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Most <keyword id="21473307" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP-allies" source="keywords">BJP allies</keyword> have kept their cards close to chest on the issue of <keyword id="19934070" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uniform-Civil-Code" source="keywords">Uniform Civil Code</keyword>, which Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> strongly backed in his Independence Day speech, with the party's largest partner <keyword id="19910625" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telugu-Desam-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Telugu Desam Party" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Telugu Desam Party">Telugu Desam Party</keyword> (TDP) saying that it will wait for details to emerge before finalising its stand. The JD(U), the BJP's second biggest ally, said the party supports any such reform but its spokesperson K C Tyagi added that it must be pushed only after evolving a consensus by speaking to all stake-holders, including religious groups and states. Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu, the head of TDP Parliamentary Party, told PTI that his party will wait for the details of any proposal related to the UCC before finalising its stand. Another party ally <keyword id="20280818" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Janshakti-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Lok Janshakti Party" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Lok Janshakti Party">Lok Janshakti Party</keyword> (<keyword id="20354493" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ram-Vilas" source="keywords">Ram Vilas</keyword>) has also been non-committal, with its president and Union Minister Chirag Paswan recently highlighting cultural, linguistic and regional diversities across the country to wonder how everyone can be brought under one umbrella. Last month, he said that his party will wait for a draft on the UCC before taking a stand. Tyagi cited JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister <keyword id="19907431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nitish-Kumar" source="keywords">Nitish Kumar</keyword>'s submission in 2017 to the Law Commission to make his point. Kumar had said, "Any attempt to impose a UCC without obtaining through substantive consultations the concurrence of various religious groups, especially the minorities, could lead to social friction and an erosion of faith in the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion." However, the proposal for simultaneous elections, which was also staunchly advocated by Modi on Thursday, generally enjoys support among the BJP's allies. Tyagi said his party is in complete agreement with the BJP on the issue. Both JD(U) and the LJP(Ram Vilas) had extended their support to the concept 'one nation one election' in their submission to the high-level committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind. Another important BJP ally <keyword id="19905334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shiv-Sena" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Shiv Sena" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Shiv Sena">Shiv Sena</keyword>, which is headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has been supportive of both UCC and simultaneous elections. Modi had on Thursday made an unequivocal pitch for a uniform civil code in the country, asserting that a "secular civil code" in place of the existing "communal" one is the need of the hour. He also pushed forcefully for 'one nation one election'. Frequent elections are an "obstacle" in the country's growth, and every scheme is seen as a consequence of one poll or another happening every few months, he said in his speech on India's 78th Independence Day. The UCC has been a key ideological plank of the BJP, while the party has also taken a strong stand in favour of <keyword id="20033454" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="simultaneous-polls" source="keywords">simultaneous polls</keyword>, promising both measures on its successive manifestos.

Most BJP allies keep away from supporting Uniform Civil Code, positive to idea of simultaneous polls

It is a momentous day for the country as we finally enter the vote-counting phase of the <keyword id="20181062" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="2024-Lok-Sabha-election" source="keywords">2024 Lok Sabha election</keyword> process on June 4. The 80-day, seven-phase-long process has been marred with a wide range of issues ranging from weather turmoil to vote tampering and reelections. As the final leg of counting concludes in a few hours, here’s what the vote tallying process looks like, and what is likely to happen after after the final results are announced. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Vote counting" comment="subhead" text="Vote counting"><keyword id="389062" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="vote-counting" source="Orion">Vote counting</keyword></cmsannotation> While the election process takes place in several stages, the vote tallying process is carried out simultaneously in all of the country’s 543 constituencies, with typically one counting centre in each. The tallying is done by a ‘Returning Officer’ and their assistants — officials appointed by the <keyword id="19895876" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission-of-India" source="keywords">Election Commission of India</keyword> — in several rounds, or ‘leads’. This year, the counting process began at 8 AM IST on June 4, and is expected to carry on till beyond the afternoon. It will start with the tallying of postal ballots — ballot papers distributed to some categories of people — followed by the <keyword id="21930663" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EVM-count" source="keywords">EVM count</keyword>. Periodically, the results of the ongoing count are announced to the media and then televised, helping the nation learn of the current political trend. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The counting process for the Lok Sabha Election" comment="subhead" text="The counting process for the Lok Sabha Election">The counting process for the Lok Sabha Election</cmsannotation> Under Rule 54 A of the Conduct of Elections Rules 1961, the process for counting votes starts with postal ballots at the Returning Officer's (RO) table. Thirty minutes into postal ballot counting, Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) votes can be counted, or immediately if no postal ballots are present. Counting officials must ensure that the EVM's Control Unit (CU) seal is intact and that the total votes match Form 17C before counting. Results from the CU are recorded in Part-II of Form 17C, and verified by the counting supervisor, micro observer, and candidate agents. If the CU's display fails, <keyword id="20991106" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="VVPAT-slips" source="keywords">VVPAT slips</keyword> are counted post-CU counting. Results for each CU are documented and signed in Form 17C, which is then sent for compiling the final result in Form 20. VVPAT slip counting starts after CU votes are counted, with mandatory verification of VVPAT slips from five random polling stations per constituency. If the victory margin is less than the rejected postal ballots, those ballots are re-verified before declaring the result. In case of a tie, the winner is determined by a draw of lots. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Results are announced" comment="subhead" text="Results are announced">Results are announced</cmsannotation> The outcome for each constituency is announced as soon as counting concludes. As per <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>’s counting system, the candidate with the highest number of votes will win for a particular constituency, regardless of whether they are able to manage a majority. These results are generally televised throughout the day. After the <keyword id="19895782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="election-commission" source="keywords">Election Commission</keyword> of India (ECI) has tallied all 64 crore votes that were cast this year, the constitutional body will announce the results for all 543 seats. Subsequently, if the winning party of the alliance has secured at least 272 seats, the institution’s president will call upon the leader of the winning party to form a government for the next five-year term. If no group is able to achieve a clear majority, political parties may form coalitions to reach the 272 magic number. If all negotiations fail and a “minority government” cannot be formed by the largest party, the President of India may dissolve the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) and announce fresh elections. The next Lok Sabha must be announced before the current term ends on June 16. Most exit polls have indicated another landslide victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, with a third term for Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>. However, early trends suggest that the Congress-led INDIA bloc is performing far better than expected. Results are expected to be clearer by the afternoon.

