Lok Sabha Election 2019 LIVE: Officer Mohammed Mohsin suspended for checking PM’s chopper, transferred

Nine nomination papers were filed by candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Punjab as the nomination process started on Monday.

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer S. Karuna Raju said that the nominations can be filed till April 29.

Prominent candidates to file nomination papers on the first day included Santokh Singh Chaudhary of the Congress from Jalandhar (Scheduled Caste) constituency. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh accompanied him.

Mohammed Mohsin, a General Observer under the Odisha poll panel who was suspended for checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chopper in Sambalpur last Tuesday, has been sent back to Karnataka, the Election Commission (EC) said on Monday.

The EC in its order dated April 20 directed the 1996 batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre be posted at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, with immediate effect.

The EC had on Wednesday suspended Mohsin for allegedly checking Modi's helicopter in Sambalpur, where the Prime Minister addressed an election rally.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) President and former Chief Minister Shibu Soren and Jharkhand Water Resources Minister Chandra Prakash Chaudhary filed their nomination papers on Monday.

Soren, who is the common candidate of the grand alliance, filed his nomination for from the Dumka Lok Sabha seat, from where he is seeking to be re-elected for the ninth time. Soren won the seat for the first time in 1980, then in the 1989, 1991 and 1996 general elections and has been winning consecutively since 2002 (bypoll) till present.

His son and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren was also present.

With just hours left for people to cast votes in the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, candidates from the three key political parties on Monday got themselves busy making last round visits and expressing confidence about their respective victories.

Earlier during the day it became a meeting of two Malayalam superstars, when Rajya Sabha member Suresh Gopi, BJP candidate from Thrissur, came calling on Mohanlal at the latter's Kochi residence.

"Mohanlal and I, are long time colleagues. On numerous occasions, I have slept at his home, enjoyed food prepared by his mother and wife. I just came to meet him," said Gopi who is contesting his first Lok Sabha election.

Prominent Hair Stylist Jawed Habib joins Bharatiya Janata Party, says 'Aaj tak main baalon ka chowkidar tha, aaj mein desh ka chowkidar ban gaya hoon'

Preparations are in place for the third and final phase of polling in four Assam Parliamentary constituencies on Tuesday, which will decide the fate of 54 candidates in fray.

An electorate of 77,0622, including 38,15,335 male, 36,61,570 women and 157 of the third gender, will exercise their franchise in 9,577 polling booths, said Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Sahu.

Tight security arrangements have been made across the four constituencies -- Dhubri, Kokrajhar (ST), Barpeta and Gauhati, to ensure smooth conduct of polling, he said.

Altogether 200 companies of security forces, both central and state, have been deployed, along with a minimum of one constable in every polling station, Sahu said.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of lowering the standard of political discourse by his remarks on India's nuclear weapons.

Modi told a rally in Rajasthan's Barmer on Sunday that India is no more afraid of nuclear threats of Pakistan since India's own nuclear arsenal "has not been kept for Diwali".

In her response, Mehbooba Mufti, the former Jammu Chief Minister, tweeted: "If India hasn't kept nuclear bomb for Diwali, it's obvious Pakistan's not kept theirs for Eid either. Don't know why PM Modi must stoop so low & reduce political discourse to this."

Calling upon voters to exercise franchise without fear, Director General of Police A K Shukla said on Monday central forces have been deployed in 85% of over 1600 booths in East Tripura (ST) Lok Sabha seat, where polls were postponed in view of the law and order situation.

Addressing a press meet, Shukla said the Election Commission (EC) has sent 42 additional companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) for the second phase, taking the total number of companies deputed in the constituency to 108.

"We have deployed adequate forces in various locations of the constituency and patrolling has been initiated in remote and vulnerable areas.

"Altogether, 90 static surveillance teams (SST) and as many as flying squad teams (FST) will keep a tab on the flow of money and liquor," he said.

The EC deferred elections in East Tripura Lok Sabha seat from April 18 to April 23, stating that the atmosphere in the state was not conducive for holding elections.

Along with voting in all the 26 parliamentary constituencies in Gujarat, by-elections will also be held on Tuesday on four assembly seats, which fell vacant following the resignation of sitting Congress MLAs who later joined the ruling BJP.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had notified by -elections on a total of five assembly seats in Gujarat to be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.

However, the Supreme Court later stayed bypoll on the Talala assembly constituency in Junagadh district.

By-elections will be held on the assembly segments of Dhrangadhra, Manavadar, Unjha and Jamnagar (Rural), which fall under Lok Sabha constituencies of Surendranagar, Porbandar, Mehsana and Jamnagar, respectively.

Altogether 249 candidates are in the fray in 14 constituencies in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra where voting will be held on Tuesday.

State BJP president Raosaheb Danve(Jalna) and NCP chief Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule (Baramati) are among the prominent candidates in fray.

Polling will be held in Jalgaon, Raver (north Maharashtra), Jalna, Aurangabad (Marathwada), Raigad, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg (Konkan), Pune, Baramati, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, Hathkanangale (western Maharashtra) and Ahmednagar seats.

The candidates include 19 women.

Six candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party filed their nominations on Monday for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Delhi.

The six candidates who filed their papers are Chandni Chowk candidate Pankaj Gupta, East Delhi candidate Atishi, North West Delhi candidate Gugan Singh, South Delhi candidate Raghav Chadha, North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey and New Delhi candidate Brajesh Goel.

While Chandha carried out a roadshow on Sunday against, what he said was, the "gundaraj" of South Delhi incumbent BJP's Ramesh Biduri, the other five candidates carried out mega roadshows before filing their papers this morning. Senior party leaders accompanied the candidates.

After a high decibel 40-day-long campaign, Kerala will go to single phase polls on Tuesday with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Union minister Alphons Kannanthanam and sitting MP Shashi Tharoor among those whose fortunes will be decided.

It is a do-or-die battle for both the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and opposition Congress-headed UDF in most of the 20 Lok Sabha seats this time in the state, known for its decades-long bipolar politics.

The BJP-led NDA is posing a formidable challenge to the two traditional fronts in at least three constituencies -- Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur.

Polling for two Lok Sabha seats and bypoll for three state Assembly seats in Goa will be held in a single phase on Tuesday, election officials said on Monday.

Over 1,600 polling booths have been set up for the elections in North Goa and South Goa Lok Sabha constituencies and Shiroda, Mapusa and Mandrem Assembly seats, they said.

There are 12 candidates in the fray for the two Lok Sabha constituencies and 18 for the three Assembly seats. Around 11 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise.

The by-elections in Shiroda and Mandrem were necessitated after their sitting Congress MLAs resigned and joined the ruling BJP. The Mapusa seat fell vacant following the death of its sitting MLA.

BJD in letter to Chief Electoral Officer, Bhubaneswar: It's unfortunate that a State Min is arrested for 'obstructing flying squad on election duty from discharging their duties', while Union Min Dharmendra Pradhan is allowed to go scot-free and no action is taken against him.

After a rancorous campaign for about a month, the remaining 14 out of total 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka will go to polls in the second and final phase on Tuesday, with the battle lines clearly delineated for a bipolar contest between the ruling Congress-JD(S) and the BJP.

The constituencies that are going to polls in the second phase are mostly in the northern belt of the state, covering the entire Hyderabad-Karnataka and Mumbai-Karnataka regions, a couple of central districts and coastal Uttara Kannada.

Congress releases list of candidates for 3 Parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. Yogesh Shukla from Prayagraj, Chandresh Upadhyay from Domariyaganj & Bhal Chand Yadav (in place of Parvez Khan) from Sant Kabir Nagar.

Over 92.56 lakh voters will on Tuesday decide the fate of 417 candidates in the third phase of polls for six Lok Sabha and 42 assembly seats in Odisha, where pre-poll violence have left several injured, including an EC magistrate and a ruling party candidate.

A senior poll official said preparations for the third phase have reached the final stage and necessary steps have been taken to ensure free and fair voting in 10,464 booths.

"Polling will be held in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Sambalpur, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly segments that come under them. All necessary steps have been taken to ensure that the polling staff reach the booths in time," he stated.

With the deployment of an unprecedented number of para-military and state armed forces troopers, a multi-tier security cover is in place for the deferred polls to the Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency on Tuesday, officials said on Monday.

"Central Para-Military Forces (CPMF) and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) troopers would be deployed in over 88 per cent of the 1,645 polling booths in 1,349 locations spread across the Tripura East Lok Sabha seat," Director General of Police (DGP) Akhil Kumar Shukla told the media.

He said that quick reaction teams, mobile and static security squads, among other multi-tier security arrangements have been put in place across six districts.

The police chief said that he himself along with several Inspector Generals and Deputy Inspector Generals as well as a large number of other senior police officials including more than 12 Superintendent of Police and equivalent rank police officials would closely supervise the balloting from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

A BJD candidate was arrested for allegedly assaulting an EC magistrate, while OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik and another BJD nominee were among 11 persons injured as a series of violence rocked Odisha on Sunday, officials said.

