Latest news with #ElectronicVotingMachine
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
CEA seeks to fix upper limit of spending by candidates
Announcing that it has conducted 159 elections since March 2024, the Cooperative Election Authority said that it wants the upper limit of expenditure by the contesting candidates to be fixed, among other things. Addressing the first consultative meeting with State Cooperative Election Authorities, CEA Chairperson Devendra Kumar Singh said, 'The Cooperative Election Authority has so far conducted 159 elections since March 2024 and is in the process of conducting 69 more such Cooperative Elections.' During the meeting, Singh said that the election process in Cooperative Societies need to be streamlined to foster transparency in order to make the elections in cooperative societies free and fair. 'The Chairperson, Cooperative Election Authority said that there is a need for standard manuals and codes of conduct for cooperative elections. The discussion revolved around matters relating to framing of Code of Conduct for contesting candidates and Multi-State Cooperative Society (MSCs), to fix upper limit of expenditure by the contesting candidates, publication of handbook for the Returning Officers, election of delegates from member Cooperative Societies who are members in National Cooperative Societies and other agenda received from State,' the Cooperative Ministry said in a statement. 'One of the agenda proposed by participating State Cooperative Election Authorities included introduction of Electronic Voting Machine in cooperative election,' the statement said. 'The CEA decided to hold the consultative committee meeting every three months to take forward the reform process in cooperative elections,' the statement said. The CEA was notified on March 11, 2024, by the Centre under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act of 2002. It is responsible for conducting elections of the Multi State Co-operative Society; and supervise, direct and control the matters relating to preparation of electoral rolls.
Hindustan Times
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
EC publishes draft electoral rolls for Bihar after SIR amid protest by Oppn
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday announced that it has released the draft voters' roll for Bihar after the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The draft electoral rolls of Bihar are being published on Friday, August 1, at (File)(@ECISVEEP) The poll agency said that the exercise have covered all 243 assembly constituencies and 90,817 polling stations and was shared with political parties. However, the opposition parties have protested against the exercise and have been demanding a discussion in the Parliament over the issue. The SIR exercise comes ahead of the state assembly elections, scheduled to be held around October–November this year. 'Draft Electoral Rolls for Bihar, covering each of the 243 assembly constituencies and 90,817 polling stations, are being shared with all political parties by the 38 District Collectors at 11 AM today, i.e 1 August 2025,' ANI quoted the Election Commission as saying. The ECI also said that the draft electoral rolls will be published on the website at 3 pm on Friday. Opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party and others, led by Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, have been protesting since the beginning of the winter session, demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral rolls being conducted by the Election Commission. Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said in a message to voters, 'The draft electoral rolls of Bihar are being published on Friday, August 1, at He added, 'Physical as well as digital copies will also be given to all recognised political parties in Bihar in all 38 Districts by all the 38 District Election Officers (DEOs) of Bihar.' INDIA bloc MPs protest in Parliament premises On Friday, protesting MPs, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, displayed a banner reading "the SIR: war on democracy". A day earlier, the INDIA bloc parties unanimously resolved to intensify their protests against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral rolls, both within and outside Parliament. The protest coincided with the Election Commission's scheduled release of the draft electoral rolls on Friday. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi also stood in solidarity with INDIA bloc MPs, joining their protest at Makar Dwar outside Parliament. She held a banner that read "SIR-attack on Democracy" and stood beside her daughter, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi. A cartoon shared online depicted a man labelled 'EC' in uniform and shackled, holding what looked like an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), with a speech bubble saying 'YES SIR.' The tweet was tagged with the hashtag #SIR, hinting at the opposition's allegation that the Election Commission is operating under the influence of the central government, particularly in the context of developments in Bihar. EC claims Bihar had 7.93 crore voters before SIR drive began The publication of the draft electoral rolls also marks the beginning of the 'claims and objections' phase, which will run until September 1. During this period, voters who believe their names were wrongly deleted can approach the relevant authorities for redressal. According to the Election Commission, there were 7.93 crore registered voters in Bihar before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process began late last month. However, the revision has sparked criticism and protests from the Opposition, who have raised concerns over possible large-scale deletions of voters. In the initial stage of the SIR, voters were issued 'enumeration forms' by booth-level officers (BLOs) or booth-level agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties. These forms were to be signed and returned along with valid identity documents. Voters also had the option of downloading and submitting the forms online.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
ECI starts probe into violation of polling rules
