Page 76 - Lok Sabha Elections

Remove fake content from social media within 3 hours: EC tells parties

The Election Commission (EC) on Monday directed political parties to remove fake content from their social media platforms within three hours of such content being brought to their notice. This is part of directives issued by the poll panel to political parties for responsible and ethical use of social media in election campaigning to ensure a level playing field for all stakeholders after taking cognisance of certain violations by them. Recently, deepfake videos featuring Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and actors Aamir Khan and Ranveer Singh posted on certain social media handles were taken down and criminal complaints were filed. The EC also warned the parties against misuse of artificial intelligence-based tools to create deepfakes that distort information or propagate misinformation and emphasised the need to uphold the integrity of the electoral process. "Taking cognizance of certain violations of MCC and the extant legal provisions by Political ..

BJD govt will expire on June 4: PM Narendra Modi at Odisha rally

PM says June 4 as the expiry date of the BJD government in Odisha

Highlights of the day: Cong appoints Pilot, Singh, Joshi as observers for to constituencies in Delhi

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Govt scraps pulses import tax to curb food inflation amid LS election

The move is likely to shield Indian consumers from rising prices, but could discourage local farmers to boost plantings of the crops

Polling in 93 LS seats on Tuesday; PM Modi, Shah to cast vote in Ahmedabad

Voting will be held in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories on Tuesday in the third phase of Lok Sabha polls, with stakes being high for the BJP which had won an overwhelming majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, in the last election. Over 1,300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. Among the bigwigs are Union ministers Amit Shah (Gandhinagar), Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra). With the BJP bagging Surat unopposed, 25 seats in Prime Minister Modi's home state of Gujarat will go to polls on May 7, besides 11 seats in Maharashtra, 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, the remaining 14 of the 28 in Karnataka, seven in Chhattisgarh, five in Bihar, four each in Assam and West Bengal, and all two in Goa. The Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2 seats) and nine seats in Madhya .

Will waive farm loans, raise MGNREGA allowance after coming to power: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said loans of farmers will be waived and the daily allowance under the MGNREGA scheme will be raised from Rs 250 to Rs 400 soon after the party government is formed at the Centre post elections. Addressing a campaign rally at Segaon under Khargone Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made up his mind to alter the Constitution and eventually scrap it. "Soon after coming to power at the Centre, the Congress government will waive loans of farmers and raise the MGNREGA allowance from Rs 250 to Rs 400 per day," he said. Congress has fielded Porlal Kharte and Narendra Patel from Khargone (ST) and Khandwa Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively. "This election is being fought for saving the Constitution, reservations, and also the Jal, Jungle, and Jameen of tribal people, and public sector," Gandhi said. PM Modi wants to give all these things to 22-25 billionaires including Adani, he alleged. He s

Statements made by INDIA bloc leaders echoes voice of Pakistan: BJP

The BJP on Monday highlighted a series of statements made by INDIA bloc leaders that it said were against the nation's interest, as the ruling party accused the opposition of echoing the voice of Pakistan and asked people to be wary of such "traitors". BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi cited Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar's allegation that an RSS-affiliated police officer and not terrorist Ajmal Kasab killed the then anti-terrorism squad chief Hemant Karkare and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi's claim that the attack on IAF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir was a poll stunt to slam the party. He cited five other instances, including Pakistani leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and praise of Rahul Gandhi, and Farooq Abdullah's reference to Pakistan having nuclear weapons, to allege that these INDIA bloc leaders are echoing the neighbouring country's stand. What the National Conference leader has said is very ...

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Will remove 50% cap on caste-based reservation

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the ongoing Lok Sabha election is aimed at saving the country's Constitution, which he claimed the BJP and RSS want to change.

