Law must establish Election Commission's independence
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Election Commission has allotted the party's name and symbol to the rebel faction but the poll body can never take away the party from him. Addressing a rally for the first time after losing the party name and election symbol "bow and arrow" to the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray said he has nothing to offer to his supporters. "I have come to seek your blessings and support," he said. In a big blow to Uddhav Thackeray, the Election Commission had last month allotted the name Shiv Sena' and its poll symbol to the group led by Shinde who has the support of most of the MLAs of Shiv Sena. Thackeray said he didn't accept the EC's decision. "If the Election Commission is not suffering from cataracts it should come and see the ground situation. The EC is a 'chuna lagav' commission and a slave of those in power. The principle based on which the EC took this decision is wrong,'' he said. Thackeray said the p
Any conspiracy by the BJP to weaken India's democratic values will not succeed, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said on Thursday after a Supreme Court ruling on the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners. The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners will be done by the President on the advise of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India. Reacting to the verdict, Surjewala said the top court has given the judgment in wake of the BJP's attempts against democracy and the Constitution. "The decision given by the Supreme Court is very significant. BJP's conspiracy to weaken democratic values will never succeed," Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi. Congress MP Manish Tewari said on the ruling, "Article 324 should be amended to give an impartial Election Commission superintendence over internal processes of .
Justice KM Joseph, while reading the judgement, said that this will be followed until the Parliament comes up with a law in this regard
Repolling will be held in four polling stations in as many assembly constituencies in Nagaland on March 1, the Election Commission said on Tuesday. The EC took the decision based on reports submitted by General Observers and after taking all "material circumstances into account". The repolling will be held between 7 am and 4 pm, the EC order said. "Ensure that wide publicity is given by beating of drums or any other convenient mode in the aforementioned polling stations' areas. Inform the political parties and contesting candidates in writing about the fresh poll being taken on the said date...," the order to the state chief electoral officer said. Nagaland went to polls on Monday. The counting of votes in the state along with Meghalaya and Tripura will be taken up on Thursday.
Voting for the Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly polls went off peacefully on Monday, the Election Commission (EC) said, adding that there was no demand for a re-poll from the two northeastern states. While both states have 60 Assembly seats, polling was held on 59 seats each, the EC pointed out. Polling for the Sohiong seat in Meghalaya was adjourned due to the death of one of the candidates. Since the Akuluto seat in Nagaland remained uncontested with only one candidate, no election was required there. "Polling across 3,419 polling stations in Meghalaya and 2,291 in Nagaland went off peacefully today.... Advance planning and extensive monitoring by the commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar...ensured smooth conduct of elections in the two states with no re-poll reported in any of the 5,710 polling stations," the EC said. In 2018, 11 re-polls were held in Nagaland and one was held in Meghalaya. Polling was also held in the Erode (East) Assembly seat in Tamil Nadu
The fates of the contesting parties will be decided by over 21 lakhs voters across 59 poll-bound constituencies today
The Election Commission has decided to hold booth-level "peace meetings" in Tripura as part of its efforts to ensure no untoward incident takes place anywhere in the state during and after the vote-counting process, said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinakarrao. Counting for the 60-member Assembly is scheduled to take place across 21 venues on March 2. "We were able to conduct the polling process without disturbance on February 16, with the state registering a high voting percentage. Our next mission is to ensure that peace prevails in the state on the day of counting, he said at a press meet on Saturday. The booth-level peace meetings are scheduled to be held on February 27 and 28, Dinakarrao stated, urging all political parties, eminent citizens and professionals to participate. "Political parties need to exercise restraint after the results are declared. I hope that our apprehension of peace disruption (on the day of counting) falls flat," he said. Noting that
The draft noted that the Congress would build the widest possible consensus with all like-minded political parties to take up the issue with the Election Commission
The Election Commission of India has ordered the sealing of Meghalaya's International border with Bangladesh till March 2
The Election Commission has issued a show-cause notice to Meghalaya minister Brolding Nongsiej for allegedly doling out money in his constituency, under the garb of a rural development programme, and thus violating the model code of conduct (MCC), officials said on Thursday. A social organisation had lodged a complaint with the returning officer alleging that a woman was seen accepting the money being given by the minister. Acting on the complaint, the returning officer of Mawthadraishan assembly constituency in West Khasi Hills district directed the candidate of the United Democratic Party reply within February 25 as to why action should not be taken against him. Elections to the 60-member assembly will be held on February 27. Votes will be counted on March 2.
While Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the Supreme Court had not accepted the demand of status quo, Thackeray faction leader Anil Desai said that the court had taken up the plea
Union minister Anurag Thakur has said the Election Commission's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena has made things "crystal clear" and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray should now understand who actually has the support of party workers. He also taunted Thackeray saying what was the use of repenting over what has been lost. The rival factions led by Maharashtra CM Shinde and his predecessor Thackeray are locked in legal battles over the control of the Shiv Sena. When asked about it, Thakur told reporters in Indore late on Tuesday night that the Election Commission (EC) has given a very detailed decision in this matter. "Iske baad doodh ka doodh aur pani ka pani ho chuka hai (everything is crystal clear now)," the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister said. "Thackeray should now understand who has the number (support) of Shiv Sainiks, party's MLAs, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs. This number alone tells the entire story,"
The Election Commission, after scrutiny of all nomination papers, has found 22 of the 222 applications invalid in Nagaland, a senior official said. A total of 225 aspirants had filed papers for the February 27 elections, but three of them later withdrew from the contest, the official said. Four women are among the 200 candidates whose papers were found to be valid, he stated. At least 13 parties including the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Naga People's Front (NPF), the Congress, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), the National People's Party (NPP), Janata Dal (United), Republican Party of India (Athawale), Nationalist Congress Party, Rising People's Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and CPI have nominated candidates for the polls. More than 20 Independents are also in fray. Friday is the last of date for withdrawing nomination. Votes will be counted on March 2.
The BJP has released its manifesto for the upcoming Nagaland assembly elections, promising a special package for the eastern part of the state and establishment of a board for the holistic development of the region if the party returns to power for the second time in a row. The BJP and its ally NDPP are contesting the February 27 assembly elections with a 20:40 seat-sharing arrangement. In its manifesto released by party president JP Nadda on Tuesday, the saffron party also announced a slew of measures for creating infrastructure, economic advancement, and boosting healthcare and agriculture, besides skill development. We will work with the central government to expedite the construction of the Trans-Nagaland Highway to enable easy access across districts, especially from eastern Nagaland, it stated. Eastern Nagaland was in the news recently as there was a vote boycott call by an organisation spearheading an agitation demanding a separate state comprising six districts of the area.
After withdrawal of candidature by a Cong candidate, Nagaland Assembly election will witness a total of 183 candidates in the fray for 60 seats, Chief Electoral Officer, V Shashank Shekhar said
To ensure the conduct of a free and fair election, the Seyochung Sitimi village in poll-bound Nagaland has made a strong resolution with the motto of 'one man one vote'
Ahead of the upcoming Nagaland assembly polls, Nagaland Police has beefed up security and patrols across the state
A man was arrested in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district for allegedly sharing a video on social media which purportedly showed that any button pressed on an EVM leads to a vote in favour of the BJP, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) FR Kharkongor said on Saturday. The man, identified as Bolong R Sangma, had on February 16 shared the clip, alleging that EVMs were manipulated, he said. Sangma was arrested after the returning officer of Rongjeng assembly constituency filed a police complaint, he added. A case was filed against him under IPC section 171G, which deals with false statement in connection with an election, Kharkongor said. EVMs or electronic voting machines are tamper-proof and go to factory reset mode if any manipulation is attempted, he said, adding that numerous safeguards are present at every level.
Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People's Party (NPP) supremo Conrad K Sangma on Monday asserted that neither he nor his party had any role in denying permission for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election rally at the PA Sangma Sports Complex in Tura. The sports department has informed the West Garo Hills district authorities that permission cannot be given for the PM's rally there as construction debris may pose safety concerns. The saffron party, which last month snapped ties with ally NPP ahead of the February 27 assembly election, alleged that the ruling party were trying to stall a "wave of the BJP" in the state. In a statement issued here, the chief minister said the accusation made by the BJP was false as permissions for rallies are given by the Election Commission and the district administration is now a part of it. All permissions come from the side of the Election Commission of India. So, there is no say from NPP or my side. Dragging our name into it is completely .