Page 43 - Elections

Pakistan planning to hold provincial, national elections at the same time

Khan wants to hold snap elections but the ruling coalition planned to complete the government's term, which would mean national elections in October

Karnataka elections: Here's what all Congress has promised in its manifesto

The Congress party promised an increase in the current ceiling of reservation from 50% to 75% for SC/ST/OBC/minority and other communities such as Lingayats and Vokkaligas

AP govt sets up checkposts to stop liquor, cash flow to poll-bound K'taka

The Andhra Pradesh government has set up 45 integrated checkposts in its districts bordering Karnataka to rein in the flow of illegal liquor, cash and other inducements to the poll-bound state, Chief Secretary K S Jawahar Reddy said on Monday. The checkposts would be manned by officials from police, excise, commercial taxes, revenue and other departments, he said. "Already, 3,008 litres of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL), 444 tetra packs of 90 ml liquor cartons and two and half kg of marijuana have been confiscated," the Chief Secretary said in a video conference organised by the Election Commission of India (ECI). On Monday, senior AP government officials attended an ECI video conference meeting focused on restricting the movement of liquor, cash and other inducements to influence voters during Karnataka's single-phase elections to be held on May 10. Officials from Telangana, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu also attended the meeting. "On Monday, Chief Election Commissio

Cong's Randhawa asks ministers to strengthen party ahead of state polls

Amid rumblings in Rajasthan Congress, the party's in-charge for the state Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Saturday held separate meetings with the ministers and asked them to strengthen the organisation ahead of elections due later this year. He also held a meeting with Speaker C P Joshi. Prior to Randhawa, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot also met Joshi. Pilot called it an informal meeting. After meeting the speaker, Randhawa told reporters that he has an old relationship with Joshi, whom he termed as an encyclopedia of the Congress. When asked about chances of cabinet reshuffle in the state ahead of the assembly elections, Randhawa said, "If everyone says then we will do but I think we do not have any such plan right now." Earlier, Randhawa held separate meetings with ministers. Randhawa said he was taking feedback from the ministers and asking them to strengthen the party organisation. "I have told the ministers that you should work for the organisation as well as the .

Conviction rate in election-related offences high in Karnataka: EC official

The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka Manoj Kumar Meena has said that there were over 50 per cent convictions in the cases related to the model code of conduct (MCC) violations in the state. He said the Election Commission (EC) closely follows the MCC violation cases, which made this happen. "Karnataka is one the states where the highest convictions have happened. Last time, 2,000-odd cases were booked. All were charge-sheeted, all were tried and I think more than 50 per cent conviction we have done in Karnataka," Meena told PTI in an interview. According to an EC official, these convictions pertain to the elections that have taken place from 2013 to 2019. Explaining further, Meena said, "Decisions have happened in all the cases but in more than 50 per cent cases, the convictions were in our favour. It is a big number. I don't know about other states but it is very rare that in election-related cases convictions are happening." Stating that Karnataka has done better, compared

Scrap Rs 500 notes to curtail money power in elections: Chandrababu Naidu

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday requested the Central government to abolish Rs 500 denomination currency notes as such a move would come in handy during elections to curtail the distribution of money. Speaking at a conference hosted by a private news channel in Delhi, the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister pointed out that India is far ahead of other nations when it comes to digital payments and that demonetising the Rs 500 currency would not be a big problem. "If you control political corruption or political donations, it will go a long way for the country," he added, among several other issues he touched upon during the interaction. Everybody in India should achieve middle-class status or above without room for poverty by 2047, Naidu said, adding that creation of wealth is necessary to distribute it to all and eradicating poverty should be the focus of a sustainable economy. "My vision is to bring India above the poverty line by 2047," Naidu said, adding that the right

Will end Telangana's 'unconstitutional' Muslim quota if BJP wins: Amit Shah

During a rally, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated BJP's commitment to ensuring the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs

Yadgir candidate pays Rs 10k deposit money in coins collected from voters

Bommai who has been fielded from the Shiggaon Assembly constituency in the Haveri district will file his nomination today. He has been holding this seat since 2008

Hopeful of forming alliance to take on BJP: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday said SP is hopeful of forming an alliance of opposition parties to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party in next year's Lok Sabha polls and that the Congress should join regional parties in their bastions to fight the BJP. I am hopeful that chief ministers like K Chandrasekhar Rao, Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar and the way we are trying, some alliance or front will be formed which will take on the BJP (in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls), Yadav told reporters at the Indore Press Club. Earlier, the SP chief also paid tribute to Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar on his 132nd birth anniversary at the Dalit icon's memorial in Mhow. Replying to a question on opposition unity against the BJP, he said the Congress is a national party and it has to decide its own role in this regard. The Congress has got an opportunity to stand with regional parties in places where the latter are strong to take on the BJP, he said. He added that since the Congress is a big .

Those who will vote for BJP in 2024 LS polls will bring destruction: Nitish

Launching a veiled attack on the BJP-led NDA, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said those who will vote for them in the next year's Lok Sabha elections will bring destruction on themselves. Kumar, who dumped the BJP in August last year and formed the Mahagathbandhan government, claimed that he has been working to forge opposition unity. I am working towards forging opposition unity...but I am not a claimant for the prime minister's post. All opposition parties are united over forming an alliance against the BJP-led government at the Centre before the 2024 general elections," the JD(U) supremo said. He was addressing party workers at a JD(U) office here on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the architect of India's Constitution. "I must tell one thing that those who will vote for them (BJP) in the coming general elections will bring destruction on themselves and the country and those who will vote for us will ensure the well-being of themselves, t

Taiwan ruling party taps vice-president for closely-watched election

Taiwan's vice president, Lai was confirmed as the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's candidate in next year's presidential election

After final discussions, first list of candidates to be out soon: Bommai

The BJP will soon announce its first list of more than 175 candidates for the May 10 assembly polls in Karnataka after a final discussion with Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Tuesday. Following a meeting with BJP president J P Nadda here, Bommai asserted that the party is taking "tough" decisions to create a new system, an apparent reference to the candidate selection exercise, and expressed confidence that "pro-incumbency" sentiments will help it beat off the challenge from the Congress and retain power. Bommai, along with state party leaders, had a meeting with Nadda at the latter's residence. Several senior party leaders, including Union minister Pralhad Joshi, national general secretaries C T Ravi and Arun Singh, were part of the meeting. After the meeting, Bommai told reporters, "Today we had a final meeting. Probably, the home minister will have an internal meeting with national leaders. They will announce the first list soon." Two lists of ..