BJP, RSS want to alter Constitution, election aimed to save it: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the ongoing Lok Sabha election is aimed at saving the country's Constitution, which he claimed the BJP and RSS want to change. Addressing a public meeting at Jobat town in Alirajpur district under the Ratlam-Jhabua Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi also said the Congress government will ensure the 50 per cent cap on reservation is removed in the interest of the people. The former Congress president again batted for a caste census, claiming it will reveal everything about the status of people and change the direction of politics in the country. "This election is being held to save the country's Constitution. The BJP, RSS want to change it, but the Congress and the (opposition) INDIA alliance are trying to save it," Gandhi said. He said the BJP gave the slogan of "400 paar" (aiming to win more than 400 Lok Sabha seats) with an intention to change the Constitution. "Leave alone 400 seats, the BJP will not get more than 150 seats this

Cong appoints Baghel, Gehlot as AICC observers for Rae Bareli, Amethi

The Congress on Monday appointed former chief ministers Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot as AICC senior observers for Rae Bareli and Amethi Parliamentary constituencies, respectively. Ending weeks of suspense, the Congress on Friday announced that Rahul Gandhi will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Rae Bareli, the constituency held by his mother Sonia Gandhi for the last two decades, and Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, will fight from Amethi. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to spearhead the campaign in Rae Bareli and Amethi, and camp in these parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh from Monday to ensure the party's victory in the two high-profile seats. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal to appoint Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot as AICC senior observers for Rae Bareli and Amethi Parliamentary constituencies respectively, a statement issued by the party said. Priyanka Gandhi has already taken command of the ..

Lok Sabha polls: BJD govt will expire on June 4, says PM Modi in Odisha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that the expiry date of the BJD government in Odisha is June 4, the day the assembly election results will be announced. Addressing his first election rally in the state, Modi urged people to give a chance to the BJP to make Odisha the number one state in the country. In an apparent dig at BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the prime minister said, "Odisha needs a CM who understands Odia language and culture." The BJP will form a double-engine government here after elections. The expiry date of the BJD government is June 4, 2024, Modi said at the Berhampur rally. He also claimed that Odisha has not benefitted from Ayushman Bharat Yojana as the "BJD government did not implement" it in the state. The Centre gave Rs 10,000 crore under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' scheme to Odisha but the BJD dispensation could not spend the money properly. "You have given 50 years to Congress and 25 years to BJD. Just give five years to the B

Go back to middle school or consult eye doctor: Chidambaram slams BJP

Taking a swipe at the BJP for criticising the Congress manifesto, party leader P Chidambaram on Monday said that if the ruling party leaders read the words 'generation of wealth' as 'redistribution of wealth', they should either go back to middle school or consult an eye doctor. Chidambaram, who headed the committee that drafted the Congress manifesto, said his party is committed to rapid growth and generation of wealth. "Congress' Manifesto makes the following statements and promises on wealth - ? industrial and business policies and regulations will be designed to facilitate the production of goods and services in larger volumes and higher values," the former finance minister said. All laws and rules that inhibit free and fair trade will be reviewed and changed, he said. "If the UPA had continued in office, the economy would have doubled again and stood at Rs 200 lakh crore in 2023-24," Chidambaram said. The Congress is committed to rapid growth and generation of wealth, he ...

FIR against Nadda, Amit Malviya and Vijayendra over social media post

An FIR has been registered against BJP president J P Nadda, the party's IT cell head Amit Malviya and Karnataka unit chief B Y Vijayendra in connection with a social media post allegedly intimidating members of SC and ST community not to vote for a particular candidate, police said on Monday. The action was taken following a complaint lodged by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) with the Election Commission and police on Sunday alleging violation of model code of conduct, they said. They were booked under the sections of Representation of People Act and section 505 (2) (Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code, a senior police officer said. In the complaint, the KPCC cited a video uploaded on the social media platform 'X' by the official account of Karnataka State BJP which, it alleged, is operated by Malviya, on instructions of Nadda, Vijayendra and Social Media incharge - Karnataka BJP, on May 4. "The said

