India News Updates: INDIA bloc leaders likely to discuss joint VP candidate on Monday

In view of the inclement and bad weather conditions, it is hereby ordered that all the government as well as private schools of Jammu Division shall remain closed for tomorrow, August 18, said director of school education in Jammu.

The opposition INDIA bloc leaders are likely to discuss their joint candidate for the post of vice-president at a meeting of floor leaders on Monday morning.

Sources said the INDIA bloc leaders would meet at the office of Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, at 10.15 am on Monday.

The Yamuna in Delhi crossed the warning level, reaching the mark of 204.60 metre at 7 pm on Sunday at the Old Railway Bridge, officials informed on Sunday.

The warning mark for the city is 204.50 metres, while the danger mark is 205.33 metres, and evacuation of people starts at 206 metres. The Old Railway Bridge serves as a key observation point for tracking the river's flow and potential flood risks.

Officials said the situation is being monitored and all the concerned agencies have been asked to take precautionary measures to handle flood like situation as the level will continue to rise as per the forecast.

BJP chief JP Nadda said, “CP Radhakrishnan considered a statesman, commands respect in all sections of society in Tamil Nadu,” announcing him as the V-P candidate for NDA. Know more about Radhakrishnan

BJP's parliamentary board meeting underway at party headquarters in Delhi to decide V-P candidate

BJP's parliamentary board meeting underway at party headquarters in Delhi. PM Narendra Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Sarbananda Sonowal and other leaders are present in the meeting.

PM Modi arrives at BJP headquarters for party's parliamentary board meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the BJP headquarters for the party's parliamentary board meeting. PM Modi greeted journalists by saying 'Jai Shri Krishna' and asked them whether they celebrated Janmashtami yesterday or not.

CEC has not meaningfully answered any questions raised by Rahul Gandhi: Congress reacts to CEC Gyanesh Kumar's press conference.

Congress' Jairam Ramesh asks will EC implement, in letter and spirit, Supreme Court's August 14 orders on Bihar SIR process?

Reacting to CEC's response to Gandhi's 'vote theft' allegations, he said Rahul Gandhi only stated facts revealed by EC's own data.

EC stands thoroughly exposed not only for incompetence, but also for partisanship, Ramesh said.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "Allegations were made that the voter list in Maharashtra had increased. When there was a draft list, why were the claims and objections not submitted on time? When the results came, then it was said that this was wrong. To date, the Chief Election Officer of Maharashtra has not received the name of a single voter with proof. It has been eight months since the elections were held... It was also asked how so much voting happened in the last one hour? The Election Commission had replied that if there is voting for 10 hours, then the average is 10% every hour... If you keep saying anything 10 times, 20 times, it does not become true. The

When asked about the ECI asking for affidavit regarding the accusation of 'vote theft' issue, CEC Gyanesh Kumar says, "If a complaint comes in view of a voter, the ECI examines, but if accusation is about 1.5 lakh voters, then should we sent notices to 1.5 lakh voters without any evidence, or affidavit? Will voters not ask for evidence? Without any evidence, names of valid voters will not be cut. If one thinks, by giving a PPT, with wrong facts, the ECI will act, then it cannot act without the affidavit in such serious matter, it would be against the law and the constitution."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "SC has given a clear ruling, those aggrieved by draft rolls can submit their forms using Aadhaar; EC is following this."

"SIR is true response to all complaints of discrepancies in voter lists in Bihar, all parties must contribute to purify electoral rolls," he added.

"If no declaration under oath given within 7 days, claims will be considered baseless, invalid," says CEC Gyanesh Kumar on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of 'vote theft'.

"...An affidavit will have to be given or an apology will have to be made to the country. There is no third option. If the affidavit is not received within 7 days, it means that all these allegations are baseless..."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "I urge all recognised political parties to flag discrepancies in voter list in Bihar before September 1, not after that."

"...After 1st of August, when our daily bulletins started coming, no political party has lodged a single objection till now. So, this can only mean two things. Either the draft list is completely correct...The Election Commission is saying that we will give time till 1st September and it (draft list) can be corrected...If similar allegations are raised even after September 1, then who is responsible? Every recognised party still has fifteen days left...I appeal through you that all twelve political parties, whether they are national parties or state-level parties, should still point out the mistakes in (draft list) before September 1. The Election Commission is ready to correct them..."

"House number zero doesn't mean fake voters; there are many who do not have a house number," he said.

He further asked should EC issue notice to 1.5 lakh voters without declaration under oath by the complainant, adding, "no elector's name will be removed from voter list without any proof; EC standing like a rock with every elector."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "22 lakh 'dead voters' in Bihar did not die in past 6 months but over past several years. However, it was not put in records...It's a shared responsibility of EC, voters and political parties to correct voter list, same happening in case of Bihar SIR."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "...If you are not an voter of that constituency, then you have only one option in the law and that is The Registration Of Electors Rules, rule number 20, sub-clause (3), sub-clause (b) which says that if you are not an voter of that constituency, then you can lodge your complaint as a witness and you will have to give an oath to the electoral registration officer and that oath will have to be administered in front of the person against whom you have complained..."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "It is a myth that SIR has been carried out in haste, it is EC's legal duty to correct voter lists before every election...EC has followed SC directions, made available searchable voter list on websites of district-level poll officials within 56 hours."