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday initiated an inquiry into a purported video circulating on social media, which shows two individuals at an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at the same time inside a polling booth during the Visavadar assembly bypoll in Gujarat. The video was also flagged by Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Gujarat legal cell in an email to the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), seeking 'urgent action' and claiming there are 'many more' such videos. In the purported video, an official in the polling booth is seen engaged in his work while two individuals appear to be instructing each other at the EVM. More people are also seen standing nearby, talking to another official. AAP's national media in-charge Anurag Dhandha told HT that the Gujarat legal cell filed a complaint on the issue via email to both the ECI and the state CEO. The complaint copy–seen by HT–stated: 'Received this video [attached in the email] from our party members of booth number 40 of Patapur of Visavadar Assembly bypoll election and someone is doing unlawful activities in [the] booth. This is just one video, but we have many more as per information. Look into it on [an] urgent basis.' Gujarat CEO Hareet Shukla told HT that he has directed Junagadh's District Magistrate and Collector–under whose jurisdiction Visavadar falls–to investigate. Shukla said: 'The videos will be in our records also because we are doing 100 percent monitoring through CCTV in all the booths. I can't comment more until the video is verified. So let the investigation be completed.' The AAP's allegations come days after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi wrote an op-ed accusing the ECI of 'industrial scale rigging' of Maharashtra's assembly election. While the Commission had refuted Gandhi's claims, the video–if verified–would then attract violation of Conduct of Election Rules and raise serious questions about the robustness of the electoral process, at a time when public access to such footage has been restricted. Following last year's amendment to the Conduct of Election Rules, public access was withdrawn by the ECI of such data claiming to prevent misuse. The video surfaced shortly after the ECI mandated 100 percent webcasting at all polling stations to enhance oversight. In a press release issued Thursday after the bypolls, the ECI said: 'The Commission has ensured 100 percent webcasting of poll-day activities at all polling stations, except one, in the five bye-poll ACs (assembly constituencies). The webcasting was monitored to ensure that critical activities were taking place smoothly and there was no violation of the poll process.' The ECI had earlier stated that webcasting footage would be for internal use only, with videography used in areas without internet. People aware of the matter said that live videos were tracked from control rooms set up at the state, district, and constituency levels–each overseen by a nodal officer. Besides Visavadar, bye-elections were also held in Kadi (Gujarat), Nilambur (Kerala), Ludhiana West (Punjab), and Kaliganj (West Bengal), covering a total of 1,354 polling booths. The ECI on Thursday also claimed to have 'successfully implemented' several new initiatives introduced over the past four months, such as mobile deposit facilities for voters, an upgraded voter turnout sharing system for faster updates, Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls before bypolls after two decades, and also the 100 percent webcasting to ensure close monitoring of the polling process. 'The successful implementation of these measures in the bye-polls paves the way for full introduction of all these measures in the forthcoming Bihar assembly elections,' the Commission stated in a press release.
News18
08-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘You Never Learn...': Fadnavis' Rhyme-Laced Jibe At Rahul Gandhi On Rigged Polls Claims
Last Updated: Rahul Gandhi ignited a political row after he claimed that a systematic method was used to influence the Maharashtra election outcome in favour of BJP. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday took a subtle yet sharp rebuke at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after he claimed 'match-fixing" in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections saying that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha has made the same mistake throughout his entire life. While speaking to reporters in Pune, Fadnavis took a poetic jibe at Gandhi and said, ' Ta-umr Rahul Gandhi aap yahi galti karte rahe, dhool chehre pe thi aur aap aina saaf karte rahe (Throughout your life, Rahul Gandhi, you have always made the same mistake; The dust was on your face, but you kept cleaning the mirror)." #WATCH | Pune | Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says, ''Ta-umr Rahul Gandhi aap yahi galti karte rahe, dhool chehre pe thi aur aap aina saaf karte rahe' (Throughout your life, Rahul Gandhi, you have always made the same mistake; The dust was on your face, but you… — ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2025 Earlier today, he called the allegations 'nonsense," a 'lie," and 'an insult to voters." In an article written for a Marathi daily, Fadnavis said the 'one whom the public rejects, rejects the mandate." 'If you cannot convince people, then confuse them. This is the policy that Rahul Gandhi is adopting," Fadnavis said. He further said the Congress has been rejected by the people, which is why they are now tarnishing the image of democracy by blaming the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). 'It has now become a habit for the opposition parties to raise questions on the EVM in every election in Maharashtra. All petitions against the EVM have been dismissed by the Supreme Court," he added. Fadnavis also said that Gandhi is a leader 'who cannot accept failure". 'Are EVMs right in the elections in which the Congress government wins?" he asked. 'Respect the mandate. The public is watching everyone. Now, excuses will not work, and the accountability will be fixed," he concluded. What Rahul Gandhi Claimed? Rahul Gandhi ignited a political row after he claimed that a systematic method was used to influence the Maharashtra election outcome in favour of BJP. In a post on X, the grand-old party leader summarised the key points of an article he wrote for The Indian Express, where he described the so-called electoral manipulation. In his article, Gandhi outlined a five-step process he claimed was used to tilt the Maharashtra election. 'Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll Step 3: Inflate voter turnout Step 4: Target the bogus voting exactly where BJP needs to win Step 5: Hide the evidence," the Leader of Opposition wrote in his post. 