What will happen after the election commission finishes counting all Lok Sabha votes?

New Delhi, The <keyword id="40807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="election-commission" source="Orion">Election Commission</keyword> (EC) issued a show-cause notice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday for his "panauti", "pickpocket" and "loan waiver for the super rich" jibes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and asked him to respond by Saturday. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had approached the poll panel against the <keyword id="6316776" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="former-congress-president" source="Orion">former Congress president</keyword>, saying it was "unbecoming" of a "very senior leader" to use such language. The EC reminded Gandhi that the Model Code of Conduct prohibits leaders from making unverified allegations against political rivals. The Congress leader used those words targeting the prime minister at recent rallies in poll-bound Rajasthan. In its representation to the EC, the BJP had asserted that the allegation of grant of waivers to industrialists of Rs 14,00,000 crore over the last nine years was "not borne out on facts". The EC notice said the expression "panauti" ex-facie falls in the equity of the prohibition of section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, dealing with corrupt practices. Clause 2, sub section (ii) of section 123 states that any person who induces or attempts to induce a candidate or an elector to believe that he, or any person in whom he is interested, will become or will be rendered an object of divine displeasure or spiritual censure, shall be deemed to interfere with the free exercise of the electoral right of such a candidate or elector, the notice reminded Gandhi. The Congress leader had used the "panauti" barb against Modi in a poll speech in Rajasthan as the prime minister had attended the World Cup cricket final that India lost to Australia after 10 consecutive wins in the tournament. A Hindi slang, "panauti" loosely refers to someone who brings bad luck. The former Congress president took the "pickpocket" dig at Modi during a poll speech on Wednesday, alleging that the prime minister diverts people's attention while industrialist Gautam Adani picks their pockets. This is how pickpockets operate, he had alleged. The notice also recalled a general advisory issued by the EC, in which the poll panel had expressed concerns at the "plummeting level of political discourse" during electioneering. The commission also told Gandhi about a Supreme Court observation that if freedom of speech and expression is protected by Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, the right to reputation is also considered to be an inextricable part of the right to life protected by Article 21 and "balancing these two rights is a constitutional necessity". "Accordingly, you are requested to provide your explanation on the allegation made and to show causes as to why action as deemed fit for alleged violation of Model Code of Conduct and relevant penal provisions is not initiated by the commission. "Your reply, if any, be reached by 6.00 pm of November 25. If no reply is received by then, action deemed fit will be taken by the commission," the notice said.

EC issues notice to Rahul Gandhi for 'panauti', pickpocket remarks targeting PM Narendra Modi

