Page 41 - Election Commission

Election Commission releases final summary rolls, TN has 61.8 mn voters

Tamil Nadu has an electorate strength of 6,18,90,348 with women voters outnumbering men as per the integrated final electoral roll of the special summary revision, 2024, released on Monday here. The final published electoral roll had reference to January 1, 2024 as the qualifying date, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo said. Of the total electorate, male voters are 3,03,96,330, female voters constitute 3,14,85,724 and the third gender 8,294. The Shozhinganallur Assembly constituency in Chengalpattu district has the highest number of electors with 6,60,419 (male 3,30,522, female 3,29,783, third gender 114), followed by Kavundampalayam Assembly constituency in Coimbatore district which has 4,62,612 electors (male 2,29,950, female 2,32,538, third gender 124). The Kilvelur Assembly constituency in Nagapattinam district with 1,72,140 electors (male 84,702, female 87,435, third gender: 3) has the least number of voters followed by Harbour Assembly constituency in Chennai ...

Pak court asks EC to re-allocate cricket bat symbol to Imran Khan's party

In a major relief for Imran Khan's party ahead of general elections, a high court on Wednesday declared as unconstitutional the election commission's decision revoking the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party's cricket bat' electoral symbol and rejecting its intra-party polls. The Peshawar High Court (PHC) also directed the electoral body to allocate the jailed premier's party its iconic bat' electoral symbol back and upload the party's certificate of internal elections on its website, Dawn newspaper reported. "The PTI is entitled to bat' and should be given the same as its electoral symbol, the court ruled. The judgement, which was reserved earlier in the day, was announced by a two-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Anwar and Justice Syed Arshad Ali on a petition jointly filed by PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali and six other leaders requesting the court to declare the ECP order as illegal and without jurisdiction. On December 22, the Election Commission of Pakistan decided against ...

Andhra polls: EC committed to inducement-free elections, says CEC Kumar

Asserting that the Election Commission is committed to conduct transparent and inducement-free polls, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday said instructions have been issued to officials to deal sternly with all offenders. Addressing a press conference here, Kumar said the commission has emphasised and given clear and firm directions to election machinery and the entire bureaucracy to be impartial, transparent and accessible to all stakeholders. He said the EC team has met several political parties who have made several requests ranging from curbing of cash distribution to influencing votes and strict enforcement for inducement-free elections. "It is not that you take action against only the small handlers of the liquor, those who are carrying it. Go to the kingpins who are the organisers of crime. Similarly, there would be a strict watch on cash through banks, by the wallets, by the UPI, whatever mode it gets transported," he said. All the airports including airstr

LS polls: CEC, ECs to visit Andhra Pradesh Monday to review preparations

The chief election commissioner and the two election commissioners will visit Andhra Pradesh on Monday to conduct a review of the state's preparedness for the Lok Sabha polls, due in April-May, officials said. The assembly elections in the state are likely to be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel will be in Andhra Pradesh on January 8 evening, officials said. According to an earlier plan, the poll panel was to visit Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh from January 7 to 10. The plan has been revised and the poll panel will visit Tamil Nadu later to review the state's preparedness for the Lok Sabha polls. A team of deputy election commissioners and other senior officers has visited almost all the states to oversee the preparations for the Lok Sabha polls. It is usual for the CEC and ECs to tour states ahead of assembly or Lok Sabha elections to meet political parties, senior pol

SC to consider listing PILs challenging promise of pre-poll freebies

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider listing of the pleas challenging the political parties' practice of promising pre-election freebies to voters. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was urged by senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, appearing for one of the PIL petitioners, that the matters are part-heard and needed to be adjudicated upon. "We will see it," the CJI said. A bench headed by CJI UU Lalit, since retired, had on November 1, 2022, said that the PILs can be heard by a three-judge bench as directed. The pleas including the one filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay opposed promises of such handouts by the parties during polls. The petitions have also sought the Election Commission invokes its powers to freeze the election symbols of these parties and cancel their registration to ensure that the practice of promising pre-election freebies is no longer in existence.

