EC officials hold meeting with CEOs of poll-bound states
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Election Commission (EC) officials held a "preparatory" meeting on Monday with the chief electoral officers (CEOs) of four states and a Union Territory that are going to Assembly polls in the coming months.
Officials said the CEOs of Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry discussed poll preparedness with the EC officials looking after the election management division.
Deputy Election Commissioner Manish Garg chaired the meeting where issues such as the requirement of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and polling personnel were discussed.
The terms of the legislative assemblies of the four states and Puducherry end on different dates in May and June.
While the EC is holding a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters' lists in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry, a separate special revision of the electoral rolls is underway in Assam.
As part of the SIR, the EC has rationalised polling stations in these states. Now, the maximum number of voters per polling station has been capped at 1,200 from 1,500.
It would mean smaller queues of voters on polling day.
It has also resulted in an increase in the number of polling stations as also the personnel required to man those.
Bihar was the first state where polling stations were rationalised.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Understand the difference: Rahul takes dig at govt over Trump's remarks
New Delhi (PTI): In the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's recent remarks on his ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tariffs, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a swipe at the government and posted an old video in which he had talked about how in 1971 then PM Indira Gandhi had withstood pressure from America.
Trump on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Modi is "not that happy with me" because of the tariffs imposed by Washington on Delhi for its purchases of Russian oil.
Trump, delivering remarks at the House GOP Member Retreat, also claimed that “Prime Minister Modi came to see me, ‘Sir, may I see you please’. Yes."
ALSO READ: Banned Yaba tablets worth Rs 3 cr seized in Assam, woman held
"I have a very good relationship with him. He's not that happy with me because you know they're paying a lot of tariffs now because they're not doing the oil, but they are, they've now reduced it very substantially, as you know, from Russia,” Trump said.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, "Farq samjho, sir ji!"
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha shared his own old video in which he had alleged that Prime Minister Modi "surrendered" after a call from US President Trump during the India-Pakistan military conflict.
Gandhi had also said that the then prime minister Indira Gandhi didn't budge in the 1971 war despite the US sending its Seventh Fleet. "This is the difference," Gandhi had said.
Sharing a video of Trump's remarks, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also took a swipe at the prime minister.
"From Namaste Trump to Howdy Modi to Donald bhai and now this. What next?" Ramesh said on X.
Trump has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, including 25 per cent for its purchases of Russian oil.
The US president also said that India told him it has been waiting for five years for the Apache helicopters.
“We're changing it. We're changing it. India ordered 68 Apaches,” he said.
The Congress on Monday had also taken a swipe at the government over Trump's remarks that Washington can raise tariffs on New Delhi "very quickly", saying all those "Namaste Trump, Howdy Modi events, forced hugs", and social media posts hailing the American leader have done very little good.
The opposition party's dig had come after Trump said Prime Minister Modi knew he was not happy with India's purchases of Russian oil and that Washington can raise tariffs on New Delhi "very quickly".
