Page 9 - Election Commission

EC can restore credibility by addressing election fairness doubts: Tharoor

The Election Commission's own interest lies in addressing these questions, Tharoor said

Will reply to EC notice, says Bihar Dy CM on possessing 2 voter cards

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, who has been served with a notice by the Election Commission for allegedly possessing two voter ID cards, on Monday asserted that he respects constitutional bodies and will respond to the poll panel's queries. The senior BJP leader, who has been left with egg on his face, was replying to questions from journalists here, a day after the Election Commission notice was served to him in the backdrop of the anomaly being highlighted by the opposition. Sinha said, "I respect the country's Constitution and all constitutional bodies. I am not like Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav." Notably, Yadav, the RJD leader, and the Congress had targeted the BJP leader over his name appearing at two different places in Bihar in the draft electoral rolls published as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The BJP leader had clarified before the media that he had been registered as a voter of Bankipur constituency in Patna, and last year, he applied f

Bihar govt upgrades security for Samrat Choudhary, Tejashwi Yadav, others

Bihar government has upgraded security cover for Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, and several other politicians, according to a notification from the state home department. According to the latest notification, Choudhary, already a Z-plus protectee, will now also be covered under the Advanced Security Liaison (ASL) protocol, which requires coordination between local agencies including district administration, police, health, and other departments to ensure safety. The protocol also mandates anti-sabotage checks and multi-layered security rings. RJD leader and former deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav will now be provided Z-category security, following a review of threat levels for VIP protectees in the state, it added. The government has also granted Y-plus security to Independent MP from Purnea Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, Araria MP Pradeep Kumar Singh, and Barh MLA Gyanendra Singh Gyanu. JD(U) MLC Neera Kumar has been provided Y-category .

No claim or objection submitted by any party over SIR in Bihar: EC

Releasing its daily bulletin today, the poll body said that from August 1 to August 11, over 1,60,813 Booth Level Agents across national and state parties have not filed any objections

Clean voter roll imperative for free, fair elections: Rahul Gandhi

Vote Chori is an attack on the foundational idea of 'one man, one vote, said Rahul Gandhi

No deletion in Bihar voter roll without notice, reasoned order: EC to SC

The Election Commission has told the Supreme Court that there would be no deletion of any voter's name from the draft electoral roll in Bihar without issuance of prior notice, affording opportunity of being heard and a reasoned order. The poll panel also said that statutory framework does not require it to prepare or share any separate list of names of people not included in the draft electoral rolls, or publish the reasons for non-inclusion of anyone in the draft rolls for any reason. The EC filed an additional affidavit in the apex court on Saturday, days after it came out with the much-anticipated draft electoral rolls in Bihar, enlisting 7.24 crore voters but knocking off more than 65 lakh names, claiming that most of the persons concerned had died or migrated. Separately, the EC also filed its reply to an application filed by the petitioner seeking direction to the poll panel to publish a full and final assembly constituency and part/booth wise list of names and details of ...

Congress launches campaign urging people to register against 'vote chori'

Upping the ante over Rahul Gandhi's poll rigging claims, the Congress has launched a web page where people can register to demand accountability from the Election Commission against what it called was "vote chori" and express support for his demand for digital voter rolls. Anyone can click on the portal link and download "vote chori proof, demand EC accountability and report vote chori". It also carries Gandhi's video in which reiterated his explosive claims of a "huge criminal fraud" in the polls through collusion between the BJP and the EC He had cited an analysis in a constituency in Karnataka, and said it was "a crime against the Constitution". The portal also carries a message which states that the vote is the foundation of our democracy but it's under "systematic attack by the BJP, with the Election Commission complicit". "In just one assembly segment of Bangalore Central, we found over 1 lakh fake voters that helped the BJP win this Lok Sabha seat. Imagine this happening in

