Tag: EC

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India News Politics

Election Commission must take a look at manifestos

Political parties know they always have the option to blame the Central government, if it refuses grants…reports Asian Lite News

Assembly elections are not natural calamities or disasters that require central assistance to meet the extravagant promises made by certain political parties in their manifestos just to lure voters and win these polls. It has become a trend for certain parties to make promises of free electricity, free water, free education, free travel, free cycles, free laptops, free scooties, cash credits etc in their manifestos for winning Assembly elections and once they win, then plead for funds from the Central government.

If this is not bribing voters, then what is it? Under which act are such manifestos are covered or is it that the lawmakers are above the law? Such political parties are very well aware of the financial condition of the state concerned but still they go ahead with their alluring promises – for they know they always have the option to blame the Central government for the fiasco, if it refuses grants.

Promises by such political parties in their manifestos are nothing but propaganda. With MPs and MLAs being unable to spend even their development fund in 5 years, expecting them to execute another ambitious plan only showcases our ignorance and raises questions on our own understanding and purpose of elections.

Have we failed as a voter? Voting is our right, but who we vote for is meaningful too.

The voters who are already under financial stress, due to rising prices of essential commodities, or those who care nothing about who comes to power but only that their interests are met, go all out to vote for such parties. And political parties knowing such weaknesses of voters, are all out to capitalise on these factors.

There is still some hope if the Central and State government belong to the same party – the manifestos then, at least, make some sense. But if not, why the Central government would want to fund such commitments of opposition parties, knowing that these were responsible for their own party’s defeat in the Assembly elections?

Recently, the AAP won the elections in Punjab on the very same basis, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is also AAP national convener, and his star campaigners, promising a number of freebies to the voters of the state. The truth is that the already debt-ridden Punjab has no money to fulfil AAP election promises.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann himself announced the AAP plan to fund promises made in the manifesto, before the elections. And now, post elections, he is asking Central government to help by providing financial grant to the extent of Rs 50,000 crore.

Some political parties have redefined the meaning of hypocrisy.

The game of freebies by political parties seems to be seeing no end. Sensing the situation, the Supreme Court had to intervene and had issued notice to the Election Commission over political parties wooing voters with the promise of freebies ahead of the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur, and Punjab Assembly elections.

It had observed that the promise of freebies was a “serious issue”.

The day is not far when Election Commission would start dissecting the manifestos of all political parties and might embargo parties towards asking grants for at least 3-4 years from Central government to fund their promised freebies. Of course, natural calamities or disasters exempted.

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-Top News India News Punjab

Punjab poll dates shifted by EC

Assembly polls in Punjab will be held on February 20 instead of February 14, as originally scheduled, the Election Commission decided today, reports Asian Lite News

The Election Commission of India on Monday changed the February 14 date of polling in Punjab to February 20 after request from the political parties due to Sri Guru Ravidas Jayanti.

After a detailed meeting on the rescheduling of the poll date, the Commission changed the poll schedule as announced by it on January 8.

According to the new schedule for Punjab assembly polls, now the date of notification will be January 25 (Tuesday), 2022, last date of nomination will be January 2022 (Tuesday), date of scrutiny – February 2, 2022 (Wednesday), date of withdrawal would be February 4 (Friday) and date of polling will be February 22, 2022 (Sunday). Counting of Votes will be taken up on March 10, 2022 (Thursday).

The Election Commission received several representations from State Government, Political Parties and other organizations drawing attention regarding movement of a large number of devotees from Punjab to Varanasi for participation in Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Jayanti celebrations, which is observed on February 16, 2022, the EC said in a statement.

It was brought to the notice of the Commission that a large number of devotees start moving for Varanasi around a week before the day of celebration and keeping the poll day on February 14, 2022 will deprive a large number of electors from voting. In view of this, they had requested to shift the poll date a few days after February 16, 2022, the EC officials said.

“Commission has also taken inputs from State Government and Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab in this regard and after considering these new facts emerging out of these representations, inputs from the State Government and Chief Electoral Officer, past precedence and all facts and circumstances in the matter, now Commission has decided to reschedule the General Elections to Legislative Assembly of Punjab,” the ECI said in a statement.

