Elections 2019: Modi Thanks EC For Kerdarnath Visit Permission
Catch the latest news updates of Lok Sabha elections 2019 here.
All the seven phases for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections concluded on 19 May, results for which will be declared on 23 May.
Catch all the updates on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections here.
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Voting Begins in Final Phase of LS Polls
Voting in 59 constituencies have begun across seven states and one Union Territory. Voters in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chandigarh will cast their votes.
Bypoll Voting Begins Across 4 States
Voting began in 11 Assembly seats across four states - Goa, Karnataka, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
Yogi, Nitish Kumar & Sushil Modi Cast Their Votes
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi cast their votes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, as reported by ANI.
Nature, Environment & Tourism on PM's Development Mission
Prime Minister Narendra Modi told reporters in Kedarnath, “It is my priviledge that I have been getting many chances to visit the land of spiritual consciousness. My development mission involves nature, environment and tourism.”
TN Bypolls: Polling Begins on 4 Seats
Polling was underway in four constituencies of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, with people turning up in good numbers to cast their ballot in the by-elections Polling was brisk and peaceful, police said.
The bypolls are being held in Sulur, Ottapidaram, Thirupparankundram and Aravakurichi.
Violence Wasn't Reported From UP in Last 6 Phases: Yogi
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath compares the situation of violence in his state and West Bengal during the elections. He said, “Elections are a festival in a democracy, the way people have participated in these elections is commendable. Compare UP and West Bengal, violence wasn't reported from UP in the last 6 phases of elections unlike West Bengal.”
Do Vote to Make Country Liberal, Progressive: Congress
The Congress on Sunday urged the people to cast their vote in the last phase of general elections to make the country "liberal" and "progressive".
The appeal came as polling began for the final phase of Lok Sabha polls in 59 seats to decide the fate of 918 candidates including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking to retain the Varanasi seat in Uttar Pradesh.
Summer Season Not Right for Holding Elections, Says Nitish
Questioning the long drawn polling in intense heat conditions, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday suggested that Lok Sabha elections should be held in two or three phases.
"Such a long drawn elections should not be held in such an intense heat conditions. This is not appropriate time (conducive atmosphere) for holding elections. It must be either held in February-March or October-November in two to three phases in our country," Kumar told reporters in Patna.
Repolling Begins in Kerala
Repolling begins in seven booths in Kerala's Kannur and Kasaragod LokSabha constituencies where bogus voting took place on 23 April.
TMC Moves EC Alleging Coverage of PM's Kedarnath Visit Violates MCC
The Trinamool Congress moves EC alleging media coverage of PM Modi's Kedarnath Yatra violates model code of conduct, as per PTI.
Rahul Hails Women for Playing Key Role in LS Polls
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hailed women for playing a key role in the general elections and said the voices of "mothers and sisters" must be heard.
His remarks came as polling began for the final phase of the polls in 59 seats to decide the fate of 918 candidates including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking to retain the Varanasi seat in Uttar Pradesh.
'Should Have Resigned': Rabri Devi on Nitish's Condemnation of Godse Comment
Former Bihar cheif minister Lalu Prasad Yadav’s wife and RJD leader Rabri Devi took a potshot at Nitish Kumar over his condemnation of Pragya Thaur’s Godse remark. She said, “If he has so much problem with Pragya Thakur, he (Nitish Kumar) should resigned and get separated from the government.”
Crude Bomb Explosion in North Kolkata
First incident of crude bomb explosion near Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home in West Bengal, reports CNN-News18.
'Conspiracy Being Hatched to Kill Me': Tej Pratap Yadav
RJD leader and son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav’s car was attacked in Patna, Bihar on Sunday, 19 May. He said, “My bouncers have not done anything. I was leaving after casting my vote when a photographer hit the windscreen of my car. I have filed an FIR in the incident. A conspiracy is being hatched to kill me.”
Andhra CM Naidu Holds 2nd Round of Talks With Rahul, Sharad Pawar
Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu holds 2nd round of talks with top opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, reports Air India Radio News.
As per ANI, Naidu also held a meeting with CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury.
37 Visually Impaired Women Cast Votes in Indore
Thirty-seven visually-impaired women cast their votes at a polling booth in Green Field School in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Two Centres Set up for Counting of Votes in Jammu LS Seat
Two centres have been set up here for counting of votes in the Jammu Lok Sabha seat on May 23, a senior official said on Sunday, asserting that all necessary arrangements have been put in place to ensure smooth and peaceful exercise.
