Page 43 - Election Commission

AAP complaints against BJP to EC over social media content against Kejriwal

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission accusing the BJP of using "absurd" content on social media to tarnish the image of its convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. An AAP delegation requested the Election Commission to take cognisance of the complaint and ensure proper action against the BJP, senior AAP leader and party MP Raghav Chadha said. "The BJP is using substandard and absurd content while trying to spoil the image of our party and leader Arvind Kejriwal. They are trying his character assassination," he charged, objecting to a post on November 5. Last week, the Election Commission issued a show-cause notice to Kejriwal for alleged disparaging remarks made by AAP against Prime Minister Narendra Modi its social media handle and asked him to respond to the charge of poll code violation by November 16. A day later, Chadha had accused the BJP of running a "derogatory and misleading" campaign on social media against Kejriwa

Re-polling ordered at a booth in Madhya Pradesh's Ater assembly seat

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered re-polling on November 21 at a booth in the Ater assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind district, according to an official release. Voting will be held at booth number 3 under polling centre number 71 at Kishupura between 7 am and 6 pm, it said, adding that indelible ink will be applied on the middle finger of voters. The order of repolling has been issued to the district returning officer, it said. A district official said repolling was ordered because of the breach of secrecy as some people had shot videos of voting on November 17 at the concerned booth in Kishupura. Sitting MLA from Ater and BJP leader, Arvind Singh Bhadauria, is facing ex-legislator Hemant Katare of Congress. All 230 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh went to polls in a single phase on November 17 with a voter turnout of 77.15 per cent, as per the Election Commission. Votes will be counted on December 3.

'Caged parrot' Election Commission a sham, is favouring BJP, alleges Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said the Election Commission of India had become a caged parrot and a sham and was "practising double standards in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party". In his weekly column 'Rokthok' in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana', Raut also accused the BJP of resorting to religious propaganda to "bribe" voters after losing ground in five states where Assembly polls are being held (in November). Latching on to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement in Madhya Pradesh last week promising people of government-organised tours to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya if the BJP retains power, Raut said this was clearly campaigning on religious lines. If such a statement had been made by a Congress leader, then the ECI, like the Enforcement Directorate, would have been at the doorstep with a "warrant", the Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP alleged. Garnering votes by"bribing" the electorate is shocking and the ECI has shut its eyes, which is detrimental to ...

Mizoram: EC allows students' scholarship disbursal after hundreds protest

Mizoram's student body Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) called off its agitation late on Thursday after the state government assured disbursement of scholarships following approval by the Election Commission. Earlier in the day, officials said that the scholarship money was not disbursed due to the model code of conduct being in place for the state assembly polls held on November 7 and that they were waiting for the Election Commission's nod. The counting of votes will take place on December 3. MZP general secretary Chinkhanmanga Thomte said that the agitation was called off at 8:30 pm on Thursday as the Election Commission has approved the petition to disburse the scholarship money. Hundreds of students, under the aegis of MZP, were protesting from Tuesday over the alleged negligence of the state scholarship board to disburse money. They demanded that the second installment of scholarship money be immediately released to the beneficiaries. The protesters staged a sit-in outside the Mizoram

Will complain to EC on BJP's 'derogatory' campaign against Kejriwal: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday accused the BJP of running a "derogatory and misleading" campaign on social media against its national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and said it will submit a complaint to the Election Commission. Addressing a press conference, AAP leader Raghav Chadha said they have written to the EC seeking a meeting so that a party delegation can submit the complaint. The development comes a day after the Election Commission issued a show-cause notice to Kejriwal for alleged disparaging remarks made by the party against the prime minister on AAP's social media handle and asked him to respond to the charge of poll code violation by November 16. Chadha on Wednesday alleged, "The BJP has been running a misleading, defamatory campaign against Kejriwal. The Delhi BJP's handle on X shared a post on November 5 and it was also posted by the party's official handles in the election-bound states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh." This is a

Rajasthan polls: Over 12,000 elderly, disabled voters to avail home voting

A total of 62,927 voters in the state applied for the home voting facility, which will be carried out till November 19

Rajasthan polls 2023 LIVE: BJP to release Sankalp Patra for state on Nov 16

Rajasthan state Assembly elections LIVE: Catch all the latest updates of Rajasthan elections 2023 here