Earlier, the ruling Congress party, the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party had requested the Commission to defer the polling on February 14 as it is close to the Sri Guru Ravidas Jayanti on February 16. Submitting a written request by the Congress Party on January 13, it said that over 20 lakh of Schedule Caste voters go to the religious visit to the places related to Sant Ravidas ji. The Party further said that a sizable number of SC voters visit Varanasi from February 10 to 16 every year, therefore, the scheduled date for the poll in Punjab should be postponed till Ravidas Jayanti.

Later the BJP and Aam Aadmi party also made a similar request to the EC, reiterating the same reason stating that many of the voters will either miss their religious trip or skip voting on February 14.

The BJP and its allies including the Punjab Lok Congress led by former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had also requested the Election Commission to defer the February 14 election in Punjab.

In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner on Sunday, Punjab BJP General Secretary Subhash Sharma said, “The state has substantial population of followers of Guru Ravidas ji, including the Scheduled Castes (SC) community which is about 32 per cent of the population of Punjab. On this pious occasion, millions of devotees would visit Banaras in Uttar Pradesh to celebrate the gurparb. So it would not be possible for them to participate in the voting process…”

Punjab Aam Aadmi Party chief Bhagwant Mann tweeted his party’ request to the Election Commission to defer the election by a week.

MHA to provide security cover to more BJP leaders in Punjab

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is to provide central security cover to important BJP leaders in Punjab after reviewing the security situation in the state in view of the forthcoming assembly election, sources in the security set up said.

The sources also said that the security cover of some union ministers and BJP leadership will also be enhanced during the election campaign, though they did not disclose the names of the protectees due to security reasons.

Besides, the Centre will also accord VIP security to the leaders of the RSS, some Hindu religious outfits and the turncoats who have recently joined BJP, the sources added.

The Centre’s move came after the Intelligence agencies’ inputs indicating that the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has activated all its terror wings to derail the poll process in Punjab. The sources in the security set up, quoting the intelligence inputs, said that the ISI sponsored Sikh terror outfits may target the election rallies and may attempt to hit some important leaders or VVIP during the electioneering in Punjab, parts of UP and Uttarkhand.

Considering Punjab election as an apt opportunity to reactivate the Khalistani movement in the state and also in other poll bound states wherein the Sikh voters are in majority, the ISI has activated all small or big terror groups which have been tasked to derail the poll process in the state, they further said.

The ISI has instructed the Sikh militant groups which are active abroad to channelize the supply of weapons and explosives in Punjab and the organizations like International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Zindabad Force to arrange the supply of weapons through Pakistani handlers. Recently, the security cover of Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has been upgraded from Y category to Z during his stay in Delhi and Punjab. He is also BJP’s election in-charge of Punjab.

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India News Politics

‘No need to defer Budget, EC would not like to interfere’

While the Budget is presented on February 1, the election procedure would begin on January 14, the day of issue of notification for the first phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh…reports Asian Lite News

Stating that the Union Budget is for the whole of India and not just the poll-bound states, the Election Commission said on Saturday that there is no need to defer the Budget presentation on February 1.

The Election Commission would not like to interfere in the presentation of the budget, Chief Election Commission Sushil Chandra said after announcing the election dates for five poll-bound states — Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.

“Budget is a yearly exercise, and a statement has to be placed in the House for it. The Election Commission would not like to interfere in the presentation of the budget because that is for the whole country, not limited to these five states only.

“(The Budget is) the allocation of expenditure, and revenue-raising measures. How will the Budget presentation disturb the level playing field,” the CEC asked.

He was responding to a question if the presentation of the Budget would ensure a level playing field for all the stakeholders.

While the Budget is presented on February 1, the election procedure would begin on January 14, the day of issue of notification for the first phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh would go to polls on February 10, 14, 20, 23 and March 3 and 7; Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand would vote on February 14; while Manipur will vote in two phases, on February 27 and March 3.

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COVID-19 India News

Holding polls in pandemic times a test for EC

Voters would be provided hand gloves for signing on the voter register and pressing the EVM button for voting…reports Asian Lite News

The assembly elections for five states from notifications to the counting day are going to be a tough nut to crack for the Election Commission, which, has laid out an elaborate protocol for voters and voting booths and of course, its officials.

The EC announced poll schedule for five states — UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa on Saturday.

Starting with face masks during the election-related activities and maintaining social distancing norms, the Commission has asked all its polling personnel/security personnel/counting staff to be doubly vaccinated before being deployed/engaged in election-related activities.

