To encourage young voters to participate in the democratic process, the Election Commission of India on Saturday posted a new meme featuring the popular character ‘Munna Bhaiyya’ from the Amazon Prime series Mirzapur.

‘Munna Bhaiyya’, played by actor Divyenndu Sharma, is known for his stern yet memorable dialogues in the hit show. 

The Poll Body has now creatively repurposed a famous meme template associated with the character. In the original meme, ‘Munna Bhaiyya’ advises, “Padhai Likhai Karo, IAS YAS Bano”. The Election Commission, however, has given this meme a civic twist. 

In their version, ‘Munna Bhaiyya’ says, “Ye kya reels mein time barbaad kar rahe… jao vote do, loktantra ko mazboot karo [Why are you wasting time on reels…go vote and strengthen democracy].” 

“’Munna Bhaiyya”s blunt words appeal to youth to vote,” the caption read.

See here-

मुन्ना भैया की दो टूक….!
युवाओं से वोट करने की अपील #YouAreTheOne#ChunavKaParv#DeshKaGarv#LokSabhaElections2024pic.twitter.com/pTBqiIoBoN

— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) May 25, 2024

Today, India is voting in the sixth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. So far, 428 of the 543 constituencies across 25 states and Union Territories have voted.

In the penultimate phase, all seven seats in Delhi and all 10 in Haryana are going to polls. Besides them, 8 of 20 in Bihar, 14 of 80 in Uttar Pradesh, one of five in Jammu and Kashmir, six of 20 in Odisha, eight of 42 in West Bengal and four of 14 in Jharkhand are up for grabs.

As of 3 pm, the voter turnout across India stood at 49.2%. West Bengal led with 70.19%, while Uttar Pradesh trailed at 43.9%. Jharkhand was at 54.34% and Odisha at 48.44%. Haryana and Bihar hovered around 46.26% and 45.21%, respectively. Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir recorded 44.58% and 44.41% each.

Only 57 constituencies are left for the final polling on June 1, followed by vote counting on June 4.

New Delhi:

The Election Commission today responded to Trinamool Congress’s allegation that EVMs “with BJP tags” were used in Bankura district.

Smt. @MamataOfficial has repeatedly flagged how @BJP4India was trying to rig votes by tampering with EVMs.

And today, in Bankura’s Raghunathpur, 5 EVMs were found with BJP tags on them.@ECISVEEP should immediately look into it and take corrective action! pic.twitter.com/aJwIotHAbX

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 25, 2024

Sharing two pictures of EVMs with paper tags with BJP written on them, the Mamata Banerjee-led party posted on X, “Smt. @MamataOfficial has repeatedly flagged how @BJP4India was trying to rig votes by tampering with EVMs. And today, in Bankura’s Raghunathpur, 5 EVMs were found with BJP tags on them.”

“@ECISVEEP should immediately look into it and take corrective action,” the post added.

(2/1) While commissioning, common address tags were signed by the Candidates and their agents present. And since only BJP Candidate’s representative was present during that time in the commissioning hall, his signature was taken during commissioning of that EVM and VVPAT. pic.twitter.com/54p78J2jUe

— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) May 25, 2024

Responding to the charge, the poll body tweeted, “While commissioning, common address tags were signed by the Candidates and their agents present. And since only BJP Candidate’s representative was present during that time in the commissioning hall, his signature was taken during commissioning of that EVM and VVPAT.”

“However, signature of all the agents present in PS No 56,58, 60, 61,62 was obtained during Poll. All the ECI norms were duly followed during commissioning was done entirely under CCTV coverage and was duly videographed,” it added.

Eight Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal are going to the polls in the sixth phase of the general election today. The BJP, which posted an impressive show in the eastern state last time by winning 18 seats, is banking on increasing its score this time. The Trinamool, on the other hand, is looking to recover some of the seats it lost in the 2019 polls.

The key candidates in these eight Bengal seats include fashion-designer-turned-politican Agnimitra Paul, former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay and Trinamool’s Debangshu Bhattacharya, the head of the Trinamool social media cell who penned its campaign song Khela Hobe.