Grievances of non-Bodo voters over land rights hold key in Kokrajhar seat

The brewing discontent over the absence of land rights and Scheduled Tribe (ST) status among non-Bodo voters could significantly sway the outcome in the Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency, situated within Assam's Bodoland Territorial Region. Despite being represented by Naba Kumar Sarania of the Gana Suraksha Party, the first non-Bodo MP from Kokrajhar, for two consecutive terms, these unmet demands of non-Bodo voters may affect his party's poll fortune in the elections. Sarania's nomination was rejected this time due to the cancellation of his ST status by the state government, a decision upheld by the Gauhati High Court. His Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) fielded Binita Deka as an alternative arrangement. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is vying to capitalise on absence of a 'strong' GSP candidate by projecting itself as the 'alternative', though the ruling force in BTR, United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), and chief opposition Bodoland People's Front (BPF) asserted that they enjoy the ..

Elections stoke volatility but don't alter market dynamics: Niket Shah

Shah suggests that if the ruling coalition fails to secure a substantial majority, it could exacerbate short-term market volatility

Hunt for grand victories and impact on democratic culture

In the Indian system, margins of win are irrelevant. Searching for an ever-higher margin of victory is, therefore, pure hubris

BJP reduced Odisha's central funding, PM 'neglecting' people of state: Cong

The Congress on Monday said the BJP has steadily reduced Odisha's central funding in recent years and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "neglecting" the people of the state. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed questions to the prime minister ahead of his rallies in Odisha. "Why has Odisha's central funding steadily decreased? Will the PM commit to legal status for the SC-ST sub-plan? Will the Sitalapalli wagon factory ever be completed?" Ramesh said in a post on X. Elaborating on what he said were "jumla details", Ramesh alleged that Odisha has suffered "gross neglect" at the hands of the Modi government. "In their usual style, the BJP has steadily reduced Odisha's Central funding in recent years. According to CAG reports, Central transfers as percentage of Revenue Receipts have been consistently decreasing from 57 per cent in 2017-18 to 38 per cent in 2021-22," he said. Similarly, the CAG noted that the state's share of Union taxes, as a percentage of revenue ...

LS polls 2024: SC grants bail to Umar Ansari in violation of MCC case

The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Umar Ansari, son of late gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, in a criminal case registered against him during the 2022 assembly elections for alleged violation of the model code of conduct. A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and PK Mishra asked Umar to appear before the trial court in connection with the case. On January 25, the top court had granted him protection from arrest in the case. The Allahabad High Court on December 19 last year had rejected the anticipatory bail application of Ansari, and said that looking at the facts and circumstances of the case, the offence is made out. An FIR was lodged on March 4, 2022 at Kotwali police station in Mau district against Abbas Ansari (SBSP candidate from Mau Sadar seat), Umar Ansari and 150 unknown people. It was alleged in the FIR that on March 3, 2022 at Pahadpura ground, Abbas Ansari, Umar Ansari, and organiser Mansoor Ahmad Ansari in a public meeting called for settling a score w

Women flee homes over fear and stigma after Prajwal Revanna video release

Video clips purportedly showing instances of sexual assault by Prajwal Revanna have emerged, prompting several women who are said to be victims to flee their homes

LS polls: BJP, Congress again set for battle in 14 seats in Karnataka

The Congress and BJP will lock horns on the electoral battleground again in less than a fortnight in Karnataka, as the stage is set for the second phase of elections in the 14 remaining Lok Sabha seats on Tuesday. It is going to be a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Parliamentary segments in the northern districts. The JD(S) is not contesting in these seats and is supporting its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner -- the BJP. The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The first phase of polling in 14 seats in most of the southern and coastal districts was held on April 26. A total of 227 candidates -- 206 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the second phase. More than 2.59 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 28,269 polling stations where voting will take place between 7 am to 6 pm. The segments where elections will be held on Tuesday are: Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary,