India: Who Will Be CM; Mulayam to Decide

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">  </span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">LUCKNOW, India (NNN-UNI) -- Central Parliamentary Board of Samajwadi Party today put the stamp on party president Mulayam Singh Yadav becoming the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the fourth time in the state. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The Board, which met here this afternoon, took a decision in this regard electing Mr Yadav as the leader of the Legislature Party, SP national secretary Kiranmoy Nanda told UNI here. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Though, he said the formal announcement will be made in theSP Legislature Party meeting after Holi festival, some inner party sources indicated that Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav may put the crown his son Akhilesh Yadav's head. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Sources said though the board has already authorised Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav for the chief minister post, the decision to become the CM or pass on the baton to his son rested on him. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Besides Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, the today's meeting was attended by general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav and Mr Nanda. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Senior party leader Mohd Azam Khan, who won the assembly elections from Rampur, is on the way to Lucknow while other senior leader Mohan Singh is in Delhi for treatment.--NNN-UNI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: Who Will Be CM; Mulayam to Decide

  LUCKNOW, India (NNN-UNI) -- Central Parliamentary Board of Samajwadi Party today put the stamp on party president Mulayam Singh Yadav be...

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Sonia Gandhi: Indian Voters Unhappy with Congress Party Candidates

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;">The head of India's Congress Party says voter unhappiness with the party's candidates is one reason for its poor finish in recent state elections.</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;">Sonia Gandhi held a rare news conference Wednesday to talk about Congress' defeat in three of five states where elections were held over a period between late January and early March. The results were announced Tuesday.</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;">She blamed the losses in part on voter dissatisfaction with the Congress Party's choice of candidates. She said every election is a lesson for the party and that she does not expect the losses to hurt the Congress-led national coalition government.</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;">Gandhi's son Rahul, Congress' general secretary, says he is responsible for the party's loss in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state. He said he led the campaign there and blames the loss on poor party organization.</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;">Congress finished fourth in Uttar Pradesh. The loss could be a blow to Gandhi's hopes of being the next member of the famed Gandhi-Nehru political dynasty that has dominated Indian politics since independence from Britain in 1947.</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;">Some political experts have touted Gandhi as the next prime minister when India holds general elections in 2014.</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;">The socialist Samajwadi Party won control of Uttar Pradesh. Congress held on to power in Manipur and will govern as part of a coalition in Uttarakhand, but lost Goa to the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party. It also lost in Punjab.<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Sonia Gandhi: Indian Voters Unhappy with Congress Party Candidates

The head of India's Congress Party says voter unhappiness with the party's candidates is one reason for its poor finish in recent ...

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India State Election Results: Akali Dal-BJP Create History in Punjab, Congress Scores Hattrick in Manipur and BSP Routed in U.P.

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Congress Sec-Gen Rahul Gandhi Takes Responsibility of Defeat in UP<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Delhi, Chandigarh and Imphal, India (NNN-ANI & IANS) -- Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accepted responsibility for the party's poor performance in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Addressing media outside the 10, Janpath residence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi said that the results of the seven-phased polls in Uttar Pradesh, was a clear indication that the Congress organizationally still had a long way to go to win the confidence of the public in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">He expressed confidence that overtime; the Congress Party would surely win in Uttar Pradesh one day.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Congratulating Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav for their superb performance in the Uttar Pradesh polls, Gandhi candidly admitted that the public had given it's verdict in favour of the Samajwadi Party.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Gandhi, who was the most influential face of his party during the campaign in Uttar Pradesh, said the result was a good lesson for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>"I have worked very hard. One day we will surely win in UP. I view my work as trying to improve the political situation. I think its very good lesson for me," said Gandhi.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>"The fundamentals of the Congress Party in UP was weak. It is too early for us to comment," he added, when asked to comment about the party's disappointing performance in Uttar Pradesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Samajwadi Party (SP) is moving towards a majority in Uttar Pradesh and is likely to form the next government in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">As per the latest trends, SP is leading in close to 200 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will remain second despite a loss of over 100 seats in comparison to the 206 it got in 2007.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are fighting for third and fourth place. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance created history in the state's politics as it stunned the Congress Tuesday to retain power for a second consecutive term - the first such instance in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Beating the traditional anti-incumbency factor, the combine bagged a comfortable majority with 68 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly as results were declared. It is for the first time in over four decades that a government has been able to come back to power for a consecutive term in Punjab.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Surprisingly, the combine managed to bag the same number of seats it had got in the 2007 assembly polls - 68.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Akali Dal increased its score from 49 seats in 2007 to 56 this time. However, alliance partner BJP's tally came down - from 19 seats to just 12 this time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Congress, which was very hopeful of coming back to power this time, was "surprised" by the results and ended with 46 seats. In 2007, the party had bagged 44 seats.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>"I want to thank the people of Punjab for the faith reposed in us again. I don't have the words to express my gratitude to them. They have given us such a big victory," a visibly happy Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, 84, told the media at his palatial residence in Badal village, 270 km from here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">With his son, Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal - who is also the deputy chief minister - by his side, Badal senior said: "There are two reasons for our victory. We went to the people with the agenda of peace and development in the state. I am happy that we have been able to live up to their expectations."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Badal senior also announced that he and his entire family will pay obeisance at the holiest of Sikh shrines, Harmandar Sahib, (popularly called Golden Temple) in Amritsar Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>"We will work harder (in the new government," Badal announced.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Akali Dal and BJP are likely to hold a meeting here Thursday before the next government is sworn-in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Congress, which was very hopeful of returning to power this time, accepted defeat in the election.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>"We accept our defeat. We will analyze where things went wrong. We could not win, we will do introspection for our defeat," Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh told the media at his residence in Chandigarh.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>"I take full responsibility for the defeat. This result is very surprising," Amarinder Singh, a former chief minister, said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>"I wish the government well. I hope they will perform well for Punjab. It needs good governance," he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Former finance minister and People's Party of Punjab (PPP) president Manpreet Badal lost from two seats, Maur and Gidderbaha, while his party failed to open its account. Manpreet remained inaccessible to the media till Tuesday evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Manpreet's father, Gurdas Badal, who contested against his elder brother Parkash Singh Badal from the Lambi assembly seat, lost his security deposit in the election. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Congress on Tuesday stormed back to power in Manipur by winning 34 of the 50 seats for which results were declared till 4 p.m. on Tuesday. The state assembly has 60 seats.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sources in the state election office said that of the others, the Trinamool Congress won seven seats followed by the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) with four seats. The Naga Peoples' Front (NPF) has won three seats so far. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) have secured one seat each.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">There was jubilation in the Congress camp after Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh retained his Thoubal seat, defeating his rival from the BJP Indira Oinam by a huge margin of over 15,000 votes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ibobi Singh's wife Landhoni Devi won the Khangabok seat defeating her rival Jatra Singh of Manipur People's Party (MPP) by a huge margin of over 9,000 votes. Khangabok was the chief minister's constituency earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Opposition parties received a severe jolt after three leaders, Radhabinod Koijam of the NCP, O. Joy Singh and Th Chaoba Singh of MPP, lost to their rivals.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Koijam, who was leader of opposition in the outgoing Manipur assembly, is a former chief minister and was instrumental in bringing the 11 non-Congress parties under one anti-Congress alliance -- Peoples' Democratic Alliance (PDA).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Okram Ibobi Singh will be the second chief minister in the northeast to make it to the top seat for the third consecutive time in recent times after Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">While Gogoi brought the party to power in Assam in 2001, 2006 and 2011, Ibobi Singh had single-handedly brought the Congress to power in Manipur in 2002 and in 2007.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Congress spokesman in Manipur N. Biren Singh, who has won from the Heingang constituency, said the Congress party is going to form the next government in the state. "We are going to win not less than 35 seats this time," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In Manipur, the Congress had a tough battle this time facing the PDA. The non-Congress alliance comprised the NCP, Manipur People's Party (MPP), the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), National People's Party (NPP), Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP), Trinamool Congress, LJP, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the NPF.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">What made it worse for the Congress was the fact that at least seven militant outfits had imposed a ban on the party. The militants also attacked several Congress candidates and supporters ahead of the Jan 28 vote. -- NNN-ANI and IANS<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India State Election Results: Akali Dal-BJP Create History in Punjab, Congress Scores Hattrick in Manipur and BSP Routed in U.P.

Congress Sec-Gen Rahul Gandhi Takes Responsibility of Defeat in UP New Delhi, Chandigarh and Imphal, India (NNN-ANI & IANS) -- Congre...

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India: Congress Party Claims Victory in Punjab, Uttarakhand Assembly Polls

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW DELHI</span></st1:city><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-IANS) -- The Congress Monday claimed victory in Uttarakhand and <st1:place w:st="on">Punjab</st1:place> assembly polls.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Reports from <st1:place w:st="on">Punjab</st1:place> and Uttarakhand ... clearly speak that the party is winning and forming governments," Congress leader Mohan Prakash said at a party briefing here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He said the Congress will also form the government in Uttar Pradesh, where the seven-phased polls begin Feb 8.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Congress is the main opposition party in both <st1:place w:st="on">Punjab</st1:place> and Uttarakhand, where polls were held Monday. -- NNN-IANS<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: Congress Party Claims Victory in Punjab, Uttarakhand Assembly Polls

NEW DELHI (NNN-IANS) -- The Congress Monday claimed victory in Uttarakhand and Punjab assembly polls. "Reports from Punjab and Ut...

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India: Political Parties to Focus on Uttar Pradesh from Tomorrow

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">LUCKNOW</span></st1:city><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> (NNN-UNI) -- As Uttarakhand and <st1:place w:st="on">Punjab</st1:place> states are going to polls tomorrow, all political parties have turned their attention towards Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and a horde of leaders would descend on the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The first phase of elections in the state is just 10 days away on February 8 in 55 Assembly seats.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Political parties have chalked out a detailed campaigning programme to take their leaders in every nook and corner of the constituencies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Due to strictness of the Election Commission, political parties are facing severe problems to reach the voters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Only election meetings and some restricted ad campaigns are the options for the parties to reach the voters. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Smaller and bigger parties are campaigning by distributing handbills, door-to-door campaign and even through social networking sites.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">National parties have been allowed to use 40 each star campaigners in the state, while the recognised parties would have to go with 20.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">With weather improving in the state after foggy and chilly conditions, the electioneering in the state will be electrifying with more than 40 choppers and around 15 chartered planes to ferry the leaders to reach the voters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her son and party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka would be in the state for campaign next week along with other party leaders including Chief Ministers of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Delhi</st1:place></st1:city>, Rajasthan, Haryana along with several Union Ministers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi along with Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid would also be in the state capital today to address a meeting of the lawyers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">BJP, which held a star–studded campaign in <st1:place w:st="on">Punjab</st1:place> and Uttarakhand in its effort to retain power, has engaged all star campaigners led by party president Nitin Gadkari.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mr Gadkari will be in UP for two days from tomorrow and will address election meetings in Balrampur and Faizabad.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Similarly, other BJP leaders including former presidents Rajnath Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi, party General Secretary Ravishankar Prasad and others would camp in UP along with Uma Bharti, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Bollywood star Hema Malini, small screen actor Smriti Irani and cricketer Navjot Singh Siddhu. -- NNN-UNI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div> <br /> <br /> _________________________<br /> I added cool smileys to this message... if you don't see them go to: http://s.exps.me

India: Political Parties to Focus on Uttar Pradesh from Tomorrow

LUCKNOW , India (NNN-UNI) -- As Uttarakhand and Punjab states are going to polls tomorrow, all political parties have turned their atten...

