Page 3 - Political Parties

Lok Sabha elections: The rise of the no-result political parties

More parties have begun contesting the elections, with an increase by 45 per cent between the previous election in 2014, and the election conducted in 2019

TDP MPs clocked highest average attendance in 17th LS, AAP's lowest

The Lower House held 273 sittings, the fewest for a full-term Lok Sabha; 240 bills tabled, 222 saw the light of the day

Lok Sabha elections: Parties line up merchandise, but demand is muted

Political parties are lining up merchandise ahead of the Lok Sabha polls but demand is muted

The idea of Kejriwal

The 'idea' Kejriwal's politics grew around was a no-holds-barred fight against corruption. That is the reason the Modi govt has now tarred him and his entire party with the same paint

Electoral bonds worth Rs 9.6 crore purchased by 33 entities expired

Before the Supreme Court declared the electoral bonds illegal, they were valid only for 15 days from the date of issue to be encashed

Electoral bond disclosures: Mapping the changing dynamics of donations

Donations have become less spread out than before

Lok Sabha polls: How GenAI is rewriting political campaigning strategies

GenAI is being widely employed by political parties and candidates for a personalised approach to voters

SC agrees to list PIL against practice of parties promising freebies

The Supreme Court agreed to list for hearing on Thursday a PIL against the practice of political parties promising freebies during elections, a significant development that comes ahead of general elections beginning April 19. The PIL also seeks a direction to the Election Commission to invoke its powers to freeze the election symbols and cancel the registration of such political parties. This is important. We will keep this on board tomorrow, the bench, comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said on Wednesday. The apex court took note of the submissions of senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, appearing for lawyer and PIL petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay, that the plea needs to be heard before the Lok Sabha polls. The plea said there should be a total ban on populist measures to gain undue political favour from voters as they violate the Constitution, and the EC should take suitable deterrent measures. It also urged the court to declare that the

Turncoat politicians in elections less successful than before, shows data

Congress, BJP show divergent trends on the strike rate of such candidates

BS CEO poll: Electoral bond saga won't sway voters, say biz captains

Most rate Modi govt highly on governance, development fronts

Vast majority of parties received no donations via electoral bonds

While several political parties received donations worth crores of rupees via electoral bonds, there is a vast majority which did not get any money through the now-scraped scheme for political funding. Over 500 recognised and unrecognised political parties had shared details on electoral bonds in sealed covers to the Supreme Court. The data was submitted through the Election Commission and was put in public domain by the poll panel on Sunday. Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party, which is a recognised national party, has told the Election Commission that it did not receive any funding through electoral bonds since the inception of the scheme. The National People's Party, which rules Meghalaya, is another national party which received no donations through electoral bonds. National Conference, a recognised state party in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, has disclosed receiving Rs 50 lakh from the Bharti group through electoral bonds. The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) disclosed i

Electoral bonds: 100 listed firms across 32 sectors are donors, shows data

The top five sectors accounted for over 60 per cent of the total donations

'Why malign India Inc? Electoral bonds just tip of poll funding iceberg'

While most companies have mentioned about their spending in electoral bonds in some form in their annual reports, very few have been upfront and categorical about their disclosures

Future Gaming and Hotel: The story of the largest electoral bond donor

Future Gaming purchased electoral bonds worth Rs 1,368 crore between April 2019 and January 2024, as per the details shared by ECI

SC to examine EC rule on grant of symbols on first come, first served basis

The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Election Commission on a plea of Tamil Nadu-based unrecognised political party, Naam Tamilar Katchi, challenging the allotment of free symbols to unrecognised political parties on a first come, first served basis. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also issued a notice to another unrecognised political party which was granted the poll symbol which was earlier with the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK). The high court, on March 1, had dismissed the petition of NTK challenging the allotment of free symbols by the poll panel to unrecognised political parties on first come, first served basis. It had rejected the contention of the petitioner, NTK, that the Election Symbols Order to this effect was arbitrary and unconstitutional, saying a contrary view would operate against the very essence of having free symbols. The petitioner was aggrieved by the allotment of free symbol 'ganna kisa

EC declares electoral bond data: Future Gaming & Hotel tops the list

Future Gaming was probed by the Enforcement Directorate recently, It bought electoral bonds worth over Rs 1,368 crore under two different sets of companies

32 parties supported, 15 opposed One Nation, One Election, says report

The high-level committee on 'one nation, one election' approached 62 parties out which 47 responded -- 32 in support of holding elections simultaneously, 15 against it. Fifteen parties did not submit a response, according to the report of the panel submitted to President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday. Among the national parties, the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) opposed the proposal, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and National People's Party supported it. "Responses were received from 47 political parties. Barring 15 political parties, the remaining 32 political parties not only favoured the system of simultaneous elections, but also advocated its adoption for saving scarce resources, protecting social harmony, and stimulating economic development," the report said. "Those who opposed simultaneous elections raised apprehensions that its adoption could violate the basic structure of the Constitution, be ...

Plan to install new leadership in Haiti crumbles after parties' rejection

A proposal to install new leadership in Haiti appeared to be crumbling Wednesday as some political parties rejected the plan to create a presidential council that would manage the transition. The panel would be responsible for selecting an interim prime minister and a council of ministers that would attempt to chart a new path for the Caribbean country that has been overrun by gangs. The violence has closed schools and businesses and disrupted daily life across Haiti. Jean Charles Mose, an ex-senator and presidential candidate who has teamed up with former rebel leader Guy Philippe, held a news conference Wednesday to announce his rejection of the proposed council backed by the international community. Mose insisted that a three-person presidential council he recently created with Philippe and a Haitian judge should be implemented. We are not going to negotiate it, he said in a loud voice as he wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. We have to make them understand." His ally ...

EC begins consultation with parties in J-K to review LS poll preparedness

The Election Commission on Tuesday began consultations with political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to review preparedness for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the Union territory. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and other officials of the poll panel, who arrived here on Monday for a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, held interactions with delegations from the National Conference, PDP, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, and the Aam Admi Party, officials said here. National Conference leader Nasir Aslam Wani, who led his party's delegation, said they impressed upon the Election Commission the need for holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir together with the Lok Sabha polls. "We told the commission that it has been 10 years that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been deprived of their democratic rights. The commission gave us a patient hearing," Wani said. PDP leader Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura said his party also batted for holding assembly and Lok Sabha elections ...

Electoral bonds: Petition seeks action against SBI for disobeying SC order

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking contempt action against the State Bank of India (SBI) alleging it "wilfully and deliberately" disobeyed the apex court's direction to submit details of contributions made to political parties through electoral bonds to the Election Commission by March 6. The plea, filed by two NGOs, claimed SBI's application seeking extension of time till June 30 to disclose the details of electoral bonds encashed by political parties has been deliberately filed at the last moment to ensure that details of donor and the amount of donations are not disclosed to the public before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Thursday took note of the submissions by advocate Prashant Bhushan, who appeared on behalf of NGOs Association for Democratic Reforms and Common Cause, that he wanted initiation of contempt proceedings against the SBI. Bhushan said the SBI's application is likely to be listed on March 11