Latest News

Disrespectful for PM, HM to have made midnight decision to appoint new CEC: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said it is “disrespectful” and “discourteous” for the prime minister and home minister to have made a midnight decision to select the new CEC when the process of selection is being challenged in the Supreme Court. The government late on Monday night appointed Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), hours after the meeting of the prime minister-led selection committee in which the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha asked the government to defer the meeting in view of the Supreme Court hearing in the matter. Gandhi

CEC Rajiv Kumar, who oversaw Lok Sabha and J-K polls, demits office

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Rajiv Kumar, who oversaw the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the crucial Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, demits office on Tuesday as the 25th chief election commissioner after a nearly three-year tenure marked with high electoral successes but also repeated allegations of bias by opposition parties. Kumar joined the poll panel as an Election Commissioner on September 1, 2020, and assumed charge as the 25th CEC on May 15, 2022. He served the EC for about four-and-a-half years in the two capacities. During his time with the EC, he effected reforms across various aspects of

Rupee falls 8 paise to close at 86.96 against US dollar

Mumbai, Feb 18 (PTI) Rupee depreciated 8 paise to close at 86.96 (provisional) against US dollar weighed down by sustained foreign fund outflows and an uptick in the US Dollar index. Forex traders said there is a negative bias for the USD/INR pair as foreign investors continue to sell domestic equities and the RBI support is tapering off slowly. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 86.94 and touched the high of 86.91 against the greenback during intraday. It also touched the low of 86.98 before ending the session at 86.96 (provisional) against the dollar, logging a loss

Congress targets govt over appointment of new CEC, says democracy deserves better

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday slammed the government for “hastily” appointing the new chief election commissioner, saying it undermines the spirit of the Constitution and free elections. Congress leader Manickam Tagore said democracy deserves better after the government appointed Gyanesh Kumar as CEC. “The Government’s hasty midnight appointment of the new CEC undermines the spirit of our Constitution and free elections. As LoP Rahul Gandhi rightly said, this should’ve waited for the SC hearing on February19,” Tagore said on X. “Rushing it shows their intent to bypass scrutiny. Democracy deserves better,” he added. Kumar was appointed

1 … 1,139 1,140 1,141 1,142 1,143 … 1,686