The Election Commission of India is “encouraged” by high voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir and will move towards holding assembly polls in the Union Territory “at the earliest”, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar has said.In a first such statement, the CEC told ET that ECI was “heartened” and “more confident” of holding polls in the Union Territory and would start work on it right after the Lok Sabha elections.”The commission is encouraged to go for assembly polls in the Union Territory at the earliest possible. For the same, the process will be initiated soon after parliamentary elections,” Kumar told ET.”While I would like to thank the electors of J&K for coming out to vote, they have also sent out a clear message. The people of J&K are eager to exercise their franchise and feel invested in the democratic ethos and system of governance. The poll panel is deeply encouraged by the voter turnout in Lok Sabha polls and will work towards holding assembly polls at the earliest,” he said.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesThe CEC’s reaction came hours after Baramulla parliamentary constituency reported a record turnout on Monday. Phase 4 turnout in Srinagar constituency at 38.49% was highest in many decades.In his March 16 press conference when schedules for Lok Sabha elections were announced, CEC had asserted that ECI was committed to holding assembly polls in J&K soon after the parliamentary polls and before the September 30 deadline set by the Supreme Court.
Tag: assembly polls
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‘Didn’t even know where he was’: Kalpana Soren details harrowing experience of Hemant Soren’s arrest – The Economic Times Video
Kalpana Soren was thrust into the limelight after ED arrested the erstwhile Jharkhand CM in an alleged land scam case. Whispers of a CM-seat takeover by Soren family are doing rounds after Kalpana Soren filled nominations for assembly by-polls. Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren has filled her nomination as the JMM candidate from Gandey in Jharkhand’s Giridih. In an exclusive interview with The Economic Times, Kalpana Soren talks about Hemant Soren’s arrest, Jharkhand, and her entry into electoral politics. Watch!
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Speculation mounts as Congress MLAs close to Kamal Nath arrive in Delhi amid rumors of BJP switch
Around half a dozen Madhya Pradesh MLAs, known for their allegiance to senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, arrived in Delhi on Sunday amid speculation that both Kamal Nath and his MP son Nakul Nath are poised to join the BJP.
Out of these MLAs, three hail from Chhindwara, with another three from the same region reportedly en route to Delhi, sources close to the seasoned leader told PTI. Kamal Nath, a nine-time MP from Chhindwara and the current MLA from the constituency, faced the removal as the state president of the Congress after the party’s lackluster performance in the November Assembly polls.
Despite attempts to contact these MLAs, they remained elusive, and it is suggested that Lakhan Ghangoriya, a Nath loyalist and former state minister, is accompanying them in Delhi.Expressing discontent over Kamal Nath’s removal, Deepak Saxena, a former MP minister and Nath loyalist, emphasized the need for the leader to be treated with respect. Saxena asserted that regardless of Nath’s decision, their support would remain unwavering.
“We want out leader to be accorded all respect. Whatever decision he takes, we will be with him,” Saxena said.
Another Nath loyalist, former state minister Vikram Verma, wrote ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in his X profile.”I will follow Kamal Nath,” Verma, a former MP, had told reporters on Saturday.Amidst these developments, efforts are underway by the Nath camp to secure the backing of 23 MLAs to avoid the application of anti-defection laws. Currently, the Congress holds 66 seats in the 230-member Assembly of Madhya Pradesh.
This situation draws parallels with the events of March 2020 when another senior Congress leader, Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with several loyal MLAs, defected to the BJP, resulting in the downfall of the Congress-led government helmed by Kamal Nath. The political landscape in Madhya Pradesh continues to witness dynamic shifts as these political developments unfold.
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