The counting of votes cast by 64.2 crore hopeful Indian voters during the six-week-long 18th <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword> officially began at 8 AM today and it is suffice to say that the air is crackling with equal parts excitement and trepidation. Over 700 aspiring parties participated in the world’s largest democratic exercise. But the main duelling parties remain consistent with previous trends: the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) led by Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> and the opposition bloc led by the <keyword id="19964138" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-National-Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian National Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian National Congress">Indian National Congress</keyword> (INC). Modi is shooting for a third, historic win after spending the last ten years in office, but the road ahead does not seem as smooth as anticipated. A political party in India requires at least 272 seats to cross the majority mark in the 543-member lower house of the Indian parliament, the Lok Sabha. The PM has audaciously declared that he is expecting a huge win exceeding 400 seats, the slogan ab ki baar 400 paar is stuck in every Indian’s head — irrespective of their political inclination. The Congress-led India bloc, on the other hand, is aiming for a relatively modest 295. On Saturday, most exit poll surveys predicted 350-370 seats for the BJP and between 107-140 seats for the opposition. However, the early trends are showing a very different picture with the INDIA bloc exceeding expectations in many states. Polls have been off the mark a few times before, but as NDA looks poised to win a third term, albeit with a few last-minute struggles, here’s a look back at the previous elections responsible for Mr Narendra Modi’s unmatchable dominance over <keyword id="20184421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-politics" source="keywords">Indian politics</keyword>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak" comment="subhead" text="Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak">Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak </cmsannotation>The BJP has come a long way since 1984 when the party won just two seats. Its pro-Hindutva stance pushed it to prominence over the decades, especially in the 1990s. The BJP was in power for a considerable amount of time under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s leadership at the turn of the century. But the kind of support that Narendra Modi has received since 2014 has been unmatched in the history of modern Indian politics. In 2014, the BJP saw a surprising landslide victory with 282 of the 543 seats. But what factors contributed to its sweeping win with a 31.3% majority? Throughout its campaigning ahead of the general elections that year, the BJP kept stressing its interest in fixing the economy and combating corruption allegedly caused by the Congress party’s rather inept governing. Modi, who called himself a chowkidar or watchman, vowed to set the government and bureaucracy to rights. He promised more jobs for young Indians and even launched a social media campaign to appeal to the younger generation. Many experts suggested that Modi created the brand “NaMo'' for himself through relentless media campaigning, something that <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> and other major political leaders could not do at the time. Additionally, he is also said to have had the support of the 45,000 country-wide RSS branches — the Hindu cultural nationalist parent of the BJP. However, after the leader had managed to comfortably settle into his new role as the Prime Minister of India, he announced the demonetisation of all ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series on 8 November 2016. As per a 2018 report from the Reserve Bank of India said that “the effort had failed to remove black money from the economy”. Modi was widely criticised for the way this move impacted the middle-class people of India. Despite this setback as well as criticism against his economic reforms like GST, he continued to implement bold policy changes to strengthen the core economy. His tilt towards a digital economy and seemingly tough actions against corrupt practices received widespread acclaim. He also successfully invoked a strong sense of nationalism and security in the people through the Balakot airstrike, a bombing raid conducted by Indian warplanes in February 2019. And it worked! BJP came to power again in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, this victory being bigger than the last. The BJP won a whopping 37.36% of the vote — the highest by a political party since the 1989 general elections with 303 seats. However, similar to 2019, towards the end of his second term in 2024, joblessness appears to be on the rise and incomes of farmers continue to plummet. Amid major issues like food inflation and the threat of AI to the job market, the ruling party relied on not-so-subtle religious polarisation and a ton of welfare programmes. From being chowkidar in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been depicted to be a saint today by many of his followers. While past leaders in India have tried to hold on to their secular image, Mr Modi has been seen flouting this convention on multiple occasions, expressing that he takes pride in his religion. With crores of followers still supporting him, the PM seems to be already on a path to victory. Only time will tell if the struggles during the last phases of this year’s election will come back to haunt him. In the meantime, stay tuned to Business Insider India for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/lok-sabha-election-results-2024-live-counting-begins-at-8-am-as-bjp-led-nda-hopes-for-a-historic-third-term/articleshow/110685785.cms">more updates on the Lok Sabha elections 2024</a>.

As PM Modi awaits his third big win, here’s how BJP created history during the 2014 & 2019 Lok Sabha elections

Several portions of the maiden <keyword id="20010618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="speech" source="keywords">speech</keyword> of <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> as Leader of the Opposition in <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> targeting the central government over various issues, including <keyword id="20105286" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="minorities" source="keywords">minorities</keyword>, NEET row and Agnipath scheme among others, have been <keyword id="22254289" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="expunged" source="keywords">expunged</keyword> from the records of the Parliament on the orders of the Speaker. The portions expunged include his comments on Hindus, and PM Narendra Modi-BJP-RSS among others. Rahul Gandhi in his speech in Lok Sabha on Monday afternoon, during the debate on the motion of thanks on President Draupadi Murmu's address accused the <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> and RSS of preaching and spreading <keyword id="19972953" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="violence" source="keywords">violence</keyword> and hatred. His remarks drew protests from the Treasury benches. The Bharatiya Janata Party - led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh among others stood up to express their protest and rebut 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> MP's remarks. The BJP leaders accused the Congress MP "of speaking lies, misleading the House and terming the entire <keyword id="20157361" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hindu-community" source="keywords">Hindu community</keyword> violent". The Congress hit back with counter-allegations against the Modi government. Rahul Gandhi invoked Lord Shiva, Prophet Mohammad, Guru Nanak, Jesus Christ, Lord Budha and Lord Mahavir, saying that he had taken the idea of fearlessness from their teachings. <keyword id="19899320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM-Modi" source="keywords">PM Modi</keyword> slammed Rahul Gandhi during his speech. "Calling the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter," the Prime Minister said. Home Minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi. While the BJP held a press conference later to denounce Rahul Gandhi's remarks, Congress also held an evening press conference to slam the ruling party at the Centre. Among the portions of Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha speech that got expunged were his accusations against the BJP, stating that the party was treating minorities unfairly and perpetrating violence. Portions of the Congress MP's remarks on industrialists Adand Ambani and on the Agniveer Scheme were also expunged. Dismissing Rahul Gandhi's claims on violence against minorities, Dilip Mandal a prominent Dalit voice, claimed that the last decade was the "most peaceful time for India since independence" as he compared the governance under the Congress party. "During his address, Rahul Gandhi made an objectionable statement that a lot of atrocities are happening against Muslims and Christians in India. I believe that the numbers don't suggest this. The last 10 years have been the most peaceful time for India after independence if you see the numbers," Dilip Mandal told ANI. "During the Congress regime, so many riots used to happen, if you compare that in the last 10 years, only two major communal riot incidents have happened, Delhi and Manipur. So the scale has reduced...riots don't last long now," he said. Mandal alleged Gandhi's remarks as an attempt "to scare investors" and added that the Congress party is "again trying to appease" Muslims. "This is an attempt to scare the investors and it will affect India. Congress is again trying to appease Muslims. He is thinking of getting the Muslim votes, especially the Muslim votes of Bihar and UP, from SP and RJD," Mandal said.

