Electoral Battles

Electoral roll revision: Owaisi says livelihood, not just vote at stake

Calling the process rushed and impractical, Owaisi said even a 15-20 per cent error rate could have devastating consequences for marginalised communities

Rahul Gandhi to visit Patna, join protests against electoral rolls revision

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be in Patna on Wednesday for a "chakka jam" against the new labour code and special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, leaders of the INDIA bloc said. The announcement was made on Monday at a press conference, which was attended by Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Tejashwi Yadav, state Congress president Rajesh Kumar, AICC in charge for Bihar Krishna Allavaru, and leaders of Left parties. Kumar said Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, will join the protesters in the state capital, where a march has been proposed to the office of the Election Commission. Yadav said, "We will be with Gandhi in Patna, but the stir will be held across Bihar. We are extending support to the chakka jam against the labour code which is as much an assault on democracy as the revision of electoral rolls." He also alleged that the special intensive revision, which will be complete in less than a month from now, has so far been mired in ...

SC to hear pleas against EC decision to revise electoral rolls on July 10

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on July 10 a batch of petitions challenging the decision of the Election Commission to undertake special intensive revision of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar. A partial working day (PWD) bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions of a battery of senior lawyers led by Kapil Sibal on behalf of several petitioners and agreed to hear the pleas on Thursday. Sibal urged the bench to issue notices to the poll panel on the petitions. "We will have it on Thursday," Justice Dhulia said. Several pleas, including by leaders like Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha and Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, have been filed in the top court challenging an Election Commission's order directing for special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Jha said the EC's June 24 order be quashed for being violative of Articles 14 (fundamental right to equality), 21 (fundamental right to life an

When people rise, BJP backtracks: Kharge on revision of electoral rolls

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP on Sunday of conspiring to deprive the people of Bihar of their voter rights through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and said the voters of the state would teach the saffron party a lesson for its attack on democracy and the Constitution. He cited a new advertisement issued by the Election Commission (EC), urging the voters of Bihar to only fill a form under the SIR, and alleged that "when people rise, BJP backtracks". "With the support of the Election Commission, the master plan that the BJP had devised to deprive crores of people in Bihar of their voting rights now seems to be ensnaring the BJP itself," Kharge alleged in a post in Hindi on X. He said from the very first day, the Congress has been raising its voice against the SIR. "Why are people who have been voting election after election being asked to show their documents for voting? "Forcibly depriving the poor, weak, deprived, Dalits, oppressed a

Exercise done to ensure integrity: BJP on Bihar electoral roll revision

A delegation of INDIA bloc leaders from 11 political parties met with ECI to register their opposition to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls underway in Bihar

ECI holds all-party meetings to resolve booth-level polling issues

ECI said that this grassroots-level engagement has been welcomed by political parties, with their active and enthusiastic participation in meetings

Illegal immigrants now meddling in India's electoral process: V-P Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday claimed that illegal immigrants are interfering in the country's electoral process, and there should be awareness about this. In apparent reference to the recent deportation of illegal immigrants by the United States government, he said every Indian should ask when this process would begin in our country. Dhankhar was speaking at the 65th convocation ceremony of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University here. "Crores of people who have no right to live in India are living here...They are making their livelihood here. They are making demands on our resources. On our education, health sector, housing sector. Now things have gone further. They are intervening in our electoral process," said the vice president. "It is the duty of all of us that we spread a mentality ('manasikta') in the country, create such an atmosphere....that every Indian becomes alert to this," he said. Without referring to the United States, he said some countries ..