Chandigarh:

The Election Commission has issued a strict warning to Congress candidate from Jalandhar Charanjit Singh Channi for violating the Model Code of Conduct, an official said.

Former Punjab chief minister Channi had called the Poonch terror attack, in which an IAF soldier was killed and four others were injured, a “poll stunt” meant to make the BJP win the Lok Sabha elections.

A spokesperson from the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Punjab said Mr Channi was asked to explain by the district election officer-cum-deputy commissioner of Jalandhar.

The EC has advised and warned Mr Channi against repeating such violations in the future and emphasised the importance of adhering to the MCC guidelines in letter and spirit, the spokesperson said.

The commission found his response “unsatisfactory”, deeming it a violation of the MCC clause which provides – “Criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, record and work… Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.” 

One soldier was killed in action and four others were injured as terrorists ambushed an IAF convoy in the Poonch district on May 4.

Replying to a question on the attack, Mr Channi had said, “Yeh stuntbaazi ho rahi hai, hamle nahi ho rahe (These are all stunts, not attacks). Whenever elections are near, such stunts are performed to make the BJP win.”

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

Amaravati:

The Election Commission on Monday censured YSRCP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), directing them to “remain careful during public utterances”.

The poll body recognised that both the leaders have violated the provisions of the MCC by attacking each other with derogatory personal attacks during public addresses while electioneering in the southern state over the past several days.

“Therefore, the Commission…strongly censures Jagan Mohan Reddy, president, YSRCP with the direction to remain careful in his public utterances in the future,” said Avinash Kumar, Principal Secretary, Election Commission, in an order addressed to the chief minister.

Mr Kumar issued a similar order to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Mr Naidu. “The Election Commission took note of Reddy hurling taunts such as ‘habitual offender’, ‘rogue’, ‘sadist’, and others at Naidu, including portraying him as a villainous character in some Tollywood movies.” It also recognised the fact that Naidu took jibes at Reddy such as ‘venom spewing’, ‘mayala fakir’ (evil movie character), ‘fake fellow’ and others.

Further, the Election Commission observed that both the leaders have not denied in their replies to the show case notices of using such words and statements, and also continued doing so.

Hence, it directed Mr Naidu and Mr Reddy to remain careful in their public addresses in the future.

“The Commission expects that all political leaders follow the provisions of the MCC in letter and spirit, setting up an example for the political discourse,” the poll body added.

Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled on May 13 and counting of votes will be on June 4.

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

 The decision to lift the ban on exports of onion was on the recommendation of the Department of Consumer Affairs, which monitors the availability and price situation of onion in the country. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Centre has taken permission from the Election Commission of India to lift the onion export ban as the Model Code of Conduct is in effect due to the Lok Sabha elections, sources said.

The government lifted the ban on onion exports, a decision that can help boost farmers’ incomes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in key producing regions, including Maharashtra.

The government has imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of $550 per tonne (around ₹46 per kg) and 40% export duty. Taking duty into account, the shipments will not be allowed below $770 per tonne (around Rs 64 per kg).

The decision to lift the ban on exports of onion was on the recommendation of the Department of Consumer Affairs, which monitors the availability and price situation of onion in the country.

According to government sources, the Department of Revenue under the Finance Ministry took permission from the ECI to lift the ban on onion exports.

The decision assumes importance as it comes before the crucial Lok Sabha polls in key onion belts like Nashik, Ahmednagar and Solapur in Maharashtra. Farmers of this region have been demanding a lifting of the ban so that they can get a better price for their produce.

Impact on prices

On December 8 last year, the Centre had banned onion exports in early December to control retail prices amid concerns over likely fall in production. During the last 4-5 years, the country annually exported between 17 lakh and 25 lakh tonnes of onions.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare on May 4 said the lifting of the ban would not lead to any price rise in retail markets. “Prices will remain stable. If at all there is any increase, it should be very marginal,” she said, while asserting that the government is committed to protect the interests of both consumers and farmers.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in a notification on May 4, said that “the export policy of onions is amended from prohibited to free subject to MEP of USD 550 per metric tonne with immediate effect and until further orders.” On May 3, the Finance Ministry imposed a 40 per cent export duty.