Portions of Rahul Gandhi's speech in Lok Sabha expunged

NDA nominee <keyword id="19896877" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Om-Birla" source="keywords">Om Birla</keyword> was elected as speaker of the Lok Sabha for a second consecutive term by voice vote on Wednesday, capping days of intense battle on the issue with the <keyword id="19895395" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="opposition" source="keywords">opposition</keyword> in a rare move proposing its own candidate. <keyword id="19911515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister" source="keywords">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>, who moved the motion for Birla's <keyword id="19895095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="election" source="keywords">election</keyword> as speaker, lauded the balance he showed in maintaining decorum of the House during his previous term. Several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, congratulated Birla too, stressing on "impartiality" and hoping he would allow them to raise the voice of the people and not apply his restraint orders only to opposition benches. Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab made the announcement of Birla's election after the opposition, which had forwarded the the name of eight-term Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh as its candidate, did not press for votes to the motion. This is the fifth time that a speaker will serve beyond the tenure of one Lok Sabha. It is also amongst the few occasions that an election became necessary for a post conventionally decided by consensus. As he assumed charge, Birla read out a resolution condemning the Emergency imposed by then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 and asked members to observe a moment's silence, triggering a wave of protests by the opposition. "Democratic values and debate have always been supported in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>... Indira Gandhi imposed dictatorship on such an India. The democratic values of India were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled," Birla said while reading the resolution. His first day in the chair saw the House being adjourned. While opposition members vociferously protested inside, <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> members held a demonstration outside <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword> House, raising slogans and demanding an apology from the Congress for the Emergency. Earlier in the morning, after the election, the prime minister and Leader of Opposition Gandhi escorted Birla to the speaker's chair. Gandhi also shook hands with Modi before escorting him. In his address, the first in the 18th Lok Sabha, Modi said Birla's work as a parliamentarian should be an inspiration for new Lok Sabha members. He said Birla presided over a golden era in Lok Sabha history with a number of historic decisions taken during its previous term. Modi lauded the balance shown by him in maintaining the decorum of the House which also involved taking several tough decisions. He expressed gratitude towards Birla for choosing to uphold the values of the House while maintaining traditions. The prime minister emphasised that the functioning of the house, conduct and accountability deepen the foundation of <keyword id="19973112" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="democracy" source="keywords">democracy</keyword> in the country. Congratulating Birla, Gandhi said the opposition wanted the House to function "often and well" and added that it was very important that cooperation happens with trust. "The opposition would like to assist you in your work. I am confident you will allow us to speak in the House," he said. Gandhi also pointed out that the opposition this time represents significantly more voices of the Indian people than last time. Samajwadi Party chief Yadav hoped that actions like suspension of MPs would not be taken as they hurt the dignity of the House. He said he also hoped Birla would be impartial towards the opposition and give its leaders equal opportunities. Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay and DMK leader T R Baalu echoed the sentiment. Bandyopadhyay said the functioning of the House always depends on the attitude of the treasury benches. "It is my firm belief and so far parliamentary democratic practice is concerned, the House belongs to the opposition," he said. He referred to the suspension of opposition MPs in the 17th Lok Sabha and said it was "not desirable". "You might have been elected by my BJP friends (but) hereafter there is no politics between you and the powers... You have to treat the opposition and the ruling party in the same manner. Kindly be impartial," added Baalu. Birla, 61, the BJP's MP from Kota, has risen through the ranks of the party. He is a third-term MP from Kota in Rajasthan and been a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly thrice. "Treasury and opposition benches run the House together, the strength of Indian democracy is in listening to everyone, and running the House with everyone's agreement. I will expect that I run the House with everyone's agreement. Even if there is lone member from a party, they should get sufficient time," Birla said. "It will be my expectation that the House runs without obstruction. We are elected by people with hope, which is why I urge there should not be disruptions in the House." There can be criticism, but obstruction is not a tradition of the House, Birla said. "I never want to act against any member, but everyone wants the high standard of parliamentary tradition to be maintained. For that I have to make tough decisions at times," the speaker said. During the course of the proceedings, Birla intervened several times, reminding members to be precise and raise issues they wanted to during the debate on the motion of thanks to the president's address. He said the members should remember for the next five years that others should take their seat when the speaker is standing, Union Minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan took a jibe at the opposition for forcing an election for the speaker's post. In many opposition ruled states, he said, the post of both speaker and deputy speaker in the assembly is held by the ruling party. Birla's election follows a rare showdown by both the ruling alliance and the opposition bloc after the effort for a consensus was failed. The opposition's last-minute decision to go for a contest came after senior BJP leaders did not agree to the precondition that the INDIA bloc must be offered the post of deputy speaker in lieu of supporting Birla. "INDIA parties exercised their democratic right and moved motions in support of Kodikunnil Suresh as <keyword id="19990696" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-speaker" source="keywords">Lok Sabha Speaker</keyword>... Voice Vote was taken. Thereafter, INDIA parties could have insisted on division. They did not do so. "This is because they wanted to a spirit of consensus and cooperation to prevail, a spirit singularly lacking in the actions of the PM and the NDA," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X. With the NDA having 293 MPs in its kitty and the INDIA bloc 233 in the Lok Sabha, the numbers were clearly in favour of Birla. The Lok Sabha currently has 542 members after Rahul Gandhi resigned from one of the two seats he was elected from. At least three independent members also support the opposition. Balram Jakhar is the only presiding officer to have served two complete terms extending seventh and eighth Lok Sabha.

