Mock poll concludes; voting begins as Bihar goes to elections in Phase-1
New Delhi (PTI): The Election Commission on Thursday announced that mock polls at all polling stations across the 121 constituencies in Bihar that are part of the first phase of the elections have concluded.
During the mock poll, representatives of the candidates were present, and the process included verifying the votes cast on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) against the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips, the commission added.
This mock poll is conducted to ensure that the EVMs are functioning correctly. The exercise aims to build confidence among parties in the machines, which have faced scrutiny regarding their reliability.
Additionally, the data is erased before polling begins.
Meanwhile, polling has commenced at all polling stations in the respective constituencies, the Election Commission announced.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
