Page 2 - Election News

Modi, Shah can go anywhere but will be caught for 'vote chori': Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah can go anywhere, but they will eventually be caught for indulging in vote chori'. Gandhi, addressing a poll rally in Bihar's Kishanganj, also alleged that the BJP and RSS were trying to divide the nation, while the INDIA bloc was making efforts to unite the country. Modi, Shah and the Election Commission have no replies to our vote chori' (vote theft) allegations, as the truth is now out in front of people The PM, Shah can go anywhere they like, but they will eventually be caught for indulging in 'vote chori', the former Congress president claimed. Gandhi asserted that the INDIA bloc will 100 per cent form government in Bihar if the people come together and stop vote theft. The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha also hit out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, alleging that he does not want employment for the youth of Bihar.

Shah charges Oppn with trying to build 'corridor for infiltrators' in Bihar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday charged the INDIA bloc with trying to build a corridor for infiltrators, unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who wanted to build an industrial corridor. Addressing a rally in Sasaram town of Bihar, on the final day of campaign for the second and final phase of assembly elections, Shah also promised a future that "mortar shells that will be dropped on Pakistan will be manufactured at an ordnance factory in this state". Recently, Rahul and Lalu's son (Tejashwi Yadav) took out a 'Voter Adhikar Yatra'. It was not aimed at bringing about any improvement in the lives of the poor living in Bihar, the Dalits and the EBCs. It was aimed at protecting infiltrators," Shah alleged. The former BJP president said that "the opposition's vote bank politics has led them to make attempts for building a ghuspaithiya (infiltrator) corridor, unlike Narendra Modi, who is setting up an industrial corridor. "When the government at the Centre was helmed by Manmohan .

No repoll recommended in Phase 1 of Bihar assembly elections: EC

The Election Commission on Friday said no repoll has been recommended for the over 45,000 polling stations in 121 seats that went to polls in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly election on November 6. The poll authority said scrutiny of documents took place in all 121 assembly constituencies in the presence of 121 returning officers (RO) and 121 general observers (GO) appointed by the commission. Around 455 candidates or their agents also participated in the process. After the scrutiny, no discrepancy or malpractice was found at any of the polling stations, and no repoll was recommended in phase one of the elections. A record voter turnout of nearly 65 per cent was registered in the first phase. Voting for the second phase will take place on November 11.

Over half of Bihar's unrecognised parties skip financial disclosure: ADR

According to ADR, only about one-fourth of the parties disclosed both their audit and contribution reports for FY24, declaring a combined income of ₹85.56 crore

Bihar sees record 64.46% voter turnout in first phase of Assembly polls

A voter turnout of 64.46 per cent was recorded provisionally at the close of polling in 121 seats in the first phase of assembly elections in Bihar on Thursday, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said. A total of 3.75 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase, to decide the electoral fate of 1,314 candidates, he said. Voting took place across 45,341 polling stations, of which 36,733 were in rural areas, he added. Gunjiyal said that barring a few incidents of "minor scuffles" in Lakhisarai and Saran, polling passed off peacefully. "Voting began at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm amid tight security. Around 64.46 per cent voter turnout was recorded," he said. "A total of 143 complaints were received and were immediately resolved," he added. Gunjiyal said polling was boycotted in certain booths in Buxar, Fatuha and Suryagarha. The remaining 122 seats of the 243-member assembly will vote on November 11, while the counting will take place on Nove

Bihar records 64.46% voter turnout in first phase of Assembly polls

Amid stray incidents of violence, including an attack on Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha's vehicle, 60.18 per cent of 3.75 crore voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm on Thursday across 121 constituencies in the first phase of Bihar assembly elections. Begusarai district recorded the highest polling percentage so far at 67.32, followed by Samastipur (66.65) and Madhepura (65.74). Stakes are high for both the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc in the first phase of the assembly elections, with several key leaders, including RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several ministers, in the fray. The ruling NDA, which has been in power in the state for 20 years, except for a few brief interruptions, is banking on its image of "sushasan" (good governance) in contrast to the alleged "jungle raj" that marked the 15 years old rule of the RJD-Congress combine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed rallies in a couple

Patna sees smooth voting, rising women participation in phase-1 polling

Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: The elections, to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, commenced on Thursday, with the final results set to be declared by November 14

Brazilian model reacts after Rahul Gandhi's Haryana election fraud claim

Larissa, who is a former model, shared she had no idea her photo was being used in India and called the situation 'absurd', adding she had never even visited the country

Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP, Election Commission of 'vote chori' in Haryana

Gandhi described the Haryana polls as a "theft," accusing the Election Commission of India of failing to ensure a fair process