Om Birla elected for second time as Lok Sabha speaker, opposition hopes their voice will be heard

<ul class="summary-list"><li>India wants to unseat China as the new factory of the world.</li><li>Modi is set to stay in power for another five years, but the results of the election are going to make it harder to beat China.</li></ul>India's economy is on a roll, chalking up <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mospi.gov.in/sites/default/files/press_release/PressNoteGDP31052024.pdf">8.2% GDP growth</a> in the last fiscal year and a boom in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/india-eyes-100-bln-annual-foreign-direct-investment-coming-years-it-minister-2024-01-17/">foreign investments.</a>The growth is in part thanks to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-india-supply-chain-covid-sanctions-manufacturers-relocating-tariffs-options-2022-12">shift in supply chains</a> and investment flows as companies try to stop relying solely on China.This has boosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal, sending him to a historic third term as the country's prime minister in the country's general election.But Modi's win this time around also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/indian-election-results-shocking-blow-narendra-modi-2024-6?mrfhud=true">comes with a huge loss</a>.While Modi is still hugely popular in India, his party — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/indian-election-results-shocking-blow-narendra-modi-2024-6">Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP</a> — lost its majority in Parliament, reflecting resentment among voters amid rising <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-richest-1-has-highest-concentration-wealth-decades-study-shows-2024-03-20/">inequality.</a>"The problem is most Indians have not adequately participated in the fruits of an economy with gaudy headline numbers," wrote Atman Trivedi, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/experts-react-modi-loses-ground-electoral-surprise/">Tuesday note.</a> "Growth is unequal, and jobs are few and far between."India's unemployment rate rose to 8.1% in April from 7.4% in March, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmie.com/kommon/bin/sr.php?kall=warticle&amp;dt=20240502160006&amp;msec=476">Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy,</a> a private think tank. The country has a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=881bbd696b99c4065e343b97a60624443ddd9aabed87bc59213e9c4e53b5de60&amp;postID=665fc5bbe01a10ede1be40ec&amp;postSlug=india-election-results-complicates-plans-unseat-china-modi-bjp-2024-6&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-023-03915-5">longstanding brain drain issue.</a><h2 id="2c7371a5-8197-477c-a8db-86744aed6de4">India wants to unseat China as the factory of the world</h2>BJP's likely loss of its majority is a testament to India's political system — but it will also make the dream of becoming the next China harder to achieve.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-business-market-entry-barriers-tariffs-supply-chain-china-2023-6">Decision-making and policy changes</a> in the world's largest democracy, after all, can take far longer than they do in Communist China — a one-party state."Coalition governments require compromises. That reality could complicate any plans for ambitious structural reforms on land, labor, or opening India's markets to unfinished and intermediate inputs," wrote the Atlantic Council's Trivedi, who is also a partner at Albright Stonebridge Group.India's stock markets tanked on the shock election results, with the benchmark <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/sensex">Sensex</a> index crashing over 5% in one day on Tuesday following the news. It rebounded on Wednesday.Despite the knee-jerk reaction, most analysts are optimistic about India's economic outlook given that Modi is still in charge."Modi's broader economic reform agenda is likely to remain intact. And so, fears of India's key economic reforms unraveling are overdone," wrote Vishnu Varathan, the chief economist of Asia excluding Japan at Mizuho Bank.<h2 id="d51e0b52-c0b2-432c-977a-5640abaef074">India needs to get rich before it gets old</h2>But India has a longer-term problem: aging.India is the world's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-overtake-china-worlds-most-populous-nation-2023-un-2022-7">most populous country</a>. With a 1.4 billion population, it has a huge pool of young people; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spglobal.com/en/research-insights/special-reports/look-forward/india-s-demographic-dividend-the-key-to-unlocking-its-global-ambitions">65% of its population</a> is under the age of 35.But aging is "rapidly progressing," according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://india.unfpa.org/en/news/indias-ageing-population-why-it-matters-more-ever">United Nations Population Fund.</a> By 2050, one in every five persons in India will be 60 years old or above, the fund wrote in a <a target="_blank" href="https://india.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/20230926_india_ageing_report_2023_web_version_.pdf">report last year.</a>So, even though India has grown rapidly in recent years, it will need to grow much faster to get rich before it gets old, Raghuram Rajan, a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2024/06/04/g-s1-2226/india-election-democracy-china-economy-manufacturing">NPR's "Planet Money"</a> in a podcast.It's not enough to power up India's manufacturing sector in the wake of China's breakneck growth — because so many other countries are doing the same thing, added Rajan, who is a former head of the Central Bank of India and a former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund.He said India will do better to capitalize on its services industry, especially since so many Indians are English speakers.Despite its challenges, India is still expected to post healthy growth in the near future. The IMF <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/IND">forecasts</a> India's economy will grow by 6.8% this fiscal year and 6.5% next fiscal year.

