Page 30 - Elections

Rahul Gandhi to be arrested after Lok Sabha elections: Assam CM Sarma

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, against whom an FIR has been registered here on the charge of instigating violence will be arrested after the Lok Sabha elections, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday. The Assam police suo motu registered the FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders for wanton acts of violence here during the party's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' on Tuesday. 'We have filed an FIR. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) will conduct the investigation and he (Gandhi) will be arrested after the Lok Sabha elections', Sarma said on the sidelines of a programme at Nazira in Sibsagar district. The Lok Sabha elections are due within a few months in the country. Director General of Police G P Singh said that the case has been transferred to the Assam CID for a thorough investigation through an SIT to be constituted by the Additional Director General of Police (CID). Sarma had instructed the DGP to register a case against Gandhi for provo

Delhi's chief electoral officer rejects speculation over LS poll dates

The internal note circulated by the office of Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer with April 16 as the tentative "poll date" to help officials schedule various activities "in the build-up" to elections

Andhra Pradesh has 40.8 mn voters as per final electoral rolls 2024

The Election Commission on Monday published the final Special Summary Revision (SSR) of Electoral Rolls of Andhra Pradesh, pegging the total number of voters at 4.08 crore. Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena said there are 2,00,74,322 male voters and 2,07,29,452 crore female voters in the state. There are 67,434 service electors and 3,482 third gender voters. The final electoral roll rose to 4,08,07,256 voters from 4,02,21,450 counted in the draft roll, he said. Following the rationalisation of upper limit of voters per polling station at 1,500, the total number of polling stations rose to 46,165 from 45,951 Accordingly, draft electoral rolls were published on October 27, 2023 as per the rationalized polling stations and claims and objections were received till December 9, 2023. After the disposal of these claims and objections, final electoral rolls have been published on January 22, 2024, said Meena in a press release. According to the CEO, 22,38,952

EC publishes Uttarakhand's final electoral roll with 8.24 mn voters

The final electoral roll of Uttarakhand published by the Election Commission of India on Monday showed a total voter count of 82,43,423 in the state. Of the total electorate, 42,70,597 are males, 39,72,540 are females and 286 third gender voters, according to the published data. Sharing the electoral roll figures at press conference here, Uttarakhand Chief Electoral Officer V Shanmugham said there are a total of 93,357 service voters in Uttarakhand, including 90,763 men and 2,594 women. The highest number of voters were recorded in the 30-39 age group at 22,44,926, followed by 17,04,523 electors in the 40-49 age group, 16,59,290 in 20-29 age group, 11,86,686 in 50-59 years. A total of 7,50,563 voters are in the 60-69 age group, 4,14,114 aged 70-79 years, 1,54,259 voters aged above 80 years, and 129,062 in 18-19 age cohort, he said. There are 11,729 polling stations in the state, of which 3,461 are in urban areas, while 8,268 in rural areas.

Women outnumber men by 67,028 in Manipur as final electoral roll published

Women outnumber men by 67,028 in Manipur, as the final photo electoral roll of the northeastern state published on Monday revealed. The final electoral roll also showed a drop of 31,231 voters as compared to the final roll of 2023. The number of voters in 2023 was 20,57,854 while it is 20,26,623 now, according to the final electoral rolls of the two years. "Manipur recorded 20,26,623 electors with 9,79,678 men, 10,46,706 women and 239 third gender voters as per the final rolls for 2024," Chief Electoral Officer Pradeep Kumar Sha said in a statement. The total number of newly enrolled electors is 34,700 with 15,596 men, 19,095 women and nine third-gender electors. The names of 16,509 were deleted from the rolls during the revision period, the statement said. Imphal West district recorded the highest number of electors (3,81,005) followed by Imphal East district (3,23,844). Jiribam district has the least number of voters - 30,776, according to the statement.

Lok Sabha polls: BJP to run mass connect programme between February 4-11

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP will run a mass connect programme between February 4 and 11, with its 30 lakh members expected to reach out to seven lakh rural polling booths and all urban booths during the period. The BJP has named its rural outreach "Gaon Chalo", with party president J P Nadda launching a workshop for its members on Saturday. He told them to spread the message about the numerous successes of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the last man, sources said. BJP members from its 37 organisational states attended the programme, with its leaders saying that similar training exercises will be held in its 988 organisational districts and 16,188 'mandals'.

