Page 993 - Politics
Telangana HC declines to postpone Nizamabad polls
The Telangana High Court Monday declined to issue a direction to the Election Commission to postpone the polling date for Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency. A section of farmers, who are contesting from the seat, last week filed a petition urging the court to issue a direction to the Election Commission to postpone the polling date to enable them to have sufficient time for campaigning. The matter was posted after two weeks for hearing. Counsel for the petitioners said as the petitioners were challenging the constitutional validity on some of their grievances, the Centre would also be made as one of the parties to the case. They also urged the court to direct the EC to provide specimen election symbols to them to start campaigning and conduct polls using paper ballots. Over 170 farmers filed nominations for the April 11 Lok Sabha election as a mark of protest, alleging that the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) failed to ensure minimum support price for turmeric and red jowar ...
57,516 booked for election code violation: Delhi CEO
As many as 2,583 persons have been arrested and 57,516 others booked for violating model code of conduct ahead of the parliamentary elections, said a senior state Election Commission official on Monday.
No option but to scrap Article 370, 35A: Rajnath
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday that the government is left with no option and it will have to scrap Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution as some people in Jammu and Kashmir are demanding a separate Prime Minister.
Poll panel orders transfer of Punjab IG
The Election Commission on Monday ordered the transfer of Punjab Inspector General (IG) Kunwar Vijay Pratap from his post following a complaint against the officer by the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
We will continue to adopt zero tolerance against terrorism and extremism: Rajnath Singh
Promising to continue "zero tolerance" policy against terrorism and extremism, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the BJP will not allow anyone to play with the future of youths of Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a rally here, the BJP leader launched a veiled attack on the National Conference and the PDP over Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution related to special status to J-K, saying some leaders were misleading the people on different issues but the BJP would not let such things to continue any longer. The Minister also firmly ruled out any rollback of the decision to restrict civilian traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National highway twice a week for safe movement of security forces convoys. He also referred to the IAF strike inside Pakistan on February 26 and said the mission was carried out to wipe out the terrorist training camp without attacking Pakistan Army or hurting any citizen of the neighbouring country, guided by the spirit of former prime minister Atal Bihari
Putin and Erdogan discuss S-400 missile deal
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart on Monday discussed a missile deal slammed by the US as well as closer military cooperation during a visit by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Moscow. The two sides must "strengthen cooperation in the military-technical sphere," Putin told Erdogan as they met in the Kremlin. "These regard first of all the completion of the contract to supply S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to Turkey," he said. "There are other promising projects on the agenda related to the supply of modern Russian military products to Turkey," Putin added. NATO member Turkey's missile deal has tested its already soured relations with Washington. The US has put a freeze on its joint F-35 fighter jet programme with Turkey in protest. Last week, US acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he was confident Turkey would drop the plan and buy the US Patriot system instead. Erdogan has said the S-400s are needed to protect Turkey's borders. He said he turned to ..
Netanyahu lauds US terror designation for Iran Guards
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday lauded the US decision to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organisation, saying President Donald Trump had responded to a "request of mine". "Thank you, my dear friend, US President Donald Trump, for having decided to declare Iran's Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organisation," Netanyahu said in a statement a day ahead of Israeli elections in which he is seeking a fifth term. "Thank you for responding to another important request of mine, which serves the interests of our countries and countries of the region." Iran is Israel's main enemy and Netanyahu spoke out strongly against the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. Trump withdrew the United States from the deal after taking office. Israel says the Revolutionary Guards operates in neighbouring Syria, where Iran has been backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime in his country's civil war. Netanyahu has pledged to stop Iran from entrenching .
BJP pledges to strengthen strike capability of armed forces
The BJP on Monday vowed to strengthen the armed forces and said it will continue to take "focused steps" to strengthen their "strike capability".
Respect earned by Modi for country exceeded what PMs from my own family did: Varun Gandhi
BJP MP Varun Gandhi Monday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying some of his own Nehru-Gandhi family members, who occupied the top post, could not earn as much respect for the country as Modi did. "Some in my family have also been prime ministers but the respect that Narendra Modi has earned for the nation was never done before," said Gandhi, who is contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha polls from neighbouring Pilibhit, represented by his mother and Union minister Maneka Gandhi. Gandhi made the remarks while addressing an election meeting at Bahedi in Pilibhit. In the ongoing polls, his mother has been fielded by the BJP from the Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency, presently represented by him. Pilibhit is going to polls on April 23 in the third phase of elections along with 115 constituencies in 14 states. Gandhi emphasised that Modi managed to earn unprecedented respect for the country despite having a modest background. "Others like V P Singh belonged to an erstwhile royal family, ...
Delhi court allows ED to quiz in Tihar jail 2 accused in terror funding case
A Delhi court Monday allowed the ED to interrogate in Tihar jail two accused, arrested in connection with a case of terror funding module allegedly led by terrorist Hafiz Saeed's Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF). Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Syal allowed the agency to interrogate accused Mohammad Salman and Mohd Salim in Tihar jail and record their statements under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The two accused were arrested by the NIA on September 26, 2018, in the terror funding case and are lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody. The court directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to question both the accused for any two days between April 15 to 25. ED's Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana sought Salman and Salim's custodial interrogation on the ground that the provisions under which the charge sheet was filed against them by the NIA falls within the ambit of the PMLA. NIA had filed a charge sheet against Salman, Salim and six others for the alleged ...
