Failing to get Election Commission's nod for campaigning and undertaking preparatory activities for launch of the scheme on April 1, the government on Thursday announced its decision to defer extension of the scheme to other citizens. The Centre has already implemented the new pension system for its employees who joined on or after January 1, 2004.
Sources said there is a strong view in the EC that it should not restrain the release of the biopic on the prime minister and should leave it to the Central Board of Film Certification to take a call on the issue.
AAP demanded that BJP leaders Parvesh Verma and Manoj Tiwari be barred from campaigning for their remarks against the Delhi CM. The EC later issued a notice to Verma for calling Kejriwal a 'terrorist'.
The Election Commission on Wednesday expressed "strong displeasure" over Shiv Sena Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut's remarks that Muslims should be stripped of voting rights and advised him to be more circumspect in future in his public utterance.
Delhi police has accused Aam Aadmi Party protesters of indulging in "riotous acts and using criminal force" during the violent protests outside the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in Delhi on Wednesday.
Expressing "serious concern" over repeated violation of the Model Code of Conduct by Union minister Beni Prasad Verma, the Election Commission on Thursday censured him for making "highly insulting" remarks against Narendra Modi while addressing an election rally in Kanpur.
With the political class coming under severe attack for undue interference in the functioning of the bureaucracy, the United Progressive Alliance government has decided to amend the Model Code of Conduct for ministers to include a reference to the need for upholding the impartiality of the civil service.
In a relief to Murli Deora, the Election Commission on Tuesday gave him a clean chit, saying the Petroleum Minister did not violate the Model Code of Conduct when he referred to taking a decision on the fuel prices after assembly polls in six states.EC sources said that the Commission looked into the video clippings and found no substance in the complaint made against Deora.Deora came under attack last week for his remarks on fuel prices after the conclusion of assembly polls
In a six-page reply to the Election Commission's notice, Deora said he had not made any suo moto statement on price reduction and made those reported comments on being quizzed by the media on sidelines of a hydrocarbons conference in New Delhi. The commission on Wednesday sent a communication to Deora and the ministry's Secretary R S Pandey seeking their comments on complaints by BJP that the minister violated model code of conducts.
In the 2017 assembly election, the voter turnout in the first phase covering the same 89 constituencies stood at 66.75 per cent.
The Telugu Desam Party chief picked up an argument with the police officials and demanded to know why he was being prevented from going to Tirupati and Chittoor.
The decision has been taken following complaints about large-scale violations of various provisions of the model code of conduct by many political parties and candidates, EC sources said.
'There is arson, loot, rape of women, traumatising children, destruction of property, homes, shops and offices by workers and elements of the ruling dispensation.' 'What is most painful is while all this was taking place there was stunning silence by the chief minister.' 'Not one tangible step was taken.'
A voter turnout of 72.14 per cent was recorded in Assam till 5 pm on Saturday in the first phase of assembly elections in the state, the Election Commission said.
The Election Commission has expressed "displeasure" over 'hate speech' made by an Assam Cabinet minister and inflammatory statement made by a sitting MP while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today contended that he had not violated the model code of conduct by giving "reward" to people during Holi, saying it was part of the festivities in Uttar Pradesh.
Home minister P Chidambaram, who briefed reporters on the Cabinet decisions, said in his opinion there was no bar on the government from announcing a price cut even after polls are announced. State-owned fuel retailers Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum are selling petrol at almost break-even point while they make Rs 3.26 a litre profit on diesel sales.
Lalu had visited the EC in Delhi to request for a change in poll dates in Bihar.
A two-member team set up by EC to probe the appointments following complaints by Bharatiya Janata Party said in its report that the appointments to various posts came much after the model code of conduct came into effect.
While a new formula for pricing of all domestically produced natural gas was notified on January 10 and published in Gazettee on January 17, the Election Commission last month asked the government to defer its implementation till general elections are completed.
The Election Commission has drawn up a tentative plan to announce the elections on March 10, the date from which the model code of conduct for political parties and the government comes into force. The Election Commission's plan is to complete the elections and constitute the new Lok Sabha latest by June 4. The last round of polling will be over by the end of May.
Kumaraswamy was asked to reply to the notice by November 30.
He also asked the Election Commission to take action against Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her 'merchant of death' remarks against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Meerut Police's action came a day after the MP indirectly blamed Muslims for the population growth in the country.
K J Rao also held a high-level meeting with the district officials on measures taken to check model code violations
Official sources said though there was no problem with the proposal, it was felt that since the election process was on such a major measure would violate the model code of conduct.
Biennial elections to the legislative councils in Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh from 42 local authorities' constituencies will be held on December 10, the Election Commission announced on Tuesday.
The announcement of assembly elections has deprived the Congress-led United Democratic Front the political mileage that it was zeroing in on the development programmes.
He will meet political leaders and administration officials. Election Commissioner B B Tandon and N Gopalaswami are with him.
The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday attacked the Election Commission for not taking action against "erring" media houses for showing Narendra Modi's video speech on the polling day, which is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct and termed it as an "ostrich approach".
The states have outstanding liabilities of a whopping Rs 59,89,360 crore as on March 31, 2021, and the new sources of risk have emerged in the form of rising expenditure on non-merit freebies, the Supreme Court was told on Thursday by a PIL petitioner opposing irrational handouts.
The two were transferred for meeting Lalu Yadav.
Counting in all these states will be on February 27.
The Madras high court on Wednesday declined to grant a total stay against the 10.5 per cent Vanniyar quota but held that admission in higher educational institutions and appointment in government services will be subject to the outcome of the batch of petitions challenging the same.
'Approaching the SC, getting a favourable decision and overturning the situation (the speaker's order), will be too much to ask for in too short time.'
The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and railway minister reportedly distributed money to people in Patna on Sunday.
The channel was mired in controversy ever since it went on air.
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