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Election Commission Announces General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NWBWrFXqr7BagAl2Mb1Cz8RnhVAcPvy9MXb6Bck6XAz0vR-IqKhPDKcR0qMp7i_pbB_gKqT13tMILIc2oBknMwQfsHkg23456dVZZIK4im8jUe0S8TrxEaM9JTvhyphenhyphenDCRnnkHitSaDTU/s1600/Election+Commission+Announces+General+Elections+to+the+Legislative+Assemblies+of+Goa%252C+Manipur%252C+Punjab%252C+Uttar+Pradesh+and+Uttarakhand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NWBWrFXqr7BagAl2Mb1Cz8RnhVAcPvy9MXb6Bck6XAz0vR-IqKhPDKcR0qMp7i_pbB_gKqT13tMILIc2oBknMwQfsHkg23456dVZZIK4im8jUe0S8TrxEaM9JTvhyphenhyphenDCRnnkHitSaDTU/s640/Election+Commission+Announces+General+Elections+to+the+Legislative+Assemblies+of+Goa%252C+Manipur%252C+Punjab%252C+Uttar+Pradesh+and+Uttarakhand.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">The Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. S.Y Quraishi addressing a press conference to announce<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">the Elections Schedule, in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:city></st1:place> on December 24, 2011. The Election Commissioners,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Shri V.S. Sampath and Shri H.S. Brahma are also seen. Photo © PIB</span></div></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The terms of the Legislative Assemblies of Goa, Manipur, </span><st1:place style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" w:st="on">Punjab</st1:place><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will expire as follows:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Goa</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">                         14.06.2012<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Manipur                   15.03.2012<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Punjab</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">                     14.03.2012<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Uttar Pradesh           20.05.2012<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Uttarakhand            12.03.2012<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As per the established practice, the Election Commission holds the General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of the States whose terms expire around the same time, together. By virtue of its powers, duties and functions under Article 324 read with Article 172(1) of the Constitution of India, Section 15 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Commission is required to hold elections to constitute the new Legislative Assemblies in the said States of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand before expiry of their present terms.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">ASSEMBLY CONSTITUENCIES<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The total number of Assembly Constituencies in the States of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and the seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, as determined by the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008, are as under:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 5.0pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><tbody> <tr> <td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.65pt;" valign="top" width="148"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">State<u1:p></u1:p></span></b><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 78.75pt;" valign="top" width="105"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Total No. of ACs<u1:p></u1:p></span></b><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.5in;" valign="top" width="144"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Reserved for SC<u1:p></u1:p></span></b><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 113.4pt;" valign="top" width="151"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Reserved for ST<u1:p></u1:p></span></b><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-image: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.65pt;" valign="top" width="148"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Goa<u1:p></u1:p></span></st1:place><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 78.75pt;" valign="top" width="105"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">40<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.5in;" valign="top" width="144"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 113.4pt;" valign="top" width="151"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">-<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-image: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.65pt;" valign="top" width="148"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Manipur<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 78.75pt;" valign="top" width="105"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">60<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.5in;" valign="top" width="144"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 113.4pt;" valign="top" width="151"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">19<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-image: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.65pt;" valign="top" width="148"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Punjab<u1:p></u1:p></span></st1:place><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 78.75pt;" valign="top" width="105"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">117<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.5in;" valign="top" width="144"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">34<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 113.4pt;" valign="top" width="151"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">-<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-image: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.65pt;" valign="top" width="148"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Uttar Pradesh<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 78.75pt;" valign="top" width="105"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">403<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.5in;" valign="top" width="144"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">85<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 113.4pt;" valign="top" width="151"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">-<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-image: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.65pt;" valign="top" width="148"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Uttarakhand<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 78.75pt;" valign="top" width="105"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">70<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.5in;" valign="top" width="144"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">13<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 113.4pt;" valign="top" width="151"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2</span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> </tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">ELECTORAL ROLLS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The electoral rolls of all the existing Assembly Constituencies in the States of Goa, Manipur, <st1:place w:st="on">Punjab</st1:place>, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are being revised, with reference to 01.01.2012 as the qualifying date, and shall be finally published on 02.01.2012. As per the draft publication of electoral rolls, the number of electors in these States was as follows:-<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 77.4pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><tbody> <tr style="height: 19.8pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 19.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132"> <div align="center" class="MsoHeading7" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.9pt; margin-top: 0in; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">State<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 19.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Total No. of Electors as per draft publication<u1:p></u1:p></span></b><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 19.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border-image: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 19.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Goa<u1:p></u1:p></span></st1:place><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; height: 19.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1011673<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 20.55pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="border-image: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 20.55pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Manipur<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; height: 20.55pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1677270<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 19.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td style="border-image: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 19.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Punjab<u1:p></u1:p></span></st1:place><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; height: 19.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">17433408<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 19.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;"> <td style="border-image: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 19.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Uttar Pradesh<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; height: 19.