Congress MP Writes to EC Against Media Coverage of Modi's Kedarnath Trip
Congress MP Pradip Bhattachraya Sunday wrote to the Election Commission, saying the media coverage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kedarnath was in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
He said he has requested the poll panel to stop the media coverage of Modi's trip and take stern action.
Man Killed in Explosion Near Congress MLA's Residence
A man was killed in an explosion at the posh Vyalikaval area near the residence of Congress MLA Munirathna on Sunday morning, police said.
BJP Wants Central Forces in Bengal till MCC Ends
The BJP Sunday urged the Election Commission to order the presence of central armed police forces in West Bengal till the Model Code of Conduct period ends, as it expressed concern that the state's ruling TMC may target a section of voters after polling is over.
Polling Official Dies in Gorakhpur
An official on election duty died inside a polling booth on Sunday in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur.
Rajaram, 56, stationed at booth no 381 in Pipraich started breathing heavily. After realising that he was unwell, his colleagues rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance. However, the doctors declared him brought dead.
The doctors said he probably suffered a massive heart attack.
Rahul Gandhi Held 150 Rallies During Lok Sabha Polls
In an effort to oust the Narendra Modi government, Congress President Rahul Gandhi ran a concerted campaign over the past three-and-a-half months, holding nearly 150 rallies and road shows.
This tally does not include the press conference held by him.
Gandhi campaigned all over the country but his average visit per seat was among the highest in Bihar even though the Congress is contesting only nine out of 40 seats in the state as part of the 'grand alliance.'
TDP Writes to EC, Alleges MCC Violation By PM Modi
TDP on Sunday wrote to the Election Commission alleging violation of Model Code of Conduct by PM Modi.
The letter stated, "PM has gone to Badrinath and Kedarnath on an official visit, all the private activities done by him during his pilgrimage are being displayed and continuously telecast, which is a clear violation of the MCC."
Mahatma Gandhi Is a Superstar: Kamal Haasan
Makkal Needhi Maiam founder, Kamal Haasan, who had stirred a row over his "India's first extremist was a Hindu" remark, on Sunday called Mahatma Gandhi a "superstar."
Haasan told the media that he has been repeatedly reading about Gandhi and his life, and claimed, "he (Gandhi) is a superstar."
Earlier, stoking a controversy, Haasan had said "free India's first extremist was a Hindu," referring to Nathuram Godse.
April-May Not Appropriate for Polls, Election Be Held in Nov or Feb: Paswan
BJP ally and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan spoke against polling in April-May, saying extreme hot condition in the period is not appropriate for elections as he asked political parties to evolve consensus for polls to be held in either February or November.
Earlier in the day, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar also questioned the long drawn polling under intense heat conditions and suggested that the General Election should be held in two or three phases either between February and March or sometime between October and November.
'EC Not Feared, Respected Anymore’: Rahul Gandhi Slams Poll Panel
Minutes after the last vote was polled in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Congress President Rahul Gandhi hit out at the Election Commission saying that it is no more ‘feared and respected’.
In a tweet encompassing almost all the allegations that were made by the Opposition in the poll season, he touched upon issues ranging from EVMs to scheduling of elections.
Times Now-VMR Exit Poll Shows Win for NDA
The Times Now-VMR exit poll has predicted a victory for the BJP-led NDA in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
NDA is predicted to get 306 seats while the Congress-led UPA is expected to get 132 seats. 'Other' political parties are slated to win the remaining 104 parliamentary seats.
ABP News-Nielsen Exit Poll Predicts 14/54 for BJP in UP
ABP News-Nielsen exit poll has released its prediction for the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.
According to the exit poll numbers, BJP+ will get 6 seats in Western Uttar Pradesh while the Mahagathbandhan will get 21 seats.
Three Govt Employees on Poll Duty Die in HP
Three government employees have died due to different ailments while performing their poll duties in Himachal Pradesh on 18 May, a state election official told PTI.
The deceased include presiding officer Vaneet Kumar who was a PGT at government senior school at Sapri in tribal Kinnaur district, homeguard jawan Devi Singh who was resident of Chandera village in Arki Tehsil of Solan district and polling officer Lol Ram who was a junior technician and was resident of Sajla village in Manali tehsil of Kullu district.
CVoter Gives Clear Majority to NDA with 287 Seats
CVoter has predicted that the Congress-led UPA is likely to get 128 seats, while the BJP-led NDA will get a total of 287 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The 'Other' political parties will secure the remaining 127 seats, according to the survey.
Violence Erupts in Bengal, UP During Polling
Violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli Lok Sabha constituency, where state BJP chief, Mahendra Nath Pandey is seeking re-election. A clash between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party ensued, according to police officials.
