Page 42 - Elections

T S Singh Deo's appointment as Chhattisgarh dy CM is his 'insult': BJP

BJP's Chhattisgarh unit chief Arun Sao on Wednesday termed state minister T S Singh Deo's appointment as the state deputy chief minister as his insult, and said the decision will not save the Congress from being defeated in the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Talking to reporters, Sao said, the move is just an attempt to settle differences within the ruling party in the state. The Congress - the ruling party in Chhattisgarh - said in a statement on Wednesday night that party president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal to appoint Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister in Chhattisgarh. When asked about the development, Sao told reporters in Bilaspur, "Congress party does not have the right to appoint a deputy CM. It is the right of the CM and Governor." "The other thing is that the Congress party, which had promised Singh Deo to make him CM for two-and-a-half-years, has done injustice to him by making him deputy CM for just four months. It is an insult to Singh .

18 former Cong corporators disqualified for cross-voting in mayoral poll

As many as 18 former Congress corporators of Maharashtra's Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) have been disqualified from contesting any elections for the next 6 years for voting against their party's official mayoral candidate in 2019. In an order issued on Monday, the Urban Development Department headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the ex-corporators defied the whip issued by the Congress. Despite the Congress having 47 corporators in the 90-member BNCMC House, its mayoral candidate Rishika Raka lost the poll in December 2019 due to cross-voting by 18 corporators from the party. Pratibha Patil of the Konkan Vikas Aghadi, which had only 4 members in the House, got the support of 20 BJP corporators, the 18 Congress corporators and seven members of smaller allies to secure the mayor's post with 49 votes. Raka's defeat prompted the local Congress leaders to file a petition with the Konkan Divisional Commissioner seeking the disqualification of those who

J'khand cabinet gives nod triple test to decide OBC quota in civic polls

The Jharkhand cabinet on Monday gave the nod to set up a dedicated commission to conduct a "triple test" to decide on OBC reservation in urban local body polls. The opposition parties, mainly AJSU Party, have been demanding a "triple test" before holding ULB polls. The civic polls are pending in many areas including Ranchi. The "triple test" includes setting up a dedicated commission to conduct an inquiry into the nature and implications of the backwardness in connection with local bodies. The second condition is to specify the proportion of reservation required to be provisioned in the local bodies as per the commission's recommendations. The third test is that the reservation should not exceed 50 per cent of the seats reserved in favour of SCs, STs, and OBCs taken together. "The cabinet gave its approval to set up a dedicated commission for the purpose of reviewing the eligibility for reservations to backward classes," Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel said. The commission is bei

Bring back Modi govt to sustain pace of development: Gambhir tells voters

East Delhi BJP MP Gautam Gambhir on Monday urged first-time voters in Surajmal Vihar here to bring back the Narendra Modi government at the Centre once again to sustain the pace of development in the country. He said that the picture of the country will change for the better if the country's youth showed enthusiasm in politics. Addressing a gathering of new voters, Gambhir said the Modi government at the Centre has worked towards improving the daily life of the youth and has worked to enhance their future. The BJP MP said that young voters should use their vote to guide the country in the right direction. Their vote was crucial at it will decide their present and future, he said. The Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held next year. The cricketer-turned-politician also gave autographed certificates to around 250 participants of the youth conference organised by the BJP's Yuva Morcha.

Gauhati High Court stays the Wrestling Federation of India elections

The Gauhati High Court on Sunday stayed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections, scheduled for July 11, on a petition filed by the Assam Wrestling Association. Assam Wrestling Association, in its petition filed against the WFI, IOA ad-hoc body and the Sports Ministry, said that though it was entitled to be an affiliated member of the WFI, it was granted one "despite recommendation made by then WFI Executive Committee at WFI's General Council in Gonda, on November 15, 2014. The ad-hoc panel has fixed June 25 as the last date for receiving the names for the electoral college while the while the elections to elect the new governing body would be held on July 11. The petitioner contended that unless their body is affiliated to the WFI, and they can nominate their representative to the electoral college, the election process should be stalled. The court directed the respondents -- WFI ad-hoc body and the Sports Ministry -- that till the next date is fixed for hearing they shou

