Page 32 - Election Commission

Lok Sabha elections: EC, India Inc team up to encourage people to vote

Tamil Nadu is set to vote for all constituencies today

Lok Sabha elections 2024 Phase-I: Here's how to download voter slip online

The Election Commission of India has already started sending the voter information slip (VIS) to registered voters whose names are in the electoral roll

SC reserves verdict on cross-verification of votes using EVMs with VVPAT

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a batch of pleas seeking complete cross-verification of votes cast using EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta reserved its verdict after hearing the response of Election Commission on the pleas. The petitioners have also sought reversal of the poll panel's 2017 decision to replace the transparent glass on VVPAT machines with an opaque glass through which a voter can see the slip only when the light is on for seven seconds. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the Election Commission, explained the process of how an EVM functions. Advocate Prashant Bhushan and senior advocate Gopal Sankararanarayanan appeared for the petitioners. Other lawyers represented the intervenors. On April 16, the top court had deprecated criticism of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and calls for reverting to ballot papers, saying the electoral process in India is a "humongo

LS polls: Election officials climb hills, ford rivers to reach voters

The Election Commission has to set up more than 1 million polling stations for the nearly two-month duration, with 15 million officials and security personnel fanning out for the task

LDF to lodge complaint with EC over EVM wrongly recording votes for BJP

The CPI(M)-led LDF said on Thursday that it would lodge a complaint with the Election Commission over a few voting machines allegedly having recorded votes wrongly in favour of the BJP candidate during a mock poll conducted in Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituency. Talking to PTI, senior CPI(M) leader K P Satheesh Chandran alleged that there were instances where two or three voting machines exhibited such errors during the mock poll on Wednesday, and a complaint will be filed before the EC. CPI(M) leader M V Balakrishnan is contesting against Congress leader and current Kasaragod MP Rajmohan Unnithan and BJP's M L Ashwini in the constituency for the April 26 Lok Sabha polls.

TMC files complaint with Election Commission against Bengal Guv Ananda Bose

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose for allegedly interfering in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls in the state. "A complaint against Governor C V Ananda Bose has been lodged with EC for repeatedly interfering with the ensuing Lok Sabha Elections, 2024 and attempting to visit poll-going areas during the silent period and on polling day," a TMC leader said. The Election Commission has advised the West Bengal Governor to call off his proposed tour of Cooch Behar on the eve of the Lok Sabha polls' first phase as it was violative of the Model Code of Conduct, sources said on Wednesday. Polling is scheduled in Cooch Behar on April 19 and the 48-hour silence period when campaigning is barred began on Wednesday evening.

EC's prior nod must for Goa mines dept to execute lease deed: Officials

Goa poll authorities have said it was binding on the state mines department to obtain prior permission of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to execute a lease deed during the period of the model code of conduct (MCC). State Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Masurkar said this in a letter written to the ECI on Wednesday after an NGO complained that the Goa government and Vedanta Limited signed a lease deed on March 22 for the commencement of mining operations. This amounted to violation of the MCC, the Goa Foundation (NGO) claimed. The MCC came into effect on March 16 with the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls. Masurkar on Wednesday wrote to the ECI's principal secretary, claiming the reply filed by the state Directorate of Mines and Geology is "not satisfactory." "The reply filed by the Directorate of Mines and Geology is examined by this office and the same is found not satisfactory," the letter said. "It is observed that the mining lease deed executed by the Depar

After saying no, EC allows environment ministry to issue green clearances

The environment ministry had sought permission to environmental clearances while the Model Code of Conduct is in place

Election Commission issues notification for fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls

According to the poll body's notification, the last date for making nominations is April 25. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 26

General elections: Campaigning ends for 102 seats going to polls in phase 1

The election campaigning for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections concluded at 3 pm today in the North East, and in other areas, it ended at 6 pm

Coast Guard apprehends fishing boat involved in smuggling off Maha coast

The fishing boat was allegedly reported to be involved in the smuggling of diesel and carrying an unauthorised amount of foreign or Indian currency

Referring to electoral bonds, Rahul calls PM Modi 'champion of corruption'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged the electoral bonds scheme was the biggest "extortion scheme" in the world and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the "champion of corruption". Addressing a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav here, Gandhi said there is a strong undercurrent in favour of the opposition INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha elections and the BJP will be limited to 150 seats. Yadav said the winds of change will start blowing from Ghaziabad in western Uttar Pradesh to Ghazipur and the BJP will be given a grand farewell in the Lok Sabha elections. "We have to ensure that not a single vote is divided in the Lok Sabha polls," Yadav said. Criticising the now-scrapped electoral bonds, Gandhi said the prime minister claims that the scheme was brought to bring transparency in poll funding but then why was it struck down by the Supreme Court. "The electoral bonds scheme is the biggest extortion scheme in the world. India's businessmen kn

