Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

The <keyword id="19895876" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Election Commission of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Election Commission of India">Election Commission of India</keyword> (ECI) has officially announced the schedules for the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, setting the stage for crucial state elections next month. Here’s what voters in these states can expect: <h2>Maharashtra: Single-phase voting on November 20</h2>Maharashtra will head to the polls in a single phase on November 20, with vote counting scheduled for November 23. This election will see a high-stakes contest between two major coalitions: the <keyword id="19924537" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maha-Vikas-Aghadi" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Maha Vikas Aghadi" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Maha Vikas Aghadi">Maha Vikas Aghadi</keyword> (MVA) and the <keyword id="21555670" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maha-Yuti-Alliance" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Maha Yuti Alliance" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Maha Yuti Alliance">Maha Yuti Alliance</keyword>. The MVA consists of <keyword id="19905331" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uddhav-Thackeray" source="keywords">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword>'s Shiv Sena (UBT), the <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword>, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under Sharad Pawar. Meanwhile, the Maha Yuti Alliance brings together the <keyword id="19931558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharatiya Janata Party" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bharatiya Janata Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP), Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP. This intense battle for control over the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly follows the end of the current term on November 26. The model code of conduct has come into immediate effect in Maharashtra, guiding political parties on appropriate campaigning practices and ensuring fair elections. <h2>Jharkhand: Two-phase voting on November 13 and 20</h2>In Jharkhand, voting will occur in two phases: the first on November 13 and the second on November 20. The results will be declared on November 23, alongside Maharashtra’s. This election focuses on the 81-seat Assembly, with a fierce competition expected between the ruling <keyword id="20028356" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jharkhand-Mukti-Morcha" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Jharkhand Mukti Morcha" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Jharkhand Mukti Morcha">Jharkhand Mukti Morcha</keyword> (JMM)-Congress alliance and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which includes the BJP, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), and Janata Dal (United). Jharkhand’s current Assembly term expires on January 5, 2025. The elections will feature 29,562 polling stations across urban and rural areas to accommodate the state’s 2.6 crore registered voters. This diverse electorate includes 66.84 lakh young voters and 11.84 lakh first-time voters, with special arrangements for 3.67 lakh persons with disabilities. <h2>Pre-election preparations</h2>The ECI’s preparations for the elections began in September, with teams visiting both states to assess readiness. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, alongside Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, met with local officials, district collectors, and political representatives to evaluate logistical arrangements and security measures. In Maharashtra, the Maha Yuti Alliance and the MVA have been ramping up their efforts to secure <keyword id="23060079" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voter-support" source="keywords">voter support</keyword> in what is expected to be a dramatic electoral showdown. In Jharkhand, the ruling JMM, which is part of the INDIA bloc, is eyeing another term despite recent controversies surrounding Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who faced legal challenges earlier this year. The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance remains strong, as the party is expected to contest all 81 seats in the Assembly. (With inputs from agencies)

ECI Announces election schedules for Maharashtra and Jharkhand; both states to vote in November

Alphabet Inc-owned <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="google" source="keywords">Google</keyword> has joined hands with <keyword id="19895876" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="election-commission-of-india" source="keywords">Election Commission of India</keyword> (<keyword id="20041622" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="eci" source="keywords">ECI</keyword>) to elevate authoritative information and enable people to easily discover critical voting information on Google Search and YouTube. The search engine has also put in place measures to prevent spread of false information, and label AI-generated data during the upcoming general elections, a blog post said on Tuesday. "We are collaborating with ECI to enable people to easily discover critical voting information on Google Search - such as how to register and how to vote - in both English and Hindi," Google said. It said that for news and information related to the election, YouTube's recommendation system prominently surfaces content from authoritative sources on the YouTube homepage, in search results, and highlights high-quality content from authoritative news sources. Additionally, Google said it is setting up processes to help audiences identify AI-generated content. "As more advertisers leverage the power and opportunity of AI, we want to make sure we continue to provide people with greater transparency and the information they need to make informed decisions. Our ads policies already prohibit the use of manipulated media to mislead people, like deepfakes or doctored content," it said. Google has already started displaying labels for content created with YouTube generative AI features, like Dream Screen. "Soon, YouTube will begin to require creators to disclose when they've created realistic altered or synthetic content, and will display a label that indicates for people when they're watching this content," it said. The blog post further said the company has begun to roll out restrictions on the types of election-related queries for which <keyword id="19896990" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gemini" source="keywords">Gemini</keyword> will return responses. The popular search engine said they have set policies around demonstrably false claims in areas like manipulated content, incitement to violence, hate speech, and harassment, that could undermine democratic processes. Google has set strict policies and restrictions around who can run election-related advertising on its platforms. These include identity verification, certification and authorisation by the ECI, and financier disclosures. "We take our responsibility for providing high-quality information for these types of queries seriously, and are continuously working to improve our protections," the blog post said. Google said it has recently joined the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), and pledged to help prevent deceptive AI-generated imagery, audio or video content from interfering with this year's global elections. Earlier, Google had introduced the Google News Initiative Training Network and the Fact Check Explorer tool to enable newsrooms and journalists deliver reliable, fact-checked updates to debunk misinformation. Additionally, Google is supporting Shakti, <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> Election Fact-Checking Collective, which is a consortium of news publishers and fact-checkers in India working together to aid the early detection of online misinformation, including deepfakes, and to create a common repository that news publishers can use to tackle the challenges of misinformation at scale. "Google is committed to working with government, industry, and civil society and surface and connect voters to authoritative and helpful information online," the blog post said.