All-party Opposition meet ahead of 2024 elections today; all you must know

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is hosting the crucial meeting in which most of the non-BJP parties are taking part as they plan to take on the BJP in the next year's general election

Musk's Twitter must bolster resources ahead of elections, warns EU

There are a few critical areas that Twitter needs to focus on immediately, especially around child abuse and controlling disinformation around elections, Breton said

Pakistan enters election mode, poll body starts making arrangements

As per law, the last date of registration, exclusion and verification of voters is July 13

Nitish Kumar is not a PM candidate for 2024 elections, says JD(U) leader

CM Nitish Kumar is spearheading the Opposition gathering, scheduled for June 23, to discuss methods to better challenge the BJP in the upcoming elections

West Bengal rural polls: Section 144 imposed near nomination centres

The state election commission (SEC) has directed all district magistrates and superintendents of police to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CRPC in a 1km-radius of all nomination centres of panchayat elections, a senior official said on Monday. The step was taken to ensure that the nomination process passed off safely, he added. The order will be in force till Thursday. We decided to impose prohibitory orders in a 1km radius of nomination centres, the official said, adding that an order to this effect was issued by the SEC on Sunday. The panchayat polls will be held on July 8. The SEC said only two persons could step inside a nomination centre for filing papers, he said. The official said over 10,000 nomination papers had been filed so far for three-tier elections on the first two days across the state with the majority numbers filed by opposition parties.

Will contest 2024 polls from Kaiserganj, announces WFI chief Brij Bhushan

WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, announced on Sunday that he will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election once again from his Kaiserganj constituency

Bihar municipal elections: Counting of votes for 805 posts underway

The counting of votes for 31 municipal bodies in Bihar is underway on Sunday, amid tight security arrangements, a state election commission official said. Armed police personnel have been posted at 58 centres where the counting began at 8 am for posts of ward councillors, mayors and deputy mayors, he said. Altogether 4, 431 candidates, including 2,234 women aspirants, are in the fray for the Bihar Nagar Nikay elections. Nine of them have already been declared elected unopposed. Elections to the 31 civic bodies were held on June 9. The polling took place in Patna, Buxar, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Vaishali, Nalanda, Nawada, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, West Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Kishanganj, Munger, Lakhisarai, Saharsa, Jamui and Banka districts. The State Election Commission, Bihar used a facial recognition system (FRS) for the first time to confirm voters' identities. The 31 urban local bodies include 24 where polls were not held in the last ur

Time to use tech-driven methods to allow overseas voters to vote: CEC

The time has come to use technology-driven methods such as e-postal ballot to allow eligible overseas Indian voters to participate in elections here, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Friday. He also said that the timely and continued delivery of credible electoral outcomes since 1952 was an important ingredient of worldwide acknowledgement of India's comprehensive national power, especially in an era of "democratic backsliding". Kumar made these remarks while addressing the 2022-batch Indian Foreign Service officer-trainees on the theme "India-the Mother of Democracies and Role of ECI" at the Nirvachan Sadan here. Speaking on the common challenges being faced by election management bodies in the conduct of free and fair elections, the chief election commissioner referred to the rising threat from fake news and deepfakes on social media derailing the election narratives. According to sources, when asked about voting by overseas voters, Kumar said that the time has com

MCD poll: AAP, BJP get 3 seats each in standing committee, after HC verdict

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi's standing committee will have three members each from the AAP and the BJP as the results of the poll held on February 24 to elect members of the key panel were declared on Thursday. The results were declared days after the Delhi High Court set aside the decision of Mayor Shelly Oberoi to call for a repoll and directed her to declare forthwith the results of the poll. Oberoi said following the court order, the result of the election for members of the standing committee has been declared. "The AAP government of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is committed to form committees as soon as possible," she said. The names of the elected councillors were announced during a meeting of the civic body's House, according to an MCD notification. Mohd Aamil Malik, Mohini and Raminder Kaur from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Gajender Singh Daral and Pankaj Luthra from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are the six councillors who have