Notification on upcoming Delhi mayoral poll to be issued on Apr 12: Report

Notification on the upcoming Delhi mayoral poll is expected to be issued on April 12, official sources said on Monday. After the notification is issued, the nomination process is likely to end on April 18, and the mayoral poll is expected to be held on April 26, they said. Incumbent Shelly Oberoi will continue to hold charge of the top post till a new mayor is elected, official sources had said on April 3. The fresh mayoral poll in Delhi is likely to be held late April, officials had said. Oberoi, an AAP councillor, was elected as the mayor of Delhi on February 22. She defeated BJP's Rekha Gupta by a margin of 34 votes. Oberoi polled 150 votes, while Gupta received 116 votes out of the total 266 votes polled. The voting was held at the Civic Centre the headquarters of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Delhi had got the mayor in the fourth attempt since the earlier elections were stalled amid ruckus over voting rights being given to nominated members. The city gets a ne

CEO asks media to refrain from speculations about Odisha Assembly poll

Amid the arrival of a number of new electronic voting machines in Odisha, the state chief electoral officer (CEO) D N Gupta Friday has asked the media to refrain from speculations about early state Assembly poll. The CEO's office said in a statement that there is no connection between EVMs being supplied to the state and timing of the state poll, which is held simultaneously with Lok Sabha electtion. EVMs have a life span. The factory-made machines are being supplied to different states, including Odisha for use in future elections, the statement said. Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had earlier dropped hints about early polls in Odisha. The arrival of a batch of 8200 new EVMs in the first phase from Electronics Corporation of India Limited, Hyderabad to the state on Tuesday triggered speculation in the media about early Assembly election in the coastal state. Representatives of different political parties were present when the EVMs arrived at the Puri ...

There will be change of power in 2024, 5 states to decide destiny: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Friday said there will be change of power after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls with West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh deciding the "destiny" of the country. He also slammed the Union government for its "silence" on China despite the latter's "incursions". "There will definitely be change of power in the country after 2024. I can say this very confidently," Raut, a key aide of former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, said while being interviewed at an event here. He said the Bharatiya Janata Party's "real power" was in instigating Hindu-Muslim riots and creating an atmosphere of tension between India and Pakistan for electoral gains. Slamming the Union government's silence on China, he said, "Then why not create atmosphere of tension between India and China because China has made incursions into the country." Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have not utte

Communal violence on table for BJP with 2024 polls nearing, alleges Sibal

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday alleged that communal violence was on the table for the BJP with the 2024 general elections approaching, and recent incidents in West Bengal and Gujarat were a "trailer." Violence and arson was reported from West Bengal's Howrah district after clashes broke out between two groups during Ram Navami festivities, with the BJP and the TMC trading barbs over it. Violence during Ram Navami festivities on Thursday was also reported from Gujarat and Maharashtra. In a tweet, Sibal said, "As we approach 2024. For the BJP, on the table: 1) communal violence 2) hate speech 3) baiting minorities 4) target opposition by use of ED, CBI, election commission. Trailer: Burning of Bengal, stoking communal violence in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat." Sibal, who was a Union minister during the UPA 1 and 2 regimes, quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an independent member with the Samajwadi Party's support. Sibal recently floa

Centre clears 26th tranche of electoral bonds; sale from Monday

Karnataka will for polls on May 10. Votes, as per the Election Commission schedule, will be counted on May 13

Jair Bolsonaro to return to Brazil for 1st time since losing election

The far-right politician's return is also for the first time since his supporters stormed the SC, Congress and presidential palace on Jan 8, which came weeks after weeks after protests

Pull up your socks for 2024 elections: Raghubar Das tells BJP workers

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das asked BJP workers in Jharkhand to pull up their socks and work sincerely for the victory of the saffron party in the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Das the BJP national vice president told the party workers to interact with people across the division and make them aware about the welfare schemes launched by the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing BJP workers on Saturday, Das stressed the need for strengthening booth level committees to win polls. He alleged that the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand has "failed" to deliver on all fronts. The former CM alleged that no work is done in Jharkhand without 'cut money'. BJP Jharkhand unit president Deepak Prakash said the party has dedicated workers and they will help the saffron party to win the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections with their hard work.

Rectify discrepancies in voters list to ensure fair elections: Karnataka HC

The High Court of Karnataka directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to rectify discrepancies in the voters list of the Shivajinagar and Shantinagar Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru to ensure free and fair elections. Disposing of two petitions filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party and one of its party workers, the High Court recently directed the Election Commission to act swiftly and complete the process before March 26. "The Commission must bear in mind that these discrepancies are to be rectified for the conduct of elections to be free and fair. Elections being free and fair is of paramount essence in a democracy. In fact, it is the lifeblood of a democracy, Justice M Nagaprasanna said in the common judgment on both petitions. The BJP in its petition regarding Shivajinagar constituency contended that its complaints and representations about voter discrepancies have not been considered. It was contended that voters who are either dead or have shifted out of the constitue