Google ties up with ECI to elevate authoritative information

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Inflation-adjusted wages fell 3.7% in the last year through March as higher prices eroded strong pay gains.</li><li>US workers have enjoyed historic <keyword id="12137398" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wage-growth" source="Orion">wage growth</keyword> as businesses struggle to attract job applicants.</li></ul>Even with extraordinary wage growth, intense demand for workers, and widespread quitting, <keyword id="11894140" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="inflation" source="Orion">inflation</keyword> is crushing Americans' wallets.Real compensation, which is adjusted for inflation, fell 3.7% for all workers through the year that ended in March, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in the Friday <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/eci.nr0.htm">report</a>. That's worse than the 2.9% drop seen through 2021 and the biggest one-year decline in two decades.The drop casts a grim shadow over data that, at first glance, showed historic strength in the labor market. Nominal wages <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wage-growth-eci-q1-labor-shortage-job-market-hiring-raises-2022-4">rose 4.5% in the year through March</a>, reflecting the largest 12-month jump since at least 2001. If you can ignore inflation, workers are winning extraordinary raises amid a historically tight labor market.Yet rarely has inflation been so hard to ignore. Prices for common goods and services <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-cpi-march-price-growth-report-gas-food-costs-climbing-2022-4">rose 8.5% over the same period</a>, leaving Americans to contend with the fastest inflation since 1981. Americans are earning more on paper, but surging prices are leaving them with significantly less buying power.The sky-high inflation is also overpowering some of the extraordinary trends boosting worker power. The labor shortage continues to hamper companies' hiring efforts, with the US <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/job-openings-february-jolts-labor-market-shortage-quits-hiring-recovery-2022-3">still boasting near-record job openings</a> at the end of February. The ratio of unemployed-Americans-to-job-openings sits at a record-low 0.6, meaning there are nearly twice as many job openings in the US as there are workers to fill them.That imbalance is the foundation for the stellar nominal wage gains seen throughout the pandemic. Businesses have had to raise wages faster than usual just to attract workers amid the nationwide shortage.Firms are also struggling with keeping their own workers around. Nationwide quits <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/4-million-americans-quit-9-months-labor-shortage-status-quo-2022-3">have surpassed 4 million</a> for the last nine months as employees either exit the workforce or change jobs. The trend, which has been deemed the Great Resignation, has boosted wage pressures further, with many companies reporting the need to raise pay <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wage-growth-diverging-across-country-beige-book-fed-labor-market-2022-4">just to maintain their current payroll</a>.The two phenomena — the labor shortage and the Great Resignation — are giving employees the most negotiating power they've had in decades. But until inflation falls back to earth, their wallets are only going to feel lighter.

The average American got a real pay cut of almost 4% in the last year — despite all the hype about the Great Resignation and labor shortage

