Even as the Election Commission said that 18.48 per cent polling was recorded till 11 am during the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections in 71 constituencies on Wednesday, voters in some districts faced inconvenience due to technical glitches in EVMs. Voters waited in queues of over an hour and some even returned home without casting votes as technical snags affected the functioning of over 75 EVMs or VVPATs in Munger, Arwal, Gaya and Nawada districts. Voters in Gaya, Jahanabad, Aurangabad, Jamui, Bhabhua, Sasaram, Baka, Kaimur also complained of technical and other errors in EVMs. Due to this, polling started late by 30 minutes to 2 hours at several places. In Munger, technical glitches in Electronic Voting Machines or EVMS were reported in polling booths 165 and 231. The polling agents at these booths claimed that one EVM had the name of RJD candidate but the party poll symbol was missing. Besides, similar glitches were reported at polling booths in Bihiya village in Bhojpur district, booth number 245 in Rohtas district, Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machine at booth number 26. As per Election Commission data, Rohtas district has so far registered 15.87 per cent voting, Arwal 14.81 per cent, Jahanabad 11.41 per cent, Aurangabad 19.71 per cent, Gaya 19.10 per cent, Nawada 23.42 per cent, Bhagalpur 23.1 per cent, Banka 22.58 per cent, Munger 15.2 per cent, Lakhisarai 26.76 per cent, Shekhpura 17.31 per cent, Patna 18.97 per cent, Bhojpur 16.21 per cent, and Buxar 19.10 per cent. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/ajay-piramal-believes-that-if-banks-wont-lend-to-long-term-projects-india-will-need-to-revive-the-likes-of-idbi-and-ifci/articleshow/78906135.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Ajay Piramal believes that if banks won't lend to long-term projects, India will need to revive the likes of IDBI and IFCI</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/apophis-the-god-of-chaos-asteroid-is-speeding-up-increasing-the-likelihood-of-it-hitting-earth-in-2068/articleshow/78895818.cms">Apophis, the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid is speeding up — increasing the likelihood of it hitting Earth in 2068</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/kumar-mangalam-birla-says-cement-industry-is-recovering-and-analysts-find-evidence-of-it-outside-ultratech-too/articleshow/78791281.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla is surprised by the rebound in infrastructure and construction in India</a>

Bihar election sees 18% voting but technical glitches in 75 voting machines hassle voters

<ul><li>Multiple constituencies around India are reporting of problems with their Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).</li><li>Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are among the two states with the highest instances of <keyword id="59035" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="evm">EVM</keyword> malfunctions so far.</li><li>A Jana Sena party member was also arrested for trying to destroy an <keyword id="467705" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="EVM-machine">EVM machine</keyword> in Andhra Pradesh.</li></ul>The general election has only just begun and <a href="https://twitter.com/TOIHyderabad/status/1116168496390594560">reports</a> of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malfunctions are flying in from multiple corners of the country. Butchirajupalem in Visakhapatnam and Cooch Behar in West Bengal were one of the first constituencies to halt voting because the EVM machines stopped working. One of the poll booths in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and two booths in Hyderabad, Telangana are also reported facing problems with their voting machines a while later. But most of the EVM malfunctions are being reported in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. In Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) are reporting EVM malfunctions. YSRCP is reporting that as many as 99 of the polling booths aren’t working. Tensions between both political parties have <a href="http://resulted">resulted</a> in violent clashes and ransacking of poll booths. According to the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, its a <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1116216514917617670?s=19" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">discouraging signal</a> for voters who may not necessarily return once an EVM has been replaced or repaired. And if it wasn’t enough that EVMs are breaking down on their own, a Jana Sena party member was <a href="https://www.abplive.in/election/jana-sena-candidate-arrested-for-damaging-evm-962424">arrested</a> from trying to destroy one of the voting machines in the Guntakal Assembly constituency of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh. <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1116346109494996992?s=19">According</a> to the election commission there have been six incidents in Andhra Pradesh, five in Arunachal Pradesh, one in Bihar, two in Manipur and one in West Bengal. The issue of EVMs EVMs have faced their fair share of controversy in India. There has been many a claim that the machines are vulnerable to being hacked and have security issues. It’s one of the reasons that Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) was brought into the picture. It allows voters to verify that their vote was registered correctly. 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="26b8624d4b3c341ade960017541b32eb" msid="68825834" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Confidence in EVMS as a voting mechanism has been waning&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>











 Even the Supreme Court, in trying to increase confidence in the electoral process has asked the for random auditing of poll booths to increase from one to five. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/general-elections-2019-vvpat-how-to-verify-vote/articleshow/68475130.cms">Here's how voters can verify their ballots during the world's largest democratic exercise</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-supreme-court-order-on-vvpat-adds-pressure-on-election-commission/articleshow/68776872.cms">India's Supreme Court orders five-fold increase in vote audits putting Election Commission under pressure to prepare</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/lok-sabha-elections-2019-what-is-the-difference-between-evms-and-vvpat/articleshow/68480192.cms">What Is The Difference Between EVMs And VVPAT?</a>

The first day of voting in India is dotted with glitches in the electronic voting machines

Around 19.26 per cent polling was recorded before noon on Tuesday in 94 <keyword id="30033" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bihar">Bihar</keyword> Assembly segments in 17 districts, though it was expected to pick up speed as the day progressed, an official said. Muzaffarpur district with 26.09 per cent polling led the table, followed by Gopalganj at 24.12 per cent. West Champaran district registered 21.99 per cent polling by 11 am. Polling percentage in Sheohar was 19.25, Sitamarhi 20.22, Madhubani 18.13, Vaishali 20.33, Samastipur 21.76, Begusarai 19.01, East Champaran 15.76, Darbhanga 15.65, Siwan 15.96, Saran 16.69, Khagaria 19.57, Bhagalpur 20.08, Nalanda 20.20, and Patna 18.16. Officials received a few complaints about non-functioning EVMs and VVPATs in six districts. A group of women in Gopalgang refused to vote at a polling booth after alleging that the EVM had been tampered with. An official at the election control room in Patna said booth number 89 in Darbhanga, 121 in Gopalgang, and 136 in Muzaffarpur reported technical glitches and errors in EVMs during mock polling in polling booth in Ugiyarpur constituency. During the second phase of polling, first-time voter Priyanka, 19, came on a bicycle to cast her vote along with her grandmother in the Raj Bhavan polling booth on Tuesday morning. "I am very happy to cast my vote for the first time. I pressed the EVM button while keeping the jobs issue in mind," she said. Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi cast his vote at Kumhrar's St Joseph High School in Patna district. "I appeal to the people of Bihar to come out and cast their votes by following Covid norms," he said. During the polling, some voters raised objections over the VIP treatment to Sushil Modi. Many voters claimed that they had been standing in queues for half an hour but he just arrived and cast his vote without standing in a queue. Chandrika Rai, Janata Dal-United candidate, also cast his vote in Vaishali. He lashed out at Lok Janshakti Party President Chirag Paswan and said that he did not know the ground realities in Bihar. "He lives in Delhi, wears branded clothes and follows 5-star culture. He doesn't know the ground situation in Bihar," he said. As per the Election Commission, Pirpainti in Bhagalpur district is the largest Assembly segment going to polls in the second phase, with 3.34 lakh voters, including 1.78 lakh males, 1.56 lakh females, and 12 transgenders. Cheria Bariyarpur is the smallest segment with 2.48 lakh voters, including 1.30 lakh males, 1.17 females, and 12 transgenders. Polling in 94 Assembly segments in 17 districts will be held from 7 am till 6 pm. The polling in some sensitive constituencies will end at 4 pm as per the Election Commission (EC) directions.

Bihar elections 2020: 19.26% polling recorded before noon

<ul><li>The world's biggest democracy will vote for the next government from April 11 to May 19.</li><li>The voting will be held in seven phases through 29 states and seven union territories.</li><li>In 2019, Nearly 900 million people are expected to vote to send 543 representatives Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament. Elections to four state assemblies will be held simultaneously with the Parliament elections </li></ul>Indians will go to vote in 2019 for the seventeenth time since the first election in 1951-52. The <keyword id="65281" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission-of-India">Election Commission of India</keyword> announced on March 10 (Sunday) that the polling will be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The results will be counted on May 23. In a first for the country, voting for the four state legislatures, as well as bypolls, will be held alongside with the election for the Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pushing for simultaneous elections for both state and central legislatures, but the proposal has faced severe political opposition. Nearly 900 million voters are expected to turn out this year, compared to 814.5 million in 2014. The number of polling stations will be increased from 900,000 in 2014 to 1 million this year. 16 million new voters will be between the age of 18 and 19, compared to 23.1 million in 2014. 1.7 million voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines will be in use after a <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/story/the-many-claims-of-evm-tampering-in-india-1435638-2019-01-21" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">series</a> of allegations of foul play in many state polls in the run up to the general elections in 2019. VVPAT is a second line of independent verification via a printer machine, which is attached to electronic voting machines. When a voter presses the button against the party symbol of their choice on the electronic voting machine (EVM), a paper slip is printed through VVPAT. The slip would contain the poll symbol and name of the candidate and allows voters to verify if their vote has gone to the intended candidate. After the voter views the slip, that slip will be dropped inside a sealed box linked to the EVM. "The Model Code of Conduct comes into effect from today itself in the entire country. Any violation will be dealt with in the strictest manner," <keyword id="50926" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chief-election-commissioner">Chief Election Commissioner</keyword> <keyword id="251670" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sunil-Arora">Sunil Arora</keyword> said. <table style="width: 268pt;"> <colgroup></colgroup><colgroup></colgroup><colgroup></colgroup><colgroup></colgroup><col /> <col /> <col /> <tbody><tr> <td class="xl63" style="height:15.0pt;width:74pt">Date of polling</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 75pt;">Constituencies</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 119pt;">States/Union Territories</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl64" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">11-Apr</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">91</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">20</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl64" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">18-Apr</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">97</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">13</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl64" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">23-Apr</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">115</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">14</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl64" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">29-Apr</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">71</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">9</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl64" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">6-May</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">51</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">7</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl64" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">12-May</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">59</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">7</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl64" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">19-May</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">59</td> <td class="xl63" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">8</td> </tr></tbody></table> The big question in front of the election watchdog is the campaigning by political parties on social media, which has been difficult to regulate especially after the deadlines set by the Commission. However, the election commissioner did not have a clear answer on how it plans to ensure that vote seeking does not continue on social media in the last 48 hours before the polling begins. Physical campaigning is allowed during this period. Strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir, the northern state that shares the border with Pakistan, will witness polling in five phases amidst heightened security. The armies of the two countries have been trading fire, a lot more than usual in the last few weeks ever since the terror attack in Pulwama, Kashmir that killed over 40 Indian security personnel in February. <table style="width: 341pt;"> <colgroup></colgroup><colgroup></colgroup><colgroup></colgroup><colgroup></colgroup><col /> <col /> <tbody><tr> <td class="xl65" style="height:15.0pt;width:145pt">States</td> <td class="xl65" style="border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 196pt;">Polling Dates</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Andaman and Nicobar Islands</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Andhra Pradesh</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Arunachal</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Assam</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, 18, 23</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Bihar</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, 18, 23, 29 &amp; May 6, 12, 19</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Chandigarh</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">May 12</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Chhatisgarh</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, 18, 23</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Dadra and Nagar Haveli</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 23</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Daman and Diu</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 23</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Delhi</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">May 12</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Goa </td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 23</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Gujarat</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 23</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Haryana</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">May 12</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Himachal Pradesh</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">May 19</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Jammu Kashmir</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, 18, 23, 29, &amp; May 6</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Jharkhand</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 29 &amp; May 6, 12, 19</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Karnataka</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 18, 23</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Kerala</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 23</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Lakshadweep</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Madhya Pradesh</td> <td class="xl68" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, &amp; May 6, 12, 19</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Maharashtra</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, 18, 23, 29,</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Manipur</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, 18,</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Meghalaya</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Mizoram</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Nagaland</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Odisha</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, 18, 23, 29,</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Puducherry</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 18 </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Punjab</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">May 19</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Rajasthan</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 29 &amp; May 6</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Sikkim</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Tamil Nadu</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 18 </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Telengana</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Tripura</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, 18</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Uttar Pradesh</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, 18, 23, 29 &amp; May 6, 12</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Uttarakhand</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl66" style="height: 15pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">West Bengal</td> <td class="xl66" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">April 11, 18, 23, 29 &amp; May 6, 12, 19</td> </tr></tbody></table> See also : <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/facebooks-ad-archive-report-50-facebook-ads-by-bjp/articleshow/68304281.cms">BJP spends too much on political advertising on Facebook as Congress spends too little — yet again</a>

