After their arrival, the ECI team drove straight to the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) situated by the banks of the Dal Lake where they started interactions with representatives of various national and regional political parties…reports Asian Lite News
The full team of the Election Commission, which reached Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday to review the preparations for the coming Assembly elections, had daylong deliberations with various stakeholders.
The EC team, headed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar and including Election Commissioners, Gyanesh Kumar and Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, were received by J&K’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), P.K.Pole and Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri.
“The Election Commission of India “commenced a pivotal two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to oversee poll preparations for Assembly Elections in the Union Territory. The visit underscores the ECI’s unwavering commitment to facilitating a seamless and transparent electoral process in the region. Today, the ECI team engaged in extensive deliberations with a spectrum of stakeholders, including representatives from national and state recognised political parties to solicit valuable insights and understand their concerns, thereby fostering their active involvement in the electoral process,” an official statement said.
After their arrival, the ECI team drove straight to the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) situated by the banks of the Dal Lake where they started interactions with representatives of various national and regional political parties.
Those sending their representatives to interact with the commission included the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress, the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Aam Aadmi Party, the National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party, and the CPI-M.
The NC leaders meeting the ECI team included Sakina Itoo, Nasir Aslam Wani, Showkat Ahmad Mir, Peer Afaq Ahmad, and Shami Oberoi. The PDP had sent Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, Suhail Bukhari, Asiya Naqash, and Abdul Hameed Kosheen.
Congress leaders included Peerzada Sayeed, Ravinder Sharma, G.N. Monga, Mohd Anwar Bhat and Irfan Nakash, while the CPI-M had sent Mohd Abbas Rather, Abdul Rashid Ittu and Gulam Mohd Shah.
The Aam Aadmi Party was represented by Harpreet Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Amir Kapoor, and Prithipal Singh Sodan.
Party sources of all those meeting the ECI said that they are pressing for the holding of Assembly elections in J&K without any further delay.
Later in the day, the ECI reviewed the poll preparedness with District Election Officers and Superintendents of Police to deliberate on administrative and security arrangements crucial to the conduct of elections.
“Additionally, an evening session was held with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Special Police Nodal Officer (SPNO), and Central Police Forces (CPMF) Nodal Officer to review coordination efforts among various agencies involved in election management. On August 9, the visit will culminate with a final meeting with the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police,” the statement said.
The ECI team will then travel to Jammu for a review with various agencies and culminate in a press conference.
Around 642 million people voted in Lok Sabha elections held over seven phases in a mammoth six-week period…reports Asian Lite News
As the vote counting is underway for the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the Bhartiya Janta Party is leading with 13 seats in Rajasthan, according to the Election Commission of India.
On the other hand, the Indian National Congress is leading with nine seats, while the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – CPI(M), Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLTP), and Bharat Adivasi Party are leading with one seat each.
For the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP contested all 25 seats under the NDA. Under the seat-sharing arrangement of the INDIA bloc, Congress contested the polls from 22 seats, while its allies Bharat Adivasi Party, CPI(M), and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) contested the elections from one seat each.
Around 642 million people voted in Lok Sabha elections held over seven phases in a mammoth six-week period. The counting of votes began starting with postal ballot papers amid tight security. The counting for State Legislative Assemblies of 175 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 147 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and results of bypolls in 25 Assembly constituencies also began.
Strict security has been put in place for the smooth conduct of counting of votes for over 8,000 candidates in this general election. With counting began for the Lok Sabha elections, which have seen the largest voter participation, the electoral fate of several leaders across the political spectrum will be decided.
Two exit polls predicted the BJP would also improve its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Most exit polls predicted a straight term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with quite few of them projecting a two-thirds majority for the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Congress party and its allies dismissed the exit polls as “orchestrated” and a work of “fantasy”, asserting that the opposition INDIA bloc will form the next government at the Centre. In the 2019 elections, NDA wrested 353 seats, of which the BJP won 303 alone. The Opposition’s UPA got only 93 seats of which the Congress got 52. (ANI)
Ferozepur, Apr 27 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addresses the crowd during the road show in support of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar for the Lok Sabha Polls, in Ferozepur on Saturday. (ANI Photo)
CEO Sibin C stated that each appointed observer will play a crucial role in ensuring the fairness and transparency of the electoral process in their respective constituencies, the statement added…reports Asian Lite News
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed 15 expenditure observers for various Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab.
