New Delhi:

The ability to praise or see the positives is on a decline, noted Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, adding that the trend of criticism (ninda ras), on the other hand, is on the rise. The comment comes in the backdrop of the Opposition’s questions over the voting machines.

Speaking at the NDTV ‘Indian of the Year Awards 2024’ on Friday, Mr Kumar said even though conducting the elections can be logistically challenging, the voters of the country are capable of resolving all issues in a peaceful manner.

“What surprises me, positively, is the resilience of the Indian voter… this country can resolve all its issues peacefully through the ballot, not the bullet… This is the biggest satisfaction,” he said.

As several polling personnel were honoured with the NDTV ‘Indian of the Year Awards 2024’, Mr Kumar said it is the “presiding officers who keep the democracy alive”.

“There are 10,50,000 booths in the country. Each booth comprises around four to five presiding officers. This makes it around 50,00,000 fellows. And who are these people? You’ve seen them – they are teachers, Anganwadi workers, officials from the agricultural department… people are pooled from various departments,” the CEC said.

He said the entire country’s workforce is at the service of the poll commission during the elections. “We are a team of 500-600 people in the commission. During the elections, we become 15 million…,” he said.

The top official of the polling body explained how the presiding officers are “randomly” deputed to various polling booths across the country, in the presence of political party leaders and their agents, to avoid allegations of bias.

“The world’s highest polling station is in Himachal Pradesh. In the opposite south, there is another huge part of India… in the west, you have the desert, and in the east, you have the wettest place in the world, where we have the polling station. The machine (EVMs) works in the desert, under zero degree temperatures, under moisture-laden conditions… So long as they (polling personnel) are there, Indian democracy is absolutely in safe hands and perfect,” he said.

Opposition parties have often accused the poll body of bias and raised doubts over the functioning of voting machines. After losing the Maharashtra elections last month, the Congress alleged lack of transparency in the electoral process and manipulation of the voting machines.

The Supreme Court, recently, disapproved of repeated doubts raised over the voting machines, berating the tendency of political parties to raise doubts over their functioning whenever they lose elections while conveniently accepting the system when they win.

Mr Kumar also lamented that despite efforts, voters in cities continue to avoid turning up at polling stations on election days. While Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur and Naxal-affected areas have witnessed high turnout, “people in cities do not vote”, he said.

Despite several initiatives by the polling commission, voters in Bengaluru and Gurugram did not turn up in large numbers at the booths, he added.

Colaba in Mumbai, Mr Kumar said, registered the lowest turnout in the recently-held Maharashtra assembly elections. “But I am sure, urban apathy and youth apathy will also be taken care of in times to come,” he said.

New Delhi:

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has condemned political leaders remarks against women and directed officials to deal sternly with violators, news agency ANI said Friday.

Sources told ANI Mr Kumar’s reaction came during a review meet with district poll officers, municipal commissioners, and police chiefs before the November 20 Maharashtra election.

The Election Commission had earlier directed political parties and candidates to refrain from deeds, actions or utterances that will be repugnant to the honour and dignity of women.

Mr Kumar was reacting to controversy over comments by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant about Shaina NC, a BJP leader who joined the Shinde Sena faction to contest the election.

Mr Sawant’s comment was in response to a reporter’s question about Ms Shaina’s chances; she will contest the Mumbadevi seat that has been held by the Congress’ Amin Patel since 2009.

READ | Three-Time Winner Amin Patel, Shaina NC Fight For Mumbadevi

Responding to his remark, she said, “I am not some ‘maal‘ (goods). I am a daughter of Mumbai… this is a crass comment by Sawant. I am a ‘mahila‘ (woman) (and) everyone knows the Maha Vinash Aghadi (a play on the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition) does not respect women.”

She also slammed her rival – Amin Patel – for smiling at the remark. “Arvind Sawant called me ‘imported maal (goods)’ and Amin Patel was smiling. Would he have made this remark for his sister or wife?”

“I want to ask Uddhav Sena about Sanjay Raut’s statement… that there is no need to apologise because I am ‘imported’. Mr Raut, if you don’t have any objection… it shows your mentality!”

READ | “Shows Mentality”: Shaina NC On Sanjay Raut Defending Derogatory Remark

Mr Raut had said, “There has been no insult. Arvind Sawant just said Ms Shaina had come from outside (and) if she is ‘imported maal‘, how is this an insult to women?”, and pointed out that similar jabs have always been levelled against Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi.

