BJP slams Opposition for doubting EVMs, asks it to accept defeat with grace

A Commission official said the dissent notes and minority views would remain part of records of the poll panel

LokSabha Elections 2019:The BJP Tuesday censured resistance groups for scrutinizing the believability of Electronic Voting Machines and requested that they acknowledge their thrashing with elegance if the general population vote Prime Minister Narendra Modi to control once more.

Gathering pioneer and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad ripped into the restriction, saying EVMs were fine when its pioneers like Mamata Banerjee, N Chandrababu Naidu and Amarinder Singh win decisions and come to control, yet the machines turn questionable when it shows up Modi will return to control.

“EVM is great when Mamata Banerjee turned out to be West Bengal boss pastor twice and Amarinder Singh moved toward becoming Punjab boss priest. In the event that they win, EVM is great. In any case, when there is desire that we will win since individuals of this nation need Narendra Modi to be executive once more, at that point EVM is temperamental,” Ravi Shankar Prasad said

“The BJP denounces their (resistance) lead and will advise submissively to acknowledge their annihilation with effortlessness,” he said.

BJP representative G V L Narasimha Rao said resistance groups are urgently looking for a justification for their looming monstrous annihilation and their abrupt question is “obvious and unimaginary”.

“When they win, as they did in state surveys as of late, EVMs are reliable. Be that as it may, when they lose, they become flawed. Their specific trust in the EVMs is dishonest and naughty.

“Their obtrusive exertion at rubbishing the anticipated star BJP command is an affront to the Indian vote based system. The Opposition parties look extremely little not in their thrashing, yet in their condemnable direct,” he said.

Pioneers of upwards of 22 resistance groups met the Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday and requested check of VVPAT slips of arbitrarily chose surveying stations before the including of the votes surveyed in the simply finished up Lok Sabha race starts on May 23.

They likewise requested that if any disparity is found amid VVPAT check, 100 percent tallying of the paper slips of VVPATs of all surveying stations in a specific Assembly portion ought to be done and contrasted and the electronic casting a ballot machine (EVM) results.

Continue Reading

Election result: SC dismisses PIL on 100% matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs

SC dismisses PIL seeking 100 % matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs during vote counting on May 23

LokSabha Elections 2019:The Supreme Court on Tuesday expelled a PIL looking for 100 percent coordinating of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) amid tallying of votes on May 23 for Lok Sabha surveys.

An excursion seat headed by Justice Arun Mishra would not engage the supplication recorded by a Chennai-based association ‘Tech for All’, saying that a bigger seat headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had just managed the issue and passed a request

“The CJI had managed this issue. For what reason are you bringing chance under the watchful eye of a two-judge get-away seat,” the pinnacle court inquired.

“We can’t abrogate the CJI’s organization… This is jabber. The appeal is accepted. Expelled,” Justice Mishra said.

The peak court had on May 7 rejected a survey supplication recorded by 21 Opposition pioneers driven by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu looking for that irregular coordinating of VVPAT slips with EVMs be expanded to 50 percent.

The top court had on April 8 guided the Election Commission to expand arbitrary coordinating of VVPAT slips with EVMs from one to five surveying corners for each gathering fragment in Lok Sabha surveys, saying it would give more noteworthy fulfillment to ideological groups as well as to the whole electorate.

Continue Reading

An election like never before: When EC’s neutrality came into question

Congress President Rahul Gandhi took potshots at the Election Commission on May 19 for alledgedly going soft on ‘Narendra Modi and his gang’

LokSabha Elections 2019:Previous President Pranab Mukherjee said on Monday that the decision commmission ought not be reprimanded for its work and that it has worked superbly in the as of late finished up Lok Sabha races. The comments came two days after Congress President Rahul Gandhi attacked the Election Commission for alledgedly going delicate on “Narendra Modi and his posse”.

Business Standard investigates ten examples when the EC wound up in the midst of a debate amid the Lok Sabha decisions 2019.

1) Black box at Narendra Modi rally

The Election Commission wound up in the midst of a contention when a 1996 group IAS officer was exchanged for testing an alledged ‘black box’ emptied from PM Narendra Modi’s helicopter just before a race rally in Karnataka’s Chitradurga.