The expenditure observers are entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the expenditure incurred by candidates and political parties during the campaign period, ensuring compliance with election expenditure regulations, said an official statement from the Information and Public Relations Department, Punjab, on Thursday.
Disclosing the details of the appointed Expenditure Observers, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Punjab, Sibin C, said that the appointed observers are distinguished Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to their roles. He informed that Harshad S Vengurlekar has been appointed for Gurdaspur, Bare Ganesh Sudhakar for Amritsar, Anurag Tripathi for Khadoor Sahib, Madhav Deshmukh for Jalandhar (SC), and Pawan Kumar Khetan for Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha Constituency.
Similarly, Shilpi Sinha has been appointed for Anandpur Sahib, Pankaj Kumar and Chetan D Kalamkar for Ludhiana, and Akhilesh Kumar Yadava and Nandini R Nair for Bathinda Constituency. Additionally, Anand Kumar for Fatehgarh Sahib, Manish Kumar for Faridkot, Nagendra Yadav for Ferozepur, Amit Sanjay Gaurav for Sangrur and Meetu Agarwal for Patiala, have been appointed as the Expenditure Observers.
CEO Sibin C stated that each appointed observer will play a crucial role in ensuring the fairness and transparency of the electoral process in their respective constituencies, the statement added.
In Punjab, voting for its 13 seats will take place in a single phase, with the seventh and final phase on June 1 seeing voting in Gurudaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala constituencies.
This year, the Lok Sabha polls began on April 19 for 102 seats spread across 21 states. Following this, Phase 2 was held on April 26 and the third Phase will be held on May 7, involving 94 seats across 12 states.
Phase 4 of the Lok Sabha polls is slated to be held on May 13, involving 96 seats and Phase 5 is scheduled to be held on May 20 for 49 seats, while Phase 6 is set for May 25 covering 7 states on 57 seats. (ANI)
Abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 was not an event but an ongoing process of dispossession and disenfranchisement of people of Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP leader said…reports Asian Lite News
PDP workers led by senior party leader Naeem Akhtar on Wednesday held a protest against the Election Commission of India’s decision to defer the polling in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat from May 7 to May 25. The PDP demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s report which led to the postponement of the poll be made public.
The Election Commission on Tuesday postponed polls to the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat to May 25, citing logistical issues due to adverse weather conditions. Former chief ministers of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah (National Conference) and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP) had urged the Election Commission last week not to postpone polls.
Dozens of PDP workers assembled at the PDP headquarters on Residency Road near GPO here and raised slogans against the BJP and the Election Commission of India for deferring the polls. A posse of policemen prevented the PDP workers from marching out on the road. Speaking to reporters, Akhtar said the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency was carved out at the behest of the BJP as part of a process to exploit the religious and caste fault lines in the region.
“The constituency is spread over some parts of south Kashmir and two districts of Poonch and Rajouri. First, it is a geographical oddity. Anyways, they have made it with the purpose of exploiting the caste and religious fault lines and disrupting the unity of the people against abrogation Article 370 and Article 35A,” Akhtar said.
“It was a pre-poll rigging committed through a delimitation commission. The document prepared by the delimitation commission tried to target a particular section by disenfranchising and dispossessing them,” he said.
Abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 was not an event but an ongoing process of dispossession and disenfranchisement of people of Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP leader said.
“And a part of that process is that they tried to finish off the PDP by creating new parties like bonsai plants which have been kept by the BJP as showpieces for the world. However, they have realised that the wind is blowing in the opposite direction due to our leader Mehbooba Mufti and our cadres. The people of Jammu and Kashmir getting united despite their efforts to create divisions,” he said.
Akhtar said there are four recognised parties which are taking part in the election –? PDP, Congress, NC and CPI(M). Only the BJP sought deferment of the polls even though it has not fielded a candidate there, he said.
Asserting that the Election Commission has become a tool of the BJP, Akhtar said there was enough evidence of this across the country. “They have snatched everything from Jammu and Kashmir — from autonomy to the constitution to our rights. We tell the Election Commission of India to desist from these things. It should not further this process (of disenfranchisement). You are being part of a crime which is not only against Jammu and Kashmir but the entire country.”
“We demand that the report on the basis of which the polls have been deferred be made public so that we get to know whether the officers serving in Jammu and Kashmir are working for interests of people of Jammu and Kashmir or to fulfil the orders of their masters,” he added.
