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 due to electoral offences.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has questioned the credibility of the West Bengal assembly polls, accusing the Election Commission of partisan conduct and alleging large-scale irregularities during the elections.
The Election Commission (EC) has suspended a Block Development Officer (BDO) in West Bengal's Nadia district and initiated departmental proceedings against him following violence at a poll training venue where a teacher was allegedly assaulted for objecting to a government advertisement.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has expressed serious concerns regarding the deployment of police personnel to provide security to individuals allegedly connected to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal ahead of the elections, directing the Director General of Police (DGP) to conduct a review and ensure impartiality.
'The current Election Commission functions more like a government department than an autonomous body.'
Kerala Police have registered a case against social media platform X and one of its handles for circulating an AI-generated video allegedly depicting the Prime Minister and the Election Commission of India in a misleading and defamatory manner.
Political parties in West Bengal react to the Election Commission's reshuffle of senior administrative and police officials ahead of upcoming elections, with TMC criticising the move and BJP and CPI(M) welcoming it.
The Election Commission has requested a detailed report from Kolkata Police regarding the alleged attack on Trinamool Congress leader Shashi Panja's residence before a rally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The initial police report was deemed incomplete, prompting the EC to seek further clarity on the incident, police response, and utilisation of central forces.
'To attribute motives to the individual election commissioner or the Election Commission as a group is very unfair.'
'They refuse to be transparent. They refuse to be accountable.'
The Election Commission reports the seizure of cash and contraband worth Rs 80.67 crore in Kerala during enforcement activities related to the recent Assembly elections.
'One of the principles of the MCC that you should not make hate speeches and create hatred between communities on the basis of religion was violated on a scale that was never seen before.' 'Religious symbols were very liberally used and speeches were made to polarise people on the basis of religion.'
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.
Counting of votes is underway for municipal corporations in Ambala, Panchkula, Sonipat, and other civic bodies in Haryana. Polling was held on Sunday for mayor and ward councillor elections.
Senior TMC leaders and newly-elected MLAs met at Mamata Banerjee's residence to discuss strategy and allocation of responsibilities following the party's performance in the West Bengal assembly elections.
Following the conclusion of the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, election commission officials have transferred the sealed EVMs, VVPATs, and other election materials to secure strong rooms at designated counting centres throughout the state.
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 reports that poll-related seizures, including cash, drugs, and liquor intended to sway voters, have surpassed Rs 1000 crore in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
A former principal secretary of the Madhya Pradesh assembly, Bhagwandev Israni, has claimed that Congress nominee Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha poll nomination was wrongly rejected, arguing she was not required to disclose information as no FIR or chargesheet had been filed against her.
A Ganesh Nadar's close encounters with the Election Commission.
The Supreme Court on Monday granted protection from arrest to psephologist Sanjay Kumar in connection with two FIRs lodged by the Election Commission of India accusing him of spreading misinformation over Maharashtra's electoral rolls through posts on social media.
'They have been found wanting in taking stern measures to stop this because the Constitution has given them this authority and the power to ensure a free and fair election in the country.'
The Congress party has formally appealed to the Election Commission, demanding an immediate reversal of the rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls, labelling the decision as 'egregious' and a 'subversion of democracy'.
The TMC and BJP are clashing over Bengal's food culture, with allegations of potential dietary restrictions adding spice to the West Bengal election campaign.
The Congress party has accused the BJP and the Election Commission of being "partners in crime" in what it terms "seat chori" (seat theft), following the rejection of its Rajya Sabha candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination. The party claims the rejection was based on "flawed and unreasonable" logic, alleging non-disclosure of a criminal case against Natarajan, despite her stating only a legal notice exists.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee has commented on the Supreme Court judgment regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, emphasising its specific application to the Bihar case and highlighting the Election Commission's limited authority in determining citizenship.
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.
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.
This election will be remembered for being the first election where the Election Commission failed to take action on gross violations involving the ruling party that repeatedly used religion, communal slurs, lies and undocumented allegations, observes Ramesh Menon.
The Supreme Court dismissed Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's challenge to her rejected Rajya Sabha nomination, reaffirming that the Election Commission is the sole recourse for such disputes and citing Article 329(b) of the Constitution which bars judicial interference in electoral matters.
Supreme Court Justice B V Nagarathna has emphasised the critical importance of an independent Election Commission to ensure the neutrality and integrity of the electoral process in India.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections saw a high voter turnout across 152 constituencies, with nearly 90 per cent of electors participating till 5 pm. Polling was conducted amid tight security, with reports of clashes and intimidation in some areas.
The Supreme Court of India has upheld the Election Commission's documentation framework for the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, affirming the commission's authority and stating that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship.
Senior police officials in West Bengal are visiting police stations to ensure free and fair polling for the upcoming Assembly elections, focusing on maintaining law and order and preventing electoral malpractice.
A former Trinamool Congress councillor was allegedly assaulted in West Bengal's Howrah district following an altercation, amidst post-election violence.
In a bid to wrest control of the Trinamool Congress, its rebel faction led by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee on Monday elected MLA Arup Roy as chairperson, marking the sharpest challenge yet to the authority of party founder Mamata Banerjee.
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.
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.
A crude bomb exploded on the rooftop of a school in Nadia district, West Bengal, ahead of upcoming elections, prompting investigations and political accusations.
'The Election Commission cannot be regulated by the government.'
