks, on a notice sent it has issued to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged "pickpocket" jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi made during a speech delivered last month. The court was hearing a public interest litigation seeking action against Gandhi as well as formulation of guidelines to prevent such "malpractice" by political leaders. A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan observed that although the alleged statements are "not in good taste", the Election Commission (EC) was examining the matter and has even issued a notice to Gandhi. "Considering that deadline for filing reply is over and no reply has been received, the court directs EC to decide the matter as expeditiously as possible preferably within 8 weeks," the bench, also comprising Justice Mini Pushkarna, ordered. The court noted that in the notice sent on ...

EC asks parties not to use derogatory words for persons with disability

The Election Commission has asked politicians not to use derogatory words for persons with disability in public speeches, saying usage of such semantics in speech by members of any political party and their candidates can be interpreted as an affront to such people. In an advisory issued to parties on Wednesday, the poll panel said the very foundation of democracy lies in representation of all communities in the electoral process. "Accessible and inclusive elections have been a non-negotiable priority for the Election Commission of India in particular to ensure equal participation of PwDs. With a renewed rigour, the Commission is consciously striving to promote the principle of accessibility and inclusivity in the elections," the advisory read.

Dhankhar mimicry row takes centrestage, President Murmu expresses dismay

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said she was dismayed at the manner in which Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was "humiliated" in Parliament complex, Elected representatives, she said, were free to express themselves but it should be within the norms of dignity and courtesy. The president's remarks come a day after Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee derisively mimicked Dhankhar during the opposition's protest on the stairs of Parliament against the suspension of some Members of Parliament (MPs). "I was dismayed to see the manner in which our respected Vice President was humiliated in the Parliament complex. Elected representatives must be free to express themselves, but their expression should be within the norms of dignity and courtesy. That has been the Parliamentary tradition we are proud of, and the People of India expect them to uphold it," Murmu said in a post on X. As many as 49 more opposition lawmakers were suspended from Lok Sabha on Tuesday for unruly ...

EC writes to Centre seeking to vet NCERT social science textbooks: Report

The EC has been engaging in correspondence with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) since 2016 over its plan to recommend changes to textbooks

Govt moves Bill to regulate poll body authorities' appointment conditions

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, in the Upper House

Govt likely to move amendment to bring CEC, ECs on par with SC judges

Amid protests by opposition parties and former chief election commissioners, the government has decided to retain the status of CEC and other election commissioners on par with judges of the Supreme Court. At present, the CECs and ECs enjoy the status of a Supreme Court judge. The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 introduced in the Rajya Sabha in August this year had proposed to bring the status of the CEC and other ECs on par with the Cabinet Secretary. The opposition parties and some former CECs had opposed the move, saying it will go against the independence of the institution. According to sources, the official amendment says "The CEC and other commissioners shall be paid a salary which is equal to the salary which is equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court." According to another proposed amendment, a search committee headed by the Union Law Minister comprising two other .

Feeling of distrust due to EVMs: SP chief bats for Ballot papers in polls

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday batted for the use of ballot papers, and referring to EVMs without naming it said that these machines and the (poll) results have created a feeling of distrust in people's minds. Giving the example of US elections, Yadav said if India is following Americans on burgers, pizzas and jeans, then their use of ballot papers should also be copied. Referring to the ruling BJP, Yadav said that the party has power and will set the narrative, and will tweak anything anyone else says. I had said a number of times that we understand technology. We have grown up with technology. In UP, the SP government had distributed the maximum number of laptops, Yadav said while speaking to reporters at the SP office here. "The most powerful country in the world, America, where voting is done for months, and then months are spent for counting, he said. Over 140 crore people decide the country's future. Why do you want results in three hours? Why can't countin

330,000 elderly, PwDs used home voting facility in last 11 assembly polls

As many as 3.30 lakh people with disability and electors who are 80 years and above have availed the home voting facility in the last 11 assembly elections, sources said on Saturday, citing data. Persons with disability (PwD), voters above 80 years of age and those suffering from Covid can avail the home voting facility. Representatives of political parties and polling personnel visit the residence of electors who opt for home voting at a predesignated time. The home voting option is exercised using ballot paper under prescribed secrecy norms and the process is video-graphed. Over 2.6 lakh senior citizens who are 80 years and above and over 70,000 PwDs have availed the home voting facility in last 11 state assembly elections, the sources said. While the latest set of assembly polls were held in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Telangana, elections were earlier held in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Karnataka. Home voting, the sour

Model code of conduct in five states lifted, says Election Commission

The provisions of the Model Code of Conduct which were enforced in the five states that went to assembly polls have been lifted, the Election Commission said on Monday. In a letter addressed to the Cabinet Secretary and the chief secretaries of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana, the poll panel said since the results in all the five states as well as for the Tapi assembly bypoll in Nagaland have been announced, "the Model Code of Conduct has ceased to be in operation with immediate effect". The code came into force on October 9 when the poll schedule was announced by the Election Commission. The model code is an agreement reached between the poll panel and political parties to ensure a level playing field for all candidates during elections.

Mizoram election highlights: ZPM coasts to victory, Zormathanga defeated

Mizoram Assembly poll result 2023: ZPM stormed to victory in Mizoram, ending the MNF's grip on the northeastern state. Catch all the highlights here

Rajasthan elections 2023 highlights: BJP to form govt, wins 115 seats

Rajasthan state Assembly elections LIVE: Catch all the latest updates of Rajasthan elections 2023 here, counting of votes to take place today

Telangana Assembly elections results 2023: Who is leading at 9:30 am?

Telangana Assembly elections results 2023: The counting in the state began at 8 am on Sunday. Here's how the trends look at 9:30 am

T'gana: 64% voting till 5pm, polling ends in left wing extremism-hit areas

Polling concluded peacefully in the 13 assembly segments affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in Telangana at 4 PM on Thursday, officials said, adding that 51.89 per cent votes were cast by 3 PM in the total 119 constituencies in the state. While polling was to conclude at 4 PM in the LWE-affected constituencies, those who were in queue at closing time were allowed to cast their vote. There were no untoward incidents in these areas, a senior police official told PTI. Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj told reporters that polling went about with any problems, except for minor skirmishes at one or two places. Booths opened at 7 AM in the 119 assembly constituencies, and polling will conclude at 5 PM in 106 constituencies.

Assembly polls: EC seizes drugs, cash, and liquor worth over Rs 1,760 crore

The Election Commission cracked its whip on several occasions to ensure a level playing field for all parties in the five states where assembly polls are being held even as authorities seized freebies, drugs, cash and liquor worth over Rs 1766 crore aimed at alluring voters. Acting on complaints and inputs by the local poll machinery, the EC issued show cause notices and advisories to top politicians to adhere to the provisions of the model code. It withdrew permission given to the Telangana government for disbursements of financial aid to farmers for rabi crops under the Rythu Bandhu Scheme after a state minister violated the provisions of the model code by making a public announcement about it. The poll panel had given its nod to the state government to disburse the rabi installment during the model code of conduct period on certain grounds. It had also asked the government not to carry out the proposed Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, its mega outreach programme on schemes and ...

Telangana polls: Schools, colleges in Hyderabad to be closed until Nov 30

The district collector of Hyderabad, Anudeep Durishetty announced the holiday for all educational institutions in Hyderabad

Telangana polls: Top leaders return home as campaigning ends on Tuesday

Chief Election Commissioner of India, Rajiv Kumar announced the election schedule for the five poll-bound states on October 9 and with this, the model code of conduct came into force in the states