The Election Commission had asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to immediately submit a detailed report on road conditions, weather and accessibility to the region which covers parts of South Kashmir and areas in Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region.
Akhtar said his party will continue their fight for restoration of rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir through peaceful, constitutional and democratic means. “We assure the people that we will not resign, we will not give up but we will not take the path taken by some after 1987 (militancy). We will fight it constitutionally and democratically,” he added.
Centre proved delimitation was wrong, says Cong
Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir lashed out at the ruling BJP, saying that by deferring the poll for the newly created Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, government has proved that the delimitation process was wrong.
The Election Commission of India on Tuesday deferred the polls for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency scheduled for May 7 and fixed May 25 as a new date.
Ahmad said, “The BJP is now not going to stay (in power). INDIA alliance is coming (to power) in 2024. Congress is coming. The Congress manifesto clearly says that SC, ST, OBC and other minorities will get their representation in propoportion to their population. This is a gurantee”.
On the Election Commission defering the Lok Sabha polls in the newly created Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress leader said, “By deferring the polls, the government of India has accepted their many mistakes. Boundaries were not fixed properly during the delimitation…. It created problems for the system as well as the people. And that their delimitation process, especially for the Lok Sabha was wrong”.
“People will vote against their (BJP) decisions and policies implemented here.The people of Jammu and Kashmir are ready to vote against the BJP,” he added.
In 2019, polling for the Lok Sabha was held for six seats in Jammu and Kashmir. However, following the abrogation of Article 370, which resulted in the split of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, there is no longer a separate Lok Sabha constituency for Ladakh.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP won three seats while the National Conference won the remaining three. The counting of votes and results will be declared on June 4.
The PDP and NC, despite being allies in the opposition alliance INDIA bloc, have decided to go solo in the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
The general elections are being held in seven phases in a six-week marathon running from April 19 to June 1. Polling for the first phase and the second phase was held on April 19 and April 26, respectively.
The first phase of polling was held on April 19 and the second phase on April 26. The next round of voting will be held on May 25. The results will be declared on June 4. (ANI)
Atishi pointed out that there is no name of BJP anywhere in AAP’s campaign song but ECI says that if you talk about ‘dictatorship’ then this is the criticism of the ruling party…reports Asian Lite News
Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi on Sunday alleged that the Election Commission has banned the party’s campaign song, ‘Jail ka jawab vote se’ stating that it showed the ruling party and agencies in a very poor light
Addressing a press conference in the national capital today, Atishi said, “It happens in a dictatorial government that the opposition is put in jail and is also prevented from campaigning. Today Election Commission of India has banned AAP’s campaign song. This would have happened for the first time in the history of India that the Election Commission would have banned the campaign song of any party. This is the same Election Commission which does not see when BJP violates the model code of conduct every day.”
“When BJP uses ED and CBI to put opposition leaders in jail during the MCC, the poll body has no objection to that. But when the Aam Aadmi Party writes that thing in the song, then there is a lot of objection to it. The ECI said that the song ‘Jail ka Jawab Vote Se’ shows the ruling party and agencies in a very poor light,” Atishi added further.
The Delhi Minister also pointed out that there is no name of BJP anywhere in AAP’s campaign song but ECI says that if you talk about ‘dictatorship’ then this is the criticism of the ruling party.
“That means the Election Commission itself believes that BJP is running a dictatorship in this country. I would like to remind the ECI that you are the successor of TN Seshan, who is remembered after so many years because he took free and fair elections in India to a new height. I want to say that after a few years, the elections of 2024 should not be remembered as when India’s democracy ended, this was the election in which ECI was not neutral. I want to appeal to the Election Commission to have a look to the BJP, who is violating the Model Code of Conduct daily,” Atishi said.
Sunita’s meeting with Kejriwal cancelled?
The Tihar Jail authorities said that the meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been allotted as per the sequence of seeking the permission.
Sunita Kejriwal’s meeting with her husband and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to be next week, the jail sources said on Sunday.
According to the jail authorities, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Atishi and Bhagwant Mann were scheduled to meet with the party supremo on April 29 and 30 accordingly. The AAP leaders had sought permission beforehand.
The jail authorities further said that the permission to visit is given in the same order in which it is sought and Sunita Kejriwal has not sought permission earlier.
According to the jail rules, the visits are allowed only twice a week and the upcoming week is booked for two days.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22. (ANI)
AAP holds ‘Walk for Kejriwal’ walkathon
Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday held a walkathon named ‘Walk for Kejriwal’ in support of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is in jail in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case.