More global money will flock to India post general elections: Goldman

India's stock benchmarks, trading at record highs, just clocked their eighth straight year of gains as investors bet on the country's booming economic growth prospects

Pakistan receives $700 million tranche from IMF ahead of elections

Ahead of the next month's elections, cash-strapped Pakistan on Wednesday confirmed that it received over USD 700 million second tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under an existing USD 3 billion bailout package. The loan was part of a USD 3 billion bailout package agreed towards June last year when Pakistan was slowly drifting towards default. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) confirmed in a statement that it has received SDR 528 million (equivalent to $705.6 million) in value 16th January 2024 from IMF following successful completion of the first review by the Executive Board of IMF under Stand By Arrangement (SBA)." It further said that the disbursement will be reflected in SBP reserves for the week ending on January 19, 2024. The handing over of around $700 million brings the total disbursements under the SBA with the IMF to $1.9 billion, while another $1.1 billion will be provided in April as the two sides are set to complete the nine month program. The ...

Focus on voters at booth-level for electoral success, PM Modi to Kerala BJP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided guidance to party workers on Wednesday on winning over voters in Kerala, where the BJP has not made any major gains in elections till now. Addressing a gathering of around 6,000 in-charges of 'Shakti Kendras,' each comprising two to three booth-level areas, at Marine Drive, the prime minister said that Kerala has the potential to influence who will be in power in Delhi. He urged the BJP workers to ensure victory in their respective booths. "If we win our booths, we will win Kerala. For that you (party workers) have to focus your attention on every voter in every booth-level area and work hard. "You should have a list of every beneficiary in your booth, meet them, get to know their names, meet their families; that should be the first priority," Modi said. He further advised his party workers to include in the ongoing Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra in Kerala those who have not yet benefited from the central government's development and welfare ...

OpenAI to roll out new tools to thwart misinformation ahead of elections

For ChatGPT, OpenAI will enable people to get real-time information about current events using the chatbot

Owaisi opposes 'One Nation, One Election', writes to high-level committee

Expressing opposition to the idea of 'One Nation, One Election', AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday claimed that the proposal will be a "disaster" for Indian democracy and federalism and that it is a "solution searching for a problem". Owaisi, who wrote a letter to Niten Chandra, Secretary of a high-level committee (HLC) 'One Nation, One Election' that has called for suggestions for implementation of the idea, urged the "HLC to duly record the finding that simultaneous elections are neither constitutionally permissible nor necessary, nor viable". In a post on social media platform X, the Hyderabad MP said, "Wrote to the High Level Committee on One, One Election. #OneNationOneElection will be a disaster for Indian democracy & federalism. It is a solution searching for a problem." "I write to you to oppose the proposal of "One Nation, One Election" in my capacity as Member of Parliament and President of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. I have appended my substantive ..

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Another resolution seeking delay in Feb 8 polls moved in Pakistan Senate

A resolution seeking a delay in the February 8 general election was moved in Pakistan's Senate on Sunday, two days after a similar resolution was submitted in the Parliament's upper house. The resolution, the third of its kind to be moved in the Senate, cited cold weather and security concerns for the postponement of the elections, Geo News reported. Tabled by independent Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman, the resolution said that extreme cold weather and snowfall would create difficulties for citizens to cast votes in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and create challenges for candidates trying to campaign. In the same way, due to security concerns in the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, candidates are facing threats of terrorist attacks while campaigning, it said. The resolution added that the security issue was also creating obstacles and limiting the participation of candidates in their campaigns, the Dawn newspaper reported. The resolution claimed that due to the increasing sen

Not contesting Lok Sabha elections, I am 90 now: Ex PM Deve Gowda

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Saturday said he will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in view of his age. The 90-year-old JD(S) supremo said he will campaign for candidates in the elections. "I am not contesting the elections. I am now 90. Whichever seats we get, wherever it is necessary, I will go there. I have some strength to talk and have memory power. With that I will campaign," Gowda said in a press conference. Regarding JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy contesting the Lok Sabha elections, the former prime minister said no decision has been taken yet. He said whatever Prime Minister Narendra Modi says will be followed. Gowda praised Modi for taking 11-day intense penance before the installation of the Lord Ram idol in the sanctum sanctorum of the newly built Ram temple in Ayodhya. He said Modi has done lots of 'Punya' (virtues), which is why he will perform the consecration of the Ram temple with the utmost devotion and spiritual discipline. The fo

