President Pranab Mukherjee made the appointment filling a vacancy caused by the elevation of V S Sampath as Chief Election Commissioner after S Y Quraishi demitted office.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to produce before it the file related to the appointment of Election Commissioner Arun Goel, who was appointed on November 19.
He will take over from chief election commissioner-designate T S Krishnamurthy on February 8.
The Supreme Court has emphasised the need for timely investigations and conclusions of criminal cases involving illicit money in elections. Observing that black money compromises democracy and the rule of law, the court issued several directives, including reporting seizures to competent authorities within 24 hours, completing investigations within a year, and submitting quarterly status reports to the Election Commission. The ruling also mandates High Courts to designate special courts for expeditious disposal of cases against candidates and requires High Court approval for withdrawing cases.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has accused armed BJP men of vandalising the party's Camac Street office in Kolkata, damaging property and stealing items. The BJP has denied the allegations, calling them staged. The incident further intensifies the political confrontation between the two parties in West Bengal, following a recent dispute over a billboard at the same premises.
A rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, has formally staked claim to the party's name and symbol before the Election Commission, alleging widespread support and opposing the current leadership's "dynastic politics." The main TMC leadership has strongly criticised the Election Commission for granting an audience to expelled members, accusing the BJP of influencing the poll body.
When contacted, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra said Suri's name was never removed from the electoral roll as his name is part of the draft electoral roll published on August 13.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said the inclusion of the Chief Justice of India in the consultative process for the appointment of chief election commissioner would ensure independence of the poll panel.
Opposition parties have submitted a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns over the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
Achal Kumar Joti will take over as the head of the Election Commission on July 6.
"We have submitted a petition to the CEC as per the directions of the Supreme Court seeking removal of Navin Chawla, as he has been favouring a particular party in his decisions," Arun Jaitley said.
HDFC Bank's board has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1 lakh each on its Managing Director and CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan, CFO Srinivasan Vaidyanathan, and Group Head (Retail Assets) Arvind Vohra for divergence from RBI directions in the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) case.
It is because dealing with a regulatory system that is largely headed by retired IAS officers then becomes relatively easy, points out A K Bhattacharya.
Who is running the show in Dhaka? This kind of flip-flop, culminating in a last-minute decision to skip a maiden visit, can happen only when the remote is in the hands of one of the competing lobbies within the BNP -- one that appears determined to play a game of chess with India.
Underlining the importance of having a chief election commissioner who is "independent and a man of character", the Supreme Court on Wednesday wondered will it not be a case of "complete breakdown of system" if the CEC does not act against the prime minister in case there are allegations against him.
Former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi stated, "We thought we'll go to the fountainhead of this hate discourse. This whole hate narrative according to us was being spread by the RSS," explaining the delegation's decision to meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in 2022.
Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan rejected the opposition's motion to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing a lack of evidence of misbehaviour and the fact that some charges are under judicial review.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has recused himself from hearing petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the 2023 law regarding the appointment of election commissioners, citing a potential conflict of interest.
He will assume charge with effect from April 19, after the incumbent Hari Shankar Brahma demits office
62-year-old Sampath will take over as CEC after incumbent S Y Quraishi demits office on June 10.
The Punjab State Election Commissioner has announced that elections for 105 municipal bodies, including eight municipal corporations, will be held on May 26, with vote counting on May 29. The Model Code of Conduct is now in effect, and over 35,000 police personnel will be deployed to ensure safety.
The extent of doubts over the fairness of this election can be assessed by juxtaposing two figures: Total votes polled by the two principal parties and the number of people who were disallowed from voting this time, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Friday denied ever having exerted pressure on State Election Commissioner Nand Lal over the delimitation exercise in his constituency and accused him of lying. "The allegation by Nand Lal, that there was pressure from me for dereserving Latur constituency in the delimitation exercise, is baseless," Deshmukh said.Deshmukh's remarks came after Nand Lal, who spent a night Jail, accused the CM of political vedetta.
His tenure will end in December this year.
A senior IAS officer, Mohammed had served as chief electoral officer of Uttar Pradesh for nearly eight-and-a-half years.
A Trinamool Congress delegation reported a contentious meeting with the Election Commission, alleging the chief election commissioner dismissed them abruptly, while the EC has accused the TMC of disruptive behaviour.
The TMC has intensified its attack on the BJP, alleging a 'larger conspiracy' involving central agencies ahead of the second phase of West Bengal polls on April 29, while also questioning the credibility of the Election Commission.
The CPI-M and Congress in Kerala have raised concerns over the delay in the release of detailed polling data from the recent assembly elections.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh once told then Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi in 2012, "I will commit suicide," expressing his deep anguish over ministers' "loose talk" criticising the Election Commission's functioning, a revelation made in Quraishi's upcoming book.
In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court on Friday held that a person employed with the government cannot work as state election commissioners (SECs) and came down on the Goa government for giving its law secretary the additional charge of the SEC.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar declined to comment on the opposition's notice to move a motion in Parliament for his removal, amidst accusations of partisan behaviour.
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.
The Kolkata Police has appointed four senior IPS officers as nodal officers to oversee specific responsibilities related to the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, ensuring smooth and fair conduct.
India's position appears to be anchored around three red lines: Hasina's safety and the guarantee of a fair trial; assurances that Bangladeshi territory will not be used for activities hostile to India; and the restoration of an inclusive democratic process in Bangladesh.
'They probably imagine any hue and cry in the event Sheikh Hasina is hanged will be shortlived as it happened when Bhutto was hanged in Pakistan in 1979.'
'Some people may not like what I am saying, but shortcomings have to be pointed out. These deficiencies should be rectified within the next three months.' 'This is Gorakhpur, where our CM himself resides. If such shortcomings exist here, then what will happen?'
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker reject opposition notices to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing insufficient grounds.
Bangladesh is set to hold parliamentary elections with unprecedented security measures in place, following a period of interim governance and political changes.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has unanimously approved its revised Constitution, aligning with the National Sports Governance Act (NSGA), 2025. This significant overhaul, decided at a virtual Special General Body Meeting, introduces a new election panel, mandates national anthems before matches, modifies foreign player rules in ISL, and updates the disciplinary code, aiming to enhance governance, transparency, and player development in Indian football.
'After announcing that she will return to Bangladesh, if she does not, her credibility will suffer.'