Voting in India's 2019 elections will run from April 11  to May 19 and the results will be counted on May 23

Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Updated poll schedule, counting/results to be delayed by 5 days

Elaborate security arrangements covering different aspects and at different levels is necessary for the successful and smooth conducting of elections. The NCT of Delhi will see the assembly polls in February 2020 and the Election Commission has detailed (vide the press note issued on January 6, 2020) the suite of security arrangements that will be put in place. During the upcoming general assembly elections in the NCT of Delhi, EC will deploy adequate security measures for the security of the polling personnel, polling materials, polling stations, voters and the overall security of the election process in general. Here are the details of the arrangement and what aspects will be covered. CAPF will supplement the local <keyword id="8722771" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="police-force-in-delhi-election">police force in Delhi election</keyword> 2020 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will be deployed for supplementing the local police force to create a peaceful and favorable atmosphere for the conduct of elections in a smooth, free, fair and credible way. The EC has also stated that the logics of the availability of forces and the management of forces will be considered at length while preparing the poll schedule, sequencing the different phases of elections, and the choice of constituencies during every phase of election. Special focus of the security arrangements in <keyword id="1077342" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-election">Delhi Election</keyword> The CAPFs will be deployed well in advance for dominating the area, conducting route marches in the vulnerable sectors, measures like point patrolling to build the confidence of the voters, and boosting up the morale of the voters in the weaker and minority sections. CAPFs will be deployed well in advance so that they gain familiarity with the area and achieve a good understanding with the local forces. The CAPF personnel will be instructed to strictly abide by the security protocols in the locality. Control of polling stations On the eve of the polling date, the CAPFs and SAP will assume their position and take control of the polling stations allotted to them. They will be responsible to provide the necessary security for the polling personnel and electors on the day of polling. Also, they will take care of securing the strong rooms where the EVMs and VVPATs will be stored and the counting stations on the day of counting. They will also be available for meeting any arising needs from time to time during the conduct of elections. The role of CEO and central observers The CEO will make sure that the deployment of the CAPFs and SAP in the jurisdiction of Delhi NCT will be done in a way that will optimize the use and effective working of these forces for the peaceful and transparent conduct of the elections. The commission will be updated periodically on the prevailing environment at the polling areas. The commission will also depute central observers to oversee the force deployment. Special emphasis The EC has emphasized on taking preventive measures by the District Magistrate and Police Authorities for maintaining the law and order during elections and creating a favorable environment for ensuring the maximum voter turnout and the conduct of free and fair elections.

Delhi Election: Security arrangements for upcoming Delhi assembly election

<ul><li>The <keyword id="43677" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Voter-turnout">voter turnout</keyword> in the third phase of the Indian election fell to 64.33%.</li><li>In the past two phases of the Indian general election, the voter turnout had maintained itself at nearly 70%.</li></ul>The third and the largest phase of the India’s Parliamentary election saw the voter turnout dip to 64.33% from nearly 70% during the first two phases. The voter count midway through the current election would compare to the 66.4% clocked in 2014, which, at the time, the highest ever voter turnout for India. 
 
