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NEW DELHI: Election Commission on Tuesday said that Exit Polls for the assembly elections of five states can neither be held nor disseminated from 7 am on April 9 till 6:30 pm on April 29 .The poll body said that conducting or broadcasting exit polls in the period is violative of section 126A of the Representation of People Act, 1951 and is punishable with imprisonment up to a period of two years, or with a fine or both."The move is a standard procedure to ensure fairness and prevent exit polls from influencing voter behavior during the election process.As per the notified schedule, polling in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will be held on April 9, followed by Tamil Nadu on April 23. West Bengal will vote in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.While the 48-hour 'silence period' in Kerala and Puducherry will commence at 6 pm on Tuesday, it will kick in at 5 pm in Assam.Silence period means end of campaigning 48 hours ahead of the end of voting hour in a particular constituency or the entire state.Under Section 126(1)(b) of the Act, the display of any election matter, including opinion poll results, on electronic media will be restricted during the 48-hour silence period before polling ends.Except door-to-door campaigning by a limited number of party workers or candidate, no other form of campaigning is allowed. But in a digital age, it is difficult to enforce.Usually voting is held from 7 am to 6 pm. But the timing varies due to terrain and security situation.
West Bengal's draft electoral rolls reveal 127 Absent, Shifted, Dead (ASD) voters at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's booth. The Special Intensive Revision process identified over 24 lakh dead voters for deletion. The draft rolls are now available for public scrutiny, with claims and objections to be filed until January 17, 2026. With the draft electoral rolls in Bengal published on Tuesday, following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls that began on December 4, West Bengal C ...Read More >
Thirunallar (Puducherry) [India], April 5 (ANI): The National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Nitin Nabin, on Sunday took part in a roadshow in the Thirunallar Assembly constituency of Puducherry in support of NDA alliance candidate 'GNS Rajasekaran'. Also Read | Kerala Techie GS Sharanya Missing for 4 Days in Karnataka's Tadiandamol Hills, Drones Deployed for Search. Nabin is in Puducherry to campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled on April 9. During his visit, he is also set to address a public rally and hold an organisational meeting. In an exclusive conversation ...Read More >
The voter list of all those states where SIR will be done will be frozen at 12 am tonight. All voters on that list will be given Unique Enumeration Forms by the BLOs. These forms will have all the necessary details from the current voter list, says Kumar. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced to carry out pan-India Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' list, with 12 states and union territories to be covered in phase one. While addressing a press conference, Chief Ele ...Read More >
Pune: The final voters' list released by Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Monday showed at least seven wards recording a difference of over 4,000 voters compared to the draft list published on Nov 20.The voter data showed that ward no.16, comprising Akurdi gaothan and adjoining areas, emerged as the largest ward with 75,105 voters. Earlier, ward 1, covering Talawade-Rupeenagar, had the highest number (74,340). Ward no.23, which includes Keshavnagar and nearby localities, continues ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay on Saturday criticised both the BJP and Congress for failing to grant statehood to Puducherry despite ruling at the Centre for years."Neither Congress nor BJP could give statehood to Puducherry despite holding power at the Centre. A TVK government will make a 100% effort to secure full statehood legally, free from interference by the lieutenant governor," Vijay said at an election rally in the poll-bound Union territory.Puducherry, a former French colony, officially merged with India in 1962 and was granted Union territory status the follow ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], April 8 (ANI): The stage is set for assembly polls in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry in high-stakes electoral battles with the Election Commission making arrangements for free, fair and smooth polling. Voting will be held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Keralam, and 30 in Puducherry in this phase of the election. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23 and West Bengal on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4. The polling will begin at 7 am. Also Read | Viral Video From Bihar: PhD Student and Professor Seen Sharing Meal at Local Restaurant, Purnia University Orde ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Field-level functionaries of the Election Commission have found "a large number of people" from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar during house-to-house visits made for the ongoing intensive review of the voters' list in Bihar, officials said on Sunday. They asserted that a proper inquiry of such people will be conducted after August 1 and the names of illegal migrants will not be included in the final electoral roll to be published on September 30. Citing ground reports, EC officials said that during house-to-house visits, "a large number" of people from Nepal, Bangladesh ...Read More >
The Election Commission of India on Monday said it will conduct the second phase of the electoral roll revision in 12 states and union territories. In this pan-India special intensive revision (SIR) exercise, which will begin from Tuesday (October 28), three states and one UT - Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry - will go to polls next year while three states - Goa, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh - will have elections in 2027. The Election Commission (EC) said the SIR exercise in these ...Read More >