EC asks parties to share details of donations received via electoral bonds

The Election Commission has asked "all such parties" which have ever got any donation through electoral bonds to furnish by November 15 the details of such contributions received by them since the inception of the scheme. The move by the EC comes after the Supreme Court on November 2 directed the poll panel to produce before it in sealed cover the "up to date" data of funds received by political parties through electoral bonds till September 30, 2023. In a letter to heads of all political parties on November 3, the EC has also asked them to share detailed particulars of the donors against each bond, the amount of each such bond and the full particulars of the credit received against each bond in a sealed cover. The EC's letter said particulars should be sent in double sealed cover -- one duly sealed envelope containing the particulars and second duly sealed envelope containing the first envelope -- to its secretary of the election expenditure division. The EC said the sealed covers

Remote villages in Rajasthan to have polling stations for the first time

Polling stations in remote villages with 35-50 voters will be able to cast their votes for the Rajasthan state Assembly elections 2023 without travelling through harsh conditions

1,875 candidates to contest 200 Assembly seats in Rajasthan elections 2023

Out of 2,605 nominations, 490 withdrew, including BJP and Congress rebels, and 240 nominations were rejected

BJP files complaint with EC accusing Gehlot of hiding details about cases

A BJP delegation led by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday gave a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer seeking action against the Rajasthan CM

We turned to EC for prompt action, Cong's Singhvi on ED's allegation

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued blocking orders against 22 illegal betting apps and websites, including Mahadev Book and Reddyannaprestopro, an official statement said

Rs 498 crore in cash and items seized since MCC enforced in Telangana

Authorities have seized over Rs 178 crore in cash, 284 kg of gold, and 1,168 kg of silver, along with liquor, 'ganja' and various other goods

Election code hampers transport of cash and jewellery in Rajasthan

The code came into effect after the Election Commission announced the date for assembly elections in Rajasthan

Telangana polls LIVE: Congress likely to release its second list today

Telangana Assembly elections LIVE: Congress is expected to include Rajgopal Reddy in the second list who recently switched to Congress from BJP

Himanta defends speech against Md Akbar; says Cong withheld info from EC

Notwithstanding the show-cause notice by the Election Commission for his alleged "communally charged statements", Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday defended his speech and said it was a "legitimate criticism" of Chhattisgarh Minister Mohammed Akbar. The Election Commission on Thursday slapped a show-cause notice to Sarma for prima facie violation of the Model Code of Conduct and asked him to respond by October 30 evening. "Congress has withheld the material information from the Hon'ble Election Commission that Mohammed Akbar is their candidate from Kawardha Constituency. Therefore legitimate criticism of a candidate does not amount to communal politics," Sarma said in a post on X. The senior BJP leader asserted that the Congress will have to face the legal consequence of not revealing the crucial fact in their representation. "I have full faith in the collection (sic) wisdom of the Hon'ble Election Commission," he added. The Assam chief minister was reacting to a

EC to require 3 mn EVMs, 1.5-yr preparation time for simultaneous polls

The Election Commission will require around 30 lakh electronic voting machines (EVMs) and a preparation time of nearly one-and-half years for the smooth conduct of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, sources have said. An EVM comprises one control unit, at least one ballot unit and one voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) unit. According to the sources, the commission will require nearly 30 lakh control units, about 43 lakh ballot units and about 32 lakh VVPATs for the simultaneous polls, taking into consideration the reserve units kept for replacement in case of any malfunction or damage. Sources said there is a shortfall of nearly 35 lakh voting units -- control units, ballot units and VVPAT units -- for the simultaneous conduct of Lok Sabha and assembly polls. As deliberations on the conduct of simultaneous polls gathered steam, the Election Commission had informed the Law Commission a few months ago that it would also require adequate warehousing

Telangana polls: TPCC Prez Reddy accuses BRS of moral code violation

Reddy also talked about the issue of sinking pillars of the Medigadda barrage, which is a part of the prestigious Kaleshwaram project

Seizures in poll-bound states see sharp rise since implementation of CoC

The trend has continued, with the seizures spiking significantly in the poll-bound Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh after the model code of conduct kicked in on October 9

Election Commission to appoint actor Rajkummar Rao as its national icon

Bollywood actor Rajkummar Rao will be appointed as the Election Commission's national icon, the poll body has said