The campaign-cum walkathon was organised in Delhi’s CR Park.
AAP supporters were seen carrying flags with Kejriwal’s photo with the ‘Jail ka jawab vote se’ slogan.
Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi told ANI, “The people of Delhi have come here to support Arvind Kejriwal. BJP thought if they put Arvind Kejriwal in jail, AAP would not be able to conduct the election campaigns. But, the people of Delhi are campaigning for Arvind Kejriwal.
Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, who also took part, said that PM Narendra Modi is very nervous.
“We are running a campaign in Delhi called ‘Jail ka jawaab vote se’ against the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Our youth wing our Lok Sabha candidates from South Delhi and New Delhi have organised a walkathon. PM Narendra Modi is very nervous. The way he has changed his stance in his election rallies makes it clear that even he believes that the opposition is coming to power,” he said.
Taking a dig at the BJP, he said, “We have installed a washing machine here, and if you put any corrupt politician in this machine, he comes out clean.”
The Delhi Chief Minister has been lodged in Tihar Jail since April 1, following his arrest in the Delhi excise policy case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21.
Earlier on April 25, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing Kejriwal’s plea against his arrest and said that he did not cooperate with the central agency despite multiple summons issued to him.
The ED said that the agency has been able to recover key evidence that directly reveals the role of Kejriwal in processes and activities relating to the proceeds of crime.
Kejriwal had approached the top court challenging his arrest by ED and his subsequent remand in the excise policy case. The apex court had earlier asked the Central Agency to file its response to Kejriwal’s plea. (ANI)
In its complaint to the ECI, the Opposition parties accused PM Modi of committing blatant violations of electoral laws, as well as of the Indian Penal Code…reports Asian Lite News
Taking cognisance of the alleged Model Code of Conduct violation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Election Commission of India (ECI), on Thursday, sought a response from the BJP by April 29, on the complaints raised by Congress, CPI and CPI-M(L).
In its complaint to the ECI, the Opposition parties accused PM Modi of committing blatant violations of electoral laws, as well as of the Indian Penal Code, while addressing a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara on April 21.
Congress said that the speech delivered by the Prime Minister, the ‘star campaigner’ of BJP for the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections, was “highly objectionable, divisive and ex-facie illegal.”
During the rally, PM Modi had said: “The Congress manifesto says that they will calculate the gold with mothers and sisters, and then distribute that property. They will distribute it to whom… Manmohan Singh’s government had said that Muslims have the first right on the country’s assets.”
“When their government was in power earlier, they had said that Muslims have the first right on the country’s assets. This means to whom will this property be distributed? It will be distributed among those who have more children and to the infiltrators. Will your hard-earned money be distributed to the infiltrators and do you really approve of this?” PM Modi had added.
Directing BJP president J. P. Nadda to respond to the complaints by 11 a.m. on April 29, the Election Commission asserted that the role of political parties in an electoral democracy, particularly after the notification of the general elections, is pivotal and hence stands clearly recognised in the formal statutory framework of the Representation of the People Act.
The ECI said that the grant of the status of the ‘star campaigner’ statutorily lies entirely within the realm of the political parties under Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the ‘star campaigners’ are expected to contribute to a higher quality of discourse, inter alia, by way of providing an all-India perspective, which sometimes gets distorted in the heat of the contests at the local level.
Police did not accept complaint: Brinda
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had delivered a hate speech on April 21 in Banswara and despite Supreme Court guidelines, police did not accept the complaint.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said, “We met the Police Commissioner on the issue of the hate speech given by PM Modi on April 21st in Banswara. We asked the Police Commissioner why an FIR had not been filed. According to the guidelines of the Supreme Court, the police are duty-bound, if there is any hate speech, to lodge an FIR and to take suo moto action on the basis of that FIR. Twice, those guidelines have been issued, first in October 2022 and again in April 2023.”
She further said that despite the guidelines of the Supreme Court, when she went to Mandir Marg Police Station, the police did not accept the complaint.
“When I went to Mandir Marg PS, they didn’t even accept the complaint, let alone an FIR. Police Commissioner agreed that it was wrong and he accepted the complaint but as far as filing an FIR is concerned, the commissioner said he would have to take legal advice. I don’t know what that means because the Supreme Court has given clear instructions to file an FIR and do the investigation,” she added.
