The Election Commission (EC) has suspended a Block Development Officer (BDO) in West Bengal's Nadia district and initiated departmental proceedings against him following violence at a poll training venue where a teacher was allegedly assaulted for objecting to a government advertisement.
Kerala Police have registered a case against social media platform X and one of its handles for circulating an AI-generated video allegedly depicting the Prime Minister and the Election Commission of India in a misleading and defamatory manner.
Political parties in West Bengal react to the Election Commission's reshuffle of senior administrative and police officials ahead of upcoming elections, with TMC criticising the move and BJP and CPI(M) welcoming it.
The Election Commission has requested a detailed report from Kolkata Police regarding the alleged attack on Trinamool Congress leader Shashi Panja's residence before a rally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The initial police report was deemed incomplete, prompting the EC to seek further clarity on the incident, police response, and utilisation of central forces.
'The current Election Commission functions more like a government department than an autonomous body.'
Senior police officials in West Bengal are visiting police stations to ensure free and fair polling for the upcoming Assembly elections, focusing on maintaining law and order and preventing electoral malpractice.
'To attribute motives to the individual election commissioner or the Election Commission as a group is very unfair.'
The Election Commission is considering holding the West Bengal assembly elections in two phases to mitigate potential poll-related violence, according to a senior official.
'They refuse to be transparent. They refuse to be accountable.'
The announced election schedule for five assemblies reveals fewer phases, a condensed voting period, longer gaps between polling days, and a delayed counting process compared to previous elections.
'One of the principles of the MCC that you should not make hate speeches and create hatred between communities on the basis of religion was violated on a scale that was never seen before.' 'Religious symbols were very liberally used and speeches were made to polarise people on the basis of religion.'
A political controversy has erupted in Kerala ahead of the Assembly elections, with the Congress party accusing BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar of concealing details of a high-value property in his election affidavit. Chandrasekhar has denied the allegations, challenging the Congress to prove their claims in court.
The Supreme Court on Monday granted protection from arrest to psephologist Sanjay Kumar in connection with two FIRs lodged by the Election Commission of India accusing him of spreading misinformation over Maharashtra's electoral rolls through posts on social media.
The BJP has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of using 'victim card' politics to gain sympathy during the assembly elections, dismissing claims of threats to her life as a political strategy.
A complaint has been filed against Rajya Sabha member Anurag Sharma, alleging concealment of property details and violation of election rules during the nomination process.
West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya refutes Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's claims of the BJP bringing in outsiders to cause trouble, accusing her of desperation ahead of the assembly elections and highlighting alleged failures of the TMC government.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the BJP of attempting to alter West Bengal's demography by importing voters from other states ahead of the 2026 assembly elections, alleging a conspiracy to undermine the democratic rights of local residents.
The Election Commission's move to transfer West Bengal's chief secretary and DGP soon after the announcement of Assembly poll dates triggered a political slugfest.
Last time, assembly polls in West Bengal were held in eight phases -- by far the maximum. In Assam, elections were held in two phases, and in a singular phase in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
Kerala Police have initiated a crackdown on misleading election-related news circulating on social media platforms, following a controversy over an Election Commission letter bearing the BJP Kerala unit's seal.
Authorities in Tamil Nadu have seized 2.37 crore in cash, along with precious metals, liquor, and freebies worth crores, as part of election expenditure monitoring ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
Kerala Police have registered a case against X and one of its handles for circulating an AI-generated video allegedly depicting the Prime Minister and the Election Commission of India in a misleading and defamatory manner.
Nepalese citizens are voting in the general election, the first since protests toppled the previous government. Over 18.9 million are eligible to vote for the 275-member House of Representatives.
A Ganesh Nadar's close encounters with the Election Commission.
'They have been found wanting in taking stern measures to stop this because the Constitution has given them this authority and the power to ensure a free and fair election in the country.'
The Election Commission suspended three central armed police force personnel after a video surfaced showing them playing carrom inside a Trinamool Congress office in West Bengal. A departmental inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has accused the BJP of attempting to manipulate the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections by submitting a large number of Form 6 applications to illegally register voters from outside the state.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of attempting to illegally include voters from outside the state in West Bengal's electoral rolls, alleging a coordinated effort to interfere with democratic rights.
This election will be remembered for being the first election where the Election Commission failed to take action on gross violations involving the ruling party that repeatedly used religion, communal slurs, lies and undocumented allegations, observes Ramesh Menon.
In a significant move before the West Bengal assembly elections, the Election Commission has ordered a major reshuffle of the state's police force, transferring 19 senior officers to ensure fair and secure elections.
The Election Commission has intensified preparations for the West Bengal Assembly elections by reshuffling senior officers and deploying IAS and IPS officers in key poll management roles.
The Congress party has accused the Modi government of abusing its power and distorting the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the upcoming assembly elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry. The party alleges that the MCC has become 'Modi's Code of Campaigning' filled with defamation and lies.
The Election Commission is yet to disclose the number of voters whose names have been included or deleted following the SIR adjudication process in poll-bound West Bengal.
Kerala Police have registered a case against X and one of its handles for circulating an AI-generated video allegedly depicting the Prime Minister and the Election Commission of India in a misleading and defamatory manner.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has nullified the election of a Congress MLA due to the deliberate suppression of information regarding criminal charges, declaring the runner-up BJP candidate as the elected representative.
Petitions have been filed in the Patna High Court challenging the election of 45 members of the Bihar legislative assembly, including Speaker Prem Kumar.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in March seeking action against political parties that promise or distribute 'irrational freebies' before elections. The PIL argues that such practices unduly influence voters and undermine the fairness of the electoral process.
Bangladesh is set to hold parliamentary elections with unprecedented security measures in place, following a period of interim governance and political changes.
Senior Congress leader V D Satheesan has declared assets worth around 3 crore, including movable and immovable properties, in his affidavit filed before the Election Commission for contesting the polls from North Paravoor. Kerala Congress (M) chairman Jose K Mani has also declared his assets.
The Election Commission has warned against any lapses in maintaining law and order ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, questioning the absence of a Narcotics Advisory Committee in the state and directing strict monitoring of financial transactions.
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