Results for: Election Commission of India (ECI)

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi has slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the victory of Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) candidate Ravindra Waikar in the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency by a margin of just 48 votes. Chaturvedi has alleged collusion and unfair practices, claiming that the ECI is delaying the investigation into the matter. Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Amol Kirtikar has also raised concerns about the counting process, alleging that the announcement and display of votes after each round stopped after the 19th round and that Waikar was directly announced as the winning candidate after the 26th round. Kirtikar has also sought CCTV footage of the counting process but has been denied by the Mumbai Suburban District Collector. The Sena (UBT) is planning to challenge the results in court.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered re-polling at a polling booth in the Dahod Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat on May 11th. The decision comes after a video of a BJP leader’s son live-streaming the voting process on May 7th went viral, raising concerns about potential booth capturing. The ECI has declared the voting at the Parthampur polling station null and void based on a report submitted by the Returning Officer and Observer regarding irregularities.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered X, formerly Twitter, to take down an animated video posted by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Karnataka unit. The video features caricatures of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging that the party is diverting funds and resources away from SC/ST/OBC Hindus towards Muslims. The video had garnered over 90 lakh views as of May 7 and had not yet been removed.

On April 26, the Supreme Court declined to revive paper ballots and upheld the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs). The Court emphasized the need for caution when questioning the integrity of the electoral process but rejected a request for mandatory cross-verification of all EVM votes with paper slips. The Election Commission of India was directed to implement measures to enhance the security of the EVM system.

Amidst rising temperatures, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the voting time in 1,700 polling stations across four parliamentary seats of Bihar (Banka, Madhepura, Khagaria, and Munger) by two hours from 7 am to 6 pm. The extension applies to the next three phases of parliamentary polls in the state. This decision aims to facilitate smooth polling and potentially increase voter turnout, which saw a decline of 4.21% in the first phase of polling.

Ride-hailing service Rapido has launched its “SawaariZimmedariKi” campaign, offering complimentary bike taxi, auto, and cab rides to differently-abled and senior citizen voters across Karnataka. Residents of Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Mangaluru can access free transportation to and from polling stations on April 26th by using the code ‘VOTENOW’. This initiative is part of Rapido’s efforts to promote civic engagement and ensure equitable access to voting for all citizens.