The polling agent/counting agent etc. would not be allowed to enter the counting hall/polling station without full vaccination and in case of those who are not, an RT-PCR test within 48 hours would be required. All the entry points to such hall/room/ premises used for election purposes would have a provision for thermal scanning of all persons and sanitizer at all entry points.

One nodal health officer shall be designated for the State Level, the District Level, and the Assembly Constituency Level to oversee Covid-related arrangements and preventive measures during the entire electoral process, the EC said.

The other protocols include gloves for officials handling EVM/VVPAT and election material Kit to be prepared and distributed from in a spacious and sufficiently large hall following all safety, sanitation, and social distancing measures. The Kit for the Polling Officer will include PPEs if needed, a mask, sanitizer, face shield and gloves.

Similarly, the EC has issued orders for polling arrangements following the Covid protocol.

The assured minimum facilities at each polling station will have mandatory sanitization of Polling Station, preferably, a day before the poll; thermal scanner at the entry point of every polling station location; thermal checking of voters at the entry point of polling station location/Polling station, either by polling staff or Para Medical staff or Asha worker; markers to demonstrate social distancing for queue; earmarking circle for 15-20 persons of 2 yards (6 feet) distance for voters standing in the queue depending on the availability of space with separate queues for males, females, and PwD/ Senior citizen voters.

While sanitizer should be provided at the entry/exit point of every polling station, EC said, it also suggested keeping face masks in reserves for those electors who are not carrying the masks.

“During the process of identification of voter, the voters will be required to lower the facemask for identification,” the EC guidelines said, adding, at any given time, only one vote shall be allowed to stand in front of each polling official maintaining social distance.

Voters would be provided hand gloves for signing on the voter register and pressing the EVM button for voting.

“Most importantly, Covid patients and all others who may be under quarantine will be allowed to cast their vote at the last hour of the poll day at their respective Polling Stations, under the supervision of health authorities,” the EC said.

“Needless to add that anybody violating instructions on COVID-19 measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC, and other legal provisions as applicable. District Election Officer should bring this to the notice of all concerned,” Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said.

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Why BJP urged EC to hold polling in UP’s Purvanchal first?

The poll tie-up between Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party and the Jayant Chaudhury-led Rashtriya Lok Dal has made things worse…reports Asian Lite News.

The BJP wants the UP Assembly elections to start from Purvanchal, the eastern part of the state. It raised this demand to the Election Commission during a meeting, telling the poll panel not to start the poll schedule from western UP, as per the usual practice.

During the meeting of the EC team that went to Lucknow under the Chief Election Commissioner, the BJP delegation said that for the last several decades, both the Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha polls have been started from the western part of the state and the commission should change this tradition this time.

Several factors are said to be working behind the BJP’s demand. In the 2017 state elections, the BJP secured gains in every part of the state, but this time, the party is little worried due to the farm agitation and the attitude of the Jat community of the western UP. The poll tie-up between Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party and the Jayant Chaudhury-led Rashtriya Lok Dal has made things worse.

The party also feels that with the elections in western UP in the last phase, it will get more time to prepare. Due to the long election campaign in the state, the party will get the opportunity to woo the farmers and the Jat community and hopes to bring them back to the fold.

Another reason could be heavy voting in favour of the party in Purvanchal is bound to have effect on the voters of western UP as well and the BJP feels that in that case the farmers and the Jat community of western UP will get back to the fold.

The 2017, assembly elections were held in 7 phases. In the first phase, polling was held on February 11, 2017 in 73 seats in 15 districts of western Uttar Pradesh, while the last two phases were held in Purvanchal districts.

If the BJP’s appeal is accepted by the Election Commission, then this time the voters of Purvanchal will get the first chance to vote and western UP voters will have to wait till the last phase.

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-Top News COVID-19

EC to discuss Covid situation with top health officials

The Chief Election Commissioner and other officials are scheduled to visit Uttar Pradesh – the largest of the five – to take stock of the poll preparedness in the state on Tuesday…reports Asian Lite News.

The Election Commission will convene a meeting with senior officials of the Union Health Ministry on Monday to discuss the current Covid situation in the five poll-bound states, sources said.

A source said that the Commission will discuss the current Covid situation for poll-bound states and will seek update on new Covid variant Omicron from Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan. The commission is also likely to seek suggestions on improving the Covid protocol for poll campaigning, polling days, and others.

Assembly elections are due in five states – Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Punjab in 2022, and the schedule is likely be announced in the first week of January, said the source.