India wants to be the new China. Modi's shock election result shows it won't be easy.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Indian economy has grown strongly under Narendra Modi, whose party is set to win another term.</li><li>India's success has caught the eye of figures including Elon Musk, Jamie Dimon, and Tim Cook.</li></ul>India's powerful economic growth and blossoming middle class under Narendra Modi have caught the eye of corporate titans like Elon Musk, Jamie Dimon, and Tim Cook.Modi is pretty much a shoo-in for a third term as prime minister after the national election now underway ends on June 1. But the work starts there, as he'll have to navigate thorny issues such as youth unemployment, income inequality, and reliance on sanctioned Russian oil.<h2>Fueling growth and shaking hands</h2>India's economy has more than doubled in size during Modi's decade in charge to more than $3.7 trillion last year.The International Monetary Fund (IMF) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2024/04/29/asias-growth-and-inflation-outlook-improves-but-risks-remain">recently upgraded</a> its growth forecast for real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to a robust 7.8% this year, 6.8% in 2025, and 6.5% in 2026.India has already overtaken Britain to become the world's fifth-largest economy. It's on track to leapfrog Japan and Germany into third spot behind the US and China by 2027.The country's flagship stock index has also tripled in value since Modi took office in May 2014, thanks to wealth gains and growing investment appetites.Moreover, <a target="_blank" href="https://sbi.co.in/documents/13958/36530824/270224-HCES_Feb24.pdf">one estimate</a> puts the percentage of the Indian population living on less than $2.15 a day at below 5%, down from 12% in 2011. However, the <a target="_blank" href="https://pip.worldbank.org/country-profiles/IND">World Bank</a> pegged that figure at nearly 13% in 2021.India's middle class has also ballooned with 60 million people now earning the rupee equivalent of more $10,000 a year — about $37,200 once adjusted for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/profile/IND">purchasing power</a>. Goldman Sachs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/intelligence/pages/indias-affluent-population-is-likely-to-hit-100-million-by-2027.html">expects</a> the ranks of the relatively affluent to swell to 100 million by 2027."Modi has done an unbelievable job in India," JPMorgan's Dimon <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-jamie-dimon-economy-inflation-recession-stagflation-geopolitics-crypto-bitcoin-2024-4">told</a> the Economic Club of New York last month. "I know the liberal press here, they beat the hell out of him. He's taken 400 million people out of poverty."Musk has <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1781541775183610310">posted</a> on X that he's looking forward to visiting India and meeting Modi this year. He delayed his trip last month, blaming "very heavy Tesla obligations." The pair are expected to discuss Tesla building a multibillion-dollar factory in the country.As for Apple's Cook, he hailed India on a November earnings call as an "incredibly exciting market" and a "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-tim-cook-obsessed-india-consumers-iphone-2023-7">major focus of ours</a>" given the explosive growth in potential customers as locals get richer.<div type="image" title="Sundar Pichai, Tim Cook, Narendra Modi, Joe Biden" height="3907" width="5861" msid="109838230" hostid="261" sizebytes="846512"></div>Modi has also met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Microsoft boss Satya Nadella, and Alphabet's Sundar Pichai. He's likely to be seeking to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in India — and to capitalize on bosses' <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-china-relations-reshoring-manufacturing-jobs-made-in-america-2023-10">desire to hedge their bets on China</a> given its strained relationship with the US, economic woes, and how disruptive its strict pandemic lockdowns were to global supply chains."India's population and economic growth numbers are causing a lot of global executives to revisit their India presence and consider scaling up," Richard Rossow, a senior advisor and chair in US-India Policy Studies at the Center for Strategic &amp; International Studies, told Business Insider."Paired with increased concerns about supply chain resilience and security concerns about China, it's a very good time for a hard push to win investments."The United Nations said that India and China both had a population of 1.426 billion in April last year, meaning India is probably now the most populous given its rising birth rate.<h2>Change for the better — mostly</h2>Modi has instigated a raft of major economic reforms since taking office, intended to make India more business-friendly, and boost government revenues by taxing more of the country's vast informal economy.He rolled out a tax on goods and services, simplified bankruptcy laws, lifted FDI restrictions, cut corporate income tax, and ended retrospective taxation.However, not all of Modi's moves spurred growth."Demonetisation was a key economic policy which had negative effects on the economy," Kunal Sen, a director of the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics, told BI.Sen is the author of several books about India's economy and a professor of development economics at the University of Manchester.He was referring to Modi's sudden declaration in November 2016 that all 500 and 1,000-rupee bills — 86% of Indian currency in circulation — would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-ending-500-and-1000-rupee-bills-to-fight-corruption-2016-11">no longer be accepted as legal tender</a>.The government's goals were to capture undeclared income, get rid of counterfeit currency, broaden the tax base, and bring more activities into the formal economy."The other key economic policy was JAM — the trinity of bank accounts for the poor, mobile numbers and a biometric card. This last economic policy has been revolutionary," Sen said.He was hailing a broader digitization drive under Modi that has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/how-indias-digital-payments-ecosystem-has-evolved-in-the-last-one-year/slidelist/90595832.cms">transformed</a> how Indians bank, invest, pay their taxes, and conduct business.<h2>Prosperity for all</h2>Modi's efforts have helped to usher in a more prosperous era for some Indians, but many have been left behind.Young people are India's beating heart, with about half its population under 25 and almost two-thirds under 35. Matching those hundreds of millions of people with jobs has proven a challenge, with youth unemployment almost tripling from below 6% in 2000 to about 18% in 2019. It still stands at a hefty 10% in 2023, per the <a target="_blank" href="https://webapps.