Page 9 - Election

Electoral bonds dropped at office, got by post: Political parties on donors

Several political parties declined to share details of electoral bond donors citing various legal provisions, while others said they received the funding instruments through "drop box" or by post without any name. The DMK, which received most of its donations from a lottery firm, reached out to its donors to seek details of the electoral bonds as demanded by the Supreme Court in 2019. The BJP cited the amendments to the Representation of People Act, 1951 and the relevant portions of the Reserve Bank of India Act and the Income Tax Act for not revealing its donors. "It is duly submitted that the electoral bonds were introduced with the aim of bringing only accounted for funds in political funding while protecting the donors from any consequences, therefrom," the BJP said in its letter to the Election Commission. The Congress shot off a letter to the State Bank of India (SBI) seeking details of donors of electoral bonds, the amount, the bank account in which it was credited and the .

This is fight between 'Asuri Shakti', 'Daivik Shakti': Congress slams PM

The Congress on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remark that the INDIA bloc's manifesto talks about finishing 'Shakti', saying the elections will decide whether the country would be run by 'Asuri Shakti' (demonic power) or 'Daivik Shakti' (divine power). A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, at a rally in Mumbai, commented that the "fight against Modi is not on a personal level since Modi is a 'mask' who works for a 'Shakti' (power)", the prime minister asserted that the fight is between those who want to destroy 'Shakti' and those who worship it. Prime Minister Modi, referring to the opposition rally in Mumbai's Shivaji Park, said, "They announced their manifesto... and said their fight was against 'Shakti'. For me, every mother and every daughter is a form of 'Shakti'. Mothers and sisters, I worship you as 'Shakti'. I am Bharat Maa's pujari." In retaliation, the Congress likened the BJP to 'Asuri Shakti' and alleged that the nation has seen atrocities .

Preparation for Lok Sabha elections in Mizoram's Aizawl in full swing

Preparations for election to Mizoram's lone Lok Sabha seat are in full swing, an official said on Monday. Aizawl Deputy Commissioner Nazuk Kumar, who also serves as the returning officer, told reporters that training for various official teams assigned to manage the upcoming polls in 12 assembly constituencies within Aizawl district has been largely completed. The initial phase of training for polling parties is scheduled for March 26 and March 27, she said. Randomisation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) has been finalised, and they are currently secured in strong rooms designated for each assembly constituency, she added. A total of 514 ballot units, 523 control units, and 541 VVPATs have been allocated for Aizawl district for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, Kumar said. Voting is scheduled for April 19, with counting is on June 4. The deadline for filing nominations is March 27, while candidates have until March 30 to withdra

Vote for leadership which has vision, track record of doing work: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the country has witnessed a historic decade of good governance, security, welfare of all sections under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appealed to everyone to vote for a leadership which has a track record of doing work and a vision to make India developed. He also appealed to youths, women and all voters of the country to participate in this great festival of democracy by voting in maximum numbers to elect the BJP-led NDA which will put the nation first. "The 2024 Lok Sabha elections have been announced today by the Election Commission. Elections are a great festival for the world's largest democracy. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has witnessed a historic decade of good governance, security, welfare of all sections and reconstruction of cultural heritage. "To maintain the pace of India's development journey, cast your vote for a leadership which has a track record of doing work an

Lok Sabha elections: Key seats to watch in UP, Punjab, Raj, other states

The BJP won all four Himachal Pradesh Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, it is fighting a divided Congress. The seats include these. * Hamirpur: The BJP has fielded Union minister Anurag Thakur from Hamirpur, the Lok Sabha seat he has been winning since a 2008 bypoll. CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and his deputy Mukesh Agnihotri also represent assembly segments in Hamirpur. Five of the six Congress MLAs who recently rebelled against the party were also elected from Hamirpur assembly segments. * Mandi: Members of the region's erstwhile families have tried their luck here. Himachal Congress president Pratibha Singh currently represents the constituency which also sent her husband Virbhadra Singh to Parliament in the past.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Voting schedule extends six days longer than 2019

Polling for 543 Lok Sabha constituencies will be conducted in seven phases, between April 19 and June 1, followed by counting of votes on June 4

