Election

German Chancellor Scholz to ask parliament to clear way for new elections

The departure last month of the neoliberal Free Democrats from the three-way coalition left Scholz's Social Democrats and the Greens governing without a parliamentary majority

Statsguru: Robust taxes ease burden of freebies on state governments

Often criticised as "revdi culture", these promises have become central to political manifestos across parties, as seen even in the recent Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections

Second-time unlucky: Trump's second term may be more disruptive

Global governance suffered from his withdrawal from climate accords and his hamstringing of the World Trade Organization, but the former made little difference

From Ladli Behna to Maiya Yojana: How women voters are shaping elections

Women voters, empowered by schemes like Ladli Behna and Maiya Yojana, are reshaping India's elections, turning welfare initiatives into game-changers in politics

Maharashtra election results: Abu Azmi leads Nawab Malik in Mankhurd seat

Abu Azmi leads Nawab Malik by 9,425 votes in the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat, turning the Maharashtra assembly election into a high-stakes battle

Hotels, choppers booked: Mahayuti, MVA brace for Maharashtra poll results

Maharashtra awaits Assembly election results as Mahayuti and MVA gear up for a fierce contest, strategising to secure power amid exit poll predictions and poaching fears

Maharashtra elections 2024: What's open, what's closed on November 20?

What's open, what's closed on November 20 as Maharashtra votes? From schools and banks to liquor shops and transport, here's your complete polling day guide

Why Jharkhand's chief minister chair has been a musical chair since 2000

Since 2000, Jharkhand has had seven chief ministers, but only one completed a full term, reflecting its unstable and coalition-driven politics

Mess with anyone but me, says Sharad Pawar; asks voters to defeat Ajit

NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday warned his detractors that they should mess with anyone but him and urged voters to not just defeat those who rebelled under Ajit Pawar but "defeat them big". Addressing a rally in Madha in Solapur district, Pawar recounted an episode of defection that led to his losing the post of leader of opposition in the assembly almost four decades ago and his resolve that led to the defeat of all of those who had backstabbed him. "In the polls of 1980, 58 people won polls from our party and I became leader of opposition. I had gone abroad and when I came back I realised Chief Minister AR Antulay saheb had done some miracle and 52 of the 58 MLAs had switched sides. I lost the post of LoP," he said. "I did nothing (at the time). I just started reaching out to people across the state and worked hard for three years. In the next elections, I fielded young candidates against all 52 MLAs who had left me. I am proud of the people of Maharashtra that all 52 who

Sri Lankan President Dissanayake to appoint new PM, Cabinet on Nov 18

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will appoint a new Prime Minister and Cabinet on Monday after his National People's Power secured a record-breaking victory in the snap general election. The NPP on Friday swept the parliamentary elections by winning a two-thirds majority, and also dominating the Jaffna electoral district the heartland of the nation's Tamil minority. We will be appointing a Cabinet on Monday, limited to 25. It could be even less 23 or 24. There will be scientific allocation of subjects for the ministries," Tilwin Silva, the NPP's senior spokesman told reporters. According to Article 46 of the Constitution, the total number of Cabinet ministers is limited to 30. The number of deputy ministers shall not, in the aggregate, exceed 40. Silva said the deputy ministers' number could be higher. We may have to appoint extra deputy ministers to handle subjects of a bigger ministry," he said. The NPP has been advocating a smaller government to reduce costs for

Maharashtra polls 2024: Women voters and Maratha quota take centre stage

Maharashtra elections: Party splits, alliances, Maratha reservation, women-focused schemes, agrarian challenges, and unemployment are shaping the narrative of this high-stakes poll

Thousands rally in Georgia to protest Oct 26 elections, claim it was rigged

Thousands of opposition supporters rallied outside Georgia's parliament for the second straight Monday to denounce the Oct 26 election as illegitimate after the ruling party was declared the winner amid allegations of vote-rigging helped by Russia. The protesters, who waved Georgian and European Union flags, demanded a new parliamentary election under international supervision and an investigation of the alleged ballot irregularities. Opposition leaders vowed to boycott sessions of parliament and hold regular protests until their demands are met. The protest took place under the watch of riot police, reflecting the simmering political tensions in the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million that lies between Russia and Turkey. The Central Election Commission said the ruling Georgian Dream party won about 54% of the vote. Its leaders have rejected the opposition claims of vote fraud. President Salome Zourabichvili, who has rejected the official results, says Georgia has fallen victim