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---sro-new_delhi/documents/publication/wcms_921154.pdf">International Labor Organization</a>.The report found that nearly 30% of India's graduates were unemployed in 2022, and only about 10% of the working-age population was formally employed.<div type="image" title="A farmer uses oxen to plow fields for lentils in Nimaj, Rajasthan, northern India." height="3464" width="5196" msid="109838232" hostid="261" sizebytes="690700"></div>"Unemployment is a big issue," Rossow said, emphasizing this isn't just a problem with recent graduates but a "much, much larger bubble: the underemployed farm laborers."Rising agricultural productivity is likely to help farm workers make a faster transition to city life in the years ahead, but they'll struggle to secure modern jobs in the services industry "without significant reskilling and education," Rossow said.As a result, lower-skilled manufacturing and assembly jobs and lower-end services jobs will be needed, he added.Another major challenge will be tackling a widening wealth divide. The richest 10% of the population hold more than 72% of the nation's wealth, per an Oxfam report <a target="_blank" href="https://d1ns4ht6ytuzzo.cloudfront.net/oxfamdata/oxfamdatapublic/2023-01/India%20Supplement%202023_digital.pdf?">published</a> last year.Business tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani both rank among the world's 15 richest people, per the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/">Bloomberg Billionaires Index</a>. Luxury-goods sales are booming with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.carwale.com/news/mercedesbenz-lineups-waiting-period-reduced-in-india/">long waitlists</a> for flashy purchases like the Mercedes "G Wagon."<div type="image" title="The Ambani family onstage with Rihanna." height="854" width="1280" msid="109838233" hostid="261" sizebytes="99148"></div>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anant-ambani-pre-wedding-festivities-lack-empathy-india-radhika-merchant-2024-3">lavish pre-wedding party</a> thrown by the Ambani family earlier this year was singled out by some as an affront to the huge number of Indians living in poverty.Almost 1.3 billion people live on less than $3,500 a year by one estimate, and India ranks 111th on the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globalhungerindex.org/ranking.html">Global Hunger Index</a>, below even North Korea.Rising equality is partly explained by a "capital-intensive mode of economic growth along with increasing power of business conglomerates," Sen told BI, referring to how huge companies like the Adani Group secure huge government contracts to build ports, bridges, highways, and other infrastructure.A third challenge is regional inequality, as some states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh haven't experienced the same growth and modernization of their economies as others, Rossow said.<h2>The Russia riddle</h2>One striking aspect of Modi's economic boom has been its reliance on Russia since it invaded Ukraine in early 2022.India went from getting 2% of its crude oil from Russia before the war, to 35% last year. During that period, the US and Europe slapped sanctions on Russian oil to defund Putin's military machine and punish Moscow for attacking a sovereign nation.Despite that, India purchased an estimated $37 billion of Moscow's oil in 2023 — 13 times the amount it bought annually prior to the conflict. Its buying helped Russia rake in a <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-economy-oil-sales-india-ukraine-war-moscow-western-sanctions-2024-2">record $320 billion</a> of federal revenue last year.Indian demand for Russian oil has <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-oil-trade-crude-india-discount-barrel-sanctions-price-cap-2024-2">cooled</a> in recent months as new sanctions have made it <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-economy-oil-energy-exports-india-imports-revenue-sanctions-discount-2024-3">more expensive</a>, but the buying remains controversial.Officials in India have <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/crude-oil-prices-india-russia-trade-geopolitics-opec-supply-puri-2024-2">defended</a> the purchases, saying that if they'd bought Middle Eastern oil instead, global crude prices would have shot up.India is also one of the world's largest oil refiners and has helped Western nations to maintain access to refined petroleum products even as they're refraining from buying Russian crude directly.Yet the country imports 85% of its oil, so its overriding interest is securing the cheapest oil possible to support its development, said Neelima Jain, a senior fellow and chair in US India Policy Studies at CSIS."India will continue to buy Russian oil if the price remains favorable and allows for firm volume guarantees, as the country prioritizes energy affordability and accessibility during its rapid rural-to-urban transition, which has led to a 6% year-on-year growth in energy demand," she told BI."In an inflationary environment, economics [rather] than geopolitics will drive India's energy choices."<div type="image" title="Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin" height="3196" width="4714" msid="109838234" hostid="261" sizebytes="426292"></div><h2>India the IT hub</h2>Under Modi, India has made big strides in modernizing its economy, combating bureaucracy, and appealing to foreign investors.Big Tech stalwarts like Microsoft have a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-has-so-many-patents-its-outsourced-the-job-to-india-2013-5">long history</a> of outsourcing to India, but recent efforts to cut red tape and slash corporate taxes appear to have fueled fresh interest.Sweeping layoffs at Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Salesforce and other US tech titans in the past few years could presage a large exodus of jobs to India.Sanjay Shetty of Randstad India <a target="_blank" href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/outsourcing-hubs-like-india-to-bag-40-of-jobs-lost-to-layoffs/articleshow/101088673.cms?">told The Economic Times</a> last summer that he expected 30% to 40% of the tech jobs eliminated globally to move to India by 2025."India is going to be the biggest gainer in the medium to long term, as almost every company that we speak to is looking at expanding its India base," Shetty said.Even if that pans out, it won't be a panacea for a country facing not just unemployment and underemployment, but also stark income inequality, regional disparities, and the risk of alienating Western allies by continuing to buy Russian oil.Yet overall, India appears to be headed in the right direction."The growth is real, if focused on a few key states," Rossow said. "India's dynamic technology services sector is to IT services what China is to manufacturing. So there is much to cheer, even as the reform agenda seems to never end."