2) Modi biopic

The Election Commission had on April 10 remained the arrival of a biopic on Narendra Modi, multi day in front of its unique booked discharge date on April 11, which concurred with the beginning first period of the Lok Sabha races in the nation. The survey commission said the film irritates the dimension playing field.

Afterward, the creators of the movie moved toward the Supreme Court, the zenith court guided the EC to watch the film and reevaluate its choice.

A sum of seven authorities viewed an uncommon screening and presented its report to the top court, which at that point dismissed a request testing the EC’s choice and said it won’t meddle in the issue.

3) Clean chits to Modi on survey code ‘infringement’

The Election Commission arranged off a few protests against Narendra Modi for supposed infringement of the Model Code of Conduct amid the Lok Sabha races. He was blamed for utilizing the Balakot air strikes and utilizing the endeavors of Wing Commander Abhinandan to assist his appointive intrigue.

4) Pragya Thakur’s comments

The EC had banished Pragya Thakur, BJP’s Lok Sabha contender for the Bhopal voting public, from battling for three days for disregarding the Model Code of Conduct for working up shared sentiments. The survey guard dog had said in its request that the choice came in light of her remarks against killed IPS officer Hemant Karkare and on the pulverization of the Babri Masjid.

A week ago, Thakur said Mahatma Gandhi’s executioner Nathuram Godse was a loyalist, following which Narendra Modi held his first question and answer session in five years. The survey board had taken cognisance of Pragya’s comments after a large group of ideological groups denounced her comment.

5) Clean chit to Amit Shah:

The survey board did not discover BJP President Amit Shah infringing upon the Model Code of Conduct when he stated, “Rahul Gandhi is challenging in such a spot where it is difficult to state when a parade is taken out, regardless of whether it is a parade in India or Pakistan,” amid a discourse in Nagpur.

6) Lavasa’s recusal

One of the race magistrates, Ashok Lavasa, recused himself from a gathering on survey code infringement after he ended up in a minority multiple times when he contradicted against clean chits to Modi and Shah’s alledged infringement of the Model Code of Conduct.

7) NaMo TV

NaMo TV, a channel drifted by the BJP to communicate race related things, worked up debate when resistance groups whined to the survey board that it damaged the MCC. The Election Commission decided that NaMo TV can’t show ‘decision matter’ amid the quiet time frame before a period of surveying started.

8) Modi’s Kedarnath visit

The Election Commission allowed Modi authorization to visit Kedarnath, thought about a blessed spot by Hindus, in front of the last period of Lok Sabha decisions. The choice was condemned no matter how you look at it by ideological groups as they trusted Modi’s visit to the holy site could influence voters.

9) Modi’s military remark by Adityanath

The Election Commission let Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath free with a notice after the saffron head alluded to the Indian Army as ‘Modiji ki sena’ (Modi’s military). This was a second alledged instance of survey code infringement by the UP CM after he was banned from crusading for several days following a previous comment.

10) SC addressed postponements

As per an Indian Express report on Monday, race chief Ashok Lavasa looked for brief activity from his companions after the Supreme Court pulled up the survey board for postponements in managing instances of detest discourse amid decision crusading.

Continue Reading

EC lost its independence, time to review how it is appointed: Congress

The remarks came after Election Commission curtailed electioneering for nine Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal by 20 hours

LokSabha Elections 2019:Blaming the Election Commission for losing its validity and autonomy, the Congress on Thursday said opportunity has arrived to audit the procedure of the survey board’s arrangement.

Congress’ main representative Randeep Surjewala said the request disallowing crusading in West Bengal by 20 hours is a “dull spot” on India’s majority rule government and organizations like the Election Commission.

“Decision Commission has totally surrendered its Constitutional obligation under Art 324 to guarantee level playing field, other than nullifying the fair treatment under Article 14 and 21 of India’s Constitution,” he told columnists.

“The opportunity has arrived to survey the procedure of arrangement of Election Commission,” he stated, requiring a national discussion on the issue.

The Congress, a mindful ideological group, has never thrown outlandish slanders on the activities of Constitutional bodies, Surjewala said.