Zohran Mamdani quotes Nehru in victory speech: 'Step out from old to new'

Zohran Mamdani quoted lines from Jawaharlal Nehru's famous 'A Tryst with Destiny' speech, which was delivered on August 14, 1947

Bihar polls: Ashok Gehlot steps in to defuse Grand Alliance tensions

Congress leader Ashok Gehlot meets RJD's Lalu Prasad in Patna to resolve Bihar grand alliance turmoil as allies clash over seat-sharing and multiple candidates

Jan Suraaj Party to unveil first list of Bihar poll candidates on October 9

The Jan Suraaj Party, founded by former political strategist Prashant Kishor, on Friday said it will come up with its "first list of candidates" for the Bihar assembly polls on October 9. "The first list of Jan Suraaj candidates will be released on October 9," the party said in a post on X. Dates for the assembly polls are likely to be announced by the Election Commission soon. Kishor has maintained that he was building a "new political alternative" for Bihar, which has been let down by the established parties. Besides promising adequate number of tickets to women, Muslims and the extremely backward classes (EBC), Kumar has also said he could enter the fray himself "if the party takes the decision". The 47-year-old former political strategist has also identified Raghopur, the seat of the Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, and Kargahar, his own place of birth, as two constituencies he might like to contest.

Rahul Gandhi accuses CEC of shielding those who 'destroyed democracy'

At a press conference, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha alleged systemic voter manipulation targeting opposition supporters, Dalits, and minorities

EC to take call on pan-India SIR rollout soon, may be held before year-end

The Election Commission will soon decide on the date to roll out special intensive revision on a pan-India basis and the exercise to clean up the voter list across states may take place before the end of the year, officials said Wednesday. After a day-long meeting of EC's state chief electoral officers here, officials said that with as many as five assembly polls due next year, the all-India SIR could take place in the coming months in 2025. At the meeting, the CEOs suggested documents for the purpose of ensuring that no eligible citizen is left out of the electoral roll and no ineligible person is included in it. It was reiterated that these documents should promote ease of submission for the eligible citizens. This assumes significance as the Supreme Court has directed the EC to accept the Aadhaar card as the 12th document, besides 11 others, as proof of identity of the elector. The CEOs were told to keep the electoral rolls of their states, published after the last SIR, ready.

Meet CP Radhakrishnan, NDA's pick for V-P with Jan Sangh, RSS links

Currently, the governor of Maharashtra, the 68-year-old BJP leader, is known in the party as a soft-spoken, non-controversial figure

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

One nation, one poll: JPC likely to meet July 30; Ex-CJIs may share views

The next meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 'One Nation, One Election' is likely to be held on July 30, panel chairman P P Chaudhary said. In an Interview with PTI Videos, Chaudhary said Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha and Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde might be called to express their views in the next meeting. The JPC, headed by BJP MP Chaudhary, has been speaking to jurists and legal experts as it prepares its recommendation on the bill. Former chief justices of India, J S Khehar and D Y Chandrachud, interacted with the committee during its eighth sitting on Friday. "The committee is discussing the issue very seriously and various legal luminaries, including former Chief Justices of India, have given their views to help us understand if this idea fits within the constitutional framework," he said. Chaudhary said the next meeting of the committee will possibly be held on July 30. Asked when the committee will submit its report, Chaudhary said there is no hurry because the v

Delhi court discharges TMC's Sagarika Ghose, 9 others in ECI protest case

A Delhi court on Thursday discharged 10 TMC leaders, including Derek O'Brien, Sagarika Ghose and Saket Gokhale, in a case linked to a protest outside the Election Commission of India last year despite prohibitory orders being in place. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Neha Mittal passed the order of discharge. A detailed order is awaited. Earlier on May 13, the court had granted bail to the accused persons. On April 30, it granted exemption from personal appearance to the accused persons, except Vivek Gupta The court had summoned the accused persons on April 21 while taking congisance of the chargesheet. The TMC leaders held the protest against central probe agencies CBI, NIA, ED and the Income Tax Department in April last year. A 10-member delegation of the TMC had announced the protest after meeting a full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to press their demand. The party alleged the central probe agencies were targeting opposition parties at the behest of th

What is Article 326 under which EC is revising electoral rolls in Bihar?

The Election Commission cites Article 326 to defend Bihar voter rolls revision, calling it a constitutional necessity since the state's electoral rolls haven't been comprehensively updated since 2003

Bihar voter roll revision: 11 documents accepted, but poor still anxious

Voters added after 2003 must submit one of 11 documents, but many poor and migrant families lack paperwork, raising concerns ahead of the Bihar elections