THE HEADLINES:
- Nearly 66 percent voter turnout recorded in first phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections; Voting also held for by polls in 31 Assembly constituencies in 10 states and Wayanad parliamentary seat in Kerala.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserts that government is working with holistic approach to strengthen health infrastructure in the country.
- Himachal Pradesh High Court quashes appointment of six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries; Declares the law under which appointments were made as void.
- 43rd Edition of India International Trade Fair to begin at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi tomorrow.
- British author Samantha Harvey wins 2024 Booker Prize for her novel Orbital.
- In Cricket, hosts South Africa win the toss and elect to field against India in third T20 International at Centurion.
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Polling concluded peacefully for the first phase of assembly elections in Jharkhand. Nearly 66 percent voter turnout was recorded till reports last came in. Forty-three constituencies spread over 15 districts went to polls in this phase. Polling concluded at 5 pm except at 950 sensitive booths in 31 constituencies, where voting concluded at 4 pm. After today’s polling, the political fortunes of 683 candidates were sealed in EVMs.
Important candidates whose fates will be decided during today’s poll include former Chief Minister Champai Soren of the BJP from Saraikela, Rajya Sabha MP and JMM candidate Mahua Maji from Ranchi, Rameshwar Orao of the Congress from Lohardaga, Saryu Rai of Janata Dal (United) from Jamshedpur (West), and Hare Lal Mahto of AJSU from Ichagarh.
During a media briefing in Ranchi this evening, Jharkhand’s Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar said, the voting percentage is likely to increase as reports from remote areas are yet to come. He said, the voter turnout in urban areas has been less than what was expected.
The Election Commission has said that the turnout surpassed the 63.9 percent recorded in these constituencies during the 2019 Assembly Elections.
Polling of the first phase in Jharkhand was marked by a participation with a large tribal population, including areas affected by Left Wing Extremism. Voters from diverse groups including first time voters, elderly, women, PwD and tribals among others were seen exercising their franchise despite threats and boycott calls. Maximum 77.32 percentage polling was recorded in Kharsawan and minimum 51.50 was reported in Ranchi. In Budha Pahad area in Garhwa district, once considered a stronghold of extremists, long queues, and peaceful polling signaled the deep penetration of democratic ethos. With K K Lal, Sanjeev Sharma, Akashvani News Ranchi.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, constantly monitored the situation across over 15,000 polling stations.
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Voting was also held today for the by-elections in 31 Assembly constituencies across 10 states, and Wayanad Parliamentary seat in Kerala. These include seven seats in Rajasthan, six in West Bengal, five seats in Assam, four in Bihar, three seats in Karnataka, and two in Madhya Pradesh. Besides these, Assembly by-polls also took place for one seat each in Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Meghalaya.
Nearly 65 percent voting was recorded in bypoll for Kerala’s Wayanad Parliamentary constituency held today.
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The Electoral battle has intensified for the second phase of assembly polls in Jharkhand and single phase polling in Maharashtra. Top leaders of various political parties are leaving no stone unturned to garner support for their candidates.
Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader Narendra Modi addressed public meetings at Sarath in Deoghar district and in Godda district of Jharkhand. He asserted that the BJP and the NDA have been instrumental in the creation and development of Jharkhand and are committed to making it one of India’s leading states. He vowed to address the declining tribal population and infiltration in the Santhal region. The Prime Minister noted the enthusiasm of voters in the first phase of the elections, stressing that people’s resolve to protect livelihood, daughters, and land is evident at every polling booth. Mr Modi accused the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and RJD alliance of rampant corruption and diverting funds sent by the Centre for the welfare of poor for personal gains.
At an election rally in Baghmara, senior JMM leader and Chief Minister Hemant Soren accused the central government of neglecting Jharkhand, stating that it has failed to address the needs of tribal communities and the poor. He emphasized his commitment to addressing these issues if re-elected.
Meanwhile, leaders from RJD, AJSU, and left parties also held campaign events across the state. Polling in Jharkhand in the second phase will take place for 38 seats on 20th of this month.
Voting for all 288 constituencies in Maharashtra will also take place on the same day.
BJP leader and Union Minister Amit Shah addressed a public rally at Dondaicha and Jintur of Maharashtra today. He reassured that NDA government will protect the reservation quotas for SC, ST, and OBC communities, pledging that these quotas will not be reduced. Mr Shah accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of a soft stance on terrorism, emphasizing that national security remains a top priority for the NDA government.
Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the NDA government for not increasing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for soybean. He also criticized the Central government for making false promises to farmers.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray also addressed a rally in Sawantwadi. NCP leader Sharad Pawar also held rallies across different constituencies in Pune.
Campaigning is also in full swing for by-elections in 15 assembly constituencies including, nine seat in Uttar Pradesh, four in Punjab, and one each in Kerala, and Uttarakhand along with Maharashtra’s Nanded Parliamentary Constituency where voting will be held on the 20th of November.
Counting of votes will be held on the 23rd of November.
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Maharashtra will go to the polls on the 20th November. In our series of Constituency Profiles, today we take a look at the Ovala-Majiwada Assembly constituency in the State.
Ovala-Majiwada is one of the 18 Vidhan Sabha constituencies in Thane district. Ovala-Majiwada came into existence in 2009 and since then it has been a Shiv Sena stronghold and the bastion of the incumbent MLA, Pratap Sarnaik. In 2009, Mr. Sarnaik won the seat by defeating MNS candidate Sudhakar Chavan with a narrow margin of just over 9,000 votes. In 2014, he secured a notable victory over BJP’s Sanjay Pande, with a margin of around 11,000 votes. His margin increased dramatically in 2019, when he triumphed with a margin of over 84,000 votes, defeating MNS candidate Sanjay Pachange. Following the split in Shiv Sena, Sarnaik aligned with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and is contesting again as the Shiv Sena candidate from Ovala-Majiwada. This time, he will face Naresh Manera of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sandeep Pachange from MNS. Lobhsingh Rathod of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi is also in the fray. Ankita Apte, Akashvani News, Mumbai.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized that the government is working with a holistic approach to strengthen the health infrastructure in the country. He was speaking after dedicating 18 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras at various railway stations across the country. Mr. Modi inaugurated these Kendras through video conferencing from Darbhanga in Bihar along with other developmental projects worth over 12 thousand crore rupees.
These Kendras will ensure availability of quality medicines at railway stations for the passengers at affordable prices.
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The Supreme Court of India has ruled, the executive cannot act as the judiciary in determining the guilt of individuals by demolishing their properties. In a significant judgment on pleas challenging the bulldozer action by authorities against accused individuals, the court stated that any demolition without proper authorization would be considered arbitrary.
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Himachal Pradesh High Court today quashed the appointment of six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPSs) and declared the law under which the appointments were made as void. A division bench of the high court comprising Justices Vivek Thakur and B C Negi also directed that all the facilities and privileges of these CPSs be withdrawn with immediate effect.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a six-day visit to Nigeria, Brazil, and Guyana from Saturday. Briefing the media in New Delhi this evening, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Mr. Modi will visit Brazil on the 18th and 19th of this month to attend the 19th G20 Summit. He said this will be the Prime Minister’s third official visit to Brazil.
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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar today held a bilateral meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in New Delhi. During the meeting, both leaders discussed avenues to strengthen the Strategic Partnership between India and Saudi Arabia in the areas including trade, investment, energy, defence, security, culture and consular matters.
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The 43rd Edition of the India International Trade Fair (IITF) will begin at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi tomorrow. The theme of this year’s fair is Viksit Bharat in 2047. Our correspondent reports that the focus state this year is Jharkhand while Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are the partner states.
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British author Samantha Harvey has won the 2024 Booker Prize for her novel Orbital, the first book set in space to win the prize. Orbital contemplates the world from a different viewpoint as it follows a team of astronauts aboard the International Space Station. It is the biggest-selling book on the shortlist in the United Kingdom and has also outsold the past three Booker winners combined, up to the eve of their success.
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In Cricket, India were 96 for 1 in 8 overs against Hosts South Africa in the third T20 International at Centurion when reports last came in. Earlier, the Hosts won the toss and opted to field. The four-match series is currently leveled at 1-1.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
- Over 66 percent voter turnout recorded in first phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections; Voting also held for by polls in 31 Assembly constituencies in 10 states and Wayanad parliamentary seat in Kerala.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserts that government is working with holistic approach to strengthen health infrastructure in the country.
- Himachal Pradesh High Court quashes appointment of six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries; Declares the law under which appointments were made as void.
- 43rd Edition of India International Trade Fair to begin at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi tomorrow.
- British author Samantha Harvey wins 2024 Booker Prize for her novel Orbital.
- In Cricket, hosts South Africa win the toss and elect to field against India in third T20 International at Centurion.
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