Elections 2024: ECI receives 200 complaints on code violations; acts on 169

BJP has filed 51 complaints, Congress 59 and other parties 90 with the Election Commission

EC asks political parties to share details of aircrafts used in campaigning

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked parties to furnish details about aircraft and helicopters being used for political campaigning, including their origin and destination and details of people ferried in them. A letter by Tejas Samel, Deputy Election Officer of Mumbai Suburban district, dated April 12, said such information has to be furnished three days before the journey to the District Election Office, but that duration has now been reduced to 24 hours. "We are sending a revised letter tomorrow (April 17). Instead of three days, they have to inform us 24 hours in advance," Samel told PTI on Tuesday night. The details should also include the make of the aircraft/helicopter and people travelling in them. The letter said this information has to be furnished under the Model Code of Conduct in force for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, which has to be sent to the ECI. Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, which has 48 seats, will be held in five phases between April 19 and .

Aamir Khan clarifies on viral deepfake political ad, team lodges FIR

Amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, a video of the actor purportedly promoting a political party recently went viral, evoking reactions from the audience

Committed to protect level playing field: EC on probe against politicians

Amid the Opposition charge of being targeted by central probe agencies in the poll season, the Election Commission on Tuesday said it is committed to protecting level playing field but asserted that it is not correct to take any step that can overlap the legal and judicial process. Several political parties from the INDIA bloc had approached the poll panel seeking its intervention in the alleged misuse of probe agencies by the government to target their leaders over graft. Following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise scam, the opposition parties had mounted renewed attack on the government for its alleged bid to silence their leaders ahead of parliamentary elections. In a statement, the EC said it was guided by constitutional wisdom when presented with "live situations" involving political persons which have been under active consideration and orders of the courts based on criminal

Lok Sabha polls: ECI has seized over Rs 100 crore per day since March 1

Lok Sabha polls: The Election Commission of India seized Rs 3,475 cr during the entire 2019 Lok Sabha polls. This time it has seized Rs 4,650 crore already

LS polls: EC inspects helicopters of Rahul Gandhi, Abhishek Banerjee

Surveillance and inspection of non-scheduled aircraft and helicopters by the agencies during poll season is part of standing instructions, the Election Commission sources said Monday as authorities checked the helicopter of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Tamil Nadu. A few days back, the helicopter of TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee was also inspected by the authorities in West Bengal. Responding to queries on the issue, the sources referred to the EC's statement issued on Monday on the seizures made by the authorities in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections. The statement referred to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar's remarks while announcing the poll schedule where he had stressed on strict compliance of BCAS instructions on surveillance and inspection of non-scheduled aircraft and helicopters by the Income Tax department, airport authorities and the SPs of concerned districts. "The Commission during reviews had always emphasised that there will be multi-pronged surveillance

Mamata criticises EC over 'favouring' BJP; threatens to go on hunger strike

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised the Election Commission for "favouring" the BJP and threatened to go on a hunger strike outside the Commission if there is a single riot in the state. While addressing a rally at Alipurduar, Banerjee accused the Election Commission of removing the Deputy Inspector General of Police of Murshidabad at the behest of the BJP. "Even today, just based on BJP's instructions, the DIG of Murshidabad was changed. Now, if there are riots in Murshidabad and Malda, the responsibility will lie with the Election Commission. The BJP wanted to change the police officers to trigger riots and violence. If there is even one riot, the ECI will be responsible as they are looking after law and order here," she said. The TMC supremo said she would conduct a hunger strike outside the EC office for 55 days if needed. "If I can fast for farmers for 26 days (during anti-land acquisition protests in Singur), I can go on a hunger strike for 55 days outside you

EC sets up more than 200 polling stations within housing societies in UP

The Election Commission of India has set up more than 200 polling stations within housing societies in the urban areas of Uttar Pradesh to increase the voter turnout in the politically crucial state. In an interview with PTI, state's Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said the poll body is targeting urban areas that have registered a low voter turnout in the past and expressed that Uttar Pradesh will secure the first position as far as voting percentage is concerned. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the voting percentage in Uttar Pradesh was a tepid 59.11 per cent. "We have taken a number of important steps to ensure that all kinds of barriers that prevent voters from casting votes are removed. We have ensured that the polling station is located within a two-kilometre radius of every voter. "Also in urban areas, we have undertaken a new initiative of setting up polling stations within gated communities and multi-storeyed housing societies where there has been a low voter turnout