As the United States prepares for the 2024 presidential election, anxieties are rising over the potential for violence and chaos, echoing the tumultuous events of 2020. Donald Trump’s refusal to accept a possible defeat and his continued promotion of unsubstantiated voter fraud claims have fueled concerns about election night and beyond. With heightened security measures in place, the nation braces for a tense and potentially volatile election cycle.
Political tensions in Mozambique have reached a boiling point as two opposition figures were brutally murdered in Maputo, the capital. The killings come amidst widespread protests against alleged election irregularities, raising concerns about escalating violence. The European Union has condemned the murders and called for a thorough investigation, while human rights groups express alarm over the situation.
A lawyer and advisor to Mozambique’s leading opposition presidential candidate and a senior opposition official were fatally shot in their SUV in Maputo, raising concerns about escalating violence in the country following a disputed election. The killings have been widely condemned as politically motivated and have further inflamed tensions between the ruling party and the opposition.
The final phase of polling in West Bengal began with reports of violence in the South 24 Parganas district. A local mob looted a polling premises and threw reserve Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), ballot papers, and two VVPAT machines into a pond. The incident occurred at 6.40 a.m. today near the Benimadhavpur FP school in the Kultali assembly constituency. The Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal confirmed the incident and stated that an FIR has been lodged and necessary action has been initiated. The poll process in all six booths under the affected sector is continuing uninterrupted with fresh EVMs and papers provided. BJP leader Amit Malviya criticized the incident, alleging that democracy is under threat in West Bengal.
Just days after Lok Sabha elections concluded in Kangpokpi district of Manipur, three blasts occurred on a bridge along National Highway-2 near Saparmeina on April 24 at around 1 a.m. No injuries were reported, but traffic has been disrupted along the route, which is crucial for supplying essential items to the Imphal Valley. Security forces have cordoned off the area and investigations are underway. No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts, which come just as the remaining parts of Outer Manipur are scheduled to vote in the second phase of elections on April 26.
In the aftermath of violence and damage to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the initial phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha and state assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered repolling in eight polling stations on Wednesday, April 24. The polling stations scheduled for repolling are located in the Bameng, Nyapin, Nacho, and Rumgong assembly constituencies across East Kameng, Kurung Kumey, Upper Subansiri, and Siang districts. Around 76.44% of the total 8,92,694 voters cast their votes on April 19 to choose 50 MLAs out of the 60-member assembly in the northeastern state. This development follows similar incidents in Manipur, where repolling was conducted in 11 polling stations due to violence during the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