She further stated that the police will have to act as per Supreme Court guidelines.
She further added, “The Supreme Court has also said that if police don’t file an FIR, it will be taken as contempt of court. PM is a citizen of India and the law of India applies to him. He is not above or beyond the law. Police will have to act as per Supreme Court guidelines as they would have in any case.”
BJP complains to ECI against Abhishek Banerjee
The BJP’s West Bengal unit on Thursday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India against Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee accusing him of making abusive remarks against its candidate Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury, popularly known as Nirbhaya Didi.
The state BJP unit sent an e-mail complaint to the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). The state unit of BJP has also released a video where Banerjee was heard calling Mitra Chaudhury, party’s candidate from Maladaha-Dakshin in Malda district, as ‘behaya’ (shameless).
“Abhishek Banerjee’s disgusting tirade against Sreerupa Mitra Chowdhury, resorting to abusive slurs like ‘BEHAYA’, epitomises the toxic culture of misogyny and disrespect rampant in Bengal. It’s a shameful reflection of his party’s values,” the state unit of BJP said in a statement.
It has also appealed to the poll panel to bar Banerjee from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.
However, issuing a counter statement, Trinamool Congress said, “The BJP whose leaders from top to bottom use the most shameful remarks for women, daily, should be the last one to speak on the dignity of the fair sex.”
“Oh, the irony! Those who indulge in gratuitous use of hate speech and attack the only female CM in India in the most foul and derogatory language imaginable are now delivering sermons on ‘Nari Samman,” Trinamool Congress said.
“We’re not taking lectures from degenerates who don’t know the first thing about respectful discourse!” the Trinamool Congress said.
An Election Commission communique was sent to Governor’s office, suggesting the visit would amount to a violation of the model code of conduct…reports Asian Lite News
West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has announced his intent to camp in the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha constituency in north Bengal on April 19, the day the constituency goes to polls in the first phase, but the poll panel has urged him to refrain.
Sources said that the Governor took the decision after considering the record of poll-related violence in previous elections.
As per the schedule, said Raj Bhavan sources, the Governor will start for Cooch Behar from Kolkata on Thursday morning and will leave the constituency in the evening after the elections are over.
However, later in the day, a communique was sent from the Election Commission to the Governor’s office, suggesting he refrain from being in Cooch Behar on the polling day, since that would amount to a violation of the model code of conduct.
However, there was no reaction from the Governor’s House yet to the EC message.
Besides Cooch Behar, two other Lok Sabha constituencies, namely Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, are also going for polls on the same day. However, the Governor decided to be in Cooch Behar considering the sensitivity of the constituency going by the past reports of poll violence there.
On March 16, the day the Election Commission announced the polling schedule, the Governor said that he would be on the field from day one. “I will hit the streets at 6 a.m. I will be available to the people. The political ‘holi’ with human blood that happened in the panchayat elections last year should not be allowed anymore,” he had said then.
Last month, a new portal was also launched at the Raj Bhavan through which the Governor could directly interact with the common voters in the state and address their grievances about the polls. The portal has a dedicated email through which any voter in the state can directly register their grievances.
Violence reported
Campaigning for the three Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal which will go to the polls in the first phase on April 19 concluded on Wednesday with reports of violence coming from Dinhata in Cooch Behar, one of the three constituencies where polling will be held on Friday.
In the closing hours of campaigning on Wednesday, tension flared up in a market area in Dinhata following clashes between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers.
The local Trinamool leadership accused the BJP supporters of launching an unprovoked attack on the ruling party workers which left two injured.
The Trinamool also claimed that those who launched the attack are close associates of the BJP candidate from Cooch Behar, Union Minister Nisith Pramanik.
“The attack was launched in front of the police and CAPF personnel. I request West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to take up the matter with the Election Commission of India so that the central forces could search the residence of Nisith Pramanik where anti-social elements are hiding,” alleged Trinamool MLA from Dinhata and state minister, Udayan Guha.
However, the BJP’s district leadership rubbished the claims of the ruling party as “baseless”.
“The clashes were the fallout of the enmity between two rival groups within the Trinamool,” alleged district BJP General Secretary, Biraj Bose.
Earlier in the day, Pramanik had appealed to the Election Commission requesting restrictions on the movement of Udayan Guha on the polling day.