Puducherry (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 31 (ANI): Days ahead of the upcoming Puducherry assembly polls, former Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief K Annamalai on Tuesday trained guns on the opposition INDIA bloc, saying that it "lacks unity". "This is a strange alliance that does not exist anywhere in the world. In Puducherry, Congress candidates have been fielded in places where alliance parties are contesting, violating the alliance dharma," Annamalai said while talking to reporters after attending a roadshow held in support of Puducherry BJP president VP Ramalingam. Also Read | P ...Read More >
Puducherry [India], April 4 (ANI): The Raj Bhavan constituency, encapsulating Puducherry's political, economic, and cultural heart, is the most-watched battleground in the April 9, 2026, Assembly polls. The Raj Bhavan constituency, considered the crown jewel of Puducherry for its administrative and tourism significance, is currently in the final stages of election preparations. As part of the single-phase Assembly polls for the Union Territory, voting will take place on Thursday, April 9. Also Read | Shashi Tharoor Reacts After Malappuram Attack, Says He Is Safe, Security Guard Also Well Aft ...Read More >
Robot Nila is assisting voters at Puducherry polling booths by offering directions and answering queries. The friendly robot is making the voting process simpler and more engaging this election. (Screenshots from the video shared by ANI on YouTube) Voting in Puducherry got a futuristic twist this election season. Meet Robot Nila, a friendly, interactive machine that's helping voters at polling stations. As part of efforts to improve the voting experience in Puducherry elections, Nila is designed ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The upcoming Puducherry assembly elections will see several candidates with strong political family backgrounds contesting across various constituencies. A total of 291 candidates are in the fray for the April 9 elections. Polling is held to elect 30 members of the 33-seat Puducherry legislative assembly, while the remaining three members are nominated by the central government. A Johnkumar: BJP leader A Johnkumar, a minister in the outgoing N Rangasamy-led government and the sitting MLA from Kamaraj Nagar, is contesting from Nellithope. He had earlier won the same seat as a Congres ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], April 9 : Polling began for high-stakes electoral battles in two states, Assam and Keralam, as ... New Delhi [India], April 9 : Polling began for high-stakes electoral battles in two states, Assam and Keralam, as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry, on Thursday at 7 am with the Election Commission making arrangements for free, fair and smooth polling. Voters queued outside polling stations to cast their votes in a single-phase assembly election. Voting will be held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Keralam, and 30 in Puducherry in this phase of the election. Tamil Nadu ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], April 9 (ANI): Voter turnout at 9 am on Thursday in Assam was recorded at 17.87 per cent, while in Keralam it was at 16.23 per cent, as per the data shared by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the ongoing 2026 Assembly elections in both states. The polling trends in the Union Territory of Puducherry showed a voter turnout of 17.41 per cent at 9 am. Polling for high-stakes electoral battles in two States and a Union Territory began on Thursday at 7 am. Voting for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Keralam, and 30 in Puducherry is underway. The counting of votes will take ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], April 9 (ANI): Highlighting the global resonance of India's electoral process, foreign delegates participating in the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP) visited multiple polling stations across Keralam, including Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, to witness the ongoing Assembly Elections in the State. The delegation, comprising representatives from various nations, lauded the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the "large-scale and meticulous" arrangements, describing the voting process as a true "Festival of Democracy." Seychelles High Comm ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Ravada A Chandrasekhar took charge as the new State Police Chief on Tuesday. He succeeds Shaik Darvesh Saheb, who retired on June 30. His tenure will run until July 1, 2027. A 1991-batch IPS officer currently serving as Special Director with the Intelligence Bureau, Chandrasekhar is on central deputation. He was selected over Nitin Agarwal, who topped the official list of probables. The appointment order, issued by Kerala Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak on behalf of the Governor, was released soon after a cabinet meeting held on Monday. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh's Godav ...Read More >
Chennai: Unable to tackle the internal wrangling and increased demands for seats from electoral aspirants, both the top national parties, the Congress and BJP, are delaying the release of the list of candidates for the April 23 Assembly elections in the State, triggering anxiety among the local leaders over catching up the deadline of April 6 for filing nominations. The Congress party that had been putting pressure on DMK, the leader of the Secular Progressive Alliance, for finalizing the seat sharing process more than a month in advance has been struggling to pick the candidates for the 28 c ...Read More >
Puducherry [India], April 2 (ANI): Puducherry Police has tightened the security, setting up 35 checkposts to monitor the movement of persons and vehicles for the fair conduction of assembly polls. Speaking with ANI, R Kalaivanan, SSP, Puducherry, Law and Order, said, "Puducherry is having an election on the 9th of April, and for this, we have done all the preparatory measures. Around 35 checkposts have been established in Puducherry. We are strictly monitoring the movement of persons and vehicles." "Apart from this, we are also having flying squads; 3 flying squads in each assembly constitue ...Read More >
New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI) The Congress on Friday alleged that the government has called a "special session" of Parliament for passing bills related to amending the women's quota law and delimitation to "grab political mileage" in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu polls, which, it claimed, is a "gross violation" of the model code of conduct. Asserting that the government's push for rushed delimitation exercise would have "dangerous consequences", Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "We do not want any disturbance in the present differentials and relative strength." Th ...Read More >