The gathering additionally blamed the EC for woking for the BJP. “This seems, by all accounts, to be Election Commission’s separating blessing to Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and BJP, so as to guarantee that the two pre reported race encourages of Shri Modi at Mathurapur and Dum in evening/evening today are not hit by the EC’s organization,” a public statement issued by the Congress expressed.

Continue Reading

EC to hold review meeting before phase 7; West Bengal might be focus

The review meeting will be held via video conference and will be attended by poll officials and observers for constituencies going to polls on the 19th

LokSabha Elections 2019:The Election Commission will on Wednesday hold an audit meeting with eyewitnesses and state boss constituent officers for the last period of Lok Sabha surveys on May 19.

The audit meeting which will be held by means of video gathering, comes multi day after BJP and Trinamool Congress specialists took on pitched conflicts in the city of Kolkata amid a huge street appear by the saffron party president Amit Shah.

“Since nine out of 59 parliamentary voting public going for survey on May 19 are from West Bengal, it is regular that onlookers and survey authorities from the state will likewise take an interest,” an authority said.

He, in any case, would not say whether the attention will be on West Bengal.

While Trinamool Congress has looked for a gathering with the Commission on the issue, a Bharatiya Janata Party appointment asked the Election Commission on Tuesday to bar West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from crusading in the state and affirmed that “established hardware” has crumpled there.

Continue Reading

Supreme Court junks plea asking EC to advance poll timings due to Ramzan

A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna rejected the plea, saying the notified timings of voting are from 7 am to 6 pm and voters can cast vote in the morning also

LokSabha Elections 2019:The Supreme Court Monday expelled a request looking for a bearing to the Election Commission to propel survey timings to 5:30 am from 7 am for the seventh period of Lok Sabha surveys in perspective on burning warmth and the long stretch of Ramzan.

An excursion seat involving Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna rejected the request, saying the advised timings of casting a ballot are from 7 am to 6 pm and voters can make choice in the first part of the day moreover.

“The timings are for 7 am to 6 pm. Individuals can come in the first part of the day to cast their votes. They (EC) will confront strategic issue (if timings are preponed),” the seat told advocate Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha who had recorded the appeal.

Continue Reading

Shah ‘denied’ permission to rally in Jadavpur: BJP to protest, move EC

BJP has also alleged that the TMC is resorting to undemocratic means even as the EC remains a mute spectator

LokSabha Elections 2019:Blaming the West Bengal government for not permitting its leader Amit Shah’s rally in Jadavpur, the BJP said on Monday that the Election Commission has turned into a “quiet onlooker” to the Trinamool Congress’ supposed undemocratic intends to focus on the saffron party.

BJP media head and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said his gathering will hold challenges and furthermore move the EC.

Shah’s rally was booked for Monday in Jadavpur, which goes to the surveys on May 19 in the last stage, however the authorization for it was denied at last by the state organization, he said.

Along these lines, the authorization for Shah’s chopper to arrive was likewise pulled back, Baluni said.

“Tragically the EC has turned into a quiet onlooker to this and furthermore utilization of brutality by the TMC in the state,” he said.

He affirmed the decision party in Bengal was utilizing undemocratic intends to focus on the BJP.

Nine seats will go to surveys in the last period of the general decision.

Continue Reading

SC asks EC to decide on voting from 5 am for remaining phases of LS polls

A plea said that Ramzan, the holy month of fasting for Muslims, is likely to commence from May 6, the day of fifth phase of voting in the Lok Sabha elections

Elections:The Supreme Court asked the Election Commission on Thursday to pass “fundamental requests” on a portrayal looking for progressing of the casting a ballot time to 5 am from 7 am for the rest of the periods of the Lok Sabha surveys because of warmth wave conditions and beginning of the sacred month of Ramzan.

A request in such manner was referenced for dire hearing before a seat headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

The seat, additionally involving judges Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna, accepted the request and stated, “The Election Commission of India is coordinated to pass important requests. The writ appeal is discarded in the above terms.” The request, documented by backers Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha and Asad Hayat, looked for headway of surveying hours by two to over two hours, for casting a ballot to begin from 4.30 amd or 5 am rather than 7 am, in the rest of the stages.

