Page 86 - Lok Sabha

RIL denies links with Qwik Supply the third largest electoral bond buyer

Qwik Supply Chain Private Limited, a little-known company with registered address at Navi Mumbai's Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City (DAKC) and having links to Reliance Industries, was the third largest donor to political parties using electoral bonds. It bought Rs 410 crore of electoral bonds between financial years 2021-22 and 2023-24 but Reliance said the company is not a subsidiary of any Reliance entity. Electoral bond purchases and donations by Qwik Supply were behind Rs 1,368 crore of Future Gaming and Hotel Services - another little-known lottery company - and Rs 966 crore of Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering & Infra, according to information uploaded by the Election Commission on its website. Publicly available information describes Qwik Supply as a manufacturer of warehouses and storage units. The unlisted private company was incorporated on November 9, 2000 with an authorised share capital of Rs 130.99 crore. Its paid-up capital is Rs 129.99 crore. The firm had a revenue .

LS elections 2024: PM Modi to address rally in TN as part of South push

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a BJP rally here on Friday, as part of his southern outreach with the Lok Sabha polls around the corner. He is slated to address rallies next week as well, in the western region of the state. The BJP has not been able to make significant electoral gains in Tamil Nadu in the past but the saffron party is hopeful of reversing that trend, especially under an aggressive K Annamalai who is heading its state unit. Modi had made a number of visits to Tamil Nadu in the past, besides other southern states. Among others, he visited Hindu temples and places with religious significance. The BJP is attempting to a stitch up a non-DMK, non-AIADMK alliance in the state and has already roped in GK Vasan-led Tamil Maanila Congress, expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam and AMMK, headed by TTV Dhinakaran. Tamil Nadu has a total of 39 Lok Sabha seats and the neighbouring Puducherry one.

Newly appointed ECs Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu assume charge

Newly appointed election commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu assumed charge on Friday. The former bureaucrats were appointed as election commissioners on Thursday. They are the first ones to have been appointed as members of the poll panel after the new law on appointment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and ECs came into force recently. Welcoming them, CEC Rajiv Kumar spoke about the significance of their joining at a historic point when the Election Commission is all set to conduct Lok Sabha elections, a spokesperson said. The vacancies had come up in the Election Commission after the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey on February 14 and the sudden resignation of Arun Goel on March 8. Gyanesh Kumar and Sandhu, both 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, belonged to the Kerala and Uttarakhand cadres, respectively.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: PM Modi to hold roadshow, rallies in Hyderabad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow in Hyderabad on Friday and address BJP rallies in Telangana on March 16 and March 18 ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Modi's roadshow would be held from Mirjalguda to Malkajgiri Chowrasta here this evening, state BJP general secretary G Premender Reddy said in a release on Thursday. On March 16, the prime minister will address a public meeting at Nagarkurnool. Modi would attend a rally at Jagtial in the state on March 18, the release added. The prime minister on March 5 inaugurated and laid the foundation for development projects worth more than Rs 7,200 crore at Sangareddy, about 60 km from Hyderabad. Addressing a BJP rally at Sangareddy, Modi had attacked the Congress, saying it was 'scared' to promote young leaders. He also said the "dynastic parties" were targeting him as he was exposing their "scams worth several thousands of crores of rupees.

Hiding monetary exchange between capital & politics unhealthy for democracy

SBI, the institution that operated the six-year-old election funding mechanism, knows very well which political parties got money from whom in accounts specially opened for the purpose

In blow to TMC, Arjun Singh returns to BJP, shares PM Modi's image

Earlier on Wednesday, March 14, Singh hinted at his return to the BJP, saying that the TMC meted out 'injustice' to him

Petrol, diesel prices cut by Rs 2 across India, says oil minister

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a post on X that Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have informed that they have revised petrol and diesel prices across the country

LS polls highlights: Nitish elected unopposed to Bihar Legislative Council

Lok Sabha polls 2024 updates: Catch all the latest updates on the General Elections here

28 no-confidence motions moved in Lok Sabha till now, says Kovind panel

A total of 28 no-confidence motions have been moved in the Lok Sabha till now, as disclosed by a high-level panel deliberating on the prospect of 'one nation, one election'. The panel's findings also shed light on the occurrence of seven instances where Lok Sabha found itself in a state of deadlock. Proposing a solution to these challenges, the high-level panel led by former president Ram Nath Kovind suggested that in scenarios of a hung House or a vote of no confidence, fresh elections should be conducted to constitute a new Lok Sabha. Historical data highlighted in the report indicates that the highest number of no-confidence motions in Lok Sabha were moved during 1961-70, totalling 12, followed by six such motions during 1971-1980. In stark contrast, from 2000 to 2023, merely three no-confidence motions were recorded. To tackle these issues, the panel has put forth a comprehensive mechanism. This proposed framework entails a constitutional amendment fixing Lok Sabha's tenure at

'One nation, no election': Cong's dig at govt after Kovind panel report

The Congress on Thursday attacked the government after a high-level committee recommended simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies, alleging that they want to completely dismantle the Constitution with the objective of 'one nation, no election'. In its report submitted to President Droupadi Murmu that ran into over 18,000 pages, the panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind recommended simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days. Asked about the development, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told PTI in Nashik, "The Prime Minister's objective is very clear, he is going around asking for a clear majority, two-thirds majority, 400 seats, and the cat is out of the bag. They want to completely dismantle Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution and with what objective -- 'one nation, no election' that is what they want." In its report, the panel said simultaneous polls will .

