Page 3 - Election Commission

VPP to review border pact with Assam if elected to power: Manifesto

The Voice of the People, a new political party in Meghalaya would review the inter-state boundary MoU signed with Assam and will root out corruption in the state, if elected to power in the February 27 assembly election, the party manifesto said. The Voice of People (VPP) was formed by former MLA Ardent Basaiawmoit. The party will root out corruption and would also institute CBI inquiry into the alleged scams and excesses of the National People's Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, it said. Releasing the party's manifesto on Monday here, Basaiawmoit said the VPP would review the interstate boundary border agreement signed with Assam last year and would pressurise the Government of India to put the state under the umbrage of special protective provisions of Article 371 of the Constitution of India. "In order to safeguard the indigenous tribal cultures and customs, the party is committed to pursue and pressurise the Government of India for extension of the special ..

After EC's symbol ruling, Shinde's Shiv Sena faction gets Parliament office

'Room No. 128, Parliament House has been allotted to the Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party for the office of the Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party'

SC agrees to hear Uddhav Thackeray faction's plea against EC decision

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear on Wednesday the Uddhav Thackeray faction's plea challenging the decision of the Election Commission recognising the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and ordering allocation of the "bow and arrow" poll symbol to it. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Thackeray faction, mentioned the matter before a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices Krishna Murari and P S Narasimha on Tuesday. If the EC order is not stayed then they will take over the symbol and the bank accounts. Please list it tomorrow before the Constitution bench, Sibal submitted. The top court said it needs to go through the case files and posted the matter for hearing at 3:30 pm on Wednesday The Election Commission on Friday had recognised the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and ordered the allocation of the "bow and arrow" poll symbol to it. In a 78-page order on the protracted battle for control of the organisation, the Commissi

Maharashtra citizens have not liked EC's Sena decision: Ajit Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Monday said people of Maharashtra have not liked the Election Commission's decision to recognise the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena. On February 17, the EC had allotted the 'Shiv Sena' name and bow and arrow symbol to the Shinde faction, in the process delivering a blow to Uddhav Thackeray whose father Bal Thackeray had founded the outfit in 1966. Campaigning for the Kasba Assembly bypoll scheduled for February 26, Pawar said people have the opportunity to show their displeasure at the EC by voting for the Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate Ravindra Dhangekar. "The decision given by EC was not liked by the people of Maharashtra and the voters of Shiv Sena, The voters have got an opportunity to express their displeasure through this bypoll. This displeasure will be seen in the results," he said.

Uddhav faction moves SC over EC decision, hits out at 'Shinde faction'

The plea said that the poll panel "failed" to consider that his action enjoys a majority in the Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha

Dissolve Election Commission, SC is last ray of hope: Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Monday demanded that the Election Commission of India, which ruled that the Eknath Shinde-led faction is the real Shiv Sena, should be dissolved. The name (Shiv Sena) and symbol (bow and arrow) of our party have been stolen, but the name Thackeray' cannot be stolen, he told reporters at Sena Bhavan in Dadar here. Thackeray's media briefing came after the Supreme Court, earlier in the day, refused to entertain an oral mentioning made by his faction to urgently list its plea challenging the EC decision. The Election Commission's order is wrong. Supreme Court is the last ray of hope, Thackeray said. There is not a single instance where the party name and symbol were directly given to one faction," Thackeray said. "What was the need for the EC to give this decision in a hurry?" the former Maharashtra chief minister said. Even if the other faction took our name and symbol, they can't take our Thackeray name. I was lucky to be born to the fami

EC decision to allot 'bow and arrow' symbol to us victory of truth: Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the Election Commission's decision to allot his faction of the Shiv Sena the "bow and arrow" election symbol was a victory of truth. Addressing a Shivaji Jayanti function in Agra in Uttar Pradesh Sunday evening, he said his faction got the "bow and arrow" symbol because of the blessings of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The majority has a weightage in democracy and the truth has prevailed, he said on the Election Commission decision. The Election Commission on Friday recognised the Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and ordered allocation of the "bow and arrow" poll symbol to it, delivering a big blow to the rival camp led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, whose father Bal Thackeray founded the outfit in 1966. Shinde was in Agra to attend the 393rd birth anniversary celebrations of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the 17th-century Maratha ruler, at the Diwan-e-Aam of the Agra Fort. It was organised by Ajinkya Deogiri