Other than Cooch Behar, the two other constituencies that will go to the polls on Friday are Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar. Incidentally, Cooch Behar is perceived as the most sensitive among the three constituencies.
A total of 112 companies of CAPF will be deployed in Cooch Behar on Friday, followed by 75 companies at Jalpaiguri and 63 companies at Alipurduar. The special police observer for West Bengal will also camp in Cooch Behar on the polling day.
Didi says there can be no mission without vision
On the day when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) released its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that there cannot be any “mission” without a “vision” which her party has shared with people on Wednesday.
“There can be no mission without a vision. Today, we are proud to share that vision with the people,’ the Chief Minister said in a post on ‘X’.
Banerjee said that her party’s manifesto drafted after “extensive consultations” caters to the need of every section of the society.
“Based on extensive consultations, our Manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections caters to the needs of every section of society and prioritises people’s welfare over everything,” the Chief Minister said.
“From healthcare, education, and social security to agriculture, industry, employment and women empowerment, our manifesto sets out the roadmap to take every sector forward, uplift every community and create holistic development,” she added.
Promising to implement what she has promised in her party’s manifesto, Banerjee said, “I take a solemn shopoth (oath) to rededicate ourselves to the needs of Maa, Mati, Manush.”
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which is contesting solo in West Bengal after failing to reach a seat-sharing agreement with its INDIA bloc partners in the state, released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Kolkata on Wednesday.
The TMC which is in staunch opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), whose Rules were recently notified by the central government, promised to do away with the controversial legislation once it comes to power at the Centre along with the INDIA bloc.
Among the big-ticket promises, the TMC announced 10 gas cylinders free of cost every year to Below Poverty Line families and free 5 kg ration to very ration card holder.
“Every BPL family will get 10 gas cylinders free of cost every year. This will also ensure environmental friendly cooking. Every ration card holder will get 5 kg ration free of cost. It will be provided to every ration-holder’s doorstep free of cost,” Amit Mitra announced.
Promising 100-days employment and houses for all poor families, Mitra said, “All job card holders will be guaranteed 100-days work and all labourers throughout the country will get minimum Rs 400 daily wage. Every poor family will get guaranteed cemented and disaster-resilient houses.”
The TMC also promised legal guarantee of Minimum Support Prices to all farmers as per Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations. The MSP will be set at a minimum of 50 per cent higher than the average cost of production of all crops, the party said.
Though the TMC is part of the INDIA bloc, it does not have a seat-sharing arrangement with the other parties in the alliance, like Congress and the Left parties in the state.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 34 seats in the state, while the BJP had to settle for just 2 seats. The CPI (M) won 2 seats, while the Congress bagged 4.
However, the BJP came up with a much-improved showing in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats against the TMC’s 22. The Congress’s tally dropped to just 2 seats, while the Left scored a blank. (ANI)
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect on March 16 after the Election Commission of India announced the dates for Lok Sabha elections…reports Asian Lite News
Thiruvananthapuram MCC Nodal Officer on Sunday issued a stern warning to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for making “unverified allegations” against BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
Shashi Tharoor allegedly made unverified accusations against Rajeev Chandrasekhar during an interview on a news channel, which is in contravention of the Model Code of Conduct, according to the Thiruvananthapuram Nodal Officer.
Tharoor claimed that Chandrasekhar was offering money to voters and religious leaders in exchange for votes.
“A Complaint was filed by JR Padmakumar, Election Legal Convenor, BJP before the DEO on April 6, alleging that Unsubstantiated accusations” were made by Sashi Tharoor in a “Meet the Candidate’Interview hosted by 24 News Channel. It was alleged that Sashi Tharoor accused Rajeev Chandrasekhar offering money to voters and religious leaders in exchange of vote. On April 8, another Complaint was filed by VV Rajesh, NDA Convenor, on the same subject matter. He has alleged that Statements made by Sashi Tharoor in the Interview was “Utterly false, Frivolous” and made to defame. Further, He submitted that Sashi Tharoor by making the impugned statement in the interview, has violated Rule 1(2), Rule 1(3) of the MCC and S.123(3) of the RP act,” as per the Thiruvananthapuram MCC Nodal Officer.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect on March 16 after the Election Commission of India announced the dates for Lok Sabha elections.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) lists out the dos and don’ts regarding general conduct, meetings, processions, the conduct of parties and their candidates on polling day, polling booths, observers, parties in power and guidelines on election manifestos.
