Page 34 - Election Commission

Union IT Minister Chandrasekhar declares assets worth over Rs 28 crore

BJP leader and Union IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who is contesting the polls from the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat, has declared assets worth over Rs 28 crore. Chandrasekhar, who is fighting against Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and sitting MP Shashi Tharoor, and CPI veteran Pannian Raveendran in the April 26 polls, submitted his nomination papers before the returning officer on Thursday. As per the affidavit filed along with the nomination paper, the total value of his movable assets stands at Rs 13,69,18,637, while his spouse possesses assets valued at Rs 12,47,00,408. These include cash in hand, details of deposits in banks, non-banking financial companies, and cooperative societies, as well as investments in bonds, debentures, shares, units in companies/mutual funds, and other financial instruments. His movable assets also comprise a 1942 model Red Indian Scout, registered in Karnataka and purchased in 1994 for Rs 10,000, along with jewellery, bullion, and

EC notice to AAP leader Atishi over statement on BJP's 'poaching' bid

The Election Commission Friday issued a show-cause notice to Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi, asking her to back with facts her statement that the BJP approached her to join the party. The BJP moved the commission earlier against her claim that the party reached out to her through someone close and asked her to join it. The notice issued by the Election Commission read, "...you are a minister in the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and leader of a national party. The electors tend to believe whatever is being said from public forum by their leaders and in that sense the statements made by them affect the campaign discourse." The poll panel said it expects that there must be a "factual foundation" to the statements made by the AAP leader and since the veracity of the statements made has been contested, she must be able to back it with a factual basis. The AAP leader has been asked to respond by Monday noon. "Now, therefore, you are hereby called upon to furnis

LS polls: Digital clocks and smart TV box are new-age freebies in Karnataka

Lok Sabha elections: Poll officers in Karnataka reported that alongside traditional freebies such as groceries and cookers, new age attractions have also taken centre stage this election

EC issues guidelines for genuine electors to cast vote without voter I-card

Seeking to ensure that no genuine elector is deprived of the right to vote, the Election Commission has told state poll officers to ignore clerical or spelling errors provided the voter's identity can be established through the voter I-card. It has also said that a voter I-card issued by the electoral registration officer of another assembly constituency will be accepted for identification provided the elector's name is in the electoral rolls of the polling station where he or she has turned up. In case of a mismatch of photograph, the elector will have to produce one of the alternative photo documents listed out by the EC. In an order issued last month, the EC said the electors who are not able to produce their voter I-card will have to furnish one of the alternative photo identity documents for establishing their identity. These include the Aadhaar card, MNREGA job card, passbooks with photograph issued by a bank or post office, health insurance smart card issued by the Labour ..

LS polls: EC curbs on volunteers disbursing pensions spark slugfest in AP

The recent order by the Election Commission barring volunteers associated with the Andhra Pradesh government from performing poll duties and administering welfare schemes has sparked a crossfire between the ruling YSRCP and the opposition NDA, comprising TDP, BJP and Janasena. The YSRCP government introduced a ward and village volunteer system in 2019 as a decentralised governance delivery mechanism. This system enables a volunteer, who oversees 50-60 households, to go to the threshold of the beneficiary to hand-deliver welfare pension. However, on March 30, the ECI issued orders banning volunteers from extending government schemes, welfare benefits and other related activities, which eventually brought the monthly pensions disbursal to a grinding halt, which otherwise would have been completed on April 1. However, this unforeseen consequence transformed into a major political slugfest between the ruling party and opposition coalition, who are striving to milk the development to the

ECI meets with States, UTs to ensure peaceful, inducement free elections

The meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu was attended by top officials from States/UTs and central agencies