Meanwhile, BJP's North Kolkata candidate Rahul Sinha alleged that a crude bomb was hurled near Girish Park around noon.
The police, however, said that crackers were burst in the area, and that the polling was underway peacefully.
ABP News-Nielsen Exit Poll Projects Big Win for Mahagathbandhan in UP
ABP News-Nielsen exit poll survey on Sunday predicted a resurgence of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh.
According to the survey, the grand alliance (Mahagathbandhan) is slated to win 56 out 80 seats. The BJP+ is projected to win 22 seats, while the remaining two seats will be bagged by Congress+.
BJP to Retain 6 Seats in Delhi: India Today Survey Predicts
India Today-Axis My India Exit Poll survey has predicted the BJP will retain at least six of the seven seats in Delhi.
The survey also revealed that the Congress likely to win one seat in the capital, while the ruling AAP won't win even a single parliamentary seat.
Chanakya-News24 Exit Poll Projects a Saffron Wave in MP
The Chanakya exit poll has predicted that Congress’ recent Madhya Pradesh victory in the Assembly polls will have no bearing on the Lok Sabha elections as the BJP is set to win 27 of the 29 seats.
Congress+ is slated to win the remaining two seats in the state.
PM Modi Thanks EC for Kedarnath Visit Permission
After spending the night in a cave near Uttarakhand's Kedarnath temple, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday thanked the Election Commission for granting him permission to go ahead with his visit.
PM Modi reached Kedarnath on 18 May and offered prayers to Lord Shiva at the shrine.
Chanakya-News24 Exit Poll Predicts TDP Win in Andhra
TDP, led by N Chandrababu Naidu, is set to dominate in Andhra Pradesh, with Chanakya-News24 Exit Poll survey projecting 17 of the 25 seats for the party.
YSR Congress will grab the remaining eight.
Neta-NewsX Survey Predicts Hung Parliament, 242 Seats for NDA
The BJP-led NDA could win 242 Lok Sabha seats, 30 short of the majority mark, according to Neta-NewsX exit poll survey.
The Congress-led UPA is slated to win 164 seats while the BSP-SP-RLD Mahagathbandhan could win 43 seats, according to the survey.
ABP Exit Poll Predicts NDA Falling Short of Majority
ABP News-Nielsen exit poll has predicted that the BJP-led NDA will fall just short of majority and will get 267 seats of the 542 seats.
While the Congress-led UPA is expected to win 127 seats.
BJP May Fail to Open Account in Kerala: IANS-CVoter Shows
Despite a rigorous campaign, the BJP is unlikely to open its account in Kerala in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, according to the IANS-CVOTER exit poll.
The Congress alone is projected to win 12 seats while its alliance partners will bag 3 seats. The CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) is slated to win the remaining five constituencies.
CNN News18-IPSOS Exit Poll Shows a Saffron Wave in India
The CNN News18-IPSOS survey predicted that the NDA alliance will get 336 seats, with the BJP alone expected to win 276 seats.
While the other parties like TDP, TRS, SP, BSP are expected to get 124 seats, the Congress party is predicted to win 82 seats.
Over 900 Posts Taken Down from Social Media Platforms During LS Polls
Social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, removed a total of 909 posts during the 2019 Lok Sabha election, following directions from the Election Commission.
Facebook alone took down 650 posts, followed by Twitter (220), ShareChat (31), YouTube (5) and WhatsApp (3), EC announced after the seventh and final phase of polling was concluded.
India Today-Axis Exit Poll Predicts Setback for BJD in Odisha
The ruling BJD in Odisha could face a major setback in 2019 Lok Sabha elections as the BJP is likely to win 15-19 out of 21 seats in the state, according to India Today-Axis India exit poll.
In 2014, the BJP had won only one Lok Sabha seat in the state.
EC Orders Action Against Chandni Chowk Presiding Officer
The Election Commission has directed disciplinary action against the presiding officer of a polling station in the Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency who forgot to delete test votes.
This resulted the need for a re-poll on Sunday, 19 May. The polling station 32 in Chandni Chowk constituency recorded a voter turnout of 42.14 percent on Sunday.
Don't Think Exit Polls Are Accurate: Punjab CM Amarinder
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh rejected the various exit polls, saying their accuracy was suspect and that he expected the Congress to do much better, both at the national level and in the state.
"With so much experience, even if I go around Punjab to gauge the voter swing, I would not be able to do it with complete accuracy. So how can these exit polls be accurate?" he asked.