"Some people are misleading that why the SIR exercise is being carried out in such a hurry? Should the voter list be rectified before or after the elections? The Election Commission is not saying this; the Representation of the People Act says that you have to rectify the voter list before every election. This is the legal responsibility of the Election Commission. Then the question arose whether the Election Committee would be able to reach more than seven crore voters of Bihar? The truth is that the work started on 24th June. The entire process was completed by about the 20th of July...", he added.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "...I want to make it clear that according to the Constitution of India, only Indian citizens can vote for the election of MP and MLA. People from other countries do not have the right. If such people have filled out the enumeration form, then during the SIR process, they will have to prove their nationality by submitting some documents. Their names will be removed after the investigation"

CEC Gyanesh Kumar says, "The SIR exercise has not been done in the last 20 years... So far, more than 10 SIRs have been held in the country to purify voter lists. Latest SIR became necessary in wake of complaints by many parties, migration of voters within country... Knowingly, unknowingly some people ended up having multiple voter cards due to migration, other issues; SIR to rectify this."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "...As far as the machine-readable voter list is concerned, the Supreme Court has already said in 2019 that this could be a violation of voter privacy."

"We have to understand the difference between a machine-readable voter list and a searchable voter list. You can search the voter list available on the Election Commission website by entering the EPIC number. You can also download it. This is not called machine-readable," he said.

"Regarding machine-readable, in 2019, the Supreme Court also studied this subject in depth and found that giving a machine-readable electoral roll can violate the privacy of the voter... The machine-readable voter list is prohibited. This decision of the Election Commission is after the judgment of the Supreme Court and is from 2019...", he added.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "Even after the returning officer declares the results, there is a provision in the law that within a period of 45 days, political parties can go to the Supreme Court and file an election petition to challenge the election. After this 45-day period, making such baseless allegations, be it in Kerala, Karnataka, or Bihar. When that 45-day period after the elections is over and during that period, no candidate or political party finds any irregularity, then today, after so many days, the voters and people of the country understand the intention behind making such baseless allegations..."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "Some voters alleged double voting. When asked for proof, no answer was given. Neither the Election Commission nor any voter is afraid of such false allegations. When politics is being done by targeting the voters of India by keeping a gun on the shoulder of the Election Commission, today the Election Commission wants to make it clear to everyone that the Election Commission fearlessly stood like a rock with all the voters of all sections and all religions including the poor, rich, elderly, women, youth without any discrimination, is standing and will continue to stand."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "In the process of Lok Sabha elections, more than one crore employees, more than 10 lakh booth level agents, more than 20 lakh polling agents of candidates work for the elections. In such a transparent process in front of so many people, can any voter steal votes?..."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "We saw a few days ago that photos of many voters were presented to the media without their permission. Allegations were made against them, they were used. Should the Election Commission share the CCTV videos of any voter including their mothers, daughters-in-law, daughters? Only those whose names are in the voter list cast their votes to elect their candidate..."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "...SIR has been started in Bihar. 1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents(BLA) have prepared a draft list...As this draft list was being prepared in every booth, the Booth Level Agents of all political parties verified it with their signatures...Voters have submitted a total of 28,370 claims and objections..."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "The doors of the Election Commission are always open for everyone equally. At the ground level, all the voters, all the political parties and all the booth-level officers are working together in a transparent manner, verifying, signing and also giving video testimonials."

"It is a matter of serious concern that these verified documents, testimonials of the district presidents of political parties and the BLOs nominated by them are either not reaching their own state level or national level leaders or an attempt is being made to spread confusion by ignoring the ground reality," he said.

"The truth is that step by step all the stakeholders are committed, trying and working hard to make the SIR of Bihar a complete success. When more than seven crore voters of Bihar are standing with the Election Commission, then neither can any question mark be raised on the credibility of the Election Commission nor on the credibility of the voters," he added.

India News Live: For Election Commission, all parties are equal, says CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during the 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar's Sasaram district, vowed to expose any theft of votes, whether it happens in Maharashtra, Bihar, or elsewhere in the future.

"The entire country knows what the Election Commission is doing. Earlier, the country did not know how votes were being stolen. But we made it clear in the press conference how votes are being stolen. Whenever the theft is happening, whether in Bihar, Maharashtra, Assam, Bengal, we will catch the theft and working to show the people," Rahul Gandhi said.

He described Bihar's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) as a "conspiracy" by the Election Commission, adding that the 'vote theft has been exposed' and the Opposition will fight against the alleged stealing of elections.

Congress leaders wave tricolour ahead of commencing 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Sasaram

During the visit, the two Foreign Secretaries will hold discussions on various aspects of the Nepal-India partnership, with a focus on connectivity, development cooperation and other matters of mutual interest.

Flash floods triggered by the cloudburst struck Chisoti, the last motorable village en route to the Machail Mata temple, at 12:25 pm on August 14, leaving 60 dead and over 100 injured.

Rahul Gandhi will attend Congress's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' beginning from Sasaram, Bihar, today. RJD leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav and others to join the yatra.

Himachal Pradesh | Multiple flash flood incidents reported today in Mandi district at Panarsa, Takoli and Nagwain areas along the Mandi–Kullu stretch of the Chandigarh–Manali National Highway. Connectivity on the highway has been blocked at several points. There has been no report of human loss in the incidents: Sachin Hiremath, ASP, Mandi

Delhi: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla arrived back in India

At least two explosions were heard in the Yemeni capital Sanaa near a power station, residents said early on Sunday.  The reason for the reported explosions was not immediately clear.

Delhi Police on Saturday suspended eight policemen on charges of negligence in the security arrangements for the Janmashtami festival in the Outer North district, one of Delhi's eleven administrative districts, officials said.

According to officials, Delhi's new Police Commissioner, S.B.K. Singh, was on a visit to inspect the security arrangements near the Outer North district's ISKCON Temple, where he found some policemen absent from their duties and chaos in the security.