Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi also warned that if parties try to sidestep proposed changes in election and income tax laws by taking advantage of any loophole, they will be dealt with accordingly.
At the same time, offences attracting disqualification should have punishment more than five years, instead of existing two years.
The dilemma is that if farming is to be efficient, farmers will be worse off -- and if farmers are to be better off farming will be worse off, reveals T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
The prime minister says he will bring real change to Bengal. Perhaps he will. The interesting thing is that his party has never defined what this change is, observes Aakar Patel.
'I won't be surprised if a third alternative to Badal and the Congress is swept to power in Punjab in 2022.'
A 14-member council of ministers was sworn in Patna by Governor Phagu Chauhan on Monday and the BJP bagged seven berths.
Besides the SAD, the SP, the AIADMK and the TRS supported the idea; while the AAP, the TDP, the JD-S, the AIFB, the DMK, the TMC, the GFP and Left parties opposed it.
Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Ajay Shirke responded to the letters sent by Justice Lodha Committee, stating that the BCCI cannot stop state associations from holding their elections.
Why not triple talaq line to Sabarimala, Yechury asks Centre
The GST's significance for the BJP's politics is as important as its implications for the Indian economy, says A K Bhattacharya.
Simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies can help reduce difficulties in terms of expenditure and management, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Wednesday and asked the Election Commission to take the initiative in bringing political parties on one platform to discuss the issue.
Biden is best qualified to address the root cause of the polarisation in American politics before it turns into terminal malignancy, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'Legally, anything can be promised in the manifestos. However, the SC has said the promises should not be unreasonable'
In four years, the state has had to battle cyclones, two floods, and two epidemiological disasters. If people bring Pinarayi Vijayan back to power, he must have done something right, obsevers Aditi Phadnis.
After the Supreme Court's intervention which instantly disqualified those convicted of serious offences, the Election Commission now wants debarring of a candidate from elections on framing of charges in cases of heinous offences.
'She has never advocated people taking to the streets and calling for a revolution.' 'I don't know if that will change now.'
Jai Bhim is a story of hope and despair, observes Utkarsh Mishra.
The challenge for politicians is that the continuous electoral cycle favours short-termism and the loan waiver type of policy, whereas prosperity requires hard decisions where commonly held perceptions must be disrupted and over-turned, says Dhiraj Nayyar.
It's time Rahul Gandhi became attuned to the reality of the 21st century instead of recycling failed political jargon of the 20th century,' argues Virendra Kapoor.
'Modi personally provides the higher direction of the ministry and the minister then works with bureaucrats on implementation,' points out Aakar Patel.
'We're going to campaign across the country to convince more candidates to endorse some/all of these issues -- and hold them to their promises if and when they are elected.'
Winning an election may be a breeze for the BJP but the aftermath of victory isn't always painless.
"The era of 'lalten' is gone. In the last six years consumption of electricity has increased 3 fold in Bihar," PM Modi said. "Voters of Bihar have taken a resolve that they won't let those who have a history of making the state 'Bimaru' come near them," he added.
The survey also found that employment opportunities, transport and women empowerment are key issues in the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls.
That's why he is now finally focusing on the two things that alone can help: Fiscal expansion -- from December onwards -- and supply management via amended laws and rules that affect business, notes T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan
Sanjeev Nayyar offers a roster of things to do to see the India of our dreams.
'Votes-for-notes no longer only means cash and goodies for fence-sitting voters,' points out Sunil Sethi.
India's majoritarian regime is now making a dangerously fast-paced move towards theocracy, like its western counterpart did a few decades ago, warns Mohammad Sajjad.
Tikait has been at loggerheads with various governments on a range of farmers' issues, including loan waivers, minimum support price, power tariff and land acquisition in states such as UP, Haryana Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh.
Overt displays of physical machismo is the stamp of the strongman and it's a symptom that manifests itself in direct proportion to their sense of insecurity, says Kanika Datta.
For the first time in seven years the prime minister finds himself at his most vulnerable, observes Virendra Kapoor.
'We all wanted a strong Centre with a decisive mandate from the people, to allow them to take bold decisions.'
From Sri Lanka's most popular political family to its most despised -- going by the voices on the streets calling for the Rajapaksas' ouster -- what went wrong for the clan? Veteran Sri Lanka watcher N Sathiya Moorthy offers an insight.
'When one has a lot of power, one can shut one's ears to the other side. This is what is common between the BJP of 2019 and the Congress of 1947,' says Aakar Patel.
If the country is to meet its jobs and income challenge, there has to be a parallel focus on jobs in the formal sector.
India studied the Malaysian model, which was scrapped on Wednesday, before implementing the GST and borrowed the anti-profiteering clause to ensure GST benefits are passed on to the end-consumer by the industry
The political resolution passed at the party's national executive claimed that the Modi government has created a new "history" in the direction of the poor's welfare with its bold initiatives.
'There is a group who want to internally damage the Congress and they may be hand in glove with the BJP.'
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