“The candidates appeal to God for a heading to the Election Commission of India to broaden the surveying hours amid the fifth, 6th and seventh periods of the continuous general decisions, 2019 on May 6, May 12 and May 19, separately, by 2-2.5 hours to initiate at 4:30/5 AM (rather than the informed time of 7 AM) because of the uncommon warmth waves winning in a few pieces of the nation and the beginning of the heavenly month of Ramzan,” the supplication said.

The request said that Ramzan, the heavenly month of fasting for Muslims, is probably going to start from May 6, the day of fifth period of casting a ballot in the Lok Sabha races.

It said that amid Ramzan, Muslims keep quick and don’t devour nourishment or water from one and a half hours before day break till sunset consistently.

The applicants said they had given a portrayal to the Election Commission on Monday toward the end in such manner, however the survey board has not reacted to it.

“On April 29, a portrayal was made to the respondent (EC) on this sake conveying the previously mentioned actualities to its notice and mentioning it to broaden the surveying hours in the fifth, 6th and seventh periods of the general decisions 2019 to begin at 4.30 or 5 am rather than 7 am nevertheless no reaction has been gotten up until now,” the supplication said.

It likewise said that Indian Meteorological Department has issued admonitions showing extreme warmth wave conditions throughout the following couple of days, with temperatures ascending to five degree celsius than typical in survey bound territories of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.

Continue Reading

Matching VVPAT slips with EVMs: SC to hear 21 Oppn parties’ plea next week

Opposition leaders led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has sought the review of the apex court’s order

Elections:The Supreme Court on Friday consented to hear one week from now an audit request documented by 21 Opposition pioneers looking for further increment in irregular coordinating of VVPAT slips with EVMs in the continuous general races.

The peak court had on April 8 guided the Election Commission to build arbitrary coordinating of VVPAT slips with EVMs in five surveying stalls for each gathering portion from one corner.

Restriction pioneers driven by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has looked for the audit of the summit court’s organization, saying the “increment from 1 to 5 is anything but a sensible number and does not prompt fulfillment wanted by this court”.

The request was referenced for dire hearing before a seat involving Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta.

Senior supporter Abhishek Manu Singhvi, showing up for applicants, told the seat that the audit request be recorded for hearing one week from now.

The seat acknowledged Singhvi’s accommodation and said the issue will be heard one week from now.

Continue Reading

Elections 2019:The Indian middle class has emerged as key electoral force

As the economy grows and incomes increase, people are moving out of poverty and joining the middle class

Elections:The working class is developing as a key appointive power in India.

While ideological groups contend to pull in needy individuals, they’re likewise attempting to prevail upon this new and developing section, which makes up around 33% of the nation’s 1.3 billion populace and uses extensive clout in forming popular suppositions.

Pioneers of the decision Bharatiya Janata Party and the primary resistance Congress party are focusing on the overwhelming white collar class coalition with addresses and battle guarantees.

Subsequent to giving expense help in the February spending plan, the BJP pledged in its declaration to additionally update charge chunks and advantages to put more money and more noteworthy obtaining influence in the hands of center salary families. It’s additionally promised to guarantee the working class gain admittance to training, business openings and urban foundation for a superior personal satisfaction.

Upwardly Mobile

As the economy develops and earnings increment, individuals are moving out of neediness and joining the white collar class. They’re trying to give their kids better instruction, guarantee clean drinking water, begin a business, possess a vehicle and charge card and get away.

Its size changes between 20 percent to as much as 40 percent of the populace. As per Center for the Study of Developing Societies – Lokniti review, around 36 percent of populace was white collar class in 2014.

Class Divide

The 2014 decisions saw a noteworthy move in casting a ballot inclinations. The white collar class dismissed the Congress-drove alliance government as a result of debasement charges, value rises and poor administration. The voters having a place with poor people and lower classes – who were already the center supporters of Congress – likewise moved far from the gathering, adding to its most exceedingly awful ever race execution.

The BJP, which is viewed as to a great extent a gathering of urban upper-white collar class, additionally extended its help base essentially in rustic territories, adding to Modi’s capacity to verify the greatest command in three decades.

Race and MARKETS:

After four periods of races, the normal casting a ballot rate is 67 percent, practically similar to 67.6 percent in 2014. A one percent expansion from the present pattern could deliver the biggest turnout since 1947, Soumya Kanti Ghosh, boss market analyst at State Bank of India said in a note.

Continue Reading