Page 15 - Election News

LS polls: Khattar takes on Congress' youth leader Budhiraja in Karnal

Two months after the BJP replaced Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini as Haryana chief minister, the 70-year-old leader and former RSS 'pracharak' is preparing for another innings -- to enter the Lok Sabha for the first time. Though 19 candidates are in the fray from the Karnal parliamentary seat, the contest is mainly between Khattar and Haryana Youth Congress president Divyanshu Budhiraja (30). Karnal is an agricultural-industrial district in the north-central part of Haryana and is also famous for its Basmati rice. It is said to have been founded by Raja Karna who was one of the main characters in the epic Mahabharata. In October 2014, when the BJP came to power in Haryana on its own strength for the first time, Khattar, a first-time MLA from Karnal, was made the chief minister. Nine-and-a-half years later, the party handpicked Khattar's protege and Kurukshetra MP Nayab Saini to replace him as chief minister. The change of guard by the ruling BJP in Haryana came as a big

LS polls highlights: Congress plotting to send Ram Lala to tent again, says PM Modi

General Elections 2024: Catch all the latest news updates on the Lok Sabha polls here

Lok Sabha elections 2024: PM Modi files nomination papers from Varanasi

PM Modi filed his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, seeking a third consecutive term from the constituency

Haryana: BJP, JJP face dissent as candidates campaign under police cover

Several BJP and JJP nominees have had to call off rallies due to protests, prompting heightened vigilance by intelligence agencies to prevent potential unrest

Elections 2024 updates: Modi to file nomination; Thackeray slams BJP

Lok Sabha elections 2024: From rallies to arrests, here are the latest updates in politics on May 14

LS polls: Why PM Modi will file nomination from Varanasi around 11:40 am

Scheduled between 11:40 am and 12 noon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's submission of nomination papers holds a significant astrological timing

If INDIA bloc comes to power, I will be back next day, says Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said he will be back from Tihar jail on June 5 if the INDIA bloc comes to power after the election results are announced. Arrested in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, Kejriwal has been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court till June 1 to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. He will have to surrender and go back to jail on June 2. June 1 is the last day of the seven-phase elections and the votes will be counted on June 4. Addressing his Aam Aadmi Party councillors, Kejriwal alleged that efforts were made to break and humiliate him during judicial custody in Tihar. "There were two CCTV cameras inside my cell in Tihar and the feed was monitored by 13 officers. It was said that the CCTV feed was also provided to PMO. Modi ji was monitoring me... I do not know what grudge Modi has against me," he claimed. Kejriwal said the AAP leaders are respected and loved by people and "feared by the BJP becaus

LS polls 2024: Over 34% polling recorded in five seats in Bihar till 1 pm

Around 10.18 per cent of over 95 lakh voters in five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar have exercised their franchise till 9 am on Monday, officials said. Voting for the five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar to decide the fate of 55 candidates began at 7 am in Begusarai, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Munger and Darbhanga and will continue till 6 pm, a senior official said. Over 11.61 per cent of voters have exercised their franchise in Darbhanga Lok Sabha constituency, 11.11 per cent in Samastipur, 10.26 per cent in Munger, 9.31 per cent in Ujiarpur and 8.85 per cent in Begusarai till 9 am. Approximately 95.85 lakh electors are eligible to exercise their franchise across 5,398 polling stations, the official said. Union Minister Giriraj Singh is seeking re-election from Begusarai where his primary opponent is CPI's Awadhesh Rai. Singh had defeated former JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the same seat. In Ujiarpur, which has the lowest number of voters at

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Andhra Pradesh records 40.26% voter turnout till 1 pm

Andhra Pradesh recorded 9.05 per cent voter turnout up for the 25 Lok Sabha seats while it was 9.21 per cent for the 175-seat Assembly up to 9 am in the state, an Election Commission app said on Monday. The polling is scheduled from 7 am to 6 pm in the state, barring a few places where it will conclude one or two hours earlier. Governor S Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu along with their respective family members, were among the early voters in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. The YSRCP is contesting in all 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha segments in the state. As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP was allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies while the BJP is contesting from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats. The actor Pawan Kalyan-led Janasena is contesting two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats.

No interim relief for Hemant Soren; JMM chief cites Kejriwal's bail to SC

The Supreme Court scheduled former chief minister Hemant Soren's hearing for May 17, challenging his arrest in money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam

Stock market will 'shoot up' on June 4 after PM Modi's victory: Amit Shah

The Indian stock market will 'shoot up' after the Lok Sabha elections 2024 results are announced on June 4, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah and encouraged investors to buy before that

LS polls: Regional parties would play key role post elections, says Rao

BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday claimed that regional parties would play a key role post the Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to reporters after voting at his native village Chintamadaka in Siddipet district in Telangana, he said according to the BJP's own rule, no leader in the party would take up any position after attaining the age of 75. "Accordingly, Mr Modi has to step down. It is up to the BJP people to think," he told reporters. "There is nothing like a bloc. Now, the regional parties will be the power in India," he said. Polling was underway on Monday for the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on May 11 hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seeking votes for Shah as his successor due to the 75 years age 'rule' in the BJP, and told him that there was "no need for you to be happy" as Modi will continue to lead the country post-2024 Lok Sabha polls. There was nothing written i

