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The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Election Commission begins two-day training programme for booth level agents from T.N., Puducherry
The Election Commission of India (EC) on Thursday commenced a two-day training programme for booth level agents (BLAs) of National and State parties from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in view of the forthcoming Assembly election. A total of 229 BLAs (BLA-I & BLA-II) from 11 National and State political parties are participating in the two-day training programme organised at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi. According to a press release, the training programme was conducted in English and Tamil. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar addressed the BLAs and underscored their importance in the election processes. He asserted that the training programme would help them fulfil their responsibilities as delineated in the Representation of People Act, 1950 and 1951, Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, and the manuals, guidelines and instructions issued by ECI from time to time. Through interactive sessions, the BLAs were given an overview of their appointment, roles, and responsibilities as per the legal framework. They were also familiarised in the use of the provision of first and second appeals under sections 24(a) and 24(b) of the Representation of People Act in case they are aggrieved of the final electoral rolls as published. The ECI had also started holding interactions with the party presidents of National and State political parties, the press release added.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Postal ballot row: Cops not to act in haste
Kottayam: In the controversial disclosure by senior CPM leader G Sudhakaran about tampering with postal ballots, police are unlikely to record his statement in a haste. Though police booked the former minister under non-bailable sections , they decided to take further action after collecting maximum proof and evidence. Alappuzha South police have asked the election wing operating from the Alappuzha district collectorate to submit details regarding this. Police can take further steps only with maximum evidence as the incident mentioned by Sudhakaran happened 36 years ago. Apart from the statement of any individuals, documentary evidence is also required. Police are unlikely to get more evidence from Sudhakaran as he has already somersaulted from his earlier stand. Alappuzha South police had charged a case under various non-bailable sections, including IPC sections 465, 468, 471, and sections 135, 135A, 136, and 128 of the Representation of People Act, 1951 and 1988 against Sudhakaran. Among the offences included are booth capturing, forgery, and violation of the maintenance of secrecy of voting. The case was registered based on the speech delivered by Sudhakaran during the NGO state conference held at Leo Thirteen auditorium in Alappuzha on May 14. Following the directive of the state chief electoral officer, a team led by Ambalapuzha tahsildar K Anwar recorded the statement of Sudhakaran. Following this, the district collector asked the district police chief to probe the disclosure. Meanwhile, the state chief electoral officer directed the Alappuzha district electoral officer to apprise him of the progress in the case registered against Sudhakaran. The matter has also been brought to the notice of the Election Commission of India.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CPM leader booked for speech on tampering postal ballots in 1989 elections
Kottayam: CPM veteran and former minister G Sudhakaran was booked on Friday over his controversial speech about tampering with postal ballots in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections . Alappuzha South Police registered a case under various non-bailable sections, including IPC sections 465, 468, 471 and sections 135, 135A, 136 and 128 of the Representation of People Act, 1951 and 1988. The offences included booth capturing, forgery and violation of maintenance of secrecy of voting. If found guilty, Sudhakaran can get imprisonment of three to seven years. The FIR was registered based on Sudhakaran's speech during the NGO state conference held at Leo Thirteen auditorium in Alappuzha on May 14. As per state chief electoral officer's directive, a team led by Ambalappuzha tahsildar K Anwar recorded Sudhakaran's statement. Subsequently, district collector asked the district police chief to probe the disclosure. Police sought the advice of director general of prosecution as the incident that led to the case took place 36 years ago. Police will record the statements of people who accompanied Sudhakaran while the ballots were allegedly tampered with. This includes K V Devadas, who LDF's candidate in that election, and others who were in CPM district committee then. Meanwhile, CPM district secretary R Nazar criticised police for registering an FIR against Sudhakaran without any clear evidence. Meanwhile, Devadas said he was surprised to hear Sudhakaran's speech and that he didn't know of any incident referred to in the speech. Sudhakaran had said that CPM had made alterations in the postal ballots of NGO union members in the elections. Sudhakaran was the party's election secretary then. The then party secretary K K Chellappan has passed away. The election committee president, who was a CPI leader, is also not there now, said Devadas.