Names of voters leaning towards MVA removed from electoral rolls: Oppn

Leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Friday alleged that names of voters leaning towards the opposition parties were being removed from the electoral rolls for the upcoming Maharashtra elections. Addressing a news conference, leaders of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) claimed there is no transparency in the functioning of the Election Commission (ECI), and its officers are working under pressure from the ruling parties. They said the MVA would raise the issue with the ECI. Assembly polls in the state will be held on November 20, and votes will be counted on November 23. The leaders, especially Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole, demanded the removal of state Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla to ensure free and fair polls. Patole alleged that the ECI's form no 7, meant to delete names from the voters list for different reasons, is being used to remove the names of voters leaning towards the opposition parties, and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and De

Japan PM Fumio Kishida to step down in Sept as scandals grow

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in a surprise move Wednesday, announced he will not run in the upcoming party leadership vote in September, paving the way for Japan to have a new prime minister. Kishida was elected president of his governing Liberal Democratic Party in 2021 and his three-year term expires in September. His drop out of the race means a new leader who wins the party vote will succeed him as prime minister because the LDP controls both houses of parliament. Kishida, stung by his party's corruption scandals, has suffered dwindling support ratings that have dipped below 20%. He announced he will not run in the September vote, allowing for a fresh leader in an effort to show that his party is changing for the better. Kishida will support a new leader, he said. Local election losses earlier in the year eroded his clout, and LDP lawmakers have voiced the need for a fresh face ahead of the next general election. Since the corruption scandal broke, Kishida has remov

Trump election subversion case: Judge rejects effort to dismiss indictment

The federal judge presiding over the election subversion case against former President Donald Trump has rejected a defence effort to dismiss the indictment on claims that he was prosecuted for vindictive and political purposes. The ruling from US District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Saturday is the first substantive order since the case was returned to her Friday following a landmark Supreme Court opinion last month that conferred broad immunity for former presidents and narrowed special counsel Jack Smith's case against Trump. In their motion to dismiss the indictment, defence lawyers argued that Trump was mistreated because he was prosecuted even though others who have challenged election results have avoided criminal charges. Trump, the Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential race, also suggested that President Joe Biden and the Justice Department launched a prosecution to prevent him from winning reelection. But Chutkan rejected both arguments, saying Trump was not charged simply

Modi & 'jai jawan, jai kisan' trap

Modi govt will need to address massive challenges without the total power it got used to, in the face of relentless electoral challenges, one after another

S Africa's election authority to declare results June 2 despite Zuma threat

South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission said it will continue to declare on Sunday afternoon the final results of the country's general and provincial elections despite threats to postpone the process to allow further submissions on alleged irregularities. At a media briefing late on Saturday, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) CEO Mosotho Moepya confirmed that the authority will work through the night to resolve the 579 objections that have been received in order to proceed with the scheduled declaration, at which President Cyril Ramaphosa will speak. Moepya expressed confidence in the transparency of the systems put in place by the IEC to ensure "credible, free and fair elections". Earlier in the evening, former president Jacob Zuma, speaking on behalf of 26 of the smaller parties in the election, called on the IEC to allow them more time to lodge what he said were many more "serious" objections that the parties needed to prepare information on, although he did not sha

SC to hear next week plea for cross-verification of votes with VVPAT

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it would hear next week a plea by an NGO seeking cross-verification of the votes cast in EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). A bench headed by Justices Sanjiv Khanna said the plea will be listed next Tuesday or Wednesday after advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, said the matter should be heard urgently. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, also appearing in the matter, submitted that the elections are nearing and if the case is not heard, the plea would become infructuous. Justice Khanna, who was sitting in a special bench along with Justice MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi, said the court is aware of the situation and would hear the matter next week. "Mr. Bhushan, after all, how much time this matter will take. You can make submissions in two-hours and we will finish the matter. Ok. Next week," Justice Khanna said. On July 17, last year, the top court has sought the response of the Election Commission of India o