 
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 Malfunctions with electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) and streaks of violence continue to rage on and affect polling. The north eastern state of Assam saw the highest voter turnout during the third phase of the <keyword id="3383007" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-2019">election 2019</keyword> with 80% voter turnout, while West Bengal and Tripura were close runner ups with 79% voter turnout. Jammu and Kashmir was at the opposite end of the spectrum with a mere 13% of voters showing up to cast their ballot. 
	
 
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 Four of the key states that were up to poll — Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal — reported violence breaking out in at least one constituency. In the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers were trying to <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1120620758483341313">beat up</a> a member of the National Congress Party for raising a black blag to one of BJP’s candidates in video published by ANI. Today's polls concluded the voting for 22 states completely.

Voter turnout declines in the third and largest phase of the Indian election

Conducting free and fair elections in the Municipal, State and National levels is one of the prime responsibilities of the <keyword id="40807" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission">Election Commission</keyword> as per the Constitution of India. While d<keyword id="6360997" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="EC">ec</keyword>laring the general elections, the EC usually publishes a press note containing all the crucial information regarding the conduct of a given election. The press note issued on January 6, 2020 sets the phase for the upcoming assembly elections in <keyword id="66" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi">Delhi</keyword> on February 9, 2020. The role of Observers in Elections The EC deploys different kinds of observers to oversee the elections and report the lacunae, non-compliances and violations that come to surface. The above mentioned press note details the roles of different kinds of observers in the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections scheduled on February 11, 2020. 1. General Observers The EC will deploy General Observers in sufficient numbers to work for the smooth conduct of the upcoming election. General observers will closely watch the election process during every stage and ensure that the election is conducted in a free and fair manner. 2. Police Observers EC will deploy IPS officers who will function as Police Observers at District/AC level. The number of police observers in a given region will depend on the requirement, degree of sensitivity and the assessment of the ground situation of the District or AC. The role of the police observers will include monitoring all the activities connected to force deployment, law and order situations, coordinating between the civil and police administration to ensure a free and fair election. 3. Special Observers In discharging the plenary powers bestowed upon it by the Constitution of India vide Article 324, the EC will deploy special observers who will be drawn from All India Services and different Central Services. The responsibilities of the special observers will include assessing the poll preparedness in an objective way and find out the critical gaps, guiding the DEO/RO on ensuring free and fair elections. The special observers will guide, advise on and facilitate the measures by the DEO/RO in arranging for the polls and ensure that the elections are conducted in a free, fair, transparent, peaceful and participatory way. 4. Expenditure Observers The EC will also appoint an adequate number of Expenditure Observers and Assistant Expenditure Observers whose exclusive responsibility will be to monitor the expenditures of the contesting candidates. During the entire process of elections, Control room and Complaint Monitoring Center will operate with 24 hours toll free numbers. Banks and financial intelligence bodies will be asked to send information regarding suspicious cash withdrawals to the election officials. 5. Micro Observers As per the existing system, the General Observers are also asked to deploy Micro-Observers, drawn from the pool of Central Government/PSUs Officials, for observing the poll proceedings on date of polling especially in the critical and vulnerable polling stations. The responsibility of the Micro-Observers will be to observe the polling process at the polling stations on the date of polling from the mock polls till the completion of polls and the sealing of the EVMs and VVPATs and other documents. They will ensure that the polling agents and polling parties will comply with the EC’s instructions. If there are any violations noticed in the polling station allotted to them, the micro-observers will directly report to the General Observers.

EC defines the roles of observers in delhi elections

Eleven Indian states and one union territory were up for vote today in the second phase of India’s general election. Security was increased in ‘vulnerable’ and ‘critical’ constituencies after multiple incidents of violence were reported during the first phase. As a precautionary measure, mobile internet services were stalled in the state of Jammu and Kashmir that saw a voter turnout of 45.46%. West Bengal, which saw a voter turnout of 76.14% — the highest during the second phase of the elections in India — had more central forces <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2019-more-central-forces-in-second-phase-in-west-bengal-election-commission/story-TLHV812ykqfO3PZXgUke2M.html">employed</a> at Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Raiganj polling stations. The only incident to occur was one EVM being vandalized in the Chopra constituency during a clash between members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). Security personnel had to launch tear gas shells and lathi charge at the alleged local trouble makers. TMC was also accused by the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) of attacking the vehicle of the CPM’s Raiganj candidate, Mohammad Salim in Islampur. Manipur and Assam also recorded high voter turnouts of 76.15% and 76.14% respectively, and the polling was relatively uneventful in both statess. Even the lone union constituency, Puducherry, saw a voter turnout of 75.91%. Aside from West Bengal, security was also tightened in the Maoist affected regions of Odisha — particularly the Kandhamal, Bargarh and Bolangir constituencies — where a few booths will still have to face re-polling, but not due to violent outbreaks but due to technical glitches in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verified paper audit trails (VVPATs). The state’s Chief Electoral Officer, Surendra Kumar has recommended repolling of booths in Sundergarh, Bonai and Daspalla, citing negligence on the part of the polling officers on duty. <div type="ExtQuote" text="Technical problems arose due to lapses on part of the polling officers, action will be taken against those officers for dereliction of duty." auname="Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer Surendra Kumar"></div>

 Despite the commotion, Odisha saw a voter turnout of 57.97%. Uttar Pradesh, with a voter turnout of 62.06%, also faced EVM issues at the Gantholi Village polling booth in Mathura where voting did not begin as scheduled. One village in Fatehpur Sikri — Magoli Kala — chose to boycott the elections altogether complaining that the government had failed to provide adequate irrigation facilities in the area. Maharashtra faced similar EVM glitches in the morning but still managed to garner a 60.72% voter turnout. Karnataka, where the primary concern was that citizens wouldn’t show up to vote, saw a 67.55% voter turnout. The same was 65.33% in Tamil Nadu amid multiple allegations of voters being bought off in the days leading up to the second phase of the election.