Biggest festival of democracy here, BJP-NDA fully prepared: PM Modi

Asserting that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is fully prepared for the general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the opposition as "rudderless" and "issueless" and expressed confidence about retaining power. Soon after the Election Commission announced the seven-phase schedule for the Lok Sabha polls, Modi, in a series of posts on X, highlighted the "glorious turnaround" India has seen in the 10 years of his government and said the ruling alliance will go to people based on its track record of good governance and service delivery across sectors. "The biggest festival of democracy is here! EC has announced the 2024 Lok Sabha election dates. We, the BJP-NDA, are fully prepared for elections," he said with the hashtag 'Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar' ('once again Modi government'). Reiterating his confidence about winning the polls, the prime minister said the war against poverty and corruption will go on at an even faster pace in his third term and the .

Samajwadi Party declares 6 more Lok Sabha candidates for seats in UP

The Samajwadi Party on Saturday announced the names of six more Lok Sabha candidates from Uttar Pradesh. This is the fifth list of nominees of the party for the parliamentary elections. They are Dharmendra Yadav (Azamgarh), Mahendra Kumar (Gautam Buddh Nagar), Manoj Kumar Rajvanshi (Misrikh), Bheem Nishad (Sultanpur), Jitendra Dohare (Etawah) and Narayan Das Ahirwar (Jalaun), the SP said in a post on X.

YSRCP releases list of candidates for 25 LS, 175 Assembly seats in Andhra

The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP on Saturday announced the list of candidates for all the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies and 175 Assembly segments in Andhra Pradesh, allotting 50 per cent of the seats to SC, ST, BC and minority communities. The ruling YSRCP announced the list of candidates at the 'samadhi' (grave) of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy in the presence of party supremo and CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and senior leaders at Idupulupaya in Kadapa district. Bapatla MP Nandigam Suresh read out the names of the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections while Revenue Minister D Prasada Rao did so for the Assembly polls. "Earlier it was only limited to rhetoric. After Jagan came to power in 2019, for the first time in this state, people from poor and minority sections were given high representation in political power," said Rao, addressing a press conference. He said the YSRCP is now taking one more step ahead to include even more people from these communities t

Stage set for world's largest democratic exercise: What 2019 numbers say?

So will the ruling BJP snatch a record third term? Or the Opposition Congress and its allies will script a success story? This is something the ballot will decide now

Highlights: Electoral bonds world's biggest extortion racket, says Rahul

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

Lok Sabha election 2024 poll schedule to be announced on Saturday: ECI

The Election Commission of India will also announce key dates for State Assembly elections

Work on FY25 full Budget begins ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections

Industry sources said that they have shared certain tax proposals which are being considered by the finance ministry

Ram Nath Kovind-led panel recommends 2-step approach, single electoral roll

In its report, the committee advised that an 'Implementation Group' should be set up to look into the execution of its recommendations

Elections, harvesting activities to raise diesel demand, says S&P Global

Overall demand for oil products up 2.4% or 132,000 barrels per day in February

Petrol, diesel prices cut by Rs 2 across India, says oil minister

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a post on X that Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have informed that they have revised petrol and diesel prices across the country

Bhutan PM Tobgay arrives in India for 1st overseas visit after election

He was received at the airport by Union Minister of State for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Ashwini Choubey

BJP second list of candiates out

On March 13, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its second list of candidates for the 2024 general election. The list includes 72 candidates from 11 states and UTs. Watch the video to know more

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Congress releases second list of 43 candidates

The Congress on Tuesday announced its second list of 43 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, fielding Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath once again from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara and Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav from Rajasthan's Jalore. The party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi has been fielded from Assam's Jorhat and Pradyut Bordoloi from Nagaon. Rahul Kaswan, who switched over from the BJP a few days ago, has been fielded from Churu in Rajasthan. The second list came a day after the Congress' central election committee, chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, met at the party headquarters here to finalise the candidates. In the meeting, discussions were held for more than 60 seats in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Assam and the Union Territory of Daman and Diu. The seats announced on Tuesday include 13 from Assam, 10 from Madhya Pradesh, 10 from Rajasthan, seven from Gujarat and three from Uttarakhand, besides one from Daman and Diu,

Russia's spy service KGB accuses US of trying to meddle in election

Putin, who is almost certain to win the March 15-17 presidential election, has warned the West that any attempts by foreign powers to meddle in the ballot would be considered an act of aggression