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="13052996" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="employment-cost-index" source="Orion">Employment Cost Index</keyword> rose 1.4% in the first quarter of 2022, the most since at least 2001.</li><li>The uptick exceeded the 1.1% estimate and marked a pickup from the prior quarter's 1% gain.</li></ul>Working Americans' <keyword id="6356975" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wages" source="Orion">wages</keyword> rose the most on record through the first three months of 2022 amid intense demand for labor and historically strong inflation.The <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/eci.nr0.htm">Employment Cost Index</a> — one of the most closely watched yardsticks for countrywide wage changes — gained 1.4% through the first quarter, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday. That's the largest one-quarter increase since data collection began in 2001.Economists surveyed by Bloomberg held a median estimate of a 1.1% increase. The print also showed <keyword id="12137398" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wage-growth" source="Orion">wage growth</keyword> accelerating from the 1% jump seen through the fourth quarter of 2021.The report confirms that the outsize pay gains employees enjoyed throughout 2021 continued into the new year. The months-long imbalance between worker supply and demand — informally known as the labor shortage — increased pressure on businesses to raise wages as they scrambled to rehire. The phenomenon has shown little sign of easing in 2022, with the latest data showing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/job-openings-february-jolts-labor-market-shortage-quits-hiring-recovery-2022-3">job openings still near record highs</a> at the end of February.Wage pressures could even be intensifying as the <keyword id="11893570" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="economy" source="Orion">economy</keyword> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/labor-market-recovery-likely-slowing-not-bad-jobs-report-march-2022-4">inches closer to its pre-pandemic job count</a>. The latest gain exceeded the 1.3% hike seen in the third quarter of 2021, around when the labor shortage first emerged.While wage growth has been extraordinarily strong throughout the coronavirus crisis, it's still fallen behind inflation. Prices for common goods and services <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-cpi-march-price-growth-report-gas-food-costs-climbing-2022-4">rose 8.5% in the year through March</a>, marking the fastest inflation since 1981. By comparison, the <keyword id="13052997" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="eci" source="Orion">ECI</keyword> is only up 4.5% from the year-ago period, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ukraine-inflation-lifting-prices-american-shoppers-gas-wheat-nickel-2022-3">only worsened the price-growth problem</a> in recent months.Rising prices actually took a larger chunk out of workers' pay than in the prior 12-month period. Inflation-adjusted compensation shrank 3.7% in the year through March, worse than the 2.9% decline seen through 2021. Unless inflation peters out and wage growth holds strong, most employees will continue to see their buying power shrink.<h2>Who won the biggest first-quarter raises</h2>Wage growth differed dramatically across sectors as the Omicron variant faded, economic restrictions were loosened, and Americans revived their shopping sprees.Workers in the service industries generally saw the largest gains. Wages at real estate and leasing firms and restaurants rose 2% through the quarter, according to the Friday report. Administrative services and wholesale trade businesses lifted pay by 1.9%.Employees at aircraft manufacturers saw the largest pay bump of any sector, with wages climbing 2.2% in the three-month period. Conversely, the credit intermediation sector was the only one to see pay broadly shrink as wages fell 0.8%.Most state and local government workers enjoyed 1% gains in compensation. Hospital workers outperformed slightly with a 1.1% gain, and public administration employees saw compensation climb by 1.5%.The outperformance by services firms matches the general shift in Americans' spending habits. The swift decline in coronavirus infections saw the economy reopen again, albeit at a slower pace than in 2021. Americans <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retail-sales-march-consumer-spending-inflation-stores-restaurants-recovery-report-2022-4">quickly boosted their spending on services</a>, fueling a strong rebound for the industry after the Delta and Omicron waves saw most spending concentrated on goods. With virus cases still relatively low, the rotation could keep service-sector wages climbing well into 2022.

Americans' wages rose the most on record during the first quarter as inflation hit 41-year highs

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="13052996" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="employment-cost-index" source="Orion">Employment Cost Index</keyword> rose 1% in the fourth quarter, missing the 1.2% estimate.</li><li>The print marks a slowdown from the third quarter's historic 1.3% surge.</li></ul><keyword id="6356975" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wages" source="Orion">Wages</keyword> in the US boomed yet again through the fourth quarter – just not as much as expected – as the <keyword id="12002872" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="labor-market" source="Orion">labor market</keyword> remained unusually tight and businesses clamored over a limited pool of workers.The Employment Cost Index – a popular measure of nationwide <keyword id="12137398" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wage-growth" source="Orion">wage growth</keyword> – rose 1.0% in the final three months of 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced Friday morning. That came in below the median forecast of 1.2% growth from economists surveyed by Bloomberg and marked a deceleration from the prior quarter's 1.3% jump.The print still shows wages continuing to shoot higher at an extraordinary pace as firms scrambled to rehire. The 1.3% gain in the third quarter marked the strongest wage growth in data going back to 2001, and the fourth-quarter reading is still much higher than levels seen before the pandemic.Fourth-quarter wage gains were largest for retail workers, with the group enjoying a 2.6% jump in pay. Workers in the trade, transportation, and utilities sector saw wages rise 1.9%, as did those service occupations.Compensation broadly declined in the financial industry, with the credit intermediation sector suffering the largest quarterly drop of 2%.The headline <keyword id="13052997" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="eci" source="Orion">ECI</keyword> measure also grew 4% over the past year, marking the biggest annual ECI gain in at least two decades. Factors including virus fears, childcare costs, and skills gaps left many companies unable to rehire as the country started to reopen in early 2021. The phenomenon quickly came to be known as a labor shortage, and firms started hiking wages at a historic pace in the first quarter in hopes of attracting workers faster. The trend has won rare bipartisan backing, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/labor-shortage-wage-growth-democrats-republicans-agree-rising-pay-recovery-2022-1">cheering the leap in worker power</a>.Several signs point to the labor shortage lasting well into 2022. Job openings <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/december-jolts-job-openings-quits-labor-shortage-wages-economy-2022-1">totaled 10.6 million in November</a>, down slightly from the prior month's count but still well above the pre-pandemic average. The ratio of unemployed-people-per-job-opening held flat at a record-low 0.7, indicating there remained far more jobs listings than workers to fill them.Pandemic-era quitting intensified as well. A record 4.5 million workers walked out of their jobs in November, marking the fifth consecutive month that more than 4 million people quit. The wave of quits, also known as the "Great Resignation," has also hindered companies' attempts to rehire.Recent jobs reports reflect that slowdown. The US <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/december-jobs-report-199000-payrolls-added-unemployment-rate-economic-recovery-2022-1">added just 199,000 nonfarm payrolls</a> in December, making the last month of the year the weakest for job creation. The count fell well below the median estimate for 450,000 new jobs and showed payroll growth slowing for a second straight month.<h2>In the inflation vs wages fight, inflation is winning</h2>While pay growth is already weakening, inflation was still on the rise at the end of the fourth quarter. Prices for common goods <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-december-cpi-price-growth-index-supply-chain-economic-recovery-2022-1">rose 7% in the year through December</a>, according to the Consumer Price Index, accelerating from the prior month's pace of 6.8% to the fastest rate since 1982. The slowdown in wage growth leaves workers even less equipped to deal with higher prices.Most already aren't faring well. Only leisure and hospitality workers saw wage growth outpace inflation through 2021, according to BLS data. All other sectors ended the year with weaker buying power on average, with some even seeing their real wages drop by more than 3%.Other data out Friday confirmed inflation remained red-hot into 2022. The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index rose 5.8% year-over-year in December, also marking the highest inflation since 1982. The core PCE index – which strips out volatile food and energy prices – rose 4.9% year-over-year, the highest rate since 1983 and accelerating from the prior month's 4.7% pace.With prices still ripping higher, the slowdown in wage gains could put more pressure on workers' wallets through 2022.

US wages rose less than expected in the fourth quarter as the labor shortage charged into 2022

The <keyword id="65281" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission-of-India" source="Orion">Election Commission of India</keyword> on Monday changed the February 14 date of polling in <keyword id="6354953" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="punjab" source="Orion">Punjab</keyword> to February 20 after request from the political parties due to <keyword id="12971189" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sri-Guru-Ravidas-Jayanti" source="Orion">Sri Guru Ravidas Jayanti</keyword>. After a detailed meeting on the rescheduling of the poll date, the Commission changed the poll schedule as announced by it on January 8. According to the new schedule for Punjab assembly polls, now the date of notification will be January 25 (Tuesday), 2022, last date of nomination will be January 22, 2022 (Tuesday), date of scrutiny - February 2, 2022 (Wednesday), date of withdrawal would be February 4 (Friday) and date of polling will be February 20, 2022 (Sunday). Counting of Votes will be taken up on March 10, 2022 (Thursday). The Election Commission received several representations from State Government, Political Parties and other organizations drawing attention regarding movement of a large number of devotees from Punjab to Varanasi for participation in Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Jayanti celebrations, which is observed on February 16, 2022, the EC said in a statement. It was brought to the notice of the Commission that a large number of devotees start moving for Varanasi around a week before the day of celebration and keeping the poll day on February 14, 2022 will deprive a large number of electors from voting. In view of this, they had requested to shift the poll date a few days after February 16, 2022, the EC officials said. "Commission has also taken inputs from State Government and Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab in this regard and after considering these new facts emerging out of these representations, inputs from the State Government and Chief Electoral Officer, past precedence and all facts and circumstances in the matter, now Commission has d<keyword id="65910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ECI" source="Orion">eci</keyword>ded to reschedule the General Elections to Legislative Assembly of Punjab," the ECI said in a statement. Earlier, the ruling Congress party, the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party had requested the Commission to defer the polling on February 14 as it is close to the Sri Guru Ravidas Jayanti on February 16. Submitting a written request by the Congress Party on January 13, it said that over 20 lakh of Schedule Caste voters go to the religious visit to the places related to Sant Ravidas ji. The Party further said that a sizable number of SC voters visit Varanasi from February 10 to 16 every year, therefore, the scheduled date for the poll in Punjab should be postponed till Ravidas Jayanti. Later the BJP and Aam Aadmi party also made a similar request to the EC, reiterating the same reason stating that many of the voters will either miss their religious trip or skip voting on February 14. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/vaccination-for-12-14-age-group-likely-to-begin-in-march-says-ntagi-chairman/articleshow/88951718.cms">Vaccination for 12-14 age group likely to begin in March, says NTAGI chairman</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/iphone-shipments-grow-nearly-50-in-india-in-2021-festive-season-a-big-boost/articleshow/88951552.cms">iPhone shipments grow nearly 50% in India in 2021, festive season a big boost</a>