The Chief Election Commissioner and other officials are scheduled to visit Uttar Pradesh – the largest of the five – to take stock of the poll preparedness in the state on Tuesday.

An Allahabad High Court bench on Thursday had urged the government to consider postponing the Assembly elections in UP for a month or two and banning all political rallies amid rising Covid cases on daily basis.

Meanwhile, India continues to report rise in daily Covid caseload. A total of 6,987 fresh cases were reported in a span of 24 hours across the nation on Sunday. As per the Health Ministry report, with 162 more fatalities reported, the total death toll has climbed to 4,79,682.

The Omicron infection tally has also climbed at 422 across the nation. However, out of total Omicron positive, 130 have been discharged. So far total 17 states have reported the new Covid variant, said the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

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India News Politics

BJP urges EC to deploy 90 companies of central forces

The BJP claimed that the Trinamool, its office-bearers, ministers and other senior functionaries are now preparing to abuse the state’s resources in support of Banerjee…reports Asian Lite News.

The BJP on Wednesday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to deploy a minimum of 90 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for the bypolls to three Assembly constituencies in West Bengal scheduled on September 30.

A BJP delegation submitted a memorandum to the poll panel demanding the deployment of at least 40 companies of CAPF in Bhabanipur from where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting, and at least 25 companies in each of the other two Assembly constituencies in Samserganj and Jangipur.

BJP

BJP national General Secretary Arun Singh, MPs Swapan Dasgupta and Locket Chatterjee, and party leaders Sanjay Mayukh, Om Pathak, Shishir Bajoria and Neeraj signed the memorandum.

“A CAPF deployment of only 15 companies per Assembly constituency has been sent, which is grossly inadequate, especially in Bhabanipur where unelected Chief Minister Banerjee is contesting for survival. The Trinamool Congress has deployed its entire strength of hooligans,” the BJP memorandum said.

The BJP claimed that the Trinamool, its office-bearers, ministers and other senior functionaries are now preparing to abuse the state’s resources in support of Banerjee.

The BJP also alleged that the officials who were shifted out by the Commission, either for completing three years in a post or for being found unfit for conducting free and fair polls, have been brought back in the three Constituencies by the Trinamool, demanding that they should be immediately transferred out of the Kolkata district.

“Hoardings, posters and banners with photos of Chief Minister Banerjee should immediately be removed from all government and municipal sites from the KMC area,” the BJP demanded.

Citing Covid, the BJP urged the ECI that the presence of the agents of the candidates inside the polling booths should be restricted only to the national parties, while all other polling agents should be seated outside the booths.

“Firhad Hakim, a state minister and administrator of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), who is a close confidante and an undeclared election agent of Banerjee, should be debarred from participating in the poll process in any form and be relieved from his charge of KMC until the conclusion of the elections in Bhabanipur, an area falling within the limits of KMC,” the BJP further demanded.

EC sends notice to BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal

The Election Commission has issued a show-cause notice to the BJP candidate for Bhabanipur bypolls, Priyanka Tibrewal, for alleged violation of Covid protocols by gathering a large number of supporters while filing her nomination paper.

On Tuesday, the BJP had objected to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nomination for the same bypolls, on the ground that she suppressed information in her affidavit.

The Trinamool Congress in its complaint alleged that Tibrewal violated the Model Code of Conduct and the Covid-related guidelines by gathering “an unruly mob” of not less than 500 without any prior permission.

She even performed a ‘Dhunuchi Nach’ (traditional Bengali dance, generally performed during Durga Puja) at places on the way to file her nomination, the Trinamool claimed.

The notice issued by the returning officer also referred to a report submitted by the officer-in-charge of the Bhabanipur police station where he mentioned traffic congestion following a big assembly of BJP supporters on Sambhunath Pandit Street and other places.

Tibrewal, however, denied the allegation and said, “The Election Commission has sent me a letter after the Trinamool filed a complaint alleging that I had taken a huge number of people when I had gone to file my nomination and thus violated the Model Code of Conduct as well as the Covid-19 protocols. I will reply with whatever will be my answer,” she said.

“I would also like to say that Suvendu Adhikari was alone in my vehicle. There was no one else. Arjun Singh and Dinesh Trivedi came in their own vehicle. So how did I violate the poll code? There was no flag in my vehicle either,” Tibrewal added.