According to an ECI press note issued on August 8, 2025, the Commission had revised the food and refreshment allowance for polling personnel from ₹150 per head to ₹500, the first such increase since 2016. However, the April 3, 2026 directive from the West Bengal CEO, signed by the Joint Chief Electoral Officer and addressed to the Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal, fixes the meal entitlement at ₹170 per head. It further states that if a packed meal cannot be arranged, a cash payment of ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], April 5 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said that both Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are unlikely to respond to the party's recent questions concerning BJP's Puducherry President and Raj Bhavan constituency candidate VP Ramalingam and Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK) chief Jose Charles Martin hosting a Sri Lankan diplomat in Puducherry. Replying to Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera's post on X, Ramesh wrote, "The answers to your three questions are self-evident: 1. He will not, 2. He will not, ...Read More >
N Rangasamy is in politics for about four decades. ShowQuick Read Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed * AINRC founder N Rangasamy campaigns calmly for fifth term as Puducherry CM * He contests from two constituencies: Thattanchavady and Mangalam * Rangasamy addresses public grievances during door-to-door campaign Did our AI summary help? Let us know. Switch To Beeps Mode Puducherry: While the campaign for the Assembly polls has reached a feverish pitch, AINRC founder and Chief Mi ...Read More >
Sonitpur [Assam], Apr 08 (ANI): Workers carry Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) devices, and election materials after collecting them from a distribution centre on the eve of the Assam Legislative Assembly elections in Tezpur and four other constituencies, in Sonitpur on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) | Photo Credit: ANI Kerala, Assam, Puducherry Assembly Elections Voting LIVE Updates: The high-stakes elections to the 126-member Assam assembly will be held on Thursday, with most seats slated to witness a direct contest between the BJP-led NDA and the opposi ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 19 (ANI): A contingent of 23 athletes supported by Reliance Foundation look to compete at the World University Games across six cities in Germany, with events running until July 27. Representing athletics, archery, and judo, these young talents aim to improve international rankings, achieve personal bests, and bring home laurels. The athletics team forms the backbone of the foundation campaign, with 18 athletes competing in sprints, jumps, throws, hurdles, relay, long jump, decathlon, among other events, beginning July 21, a release said. James Hillier, Di ...Read More >
Assembly elections 2026 LIVE updates: Voting for high-stakes Assembly elections in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will begin at 7am today. In Kerala, 2.6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates for its 140-member Legislative Assembly in a tight contest between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). In Assam, polling for 126 seats will be held today where over 2.5 crore electors are eligible to ...Read More >
Over 27.1 million voters in Kerala will head to the polling booths on Thursday, capping a frenetic campaign by the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the state assembly elections. The votes will be counted on May 4. The electorate comprises 13.2 million men, 13.9 million women, 273 transgenders and over 242,000 overseas voters across 140 constituencies. Chief electoral officer, Rathan U Kelkar ...Read More >
Alappuzha (Keralam) [India], April 8 (ANI): Congress leader KC Venugopal on Wednesday alleged that there were media reports that money had been distributed in Palakkad in favour of the BJP candidate. Following complaints, the District Collector submitted a report to the Chief Electoral Officer. Also Read | 'Vote for a Puducherry Run by Its Own People': Rahul Gandhi Urges Voters To Vote for Congress Ahead of Assembly Elections 2026 (Watch Video). "There are shocking media reports that money had been distributed in Palakkad in favour of the BJP candidate. Also, most shocking is that the BJP c ...Read More >
Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 9 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday urged voters to come out in numbers and cast their vote, while emphasising the importance of "each vote and voice" towards building "better Assam." The response comes in the backdrop of single-phase polling, which began in Assam earlier in the day, across 126 constituencies. "Today, Assam votes and each voice matters, each vote matters in the path of building a better Assam. On the occasion of this festival of democracy, I urge everyone to come out and vote in large numbers to strengthen democracy a ...Read More >
Puducherry [India], April 9 (ANI): Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan cast his vote on Thursday at the DMS office during the ongoing Assembly elections, while urging other citizens to fulfil their "primary duty". Speaking after casting his vote, Lt Governor Kailashnathan emphasised the importance of citizen participation in the voting process and appealed to all voters to come forward and exercise their right. "It is the primary duty of every citizen to cast vote in elections. I request all the citizens to cast their vote," he told ANI. Earlier in the day, Puducherry Chief Minis ...Read More >
Defying pollsters, exit polls, and predictions, the BJP scored a hat trick in Haryana, albeit with a narrow lead in the recent Assembly election. It formed a government on its own sans any ally, and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini assumed office for a second consecutive term with relative ease. But the euphoria did not last long. In the first Assembly session convened after the new government took over, the opposition, led by the Congress and the electorally diminished Indian National Lok Dal, attacked the government on the issue of fertilizer shortages in the sowing season. The government d ...Read More >