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Ms. Khare said the “ban on onion exports has been removed from today (Saturday) because the supply situation is comfortable and prices are stable in both mandies as well as retail markets.” The modal price at Lasalgaon mandi in Nashik was Rs 15 per kg in April.

She said the decision has been taken after considering the latest estimates of onion production in rabi season at 191 lakh tonnes, which is comfortable. Availability and prices of onion in global markets were also factored in while taking this decision.

The Secretary said the monthly domestic demand for onion is around 17 lakh tonnes. “Lifting the ban would also encourage the farmers to put more area under onions. The monsoon forecast is above normal,” she said.

She noted that the decision was taken after wider discussions with stakeholders. A high-level team also visited key onion-producing belts in Maharashtra to assess the ground situation.

Ms. Khare also pointed out that the shelf life of onions is less and therefore a need was felt to export onions. She said that the government is procuring 5 lakh tonnes of onions as buffer stock, and it can intervene in the market in case of price rise.

“We are continuously monitoring the prices of all essential food items. We will continue to keep a watch on the availability and price situation,” she said.

A senior government official explained that there is an inter-ministerial committee (IMC) which reviews the prices, production, availability and exports of essential food items, including onions. “So do not think of this as an isolated instance of decision making by IMC,” the official said, when asked whether the decision has been made in view of general elections.

The official said the IMC has been taking a series of steps in various commodities including wheat and rice to boost domestic supply and keep prices under check.

In March, the Union Agriculture Ministry released the data for onion production. As per the data, onion production in 2023-24 (First Advance Estimates) is expected to be around 254.73 lakh tonnes compared to around 302.08 lakh tonnes last year. This is due to a decrease of 34.31 lakh tonnes output in Maharashtra, 9.95 lakh tonnes in Karnataka, 3.54 lakh tonnes in Andhra Pradesh and 3.12 lakh tonnes in Rajasthan, the data showed.

Last month, in an official statement, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said the government has allowed export of 99,150 tonnes of onion to six neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, UAE, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius and Sri Lanka.

The Congress last month accused the Narendra Modi government of “callously neglecting” Maharashtra’s onion farmers affected because of the ban on onion exports. In its manifesto, the party promised a predictable import-export policy to prevent such catastrophic last-minute policies being imposed on farmers.

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena Thursday afternoon to campaign for the BJP, ripped into the Congress on the inheritance tax row, and restated controversial remarks about Muslims and the opposition party’s alleged plans to “redistribute wealth to infiltrators”.

The remarks came hours before a significant first by the Election Commission in Delhi; the poll panel issued notices to BJP boss JP Nadda and his Congress counterpart, Mallikarjun Kharge, on complaints by each other accusing Mr Modi and Rahul Gandhi of hate speech and Model Code violations.

The EC’s show-cause notice did not mention either the PM or Mr Gandhi, or even Mr Kharge, in the context of the alleged hate speeches. It did, however, attach copies of the complaint in its notices and, for the first time, held party bosses responsible for their star campaigners’ speeches.

READ | On Complaints Against PM, Rahul, Poll Body’s Notice To Parties

Essentially, the EC said it required Mr Nadda and Mr Kharge to ensure BJP and Congress star campaigners must follow its guidelines on “a higher quality of discourse”.

Speaking in Morena, the PM alleged the Congress wanted to re-impose the inheritance tax abolished by Rajiv Gandhi. Mr Modi said the former Prime Minister did so to save the majority of the wealth of his mother, ex-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, from going to the government. “After benefitting from it… the Congress now wants to impose it on the people of the country”, he claimed.

READ | “Have Not Said…”: Rahul On “Wealth Redistribution” Row, PM’s Jabs

“If the Congress comes to power… it will snatch over half of your earnings via inheritance tax,” he continued, taking a swing at senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda. “An adviser to the opposition party’s ‘shehzada‘ (‘prince’, a standard jibe at Mr Gandhi) has suggested imposition of inheritance tax…”

NDTV FACT CHECK | Has Congress Really Promised ‘Wealth Redistribution’?

“The wealth you got by working hard and enduring hardships will be looted from you if a Congress-led government is formed… (but) as long as BJP is there, it will not allow such designs. Modi is a wall between you and the Congress’ plan to loot you,” the Prime Minister thundered.