High voter turnout marks India’s second phase of polling — aside from EVM malfunctions, violence at poll booths, and internet shutdowns

The <keyword id="6355512" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Union-Cabinet">Union Cabinet</keyword> has cleared the proposal from the <keyword id="40807" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Election-Commission">Election Commission</keyword> to use paper trail machines in future elections. Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/politics/Manohar-Parrikar-said-no-to-union-cabinet/articleshow/53078073.cms">Manohar Parrikar didn’t initially want to get elevated to the union cabinet</a> It was the opposition’s demands to hold all future elections using paper trail machines along with EVMs, so that there remains no doubt about the authenticity of results. The EC has asked for Rs 3,174 crore in all so that it can obtain over 16 lakh paper trail machines for all polling stations in the country. Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Dont-Like-Poll-Candidates-Supreme-Court-SaysYou-Can-Reject-Them-All/articleshow/23154870.cms">Don’t Like Poll Candidates? Supreme Court Says You Can Reject Them All</a> So far, two tranches of Rs 1,009 crore and Rs 9,200 have been cleared by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/small-business/people/cabinet-approves-2-hike-in-da-for-government-employees-and-pensioners/articleshow/57654122.cms">cabinet</a> to buy new <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/politics/Rahul-Was-In-EVM-Enclosure-During-Voting-Hours-In-Amethi/articleshow/34817378.cms">EVMs</a>. As per the EC, <keyword id="436666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Electronics-Corporation-of-India-Limited">Electronics Corporation of India Limited</keyword> and <keyword id="91484" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bharat-Electronics-Limited">Bharat Electronics Limited</keyword> need 30 months to produce these machines, called VVPATs that dispense a slip with the symbol of the party for which a person has voted for, without allowing them to take it home. (Image Source)

Cabinet gives clean chit to EC proposal for paper trail machines

<ul><li>Times NOW-VMR opinion poll released on March 18 pegs unemployment as the biggest concern for over 40% of the voters surveyed </li><li>Loan waivers and sops for farmers followed unemployment as the most defining issue </li><li>Construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya and cow protection were the other pressing issues </li><li>The poll predicts that the incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will win 283 seats. </li></ul>The latest opinion poll released by Times NOW and VMR on March 18 (Monday) has a bittersweet message for political parties across the spectrum. Unemployment has emerged as the biggest issue for the upcoming elections, with over 40.2% of the voters concerned about it. 
 
 
 
 
 
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 This may seem like a setback for the incumbent Narendra Modi government seeking re-election this year but there may be a silver lining for the supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Just as many people--about 40% of those surveyed--feel that the job opportunities have actually improved. Only 24% of the voters feel that job losses may be worse than what is said about it, and the government data is not accurate. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 In what may be telling picture of voter polarisation, nearly 18% voters rather gave weight to the prospects of building a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, a case that is pending at Supreme Court, which has sought to resolve the matter through mediation. What is worse for the Modi’s rivals, some of the other issues raised by the challengers like the alleged corruption in the procurement of Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault has very little resonance among the voters. Less than 3% of the voters surveyed cared for it. More voters worried about cow protection. The Indian National Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, has tried to capitalise on the recent controversies around unemployment data. Evidently, it has failed to make a reasonable dent on the government's image. In January 2019, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/a-hidden-jobs-survey-in-india-casts-doubt-on-data-integrity-under-narendra-modi-government/articleshow/67750383.cms">a leaked report</a> from the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) alleged that unemployment may be at a 45-year high and the government had stalled the release of the report fearing the damning impact it may have on its electoral fortunes. While the government disputed the NSSO data, a report from the <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/indias-unemployment-rate-highest-since-sept-2016-climbs-to-7-2-in-feb-cmie-5613369/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy</a> released in January said nearly 11 million people lost jobs in 2018, a finding that corroborated the concerns about unemployment. Somehow, none of this seems to be affecting the image of the incumbent government led by Narendra Modi. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/general-elections-2019-vvpat-how-to-verify-vote/articleshow/68475130.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Here’s how you can verify your vote using VVPAT</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/is-indias-2019-election-really-a-foregone-conclusion/articleshow/68423465.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Is India's 2019 election really a foregone conclusion?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/jlf-gandhi-vs-modi-bjp-vs-congress-dont-understand-indian-voters/articleshow/67685811.cms">Presidential ego or a dynast's charm — what Indian voters like is still a mystery to the country's politicians</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/general-election-2019-facebook-war-room-in-india/articleshow/68371097.cms">The Indian election might be Facebook's last chance to prove that it can fight fake news and political bias</a>

Modi may not take the fall for rising unemployment in India, latest opinion poll shows

<ul><li>Voter turnout 57.68% at 8:00 pm, according to Election Commission data.</li><li>Track the updated <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/final-voter-turnout-in-delhi-election-2020/articleshow/74023521.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">voter turnout data</a> here. </li><li>The police have deployed around 40,000 security personnel, 19,000 home guards and 190 companies of Central Armed Police Forces to ensure smooth conduct of the polls.</li><li>India's national capital is in election mode; it's the voting day in the all-important assembly election.</li><li>Over 1.46 crore registered voters have to pick between the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the challenger Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party to which the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi belongs.</li><li>Check out some <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/interesting-facts-about-delhi-election-2020/articleshow/74020815.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">interesting trivia around Delhi assembly election 2020</a> here.</li></ul>India's national capital is in election mode; it's the voting day in the all-important assembly election. Over 1.46 crore registered voters have to pick between the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the challenger Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party to which the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi belongs. AAP, led by Kejriwal, is hoping to repeat its stellar performance of the last assembly polls when it won 67 of the 70 seats in Delhi assembly. The BJP bagged all seven seats in Delhi in the 2019 Parliamentary election, is looking to dislodge the Kejriwal government. 
	
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Meanwhile the Congress is seeking to better its performance than last time when it drew a blank in both the assembly as well as general election. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 The results of the election will reflect the importance of the ongoing debate and outrage over the Central government's recent citizenship law that has led to a bitter war of words, and an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/indias-divisive-protests-could-help-modis-party-in-election-test-2020-2?IR=T" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">unrelenting sit-down protest</a> at Shaheen Bagh, in south-eastern Delhi. There are five polling stations around the Shaheen Bagh area. 
	
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="New Delhi: Poll officials arrive at a polling station on the eve of Delhi Assemb..." msid="74020586" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Poll officials arrive at a polling station on the eve of Delhi Assembly elections, at Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi. The area has been in the news for nearly two months due to continuous agitation against CAA and NRC.Photo/Kamal Singh) (&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>





















 The incumbent AAP government has sought votes for its work in the last five years while the BJP, on the face of it, is banking on its charm as national party, with a charismatic Prime Minister. But Modi's party did not leave anything to chance. In the run up to these elections there was a constant attempt by the BJP kept the debate over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register for Citizens to get the Hindu voters of Delhi to swing its way. 
	
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="India New Delhi Elections" msid="74020596" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In this Monday, Feb. 3, 2020, photo, a supporter of India&amp;#39;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds a mace, used as a weapon by Hindu god Hanuman, as he shouts slogans during an election campaign rally for the upcoming Delhi elections in New Delhi, India. Campaigning for a crucial state election in India&amp;#39;s capital has reached a fever pitch as members of the Hindu nationalist-led government call for violence against minority Muslims and invoke the specter of arch-nemesis Pakistan to reverse course after a pair of losses in recent state polls.Photo/Manish Swarup)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>





















 These are some of the highlights from the voting day: The polling began at 8 am and will end at 6 pm. The voter turnout has been recorded at 4.33% till 10 am, according to ANI. Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal who cast his vote, along with his family, in the New Delhi constituency made several appeals to the electorate. "You must go to vote. Special appeal to all women - Just like you bear the responsibility of home, the responsibility of the country and Delhi is also on you. All of you ladies must go to vote and also take the men of your house. Make sure to discuss with men about who are the right ones to vote for," Kejriwal said in a tweet this morning in Hindi. Soon after, he expressed anguish over reported attempts to bribe voters. The Election Commission's data shows that they seized ₹57 crore -- ₹12.33 crore cash, ₹2.83 core liquor and ₹42.32 in other assets like narcotics, bullion and jewelry. "Because of our enforcement and the preventive action, the election has passed peacefully," said the Election Commissioner of Delhi. Multiple EVM snags were also reported, including <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/politics/delhi-elections-2020-live-updates-assembly-polls-voting-aap-bjp-congress-shaheen-bagh-arvind-kejriwal-modi-2492067.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">one in Kejriwal's constituency</a>. However, according to Election Commission, EVM replacement was as low as 0.97%. "Less than 1% VVPAT replacement is very heartening news," claimed the Election Commissioner of Delhi. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="ArvindKejriwal" handlename="Arvind Kejriwal" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/945853608389574656/REH_LpUJ_normal.jpg" favoritecount="33696" retweetcount="5599" status="मुझे कई लोगों के फ़ोन आ रहे हैं कि वो लोग पैसा बाँटेंगे, षड्यंत्र करेंगे। मेरी सबसे अपील है-“सत्य आपके साथ है। आपने… https://t.co/bzgDRVJZ8N" createdat="1581060691000" id="1225683492358373378"></div>













 Meanwhile Prime Minister Modi too, made an appeal to the voters. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134082549041393672/QbihPzrL_normal.png" favoritecount="8163" retweetcount="2142" status="दिल्ली विधानसभा चुनाव के लिए आज मतदान का दिन है। सभी मतदाताओं से मेरी अपील है कि वे अधिक से अधिक संख्या में लोकतंत्… https://t.co/rmvc7PXsc1" createdat="1581129250000" id="1225971049856004097"></div>



