LS polls: BJP intensifies efforts to overcome electoral dry spell in Kerala

The BJP is intensifying its efforts to break its electoral dry spell in Kerala as the state braces for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. With a concerted focus on outreach, particularly towards the minority Christian community, the party aims to secure a foothold in the southern state. Kerala's demographic landscape, with Muslims and Christians constituting a significant portion of the population, presents a formidable challenge for the BJP, perceived as a pro-Hindu party. However, the party is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to appeal to diverse voter segments. In a strategic move, the BJP has welcomed prominent Christian figures like Anil K Antony, son of Congress stalwart A K Antony, and seasoned Kerala politician P C George, into its fold. Additionally, the party is leveraging Prime Minister Narendra Modi's frequent visits to Kerala, emphasising developmental agendas tailored to the state's needs. To bolster its electoral prospects, the BJP has strategically fielded two

AAP moves SC against removal of 'encroachment' on land allotted to Delhi HC

The Aam Aadmi Party has moved the Supreme Court against immediate removal of an "encroachment" by it on a land allotted to the Delhi High Court at Rouse Avenue here, saying it will severely prejudice the party as well as the fairness of the electoral process in view of Lok Sabha polls. In an application filed in the pending matter related to judicial infrastructure, the AAP claimed there is no question of it "encroaching" on a space that was duly allotted to it in 2015 and that has been in its possession since then. It said while the party remains ready and willing to vacate the subject premises and requested the top court to direct that such vacation be required only after at least one of the two office spaces that the applicant is entitled to are allotted to it in the New Delhi Municipal area of a nature appropriate to the applicant's status as a National Party. In view of these circumstances, immediate vacation will mean that the applicant will be left with none of the two office

SC's electoral bond ruling will reinforce power of votes over notes: Cong

The Congress on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict striking down the electoral bond scheme, and said it will reinforce the power of votes over notes. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, The Supreme Court has held the much-touted Electoral Bonds scheme of the Modi Sarkar as violative of both laws passed by Parliament as well as the Constitution of India. The long-awaited verdict is hugely welcome and will reinforce the power of votes over notes, he said. The Modi Sarkar has been inflicting ANYAY upon ANYAY on the Annadatas while privileging the Chandadatas, Ramesh said. We also hope that the Supreme Court will take note that Election Commission has been consistently refusing to even meet political parties on the issue of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). If everything is transparent in the voting process then why this obstinacy? he said. The Supreme Court struck down the electoral bond scheme, saying it violates the right to information

PM asks youth to reduce dynastic influence, take part in electoral process

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday described India's present-day youth as the most fortunate generation of the 21st century, poised to take the country to greater heights during Amrit Kaal, and urged them to participate in the electoral process to "reduce" the influence of dynastic politics. Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the 27th National Youth Festival here, Modi said dynastic politics has caused immense harm to the country and urged the youth to get themselves enrolled as voters as soon as possible. India is the mother of democracy. If youth express their political views by casting their votes, the future of the country will be good," he said. First-time voters can bring new energy and power to India's democracy, he said. Invoking Sri Aurobindo and Swami Vivekananda, he said the youth have the calibre to create history in Amrit Kaal because of their commitment and intellect. The National Youth Festival is organised every year from January 12 to 16. Swami ...

Digvijaya questions ECI's transparency, calls for release of source code

"Why is ECI stonewalling opposition meeting with them? How do we trust ECI who refuses to meet Principal Opposition Parties?" Singh said in a post on X

EVMs have increased transparency, efficiency of poll process: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said nearly 100 crore Indians will be eligible to vote in the Lok Sabha elections next year and asserted that the electronic voting machine has increased transparency and efficiency of the country's electoral system. Addressing the inaugural session of the ninth G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20) here, he invited the delegates to visit India again next year to witness the "festival of democracy" (the next Lok Sabha elections due in 2024 summer). He said the large voter turnout in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls shows the trust people have in the country's parliamentary practices. Over 67 per cent of the 91 crore eligible voters had exercised their franchise in the last parliamentary polls. He said the electoral process of the country has been modernised and now the electronic voting machine (EVM) has been in use for the past 25 years. The EVM has brought transparency and efficiency to the election process he said, adding now election results a

On the surface of electoral politics

What shapes election outcomes in India? Psephologist Pradeep Gupta's book attempts to answer this question and argues money is not the sole determinant