Election Commission postpones polling day in Punjab to February 20

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Reuters/Mike BlakeWalmart department manager Karren Gomes helps stock shelves with school supplies as the retail store prepare for back to school shoppers in San Diego, California August 6, 2015.</div></div></div>The employment cost index came in as expected in the first quarter of 2016.ECI rose by 0.6%, in line with economists' expectations.Wages and salaries, which make up 70% of the index, rose by 0.7%. Meanwhile, benefits, which make up the other 30%, rose by 0.5%.Compensation costs for civilian workers increased by 1.9% over the year, while compensation costs for private industry workers increased by 1.8% over the year.The previous reading showed that the index rose by 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2015.The ECI report is a more comprehensive measure of wage growth than the average hourly earnings figure released with the monthly jobs report as it takes into account benefits in addition to wages and salaries. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/global-economy-biggest-threat-2016-4">FORMER GREEK FINANCE MINISTER: The single largest threat to the global economy</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="4wNWo1MzE6mCXkk1XHZUEjn1PYYwkNot" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

ECI rose as expected

<keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> candidate and Olympic wrestler <keyword id="19895499" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vinesh-Phogat" source="keywords">Vinesh Phogat</keyword> has emerged victorious in the fiercely contested <keyword id="23069853" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Julana" source="keywords">Julana</keyword> Assembly seat in <keyword id="19904807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Haryana" source="keywords">Haryana</keyword>’s <keyword id="19958795" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jind-district" source="keywords">Jind district</keyword>. According to the Election Commission, Phogat secured her maiden political win over <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> rival Yogesh Kumar by a margin of around 6,000 votes. Early trends indicated Phogat’s lead over Kumar, which progressively widened as the day progressed, culminating in a decisive victory after 15 rounds of vote counting. Polling for the assembly elections in Haryana took place on October 5, with vote counting commencing at 8 AM today. Phogat totaled 65,080 votes, capturing the attention of both supporters and political analysts who lauded her successful transition from a celebrated wrestler to a formidable political figure. Notably, Phogat’s win brings the Julana seat back into Congress’s hands after 19 years. Bajrang Punia, a fellow wrestler and Congress leader who joined the party alongside Phogat, took to social media to express his support and pride. On platform X, he wrote, “Many congratulations to the country's daughter Vinesh Phogat for her victory. This fight was not just for one Julana seat, it was not just with 3-4 other candidates, it was not just a fight between parties. This fight was against the strongest oppressive forces in the country. And Vinesh emerged victorious.” As Congress celebrated Phogat’s success, the party raised concerns over alleged discrepancies in the Election Commission’s real-time data display. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera stated, “There is a mismatch in the actual number of rounds counted and the number of rounds being shown on the television through the Election Commission data. The EC data is lagging behind; they are still showing fourth or fifth-round data while 11 rounds have been counted. Our General Secretary Communications has tweeted to the Election Commission asking – are [they] trying to put pressure on the local administration by delaying the display and uploading of data. In J&amp;K you are getting live data with every round counted but in Haryana, it is not so.” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh echoed these concerns, questioning the accuracy of the election data displayed. He remarked, “Like the Lok Sabha elections, in Haryana, we are again witnessing a slowing down of uploading up-to-date trends on the ECI website. Is the BJP trying to build pressure on the administration by sharing outdated and misleading trends?” Vinesh Phogat’s win in Julana marks a significant political debut, as she navigates a new arena beyond the wrestling mat. The victory represents not only a win for Congress in Haryana but also an influential addition to the party’s roster as it seeks to counter BJP’s influence in the state. As the results solidify, Phogat’s supporters are celebrating the historic nature of her triumph and its broader implications for Haryana’s political landscape. This story underscores the shifting dynamics within Haryana’s political scene, with Phogat’s victory exemplifying Congress’s strategic push to appeal to voters through candidates who resonate on a personal level with constituents. The state now waits to see how Phogat will leverage her influence both within her party and her constituency in the coming years. (With inputs from agencies)

From disqualified in Olympics to gold in Haryana: Vinesh Phogat wins big in Julana, ending BJP's 19-year streak

