Election 2024 News Highlights: EC directs observers to ensure smooth polling in booths

Election 2024 News LIVE: As the first phase of polling of the Lok Sabha elections is set to take place on April 19 the Election Commission of India has directed over 350 poll observers to ensure that elections are conducted smoothly. Notably, along with 102 parliamentary constituencies in 21 states, polling will also take place and 92 assembly constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on April 19. The ECI has deployed 127 General Observers, 67 Police Observers and 167 Expenditure Observers and all have reported in constituencies before the last date of nomination, March 26.

Election 2024 News LIVE: Congress leader and MLA Sudip Roy Barman hit out at the BJP-led central government and said that every slogan that was given by the BJP party was false. Addressing an election rally in Tripura's Belonia on Thursday, Barman said, "According to me, the slogan that they are using, 'Ab ki baar 400 paar' is just to blindfold the common people as their internal condition is very weak, and their top leaders are assuming to get 200 seats only."

Election 2024 News LIVE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged the Narendra Modi government actually is "Adani government" and expressed confidence the BJP regime at the Centre will be dislodged with INDIA bloc's win in the LS polls. Addressing an election rally in Tamil Nadu together with Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin in this western city, Gandhi claimed "Narendra Modi and Adani policies have created two Indias. One India of billionaires and the other India of poor people."

While Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders repeatedly said that the BJP has plans to “change the Constitution of India” if it retains power at Centre, PM Narendra Modi hit out at the India bloc, saying that not even BR Ambedkar can change the Constitution now.

Election 2024 News LIVE: Top Congress leaders will discuss and decide on the party candidates from Punjab, Haryana, Bihar and Delhi at a meeting of the central election committee to be held on Saturday evening. The central election committee chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge is likely to meet at 4 pm on Saturday.

Around ₹1.75 lakh cash was seized from a man in Greater Noida on Friday amid enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha elections, police said. With this, the cash seizure in this poll season across Noida and Greater Noida in Gautam Buddh Nagar has risen to ₹66.66 lakh, according to officials.

Election 2024 News LIVE: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the Congress will win 15 to 20 seats in his state.

Election 2024 News LIVE: Union home minister Amit Shah will address an election rally in Manipur’s Imphal East district on April 15, a state BJP leader said on Friday. Shah will arrive at Imphal airport around 2 pm and will head to Hapta Kangjeibung in the district to attend the public meeting.

Election 2024 News LIVE: "Due to the political corruption of AIADMK and DMK, Tamil Nadu has not been able to develop as much as there are possibilities. PM Narendra Modi has made the nation secure and prosperous. Now, the time has come for Tamil Nadu people to stand with PM Narendra Modi and vote for the BJP. Only BJP can make Tamil culture reach the whole nation..." said Amit Shah

Election 2024 News LIVE: Chhattisgarh CM and BJP leader Vishnu Dev Sai held road show in Jagdalpur earlier today.

Election 2024 News LIVE: BRS has announced Marepalli Sudhir Kumar as its candidate from Warangal, for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Election 2024 News LIVE: The Congress on Friday attacked the ruling Left front in Kerala on various issues, including the CAA and the fielding of a candidate against Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, as the state moves closer to the Lok Sabha polls on April 26. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said that as the Left front is a part of the INDIA bloc, it should not have fielded a candidate against Gandhi in Wayanad, where he is a sitting MP, as he is the face of the alliance.

Election 2024 News LIVE: Home minister Amit Shah held a roadshow in Tamil Nadu's Madurai today.

Election 2024 News LIVE: BJP chief JP Nadda addressed a public meeting in Gondia, Maharashtra today.

Election 2024 News LIVE: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma held a roadshow in Jorhat today.

Election 2024 News LIVE: Ahead of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Odisha, which will be held amid expected hot and humid conditions in May-June, the state government on Friday said polling officials who suffer from heat stroke will receive cashless treatment in private hospitals under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).

Election 2024 News LIVE: Bansuri Swaraj, BJP candidate from the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat, Friday claimed there will be no impact of CM Kejriwal's arrest on the elections as the "Vastu shastra" of the city is in favour of her party and the lotus will also bloom in the 2025 assembly polls. In an interaction with PTI Swaraj, daughter of late Delhi chief minister and former external affairs affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, also accused Kejriwal of "orchestrating" the situation to gain sympathy before the Lok Sabha polls.

Election 2024 News LIVE: At a poll rally in Tamil Nadu, Rahul Gandhi promised to bring Right to Apprenticeship law if elected to power after the Lok Sabha election 2024. 

"For sake of all our graduates, diploma holders, a law, Right to Apprenticeship will be enacted," said Rahul Gandhi as quoted by news agency PTI.

Election 2024 News LIVE: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding a roadshow in Rajasthan's Dausa, BJP candidate from the constituency, Kanhaiya Lal Meena and state minister Kirodi Lal Meena are also with him.

Election 2024 News LIVE: PM Narendra Modi is holding a roadshow in Rajasthan's Dausa. Thousands of supporters can be seen lined up on both sides of the streets to get a glimpse of the Prime Minister. The supporters are holding BJP flags and chanting slogans.

Election 2024 News LIVE: Tripura CM Manik Saha is holding a roadshow in Belonia, South Tripura district as he campaigns for the BJP's candidates ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Election 2024 News LIVE: Predicting the June 4 Lok Sabha election results, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor claims that the forces of democracy will win the majority of seats.
 

"On 4th of June, we are going to find the forces of democracy will win the majority of seats...We will the BJP is in for a very rude shock and it's going to be 2004 all over again...I don't think 'Hindi-Hindutva-Hindustan' is going to work because certainly for all of us who want to see more inclusive India," says Tharoor.

Election 2024 News LIVE: AIMIM chief and party's sitting MP from Hyderabad, Asaduddin Owaisi kickstarted his election campaigning and held door-to-door canvassing at Kamatipura, Osman Bagh and Bandalguda under Bahadurpura Assembly Constituency. Bahadurpura MLA Mohammed Mubeen was also with him, reported news agency ANI.

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