 A police officer who reportedly shot a fellow woman cop before committing suicide casts a tense shadow on the mood in Delhi on voting day, according to a TV channel Mirror Now. Security has been beefed up along the borders of Delhi. Video recordings and vehicles are being checked at 36 points between Ghaziabad and Delhi, <a href="https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/tight-vigil-at-ghaziabad-gurugram-border-ahead-of-polling-today20200208033646/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">according to an ANI report</a>. Security forces kept a tight watch across the 70 constituencies, with police and paramilitary personnel keeping an "extra vigil" in sensitive areas like Shaheen Bagh, Jamia Nagar and Seelampuri, the IANS reported. The police have deployed around 40,000 security personnel, 19,000 home guards and 190 companies of Central Armed Police Forces to ensure smooth conduct of the polls. 111 years old Kalitara Mandal, the oldest voter of Delhi, cast her vote today. "I've always cast my vote ever since I received my voter ID. I feel happy while casting vote. It gives me power. I wish each &amp; every citizen casts his vote," she reportedly said. At 8:00 pm, the voter turnout was at 57.68%. However, voting is still underway. "Till everyone who was at the polling stations at 6:00pm have voted, the polling will go on at the polling stations concerned," said the Election Commissioner of Delhi. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/how-can-i-check-my-name-in-the-voter-list/articleshow/73999763.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Here's how to check your name in the voting list</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/delhi-election-2020-dont-have-voter-id-carry-these-documents-to-the-polling-booth/articleshow/73999876.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Don’t have voter ID? Carry these documents to the polling booth</a>

Delhi Elections 2020: Voting day news and highlights

Assembly elections 2019: Poll Schedule for Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh

Polling began on Monday morning in 90 assembly constituencies of Haryana and during first over two hours poll percentage in the state was 7.44 per cent. Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, officials said. As per the Election Commission data, brisk polling was going on in many districts. Among other districts, poll percentage in Jind was 7.91 per cent, <keyword id="57750" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhiwani">Bhiwani</keyword> 10.76 pc, Ambala 6.67 pc, Palwal 8.88 pc, Gurgaon 6.40 pc, Faridabad 6.10 pc, Mewat 10.24 pc, Rewari 6.79 pc, <keyword id="49507" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="rohtak">Rohtak</keyword> 9.80 pc, Hisar 11 pc and in <keyword id="53970" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnal">Karnal</keyword> district it was 5.92 pc. Panchkula district had the lowest polling percentage at 2.46 pc. As many as 1,169 candidates including 105 women of various political parties are contesting the election. The prominent figures include Chief Minister Manohar Lal <keyword id="900635" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Khattar">Khattar</keyword>, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, JJP's Dushyant Chautala and INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala. Haryana's lone woman minister Kavita Jain along with her husband and BJP leader Rajiv Jain and their two children, both first time voters, were among the early voters to cast vote in Sonipat. Chief Minister Khattar was travelling by a Jan Shatabdi train from Chandigarh to to cast his vote in Karnal from where he is seeking re-election. Dushyant Chautala rode a tractor to reach the polling booth in Sirsa along with his wife Meghna and MLA-mother Naina Chautala to cast their votes. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala along with his wife Gayatri exercised their right to franchise in Kaithal while Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja exercised her vote in Sirsa. Wrestler-turned-politician and BJP candidate from <keyword id="80511" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dadri">Dadri</keyword>, Babita Phogat also cast her vote from her native village in Bhiwani along with his father Mahavir Phogat and sister Geeta Phogat. Some contesting candidates also offered prayers at temples and other places of worship before casting their votes. The BJP led by Khattar has set a target of winning 75 seats, while the Congress is hoping to make a comeback following a change in guard in the state. Currently, the BJP has 48 members in the state assembly. As many as 19,578 polling stations have been set, including 13,837 in rural areas, Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana, Anurag Agarwal said. Tight security arrangements have been made and over 75,000 security personnel have been mobilised for the polls, DGP Manoj Yadava said earlier. Over 1.83 crore voters are eligible to vote that includes 85 lakh women, over one lakh service voters and 252 transgenders. This time, out of total eligible voters, over 89 lakh young voters are under 40 years of age and there are also over 3.82 lakh voters, many of them first-timers, who fall in the age group of 18-19 years. As many as 27,611 voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines are being used for the polls. CEO Agarwal said that webcasting would be done at 3,100 critical and vulnerable polling stations in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Khattar and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has appealed to people to come out and vote in large numbers. In the polls, Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), a breakaway faction of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), is hoping for an improvement in its prospects following the debacle in Lok Sabha election, in which Bharatiya Janata Party had won all the 10 seats in the state. The JJP had emerged on the scene following a feud in the Chautala clan in December last year. The BSP, AAP, INLD-SAD combine, Swaraj India and the Loktantra Suraksha Party (LSP) have thrown their hat into the ring, though none of them is fighting on all 90 seats. Prominent amongst those in the contest are Chief Minister Khattar (Karnal), former chief minister and Congress Legislative Party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Garhi Sampla-Kiloi) and Randeep Singh Surjewala (Kaithal). The BJP has fielded three sportspersons -- Babita Phogat (Dadri), Yogeshwar Dutt (Baroda in Sonipat) and Sandeep Singh (Pehowa) -- besides TikTok star Sonali Phogat (Adampur). Prestige of families of Haryana's famous 'Lals' -- Devi Lal, Bansi Lal and Bhajan Lal, who were former chief ministers--is at stake. Late Bansi Lal's daughter-in-law Kiran Choudhary (Tosham) and son Ranbir Mahendra (Badhra) are contesting as Congress candidates. Devi Lal's great grandson and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala (Uchana Kalan) and granddaughter-in-law Naina Chautala (Badhra) are fighting as JJP candidates. Devi Lal's grandson and former chief minister O P Chautala's son Abhay Singh Chautala is fighting as INLD candidate (from Ellenabad). Late Bhajan Lal's sons Kuldeep Bishnoi (Adampur) and Chander Mohan (Panchkula) are in the fray as Congress nominees. While BJP denied tickets to 12 of its 48 sitting legislators including two Ministers, the Congress retained its sitting legislators while the INLD saw its prominent faces switching over to the BJP, the Congress and the JJP. In the 2014 assembly polls, the BJP for the first time came to power in Haryana on its own winning 47 seats. It won the Jind bypolls earlier this year, taking its total strength in the state assembly to 48. The INLD had 19 MLAs while the Congress has 17 legislators. The BSP and the SAD had bagged one seat each in the last polls while five were Independents.

7.44 pc polling in first two hours in Haryana

55-year old Imran is a watchman in one of the residential buildings in suburban Mumbai. He sleeps on the same chair he sits on to guard the building and uses the common toilet in the parking lot to clean up. He works two shifts a day of 12 hours each, for a total salary of ₹13,500. If he had worked one shift a day, he would have got ₹7,000 a month and would have had to find himself an accommodation. He would rather send nearly all his earnings to his family in a village in Uttar Pradesh than rent a room in Mumbai. Imran was blissfully unaware of the ongoing trend on Twitter where leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and their supporters have prefixed the word 'chowkidar' to their profile names. Chowkidar is the Hindi word for watchman or security guard and it has since become a buzzword on social media. When told about his humble job being at the centre of the country's political discourse ahead of the elections, Imran's first reaction was that of amusement. "Wasn't it chaiwala the last time?" he asked with a smirk and thinly veiled sarcasm. 'Chaiwala' is what Indians call the local tea vendor in Hindi. Modi's claim to fame in the run up to the 2014 elections was that he had worked in his father's tea stall in Gujarat as a child. He used his humble origins effectively as he challenged the country's political royalty-- the Gandhi family which has sent three Prime Ministers in the past-- and caught the fancy of an aspiring voter base. At the same time, a series of corruption charges against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) tilted the scale further in Modi's favour and the BJP swept the elections with a majority in Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament. This was the first time any party had managed to score a full majority in India's Parliamentary elections since 1984. Modi is banking once again on a strategy that worked for him five years ago. The word 'chowkidar' has been bandied around by BJP leaders pitching Modi as a man of strength but someone who lacks political pedigree. That can hardly be true for a person who has been a politician for over two decades, a chief minister for three terms, and currently, the prime minister seeking re-election. The playbook-- underdog versus the entitled-- is as old as time but no one has claimed the 'underdog' tag effectively after the first surprise. But Modi is giving it another shot And in this battle of catchphrases, Modi may have an upper hand over his rivals. First of all, the move has either distracted or diluted the debate on more pressing issues like the economy, policies, and unemployment. Modi's rivals are essentially talking about things that he wants them to talk about. While charging the government with corruption, senior Congress leaders have tweeted '<keyword id="6895071" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chowkidar-chor-hai">chowkidar chor hai</keyword>' or 'the watchman is the thief'. However, by referring to Modi as the watchman repeatedly, even in slander, the opposition is unwittingly fortifying the image he wants: a strongman of a humble background who is guarding the country not just from adversaries across the borders but also keeping a watch on home-grown muggers looking for a way out to safety. For example, the opposition is mocking Modi citing the government's failure to stop billionaire fugitives like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Mehul Choksi with unpaid loans and alleged bank frauds to their name from leaving the country. However, even if one of the three are nabbed ahead of the elections, it will be forgotten that each of the three businessmen, with close ties to the BJP in the past, did mysteriously escape from the country. The time spent on countering the chowkidar claim could have been used to question the government on its economic blunders like demonetisation, the troubles of the small enterprises, and the rise in unemployment in the last five years. In the run up to the 2014 elections as well as in every state election thereafter wherever the BJP was the challenger, Modi had, in no uncertain terms, demanded an account of the incumbent government's performance. He would set the agenda and let the party in power respond. The strategy has been so successful that BJP is now in power in 17 out 29 Indian states. Instead of holding him to account for the last five years, his rivals are following Modi's lead in political rhetoric. This hollow, partisan, inconsequential, farcical political debate is a lost opportunity for the opposition. Over a 1,300 kilometres away from Mumbai in Gurgaon, Kabir (name changed on request), gets paid ₹15,000 for a 12-hour shift as a watchman. That's more than twice that of Imran, but it's still not enough for him to run a family comfortably. Kabir had seen the rhetoric around watchmen in India on news television and he saw hope. "The PM is one of us and he will improve our working conditions after he wins the elections," he said. In the words of Emily Dickinson, hope is the thing with feathers. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elections-2019-latest-opinion-poll-pegs-unemployment-as-the-biggest-issue/articleshow/68475510.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Modi may not take the fall for rising unemployment in India, latest opinion poll shows</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/general-elections-2019-vvpat-how-to-verify-vote/articleshow/68475130.cms">Here’s how you can verify your vote using VVPAT</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/is-indias-2019-election-really-a-foregone-conclusion/articleshow/68423465.cms">Is India's 2019 election really a foregone conclusion?</a>

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7.44 pc polling in first two hours in Haryana

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The humble security guard at the centre of India’s election debate is a sign that Modi is still setting the agenda

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