"election-commission"

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said states can take policy decisions before the model code of conduct comes into force, responding to questions on recent welfare announcements. He also assured strict action against inducements and urged voters to participate in the democratic process

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of threatening state officials during a meeting on poll preparedness. She also criticised the ongoing SIR exercise, alleging it was being used to deprive people of voting rights

Political tensions over the SIR exercise in West Bengal dominated Election Commission consultations with parties in Kolkata. The TMC alleged voter harassment, while the BJP demanded fewer poll phases. The EC assured political parties that elections would be conducted fairly and peacefully

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar warned officials in West Bengal that any lapse in law and order ahead of the Assembly elections would invite strict action. The Election Commission also questioned the absence of a Narcotics Advisory Committee in the state

A sharper decline in women voters following West Bengal’s electoral roll revision has introduced a new political variable ahead of the Assembly polls. Analysts say even marginal shifts in the crucial women electorate could influence outcomes in tightly contested constituencies.

The Election Commission of India is likely to visit West Bengal on March 9 to review election preparedness. The panel will assess security arrangements, voter roll issues and coordination with central agencies ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections

The YSR Congress Party has sought a probe by the Election Commission into a late night rise in Andhra Pradesh Assembly poll turnout. Senior leader S Sailajanath alleged irregularities, while the Telugu Desam Party rejected the claims and called them baseless

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the Supreme Court to intervene in the ongoing electoral roll revision, alleging mass disenfranchisement. The top court issued notices to the Election Commission, stressing that genuine voters must remain on the rolls

BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan has urged Governor Jishnu Dev Varma to intervene in the Telangana municipal poll schedule, alleging it is rushed and unfair. He said the compressed timeline could hurt democratic participation and benefit the ruling party.

The Supreme Court declined to issue nationwide guidelines on preventing stampedes at public gatherings, directing the petitioner to pursue the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Election Commission. The bench cited law-and-order expertise and feasibility concerns

The Telangana Council of Higher Education has decided to revamp UG and PG syllabi and form subject-wise committees led by Vice Chancellors. The council also plans to expand apprenticeship-embedded courses and seek industry inputs to make education more skill-oriented

Bangladesh’s BNP urged the Election Commission to act with complete impartiality ahead of the February 12 general elections, raising concerns over postal ballots, alleged code violations and bias, while the CEC defended the commission’s neutrality and sought cooperation for a fair, inclusive poll 

Amid Maharashtra civic polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called vote tampering “anti-national” as allegations surfaced that marker pen ink could be removed easily. The State Election Commission launched a probe and will revert to traditional ink for future elections

A controversy erupted during the BMC elections in Mumbai after voters reported that the marker ink applied to their fingers could be easily wiped off. MNS chief Raj Thackeray accused the Maharashtra government and Election Commission of manipulating the process to secure victory, calling it a “sign of a dying democracy.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Enforcement Directorate of attempting to steal the Trinamool Congress’s internal strategy during raids at I-PAC offices, alleging BJP leaders including Amit Shah benefited from the coal scam.

Cricketer Mohammed Shami and his brother were asked to appear for SIR verification in Kolkata due to errors in their voter forms. Shami, representing Bengal in Rajkot, has requested new dates, rescheduled between January 9–11 by the Election Commission

The Election Commission has published West Bengal's draft electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision, deleting over 58 lakh names due to death, migration, duplicates, and other discrepancies. Hearings for affected voters are expected to begin next week

Election Commission data shows TDP received over ₹83 crore in donations in 2024–25, down from over ₹100 crore earlier. Janasena got ₹25.33 crore, while YSRCP received over ₹140 crore. Natco Pharma emerged as a major donor to all three parties.

The Supreme Court directed States to provide additional staff to the Election Commission to ease the workload on booth-level officers engaged in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, following complaints of extreme pressure, FIRs, and deaths by suicide among BLOs

The Supreme Court directed States to ease the heavy workload on Booth Level Officers engaged in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision exercise, following reports of deaths, FIRs and extreme stress, while allowing exemptions and replacements for employees with genuine difficulties