oppn parties Elections 2019: Dance Of Democracy

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  • Supreme Court questions the continuing relevance of two-child norms. The Court observed that falling fertility rates have weakened the population-control rationale behind laws disqualifying people with more than two children from contesting local body elections. It referred the issue to a larger Bench for consideration
  • Supreme Court declines to shift Tirupati laddu case outside Andhra Pradesh. The Court rejected a plea seeking transfer of the trial, despite arguments that political statements by Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister could affect the fairness of proceedings
  • Supreme Court transfers Azam Khan's fresh ED bail plea to Allahabad High Court. The apex court declined to consider the Samajwadi Party leader's bail request in a fresh Enforcement Directorate case and directed that it be listed before a division Bench of the High Court on November 16
  • Two killed in Delhi building collapse; contractor booked. Two bodies were recovered after a building collapsed in Chawri Bazaar. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the contractor had been booked and the concerned junior and assistant engineers suspended
  • Uttar Pradesh voter rolls show a 2.4-crore discrepancy. A difference of approximately 2.4 crore names has been reported between the state's panchayat and rural Assembly voter lists. The Election Commission has ordered the two sets of rolls to be matched
  • Gujarat announces 3% dearness allowance hike. The state government announced a three-percentage-point increase in dearness allowance for government employees and pensioners ahead of Diwali
  • Sensex and Nifty post their strongest single-day gains in months. The Sensex surged 2,008.61 points, or 2.60%, to close at 79,310.01, while the Nifty 50 climbed 576 points, or 2.40%, to 24,536.60. Financial and automobile stocks led the rally, supported by falling crude prices and renewed foreign investor buying
  • Maaya Rajeshwaran reaches WTA-level quarter-final. The 17-year-old Indian defeated Poland's Weronika Falkowska 6-4, 6-3, becoming the first Indian woman since Sania Mirza in 2012 to reach a quarter-final at a WTA Tour-level singles event
  • Tanvi Patri reaches Youth Olympics badminton final. The 15-year-old defeated Japan's Yuzuno Watanabe in the semi-final, assuring India of a medal and becoming the first Indian badminton player to reach the girls' singles final at the Youth Olympics
  • India beat Pakistan 3-2 in SAFF Championship. India defeated Pakistan in a closely contested match, having led 3-0 before conceding two late goals. The victory was reported as a significant result for India's second-string side
  • India beat Japan 4-1 to win a record sixth Asian Champions Trophy. India recovered from an early deficit to defeat Japan in the final at Mohali, extending its record as the tournament's most successful men's team
  • The Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre and the Election Commission on a petition challenging Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, which grants the CEC and Election Commissioners protection from legal proceedings for acts performed in their official duties. The petition argues that such blanket immunity could leave citizens without an effective remedy for alleged wrongdoing by the Commission
  • The Supreme Court told voters whose names were deleted from Delhi's draft electoral rolls not to be apprehensive about seeking re-enrolment through Form 6, after the Election Commission assured it that such applicants would not be prosecuted merely because their names had appeared in earlier rolls
  • Congress leader Rahul Gandhi opened the party's campaign for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections with an Insaaf rally in Sangrur, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's home district, accusing the AAP government of failing to control drugs, gangster violence and corruption. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge outlined six commitments, including a drug-free Punjab, protection of farmers, employment for young people and action against corruption
  • Rahul Gandhi accused the AAP government of running Punjab through a remote control from Delhi and questioned Bhagwant Mann's ability to tackle drug abuse, making personal allegations about the Chief Minister's conduct during their time together in Parliament
Stock markets on fire due to US results, Sensex gains 2008 points to reach its highest level in 8 months
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Elections 2019: Dance Of Democracy

By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2019-03-11 12:06:43

As expected, the Election Commission has declared the schedule of the general elections over the weekend. The elections will be held in 7 phases from April 11 to May 19, with counting and results on May 23. Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh voters will simultaneously elect their state assemblies. The commission has decided not to hold assembly elections in J&K for now as the security situation has not improved.

The commission took pains to show that despite the increase in booths from 9 lakhs in 2014 to 10 lakhs this year, it has managed to so design the exercise that the phases have reduced from 9 in 2014 to 7 now. The commission also said that there will be 100% VVPAT deployment and trail coverage in at least one booth per segment. Pictures of candidates will also be displayed on the EVMs. It also said that social media entities have been warned about fake and paid news. The commission assured the country that it is well prepared to ensure free and fair elections.

Although the period of 5 weeks and four days to complete the exercise will seem stretched, given the nature of Indian elections- with money and muscle power ruling the roost - the need is to ensure that the elections are held in a free, fair and peaceful manner. To achieve this, the deployment of security personnel has to be optimum and this can only be done by phasing the elections in a manner that the desired deployment can take place without glitches. Along with this, the commission has to factor in exam schedules and preferences of states before taking the decision. Hence, it is good that the exercise will be completed in just 7 phases.

By the evening of May 23, the country will know who will govern it for the next five years. Although the commission could have advanced this date by two days given that everything has now gone digital, one can grant it the time as huge logistics are involved. It is always better to be safe than be sorry. Indian elections have continuously set benchmarks for efficiency and one is hopeful this time will not be any different. It is also hoped that the record of 66% voting achieved in 2014 will be shattered this year as voter awareness is at its peak.

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