Page 6 - Election Commission

EC gets tough on parties fielding candidates with criminal record

As per the rules, both the candidates as well as the political parties have to publish complete details about the criminal antecedents

EC mourns demise of first voter of independent India, Shyam Saran Negi

Negi, 106, died of natural causes at his residence in morning and will be cremated with full state honours later in the day.

Haryana's Adampur assembly in Hisar clocks 76.45% poll turnout: EC

A total turnout of 76.45 per cent was recorded in Haryana's Adampur Assembly segment in Hisar district where bypolls were held on Thursday. Till last reports came on Thursday, the poll percentage was 75.25 and officials had said the final figure may slightly increase once the entire data is compiled. On Friday, the Election Commission of India data showed that Adampur recorded a poll percentage of 76.45 percent. The outcome of the bypoll will decide if the Bhajan Lal family retains the family bastion of five decades. Bhavya Bishnoi, grandson of former chief minister Bhajan Lal, had entered the fray as a BJP candidate. Counting of votes will be taken up on November 6. The main parties which contested the polls were the BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal, and Aam Aadmi Party. The bypoll was necessitated after former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal's younger son Kuldeep Bishnoi resigned as MLA and switched from the Congress to the BJP in August. Bhavya is Kuldeep's son. Forme

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BJP chief Nadda says party will form govt in Gujarat with big majority

BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday welcomed the announcement of the Gujarat assembly polls and claimed that his party will again form "double engine" government in the state with a big majority under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. In a tweet after the Election Commission announced the poll schedule, Nadda added that the BJP will work with commitment to fulfil people's aspirations in the next five years. Assembly elections in Gujarat will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5 with the counting of votes on December 8 along with that of Himachal Pradesh, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced on Thursday. Of the total 182 assembly seats in Gujarat, voting for 89 seats will be held on December 1 and the remaining 93 seats on December 5, Kumar told a press conference that was also attended by Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey and senior officials from the poll authority. The BJP has won six consecutive assembly polls since 1995 with the Congress ...

Voters being paid to choose NOTA in Andheri East bypoll: Uddhav-led Sena

The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray party on Tuesday alleged that voters were being paid to choose None Of The Above or NOTA option in the November 3 Andheri East Assembly byelection in the city. The campaigning for the byelection came to an end at 5 pm. The party has raised this issue with the Election Commission as well as the police, said its senior leader Anil Parab The election will have ramifications in the coming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election too as for the first time it will see the combined strength of Maha Vikas Aghadi allies (Thackeray-led Sena, NCP and Congress), Parab said. Some people are being paid money to choose NOTA," the former Maharashtra minister alleged. His party has video clips showing purported workers of the Republican Party of India (RPI) indulging in such acts, he said. The RPI (Athawale faction) is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction has fielded Rutuja Latke, the wife of ...

EC didn't follow rules relating voter list in UP elections: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has alleged that the Election Commission did not follow rules while preparing the voters' list in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls earlier this year. He alleged that there is a "conspiracy" by the BJP government to suppress the voice of the opposition. "Had the Election Commission followed rules regarding electoral roll in 2022 Assembly elections, thousands of voters would not have been deprived of voting," Yadav said during a meeting held to discuss preparations for the civic body polls here, according to a press statement issued on Friday. He said it is the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission to conduct elections in a free, fair and transparent manner. "It is also the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure that voting is held without any pressure or fear of the administrative machinery," he added. The SP chief asked why the Election Commission "has not taken cognisance of all complaints and memorandums ..

Freebies to allure voters, welfarism policy intervention: BJP to EC

Making a distinction between freebies and welfarism, the BJP has suggested in a reply to the Election Commission that parties should place emphasis on voter empowerment and capacity building rather than increase the dependency of people, a party insider said. The BJP spelt out its stance on the issue in response to the Election Commission earlier this month seeking the views of all parties on its proposal to amend the model code of conduct. It also asked parties to provide authentic information to voters on the financial viability of their poll promises. Freebies are meant for alluring voters while welfarism is a policy intervention for inclusive growth, the BJP specified in its reply. The party, it is learnt, has no objections to the poll panel's idea that political parties should also submit financial viability of their poll promises. The BJP has suggested that emphasis should be on empowering voters, increasing their capacity, imparting them skills to raise country's human capit

Imran Khan challenges Pak Election Commission's disqualification ruling

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday challenged in Islamabad High Court the top election body's decision to disqualify him from holding public office for five years in the Toshakhana case for hiding proceeds from the sale of gifts he received from foreign leaders. The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician lost membership of the parliament, as well as, barred from contesting elections for five years after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday found him guilty of hiding the proceeds from the sale of precious gifts. He filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) through his counsel Barrister Ali Zafar. Zafar appealed to the court to take up the case immediately for a hearing on Saturday. The IHC accepted the appeal but observed that the matter was not urgent to be dealt with on the same day as the application was filed and set the hearing on Monday.

Imran Khan found guilty of corrupt practices by Pak EC; disqualified

The four-member bench headed by Pak CEC Sikander Sultan Raja unanimously disqualified Khan for five years as the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and a member of the national assembly

Withdraw proposal to amend Model Code of Conduct, CPI(M) tells EC

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has written to the chief election commissioner demanding the withdrawal of the proposed amendment to the Model Code of Conduct on promises made in election manifestos. In his letter to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Yechury said the proposed changes in the MCC were "uncalled for". "Article 324 of the Constitution mandates the EC (Election Commission) with the superintendence, direction and control of elections. It does not provide for the Election Commission to regulate or evaluate the policy pronouncements and promises of welfare measures of political parties to the people at the time of an election. "The proposed amendment to the Model Code of Conduct and the proforma for disclosure of the details of poll promises and their financial implications will get the Commission involved in political and policy matters which do not fall under its purview," the Left leader said in his letter. Yechury said the Election Commission proforma .

Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena writes to EC over symbol and name, alleges bias

Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena on Thursday alleged bias by the Election Commission in the allocation of party symbols and name as it battles for control of the organisation with the group led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. "..several communications and the actions of the Hon'ble Commission have given rise to a serious apprehension of bias in the mind of the Respondent," the Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena said in a letter to the Election Commission through its lawyer Vivek Singh. Last week, the Commission had barred the rival factions of the Shiv Sena from using the party name and the 'bow and arrow' symbol, pending the settlement of the dispute over the "real Shiv Sena". Earlier this week, the Commission had allotted 'Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray' as the name and 'flaming torch' as the election symbol for the Thackeray faction. The Shinde faction got the name 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena' and 'two swords and a shield' as the election symbol. Singh, th

EC allots 'two swords and a shield' poll symbol to Shinde faction of Sena

The Election Commission on Tuesday allotted 'two swords and a shield' as the poll symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena. The Shinde faction, which is now named as 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena', will be able to use the symbol for the Andheri East assembly bypoll, should it decide to contest the election scheduled for November 3. In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Commission said it has decided to declare 'Do Talwarein aur Ek Dhal (Two Swords & Shield)' to be a free symbol and allot it to the candidate set up, if any, by the Shinde-led group in the current bye-election. The Shinde faction had suggested 'peepal tree', 'sword and shield', and 'sun' as its choice of poll symbols.

'It has origins in Maha': Shinde hails 'Two Swords and Shield' poll symbol

The Election Commission (EC) has allotted the poll symbol 'Two Swords & Shield' to the Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena party headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, officials said.

Shinde-led Shiv Sena submits tree, sword, sun as choices for poll symbol

Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena, on Tuesday submitted its choice of three poll symbols to the Election Commission after its earlier choices were rejected by the poll panel. Sources said the three symbols submitted by the Shinde group are 'peepal tree', sword and Sun. On Saturday, the EC had barred the Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde factions from using the party name and its 'bow and arrow' symbol for the November 3 Andheri East assembly bypoll. The interim order said the party name and symbol stand frozen till the dispute between the two factions on which is the real Shiv Sena is adjudicated by the EC. On Monday, the EC had allotted 'flaming torch' (mashaal) election symbol to the Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena and recognised it as 'ShivSena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray'. It recognised the Shinde faction as 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena' (Balasaheb's Shiv Sena) but rejected 'trishul', 'gada' (mace) and 'rising sun' as its poll symbols. Trishul

Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions re-christened by EC

The Election Commission on Monday allotted new names and symbol to the two factions of the erstwhile Shiv Sena

Sena factions get new names; 'flaming torch' poll symbol for Uddhav faction

The Uddhav Thackeray group on Monday expressed satisfaction over the Election Commission allotting 'Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray' as the name for the faction. The Commission also okayed 'flaming torch' (mashaal) as election symbol to the Uddhav Thackeray faction. We are happy that the three names that matter to us most Uddhav ji, Balasaheb and Thackeray - are retained in the new name, Thackeray loyalist and former Maharashtra minister Bhaskar Jadhav said. The Election Commission denied Trishul and Gada (mace) as poll symbols to rival Shiv Sena factions, citing religious connotations. The Commission allotted 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena' as party name for the Eknath Shinde faction; and asked it to select a fresh symbol. The Election Commission on Saturday froze the Shiv Sena's bow and arrow symbol amid a tussle between the factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde. The poll body had also asked the two factions to choose from among the symbols that are available an

Uddhav moves Delhi HC against EC order freezing Shiv Sena name, poll symbol

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction Monday approached the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the order of Election Commission of India (ECI) freezing the party name and election symbol. The petition, filed by Thackeray, has challenged ECI's October 8 order, contending it was passed in complete violation of principles of natural justice and without granting any hearing to the parties. The petition has arrayed ECI and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknathrao Sambhaji Shinde as parties.

Thackeray, Shinde factions of Shiv Sena submit symbols, names to EC

The Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions of the Shiv Sena have formally submitted to the Election Commission their choice of three symbols and names each after the party's 'bow and arrow' symbol was frozen by the poll panel. Sources in the poll panel confirmed that the alternative symbols and names have been submitted by both factions. The EC will now examine them to ensure that the symbols sought by them are not similar and not being used by any other party. Also, the symbols submitted should not be already frozen. Asked if the EC can allocate the submitted symbol even if it is not from the list of 'free symbols' available with the EC but fulfils the other conditions, a former EC functionary replied in the affirmative. "The allocation of a symbol is the prerogative of the Commission. In such cases, it may allocate the symbol which is not in the list of free symbols available with the state chief electoral officer," the former functionary explained. On Saturday, the EC had

40-headed Ravana seized 'bow and arrow' of Lord Ram: Uddhav Thackeray

A day after EC froze the 'Bow and Arrow' symbol of Shiv Sena barring both the rival factions in the party from using it in upcoming Andheri East Assembly bypolls, Thackeray lambasted rival Shinde camp