Congress alleges irregularities in Odisha's 2024 Assembly, LS polls

The opposition Congress in Odisha on Saturday alleged that irregularities had taken place in the state during the simultaneous elections to the assembly and Lok Sabha last year. Addressing a press conference, state Congress president Bhakta Charan Das claimed that about 42 lakh votes were cast in the state between 5 pm and 9 pm on the day of the polling. "How come such a huge number of voters came to the polling stations in the evening?" he questioned. Das also raised questions on the BJD not winning a single Lok Sabha seat in the state. "The BJD won 51 assembly seats, but was unable to win a single Lok Sabha constituency. The BJD won four or five assembly seats in some Lok Sabha constituencies, but its candidates could not become MPs. How did it happen?" he asked. The Congress won only one Lok Sabha seat, Koraput, as it has won six out of the seven segments that are part of it, he said. Thanking the leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, for bringing the alleged irregularities

Bihar draft voter list: No claims from parties nine days after release

The Election Commission on Saturday said that since the Bihar draft voter list was published nine days ago on August 1, no political party has approached it for inclusion or deletion of names of individuals from the rolls. The draft roll will be available till September 1 for claims and objections under which parties and individuals can seek inclusion of eligible citizens left out and exclusion of those they believe are ineligible. The EC said between August 1 and August 9 (Saturday), no booth-level agent appointed by parties has approached poll authorities in the claims and objections procedure. On the other hand, 7,252 individuals have approached it for inclusion or deletion of names from the draft voters' list. "The Election Commission is repeatedly stating that no eligible elector is to be left out and no ineligible elector is to be included in the final electoral roll of Bihar. "Submit your claims and objections to rectify any errors in the draft roll of Bihar," a functionary

Sharad Pawar backs Rahul Gandhi on 'vote chori' allegations, seeks EC probe

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday demanded a detailed probe by the Election Commission into allegations of "vote theft" raised by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to remove doubts about the integrity of the electoral process and the image of the poll watchdog. Pawar also questioned the logic behind the EC asking Gandhi to file an affidavit and provide information under oath. Gandhi on Thursday claimed a "huge criminal fraud" in polls through "collusion" between the BJP and the Election Commission, citing an analysis of voter rolls in a constituency in Karnataka last year. A day after, he alleged that the Election Commission and the BJP colluded to "steal" the Lok Sabha election from the people, and that there was "vote theft" in at least three states. "Rahul Gandhi's presentation on vote theft was well-researched and well-documented. A detailed inquiry is needed into the concerns raised by him to clear doubts (about the integrity of the electoral process) among people. 'Doodh k

Rahul Gandhi alleges vote theft by EC, here's how political leaders reacted

Rahul Gandhi accuses Election Commission of rigging votes to favour BJP in 2024 polls. Several opposition leaders back him, while BJP dismisses claims as baseless and driven by frustration

K'taka EC, Dy CM Shivakumar spar over Rahul Gandhi's poll fraud allegations

Karnataka CEO orders inquiry into Rahul Gandhi's claims; Election Commission challenges him to provide proof or apologise, citing earlier Supreme Court ruling

'Lost 2019 elections due to bogus votes': Kharge attacks PM Modi, BJP

Addressing the Congress' 'Vote Adhikar Rally' in Bengaluru's Freedom Park, Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the party had lost the 2019 General Elections due to 'fake votes'

'Vote Adhikar Rally': Congress prepared for its mega show in Bengaluru

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will hold the party's 'Vote adhikar rally' at Bengaluru's Freedom Park on Friday, which is being organised in protest against the alleged "vote theft". The event, titled "Our Vote, Our Right, Our Struggle," will be held at 10:30 am at Freedom Park, where the Congress will demonstrate its strength for the cause. Through this rally, Congress has decided to use Karnataka as a launch pad for a movement against alleged electoral fraud. The party has alleged electoral fraud during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka based on its study of the Mahadevapura assembly segment. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretaries K C Venugopal, Randeep Singh Surjewala, KPCC Working Presidents, Ministers, as well as party leaders and workers will participate in the ...

