Govt committed to internal quota, says K H Muniyappa
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Hindustan Times
14 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Election Commission hits back at parties amid row over deletions from draft rolls
The Election Commission of India accused opposition parties on Saturday of raising electoral roll concerns at the wrong time, and scheduled a press conference for Sunday that will coincide with Congress launching a statewide yatra on in poll-bound Bihar The commission is scheduled to address a briefing at 3pm on Sunday The commission is scheduled to address a briefing at 3pm on Sunday, as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi begins a 16-day 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar against what the opposition party says is alleged voter fraud via the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) that has led to 6.5 million people being excluded from the state's electoral rolls. 'It seems that some political parties and their Booth Level Agents (BLAs) did not examine the electoral rolls at the appropriate time and did not point out errors, if any, to SDMs/EROs, DEOs or CEOs,' the commission said in a statement on Saturday, referring to a process that occurs yearly. The poll body said parties are now raising concerns outside the designated process. 'Recently, some political parties and individuals are raising issues about errors in electoral rolls, including the electoral rolls prepared in the past,' it said. The commission said there was a proper procedure for addressing electoral roll concerns. 'The appropriate time to raise any issue with the electoral rolls would have been during the claims and objections period of that phase, which is precisely the objective behind sharing the electoral rolls with all political parties and the candidates,' it stated. 'Had these issues been raised at the right time through the right channels, it would have enabled the concerned SDM/EROs to correct the mistakes, if genuine, before those elections,' the commission added. Typically, every year, electoral rolls undergo summary revision with a qualifying date of January 1, when citizens turning 18 become eligible voters. During this process, draft rolls are published, followed by a claims and objections period lasting several weeks where political parties and voters can challenge inclusions or exclusions. The final rolls are then published by January 31, giving parties multiple opportunities annually to scrutinise and correct electoral data through established legal channels. It is likely these draft rolls that the EC was referring to, but did not specify in its statement on Saturday. The poll body will hold a press conference on Sunday featuring Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and both Election Commissioners, though officials have not specified the subject. People aware of the details said the commission will discuss 'recent issues and allegations' regarding the Bihar verification drive. Officials aware of the matter told HT that the presser is a response to the Opposition's concerns on SIR especially the Congress's. Gandhi has alleged 'vote chori (vote theft)' in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Haryana, accusing the poll panel of voter data manipulation. On August 7, he claimed there were 100,250 'stolen' votes in Bangalore Central's Mahadevapura assembly segment that helped the BJP win the 2024 Lok Sabha seat, accusing the commission of 'colluding' with the ruling party. The presentation prompted an immediate reaction from the commission, which asked Gandhi to send a signed declaration and oath supporting his allegations. Commission officials have since urged Gandhi to either sign the oath or 'apologise' to the nation. The commission said it welcomes scrutiny. 'ECI continues to welcome the scrutiny of Electoral Rolls by Political Parties and any Elector. It will help SDMs/EROs to remove the errors and purify the Electoral Rolls which has always been the objective of ECI,' it stated.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
PM to inaugurate projects worth ₹11,000 crore to boost Delhi's connectivity today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate two major national highway projects worth ₹11,000 crore in Rohini on Sunday. The projects — the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) and the Delhi section of the Dwarka Expressway — aim to decongest the Capital and improve connectivity, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta termed UER-II a 'historic gift' for the city and said that it would not only move Delhi closer to becoming traffic-free but also strengthen connectivity across the National Capital Region. Ms. Gupta inspected the venue in Rohini Sector 37, where the inauguration is scheduled to take place. She said the UER-II would reduce the travel time from the Singhu border, which connects Delhi with Haryana, to the IGI Airport from two hours to around 40 minutes. Meanwhile, the Congress hit out at the BJP-led Centre over the 'high' toll tax on the UER-II. Delhi Congress spokesperson Naresh Kumar claimed that the toll tax in Delhi is higher than in the neighbouring States of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. He demanded a reduction of toll charges by at least 50%.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Campaigns pick up pace as DUSU polls draw closer
NEW DELHI As the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections, scheduled for September 18, draw closer, campaigning has gained momentum across the North Campus. Student organisations are not only finalising candidates but also framing their agendas, ranging from menstrual leave and metro fare concessions to academic freedom and infrastructure reforms. Varun Choudhary, national president of the Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India (NSUI), which currently heads the central panel, said, 'We have shortlisted around 15-16 candidates and are working on our pre-campaign efforts'. Mr. Choudhary said they will raise 'social justice issues' such as the university 'defying' reservation rules in admissions and recruitment. According to him, NSUI is also prioritising demands related to crumbling infrastructure and the delays caused by the Common University Entrance Test (CUET). Last week, the organisation staged protests demanding 12 days of menstrual leave per semester for women students, which is among their key campaign points. Bond clause The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) began campaigning as soon as the new academic session started. Its main concern has been the clause that requires students to sign a ₹1 lakh bond to contest elections. The amount will be forfeited if they are found violating defacement rules. 'We have raised the issue with the administration and have been assured that this clause will be revoked,' said Harsh Attri, ABVP's national media convener. The new poll guidelines, introduced last week, also prohibit the use of loudspeakers and vehicles, besides defacement. These restrictions came after the Delhi High Court halted the elections last year over widespread defacement. University officials have said they are considering alternatives to the bond clause after protests by multiple organisations. Currently, the central panel includes two post holders from ABVP and NSUI, with the president from NSUI. 'Alternative politics' Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) recently rebranded Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP) is seeking to break the NSUI-ABVP dominance by offering what it calls 'clean politics'. On Friday, AAP Delhi State president Saurabh Bharadwaj announced that ASAP will support students from ordinary backgrounds, regardless of their political affiliations. In a statement, ASAP said, 'ASAP's mission is to strengthen democracy from the grassroots through alternative politics, ensuring students choose clean politics over money and muscle power.' Earlier this week, ASAP also demanded a 50% metro concession for students, citing rising living and education costs. Meanwhile, Left outfits All India Students' Association (AISA) and Students' Federation of India (SFI) are exploring an alliance. AISA Delhi State president Abhigyan said, 'We will fight for academic integrity, and one of the major issues is that under NEP 2020, Value Added Courses and Skill Enhancement Courses form a core of the credits. This has diluted academics in the university, and they don't add much value.'
