Page 43 - Election Commission

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Karnataka Assembly elections to be held on May 10, results on May 13

CEC Rajiv Kumar said the elections have been scheduled on a Wednesday, and not on a Monday or Friday, to encourage greater participation of voters

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Bypolls to 1 Lok Sabha, 4 assembly seats on May 10: Election commission

Bypolls to one Lok Sabha and four assembly seats across four states will be held on May 10 along with the Karnataka assembly polls, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday. The counting of votes will take place on May 13, it said. The Jalandhar parliamentary constituency fell vacant following the death of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary, 76, in January this year following a heart attack while taking part in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The poll panel also announced a bypoll to the Jharsuguda assembly seat in Odisha which was necessitated by the death of Naba Kisore Das, who was shot dead by a police officer in January this year. Bypoll to the Suar assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh was necessitated following the disqualification upon conviction of Samajwadi Party MLA Abdullah Azam Khan. He was convicted in a 2008 case relating to a 'dharna' on a highway and sentenced to two years in jail. He is son of SP veteran Mohd Azam Khan, who also stands disqualified in another case. Chhan

Election Commission to announce Karnataka Assembly elections schedule today

The Election Commission of India will announce the schedule of the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Karnataka slated this year at 11

SC order on EC appointments being examined, will take apt action: Govt

The government is examining the Supreme Court's verdict on the appointment of chief election commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners and it will take "appropriate action" on it, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday. In a written reply, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Supreme Court in its judgment of March 2 held that until Parliament makes a law in consonance with Article 342(2) of the Constitution, the appointment of the CEC and election commissioners will be made on the recommendations made by a three-member committee comprising the prime minister, chief justice of India and leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, and in case no LoP is available then the leader of the single largest opposition party in LS. "The judgement of Supreme Court is being examined by the government and appropriate action will be taken," he said. Rijiju pointed out that the Election Commission is a permanent constitutional body established in accordance with Article 324(1) of the Constitution of .

Election Commission of Pakistan postpones Punjab by-elections till Oct 8

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday postponed the Punjab by-elections till October 8. The elections were earlier scheduled to be held on April 30, Pakistan-based ARY News reported

EC proposal for overseas voters to use e-postal ballot under talks with MEA

An Election Commission proposal to facilitate electronically-transmitted postal ballot system for overseas Indian voters is under discussions with the Ministry of External Affairs to "iron out" logistical challenges involved in its implementation, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday. In a written reply, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju also said the total number of overseas electors as on January 1 this year stands at over 1.15 lakh. "The Election Commission of India has taken up a proposal to amend the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 to facilitate electronically-transmitted postal ballot system for overseas electors. The matter is under discussions with the Ministry of External Affairs to iron out the logistical challenges involved in the implementation of the proposal," Rijiju said. According to the EC website, as of now an overseas voter is not issued a photo identity card they are allowed to vote in person at the polling station by producing their original passport. The EC has ...

Recognition of CM Eknath Shinde-led faction well reasoned: EC tells SC

The Election Commission of India has told the Supreme Court it passed a "well reasoned" order recognising Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and allotting to it the original 'bow and arrow' symbol in its quasi-judicial capacity. The poll panel said it has become a functus officio (a body which has discharged its duty) in the case after the passing of the order. In its affidavit filed on a plea by Uddhav Thackeray challenging its order dated February 17, the Commission said, "It is stated that the answering respondent (EC) had passed the impugned order..in exercise of its quasi-judicial powers provided under paragraph of the Election Symblos (Reservation and Allotment) order, 1968." The poll panel said the apex court in a catena of cases had held where an order passed by a quasi-judicial body is under challenge before an appellate court, such a body need not be arrayed as a party to the appeal. "The answering respondent humbly submits that sin

Passed 'well-reasoned order', EC tells SC on Shiv Sena symbol row

The Election Commission has told the SC it has passed a "well-reasoned" order, in a quasi-judicial capacity, allotting the name and party symbol of the Shiv Sena to Eknath Shinde faction

ECI chief Rajiv Kumar says it gives 'Agnipariksha' in every election

Election Commission of India (ECI) gives 'Agnipariskha' every election despite having conducted 400 Assembly elections, 17 general elections, and 16 Presidential and Vice Presidential polls

Election Commission brings Vote From Home option for voters above 80 yrs

The Election Commission on Saturday said it has introduced the facility to Vote-from-Home (VFH) for people above 80 years of age and those with disabilities in the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka. For the first time the ECI is going to provide the facility to those above 80 years of age. Our teams will go there with a form-12D to exercise their franchise, the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar told reporters here. Though we encourage those above 80 years to come to the polling station, those who cannot can avail this facility, he added. Secrecy will be maintained and the entire process will be videographed, Kumar explained. "All the political parties will be informed whenever there is a movement for Voting From Home (VFH)," Kumar said. For people with disabilities, a mobile application 'Saksham' has been introduced, which they can login to and choose the facility to vote, the CEC said. Another mobile application, 'Suvidha' has been developed, which is an online ...