8 of 11 members of Mexico's SC to resign in protest of judicial overhaul

Eight justices of Mexico's Supreme Court have said they will leave the court rather than stand for election as required by a controversial judicial overhaul passed last month. Supreme Court President Norma Pina and seven others submitted letters Tuesday and Wednesday stating they would leave their posts rather than compete in judicial elections scheduled for next June. The court's three other justices have indicated they will compete in the elections. Previously, the Supreme Court's justices were selected by the Senate. Last month, Mexico's Congress passed and a majority of states ratified then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's initiative to make all of the country's judges subject to election. Lopez Obrador and his allies, including his successor Claudia Sheinbaum, have said the radical change will help rid the judicial system of corruption. However, critics say the courts will become less independent and more subject to political forces. The resignations came before the

Maharashtra Assembly elections: MVA allies agree to contest 85 seats each

Maha Vikas Aghadi of Congress, NCP (SP), and Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday announced to contest 85 seats each in Maharashtra assembly elections even as deliberations to seal a final seat-sharing pact are still underway. Addressing a press conference, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said consensus has been reached on 270 out of total 288 seats for the November 20 elections. "We will include Samajwadi Party, PWP, CPI(M), CPI, and AAP. Discussions are still on for the remaining seats. We have amicably arrived at a consensus on 270 seats. MVA stands united to defeat the Mahayuti government," Raut said. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the rest of the seats will be left for smaller parties.

Early results show 50% of Moldovans vote 'yes' in EU aspirations referendum

Moldova's pro-Western president early Monday looked set to win the first round of a presidential race but accused criminal groups of undermining a referendum asking voters to decide whether to secure a path toward European Union membership, which risked being narrowly rejected. Nearly 95% of votes were counted in the EU referendum that asks voters to choose whether to enshrine in the country's constitution a path toward the EU. About 52% of a total 1.2 million ballots voted no, while 47% voted Yes. However, ballots cast among the country's large diaspora were still being tallied and tended to favour the EU path. Criminal groups, working together with foreign forces hostile to our national interests, have attacked our country with tens of millions of euros, lies and propaganda, using the most disgraceful means to keep our citizens and our nation trapped in uncertainty and instability, said President Maia Sandu after about 90% of the votes had been counted. We have clear evidence tha

BNP criticises Bangladesh interim govt for not announcing elections date

Rizvi criticised the interim government for talking about reforms without a definite date for their completion

Maharashtra, Jharkhand Assembly election dates to be announced today

Maharashtra's 288-seat Assembly will see its term end on November 26, while Jharkhand's 81-seat Assembly will conclude on January 5, 2025

President's rule withdrawn in J&K, paves way for formation of new govt

President's rule was withdrawn in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, paving the way for the formation of a new government in the union territory. A gazette notification to this effect was issued by the Union Home Ministry. "In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 73 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019) read with Articles 239 and 239A of the Constitution of India, the order dated the 31st October, 2019 in relation to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall stand revoked immediately before the appointment of the chief minister under Section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019," the notification signed by President Droupadi Murmu said. The National Conference-Congress alliance won the recent Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections and is set to form the government. NC vice president Omar Abdullah will be the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He has been elected as the leader of the alliance. Central rule was imposed in Jammu and

Assam BJP's poll unit holds meeting to discuss upcoming Assembly byelection

The election committee of the Assam BJP met on Sunday to deliberate on the upcoming bypolls to five assembly constituencies. In a post on X, the BJP Assam Pradesh said the meeting was attended by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, the saffron party's state chief Bhabesh Kalita and other functionaries. "Today, a significant meeting of the election committee of the @BJP4Assam was held at the State Guest House in Koinadhora. In this meeting, discussions were held regarding the upcoming by-election in the state," it said. The BJP, however, did not make any mention about what transpired at the meeting. The bypolls will take place in Dholai (SC), Sidli (ST), Bongaigaon, Behali and Samaguri assembly constituencies, as these seats fell vacant with the representatives winning the Lok Sabha elections. The elections in these constituencies will be held as per the pre-delimitation status, Chief Electoral Officer of Assam ...

J-K Aseembly polls: Voting concludes with 65.58% voter turnout in phase 3

The third and final phase of polling held in the seven districts of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir concluded peacefully on Tuesday with a record voter turnout of 65.58 percent till 7 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.With this, the polling has come to an end in the Union Territory with results schedlued on October 8.As per the data shared by the ECI, Udhampur saw the highest poll percentage of 72.91, followed by Samba 72.41 per cent, Kathua 70.53 per cent, Jammu 66.79 per cent, Bandipora 64.85 per cent, Kupwara 62. 76 per cent and Baramulla 55.73 per cent.The ECI said in a press release that the polling for the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections concluded today in a peaceful and celebratory atmosphere."The elections were a resounding statement in favour of democracy in line with the CEC Rajiv Kumar's vote of confidence given during the announcement of the general elections in J & K on August 16," the release said.He had then expressed .