Election in Thiruvananthapuram constituency and Kerala’s 20 parliamentary constituencies will be held on April 26.
Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala is being closely watched due to a high-profile contest between the Congress’ Shashi Tharoor and the BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
The Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held across seven phases, starting April 19. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4. (ANI)
Priyanka slams Modi, says he is cut off from people
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “is completely cut off from people” of the country adding that the officers are “scared” of telling him the reality.
Gandhi said that the country is facing issues with rising inflation and unemployment but the Prime Minister is “unable to understand.”
“People in the country are suffering from rising inflation and youth are facing unemployment. I think something has happened to PM Modi, he isn’t able to understand. When you assume too much power, people fear to tell you the truth. His officers are scared him to tell the reality. I truly feel, that PM Modi is completely cut off from people of the country,” the Congress leader said while addressing an election rally in Rajasthan’s Jalore.
“You must have heard what PM Modi says in his rallies, sometimes he shows his fake valour, sometimes he makes gas from the gutter, sometimes he talks about flesh and fish, sometimes he is flying and sometimes he goes deep ocean diving. Do you people have anything to do with these things?,” Gandhi said, taking a dig at PM Modi.
Priyanka Gandhi also alleged that after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Rajasthan government after the 2023 assembly elections, they halted all the development initiatives undertaken by the previous Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government.
“You were happy with Ashok Gehlot with some grievances and you changed the government but what has happened to the schemes that he started for you? They were put to a halt, this is because the government that you have chosen doesn’t work in your interest,” she said.
She also hit out at the BJP’s “eradicating corruption” call, saying that they are “hollow”. “Its claims are hollow. It just wants to stop the opposition,” Gandhi said.
Priyanka Gandhi campaigned for Vaibhav Gehlot, who is contesting from the Jalore-Sirohi Lok Sabha seat for the Congress party.
Vaibhav Gehlot is the son of senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The BJP has fielded Lumbaram Choudhary for the seat against Gehlot.
Incumbent MP Devji Patel has been winning the seat for the BJP since 2009. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP’s Devji Patel defeated the Congress’ Ratan Dewasi by a margin of over 2 lakh votes.
In the 2014 general elections, Devji Patel defeated Congress candidate Udai Lal Anjana, securing over 50 per cent votes.
The voting for the Jalore seat will be held on April 26 in the second phase. Rajasthan will go to the polls in two phases, on April 19 and April 26.
The BJP had won all 25 seats in the state in 2014. In 2019, the BJP-led alliance won all 25 seats, with the BJP winning 24.
The elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4. (ANI)
Czech authorities in March sanctioned the Prague-based Voice of Europe website over claims that European politicians had engaged with the outlet…reports Asian Lite News
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen slammed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party over allegations that some of its top members are linked with a scandal involving dissemination of pro-Russian propaganda.
“I am not surprised that the Czech secret service is currently investigating two candidates at the top of the AfD’s list for the European elections,” von der Leyen said Friday evening at a Christian Democratic Union (CDU) gathering in Hildesheim, Lower Saxony. “They have long been agitating against the European Union,” she said.
“They have never made a secret of their admiration for the democracy despiser in the Kremlin. They have carried his propaganda into our societies. Whether they have taken bribes for it or not,” said von der Leyen, who is campaigning for a second five-year term running the European Commission.
Czech authorities in March sanctioned the Prague-based Voice of Europe website over claims that European politicians had engaged with the outlet, using their influence to discourage support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Two of the channel’s executives — including Viktor Medvedchuk, a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin — were hit with sanctions.
Voice of Europe has conducted interviews with Maximilian Krah, the AfD’s top candidate in the European Parliament election in June, and with Petr Bystron, who is second on the AfD candidate list. Both politicians deny wrongdoing, AfD spokesman Daniel Tapp told Bloomberg.
Bystron specifically has denied claims that he took money to spread pro-Russian information. “At no time did I receive any cash payments or cryptocurrencies from an employee of ‘Voice of Europe’ (or any Russian),” Bystron wrote in a letter to the AfD leadership, according to media reports.
Concerns have been raised in recent months about the scale of Russian influence in EU institutions ahead of June’s European ballot. “The risk for the coming European elections is that bad actors like foreign actors and Russia are going to try to blend in to people’s online spaces when their guard is down,” said Jiore Craig, senior fellow on digital integrity at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, an NGO working on disinformation.