LS elections 2024: Human-animal conflict a major talking point in Kerala

Amidst the serene landscapes and lush greenery of Kerala's hilly and forested districts, a troubling saga has unfolded in recent months, with communities facing a surge in human-animal conflicts that have left a trail of death, injury, and mounting economic losses in their wake. At least nine lives have been lost in Idukki and Wayanad Districts in the last three months, and numerous others have been injured in wildlife attacks, particularly by elephants, tigers and wild boars, among others. Livestock and cherished pets have tragically become prey to maulings, as elephants and wild boars stray from forests into agricultural areas, leaving farmers disheartened and distressed. As the state grapples with these tragic events, the issue has become a major talking point in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Congress are pushing for amendments to the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, which .

Lok Sabha polls: BJP names 72 candidates; Thakur, Khattar among nominees

BJP chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni has been fielded from Garhwal in Uttarakhand

Seat sharing with BJP finalised for LS polls in Bihar, says Chirag Paswan

LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Wednesday said his party has finalised a seat-sharing formula with the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls and that all his "concerns" were addressed. Paswan, who met BJP chief J P Nadda here, also told reporters after the meeting that the seats will be formally announced soon. Meanwhile, sources said Hajipur, the seat represented by his uncle Pashupati Paras, who is heading another faction of Lok Janshakti Party, might be given to Paswan, who has been staking a claim to this Lok Sabha seat that was once the bastion of LJP founder and his father Ram Vilas Paswan. "Division of Lok Sabha seats in Bihar among all NDA parties decided. It will soon be formally announced. All my concerns have been addressed by the BJP. I am satisfied," Paswan said. Asked about the fate of the faction headed by his estranged uncle and Union minister Paras, Paswan said it was not his concern. "The seats my party has are mine," he said, in an indication that the claims of the

LS polls highlights: Seat sharing with BJP finalised, says Chirag Paswan

Lok Sabha polls 2024 updates: Catch all the latest updates on the General Elections here

BJP will have to pay heavy price in LS polls for inflation: Sharad Pawar

The BJP-led government at the Centre will have to pay a heavy price in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as a result of rising prices of daily use items, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar said on Wednesday. Talking to reporters in Nashik, Pawar also said the government's decisions related to onion export, its "arbitrary policies" on ethanol and sugar industry have created disappointment among the farming community, which will reflect in the upcoming general elections. "The rising prices of various daily use items, arbitrary policies related to onion, ethanol and sugar industry have upset the farming community in the state. The Union government will have to pay a heavy price for it in the upcoming parliamentary elections," he said. The former Union agriculture minister was referring to the Centre's ban on onion export as well as ban on the use of sugarcane juice for making ethanol. On the seat-sharing formula of the three Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Congress releases second list of 43 candidates

The Congress on Tuesday announced its second list of 43 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, fielding Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath once again from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara and Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav from Rajasthan's Jalore. The party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi has been fielded from Assam's Jorhat and Pradyut Bordoloi from Nagaon. Rahul Kaswan, who switched over from the BJP a few days ago, has been fielded from Churu in Rajasthan. The second list came a day after the Congress' central election committee, chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, met at the party headquarters here to finalise the candidates. In the meeting, discussions were held for more than 60 seats in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Assam and the Union Territory of Daman and Diu. The seats announced on Tuesday include 13 from Assam, 10 from Madhya Pradesh, 10 from Rajasthan, seven from Gujarat and three from Uttarakhand, besides one from Daman and Diu,

Highlights: IUML files plea in Supreme Court against CAA implementation

Highlights on developments related to CAA: Catch all the news updates on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019

CAA implementation ahead of LS polls sets stage for politics in Bengal

The implementation of the CAA by the Centre just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls is anticipated to intensify communal polarization, significantly influencing the electoral discourse in West Bengal with both the opposition BJP and the ruling TMC poised to reap political dividend out of it. The CAA, enacted by Parliament in 2019, aims to expedite citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014. With the recent notification of the rules, persecuted non-Muslim migrantsHindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christiansfrom these nations are now eligible for Indian nationality. The Bengal BJP views the CAA as a pivotal issue in the upcoming polls, particularly in Matua-dominated constituencies, foreseeing an advantageous position for the party. Conversely, TMC leaders acknowledge the CAA's potential to shape the electoral narrative but intend to leverage it to highlight their stance against the BJP

Govt notifies rules for implementation of CAA ahead of election dates

The law will also ensure economic, commercial, free movement, and property purchase rights for these migrants

Zero plus zero is zero: Amit Shah derides AAP-Cong alliance for Delhi

Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday took a swipe at the AAP for joining hands with the Congress in Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls, saying whether the Arvind Kejriwal-led party forms an alliance with the Congress or merges with it "nothing is going to happen because zero plus zero remains zero". The AAP and the Congress have no Lok Sabha seat from Delhi where the BJP won all the seven seats in 2019 and 2014 elections. "You can keep forming alliances but Prime Minister Modi will return to power with over 400 seats," Shah asserted. The Aam Aadmi Party hit back at the home minister for his tirade, saying the people of Delhi have shown their repeated preference for an "honest government". They will ensure the ouster of the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and lend further strength to Arvind Kejriwal in the Parliament, it said. Shah slammed the AAP as he launched piped natural gas supply line in 41 villages and developmental works in 178 villages of the national capital under Dilli .