Tharoor files nomination from Thiruvananthapuram for 4th bid in LS polls

Senior Congress leader and three-time Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor filed his nomination on Wednesday from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency for the fourth consecutive time in the Lok Sabha elections. Tharoor arrived at the district collectorate in the afternoon along with senior party leaders, including MLA M Vincent, former minister V S Sivakumar, and Thiruvananthapuram DCC president Palode Ravi, along with other workers. He shook hands with people and exchanged pleasantries while proceeding to the Collectorate complex. Some party activists draped shawls around him and expressed their support. Before filing his nomination, Tharoor offered prayers at famed shrines in the constituency, including Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple and Pazhavangadi Ganapathi Temple. With senior CPI leader and former Thiruvananthapuram MP Pannian Raveendran and BJP leader and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar as Tharoor's challengers in the fray, the high-profile Thiruvananthapuram constituency is set for

Lok Sabha polls: EC to meet officials to assess security along borders

Election Commission will hold a meeting with top state and Union territory officials and central agencies guarding the borders on Wednesday to assess the security along the borders ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. During the meeting, scheduled to be held at the Election Commission headquarters here, the law-and-order situation and vigilance along the borders in the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections will be reviewed. Officials from states and Union Territories are scheduled to join the meeting through video conference. India shares borders with Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and China.

Bias at the ballot box: The ways voters are influenced in elections

Authority figures to availability choice: Our voting decisions are often coloured by biases that are often unconscious

LS polls: EC appoints special observers to ensure level playing field

Election Commission on Tuesday appointed special observers for administrative, security and expenditure monitoring purposes in several states to ensure a level playing field during the upcoming elections. The special observers -- former civil servants with brilliant track record -- have been tasked with overseeing the electoral process with strict vigilance, particularly against the backdrop of challenges posed by the influence of money, muscle and misinformation, the poll panel said. Special Observers (General and Police) have been deployed in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar where the population is more than seven crore and also in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha where the simultaneous elections to the Assemblies are to be held, the poll authority said. Special Expenditure Observers have also been deployed in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, it said.

Lok Sabha polls: Drinking water to ORS, EC's advisory to tackle heatwave

Provide polling officials and voters with oral rehydration salts (ORS)

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

INDIA bloc urges 'immediate release' of Kejriwal and Soren at Delhi rally

Sunita Kejriwal, conveyed her husband Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's pledge for continuous power supply, accessible quality education and healthcare

EC issues order barring Andhra govt's ward, village volunteers from duties

The Election Commission has issued an order barring the Andhra Pradesh government's ward and village volunteers from carrying out their activities such as disbursing welfare benefits, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena said on Saturday. The Commission has also asked the state government to refrain from releasing the results of Andhra Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (APTET) and conducting the Andhra Pradesh Teacher Recruitment Test (APTRT) while the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in force. On the Election Commission's order on ward and village volunteers, Meena said they should not be engaged for extending government schemes and welfare benefits, disbursing pensions and other related activities during the elections. "Cell phones, tabs and other devices given to the volunteers should be immediately deposited with the respective District Electoral Officers," he said in a press release. Further, he observed that the poll body directed that government schemes should be ..

LS polls: Rs 7 cr in cash, drugs, alcohol worth Rs 140 cr seized in Bengal

Gold, drugs, alcohol and various goods worth around Rs 140 crore and more than Rs 7 crore in cash were seized in West Bengal since the dates for the Lok Sabha polls were announced this month, an officer said Saturday. According to data released by the Election Commission, the amount of cash seized till Saturday was around Rs 7.87 crore. The EC also seized 12.7 lakh litres of alcohol with a market value of Rs 33.86 crore, he added. "Drugs weighing around 3.5 kg worth Rs 18.28 crore were also seized," he said. The poll body also seized the yellow metal worth Rs 27.32 crore during this period, the official said. "So far, we have also seized goods worth around Rs 36 crore and the total seizure is worth Rs 147.19 crore, including unaccounted cash," he added. There has been a trend of offering money and alcohol to buy votes for several years. The Election Commission has declared six Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal as 'financially sensitive'. Meanwhile, the Kolkata Police, dur

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

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.

Lok Sabha elections: The rise of the no-result political parties

More parties have begun contesting the elections, with an increase by 45 per cent between the previous election in 2014, and the election conducted in 2019