Cong fields ex-BJP rebel Kirti Azad from Dhanbad in Jharkhand
The Congress Monday fielded former BJP leader Kirti Azad from Dhanbad Lok Sabha constituency in Jharkhand. The party also fielded Kalicharan Munda from Khunti ST seat in Jharkhand, a party statement said. Azad, a former BJP MP from Dharbhanga in Bihar had to shift out after the seat was given to the RJD as part of the seat sharing arrangement for the alliance in the state. The cricketer-turned-politician was seeking to contest from his Dharbhanga seat, but had to relent after senior Congress leadership intervened. Azad, who was suspended by the ruling BJP for anti-party activities, had joined the Congress in February.
In blow to IPFT, leader quits party
Days before the Lok Sabha elections, in a major blow to the IPFT, its Vice President Ananta Debbarma on Monday quit the party and announced his support to the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls.
Modi-Thackeray to share stage - after 28 months
Latur (Maharashtra), April 8 IANS) The bickerings of nearly four years behind them, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray will share the dais - for the first time in 28 months - at an election rally in Ausa here on Tuesday.
EC bars media from predicting results in poll period
The Election Commission on Monday issued an advisory to media to refrain from telecasting or publishing any opinion polls or exit polls from the start of polling on in the first phase of April 11 till the end of polling in the last phase on May 19.
Rahul, 226 candidates in fray for LS polls from Ker
A total of 227 candidates, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, are in the fray for the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala which goes to the polls in the third phase on April 23. While Wayanad constituency, from where Gandhi is contesting, received 20 nominations, the highest, the lowest number of six candidates are in Alathur (SC), election commission sources said. Sixteen candidates withdrew their nominations on Monday, the last day of withdrawal. Union Tourism minister Alphons Kannamthanam, former Mizoram governor Kummanam Rajashekharan, 13 sitting MPs, 9 MLAs, two Malayalam film actors-- Suresh Gopi and Innocent, are among those contesting. Kannamthanam is contesting from the Ernakulam constituency, where he is pitted against Hibi Eden of the Congress-UDF and P Rajeev of the ruling CPI(M)-LDF. Former Union minister Shashi Tharoor, a two-time Congress MP, is trying his luck again from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, where he is facing a fierce triangular
Congress & NPF have come together to protect rights of Naga
The Congress and NPF have come together to fight the Lok Sabha polls in order to protect the rights of the Naga people, which has been put into "danger" by the BJP government at the Centre and its ally NDDP, Nagaland Congress working president Khriedi Theuno said Monday. Addressing a joint public rally in support of Congress candidate K L Chishi, Theunuo claimed that if BJP is elected back to power at the Centre, it would "enforce its policy of one nation, one religion and one people through the uniform civil code." The Congress leader said "we are not against the Hindu religion but we do not support the hardcore fundamentalist like RSS which is forcing such rule through the BJP government." "They (BJP) wants to do away with the smaller states of the North East," he said while adding that "if BJP returns to power, we will be forced to entirely change our way of living." Congress-led UPA has always stood to protect the distinct identity of the North East from the issues .
AIUDF forms alliance with UPPL in Assam
The opposition AIUDF Monday said it has formed an alliance with United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) in Assam for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in an official release said it will support the UPPL's candidate in Kokrajhar constituency. UPPL on the other hand will support AIUDF candidates in Barpeta and Dhubri seats. However, there has been no decision on the Mangaldoi seat, where UPPL is contesting. Former Rajya Sabha MP and Sahitya Akademi awardee Urkhao Gwra Brahma is contesting from the Kokrajhar (ST) seat on UPPL's ticket, while its other candidate is former All Bodo Students Union vice-president Prodeep Kumar Daimary is contesting in Mangaldoi. AIUDF chief and sitting MP Badruddin Ajmal from Dhubri, sitting MP Radheshyam Biswas from Karimganj and former MLA Rafiqul Islam from Barpeta are the party's candidates in the Lok Sabha elections this time in Assam. The three-phase voting for 14 seats in Assam will take ...
54 candidates in fray for last phase of LS polls in Assam
Altogether 54 candidates are in the fray for four parliamentary constituencies that are going to polls in the third and final phase in Assam, an election official said. Five candidates - two each from Dhubri and Gauhati and one from Barpeta -pulled out of the race on Monday, the last day for nomination withdrawal for the final phase of polls in the state, he said. There was no withdrawal of candidature in Kokrajhar (ST) seat, the official added. In Gauhati, Independent Pranab Jyoti Das and Rashtriya Jansambhavna Party's Ranvijay Kumar Rai withdrew their nominations in the morning, leaving 17 candidates in the fray - the highest among the five seats that go to polls on April 23. Prominent among them are Queen Oja of the BJP and Ranvijay Kumar Rai of the Congress. In Dhubri, 15 candidates are contesting the elections. Two Independent nominees Asrof Ali and Selina Sultana withdrew their papers. The seat will witness All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MP and party ...
100 Indian fishermen released from Pakistan jail as goodwill gesture
A total of 100 fishermen crossed over to India through the Attari-Wagah border on Monday after the Pakistan government released them from jail as a goodwill gesture. All of them crossed over to India in the evening on the basis of 'emergency travel certificate' issued by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, officials said. The fishermen were arrested when their boats strayed into the Pakistani waters in the Arabian sea. Immediately after the repatriation, medical examination of all fishermen was conducted. Earlier, Pakistan Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mohammad Faisal had said the country would release 360 Indian prisoners, 355 fishermen and five civilians in April.
Modi to address 7 rallies for BJP in Karnataka
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address seven public rallies over the next 10 days to campaign for BJP candidates in Karnataka where elections to 28 Lok Sabha constituencies will be held on April 18 and 23, it was announced on Monday.