Page 39 - Election Commission

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

Rajasthan urban body, panchayati raj institution bypolls to be held in Jan

Rajasthan Election Commissioner Madhukar Gupta on Wednesday said the bypolls on vacant posts in the urban local bodies and the panchayati raj institutions will be held in January next year. Gupta said it is the commission's priority to hold the elections on vacant posts. He said the commission strives to make the electoral process fair, simple, easy and economical. The posts lying vacant due to various reasons in various urban bodies and the panchayati raj institutions of the state till August 31, 2023, include eight posts of members in the urban bodies, 20 of sarpanch in the panchayati raj institutions, 265 of panch, 24 of up-sarpanch, one of pradhan, he added. Gupta said the by-election for seven posts of the panchayat samiti members will also be held. According to this, the voting and counting of votes for the by-election of sarpanch and panch will be held on January 10, 2024, and the election of up-sarpanch will be held on January 11, 2024. Voting for the panchayat samiti mem

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 .

Winter session: Parliament to move bills relating appointments at EC today

Meghwal will also move the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023, in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday for consideration and passage to repeal certain enactments and amend an enactment

Election Commission sets January 5 as polling date for Karanpur seat in Raj

The last Date of Nominations is December 19, 2023, the last Date for Withdrawal of candidatures is December 22 and the date of counting is January 8, 2024," the ECI further informed

Oppn press for early Assembly polls in J-K; govt says EC to take call

Opposition members in the Lok Sabha sought a timeline from the government on Tuesday for holding Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, with the Centre asserting that it is ready and it is up to the Election Commission (EC) to take a decision in the matter. The Union Territory is under central rule since 2018. While Home Minister Amit Shah will respond to the debate on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill and the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, taken up together, on Wednesday, he intervened in the discussion and asserted that the Modi government has ensured that the country has only one flag and one Constitution. The two bills were introduced in the Lower House on July 26. Responding to a remark by TMC's Saugata Roy that "ek nishan, ek pradhan, ek samvidhan (one flag, one head, one Constitution)" was a "political slogan", Shah wondered how can a country have two prime ministers, two constitutions and two flags. He said the Trinamool Congress leader's

Delhi residents who relocated asked to re-register on electoral rolls

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi has asked residents of clusters and government housing colonies who have relocated to get their names included in the electoral rolls of areas where they now reside. The summary revision exercise of the electoral rolls ends on December 9. The election office has asked people to fill Form-8 -- used when there is a change of address of a registered voter -- and submit it either online or offline before the last date. "It has come to the notice of this office that several clusters/government colonies/residential buildings have been relocated due to various reasons, including redevelopment, removal of encroachment etc and the occupants of these clusters/government colonies/residential buildings have also been shifted/relocated to other areas of Delhi," the Office of Chief Electoral Officer said in a public notice. The notice urged all registered voters of such clusters, government colonies and residential buildings to register themselv

13 centres, 4000 personnel assigned: Counting day preparations in Mizoram

The state election department informed that all preparations and arrangements have been made for the counting scheduled to be held on Monday

Mizoram Assembly polls: Counting of votes deferred by a day to Monday

The counting of votes in Mizoram will take place on December 4, a day after it was originally scheduled, the Election Commission said on Friday. It said the decision was taken following representations from various quarters requesting for a change in the date of counting from December 3 on the ground that Sunday holds a special significance for the people of Mizoram, a Christian-majority state. "The Commission, having considered these representations, has decided to revise the date of counting for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram from 3rd December, 2023 (Sunday) to 4th December, 2023 (Monday)," it stated. The counting was earlier scheduled for December 3, along that in four other states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana - where assembly polls were held last month.

Telangana Assembly polls: PM urges people to vote in record numbers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday urged the people of Telangana to vote in record numbers in the assembly polls and strengthen the festival of democracy. Polling is underway to elect 119 members of the Telangana Legislative Assembly, with voters queuing up to exercise their franchise amid tight security on Thursday. In a post on X, Modi said, "I call upon my sisters and brothers of Telangana to vote in record numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy." "I particularly urge young and first-time voters to exercise their franchise," he said. Voting began at 7 AM in the 35,655 polling stations across the state, officials said. Polling would be held till 5 PM in 106 constituencies, while it would conclude at 4 PM in 13 Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected seats.