'Submit proof or stop misleading': ECI on Rahul's K'taka voter fraud claim

The Election Commission has asked Rahul Gandhi to submit names of voters he claims were wrongly listed, demanding a signed declaration after his allegations of electoral fraud in Karnataka

TMC accuses EC of shameless role in denying voters their democratic rights

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha leader Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission, accusing it of compromising its constitutional neutrality and attempting to undermine the voting rights of genuine citizens of West Bengal. Addressing a press conference before leaving for Delhi to attend a dinner at Rahul Gandhi's residence for a joint strategy on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and discuss fielding a joint candidate for the VP election, Banerjee said, "The EC also needs to understand and realise that it is an impartial, unbiased organisation and it has to operate within the ambit of the Constitution." The TMC MP went on to accuse the poll body of playing an "active and shameless role" in denying legitimate voters their democratic rights. "Now the EC has taken a shameless role to snatch the voting rights of genuine voters," he alleged. "Yesterday, I saw a report that a residential certificate had been issued under the n

No party raised claim or objection to draft electoral rolls in Bihar: EC

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday said that not even a single claim or objection has been submitted by any political party regarding the draft electoral rolls in Bihar.The Election Commission has asserted that no eligible elector will be left out and no ineligible elector will be included in the final electoral roll of Bihar. It has appealed to submit claims and objections to rectify any errors in the draft electoral Roll of Bihar, which was published on August 1.However, the EC has received 5,015 claims and objections directly from the electors with respect to the draft roll till today, said the ECI in a daily bulletin on the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar.Forms received from new electors on attaining 18 years of age or above are 27,517.As per the rules, the claims & objections are to be disposed of by the concerned Electoral Registration Officer/Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (ERO/AERO) after the expiry of 7 days.As ..

SC asks EC for details of 6.5 mn deleted voters in Bihar draft rolls

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Election Commission to furnish by August 9 the details of around 65 lakh electors left out from the draft electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar. A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh asked the counsel for the poll panel to furnish the details of deleted voters, the data which has been already shared with the political parties, and give a copy to the NGO, Association For Democratic Reforms. The NGO, which has challenged the June 24 order of the Election Commission directing for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, filed a fresh application seeking direction to the poll panel to publish the names of around 65 lakh deleted voters with the mention whether they are dead, permanently migrated or not considered for any other reason. The bench told advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, that the reason for deletion would come in subsequent time as it is now only a draft list. However, ...

No claims, objections by parties to draft electoral rolls in Bihar: ECI

The Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Wednesday that zero claims or objections had been filed by political parties since the publication of the draft electoral rolls in Bihar on August 1, up until 6th August (9 AM).However, there are 3,659 claims and objections received directly from the electors with respect to the draft roll, said the ECI in a daily bulletin on the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral roll (SIR) in Bihar.Forms received from New electors on attaining 18 years of age or above are 19,186.As per the rules, the claims & objections are to be disposed of by the concerned Electoral Registration Officer/ Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (ERO/AERO) after the expiry of 7 days.As per SIR orders, no name can be deleted from the draft list published on 1st August 2025, without passing a speaking order by the ERO/AERO after conducting an enquiry and after giving a fair and reasonable opportunity.The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral ...

Opposition's demand for discussion on votebandi non-negotiable: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday said the Opposition's demand for a discussion on the "votebandi" by the Election Commission is "non-negotiable" in both Houses of Parliament. There has been a logjam in Parliament over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, which the Opposition has alleged is being done to cut votes ahead of the state election. Congress general secretary in-charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh, said the Chair in the Rajya Sabha is a continuing entity despite the comings and goings, scheduled and unscheduled. "Yesterday, the Deputy Chairman gave a ruling that because the Lok Sabha Speaker had said so on December 14, 1988, any matter concerning the Election Commission cannot be discussed in Parliament. But on July 21, 2023, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, a Modi appointee, had categorically ruled that 'the Rajya Sabha is entitled to discuss anything under the planet with only one restriction'," Ramesh said in a post on X. "He had gone on to say that th