New Delhi [India], May 16 (ANI): <keyword id="9766785" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections-2024" source="Orion">Lok Sabha elections 2024</keyword> have seen a <keyword id="20108198" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voter-turnout" source="keywords">voter turnout</keyword> at polling stations of about 66.95 per cent so far, as approximately 451 million people have voted during the first four phases of ongoing general elections. In a bid to encourage voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers, ECI has enhanced its targeted interventions to reach out to every eligible voter. The Commission led by CEC Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, further directed CEOs of the states going to poll in the fifth, sixth and seventh phases to timely distribute voter information slips to all electors and enhance outreach activities. "Commission strongly believes that partnership and collaboration are essential pillars of the voter awareness programme. It's heartening to see that, at the Commission's request, different institutions, influencers and celebrities with significant reach are working enthusiastically on a pro-bono basis," Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said. Further, he added that a higher voter turnout would be a message from Indian voters to the world, about the strength of Indian Democracy. He urges all the voters to cast their vote in huge numbers, as voting day is not a holiday but a day of pride, by participating in the festival of democracy. According to an official release, various <keyword id="21686177" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voter-awareness-drives" source="keywords">voter awareness drives</keyword> and campaigns have been carried out by stakeholders in collaboration with ECI. Telecom Service Providers such as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Bharti Airtel Limited, Jio Telecommunication, and Vodafone-Idea Limited are reaching out to every mobile user in the respective parliamentary constituency through push SMS/Flash SMSs, outbound dialling calls to mobile users, RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging and WhatsApp messages/alerts. These activities are carried out two/three days before the poll and even on the poll day, in regional languages, with an appeal to vote. ECI has collaborated with BCCI for voter awareness activities during the ongoing IPL season. The voter awareness messages and songs are being played at different stadiums during the cricket matches. The most innovative aspect of this campaign is the administration of voter's pledges by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in a pre-recorded video message, at various IPL venues. Further, voter awareness messages are integrated into cricket commentary. Cricketers from 10 IPL teams have encouraged voters to participate in the <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections in 2024 with their recorded voter awareness messages. A voting day alert was sent to all Facebook users pan India to inform and inform the voters about the general elections and to nudge them to participate in the festival of democracy, the release mentioned. The release further stated that WhatsApp personalised messages have begun on polling day. Google India is contributing through its iconic feature of Google Doodle on poll days and banners appearing on YouTube, Google Pat and other Google platforms. The Retail Association of India has been actively engaging with voter awareness activities, through their retail network, whereby retail chains are encouraged to celebrate the election as a festival. The vast network of post offices and banking institutions was utilised by ECI to reach out to a wide and diverse audience across the length and breadth of the country. In collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the parliamentary elections campaign logo "Chunav ka Parv, Desh ka Garv" has been integrated with the IRCTC portal and tickets. Voter awareness announcements have been integrated with the public address system at all railway stations. The logo stickers are used on coaches of the superfast trains. In collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, hoardings on voter awareness have been installed in about 16,000 retail outlets. In collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, airlines are making an inflight announcement with an appeal message to participate in the ensuing elections. Voter guides are being kept in aircraft seat pockets. Apart from this, many airports are providing space for the display of voter awareness messages. Selfie points have been installed at airports in 10 major cities viz. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna, Chandigarh, and Pune. Cinema theatres across the country are playing ECI voter awareness films and ECI Song Main Bharat Hoon, Hum Bharat Ke Matdata Hai, at regular intervals, as a part of the Public Service Awareness (PSA) film. Sansad TV is creating short films on Unique Polling Stations set up in remote corners of the country by the election machinery after navigating difficult terrains to demonstrate the challenges in ensuring voting at the last mile. AMUL, Mother Dairy and other milk co-operatives have started branding their milk pouches with the message 'Chunav Ka Parv, Desh ka Garv' and encouraging voters through social media platforms. AMUL is also encouraging voters with its unique messaging through AMUL Girl Topical advertisements in newspapers. Prasar Bharati: Doordarshan has produced, various short films, including appeals from constitutional functionaries like President of India, Vice President of India, and Chief Justice of India, among others. Further, unique polling stations are being covered by the regional Kendra's audio-visual documentation. Music App Spotify is running a campaign called 'Play Your Part', and they have issued print advertisements, and curated the playlists for the elections, on their app. Payments app PhonePe has integrated voter awareness message into their app and is actively encouraging voters. BookMyShow has launched an integrated campaign, titled "Aaj Picture Nahi, Bigger Picture Dekho," to raise awareness among voters. MakeMyTrip is running a campaign titled 'MyVoteWalaTrip', whereby discounts are offered to citizens going to vote. Food delivery platforms such as Zomato and Swiggy are disseminating voter awareness messages through their platforms and social media activities. Grocery App Blinkit changed its logo to "Inkit" for the elections, incorporating a message encouraging people to "Go out and Vote" as a tagline. Uber India is reaching out to voters through multi-channel messaging (in-app, emails, push notifications), offering discounts for rides to polling stations, and amplifying voter awareness messages on social media platforms. Bike app Rapido has been encouraging voters with a free ride to vote. Urban Company has launched 'I Have Voted Campaign' to encourage voters. Tata Neu app, serving as the Tata Group's group-wide consumer-facing mobile app, prominently features the "Cast Your Vote" animated banner on its homepage, with additional initiatives currently underway. Truecaller is enhancing its layout by displaying voter awareness message during outbound calls Some other independent initiatives are Mankind Pharma #VotingVirgin campaign, clothing brand Neeru's "Vote ki Taiyaari" TVC, Tinder's "Every Single Vote Counts" campaign, creatively curated social media post by Matrimonial sites like Jeevansathi.com, etc and discounts for voting by popular brands such as Shoppers' Stop, MakeMyTrip, Chroma and many more. Four phases of Lok Sabha polls have been held and the voting will conclude on June 1 with results on June 4. The remaining phases will be held on May 20, May 25, and June 1.

