Page 26 - Election Commission

EC revises protocol on storage of symbol loading units after SC verdict

The Election Commission has come out with a new protocol for handling and storage of symbol loading units following the directions of the Supreme Court which had ordered that the machines should be sealed and secured in a container and stored in a strongroom along with the EVMs at least for 45 days post the declaration of results. In a statement on Wednesday, the poll authority said all state chief electoral officers have been directed to create necessary infrastructure and provisions to implement the new protocols for handling and storage of the symbol loading units (SLUs). "As mandated by the Supreme Court, the revised protocols are applicable in all cases of completion of the symbol loading process in the VVPATs undertaken on or after May 1, 2024," the Commission said. The top court had on Friday last issued directions to seal and store symbol loading units and also paved the way for verification of micro-controllers embedded in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) on the reques

Voter turnout and Lok Sabha poll outcome: Here's the story so far

A total of 189 seats went to polls in the two phases

LS elections: Phase 1 turnout at 66.14%, Phase 2 at 66.71%, says EC

A voter turnout of 66.14 per cent was recorded in phase one and 66.71 per cent in phase two of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission said on Tuesday. On Tuesday, the Congress, CPI-M and TMC questioned the EC over the delay in announcing the final voter turnout figures for the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls, 11 days after the first round of polling on April 19. Officially sharing the turnout figure, the poll panel said in phase one of the elections, 66.22 per cent of male and 66.07 female electors turned up to vote. The turnout for registered third-gender voters stood at 31.32 per cent. In the 2019 polls, the turnout in the first phase stood at 69.43 per cent. In the second phase of elections held on April 26, the male voter turnout was recorded at 66.99 per cent, while the female turnout stood at 66.42 per cent. As many as 23.86 per cent of the registered third-gender voters came out to vote. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in phase two, the turnout was 69.64

Congress will impose 55% inheritance tax, if voted to power: PM Modi

Alleging that the Congress would impose 55 per cent inheritance tax if voted to power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said when the whole world was economically progressing, India was suffering from policy paralysis under the previous UPA government. Addressing a poll rally in Medak district of Telangana, Modi accused the Congress government in the state of collecting corrupt money and sending it to Delhi. If Congress comes to power, they will bring out inheritance tax. Congress is planning to collect more than half- 55 per cent as tax on inheritance (received from parents), he claimed. Wherever Congress is in power, it has five political symbols- false promises; vote bank politics, supporting mafia and criminals, dynastic politics and corruption, he said in broadside. Modi further alleged that first it was BRS which looted Telangana and now it is Congress.

Rahul asks candidates to carry copy of Constitution to public meetings

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday urged all party candidates to carry a copy of the Constitution with them during nominations, public meetings and outreach programmes, and tell the people that as long as the Congress is there, let alone the BJP, no power in the world can snatch away the Constitution. The former Congress chief has been carrying a copy of the Constitution in his public meetings. He did so in Gujarat's Patan and Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur on Monday and in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind on Tuesday. "A boon for the poor, respect for the deprived and pride of every citizen -- our Constitution! I request all Congress candidates and leaders to keep the sacred Constitution with them during nominations, meetings, speeches and public outreach," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X. "Announce it in every village and every street that as long as the Congress is there, let alone BJP, no power in the world can snatch away the Constitution of India," the former Congress chief said. In a

LS polls: EC to hand out diamond rings to Bhopal voters to boost turnout

Concerned about the low turnout during the initial phases of the Lok Sabha elections, election officials in Bhopal have decided to conduct a lucky draw every two hours on voting day

BJP, Cong seeks more time to respond to EC notice regarding MCC violation

ECI has invoked Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act and held party presidents responsible, as a first step, to reign in star campaigners

Delhi High Court rejects plea to bar PM Modi from elections for six years

The petition alleged that the Prime Minister had violated the Model Code of Conduct by invoking 'god and place of worship' in his recent speech in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh

Battleground 2024: Rivals misusing tech to spread fake videos, says PM

In Delhi, a BJP delegation, led by Union minister Ashwani Vaishnaw, complained to the EC alleging that the Congress circulated a "deep fake and morphed" video of Amit Shah to derail the poll process

LS polls: Congress' Indore candidate withdraws nomination, could join BJP

Besides Indore, seven more seats in Madhya Pradesh will go to the polls on May 13, concluding elections to the state's 29 seats