EC dismisses Jairam Ramesh's concerns on VVPATs, asserts full faith in EVMs

Dismissing Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's concerns on the VVPATs, the Election Commission on Friday said that it raised "no new assertions or reasonable and legitimate doubts which require further clarifications", adding the rules governing paper slips were introduced by the grand old party-led government in 2013. In a communication to Ramesh, the poll body also expressed "full faith in the use of the EVMs in the elections" and made it clear that the latest updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) answer "adequately and comprehensively" all reasonable and legitimate aspects on the use of the EVMs in the Indian elections. "Rule 49A and 49M of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, governing VVPAT and handling of paper slips was introduced by INC (Indian National Congress) on 14th August, 2013," said the letter signed by Pramod Kumar Sharma, Principal Secretary in the Election Commission. Ramesh had written to the Election Commission on December 30 last year, requesting that a ...

EC to start reviewing LS polls preparations, will visit states from Jan 7

The Election Commission (EC) will start reviewing preparedness of states for the Lok Sabha elections with a visit to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu next week. The Commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and comprising Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel will be in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu between January 7 and 10. Ahead of the visit, deputy election commissioners will brief the full commission about the preparations in the two states on January 6. The deputy election commissioners have visited almost all the states to oversee the preparation for the Lok Sabha polls. It is usual for the EC to tour states ahead of assembly or Lok Sabha elections to meet political parties, senior police and administrative officials and its ground poll machinery. It is, however, not yet certain whether the EC will visit all the states and union territories. It may skip states where assembly polls were held recently. In 2019, the Lok Sabha elections were anno

As it finalises preparations for LS polls, EC to visit states from Jan 7

The Election Commission (EC) will start reviewing preparedness of states for the Lok Sabha elections with a visit to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu next week. The commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and comprising Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel will be in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu between January 7 and 10. Ahead of the visit, deputy election commissioners will brief the full commission about the preparations in the two states on January 6. The deputy election commissioners have visited almost all the states to oversee the preparation for the Lok Sabha polls. It is usual for the EC to tour states ahead of assembly or Lok Sabha elections to meet political parties, senior police and administrative officials and its ground poll machinery. It is, however, not yet certain whether the EC will visit all the states and union territories. It may skip states where assembly polls were held recently. In 2019, the Lok Sabha elections were anno

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

Pakistan's EC extends deadline for filing nomination papers by two days

Pakistan's election commission on Friday extended the deadline for filing nomination papers for the February 8 general elections by two days till Sunday after major political parties sought more time to complete the time-consuming exercise. According to the schedule issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), potential candidates are required to file nomination papers from December 20 to 22. The top election body began accepting nomination papers from prospective candidates on Wednesday. The deadline for the filing of papers was set to expire at 4:30 pm on Friday. However, in a press release on Friday morning, the electoral watchdog announced that nomination papers can now be filed till Dec 24 (Sunday). It said the decision was taken in response to requests from political parties and to facilitate the candidacy process. Political parties must submit priority lists for specific seats to returning officers within the stipulated time, it said. With little than over a month l

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.

Pakistan's election commission issues poll schedule after apex court ruling

The polling process will begin on December 19, when the returning officer (RO) will issue a public notice, while the ECP will also resume training for the ROs and district returning officers (DROs)

BJP raised Rs 341.65 cr during Karnataka Assembly polls, spent Rs 196.7 cr

The BJP spent Rs 196.70 crore on the Karnataka assembly elections held in May, including Rs 16.83 crore on air charters for star campaigners, the party said in a report submitted to the Election Commission. The BJP central headquarters received Rs 341.65 crore in the period from the announcement of the Karnataka election to the date of completion of the process, according to the report. It stated that the party spent Rs 78.10 crore on advertisements in print and electronic media, bulk messages, websites and TV channels, and Rs 14.21 crore on organising rallies and public meetings. The expenditure also included Rs 34 crore as total lump sum payments to candidates of the party or other candidates authorised or incurred by the state unit. Of the total spending of Rs 196.70 crore, the BJP declared Rs 149.36 crore as expenditure on general party propaganda and Rs 47.33 crore as expenditure on candidates.

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