451 million voters! First four phases of Lok Sabha elections witness 66.95% voter turnout so far

New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): The mammoth exercise to count votes polled for the Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections will begin at 8 am on Tuesday, with trends and results following shortly thereafter. Results of the <keyword id="6372146" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Assembly-elections" source="Orion">Assembly elections</keyword> in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh were held simultaneously with voting for the 543-member Lok Sabha. Results of 175 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 147 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and results of bypolls in 25 Assembly constituencies will also be declared today. Here're the LIVE results: <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Infographic"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div> Strict security has been put in place for the smooth conduct of counting of votes for over 8,000 candidates in this general elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will seek a third consecutive term in government, while the Congress-led opposition aims to unseat them. Most <keyword id="43771" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="exit-polls" source="Orion">exit polls</keyword> have predicted a return of PM Modi to power, a development which will make him the first Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to secure a third successive term in power, Meanwhile, a delegation of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders met with the Election Commission of India urging it to ensure that postal ballots are counted and their results declared before the outcome of the EVMs is announced. Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had said that a "very robust system" has been put in place. "There are around 10.5 lakh booths. Each booth will have 14 tables. There are observers and micro-observers. Nearly, 70-80 lakh people are involved in the process," he said. The national capital is all set to witness the battle. With tight security arrangements in place, Delhi is well-prepared to watch the results of the 2024 <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-Elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword>. Around 70 companies of the security forces will be deployed at all seven counting centres across the national capital as part of the elaborate security arrangements made by the Delhi Police for today. Delhi traffic police issued a fresh advisory ahead of the counting of votes scheduled for Tuesday, listing key roads where traffic restrictions and diversions will start from 5 am onwards to ensure smooth vehicular movement. Prime Minister Modi's hometown, Gujarat, is also preparing for the vote-counting day as security forces rehearse and perform drills for the effortless conduct of D-day. Exit polls have predicted the return of the BJP to power. Various exit polls have given the BJP more than 64 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is poised for a hat-trick win in Lok Sabha polls with a massive majority. Exit polls were predicted on Saturday and indicated that the ruling party at the Centre would improve its performance in several states ruled by other parties. A few exit polls predicted that the BJP-led NDA could reach the goal of "400 paar" stated by BJP leaders in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. The exit polls predicted that the ruling BJP-led NDA is poised to improve its performance over its 2019 record when it won 352 seats. Two polls predicted the BJP would also improve its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the 2019 elections, NDA wrested 353 seats, of which the BJP won 303 alone. The Opposition's UPA got only 93 seats of which the Congress got 52. The Lok Sabha elections were conducted in seven phases- on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting trends and results, as per data entered by RO/ARO for AC/PC will be available on the ECI website as well as on the Voter Helpline App, both iOS and Android Mobile Apps, according to the ECI. The Voter Helpline App can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple Play Store. Users can use the available filter to find out the winning/leading or trailing candidate details, along with the constituency-wise or State-wise results from the Voter Helpline App. The local display of the trends and results by the CEOs/ROs/DEOs may also be done through the Digital Display Panels, it said.

Lok Sabha elections 2024 results: Mammoth vote-counting exercise set to begin at 8 am, amid high security

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Indian authorities have seized over $1 billion in cash, drugs, and goods in the country's elections.</li><li>The amount has surpassed the total seized during the whole of the last general election in 2019.</li></ul>The Election Commission of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-economy-growth-booming-modi-seize-moment-problems-davos-2024-2">India</a> (ECI) said it has seized 88.9 billion rupees, or around $1.1 billion, in drugs, cash, and other goods like precious metals and liquor as part of its efforts to stamp out illegal vote inducements in the country's general election.The Indian government's Press Information Bureau said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2021017">press release</a> on Saturday that the "Election Commission's determined and concerted assault on money power and inducements in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections has resulted in staggering seizures worth Rs 8889 crores by the agencies."The commission said it took a "'zero-tolerance' approach to any form of inducements which may influence the voters," adding that the haul had already surpassed the total seized during the whole of the last general election in 2019.The press release adds that drugs have made up 45% of the value of the seizures so far.<div type="image" title="India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets crowds of supporters during a roadshow in support of state elections on March 04, 2022 in Varanasi, India." height="1169" width="1660" msid="110251900" hostid="261" sizebytes="163224"></div>The winner of India's general election, which began on April 19 and ends on June 1, will be announced on June 4.The governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to come out on top once again, which would see Narendra Modi, 73, return for a third term as prime minister.It is the world's largest democratic election, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/18/india-mammoth-election-explained-narendra-modi-bjp">almost 970 million people</a> eligible to vote.During Modi's tenure, India has become an increasingly important global power, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modi-india-election-economy-russia-oil-wealth-dimon-cook-musk-2024-5">overtaking Britain to become the world's fifth-largest economy</a> and forging ever-stronger relations with the US, which wants India as a key ally against China.But critics of the prime minister and his party say he is a divisive figure that has attempted to demonize minorities in the country.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eiu.com/n/indias-general-election-2024-the-story-so-far/">Economist Intelligence Unit</a> said in a report in May that it believed the BJP's reelection had "the potential to deepen communal rifts within the country," noting "the party's Hindu-nationalist agenda" and previous instances of unrest.It added that "although multinationals will remain wary about India's domestic track record on communal relations, its large market and growing economy will overshadow these considerations."