On the allegation of carrying supporters along with her, the BJP leader said, “I had not led any crowd. It’s not my duty to see who was on the roads on bikes and four-wheelers. It’s the job of the police and the local administration,” she added.

Tibrewal is up against Banerjee and CPI(M)’s Srijib Biswas in the bypoll scheduled to be held on September 30. The votes will be counted on October 3.

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-Top News EU News

IATA slams EC slots decision

“Once again, the Commission has shown they are out of touch with reality. The airline industry is still facing the worst crisis in its history,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General…reports Asian Lite News.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has branded the European Commission’s (EC’s) decision to set winter slot use threshold at 50 per cent as ‘out of touch with reality’ and argued that the EC had ignored advice and evidence presented by EU member states and airline industry.

The EC’s announcement means that from November to April, airlines operating at slot-regulated airports must use at least half of every single series of slots they hold. There is no alleviation to hand back slots at the start of the season allowing airlines to match their schedule to realistic demand or enable other carriers to operate.

Additionally, the rule on ‘force majeure’ by which the slot rule is suspended if exceptional circumstances related to the Covid-19 pandemic are in effect has been switched off for intra-EU operations.

IATA said the result of these changes will be to restrict the ability of airlines to operate with agility needed to respond to unpredictable and rapidly changing demand, leading to environmentally wasteful and unnecessary flights. It will also further weaken the financial stability of the industry and hinder the recovery of the global air transport network.

“Once again, the Commission has shown they are out of touch with reality. The airline industry is still facing the worst crisis in its history,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

“The EC had an open goal to use the slots regulation to promote a sustainable recovery for airlines, but they missed. Instead, they have shown contempt for the industry, and for the many member states that repeatedly urged a more flexible solution, by stubbornly pursuing a policy that is contrary to all the evidence presented to them,” he said.

The Commission’s argument is that the intra-EU traffic recovery this summer justified a 50 per cent use threshold with no alleviation. This flies in the face of significant evidence of the uncertain outlook for traffic demand this winter, provided by key EU member states as well as IATA and its members. (ANI)

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COVID-19 EU News

EC approves Portuguese recovery plan

“The planned reforms and investments will make Portugal come out of this crisis stronger and more resilient,” she said…reports Asian Lite News.

The President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, announced the approval of the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), which intends to “profoundly transform the economy” of the country.

“Today I am very happy to announce that the EC has decided to give the ‘green light’ to the Portuguese recovery plan, after excellent cooperation with the Portuguese authorities,” said von der Leyen after her meeting with Prime Minister Antonio Costa here on Wednesday.

The Portuguese recovery plan was the first to be approved among the 27 member states of the European Union (EU), foreseeing projects worth 16 billion euros ($19 billion), reports Xinhua news agency.

“The planned reforms and investments will make Portugal come out of this crisis stronger and more resilient,” she said.

Von Der Leyen added that the Portuguese plan “clearly met the demanding criteria” established by the European Commission.

She said that the Portuguese PRR is not only “ambitious,” presenting “a vision of the future”, but also “will help to create a better future for Portugal, for the Portuguese and the EU”.

According to her, the objective of the European executive is to send “the first funds in July” this year.

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-Top News Environment EU News

EC vows to develop sustainable maritime economy


The Green Deal is the EU’s lead program to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050, reports Xinhua news agency…reports Asian Lite News.

The European Commission has pledged to develop a sustainable maritime economy in a bid to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

“We add the blue dimension to the European Green Deal,” said European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius, who is in charge of Environment, Oceans and Fisheries at the Commission, said on Monday.

The Green Deal is the EU’s lead program to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050, reports Xinhua news agency.

By blue economy, the Commission refers to all sectors working with or in close proximity to seas and oceans, including fisheries, aquaculture, coastal tourism, maritime transport, port activities and shipbuilding.

It provides employment to 4.5 million people in the EU, with a turnover of more than 650 billion euros ($789 billion).

“Pollution, overfishing and habitat destruction, coupled with the effects of the climate crisis, all threaten the rich marine biodiversity that the blue economy depends on,” said Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-president of the European Commission for the Green Deal.

Carbon emission(Pixabay)


The goals are to reach climate neutrality, to switch to a circular economy, to preserve biodiversity, to ensure sustainable food production and to improve the management of maritime space, according to a press release from the EU Commission.

The transition to sustainability for the blue economy will be funded by relevant EU funds and private capital will also be mobilized, according to Sinkevicius.

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