12,000 critical polling stations identified: Telangana CEO ahead of polls

The CEO added that as many as 27,000 registered voters in the state have already registered their votes by enlisting for the home-voting system this year

MP Postal Nodal officer suspended over opening of ballots in Balaghat

"No postal ballot votes were counted in Balaghat. Though a procedural error occurred there about opening the ballot box before time. It was opened before the due date," the CEO said

Congress writes to MP CEO over postal ballot 'malpractice', officials deny

The Congress on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Madhya Pradesh chief electoral officer seeking action against the Balaghat collector for allegedly taking postal ballots out of the strong room and indulging in malpractice. Assembly polls were held in MP on November 17, while votes will be counted on December 3. Chief electoral officer Anupam Rajan denied the allegations and said local Congress leaders have expressed satisfaction at the procedure. "The service votes (postal ballots) were being segregated Assembly wise by taking them out from the strong room in the presence of authorized Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party agents. These were kept in the boxes meant for it," Rajan told PTI. A total 429 service votes of Baihar, 553 of Lanjhi, 452 of Paraswada, 1308 of Balaghat, 391 of Waraseoni and 126 of Katangi were segregated in the presence of authorized agents, he added. JP Dhanopia, Congress vice president and the party's in charge of the Election Commission, in the memorand

EC asks Telangana govt to stop aid to farmers; BRS blames Congress

In a stern message on maintaining sanctity of the poll code, the Election Commission on Monday withdrew permission to the Telangana government to distribute financial aid to farmers for rabi crops under the Rythu Bandhu Scheme after a state minister violated the code by going public about it. Assembly elections in Telangana will be held on November 30 and results announced on December 3. 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 conditions, and had asked it not to publicise the disbursement. The Congress slammed the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) over the Election Commission's (EC) withdrawal of permission, alleging it was a result of the irresponsible and self-serving approach of the K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR)-led party. In a post on X, Congress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said due to the irresponsible and narrow self-serving approach of the BRS and (minister) Harish

250,000 staff to work for T'gana polls, seizures stand at Rs 709 cr: EC

More than 2.5 lakh staff will be engaged in poll duties for the November 30 Telangana assembly polls, Chief Electoral officer Vikas Raj has said. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, he said out of 1,68,612 postal ballots issued, 96,526 have been polled till November 26. "Almost definitely not less than 2.5 lakh people will be making this (poll) arrangement. When it comes to police, 45,000 Telangana police will be deployed. A total of 23,500 Home Guards were sought from neighbouring states. They are expected in a day or two," he said. The EC will also deploy 3,000 personnel from other uniformed services in Telangana, 50 companies of Telangana State Special Police and 375 companies of Central forces will be manning the security arrangement, Raj said. The official further said as many as 26,660 voters exercised their franchise through the "Home Voting" facility. Law enforcement agencies have seized cash, gold, liquor, freebies, among others, all worth over Rs 709 crore in poll-bound ...

BJP accuses Rahul of poll code violation with his X post, seeks EC's action

The BJP Saturday accused Rahul Gandhi of violating poll guidelines with his post on X on the day of the Rajasthan assembly polls and urged the Election Commission to seek suspension of the Congress leader's social media account and initiate other actions against him. In his post, Gandhi urged people to elect the Congress and said, "Rajasthan will choose free treatment. Rajasthan will choose cheaper gas cylinder. Rajasthan will choose interest-free agricultural loan. Rajasthan will choose English education. Rajasthan will choose OPS. Rajasthan will choose caste census." The BJP wrote to the Election Commission, saying his post violates the silence period of 48 hours during which any type of campaign is barred. It accused the ex-Congress chief of violating the Representation of the People Act and the Model Code of Conduct and sought the EC's action. "The social media platform X and its functionaries may also be directed to immediately suspend the account and remove the aforestated ...

Rajasthan registers nearly 25% voter turnout till 11:30 am, says EC

Voting began at 7 am on Saturday after days of hectic campaigning by major political parties, including the ruling Congress and BJP

EC gives nod to assistance under Rythu Bandhu to ryots in Telangana

The Election Commission has given green signal to the Telangana government to disburse the financial assistance under Rythu Bandhu scheme, an investment support to farmers, before November 28. In a communication on Friday, the EC said, The Commission has no objection to disbursement of Rythu Bandhu amount and has further directed that the DBT scheme will not be affected during silence period and poll day in the State." According to a government release, on account of bank holidays on November 25,26 and 27 and the Election Commission directive that distribution of Rythu Bandhu aid is not allowed on November 29 and 30, the funds will be transferred directly to the farmers' bank accounts through online DBT method. The State Agriculture Department noted that 70 lakh farmers will benefit through Rythu Bandhu initiative in this Yasangi (rabi) season.

Sharad Pawar camp questions before EC the premise of dispute in NCP

The Sharad Pawar faction on Friday questioned before the Election Commission the very premise of dispute in the NCP, claiming those who were part of conducting organisational polls in the party in 2018 cannot claim in 2023 that those elections were flawed. Sharad Pawar faction's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi said between 1999 and 2018, there were no allegations that Sharad Pawar was not the leader of the party or that the elections were faulty. "It is for the first time in 2023 that an allegation was levelled that the polls held in 2018 and subsequently at the lower level were flawed and so was the national convention," he told reporters as the hearing continued at the EC on Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's claim on party name and symbol. He said his arguments will continue at the next hearing. He said those levelling allegations include Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel when it was Patel himself who had issued the notice under his sign calling the national convention. He