The Print
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Gujarat HC rejects petition challenging election of BJP MP from Bhavnagar seat
Article 84(a) of the Constitution outlines the qualification requirement for being a Member of Parliament Justice MK Thakker, in an order passed on April 30, noted the court was of the view that the petitioner has failed to establish that such 'improper acceptance' of the nomination form materially affected the election of the candidate. Independent candidate Bhagvatiben Brahmkshatriya, among the losing nominees from the Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 polls, had moved a petition in the HC with a prayer to declare election of Bambhaniya as void on the ground she had not filed her affidavit along with the nomination form in English and rather did so in Gujarati, thereby violating Article 84(a) of the Constitution. Ahmedabad, May 6 (PTI) The Gujarat High Court has rejected a plea challenging the election of Lok Sabha MP and Union minister Nimuben Bambhaniya from Bhavnagar, observing the petitioner has failed to establish 'improper acceptance' of her nomination form materially affected her election. Bambhaniya, a first-time MP from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is currently serving as the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the Modi government. Mere non-compliance or breach of the Constitution or statutory provisions, as alleged by the petitioner, by itself does not result in invalidating the result of the candidate under section 100(1)(d)(IV) (of Representation of People Act, 1951, dealing with grounds of election to be declared as void), the court observed. For the election of (winning) candidate to be declared void under clause 4 of section 100(1)(d)(IV) of the Act, there has to be a proof of the fact 'that such a breach or non-observance has resulted in materially affecting' the final outcome, the HC maintained. 'In other words, the violation of breach or non-observance or non-compliance with the provisions of Constitution or the Act, 1951 or the rules or the (apex court) orders made thereunder, by itself does not render the election of written candidates void under section 100(1)(d)(IV),' it said. 'The language of section 100(1)(c) clearly places the burden upon the objector to substantiate the objection that the result of the election has been materially affected,' the court contended. Since the petitioner has failed to establish that improper acceptance of the nomination form was fatal to the elections, the court found no merits in her submission and dismissed the plea. PTI KA PD RSY This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
New Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Supreme Court sets aside Kerala HC judgement cancelling election of A Raja as MLA
Raja, opposing the plea, had contended that he belonged to the Hindu Parayan community in relation to the state of Kerala and the caste certificate issued by Tahsildar, Devikulam proved the same. He had also contended that the Returning Officer rightly rejected the objection by Kumar to the nomination paper filed by him. The CPI(M) leader also claimed that his parents had never converted to Christianity, he was never baptised, his wife was a Hindu and that his marriage was according to Hindu rites which included lighting of a customary lamp and tying of 'thali' around his wife's neck. In his plea, Kumar had alleged that Raja was a Christian, baptised at a CSI church in the hill district, and submitted a fake certificate to prove that he belongs to an SC community. Kumar, who was defeated by a margin of 7,848 votes in the 2021 polls by Raja, had also claimed that even the wife of the CPI(M) leader was a Christian and they were married in accordance with Christian religious rites. Agreeing with the contentions of the Congress leader, the high court had said it was well evident from the evasive answers given by Raja regarding his marriage and the ceremony that there was a "conscious effort" on his part to conceal the truth. The dress worn by him and his wife are indications of a Christian marriage, the court had noted. The court had also said that all the documents placed before him "would sufficiently show that the respondent (Raja) was actually professing Christianity at the time when he had submitted his nomination and converted to Christianity long before its submission". "As such, after the conversion, he cannot claim to be a member of Hindu religion. On that score also, the Returning Officer ought to have rejected his nomination," the court had said. It had also held that there was "utter failure" on the part of the CPI(M) leader to show and prove that his predecessors (grandparents) migrated to Kerala prior to promulgation of the 1950 order by the President of India by which Hindu Parayans in Kerala were declared as a part of SC community. "In short, on both the grounds, it is clear that the respondent is not a member of 'Hindu Parayan' within the state of Kerala and not qualified to be chosen to fill a seat -- the Devikulam Constituency -- in the Legislative Assembly which is reserved for a Scheduled Caste, the court had said." Hence, the election of respondent (Raja) as the returned (elected) candidate for the said Constituency in the year 2021 is declared void under Section 98 of Representation of People Act, 1951. "There is no claim for the petitioner (Kumar) for declaring him as the returned candidate from the said Constituency, hence, no such issue was taken up for consideration," it had said.