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">111916689<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 20.55pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-image: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 20.55pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Uttarakhand<u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-width: initial; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top-color: initial; border-top-width: initial; border-top: none; height: 20.55pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-right: 2.9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">5740148</span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr> </tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PHOTO ELECTORAL ROLLS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Photo electoral rolls will be used during the forthcoming general elections. Photo percentages in Photo electoral rolls of these States are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Goa</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">                         100    <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Manipur                   97.29<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Punjab                    99.50<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Uttar Pradesh          98<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Uttarakhand           99.6<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Identification of Voters and   Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Identification of the voters at the polling booth at the time of poll shall be mandatory. Electors who have been provided with EPIC shall be identified through EPIC only. As mentioned above, presently, the EPIC coverage in the poll going States is:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Goa                         98.06      <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Manipur                   87.2<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Punjab                    99.66<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Uttar Pradesh          98.5<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Uttarakhand            99.8<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">All the residual electors are advised to obtain their Electoral Photo Identity Cards from the Electoral Registration Officers of their Assembly Constituency<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In order to ensure that no voter is deprived of his/her franchise, if his/her name figures in the Electoral Rolls, separate instructions will be issued to allow additional documents for identification of voters, if needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The poll in all the 5 (Five) States will be conducted at all polling stations using EVMs. The Commission has already made arrangements to ensure availability of adequate number of EVMs for smooth conduct of elections. The Commission has issued a new set of instructions with regard to the First Level Check of EVMs, that will be used in the polls in these States. The first level checks of such EVMs are being done in the presence of representatives of political parties. A two-stage randomization of EVMs will be made. In the first stage, all the EVMs stored in the District storage center will be randomized by the District Election Officer (DEO) in the presence of the representatives of the recognized political parties for allocation, assembly constituency-wise.  EVMs will be prepared and set for elections after the contesting candidates are finalized in presence of candidates. At this stage also, candidates or their agents/representatives will be allowed to check and satisfy themselves in every manner about the functionality of the EVMs.   After the EVMs in a constituency are prepared for poll by the Returning Officer and the ballot units are fitted with ballot papers, the EVMs will again be randomized to decide the actual polling stations in which they will be ultimately used. The second stage randomization will be done in the presence of General Observers and candidates or their election agents.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Law and Order and Deployment of Forces<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Based on the assessment of the ground situation, Central Police Forces (CPF) and State Armed Police (SAP) drawn from other States will be deployed during the ensuing general elections. The CPF and SAP will be used generally for safeguarding the polling stations, the electors, poll-material and the polling personnel.  Besides, these forces will be used for securing the strong rooms where the EVMs are stored pending counting and for securing the counting centers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Commission has been issuing instructions from time to time with regard to the advance preventive measures to be taken by the District Magistrates and Police authorities to maintain Law & Order and to create atmosphere conducive for conduct of free and fair elections. The Commission will be constantly monitoring the ground situation closely and will take appropriate measures to ensure peaceful, free and fair polls in these States.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">General Observers</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Commission will deploy General Observers in adequate number to ensure smooth conduct of elections. The Observers will be asked to keep a close watch on every stage of the electoral process to ensure free and fair elections. Their names, addresses within the district/constituency and their telephone numbers will be publicized in local newspapers so that the general public can quickly approach them for any grievance redressal. The Observers will be given a detailed briefing by the Commission before their deployment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Election Expenditure Monitoring<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Commission has also decided to appoint adequate number of Expenditure Observers and Assistant Expenditure Observers who will exclusively monitor the election expenditure of the contesting candidates. For greater transparency and for ease of monitoring of Election Expenses, Candidates would be required to open a separate bank account and incur their election expenses from that very account. Comprehensive instructions for the purpose of effective monitoring of the election expenditure of the candidates, including formation of flying squads, video Surveillance Teams in the constituency, involvement of Investigation Directorates of Income Tax Deptt. Etc. have been separately issued by the Commission and are available at ECI website < www:eci.nic.in >. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The format for filing of affidavits regarding criminal backgrounds, assets, liabilities and educational qualification of the candidates has been modified to include a summary sheet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">To deal with the issue of Paid News, Monitoring Committees have been set up at District, State and Commission level and necessary instructions have been issued to the District Election Officers and the CEOs of the five poll-going States.  Representatives of political parties and media organizations of the poll-going States have also been briefed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Micro Observers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In addition to General Observers, the Commission will also deploy Micro- observers to observe the poll proceedings in the polling stations on the poll day in selected critical polling stations. They will be chosen from Central Government/Central PSUs officials. Micro-Observers will observe the proceedings at the polling stations on the poll day right from the mock poll to the completion of poll and the process of sealing of EVMs and other documents to ensure that all instructions of the Commission are complied with by the Polling Parties and the Polling Agents. These Micro-Observers will work directly under the control and supervision of the General Observer. They will be tasked to ensure purity of polling process and will report to the General Observers directly about any vitiation of the poll proceedings in their allotted polling stations.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Conduct of Officials<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">      <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Commission expects all officials engaged in the conduct of elections to discharge their duties in an impartial manner without any fear or favour. They are deemed to be on deputation to the Commission and shall be subject to its control, supervision and discipline. Several instructions have been issued from time to time to ensure impartiality of officials who are engaged in the conduct of elections. The conduct of all Government officials who have been entrusted with election related responsibilities and duties would remain under constant scrutiny of the Commission and strict action shall be taken against those officials who are found wanting on any account. The Commission has already given instructions that no election related official or Police officer of the rank of Inspector and above shall be allowed to continue in his home district.