Voters in Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry are voting in crucial assembly elections.
Voting has commenced for the Assembly elections in Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, with millions of voters deciding the fate of numerous candidates across various constituencies. The elections are crucial for determining the future governance and political landscape of these regions.
The counting of votes for all 824 seats across four states and one Union Territory will be held on May 4.
The Election Commission reports a significant increase in seizures of inducements during recent assembly elections, with Tamil Nadu leading in cash seizures and West Bengal in liquor and drugs.
The Election Commission of India is considering launching the final phase of its special intensive revision of voters' lists in the remaining states and Union territories after the assembly elections conclude.
The Election Commission is preparing to launch the third phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' lists, potentially covering 22 states and Union Territories with approximately 40 crore electors.
AICC leader Pawan Khera has accused the CPI(M) and BJP of having a tacit understanding in the Kerala Assembly elections, alleging that both parties are deliberately fielding weak candidates to help each other. Khera expressed confidence in the Congress-led UDF's victory due to strong anti-incumbency sentiment.
Recent assembly elections across several states in India saw exceptionally high voter participation, with women voters outnumbering men in turnout percentages, according to Election Commission data.
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.
Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
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 Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at multiple locations in West Bengal as part of an investigation into the operations of an alleged illegal call centre.
The Indian government and opposition parties are set for a showdown in Parliament over a Constitution amendment bill concerning the implementation of the women's quota law and the delimitation exercise. The Opposition is concerned about the potential impact of delimitation on the political representation of southern states.
'98 lakhs in Bengal, 97 lakhs in Tamil Nadu, 2.83 crores in Uttar Pradesh.'
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticised the government's decision to link women's reservation with the expansion of Parliament, calling delimitation a 'political demonetisation'. He argued that women's reservation should be implemented immediately based on existing parliamentary strength.
Odisha and Uttar Pradesh are among the first to roll out the digital exercise.
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.
West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on Thursday saw a massive voter participation during the ongoing assembly elections, with turnout reaching 89.93 per cent and 82.24 per cent respectively by 5 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video conference with chief ministers of most states to assess their preparedness and strategies in response to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the Election Commission's voters' list cleanup exercise, will commence in nine states and three Union territories from Tuesday.
The Election Commission on Thursday extended the timeline for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in six states and Union territories following requests from the chief electoral officers.
The Election Commission removed 6.5 crore electors from the draft electoral rolls of nine states and three Union territories as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The removals are due to voters being absent, shifted, deceased, or duplicates.
A National Crime Records Bureau report indicates a slight increase in suicides in India during 2023, with family problems and illness cited as major contributing factors. Maharashtra reported the highest number of suicides, followed by Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.
The Election Commission will conduct phase two of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in 12 states and Union territories between November and February, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced on Monday.
Among major engagements in 2026 is the visit of the European Union leadership, chief guests at the Republic Day parade.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announces the debate and vote on the no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will occur on March 9. The Budget Session's second part will also address important legislation and critical bills.
The Supreme Court has directed states to consider deploying additional staff to ease the workload on booth level officers (BLOs) engaged in the special revision of electoral rolls, following concerns about extreme work pressure and related issues.
Two dedicated freight corridors -- Eastern and Western -- are in operation covering several states and districts.
The Winter session of Parliament will be held from December 1 to 19, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Saturday, in what the opposition has described as an 'unusually delayed' and truncated session.
Opposition parties are questioning the Election Commission's intentions behind the second phase of special intensive revision of electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories. The BJP has slammed the Congress and called the opposition a 'herd of dissatisfied souls'.
The Election Commission has extended the schedule for the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in several states and Union Territories following concerns raised by opposition parties.
The Supreme Court has requested the Election Commission to respond to petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The court has also asked the Madras and Calcutta High Courts to keep proceedings on similar petitions in abeyance.
Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal will to polls in 2026 and they are amongst the states where the voters' list cleanup exercise will begin first.
An average of nearly 78 per cent voters exercised their franchise to elect new assemblies in the key southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and the Union territory of Puducherry on Wednesday.
Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' list commenced in nine states and three Union territories on Tuesday, amid objections from several parties with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee leading the anti-SIR offensive in West Bengal with a rally in Kolkata and alleging 'silent, invisible rigging' through the exercise.
The Election Commission is expected to initiate a phased, pan-India special intensive revision (SIR) of the voters' list, prioritizing states with upcoming assembly elections. This cleanup exercise aims to weed out illegal foreign migrants and ensure accurate electoral rolls.
The Election Commission is ramping up preparations for a special intensive revision of voter lists across India, assessing the progress made on mapping current electors with voters as per the last SIR in different states.
A new report highlights the financial dependence, health challenges, and social isolation faced by India's elderly population, calling for greater support and inclusion.
Will acting LG Soundararajan invite N Rangaswamy to form a government or recommend President's rule, so close to the assembly election, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
This is the third meeting of CEOs after Gyanesh Kumar took over as the chief election commissioner in February. However, Wednesday's day-long meeting assumes significance as the preparedness of a pan-India SIR are being discussed, officials said.
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