Indian authorities seize over $1 billion worth of illegal vote inducements, including drugs and cash, in country's elections

Actor-turned-politician <keyword id="20008310" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Suresh-Gopi" source="keywords">Suresh Gopi</keyword> who is poised for a <keyword id="21145935" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="historic-win" source="keywords">historic win</keyword> in the parliamentary seat of <keyword id="19977207" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thrissur" source="keywords">Thrissur</keyword> said he is "ecstatic" about the <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword> breaching the bastion in <keyword id="19896018" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kerala" source="keywords">Kerala</keyword> according to trends announced by the Election Commission on Tuesday in the counting of votes in the 2024 <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections. "What was very impossible became gloriously possible," said the actor who contested from the seat for the second time after losing in the last general elections in 2019. Gopi said he "bowed down to" the "truly <keyword id="21934911" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="secular-voters" source="keywords">secular voters</keyword>" of Thrissur, adding that there were attempts to "corrupt" the voters' mind away from the BJP but the Gods "led them in the correct path". "Attempts were made to mislead the voters but God led them on the correct path to accept my party through me ...even if some of you feel that this is a miracle, this miracle was imminent...The victory is due to people's blessings. I bow down to the truly secular voters of Thrissur who made this victory possible," the actor said. He further said that "...Narendra Modi is my political God. ..I am not believing in just a manifesto...I will work for the whole Kerala...I will work as Kerala MP..." The 65-year-old actor said, " I am in totally an ecstatic mood. What was very impossible became gloriously possible...it was not a 62-day campaign process, it was an emotional carriage for the past 7 years...I work for Kerala as a whole. My first pick will be to have AIIMS..." Gopi also credited his victory to the BJP workers who worked in his election campaign. "I also credit my party workers who worked in more than a thousand booths in the constituency. A lot of mothers and sisters from other districts and states also worked for me. Many of them came from Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. Their effort made a positive impact," he said. Suresh Gopi was leading with 400706 votes in the Thrissur constituency with a margin of 73091 votes over <keyword id="21934912" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="v-s-sunil" source="keywords">V S Sunil</keyword> Kumar of the CPI and <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword>' Muraleedharan of the Congress who polled 319560 votes as per data on the poll body's website at 2 pm. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was leading by 3,28,460 votes in Wayanad constituency over his nearest rival CPI's Annie Raja, as per Election Commission data. Congress sitting MP Shashi Tharoor took a lead over BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Thiruvananthapuram with 325896 votes and CPI's Pannian Raveendran in third spot, data by EC said. Congress' KC Venugopal was leading with 364811 votes against nearest rival AM Ariff of the CPI (M) while BJP's <keyword id="21418632" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sobha-surendran" source="keywords">Sobha Surendran</keyword> trailed in the third place. The polling in Kerala was held in single phase on April 26. The voter turnout was recorded at 71.27 per cent. Out of the total 2,77,49,158 voters in Kerala, a total of 1,97,77,478 exercised their franchise. In the 2019 General Elections, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP failed to open its account in the southern state. In its attempt to garner votes in Kerala, the BJP focussed on the Christian community in the state which accounts for 18.38 per cent of the total population. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP crossed the majority mark in early leads and the INDIA bloc above 200, defying all exit poll predictions. The BJP is currently leading on 240 seats, as per the latest trends by the ECI. The Lok Sabha elections were held across the country in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. (ANI)

You Searched For "eci" and got 12 results

ECI Announces election schedules for Maharashtra and Jharkhand; both states to vote in November

BI India Bureau

Google ties up with ECI to elevate authoritative information

PTI

The average American got a real pay cut of almost 4% in the last year — despite all the hype about the Great Resignation and labor shortage

Ben Winck

Americans' wages rose the most on record during the first quarter as inflation hit 41-year highs

Ben Winck

US wages rose less than expected in the fourth quarter as the labor shortage charged into 2022

Ben Winck

Election Commission postpones polling day in Punjab to February 20

IANS

ECI rose as expected

Elena Holodny

From disqualified in Olympics to gold in Haryana: Vinesh Phogat wins big in Julana, ending BJP's 19-year streak

BI India Bureau

451 million voters! First four phases of Lok Sabha elections witness 66.95% voter turnout so far

ANI

Lok Sabha elections 2024 results: Mammoth vote-counting exercise set to begin at 8 am, amid high security

ANI

Indian authorities seize over $1 billion worth of illegal vote inducements, including drugs and cash, in country's elections

Rebecca Rommen

"Miracle was imminent", says Suresh Gopi after BJP's historic Lok Sabha victory in Kerala

ANI

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides