The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025, with voting to take place on February 5 and counting of votes on February 8. The recent release of the final electoral roll shows a 1.09 per cent increase in the number of voters since the last draft. CEC Rajiv Kumar addressed concerns over EVMs and the election procedure, asserting the transparency and credibility of the Indian election process. The AAP, BJP and Congress are gearing up for a three-way battle, with the AAP currently in the lead after sweeping 2020 Delhi elections.
In response to concerns raised about discrepancies in voter turnout and vote counting, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar clarified the process of EVM commissioning and security measures. He assured the public that EVMs are tamper-proof and backed his statements with court judgments stating that hacking or altering results is impossible. Kumar also explained the mock poll process done in the presence of election agents to further ensure transparency.
The Election Commission has put an end to speculation about electronic voting machine (EVM) manipulation, stating that the machines are tamper-proof and have consistently upheld the principles of fair elections. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar also addressed concerns about alleged discrepancies in voter lists, asserting that the preparation of electoral rolls is a transparent process involving political parties at every stage. These announcements were made as the dates for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections were announced, with polling to take place on February 5 and counting on February 8.
Amit Shah slammed Congress over reservation, Uniform Civil Code, and Muslim Personal Law during a debate on 75 years of the Constitution in Rajya Sabha. He questioned the delay in implementing UCC and accused Congress of introducing Muslim Personal Law instead. Shah also called for separation of religion and politics, urging all parties to not link patriotism with political ideology. He also criticized Congress for blaming EVMs instead of accepting defeat.
In a heated debate in the Rajya Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah slammed the Congress for constantly blaming EVMs for their electoral defeats, calling out their hypocrisy of claiming malfunctioning machines in Maharashtra but accepting victory in Jharkhand. He also highlighted the contrast between the number of amendments made during the Congress' rule versus the BJP's, emphasizing the BJP's contributions towards backward classes, GST, Article 370, and triple talaq. This comes as the Lok Sabha begins a two-day discussion on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution.
Speaking out against his ally's stance on Electronic Voting Machines, newly elected Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah criticized the Congress for changing its tune on EVMs after their loss in recent elections. He called for consistency in opinions about the voting mechanism and emphasized that parties should not blame machines for their defeat. Abdullah also expressed his support for the controversial Central Vista project in Delhi, which has further strained relations between the NC and Congress.
Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker has taken to social media to express her concerns over her husband Fahad Ahmad's loss in the Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024. She has questioned the Election Commission about the sudden change in results after round 16 and highlights the 99% charged EVM batteries, which she claims were manipulated in favor of BJP. Despite the loss, Swara is grateful for the support they received during their campaign.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has responded to Congress' claims of EVM irregularities in Jharkhand by calling out their inconsistent stance on the matter. He highlighted the party's tendency to only question the integrity of the EVM process when the results aren't favorable to them. Shinde also reaffirmed the public's support for Shiv Sena's win in the recent elections.
As soon as the election date is announced, political parties in India begin their preparations for the upcoming battle. With a shift from paper ballots to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the electoral process has evolved significantly. But what happens to these machines after the votes are cast? The EVMs are stored in highly secure strong rooms, and after the results are declared, they are kept for 45 days before being moved to a storage facility. Before the next election, they are retrieved, and the integrity of each machine is verified by representatives from political parties before being reused.
Congress-led UDF candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is leading in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll in Kerala, with a margin of over three lakh votes after three hours of counting, according to Election Commission figures. The counting of postal ballots began at 8 am, with Priyanka receiving 3,17,983 votes so far. The strong rooms where EVMs were kept were opened more than an hour before counting began.