After ECI ruling, Maharashtra CM, ministers change to new name-symbol

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, several of his Ministers have now switched over to the new name-symbol on their social media accounts

Uddhav calls meeting of party leaders for discussion after EC decision

A day after the Election Commission (EC) recognised the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray, who heads the rival camp, on Saturday called a meeting of his party leaders and functionaries to discuss the future course of action. The meeting of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leaders, deputy leaders, elected representatives and spokespersons will be held at Thackeray's residence 'Matoshree' in suburban Bandra in the afternoon, Thackeray's aide said. In a big blow to Thackeray, the EC on Friday allotted the name 'Shiv Sena' and its poll symbol 'bow and arrow' to the group led by CM Shinde. This is for the first time that the Thackeray family has lost control of the party that was founded in 1966 by Balasaheb Thackeray on the principles of justice for the sons of the soil. In a unanimous order on the six-month-old petition filed by Shinde, the three-member Commission said it had relied on the numerical strength of the party in the legislative wing, .

Why EC was in hurry to decide Sena case, asks NCP leader Ajit Pawar

Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Friday termed the Election Commission's decision to recognize the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena as "unexpected" and asked why the poll panel was in a hurry to give the ruling. Ordinary Shiv Sena workers will stand by Uddhav Thackeray, he added. "It is an unexpected ruling. It is difficult to understand why so much haste was shown (by the EC ) when the Supreme Court today morning said it would give decision (in a related matter) after hearing arguments from both the sides from February 21," Pawar said. "Everyone knows who founded the Shiv Sena. Who was Hindu-hriday Samrat? Who was the Shiv Sena chief? Who was leading the Sena after Balasaheb's death? So the common Shiv Sainik and voters who believe in the Shiv Sena will retain respect toward Uddhav ji and will prove that their Shiv Sena is the real Shiv Sena in the elections," he said.

Party constitutions should have fair mechanism to settle disputes: EC

The Election Commission on Friday lamented that party constitutions are often "mutilated" to undemocratically appoint people from a coterie as office-bearers without any election at all. While delivering its final order allotting the name 'Shiv Sena' and its poll symbol 'bow and arrow' to the group led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the poll panel also observed that the constitutions of political parties ought to provide for free, fair and transparent election of office-bearers. It also stressed on a free and fair procedure for the resolution of internal disputes. "These procedures ought to be difficult to amend and should be amendable only after ensuring a larger support of the organisational members for the same," it said. It said that by the time a dispute comes to the Commission, the party constitutions are often seen to have been mutilated to undemocratically appoint people from a coterie as office-bearers without any election at all. Such party structures fail

Uddhav to move SC over EC decision, says it's dangerous for democracy

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said the Election Commission's order recognising Eknath Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena was "dangerous for democracy", and he would challenge it in the Supreme Court. Speaking at a press conference hours after the EC decision, Thackeray accused the poll panel of having become the Union government's slave. "It may even take away our symbol of flaming torch tomorrow," he said. He also appealed to his followers not to give up, and fight the battle to win. The party and people were with him, he said. ''Let the thieves rejoice for a few days," he said, reacting to the setback to his faction. The Supreme Court is the last hope to ensure that democracy is alive in the country, Thackeray said. If this hope vanished, we should stop holding elections forever and become a one-man rule, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should announce that after 75 years of independence the country was not a democracy any longer but moving towards

Over 51% turnout till 1 pm in Tripura Assembly polls: Election officials

A senior police official said that a police constable was suspended in Gomati district for his alleged role in urging people to cast votes in favour of the ruling BJP

EC to take call on J&K elections, statehood after assembly polls: Amit Shah

Shah said Article 370 pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir, which was abrogated by the BJP-led government in 2019, had harmed the country

Power does not remain with anyone forever, says NCP leader Ajit Pawar

Pawar made remarks while addressing a campaign event for the Kasba Assembly bye-election in Pune

SC decision on rebel Sena MLAs' disqualification should come first: Uddhav

Uddhav Thackeray, who heads a faction of the Shiv Sena, on Wednesday said that the decision by the Supreme Court on the disqualification of the party's rebel MLAs should come first and then by the Election Commission on who the original party belongs to. Addressing a press conference, Thackeray also asked why the EC froze the Shiv Sena name and its bow and arrow' symbol when it has not been used by the rival Eknath Shinde faction yet. The decision on disqualification should come first and then by the Election Commission (which faction Shiv Sena belongs to), Uddhav said, adding that the apex court will start hearing the matter related to the disqualification of rebel MLAs on a daily basis from February 14. The Sena was split last June after a rebellion led by Shinde, prompting his faction and the one headed by Uddhav Thackeray to try to stake claim over the party's name and its symbol.

EC sends showcause notice to NPP, UDP in Meghalaya for model code violation

The Election Commission of India has issued showcause notice to National People's Party (NPP) and United Democratic Party (UDP) as their candidates in West Shillong constituency allegedly distributed pressure cookers and bowl sets to voters in violation of the model code of conduct, Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor said on Saturday. Elections to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly will be held on February 27 and the counting of votes will take place on March 2. "We have taken suo moto cognizance of the matter following reports that the candidates of these political parties (NPP and UDP) have violated the model code of conduct. They were asked to reply ... ," Chief electoral officer FR Kharkongor told PTI. The showcause was issued by the returning officer of West Shillong assembly constituency to the general secretary of both the parties. National People's Party candidate Mohindro Rapsang and United Democratic Party (UDP) nominee Paul Lyngdoh on January 28 and 30 had allegedly ...

EC revises polling date to Feb 26 for 2 bypoll seats in Maharashtra

The Election Commission (EC) has "revised" the date of polling, from February 27 to February 26, for bypolls in two assembly seats of Maharashtra's Pune district after it was informed about the dates clashing with scheduled class 12 and graduation exams there. The poll panel issued a press note on Wednesday to announce the change. "The District Election Officer of Pune, Maharashtra has reported regarding clash of date of poll with dates of 12th Standard HSC exam and graduate degree exam to be conducted at various polling stations of the assembly constituencies where by-elections are being held," the EC said. Having considered the matter, ground situation and all other relevant aspects of the matter, the Commission has decided to "revise" the date of poll for by-elections to assembly constituencies 205- Chinchwad and 215-Kasba Peth of Maharashtra, it said. It said that the date of poll will now be February 26. The date of counting of votes is unchanged at March 2, the day the resul

3 EC special observers to visit Tripura today to review poll preparedness

Three special observers of the Election Commission will arrive in Tripura on Monday to review preparedness and security arrangement for the upcoming assembly elections in the northeastern state, a senior official said. Three special observers - Yogendra Tripathy, Vivek Johri and B Murli Kumar - will hold meetings with officials on Tuesday to take stock of the election preparations and other poll-related issues, Additional CEO Subhasish Bondhyapadyay said. They will have separate meetings with district magistrates (DMs) and superintendents of police, he said, adding that the special observers are scheduled to leave for another poll-bound state Meghalaya on January 27. Tripathy is the general observer while Johri will see police-related issues and Murli Kumar will observe expenditure. So far, around 200 companies of central paramilitary forces have arrived in the northeastern state and have been engaged in confidence-building measures across the state, the poll official said. If ...

Nagaland polls: EC meets with parties on expenditure monitoring measures

Ahead of the Nagaland assembly polls, State Election Commission held a meeting with the political parties in regard to expenditure monitoring measures