Andhra polls: EC committed to inducement-free elections, says CEC Kumar

Asserting that the Election Commission is committed to conduct transparent and inducement-free polls, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday said instructions have been issued to officials to deal sternly with all offenders. Addressing a press conference here, Kumar said the commission has emphasised and given clear and firm directions to election machinery and the entire bureaucracy to be impartial, transparent and accessible to all stakeholders. He said the EC team has met several political parties who have made several requests ranging from curbing of cash distribution to influencing votes and strict enforcement for inducement-free elections. "It is not that you take action against only the small handlers of the liquor, those who are carrying it. Go to the kingpins who are the organisers of crime. Similarly, there would be a strict watch on cash through banks, by the wallets, by the UPI, whatever mode it gets transported," he said. All the airports including airstr

Bhutan's People's Democratic Party wins election, returns to power

The People's Democratic Party won the most seats in Bhutan's parliamentary elections on Tuesday and will form the new government as residents hope politicians make good on promises to fix the economic crisis in the Himalayan nation. Latest figures from the Bhutan Broadcasting Service, a national broadcaster, showed the PDP had won 30 of the 47 National Assembly seats to return to power, and the Bhutan Tendrel Party had secured 17. It was the country's fourth general elections since its transformation from a traditional monarchy to a parliamentary form of government in 2008. The Election Commission of Bhutan will make its final declaration on Wednesday. Candidates on Tuesday's ballot represented only the PDP of former Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and the BTP led by former civil servant Pema Chewang. A primary round of voting in November eliminated three other parties, including the ruling center-left Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa party. Bhutan is located between China and India, with both

India a great friend: Bangladesh PM Hasina after her election victory

Describing India as a "great friend" of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the two neighbours have resolved many problems bilaterally, a day after she won an overwhelming majority in the general elections and secured a record fourth straight term. The 76-year-old leader, who has been ruling the strategically located South Asian nation since 2009, won a fifth overall term in the one-sided election on Sunday, which witnessed a low turnout. "India is a great friend of Bangladesh. They have supported us in 1971 and also in 1975. They gave shelter to me and my sister and my other family members," she said, referring to her period in exile when she stayed in India for six years after the killing of her family members. In August 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife and their three sons were assassinated in their home by military officers. His daughters Hasina and Rehana survived the purge as they were abroad. "We consider India as our next-door neighbour. We had many

Hasina gets 4th straight PM term as her party wins majority in B'desh polls

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday secured a record fourth straight term as her Awami League party won two-thirds of the seats in the general elections marred by sporadic violence and a boycott by the main opposition BNP and its allies. Hasina's party won 200 seats in the 300-seat parliament while counting is still underway after the end of the day-long voting on Sunday. "We can call Awami League winner with the already available results but the final announcement will be made after the end of the counting of votes in the rest of the constituencies, an election commission spokesman told reporters. Hasina won the Gopalganj-3 seat for the eighth time since 1986. She bagged 249,965 votes while her nearest rival M Nizam Uddin Lashkar from the Bangladesh Supreme Party secured just 469 votes. The 76-year-old leader, who has been ruling the strategically located South Asian nation since 2009, secured a record fourth consecutive term and fifth overall term in the one-sided .

Bangladesh polls: PM Hasina's AL inching closer to victory amid boycott

Bangladesh Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina was re-elected to parliament on Sunday from the Gopalganj-3 constituency after a landslide victory in the general elections marred by sporadic violence and a boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Hasina, 76, bagged 249,965 votes while her nearest rival M Nizam Uddin Lashkar from the Bangladesh Supreme Party secured just 469 votes, bdnews24 reported. Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Kazi Mahbubul Alam announced the result. She has won the Gopalganj-3 seat for the eighth time since 1986. Prime Minister Hasina, who has been ruling the strategically located South Asian nation since 2009, is set to secure a record fourth consecutive term and fifth overall term. The ruling Awami League candidates are leading in most of the seats, according to the results so far. Earlier, the counting of votes started after the polling ended in the general elections which registered low voter .

Bangladesh election commission app slowed down after cyber attack: Official

Bangladesh Election Commission on Sunday said hackers from Ukraine and Germany carried out a cyber attack on its app, slowing down its functioning during the 12th general election in the country, according to a media report. Speaking to the media, Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) Secretary Md Jahangir Alam said that it had created a mobile application called "Smart Election Management BD" which provides real-time voting information. However, voters during the polls complained since Sunday morning that the EC app was not operating properly, the Dhaka Tribune website reported. After a probe, it was found that there was a cyber attack from hackers from Ukraine and Germany on the app. "A cyber attack has been carried out on the app 'Smart Election Management BD' of the Election Commission (EC) from Ukraine and Germany," he was quoted as saying in the report. Alam said that the EC app slowed down after the cyber attack from Ukraine and Germany. "Our team has been working round the