36 out of 266 LS poll candidates in Gujarat face criminal cases: ADR data

Thirty six out of the 266 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat have criminal cases against them, with some also facing attempt to murder and dacoity charges, as per an analysis of their affidavits by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Elections to 25 out of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held on May 7. The BJP candidate from Surat seat has already been declared elected unopposed. "Out of the 266 candidates, 36, or 14 per cent, have criminal charges against them, as per details provided by them in the affidavits. Out of them, 21, or 8 per cent, have serious criminal cases against them," ADR's Gujarat coordinator Pankti Jog told reporters here on Monday. Serious criminal cases are those which attract a maximum punishment of 5 years or more, are non-bailable, related to murder, rape, kidnapping, bribery, assault, causing loss to the exchequer, crimes against women, hate speech, and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, she said. Among the majo

Probe 'terrible mismanagement' of Lok Sabha polls in Kerala: Congress to EC

Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan said the elections in Kerala were "grossly mismanaged", leading to considerable delays in numerous polling booths

Among national parties, Bahujan Samaj Party's candidate owns fewest assets

Baluswamy owns less than an average Indian household

Chasing paper trails

Supreme Court puts VVPAT controversy to rest

Lok Sabha polls: Mandi will teach lesson to Cong's prince, says Kangana

People of Mandi will teach a lesson to the gangs of "shehzadas" for making inappropriate comments and disrespecting the women of the state, BJP candidate from Mandi and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut said on Saturday. Addressing a public gathering in the Jhakari area of the Mandi Parliament constituency, Kangana trained her guns at Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh, calling him "Prince of Rampur," and took exception to his referring to her Bollywood connection. Vikramaditya Singh is a scion of the erstwhile Bushahr estate, now known as Rampur, one of the 17 assembly segments in the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency. Referring to Kangana, Singh had earlier said, "I pray to Lord Ram to give her wisdom and hope she goes back pure from 'Dev Bhoomi' Himachal to the Bollywood because she will not win the election since she knows nothing about people of Himachal." In her rally, Kangana responded to the dig, saying, "Now they are saying that I am impure because I have come here after working

Highlights of the day: Voters will score such 'goal' in phase 3, INDI alliance will vanish says PM

From Hamas looking into latest ceasefire proposal from Israel to the developments of the Lok Sabha polls, catch all the latest news from around the world here

LS polls: Congress accuses Anurag Thakur of violating model code, moves EC

The Congress on Saturday complained to the Election Commission against Union Minister Anurag Thakur for his "outrageous" remarks made at a poll rally and alleged that it violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the party has sent a complaint to the Election Commission against Thakur and has sought "immediate and meaningful" action against him, failing which they will "name and shame the offenders". The Congress also said that Thakur was following the footsteps of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. "Today, Anurag Thakur followed in the footsteps of the PM and the UP Chief Minister and made a most outrageous speech that violates all standards of decency and truth, apart from the EC's Model Code of Conduct itself. "@INCIndia has written to the ECI to take note of the speech and issue Mr. Thakur a notice immediately. The ECI must realise that a lack of meaningful action emboldens these bad .

LS polls: Phase 2 turnout reaches 66.7%; both phases see dip since 2019

The voter turnout in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections has touched the 66.7 per cent mark, which is less than the figures of the 2019 parliamentary polls, according to sources. Both phases of the ongoing polls have seen a dip in the voter turnout as compared to the last general election. The 66.7 per cent figure is approximate and the Election Commission has so far not come out with the polling percentage formally. Phase two of the Lok Sabha elections was held on Friday across 88 constituencies spread in 13 states. In the second phase of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, held in 95 constituencies across 13 states, the turnout was higher at 69.64 per cent. In the first phase of this election, the turnout was 65.5 per cent as compared to 69.43 per cent in the phase one of the 2019 parliamentary polls. Some of the constituencies were different then and the total number of seats which went to poll were 91. Heat wave is believed to have contributed to several voters not turning up at po

EC orders re-polling at one booth in Chamarajanagar LS segment in Karnataka

The Election Commission said on Saturday that re-polling will be conducted at a polling station in Hanur which falls under Chamarajanagar Parlimentary Constituency in Karnataka on April 29. In a letter addressed to the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer, the EC stated that on the basis of reports submitted by the Returning Officer and General Observer for Chamrajnagar Parliamentary Constituency and after taking all material circumstances into account, the Commission hereby declares under appropriate sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 that the poll taken on April 26 at the polling station no 146, Government Lower Primary School, Indiganatha, 221- Hansur Assembly Constituency of Chamarajanagar Parlimentary Constituency, falling under Chamarajanagar district to be void. The letter further stated that April 29 has been fixed as the date for a fresh poll at the polling station in accordance with the Commission's instructions. The polling will be held from 7 am to 6 ...

TMC alleges BJP-CBI-NSG conspiracy in Sandeshkhali raid, writes to EC

The Trinamool Congress alleges the Sandeshkhali raid was a bid to smear TMC's image during ongoing polls