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Besides, instructions have also been issued that election related officials including police officials who have completed three years in a district during last four years should be transferred out of that district. Police officers of the rank of Sub Inspector who have completed three years in a Sub Division/Assembly Constituency Area shall be transferred out of that Sub Division/Assembly Constituency. The State Governments have also been asked to transfer all those officers against whom the Commission has recommended disciplinary action or who have been charged for any lapse during previous elections or for any election related work, from positions entailing any election work. The State Governments have been instructed to ensure that those who stand transferred shall move out physically from their last place of posting and shall not remain there on any pretext including leave. The Commission has also instructed the State Governments not to associate any officer with the electoral process against whom charges have been framed in a court of law in any case.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Protection to SC/ST Electors<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As per Section 3 (1)   (vii) of Scheduled Castes   and   Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, whoever, not being a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, forces or intimidates a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe not to vote or to vote for a particular candidate or to vote in a manner other than that provided by law shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to five years and with fine. The Commission has asked the State Governments to bring these provisions to the notice of all concerned for prompt action.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Polling Stations<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Polling Stations in the poll going States are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Goa</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">                          1612   <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Manipur                   2325<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Punjab</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">                    19724    <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Uttar Pradesh          128112<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Uttarakhand              9744 <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">For the facility of physically challenged persons, instructions have been issued to ensure that all polling stations as far as practicable, are located at ground floor and ramps are provided. Facilitation shall also be provided for locating electors’ names in a polling station or a group of polling stations through help lines and facilitation centers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Polling Parties and Randomization</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Polling parties shall be formed randomly, through special application software. Three-stage randomization will be adopted.  First, from a wider district database of eligible officials, a shortlist of a minimum 120% of the required numbers will be randomly picked up. This group will be trained for polling duties. In the second stage, from this trained manpower, actual polling parties as required shall be formed by random selection software in the presence of General Observers. In the third randomization, the polling stations will be allocated randomly just before the polling party’s departure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">District Election Plan<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The District Election Officers have been asked to prepare a comprehensive district election plan in consultation with SPs and Sector Officers including the route plan and communication plan for conduct of elections. These plans will be vetted by the Observers taking into account vulnerability mapping exercise and mapping of critical polling station in accordance with Election Commission of India’s extant instructions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Videography<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">All critical events will be video-graphed. District Election Officers will arrange sufficient number of video and digital cameras and camera teams for the purpose. The events for videography will include filing of nomination, scrutiny thereof and allotment of symbols, First Level Checking, preparations and storage of Electronic Voting Machines, important public meetings, processions etc. during campaign, process of dispatching of postal ballot papers, polling process in identified vulnerable polling stations, storage of polled EVMs, counting of votes etc. Digital cameras will also be deployed inside polling booths wherever needed and inside all counting centers. CDs of video recordings will be available on payment to anyone who wishes to obtain a copy of the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Model Code of Conduct</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Model Code of Conduct comes into effect immediately from now onwards. All the provisions of the Model Code will apply to the whole of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and will be applicable to all candidates, political parties, the State Governments of Goa, Manipur, <st1:place w:st="on">Punjab</st1:place>, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and the Union Government from today itself. Attention of the political parties and candidates is particularly invited to the following provisions of the Model Code:-<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“There shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Mosques, Churches, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temples</st1:place></st1:city> or other places of worship shall not be used as forum for election propaganda.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Voter Slips<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">To facilitate the voters to know where he/she is enrolled as a voter at a particular polling station and what is his/her serial number in the Electoral roll, the Commission has directed that voter slip including photograph of the voter, where available in the photo roll, will be distributed to all enrolled voters by the District Election Officer.  It has also been directed that the said voter slip should be in the languages in which electoral roll is published for that Assembly Constituency.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Application of innovative practices<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Election Commission is applying certain innovative practices for the benefit of voters and better election management in the elections to the five States/Union Territory. These best practices were successfully implemented by district election authorities in various elections held recently. Commission has decided to apply innovative practices viz on line payment to polling staff, security management and Voters education and awareness creation in different States during these elections.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Complaint redressal mechanism – <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Call</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place> and Website based</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Every poll going state shall have a complaint redressal mechanism based on website and call center.  The number of call center is 1950 which is a toll free number. The URL of the complaint registration website will be announced for each state by the respective Chief Electoral Officer separately. Complaints can be registered by making calls to the toll free call center numbers or on the web site.  Action will be taken within time limit on all complaints.  Complainants will also be informed of the action taken by SMS and by the call center.   Complainants can also see the details of the action taken on their complaints on the website.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Systematic Voters’ Education & Electoral Participation (SVEEP)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Comprehensive measures for voters’ education and electoral participation have been taken up during Summary Revision for inclusion of all eligible voters, especially the newly eligible electors in the electoral roll.  These measures based on scientific survey comprising information, motivation and facilitation efforts will remain vigorous during the electoral process.  Chief Electoral Officers of the five poll-going States have been directed to ensure wide distribution of election-related information.  National and Regional icons are being involved for spreading motivational messages.  All these measures initiated by the Commission are directed to facilitate greater participation of voters in the poll-going States.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Schedule of Election.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Commission has prepared the Schedule for holding General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand after taking into consideration all relevant aspects, like the Climatic conditions, Academic and Examination schedules, Festivals, prevailing law and order situation in the State, availability of Central Police Forces, time needed for movement, transportation and timely deployment of forces, and assessment of other ground realities. The Commission after considering all relevant aspects has decided to recommend to the respective Governors to issue notifications for the General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of these states under the relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 as per the Schedule annexed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">All Instructions/Guidelines of the Commission regarding these elections can also be seen by visiting Commission’s website www.eci.nic.in. </span><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span style="background: white;"> ---PIB</span></span></div></div>

Election Commission Announces General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand

The Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. S.Y Quraishi addressing a press conference to announce the Elections Schedule, in  New Delhi  on Dec...

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US Unemployment Rate Hits 9.2 Percent as Hiring Slows

<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMG_PCnQYkapNYmuZI8Zw7RQQ1beWlxUPsKHwU4GAON1iwAO4IR1wq5q2WjmFHBbBARdPEca6hyphenhyphen6pnX6ox1jBlmviFQJwYjo8aK2vwAQVVET_vDayaTx8dmEK2vVmg-sHvpThyphenhyphenE8A-DA/s1600/useployment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMG_PCnQYkapNYmuZI8Zw7RQQ1beWlxUPsKHwU4GAON1iwAO4IR1wq5q2WjmFHBbBARdPEca6hyphenhyphen6pnX6ox1jBlmviFQJwYjo8aK2vwAQVVET_vDayaTx8dmEK2vVmg-sHvpThyphenhyphenE8A-DA/s320/useployment.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://flic.kr/p/5ngcJT">Photo Credit: flickr</a></td></tr> </tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The unemployment rate in the United States increased to 9.2 percent in June, the highest level this year.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Friday's report from the Labor Department showed that American employers added only 18,000 jobs in June, the smallest increase in nine months and another indication that the U.S. economy is still struggling to recover from a deep recession.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The June unemployment rate was one-tenth of a percentage point higher than the previous month and the highest since December of 2010.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Obama reacts <o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">U.S. President Barack Obama said the new numbers confirm what many already know, that America still has a long way to go in turning its economy around.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Speaking to reporters in the White House Rose Garden, Obama said the challenges facing the economy during the past couple of months - which included high gas prices and natural disasters overseas affecting supply chains - were not created overnight and will not be solved overnight.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Obama said he remains committed to working with opposition Republican lawmakers in creating a bipartisan plan to reduce the government's huge budget deficit, while still investing in the country's future.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Republicans spending binge<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Republican lawmakers called the new unemployment numbers "completely unacceptable," and blamed what they called a "federal spending binge" for continuing to hold back U.S. job creation.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Republicans and Democrats currently are negotiating about how to reduce the government's huge deficit.  The White House wants to cut spending, while increasing revenue by cutting certain tax breaks.  Republicans want to mainly cut spending and not raise taxes. (VOA News)<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><object data="http://serve.a-widget.com/service/getWidgetSwf.kickAction" height="300" id="kickWidget_45137_301823" name="kickWidget_45137_301823" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480"> <!-- Firefox uses the 'data' attribute above, IE/Safari uses the param below --> <param name="movie" value="http://serve.a-widget.com/service/getWidgetSwf.kickAction"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="affiliateSiteId=45137&widgetId=301823&width=480&height=300&autoPlay=0&playOnLoad=0&varsToAppendToLinks=http%3A%2F%2Faffiliate.kickapps.com%2Fservice%2FgetFeed.kickAction%3FmediaId%3D1605602%26mediaType%3Dvideo%26as%3D45137&mediaType_mediaID=video_1605602&revision=178" ></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent" ></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" ></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" ></param></object>

US Unemployment Rate Hits 9.2 Percent as Hiring Slows

Photo Credit: flickr The unemployment rate in the United States increased to 9.2 percent in June, the highest level this year. Friday...

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62 Assembly segments going to polls in first phase of Assam elections

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-as2b6Q5R_j37ZGRDPIRoRK6pN0x60WuuAo3i7Iku_-vYF2eGWdYOaT2m0nADNV7_YBHPwirtUX7pVUdIxF4cIq9iRQtsp8O13ocgNQmRe9v7iRXsy75zvjC_aLcihQAQMc_HOaJJBIx/s1600/PICST5506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-as2b6Q5R_j37ZGRDPIRoRK6pN0x60WuuAo3i7Iku_-vYF2eGWdYOaT2m0nADNV7_YBHPwirtUX7pVUdIxF4cIq9iRQtsp8O13ocgNQmRe9v7iRXsy75zvjC_aLcihQAQMc_HOaJJBIx/s1600/PICST5506.jpg" /></a><br /><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100.0%;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 203px;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"></td> </tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the first phase of polls, the political fate of 485 candidates will be decided by a total of 85 lakh 3 thousand 117 electorates spread over 13 districts comprising…...</span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr><tr style="height: 6.25in; mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 6.25in; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />In Assam, all the 62 Assembly segments, going to polls in the first phase of elections on 4th of next month, are locked in multi-cornered contest. The Karimganj (South) constituency has the highest number of 25 contestants, 20 of them are independents. Baithalangsho Assembly constituency in Karbi Anglong district has the lowest number of three contestants. The State Chief Minister Mr. Tarun Gogoi is facing an eight-cornered contest in his home constituency at Titabor in Jorhat district. He is seeking re-election from the constituency for the third consecutive terms.<br />In the first phase of polls, the political fate of 485 candidates will be decided by a total of 85 lakh 3 thousand 117 electorates spread over 13 districts comprising upper Assam, Barak Valley and two hill districts of North Cachar and Karbi Anglong. The second phase of polls in remaining 64 constituencies spread over 14 lower and central Assam districts will be held on 11th of the next month. Our Guwahati Correspondent quoting official sources reports that campaigning for the first phase of polls in the State is slowly picking up in most of the constituencies. Most of the parties are engaged in street-corner meetings and putting up of posters and banners. The BJP national president Nitin Gadkari is scheduled to launch the party’s campaign at Ratabari, Patharkandi and Katigorah constituencies of Barak Valley today. Party sources said, the film star-turned politician, Hema Malini is addressing a<br />series of meetings at Moriani, Tinsukia and Moran in Upper Assam today to woo the voters in favour of the BJP candidates. The ruling Congress, other national and regional parties have also finalized detailed tour programmes of their leaders to campaign in the State. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">(NewsonAIR)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></div>

62 Assembly segments going to polls in first phase of Assam elections

  In the first phase of polls, the political fate of 485 candidates will be decided by a total of 85 lakh 3 thousand 117 elect...

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