On Friday, Belgium opened a criminal investigation into the alleged disinformation network. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said unnamed MEPs had been paid to promote Moscow’s agenda.
A delegation of Trinamool Congress leaders, who were detained on April 8 from the Election Commission office here, sat on a protest throughout the night in the Mandir Marg police station premises despite police releasing them the same day…reports Asian Lite News
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders who were earlier detained for protesting outside the Election Commission of India (ECI) sat inside the premises of Mandir Marg Police Station pressing their demands to change the chiefs of the CBI, NIA, ED and Income Tax Department.
As per Delhi police, the 10-member delegation of Trinamool Congress leaders were detained on Monday following a protest outside the Election Commission of India over their demands in the national capital. The Opposition leaders were brought to Mandir Marg Police Station partway through their agitation and later asked to leave at night but the delegation did not leave and instead sat inside the premises all through the night.
“We released them yesterday but they did not leave,” said a police official. Those who staged the protest included five TMC MPs Derek O’Brien, Mohammad Nadimul Haq, Dola Sen, Saket Gokhale and Sagarika Ghosh. At the same time, three former MPs Arpita Ghosh, Shantanu Sen and Abir Ranjan Biswas were present. Apart from this, MLA Vivek Gupta and TMC youth leader Sudeep Raha were also protesting. A 10-member delegation went to the Election Commission’s office on Monday and submitted a memorandum highlighting that “BJP and NIA have been working hand-in-glove to selectively target and harass our party workers”.
TMC urged the poll body to change the chiefs of Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation, Income Tax Department and National Investigation Agency. After being detained, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien said that they are ready to fight the “BJP’s dictatorship”. TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also said that NIA Director and other officials should be removed by the poll body.
TMC MP Dola Sen also said, “We have appealed to the Election Commission to change the chiefs of NIA, CBI, ED and Income Tax and we are sitting on a 24-hour peaceful protest with this demand. Earlier, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, approached the Governor and top state officials on Monday to request the extension of central forces’ deployment beyond the Model Code of Conduct period. Citing the need to ensure the safety of citizens and uphold democratic values, he urged officials to extend the deployment by three months to ensure public safety and protect constitutional integrity. (ANI)
Gujarat CEC sends invitations to 20.3 lakh women voters
The Chief Electoral Officer of Gujarat, P Bharathi, is extending a unique invitation to voters, particularly women, to participate in the upcoming grand festival of democracy.
Over 20.3 lakh invitation cards will be dispatched to encourage an increased turnout of women voters at 13,000 polling stations across the state.
In the spirit of India’s unity in diversity and its tradition of inviting others to celebrate occasions, P Bharathi is sending out these invitations to voters, urging them to cast their votes with their families, the information department Gujarat stated.
The aim is to enhance the participation of women voters at more than 13,000 polling stations where the difference in voter turnout between men and women is more than 10 per cent, and where the overall voter turnout is less than 50 per cent compared to the previous Legislative Assembly elections.
District Development Officers at the rural level and Deputy Municipal Commissioners at the urban level have been appointed as Nodal Officers of the Turnout Implementation Plan (TIP) to increase voter turnout at these polling stations.
To further increase women’s voter turnout, around 20.3 lakh invitation cards will be sent out across the state, requesting families to vote together.
The Chief Electoral Officer, Bharthi, has appealed to women voters to take time out of their busy schedules to vote with their families and inspire others to do the same through these invitation cards.
In addition, all district election officers have been instructed to conduct Chunav Pathshalas at all polling stations to discuss the reasons for low voter turnout and to make efforts to ensure that the maximum number of citizens exercise their right to vote.
Street meetings are organised by Asha workers, Anganwadi workers, Booth Level Officers, School Principals, Talatis, Gram Sevaks, non-political social leaders of villages and members of self-help groups under Chunav Pathshalas, where attendees will be encouraged to pledge to vote with their families for maximum voting turnout in the upcoming Lok Sabha General Elections-2024.
The BJP whitewashed the Congress in the 2014 and 2019 general elections by winning all 26 constituencies in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Gujarat will vote for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in a single phase on May 7 across all the 26 parliamentary constituencies in the state. The counting of votes is slated for June 4
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won all 26 seats with a vote share of 63.1 per cent while the Congress party bagged 32.6 per cent vote share.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party registered victory in all 26 seats with a vote share of 60.1 per cent whereas Congress received 33.5 per cent of votes. (ANI)