Tech titans love Modi's economic powerhouse India — despite mass unemployment and abject poverty 

New Delhi, The BJP on Friday accused the Aam Aadmi Party of peddling a bundle of lies on the issue of its leader Arvind <keyword id="19895701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kejriwal" source="keywords">Kejriwal</keyword>'s arrest, asserting that those who are corrupt will go to jail. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said politicians used to scratch each other's back to help each other while indulging in scams but this has changed in the last 10 years under the government headed by Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>. "Should he (Kejriwal) be let off because he is a chief minister and not a common man," he asked, alleging that the Delhi chief minister is a kingpin in the corruption case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). With opposition parties, including the Congress, rallying to Kejriwal's defence and describing his arrest as part of the Union government's crackdown on their leaders, the BJP spokesperson said it is a case of thieves displaying brotherhood. He is the leader of the corrupt, Patra charged and added that <keyword id="19914482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aap" source="keywords">AAP</keyword> leaders have been peddling a bundle of lies on the matter. <keyword id="19935990" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonia-gandhi" source="keywords">Sonia Gandhi</keyword> and <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> are also on bail in a corruption case, he said, adding mockingly that it is "bail bond" among them. They are also coming together as their ships are sinking, he said. Dismissing AAP leaders' allegation of political vendetta, Patra asked if people will believe courts or them and said every thief claims innocence when caught. With the AAP insisting that Kejriwal will remain chief minister, the BJP leader said it shows his greed for power and post while he and his colleagues rose in politics by claiming to disdain the very thing. As Delhi government minister Atishi questioned the arrest of a chief minister and expressed concern about his safety as he has 'Z plus' security, he hit back, saying it shows their sense of entitlement. She is saying how a CM can be arrested as he is not a common man, Patra said, noting that Kejriwal once named the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav as corrupt and would ask when people will start going to the jail. The AAP leader then claimed he has entered politics to cleanse it but began living in a palace and moving around in a security cover, he said. "It is high time that people who are embroiled in corruption are arrested," Patra asserted. Patra also played a statement of Congress leader Ajay Maken in which the he had lashed out at Kejriwal for the alleged excise scam and accused him of using Rs 100 crore collected from it to harm the Congress in the Goa assembly polls in 2022. Even the Supreme Court has spoken about a money trail of over Rs 338 crore while denying bail to AAP leader <keyword id="19909124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manish-sisodia" source="keywords">Manish Sisodia</keyword> in the same case, he said. Following Kejriwal's arrest Thursday evening, the AAP had given a nationwide call for protest against the BJP. BJP leaders have called the protest a drama and "celebration of corruption".

You Searched For "modi party issues" and got 9 results

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India wants to be the new China. Modi's shock election result shows it won't be easy.

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