Ahmedabad: The Election Commission has so far received 685 complaints of violation of Model Code of Conduct in poll-bound Gujarat, and ordered registration of FIR in 32 cases of poll-related offences. Gujarat chief electoral officer Anita Karwal said that of the 685 complaints, 658 were disposed of. The ruling BJP has registered 27 complaints of violation of code of conduct, while the Congress has lodged 16. "Fifteen of the 27...
12:39 AM, Nov 22, 2012
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's hi-tech 3D campaign extravaganza has come under attack from the Opposition and the Congress has decided to move the Election Commission seeking a probe on its source of funding. Opposition parties have criticised the 3D holographic projection campaign using which Modi on Monday addressed four election rallies in as many cities simultaneously. "This extravaganza could have been avoided. The cost involved, as per our...
08:16 AM, Nov 20, 2012
Ahmedabad: Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi, who is on a two-day visit to the state, reviewed on Sunday arrangements for the first phase of Assembly polls in five districts at a meeting with local officials in Ahmedabad. Zutshi said the Election Commission is leaving no stone unturned to ensure free and fair elections in Gujarat. He held discussion with returning officers of Kutch, Sabarkantha, Patan, Banaskantha and Mehsana districts before...
10:52 PM, Nov 18, 2012
New Delhi: The Election Commission has asked the Returning Officer of Amethi Lok Sabha constituency to probe allegations by Subramanian Swamy that Rahul Gandhi gave "wrong information" regarding his assets while filing nomination papers in the 2009 polls. In a letter to Chief Electoral Officer on November 15, the Commission said Swamy has alleged that Gandhi had given "wrong information" relating to his assets and cited a June 2004 letter...
12:44 PM, Nov 17, 2012
New Delhi: In a major setback to Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy, the Election Commission on Tuesday rejected his plea seeking de-recognition of Congress. The EC, while rejecting his petition, said, "The Commission takes serious exception to Swamy's allegations questioning the impartiality of the Commission, which the Commission rejects as completely baseless." In his petition, Swamy had contended that Congress should be de-registered after reports came out that the party...
04:44 PM, Nov 06, 2012
Ahmedabad: In a bid to increase participation of disabled voters in Gujarat Assembly polls in December, the Election Commission has introduced Braille numbers and ballot papers besides setting up ramps at polling booths for their convenience. "All electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be equipped with Braille numbers. The visually challenged voters will be able to read the names of candidates with the help of Braille ballot paper at the polling...
04:43 PM, Nov 06, 2012
New Delhi: Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy on Monday urged Election Commission to ensure that its officials' do not brief media regarding his petition seeking de-recognition of Congress. He alleged officials have been leaking Election Commission's "predetermined intention" to return his petition as outside the scope of its powers under Constitution. Swamy had on Saturday moved the Election Commission seeking de-recognition of Congress, alleging the party violated laws by providing...
04:58 PM, Nov 05, 2012
New Delhi: The Election Commission has issued 73 notices to candidates in the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls for paid news of which 19 have already been confirmed by the committee of the poll body. "We had 73 notices (for paid news) issued this time in the state and of these, 19 cases have been confirmed as paid news by our committee," Election Commission Director General Akshay Raut said at a...
04:04 PM, Nov 05, 2012
New Delhi: To ensure free and fair elections in Gujarat, the Election Commission has directed the state government to transfer four Collectors and as many IPS officers with immediate effect. Among the four Collectors replaced are those of Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Dahod and Tapi. The Superintendents of Police in Jamnagar and Patan, besides Deputy Commissioner of Police in Surat City and a Joint Commissioner of Special branch in Ahmedabad have also...
03:46 PM, Nov 05, 2012
The Janata Party president has asked the Election Commission to de-recognise the Congress party. ...
08:54 PM, Nov 03, 2012
Keeping up with his attack on the Congress, Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy on Saturday slammed it saying it wasn't a charitable organisation to extend loans. Breaking its silence, the Congress on Friday rejected allegations levelled by Swamy and maintained that its support to National Herald newspaper was interest free loans yielding no commercial profit to the party. Swamy, however, termed it a confession by the Congress of its "loan ...
04:15 PM, Nov 03, 2012
New Delhi: Keeping up with his attack on the Congress, Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy on Saturday slammed it saying it wasn't a charitable organisation to extend loans. Breaking its silence, the Congress on Friday rejected allegations levelled by Swamy and maintained that its support to National Herald newspaper was interest free loans yielding no commercial profit to the party. Swamy, however, termed it a confession by the Congress of...
01:15 PM, Nov 03, 2012
New Delhi: Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy has said that he will file a petition before the Election Commission of India on Saturday seeking de-recognition of the Congress party. He tweeted, "After the Congress confession of the loan crime (on Friday), I am filing a petition today before the ECI seeking de-recognition of Congress party." Breaking its silence, the Congress on Friday rejected allegations levelled by Swamy and maintained that...
08:59 AM, Nov 03, 2012
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Assembly elections next month may go down in the history of the democratic process in the country as the first fully computer-aided elections, a top official said. "This is the first time that any election, right from the stage of preparing and updating voters' rolls to the final results, will be conducted with the extensive aid and support of computers and electronics," Chief Election Officer Vijay Nehra said....
12:40 AM, Nov 03, 2012
Kolkata: The opposition Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in West Bengal on Thursday accused the state's chief electoral officer of functioning at the behest of the Trinamool Congress-led government. They alleged that the rights of citizens to empanel their names in the voters' list were being hindered. "The CEO and his office are functioning at the directive of the Trinamool Congress and the state government. They are trying to disturb...
02:40 AM, Nov 02, 2012
Ahmedabad: Opposition Congress on Monday alleged that instead of the Election Commission, it was Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi who was controlling the administration in the poll-bound state. The party alleged this in a memorandum submitted to Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath, who is on a visit with his full team to Gujarat where Assembly polls will be held on December 13 and 17. Speaking to reporters later, state Congress...
01:50 AM, Oct 30, 2012
Ahmedabad: The Election Commission (EC) on Monday warned that it will not tolerate any activities which would disturb or vitiate the atmosphere during the Gujarat Assembly elections to be held in December. "The Commission would like to emphasise that we will not allow the level playing field to be disturbed or vitiated by anyone, as our foremost task is to maintain a level playing field," Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath...
01:18 AM, Oct 30, 2012
New Delhi: The Congress party has moved the Election Commission against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley's remarks at a press conference in which he had come down heavily on party veteran Virbhadra Singh. In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath on Thursday, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) legal department demanded that "immediate necessary action" should be taken against Jaitley and the BJP for making such...
09:45 PM, Oct 26, 2012
Ahmedabad: Election Commission on Thursday relaxed the norms for enforcement of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) with regards to seizure of more than Rs 2.5 lakh cash in transit. "Election Commission has decided to put farmers and business enterprises in the exemption category for the enforcement of the norms for carrying Rs 2.5 lakh or more cash while in transit," said Chief Election officer, Ahmedabad Vijay Nehra on Thursday while...
08:19 PM, Oct 25, 2012
Islamabad: In a major relief for Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Election Commission on Tuesday decided not to disqualify him as a legislator; weeks after the Supreme Court had said that he may lose membership of the Senate for making a false declaration about his citizenship. Secretary Election Commission Afzal Khan said that no further proceedings will be conducted against Malik, Dawn News reported. Khan said the decision was taken...
10:58 PM, Oct 23, 2012
