EC to hold press conference on August 17 amid allegations of voter fraud
New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) will hold a press conference on Sunday, August 17, at 3 pm at the National Media Centre in New Delhi. This comes at a time when the I.N.D.I.A. bloc is beginning its ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar, reported the Deccan Herald.
The poll body also criticized the opposition parties over inaccuracies in the voters’ lists, stating that had they raised the issues earlier, they could have been resolved much sooner.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, will address the media. They are expected to speak about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar and the opposition’s allegations that the EC is working with the BJP to ‘steal’ votes. Normally, the EC holds press conferences only to announce election schedules.
In a statement, the EC said that political parties should have raised objections to errors in the voters list during the “Claims and Objections” period that follows the publication of draft lists.
The Commission added that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), usually Sub Divisional Magistrates, and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are responsible for preparing accurate rolls, and errors could have been corrected earlier if pointed out at the right time.
“It appears that certain political parties and their Booth Level Agents (BLAs) failed to review the electoral rolls in time and did not highlight any errors, if present, to the SDMs/EROs, DEOs, or CEOs. Only recently have some parties and individuals raised concerns about mistakes in the rolls, including those prepared in earlier elections. If such issues had been brought up at the proper time through the proper channels, the concerned SDMs/EROs could have rectified the errors, if genuine, well before those elections,” it stated.
The EC stated that India’s election system for Parliament and Assembly polls is a “multi-layered, decentralised framework” as laid down by law. Electoral rolls are prepared and finalised by the EROs with the assistance of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who are entrusted with ensuring the accuracy of the voters’ lists.
It noted that draft electoral rolls are shared with political parties and uploaded on the EC website, with a month’s window given for filing claims and objections. Once the final voters’ list is published, both digital and physical copies are again provided to all parties and made available online, along with a two-tier appeal mechanism. “Utmost transparency is the hallmark of electoral roll preparation in accordance with the law, rules, and guidelines,” it added.
The EC and the Opposition have been at loggerheads over the conduct of elections for some time, a dispute that has risen with the announcement of the SIR in Bihar, which is slated to be expanded nationwide in the coming months.
Allegations of vote theft in the Lok Sabha elections were also raised by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who, along with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, is set to lead the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ while simultaneously questioning the credibility of Assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana.
The issue has gained attention after the Supreme Court asked the EC to provide details of around 65 lakh voters whose names were removed from the draft rolls prepared after the SIR, along with the reasons for the deletions.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, will lead the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar. The 1,300 km march will cover 22 districts between August 17 and September 1.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the opposition would continue to oppose what it sees as the EC’s bias. He called the yatra a “historic march” aimed at protecting voting rights. CPI(ML)L General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya also criticised the EC, saying earlier claims about detecting large numbers of illegal immigrants on voter rolls had turned out to be false, with only three such cases reported in Parliament.
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.
India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