He claimed also that the Congress wants to “confiscate people’s jewellery and small-savings by conducting an X-ray of their properties and valuables”. The reference was to a comment by Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, when he said the Congress, if elected, would conduct a national caste survey, which will include an economic report, to “find out how much injustice was done”.

The comments echoed those he made first in Rajasthan’s Banswara – which triggered the Congress’ complaint – when he declared his rivals would “not even leave your ‘mangalsutra‘…”

READ | Row After PM Says “Congress To Distribute Assets To Infiltrators”

“Congress manifesto says they will calculate gold with mothers and sisters… and then distribute… Manmohan Singh’s government had said Muslims have first right on the country’s assets… it will be distributed to those who have more children… it will be distributed to the infiltrators…” he claimed.

In his Morena speech the Prime Minister also referred, again, to the Congress’ manifesto as being “influenced” by the Muslim League. Earlier he had called it a “Muslim League imprint”, drawing a fierce retort from the Congress, for whom Mr Kharge said, “They themselves were with the Muslim League. Their ideologue formed a government with the Muslim League in Bengal…”

READ | “Can Explain Manifesto…”: M Kharge On PM’s Muslim League Jab

Mr Modi’s remarks provoked a furious response from the Congress, which accused the Prime Minister of lying to divert voters’ attention from genuine issues. Rahul Gandhi posted on X that Mr Modi had been left worried by reports of a poor showing in the first phase.

The opposition party promptly approached the Election Commission “to highlight completely unprecedented and malicious allegations… clearly aimed at creating enmity between groups”.

READ | “Must Act”: Congress To Poll Panel On PM’s “Wealth To Infiltrators” Jab

The BJP had also filed a complaint against the Congress, alleging that Rahul Gandhi’s speeches in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore and Kerala’s Kottayam, in which he spoke about the ‘one nation, one election’ idea and referred to the linguistic row between the southern states and the saffron party.

In its complaint to the EC, the BJP slammed Mr Gandhi as a “habitual offender” and also accused Mr Kharge of “grossly misleading voters by declaring the BJP is going to change the Constitution…”

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

Twelve of the 20 new companies which bought electoral bonds were from Hyderabad.
| Photo Credit: Akash Dhage/Unsplash

Despite companies in existence for less than three years not being allowed to make political contributions — even through the electoral bonds route — data shows that at least 20 such newly incorporated firms purchased poll bonds worth about ₹103 crore (Table 1).

At the time when they purchased their first electoral bonds, five of these firms were in existence for less than a year, seven of them were a year old and the eight others had only completed two years. Notably, many of these firms were started in 2019 when the Indian economy went through recession or during the middle of the pandemic and bought electoral bonds worth crores of rupees just months after incorporation.

Also read: Electoral bonds data | Full list of donors and recipient political parties

The ban on companies making political contributions within three years from incorporation has been in existence for nearly four decades. In 1985, the Parliament amended Section 293A, lifting the ban on political contributions by firms subject to a few conditions. One of the conditions was that the firms should not be owned by the government and should not be less than three years old. This clause was retained under Section 182 of the Companies Act, 2013. When Section 154 of the Finance Act, 2017, amended Section 182, just before the introduction of electoral bonds, this clause was again retained. However, the amendment deleted the first proviso by which the amount donated by a company was capped at 7.5% of its average net profit during its previous three financial years. The prohibition on companies making donations to political parties in their first three years continued. According to Section 182 of the Companies Act 2013, if a firm makes a donation in contravention to the provisions, “the company shall be punishable with fine which may extend to five times the amount so contributed and every officer of the company who is in default shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months and with fine which may extend to five times the amount so contributed”.

Table 1 | The table shows the names of the 20 firms which purchased the electoral bonds (EBs), within three years of their incorporation. The date of incorporation of these companies, the date on which they purchased their first poll bond, the difference between the two dates along with the total worth of bonds purchased by these firms is mentioned in the table. 

Table appears incomplete? Click to remove AMP mode

Also read: Electoral bonds data | 55 firms’ purchase exceeded 7.5% cap in 2022-24, lion’s share went to BJP

12 of these 20 companies were headquartered in Hyderabad (Table 2). Together these 12 companies donated ₹37.5 crores, and close to 75% of which was encashed by the BRS, with the rest divided among the TDP, the Congress and the BJP. Two companies in Hyderabad — Tsharks Infra Developers Private Limited and Tsharks Overseas Education Consultancy Private Limited — both incorporated in 2023 — purchased ₹7.5 crore worth of bonds within months of getting incorporated and donated it to the BRS. Among the rest, HH Iron and Steel Private Limited, headquartered in Coimbatore, gave ₹15 crores to the BJP and five crores to the BJD. Their first electoral bond purchase was done just days short of turning three years old. Askus Logistics Private Limited, incorporated in November 2021, bought its first electoral bond within 1.5 years of its incorporation and donated ₹22 crores. This was encashed by the DMK, AITC and the RJD. Besseggen Infotech LLP, incorporated in May 2018, bought bonds worth ₹11.5 crores, with their first purchase done two years and ten months into their existence.

Table 2 | The table shows the city-wise split of the 20 companies.

Table 3 | The table shows the party-wise split of the encashments of the EBs purchased by the 20 companies.

Electoral bonds data | New firms bought crores of electoral bonds within months of formation

The three-year rule was retained to prevent shell companies from making political contributions. When the first proviso, which prescribed the 7.5% cap, was removed in 2017, the Election Commission of India had warned that this may lead to the use of “black money through shell companies”. The RBI had also flagged the possibility of firms misusing bearer bonds for money laundering.

The list of 20 firms is not exhaustive as it does not include the firms which were newly incorporated after mergers and amalgamations. The list also does not include firms that are not in the MCA

With inputs from Rebecca Rose Varghese

Watch our Data video:Electoral bonds banned: Which party benefitted the most while it existed?

Kolkata:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday conducted home voting for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled in Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar & Alipurduars Lok Sabha seats, an official said.

In case of home voting, polling personnel visit the voter’s residence and accept his/her votes in ballot papers. Citizens aged 85 years and above and those with a minimum of 40 per cent disability can ask for this facility.

The process will continue till April 14, he said.

The first phase of Lok Sabha Elections will be held in the three parliamentary constituencies on April 19.

“A total of 11,997 voters are eligible for casting Home voting in the first phase,” the official added People, those who will cast their votes from home have to apply to the poll body in advance in the prescribed form, he said.

Altogether 34 candidates are in the fray for the first phase of the polls.

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

The C-Vigil app of the Election Commission of India has become an effective tool in the hands of people to flag election code violations. Since the announcement of General Elections 2024, over 79,000 complaints have been received as of Friday, said an official press release.

According to an official press release from the ECI, “Over 99 per cent of complaints have been resolved and close to 89 per cent of these complaints have been resolved within 100 minutes. Speed and transparency are the cornerstones of the C-Vigil app.”

“More than 58,500 complaints (73 per cent of the total) received are against illegal hoardings and banners. More than 1400 complaints were received pertaining to money, gifts and liquor distribution. Close to 3 per cent of the complaints (2454) pertain to defacement of property,” read the release.

As per the release, out of the 535 complaints received for the display of firearms and intimidation, 529 have already been resolved.

“1,000 complaints reported were for campaigning beyond the prohibited period including the use of speakers beyond the permitted time,” it said.

The C-VIGIL app marks a significant leap forward in electoral oversight and reducing campaign clutter.

It may be recalled that in the press conference for the announcement of the General Elections 2024, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar urged citizens to be vigilant and use the app to report model code of conduct violations and the distribution of any kind of inducement to voters.

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

After taking out a roadshow covering 2.5 km in Coimbatore on Monday, ahead of the Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to the 58 people who died in a series of bomb blasts 26 years ago — on February 14, 1998, in the city.

Amid shouting of slogans “Modi Modi”, “ Meendum Modi”, “We Want Modi”, “Jai Shri Ram”, and “Bharat Matha Ki Jai” by the BJP cadre and supporters, who had lined up on either side of the road, Mr. Modi arrived at R.S. Puram, which was one of the places of the serial blasts. Read more