Mr Sawant later claimed that he had a good equation with Shaina NC and she may have misunderstood his comment. “It refers to ‘goods’, but she could have misinterpreted it. I had no such intentions,” he said. A police case has been registered against Mr Sawant.

The row was also picked up on by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who this week attacked the Congress-led INDIA bloc, of which the Sena (UBT) is a member, for its silence in the matter.

READ | “Mothers, Daughters In Shock”: PM Modi On Shaina NC Remark

The opposition used “foul language” against a woman leader”, Mr Modi said in speech in Jharkhand, where too an election will be held this month.

“Mothers and daughters are in shock (and the) people will teach them a lesson,” he declared, also attacking the Congress for “humiliating” Sita Soren, the sister-in-law of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and a BJP candidate.

With input from agencies

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New Delhi:

Dismissing allegations of ‘varying EVM battery levels’, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said Electronic Voting Machines are totally “safe and robust,” and have batteries like a calculator, not like a mobile which will be charged everyday.

CEC Kumar explained that EVMs had three-layered security including the batteries and in each level signatures of political party representatives were taken to ensure transparency.

“People also ask, if pagers can be hacked then why can’t EVMs be hacked? Pagers are connected but EVMs are not,” he said during a press conference while announcing the poll dates for Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections on Tuesday.

Notably, Israel had hacked pagers of terrorist outfit Hezbollah.

He explained that the batteries put in EVMs are single-use batteries, and the signatures of each political party’s representative are also taken on them.

“This is a single use battery… like a calculator, not like a mobile which will be charged everyday. One battery can be used for around five years,” the CEC said.

“When a machine is commissioned, the battery is put on that day, this is done five or six days before voting. .. even on the battery there are signatures of party representatives. We also do not know when we made this rule, but now it is useful to us,” he said.

CEC Kumar also explained that EVMs had three-layered security and signatures of political party representatives were taken to ensure transparency.

“When the EVMs are sealed, they will be double locked, there will be a three-layer security, where CAPF must be there, and observers will be there too. On the day of polling the whole process will be repeated and it is also videographed,” he added.

“This sort of system, with public disclosure, participation, please tell me where else is there such a robust system,” Mr Kumar added.

Congress delegation had raised 20 complaints to the ECI, which CEC Rajiv said will be replied to individually and will be posted for everyone to see too.

“We have gotten around 20 complaints regarding EVMs, we will address them individually, fact by fact. We will convey to each candidate our response, because it is our duty and tell it soon. We will also publish our responses for everyone,” CEC Rajiv Kumar added.

Notably, Congress had alleged that varying EVM battery levels across different polling stations in Haryana might have impacted the poll results on October 8 in which the BJP returned to power third time in a row, defying poll predictions. Congress claimed that on EVMs with 99 per cent charge Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won, whereas other machines which had 60 per cent charge Congress won.

Speaking to ANI on October 12, Congress leader Pawan Khera, also said, “We have sent a list of 20 seats to the Election Commission regarding which our candidates have submitted written and verbal complaints of 99 per cent battery charge. This is a strange coincidence that the machines which displayed 99 per cent battery charge were the ones on which Congress lost. The machines with 60-70 per cent battery charge are the ones on which Congress won. Why did this happen?”

The Congress in Haryana could not capitalise on the 10 years of anti-incumbency of the BJP government. The BJP won 48 out of 90 seats in the Haryana assembly, while Congress managed to win 37 seats. Independents won 3 seats, and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) secured 2 seats.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Srinagar:

A delegation of the Election Commission of India (ECI) led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar reached Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar on Thursday to review poll preparedness ahead of the upcoming assembly polls in the Union Territory.

Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were part of the delegation apart from CEC Rajiv Kumar in the review visit.

As part of the review process, the ECI delegation will meet with the various stakeholders including officials and leaders of different political parties in the UT.

On June 21, the ECI initiated the preparations for forthcoming State Assembly Elections in the States of Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand with the updation of the electoral rolls in these states w.r.t. July 1, 2024, as the qualifying date.

An ECI release earlier mentioned that the term of the existing Legislative Assemblies in the three states are going to end on November 3 and 26 and January 5, 2025, respectively and elections to these Legislative Assemblies are required to be conducted before the completion of their terms.

As per the release, the ECI directed for the updation of the electoral rolls in J-K witnessing the huge participation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the recently concluded Lok Sabha Elections.

