Contemplating to use EVMs in local body polls: Srinivasachari
Election Commissioners' Conference
Mysuru: The Election Commission's Commissioner Srinivasachari has said that the idea of using EVM machine for the upcoming local bodies elections is being discussed.
He was addressing media persons after attending the 27th Conference of Election Commissioners of the various states of the country on Tuesday at Lalit Mahal Hotel in the city.
Usage of EVMs in local body elections in the state is being considered. However, the cost of the project is quite high, and hence a proposal has been submitted to the government.
This conference is held every year. The election commissioners from various states discuss regarding how did they conduct elections and what all the challenges they faced.
In the local body elections in Gujarat, online nomination and online voting were held. The facility of the submission of papers online has been allowed in Maharashtra as well. Can this system be brought in the state? What would be its pros and cons, all these discussions are being held; he informed.
Indelible ink that is used in elections gets manufactured in Mysuru. It is not possible for any other organization to produce such a standard quality of ink. He was replying to a query that whether the same ink would be used in the Madhya Pradesh elections.
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BJP 'set Manipur on fire', alleges Rahul Gandhi
Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that the BJP threatened and frightened the minorities in the country and "set" the state of Manipur "on fire," as he assured that his party will not allow the spread of hatred.
While crediting the AIADMK for its contribution to Tamil Nadu, he, however, claimed that it was no longer that kind of a party now and had become a "hollow shell."
Addressing an election rally here, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said that he went on the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the idea being put forward by him and his party was a united and harmonious India.
What was being witnessed, is a clash of two different visions of India.
"We say that each state should run itself and they say all states should be subservient to one political organisation called RSS. Now, in this election they are trying to infiltrate Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK has had a great historical tradition. Like the Congress and the DMK, the AIADMK also had shown the way forward. It had in the past great leaders who protected the idea of Tamil Nadu. But the AIADMK of today is no longer that old party. Today it is a hollow shell as leaders of AIADMK are compromised," he said.
Their corruption has "trapped them" and they can do nothing against the wishes of the BJP. So, they have been used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home minister Amit Shah to take over the state of Tamil Nadu, he charged.
"They cannot directly say what they want to do. So they have made AIADMK a partner to attack you your language, culture, tradition and history," Gandhi alleged.
Further, he said that the main, most important aspect of this election was all about stopping the RSS-BJP from entering Tamil Nadu.
He said his Bharat Jodo Yatra was for the idea of a united harmonious India. An India where everybody feels loved and respected.
"The BJP spreads hatred anger and violence across the country. They concentrate power in the hands of a few big business people. They build an unequal India. They threaten and frighten our brothers and sisters from the minorities. Our Christian, Muslim, Sikh brothers and sisters are made to feel scared all the time. The state of Manipur was set on fire by the BJP," he charged.
"We believe in a harmonious, fair and equal country. We are not going to allow them to spread hatred and anger throughout India," Rahul said.
"We are protecting Tamil language culture tradition history. On the other side there is BJP-AIADMK which is trying to take away Tamil Nadu's strength."
Referring to the Women's Bill passed in 2023, he said that bill did not seek to redraw the electoral map of India.
While passing that bill, BJP said it will be implemented in 10 years and the Congress had then insisted that it should be implemented immediately, he recalled.
"We repeat that same statement again, if the BJP wants Women's bill, implement the 2023 Women's bill right now and the entire opposition will support you 100 per cent."
Tamil Nadu has a history of following social justice and it has built a development model based on social justice which truly helps people of all communities, he said.
All parties in the state worked on this development model and iconic Congress leader K Kamaraj laid the found of a strong public education system, Rahul said.
"He came up with idea of meals for children (to encourage school enrollment). This is another thing that irritates the BJP. They do not want the social justice ideas to spread to the rest of the country. The DMK has also played a role in promoting social justice."
"Chief Minister MK Stalin ensured Rs 1,000 to the women of Tamil Nadu; pioneered a scheme that gave students breakfast across the state. Our alliance is going to deepen development and social justice. We are going to increase the amount of money to Rs 2,000 per month for women (the monthly entitlement). Landless farmers will get Rs 6,000 a year and Rs 2,000 will be the assistance for senior citizens and the differently-abled people. All government job vacancies will be filled within 300 days," he assured.
