Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has affirmed that Indian electronic voting machines (EVMs) are manufactured by public sector companies and operate without internet, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi connectivity, ensuring their security and reliability.
Delhi is under an unprecedented security clampdown with 25,000 police and paramilitary personnel deployed, 45 metro stations shut, and mobile internet suspended in parts of the city, as authorities deny permission for a protest by the Cockroach Janta Party against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP of conspiring to delete 2.7 million voters from West Bengal's electoral rolls, urging support for the Trinamool Congress to protect citizenship rights.
The Supreme Court declined to initiate an inquiry into alleged voter roll irregularities in West Bengal, stating it would amount to a 'fishing inquiry'. The court's decision came after concerns were raised about the addition of a significant number of voters ahead of the state's Assembly elections.
A planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter-list manipulation, was thwarted by a massive security deployment in Delhi on Saturday. Thousands of protesters were detained as they attempted to gather at various alternative locations across the city, with metro services suspended and mobile internet blocked in some areas.
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.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that an Indian passport is primarily a travel document issued to regulate the departure of citizens and is not intended as proof of citizenship. This statement comes amidst a debate on its use for verifying citizenship, particularly concerning electoral rolls, and has drawn criticism from opposition parties.
Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer has ordered a thorough verification of nearly 1 million voter deletions following complaints of wrongful removals, particularly concerning deceased voters and those who may have shifted residences.
A day after over two lakh Mumbaikars, including several prominent personalities, were left disenfranchised after their names were found missing from the electoral rolls, the Bharatiya Janata Party asked the election authorities on Friday, to revise electoral rolls.
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.
'The incumbent matters. It matters a lot. If a person sitting on top is good, then he can achieve a lot. And if he is bad, you see what can happen.'
Inaugurating the 'Janganana Bhawan', the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Shah said census is a process that may form the basis of development agenda.
The Bombay High Court's Goa bench has criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI) for rejecting voter registration forms (Form 8s) during a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The court emphasised that the ECI's primary objective is to ensure citizens can cast votes and that rejecting forms, even if incorrectly submitted, goes against this principle. The case arose from a petition by a family whose names were deleted from the voters' list after their Form 8s for address change were rejected.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a scathing attack, calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar 'deshdrohis' (traitors) for allegedly 'destroying' India's voting system and 'stealing elections'.
The EC also underlined that for electors whose enumeration forms have not returned, the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) would identify a probable cause, such as absent, shifted, dead and duplicate entry based on an inquiry from the nearby electors and would note the same.
Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc met President Droupadi Murmu, alleging 'vote chori' and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with the repeal of assembly polls from the last two years. Rahul Gandhi expressed shock that the President did not deny the 'election theft' charge but sought proof.
The pleas challenging SIR claimed that the Election Commission does not have powers under Article 326 of the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Rules made under it to carry out SIR in a larger form.
'93 lakhs deletions in Bengal, 96 lakhs in Tamil Nadu, 24 lakhs in Kerala, 77 lakhs in Gujarat, 45 lakhs in Madhya Pradesh, 44 lakhs in Rajasthan. 2.89 crores in Uttar Pradesh. Nearly 3 crores!'
In another development, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had an unscheduled 30-minute meeting with President Pratibha Patil. Rashtrapati Bhavan spokespersons said the two discussed non-political issues.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the BJP of harassing Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states and denying Bengal its rightful dues.
Sharma claimed he has received complaints that neither any virtual nor any physical meeting was held to finalise the electoral rolls, the sources said.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Maulana Imran Ali and Rinku SK in connection with the April violence and protests in Malda, West Bengal. The arrests are part of 12 ongoing cases related to road blockades, illegal detention of judicial officers, and attacks on police during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Delhi Police launched a massive crackdown, detaining Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leader Abhijeet Dipke, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, and nearly 500 protesters who attempted to reach Jantar Mantar for a demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Opposition, including AAP and Congress, denounced the situation as 'worse than the Emergency'.
The commission, however, has not specified how many among these new entrants are first-time voters who have just turned 18, nor has it given a detailed gender break up of these voters.
With assembly elections in Bihar likely to be held later this year, the Election Commission is dispatching four special teams of 'auditors' to the state on Monday for weeding out duplicate entries from electoral rolls.
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 reports a significant reduction in West Bengal's electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision, with nearly 9.1 million voters deleted.
A clarification by the ministry of external affairs that the passport is not a proof of citizenship has once again brought to the fore the need for a legal framework to provide citizens with a single document to establish they are Indians.
Tamil Nadu's electoral roll has been revised, resulting in the removal of 9.74 million voters following an enumeration exercise. The state's electoral roll now stands at 5.43 crore voters.
Government sources have clarified that a passport has never been considered proof of citizenship in India, a stance consistent for the past 12 years and rooted in the Passport Act 1967. This clarification, reiterated by the Ministry of External Affairs, has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and public figures.
Abhijeet Dipke has issued a strong call to Indian opposition parties, urging them to boycott elections if they genuinely believe the electoral process is rigged, arguing that their continued participation only legitimises alleged unfairness.
The Election Commission has announced Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in Andhra Pradesh as well as Telangana and the final rolls will be published on January 11, 2016, an official said in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP of harassing Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states and denying Bengal its rightful dues. He also criticised the BJP for allegedly deleting names from electoral rolls and disrespecting Mahatma Gandhi.
Last time, assembly polls in West Bengal were held in eight phases -- by far the maximum. In Assam, elections were held in two phases, and in a singular phase in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
The Andhra Pradesh assembly was dissolved in November last year.
West Bengal's appointment of Manoj Agarwal, the former Chief Electoral Officer, as the new Chief Secretary has ignited a political firestorm, raising concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the state's electoral processes.
West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu has accused the BJP of planning detention camps for Bengali-speaking citizens in the state if they come to power, alleging a conspiracy to deport those whose names are missing from the electoral roll.
Despite numerous appeals, only two names have been restored to the West Bengal electoral rolls after 2.7 million deletions, raising concerns about voter access and the functionality of proposed tribunals.
The Election Commission plans to issue new voter identity cards to all electors of Bihar after the completion of the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls in the state.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the BJP for allegedly deleting names from electoral rolls and attempting to divide people on religious and caste lines during a community outreach programme in her Bhabanipur constituency.