'It's not hard to see why the BJP was so desperate in Maharashtra," Gandhi wrote in his post. 'But rigging is like match-fixing – the side that cheats might win the game, but damages institutions and destroy public faith in the result." 'All concerned Indians must see the evidence. Judge for themselves. Demand answers," Gandhi added. He also warned that what happened in Maharashtra could be repeated elsewhere. 'The match-fixing of Maharashtra will come to Bihar next, and then anywhere the BJP is losing," he said, calling match-fixed elections are a 'poison" for any democracy. ECI's Rebuttal The ECI responded to the Lok Sabha LoP's allegations with a point wise rebuttal, stating that 'facts are completely being ignored." 'Unsubstantiated allegations raised against the Electoral Rolls of Maharashtra are an affront to the rule of law. The Election Commission had brought out all these facts in its reply to the INC on 24th December 2024 itself, which is available on ECI's website. It appears that all these facts are being completely ignored while raising such issues again and again," the ECI said. Maharashtra Elections The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance had scored a massive and astonishing victory over Maha Vikas Aghadi in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. The unprecedented electoral sweep is a record win as no alliance has ever crossed the magic mark of 200 seats in the Maharashtra polls. The ruling Mahayuti had won 234 of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra elections, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party, winning 132 seats on its own. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Devendra Fadnavis election commission Maharashtra elections Rahul Gandhi Location : Pune, India, India First Published: June 08, 2025, 16:55 IST
NDTV
08-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
'Article vs Article': Devendra Fadnavis Responds To Rahul Gandhi's Poll Rigging Claim
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Devendra Fadnavis has responded to Rahul Gandhi's allegations of electoral fraud in Maharashtra. He criticized Mr Gandhi for questioning the integrity of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Mr Fadnavis said that Mr Gandhi is a leader "who cannot accept failure". Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after he claimed "match-fixing" in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections and said the "one whom the public rejects, rejects the mandate." His response comes a day after Mr Gandhi, in an op-ed for The Indian Express, questioned the way the Maharashtra Assembly elections, in which the alliance of the Congress, the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena suffered a humiliating defeat, were conducted. "If you cannot convince people, then confuse them. This is the policy that Rahul Gandhi is adopting," Mr Fadnavis wrote in a Marathi daily on Sunday, a day after he said he would respond to the "article with an article". He said the Congress has been rejected by the people, which is why they are now tarnishing the image of democracy by blaming the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). "It has now become a habit for the opposition parties to raise questions on the EVM in every election in Maharashtra. All petitions against the EVM have been dismissed by the Supreme Court," the senior BJP leader wrote. Mr Fadnavis also said that Mr Gandhi is a leader "who cannot accept failure". "Are EVMs right in the elections in which the Congress government wins?" he asked. "Respect the mandate. The public is watching everyone. Now, excuses will not work, and the accountability will be fixed," he concluded. The alliance of the Congress, Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, known as the Maha Vikas Aghadi, managed to win only 46 of the state's 288 assembly seats between them in the November 20 elections. The BJP-led alliance, Mahayuti, which comprised the then Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, secured 235 seats. The BJP alone won 132 seats, its best performance in the state's history. What Rahul Gandhi Said On Maharashtra Polls Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, outlined the alleged electoral irregularities in the Maharashtra polls in a five-step manner. "Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission, Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll, Step 3: Inflate voter turnout, Step 4: Target the bogus voting exactly where BJP needs to win, Step 5: Hide the evidence," Mr Gandhi wrote in a post on X that accompanied a cutout of his June 7 op-ed. How to steal an election? Maharashtra assembly elections in 2024 were a blueprint for rigging democracy. My article shows how this happened, step by step: Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll Step 3: Inflate voter… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 7, 2025 In the article, the Congress MP said he has "doubted the fairness of Indian elections, not every time, not everywhere, but often enough". "I am not talking of small-scale cheating, but of industrial-scale rigging involving the capture of our national institutions," he wrote. "But if some earlier election outcomes seemed odd, the outcome of the 2024 Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections is glaringly strange. The scale of rigging was so desperate that, despite all efforts to conceal it, tell-tale evidence has emerged from official statistics, without reliance on any nonofficial source, revealing a step-by-step playbook," he added. He said that "rigging is like match-fixing - the fixing side might win a game, but irreparable damage is done to institutions and to people's faith in the result." "Match-fixed elections are a poison for any democracy," Mr Gandhi said. Hours after his X post, the Election Commission re-released a document it had issued in April this year and said his allegations are "completely absurd".