CEC Rajiv Kumar in an earlier press conference remarked that “the story of huge participation in Lok Sabha elections by people of J&K is very hopeful and inspiring, showing how eager people are to participate in democracy. People must stay peaceful and united, fulfilling their aspirations and deciding their future and governance. The Commission is excited and gratified to help make this happen and will soon start the Assembly election process in J&K.”

Meanwhile, J&K BJP Chief Spokesperson Sunil Sethi said, “We want the Assembly elections should be held at the earliest. BJP is prepared for the elections. We have certain concerns regarding security and phasing of the elections.”

J&K BJP leader Rafiq Wani said, “BJP is completely ready for elections. We are hopeful that like Lok Sabha elections people will take part in Assembly elections also.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Saturday said it is some people’s job to create doubts and asserted the systems in place at the Election Commission (EC) are strong to ensure no mistakes creep in.

He was responding to a question on doubts being cast on the turnout of voters in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

“It is the job of some people to create doubts. Our system is strong, not from today, it has been there for the past 70-72 years,” he told PTI Videos.

His remarks come on a day when the poll panel came out with Lok Sabha constituency-wise data on the number of votes cast in the first five phases of the elections.

The turnout figures came a day after the Supreme Court refused to issue directions to the Election Commission on an NGO’s plea for uploading polling booth-wise voter turnout data on its website.

The Election Commission said it has decided to expand the format of turnout data to include the absolute number of voters in every parliamentary constituency.

The Chief Election Commissioner said that the matter was in the Supreme Court and it has delivered its verdict, which is before everyone.

“All I can say is that there is no mistake in this, nor can there be any mistake,” Mr Kumar said.

“But why did these doubts arise, how were they created, and how much negative impact it has on our voting and the atmosphere, how our entire energy is diverted, we will tell this to the country one day,” he added.

While the Election Commission had been issuing turnout percentages, there had been demands to make the actual number of voters in every phase public.

The Supreme Court refused a plea on Friday to direct the EC to upload Form 17C — which records votes polled per polling station — on its website

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

A three-member panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet at noon to hold discussions on candidates for two vacant posts on the top panel of the Election Commission of India. The panel comprises the Prime Minister, a Union Minister and Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. The Union Minister who will attend the meeting is Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, it is learnt.

The meeting comes days after Election Commissioner Arun Goel stepped down, leaving just Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on the three-member panel. Another Election Commissioner, Anup Chandra Pandey, retired last month. This is critical as Lok Sabha polls are approaching, and the poll body is set to announce dates for the election.

Mr Goel’s resignation has sparked a massive row, with the Opposition accusing the government of “systematic decimation of independent institutions”.

Sources have said Mr Goel had cited “personal reasons” for his decision. They added that there may have been some differences between him and the Chief Election Commissioner.

The Prime Minister-led panel’s meeting is being held at a time when multiple petitions have challenged in the Supreme Court the process to appoint top poll officers. The court has said it will hear these tomorrow.

Last year, a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had ruled that top poll officials must be appointed on the recommendation of a committee comprising the Chief Justice of India, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.

Months later, the Centre brought the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023. This legislation, which cleared the Parliament, dropped the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel. Instead, a Union Minister was put on it. This gave the Executive more heft on the panel.

The petitioners, including Association for Democratic Reforms and Congress leader Jaya Thakur, have challenged this move of the government.

Jammu:

The Election Commission has received details from the State Bank of India (SBI) related to the electoral bonds and will share all relevant information in time, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said here on Wednesday.

The assertion comes in the wake of the Supreme Court directing the SBI to submit the details of the electoral bonds purchased since April 12, 2019, to the EC.

SBI is the authorised financial institution to issue electoral bonds.

“The SBI was supposed to submit the data by March 12. They have given us the details in time. I will go back and look at the data (and) would disclose it in time,” Mr Kumar told reporters here.

Mr Kumar reached here on Wednesday to review preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

“We are ready for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. We will ensure free and fair elections across the country. We request voters across the country including Jammu and Kashmir to enthusiastically take part in the ‘festival of democracy,” the CEC said.

He said social media cells will be established in all districts to respond to fake news in real-time.

“Adequate security to be provided to all candidates and central forces will be deployed,” he added.

Kumar said strict vigil will be maintained on online cash transfers through wallets in Jammu and Kashmir.

People above 85 years and those with a disability will be provided a voting at-home facility in J-K, he added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)