Flawed reports causes harm to credibility of poll management bodies: Kumar

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Thursday flagged "flawed" reports of some agencies and organisations, saying they cause more damage to the credibility of election management bodies as the pioneering work done by them finds no place in such surveys. Kumar urged the EMBs to come up with essential parameters and standards which should guide such surveys and rankings. He was addressing the 3rd International Conference on the theme 'Inclusive Elections and Elections Integrity' in a virtual format. The CEC along with fellow election commissioners were in Bengaluru where they also assessed the poll preparedness of poll-bound Karnataka. He lamented that countries with low inclusivity are ranked high. "The flawed report causes more damage to the credibility of EMBs," he added. The CEC urged the participating EMBs to come up with essential parameters and standards which should guide such surveys... countries with low inclusivity are ranked high ," the poll panel said in a ...

A more independent Election Commission

The Supreme Court's judgment on appointments is not a case of judicial overreach, but is intended to protect the fundamental rights of citizens

Free and fair

Law must establish Election Commission's independence

Election Commission took Shiv Sena's name, symbol, can't take party: Uddhav

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Election Commission has allotted the party's name and symbol to the rebel faction but the poll body can never take away the party from him. Addressing a rally for the first time after losing the party name and election symbol "bow and arrow" to the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray said he has nothing to offer to his supporters. "I have come to seek your blessings and support," he said. In a big blow to Uddhav Thackeray, the Election Commission had last month allotted the name Shiv Sena' and its poll symbol to the group led by Shinde who has the support of most of the MLAs of Shiv Sena. Thackeray said he didn't accept the EC's decision. "If the Election Commission is not suffering from cataracts it should come and see the ground situation. The EC is a 'chuna lagav' commission and a slave of those in power. The principle based on which the EC took this decision is wrong,'' he said. Thackeray said the p

BJP conspiracy to weaken India's values will not succeed: Surjewala

Any conspiracy by the BJP to weaken India's democratic values will not succeed, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said on Thursday after a Supreme Court ruling on the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners. The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners will be done by the President on the advise of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India. Reacting to the verdict, Surjewala said the top court has given the judgment in wake of the BJP's attempts against democracy and the Constitution. "The decision given by the Supreme Court is very significant. BJP's conspiracy to weaken democratic values will never succeed," Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi. Congress MP Manish Tewari said on the ruling, "Article 324 should be amended to give an impartial Election Commission superintendence over internal processes of .

Election commissioners to be appointed by PM, opposition leader, CJI: SC

Justice KM Joseph, while reading the judgement, said that this will be followed until the Parliament comes up with a law in this regard

EC orders repoll in four polling stations in Nagaland on Wednesday

Repolling will be held in four polling stations in as many assembly constituencies in Nagaland on March 1, the Election Commission said on Tuesday. The EC took the decision based on reports submitted by General Observers and after taking all "material circumstances into account". The repolling will be held between 7 am and 4 pm, the EC order said. "Ensure that wide publicity is given by beating of drums or any other convenient mode in the aforementioned polling stations' areas. Inform the political parties and contesting candidates in writing about the fresh poll being taken on the said date...," the order to the state chief electoral officer said. Nagaland went to polls on Monday. The counting of votes in the state along with Meghalaya and Tripura will be taken up on Thursday.

Voting in Meghalaya, Nagaland peaceful, no demands for re-poll: EC

Voting for the Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly polls went off peacefully on Monday, the Election Commission (EC) said, adding that there was no demand for a re-poll from the two northeastern states. While both states have 60 Assembly seats, polling was held on 59 seats each, the EC pointed out. Polling for the Sohiong seat in Meghalaya was adjourned due to the death of one of the candidates. Since the Akuluto seat in Nagaland remained uncontested with only one candidate, no election was required there. "Polling across 3,419 polling stations in Meghalaya and 2,291 in Nagaland went off peacefully today.... Advance planning and extensive monitoring by the commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar...ensured smooth conduct of elections in the two states with no re-poll reported in any of the 5,710 polling stations," the EC said. In 2018, 11 re-polls were held in Nagaland and one was held in Meghalaya. Polling was also held in the Erode (East) Assembly seat in Tamil Nadu