Oppn parties' wish for 2024 polls will wash away like Bihar bridge: BJP

The BJP on Thursday took a swipe at opposition parties over their meeting in Bihar on June 23, saying they may be looking for support in each other but their wish will wash away in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls like the Rs 1,750-crore bridge which collapsed in the state recently. Union Minister and party leader Smriti Irani also targeted the Congress over Rahul Gandhi's claim of running "mohabbat ki dukan" (shop of love) and asked if this "mohabbat" meant denouncing the Hindu way of life, killing of Sikhs, partnering with those who wish ill for India and seeking outside intervention to harm India's democracy. "What kind of love is this which is not for the country but for your politics. It does not say anything when 'Kerala Story' is shown," she said at a press conference. Does this love not extend to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she asked, lauding his spirit of "service", and added that she will be surprised if the Congress has any kind word for him. "It is incumbent upon the Congress

BJP 'scared' of facing united opposition in 2024 elections: Tejashwi Yadav

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday claimed that the BJP was "scared" of fighting the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in which it may have to face a united opposition. The RJD leader was responding to questions from journalists about remarks of some BJP leaders who have sought to make light of the conclave of opposition parties to be held in Patna on June 23. "It is not for the BJP to decide what impact the opposition conclave is going to have. They are scared of facing the Lok Sabha polls. They recently lost assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. They are staring at a series of defeats in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Haryana," claimed Yadav. Notably, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the JD(U)'s supreme leader, who dumped the BJP last year, has since been advocating a "united opposition" to take on the NDA in the Lok Sabha polls. Yadav and JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' had on Wednesday announced that t

Pak SC wants parties to agree on holding general, provincial polls together

Pakistan's Supreme Court expects the country's warring political parties to reach a consensus on holding general elections and provincial polls for all the legislatures on the same day to end the polarisation in the polity, a media report said on Tuesday. "It is appreciable that the political leadership of the country made efforts to resolve the present political impasse. Political issues can best be addressed through dialogue and consensus, said a written order issued by a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Monday. The bench was hearing a petition seeking to hold elections for all assemblies on the same day. We, therefore, expect the political parties in the country to heal the polarisation in the polity and to arrive at a single date for holding general elections to all the constitutional assemblies," the bench said in its order.

Only heads of respective parties should be at oppn meet: Bihar CM Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that he was insistent upon heads of respective parties attending the opposition meet, which was scheduled on June 12, but has been postponed. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, the JD(U) supreme leader said a new date for the much talked about meeting will be announced after consultation with all parties. We had to put off the June 12 meeting after the Congress and another party conveyed to me that they found the date inconvenient. I have therefore decided to postpone the meet and asked the Congress to suggest a new date after consultation with other parties. But I have made one thing very clear. All parties which agree to attend the meeting, must be represented by their respective heads, Kumar said. If any party insisted that it be represented by someone else, that would not be acceptable, he said. For example, there was an impression that the Congress may send someone else other than its president. This was

How Erdogan won in Turkey and what does it mean for the country's future

If Recep Erdogan serves the full five-year term, he will have held power for 26 years - almost the entire history of Turkey in the 21st century.

UP MLC election: Two BJP candidates win, CM congratulates winners

The ruling BJP sailed comfortably in the MLC bypolls held on Monday with both its candidates clinching victory over Samajwadi Party nominees. Returning Officer of the election Mohd Mushahid told PTI that BJP's Manvendra Singh bagged 280 votes while his rival from the Samajwadi Party, Ram Jatan Rajbhar, got 115 votes. The BJP's other candidate, Padmasen Chowdhary, got 279 votes in the bypolls while Samajwadi Party's Ramkaran got 116 votes. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated both the winners.