The Hindu Morning Digest – April 17, 2024

The Hindu Morning Digest – April 17, 2024

An Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) displayed outside the office of the Election Commission of India | Photo Credit: SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP Supreme Court says EVMs are accurate unless they are maligned by human bias The Supreme Court on Tuesday disagreed with the idea of a return to paper ballots to restore the “little man’s” confidence … Read more

SBI refuses to disclose electoral bonds’ details under RTI Act

SBI refuses to disclose electoral bonds’ details under RTI Act

The State Bank of India (SBI) has refused to disclose under the Right to Information (RTI) Act the details of the electoral bonds furnished to the Election Commission (EC) of India, claiming that it is personal information held in a fiduciary capacity, even though the records are in the public domain on the poll panel’s … Read more

Mamata Banerjee slams PM Modi over comments on atrocities on Sandeshkhali women

Mamata Banerjee slams PM Modi over comments on atrocities on Sandeshkhali women

Mamata Banerjee. File | Photo Credit: AP Jalpaiguri (West Bengal) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 5 hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks about atrocities against women and corruption, asserting that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and her government had taken stern action against the culprits involved in alleged sexual … Read more

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE Updates: Congress seeks donations from people claiming bank accounts frozen in Madhya Pradesh

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE Updates: Congress seeks donations from people claiming bank accounts frozen in Madhya Pradesh

The BJP, which is aiming to topple the Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha, plans to hold as many as 100 election rallies in the state, with key speakers including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Odisha BJP vice-president Golak Mohapatra on Sunday said that mega rallies will be held in all … Read more

In NE, only Sikkim parties received funds through electoral bonds

In NE, only Sikkim parties received funds through electoral bonds

EC data shows that the Sikkim Democratic Front and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha received funds through the electoral bonds scheme. File | Photo Credit: Reuters GUWAHATI Only two parties from the North-East – both from Sikkim – received funds through the electoral bonds scheme introduced in 2018, two data sets five years apart uploaded by the … Read more

Election Commission sign MoUs with Bank association and Post Office for voter outreach

Election Commission sign MoUs with Bank association and Post Office for voter outreach

Representational file image. | Photo Credit: G.N. Rao As part of its efforts to spread voter awareness, the Election Commission has tied up with the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP) to amplify its outreach to electors ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The EC signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) … Read more

Not allowing for 100% VVPATs is 'terrible anyay' on Indian voter: Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh

Not allowing for 100% VVPATs is 'terrible anyay' on Indian voter: Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh

Jairam Ramesh. File | Photo Credit: Special arrangement Calling for greater accountability in using technology in conduct of polls, the Congress on February 14 questioned the Election Commission (EC) of India’s “reluctance” to engage with INDIA parties over their demand that the number of VVPATs prescribed be steadily increased towards 100%. The Opposition party also … Read more

Drugs, cash, liquor worth over ₹1,760 crore seized in five poll-going states: EC

Drugs, cash, liquor worth over ₹1,760 crore seized in five poll-going states: EC

The Election Commission said over ₹1,760 crore worth of freebies, drugs, cash, liquor and precious metals have been seized so far aimed at inducing voters in the five poll-going states. | Photo Credit: MOORTHY RV The Election Commission on Monday said over ₹1,760 crore worth of freebies, drugs, cash, liquor and precious metals aimed at … Read more

NCP split: Sharad Pawar faction presents its case as ECI begins hearing

NCP split: Sharad Pawar faction presents its case as ECI begins hearing

NCP chief Sharad Pawar and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi come out of the Election Commission office in New Delhi on Oct 6, 2023, after the commission heard the plea of both factions over claims on the party’s name and symbol. | Photo Credit: PTI The Election Commission of India on Friday began its hearing … Read more

Have full faith that EC will make right decision, says NCP leader Jayant Patil on party name and symbol row

Have full faith that EC will make right decision, says NCP leader Jayant Patil on party name and symbol row

NCP leader Jayant Patil expressed confidence in the EC that it would make the right decision regarding the party’s name and symbol amidst an ongoing dispute with Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. File | Photo Credit: Twitter/Jayant_R_Patil Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader (Sharad Pawar faction), Jayant Patil, on Saturday, expressed confidence in the Election Commission … Read more