Bombs were also hurled at a BJP assembly candidate's car though none was injured, police said Monday.

The violence started around an hour before the campaign for the third phase of polls ended on Sunday afternoon.

Puri Collector cum District Election Officer J P Das alleged that sitting MLA and BJD's assembly candidate Pradeep Maharathy attacked the magistrate of an election flying squad at Pipili.

After receiving a complaint about the distribution of money and liquor in violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the EC teams reached Maharathy's farmhouse around 11.30 pm.

On May 23 public will decide if “Chowkidar is Chor”, NYAY will be served in these elections, says Rahul Gandhi in a tweet

Trinamool Congress celebrity candidate Nusrat Jahan on Monday filed her nomination for the Basirhat parliamentary constituency in West Bengal.

Accompanied by a large number of Trinamool activists, the 28-year-old Bengali film actress, filed her nomination at the District administrative office in North 24 Parganas.

Basirhat will go for the polls in the seventh phase on May 19.

The Election Commission on Monday issued the notification for the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha elections in which 59 constituencies spread across eight states and union territories will go for polls.

While the first phase of election was held on April 11, the last phase will be held on May 19. So far, two phases have taken place, while the third phase of polling is on Tuesday.

All the 13 seats of Punjab, four in Himachal Pradesh and one in Chandigarh will go for pols in a single phase on May 19.

The Election Commission had on last Tuesday postponed polling in the Tripura (East) Lok Sabha seat to the third phase on April 23 (Tuesday) from April 18, saying the prevailing law and order situation there is not conducive for holding free and fair polls.

The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday issued notices to office of the state Assembly Speaker following a petition seeking the quashing of an order signing off on the merger of a breakaway group of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) into the BJP.

"For a merger of any political party, the procedure contemplated under the constitution of their party has to be followed which has not been done in the present case and therefore question of valid merger of any political party does not even arise," the petitioner Sadanand Vaingankar claimed in his plea before the court.

In its notice, the bench has directed the respondents to submit a written reply by April 30.

The Election Commission has approved re-polling in 12 booths of Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency, where the voting process was disrupted or stalled during the second phase on April 18.

Noting that the polling undertaken in these 12 booths has been declared "void" by the EC, Chief Electoral Officer PK Singh said on Monday fresh elections will be held on April 24 amid enhanced security arrangements. He asked the polling agents to take necessary measures to ensure free and fair polls.

"There will be arrangements for webcasting and CCTV coverage both outside and inside the polling stations. The police department will provide adequate security arrangements for fresh polls," Singh said in a statement.

Announcing its support to Congress candidate and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday announced it will not field its candidate from Bhopal for the Lok Sabha elections.

CPI state Secretary Arvind Srivastava said the party took the decision to save the "dignity of Parliament" after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded Pragya Thakur as its candidate from Bhopal.

"Fielding Pragya shows the original fascist character of the BJP," he said.

DM Rampur Anjanay Kumar: An offence report to be registered against Abdullah Azam Khan (SP leader Azam Khan's son) for calling Jaya Prada 'Anarkali.' Have given video recording as evidence to Police authorities. Sections will be applied accordingly.

BSP president Mayawati on Monday asked why the Election Commission was not cancelling the nomination of Pragya Singh Thakur, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Bhopal, despite the "BJP ratna" issuing controversial statements.

"Malegoan blast case accused and BJP candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya is claiming that she is contesting a 'dharm yuddh'. This is the real face of BJP/RSS which is being exposed continuously. But why is the Commission only issuing notices and not cancelling the nomination of BJP ratna (gem) Pragya?" Mayawati tweeted.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi says, “Narendra Modi ne sirf Hindustan ki janta se chori nahi ki hai, sabse zyada chori chowkidaar ne aap logon se ki hai, pichle 5 saalon mein humne jo bhi aap ke liye kiya Modi ji ne aapse chheena.”

BJP Lok Sabha candidate from North East Delhi, Manoj Tiwari holds a roadshow in Delhi. Union Minister Vijay Goel and actor-dancer Sapna Chaudhary also present.

Actor-dancer Sapna Chaudhary during election campaigning for Manoj Tiwari: I have not joined the party (BJP), I'm here because Manoj Tiwari ji is a good friend of mine.

An Election Commission general observer, who was suspended for checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter in Odisha's Sambalpur in violation of norms for dealing with SPG protectees, has been sent back to Karnataka. He is a 1996 batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre.

The Commission had last week suspended its general observer for Sambalpur in Odisha for violating its instructions that SPG protectees should not be checked.

Mohammed Mohsin had tried to check some luggage in the convoy of the Prime Minister on Tuesday last. Modi had addressed a rally in Sambalpur on Tuesday.

Supreme Court refuses to entertain a plea seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India for prosecution of voters who indulge in electoral malpractices during the Lok Sabha polls. A bench headed by CJI says, 'the petitioner may approach high court with his plea'.

Jaya Prada on remarks by Abdullah (SP leader Azam Khan's son) says, “Can't decide whether to laugh or cry, like father like son. Hadn't expected this from Abdullah. He's an educated man. Your father says 'I'm Amrapali' and you say 'I'm Anarkali,' Is that how you see women of society?”

After the arrest of Uttarakhand Congress General Secretary Anupam Sharma in an alleged robbery case last week, the party is all set to take action against him, an official said on Monday.

Sharma, who is also a member of the All India Committee Congress (AICC), was arrested along with three policemen after they allegedly hatched a conspiracy and robbed a bag containing ₹1 crore for the election purpose.

State Congress President Pritam Singh said: "The AICC will take action (against Sharma) and his membership will automatically be finished."

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea which alleged that people were being bribed on a massive scale for Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it was not inclined to hear the matter since Lok Sabha elections in the state were already over.

The apex court had earlier sought Election Commission's response on the plea in which the petitioner had sought creating awareness through TV, newspapers and radio that it was a punishable offence to give or take cash for votes.

The petition had said that so far ₹78.12 crore in cash has been seized in the state.

Former Delhi CM and Congress candidate from (NE) Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, says, “I’ll do my best to fulfill the responsibility given to me. I've contested from here earlier, I know the people here and they know me. We had started Metro from here, our reputation is of working for the people.”

Supreme Court dismisses a petition filed by advocate Reena N Singh seeking direction that political parties shouldn't be permitted to offer loan waiving schemes or any other monetary schemes in their election manifestos.

Election Commission submits its report in sealed cover before the Supreme Court on Vivek Oberoi starrer biopic 'PM Narendra Modi'. SC posts the matter for further hearing on Friday, April 26 and directs that report be served to petitioner (producers of the movie).

Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF) workers clash in Pooyappally, Kollam on the last day of campaigning for Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Congress releases list of candidates for 6 out of 7 Parliamentary constituencies in Delhi. Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit to contest from North East Delhi.

JP Agarwal to contest from Chandni Chowk, Sheila Dixit from North East Delhi, Arvinder Singh Lovely from East Delhi, Ajay Maken from New Delhi, Rajesh Lilothia from North West Delhi (SC) and Mahabal Mishra from West Delhi.

Raising the bar for itself for the Lok Sabha elections in Haryana, the Congress on Sunday announced the name of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for the Sonipat seat and Bhavya Bishnoi, a grandson of former Haryana strongman Bhajan Lal, for the Hisar seat.

By fielding Hooda, the Congress is trying to send a message to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana that the election in the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana is not going to be easy. Hooda is a prominent Jat leader who remained Chief Minister from 2005 to 2014. Sonipat seat has considerable number of Jat community voters.

His son, Deepinder Singh Hooda, is the Congress nominee for the adjoining Rohtak seat, the traditional stronghold of the Hooda family. The Congress also announced Bhavya Bishnoi, son of former Hisar MP Kuldeep Bishnoi, for the Hisar Lok Sabha seat.

“PM has said once again that there were no bomb blasts during his 5-year tenure. Is it due to memory loss or due to a compulsive habit?,” said P Chidambaram in a tweet

“Why is the media not calling out the PM on his repeaters utterances of an untruth?”

“Ali is ours and Bajrang Bali is also ours. We want Ali and Bajrangbali too but we dont want Anarkali,” said SP leader Abdullah Azam Khan (son of SP leader Azam Khan) in Rampur.

Non-Cognizable Offence Information Report registered against BJP Lok Sabha MP from Rampur, Jaya Prada, for reportedly saying, "Considering the comments Azam Khan makes against me, Mayawati Ji you must think "unki x-ray jaisi aankhein aapke upar bhi kaha-kaha daal kar dekhengi"

Supporters of CPI candidate from Bihar's Begusarai Lok Sabha seat Kanhaiya Kumar and a group of locals clashed on Sunday, after the former JNU students' union president was shown black flags here during a roadshow, police said.

The incident occurred when more than a dozen local youths raised slogans against Kumar and waved black flags at him, while he was taking out a road show at Koray village in Gadhpura block of the constituency, a police officer said.

A police team reached the spot and brought the situation under control, he said. No FIR has been lodged in this connection so far, the officer said. Kumar is pitted against Union minister and firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh.