Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar faced protests during his visit to Kolkata ahead of the assembly elections. Demonstrations included 'go back' slogans and black flags, prompting police intervention. Kumar is in Kolkata to review election preparedness with political parties and officials.
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker reject opposition notices to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing insufficient grounds.
Opposition MPs in India have moved notices in Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of bias, misconduct, and acting under the influence of the executive.
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.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance appeared to register a landslide victory in Bihar, opening up impressive leads in more than 180 of the state's 243 assembly seats, with early trends also indicating that the saffron party was on track to post its biggest tally.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar arrived in Bihar to review preparations for the upcoming assembly elections. The visit includes meetings with political parties, police, administrative officials, and state leaders to ensure smooth conduct of the polls. The visit follows the publication of the final electoral roll after a Special Intensive Revision, which has sparked controversy among political parties.
Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988-batch Kerala Cadre IAS officer, has been appointed as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. Kumar, who was previously an Election Commissioner, will serve until January 26, 2029. His appointment comes amidst controversy as the Congress party demanded the government defer its decision until the Supreme Court concludes its hearing on a petition challenging the composition of the selection panel. Kumar's tenure will see him oversee several state assembly elections, including Bihar, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of protecting individuals involved in voter deletion and election rigging, citing data from Karnataka and Maharashtra.
In her third letter to Kumar since the SIR began, Banerjee accused the Election Commission of political bias, insensitivity, and high-handedness during the exercise.
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.
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.
Opposition parties in India are preparing to move a motion seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging degradation of the office. The move requires significant support from both houses of Parliament and follows concerns raised by opposition leaders.
Demands for repolling are generally made by political parties, candidates, polling agents, or even observers, citing specific irregularities such as EVM malfunction, booth capturing, intimidation, or violation of the secrecy of voting.
Opposition parties in India have submitted notices seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns over his appointment, conduct, and alleged manipulation of electoral processes.
The opposition is likely to submit a notice in both Houses of Parliament to remove Gyanesh Kumar as the chief election commissioner, marking a historic first. This article details the legal procedure for removing a CEC, including the roles of Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the investigation process.
Congress leader K C Venugopal indicated the opposition is seriously considering the proposal, while Rahul Gandhi declined to comment.
Opposition MPs have submitted notices in both Houses of Parliament seeking a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging partisan conduct and obstruction of electoral fraud investigations.
The Congress party has criticized the BJP's appointment of Nitin Nabin as its new president, questioning the election process and mocking the role of the Election Commissioner.
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.
Over 130 Lok Sabha and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs have signed notices seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging partisan conduct and obstruction of electoral fraud investigations.
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.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee challenges Amit Shah to resign, questioning his commitment to clean politics, citing Shah's past arrest and criticising the BJP's actions against allegedly corrupt leaders.
West Bengal recorded its highest-ever voter turnout in the 2026 assembly polls since Independence, with a cumulative 92.47 per cent polling in two phases, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.
The Election Commission of India has prohibited the conduct and dissemination of exit polls from April 9 to April 29 during the upcoming assembly elections in several states. Violators face imprisonment or fines.
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.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections saw a record voter turnout of 91.78 per cent, the highest since Independence, according to the Chief Election Commissioner. Polling took place in 16 districts with women voters outnumbering men. The Election Commission attributed the high turnout to voter-friendly measures.
Top leaders of opposition parties including Congress' Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC's Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal and Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, besides Left leaders and those from smaller parties, are likely to attend the meeting at the Constitution Club in the national capital.
The TMC has challenged the BJP to win the Falta assembly seat in West Bengal, where a re-election has been ordered due to electoral offences. The TMC has dared the BJP to deploy its full resources, including top leaders and central forces, while expressing confidence in the electorate's support.
The Election Commission of India has issued directives to political parties and candidates in Kerala, restricting the publication of print advertisements on the eve and day of the Assembly elections without prior certification.
The Election Commission has ordered a repoll in all 285 polling booths of the Falta assembly constituency in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on May 21, following reports of severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during the second phase of the assembly elections.
Mamata Banerjee, the outgoing Chief Minister of West Bengal, has refused to step down after her party's defeat in the assembly elections, alleging a conspiracy and irregularities in the counting process. She also accused the Election Commission of working in favour of the BJP and announced a fact-finding committee to investigate post-poll violence.
The Election Commission will examine a complaint filed by opposition parties alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation violated the Model Code of Conduct for elections.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh has alleged that the BJP's "real and ultimate target" in seeking a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha is to amend the Constitution to end reservation, rather than genuinely implement women's reservation.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee addressed a rally in Murshidabad, accusing political rivals of working for the BJP and promising to restore voting rights to disenfranchised citizens if his party returns to power.
'Why are we deliberately taking apart an electoral system that has worked?' 'There is no answer to that, and there is no data and has never been any on the absurd slander that foreigners are voting here,' asserts Aakar Patel.
Tension flared outside the Chief Electoral Officer's office in Kolkata following a confrontation between Trinamool Congress supporters and police over alleged voter list manipulation, with accusations of illegal voter enrolment from other states.
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.
Mamata Banerjee is in Delhi to meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal.
The counting of votes for all 824 seats across four states and one Union Territory will be held on May 4.
Newly elected Vice President C P Radhakrishnan met the Opposition's Vice-Presidential candidate retired Supreme Court Justice B Sudershan Reddy in New Delhi.