PM Modi to hold roadshow in Varanasi today, to file nomination on Tuesday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a six-kilometre-long roadshow in Varanasi on Monday evening, a day before he files his nomination from the Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh. Before he files his nomination on Tuesday, Modi will also take a dip in the Ganga, sources in the BJP said. The prime minister is seeking a third consecutive term from the seat that will go to polls on June 1 in the seventh and last phase of the general elections More than 5,000 'matrashaktis' (women) will walk in the roadshow, the sources said and added that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, ministers and legislators will also participate in the event. The roadshow will be held from Malviya Chauraha in Lanka to Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham, they said. It will pass through Sant Ravidas Gate, Assi, Shivala, Sonarpura, Jangambadi, Godaulia. The sources said that Modi will be staying the night at the BLW guesthouse. He will reach the guesthouse from Vishwanath Dham and his convoy is expected to pa

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Jharkhand records 44% voter turnout till 1 pm

Nearly 12 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 9 am in four Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand on Monday, elections officials said here. Voting started at 7 am in Singhbhum, Lohardaga, Khunti and Palamu seats amid tight security measures, marking the first phase of elections in the eastern state, and will continue till 5 pm. Maoist-hit Singhbhum seat saw about 12.67 per cent voter turnout till 9 am while the same was at 12.20 per cent, about 10.97 per cent and 11.47 per cent in Khunti, Lohardaga and Palamu seats respectively. Union Minister and BJP candidate from Khunti Arjun Munda said he was "confident that the people of the country will elect BJP and make Narendra Modi Prime Minister once again." JMM candidate from Singhbhum Lok Sabha seat Joba Manjhi and BJP candidate from Lohardaga Samir Oroan have exercised their franchise. So far the polling has been peaceful in the four Lok Sabha seats, officials said. Over 64.37 lakh electors, including 32.07 lakh women and 42 persons belo

Lok Sabha polls 2024: 39.68% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm in UP

A voter turnout of 11.67 per cent was recorded till 9 am on Monday in Uttar Pradesh where polling is underway in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in the fourth round of the seven-phase general elections. Polling began at 7 am and is scheduled to end at 6 pm. Till 9 am, Uttar Pradesh recorded 11.67 per cent polling, according to Election Commission (EC) figures. Akbarpur constituency has recorded 12.16 per cent, Bahraich 14.04 per cent, Dhaurahra 13.96 per cent, Etawah 7.06 per cent, Farrukhabad 13.15 per cent, Hardoi 13.17 per cent, Kannauj 14.23 per cent, Kanpur 7.84 per cent, Kheri 12.21 per cent, Misrikh 12.92 per cent, Shahjahanpur 5.94 per cent, Sitapur 14.28 per cent and Unnao 11.85 per cent, according to EC data. The keenly watched seats in this phase of polls in the state include Kannauj, from where Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav is seeking re-election, and Kheri, from wher Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son is an accused in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri viole

Lok Sabha polls 2024: 39.30 % voter turnout recorded in Odisha till 1 pm

Odisha recorded around 9.23 per cent voter turnout in the first two hours of polling in four Lok Sabha constituencies and 28 Assembly segments on Monday, officials said. Voting started at 7 am in Berhampur, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi parliamentary constituencies along with 28 assembly segments within the jurisdiction of these Lok Sabha seats. Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously in Odisha. Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer N B Dhal Monday said that the voting was underway in all the 7,303 polling stations across peacefully in four Parliamentary Constituencies and 28 assembly segments under their jurisdiction with some reports of EVM glitches. Till 9 am around 9.23 per cent of the over 62.87 lakh electors eligible voters have exercised their franchise, officials said. He said the highest EVM glitches were reported from the Kalahandi Lok Sabha seat and they were addressed immediately. The CEO said the defects in EVMs were identified during the mock

Delhi HC dismisses plea on direction to ECI to take action against PM Modi

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking direction to the Election Commission of India to take action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly delivering communally divisive speeches during Lok Sabha poll campaigning in violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Justice Sachin Datta said the plea was misconceived and devoid of merits and the ECI can take an independent view on the complaint of the petitioner in accordance with law. The court also referred to its earlier order passed in a plea pertaining to a speech given by the prime minister allegedly seeking votes in the name of religion and deities and went on to say that making any presupposition is unjustified. The counsel for the ECI submitted that it has issued a detailed advisory to all political parties. It said that appropriate action shall be taken if necessary on the reply. The petitioner's counsel said the ECI cannot have different standards for taking action against different politicians. The pl

Lok Sabha elections: What is Nota, and how can it affect the polls?

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: 'None of the above' (Nota) offers voters the chance to express their discontent with all candidates contesting in their constituency during an election

Phase 4 Lok Sabha elections 2024: What was the voter turnout at 9 am?

In Phase 4 of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, 96 out of 543 constituencies have gone to polls in 10 states and Union Territories. Votes will be counted on June 4

LS polls 2024: Andhra Pradesh Guv Nazeer, CM Jagan among early voters

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu along with their respective family members, were among the early voters in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. Jagan Mohan Reddy cast his vote at Bhakarapuram in Pulivendula constituency of Kadapa district on Monday while Chandrababu Naidu and his wife exercised their franchise in Amaravati. Speaking to mediapersons after casting his vote, Jagan Mohan Reddy said the people have seen the best governance during the past five years. "You have seen the governance for the past five years and the best governance is to continue for their betterment, vote for that government," he told reporters. The polling is scheduled from 7 AM to 6 PM in the state, barring a few places where it will conclude one or two hours earlier. Jagan Mohan Reddy (Pulivendula), TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu (Kuppam) and Janasena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan (Pithapuram), among others, are in the Assembly poll race. Andhra Pradesh Congres