The Evening Wrap: Lok Sabha elections to be held in 7 phases from April 19, results on June 4

Chief Election Commissioner Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on March 16 announced the schedule for the elections to the 18th Lok Sabha and for the Assembly election to the four States of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim. The counting of votes will take place on June 4, Mr. Kumar said. The Model Code of Conduct came into effect immediately on the announcement of the schedule, the Election Commission said. The elections to the 18th Lok Sabha will be conducted in seven phases across the country from April 19, 2024 to June 1, 2024. The counting of votes will be on June 4, 2024, the CEC Rajiv Kumar said. It may recalled that only on March 14 retired bureaucrats Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were appointed as Election Commissioners by a high-powered panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Odisha will be conducted simultaneously along with the Lok Sabha elections. Andhra Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha constituencies and 175 Assembly constituencies. Odisha will also elect its 147-member assembly while Sikkim has a 32-member State assembly. Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19, and in Andhra Pradesh on May 13. Elections to Odisha assembly will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Bypolls will also be held for 26 Assembly constituencies. J&K Assembly elections will not be held along with Lok Sabha elections. Here’s why. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday ruled out simultaneous Assembly and Parliament elections in Jammu and Kashmir, on the grounds of “security and delimitation exercise”. However, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar indicated that an Assembly election could be held in J&K “soon after Lok Sabha polls”. Elaborating on the reasons not to hold Assembly and Parliament elections simultaneously, despite the unanimous demand of political parties in the Union Territory (UT), Mr. Kumar said, “The J&K Administration told us [the ECI] that two elections can’t be held at the same time due to more security requirements.” The J&K administration had told an ECI team, during their recent visit, that there will be roughly 10 to 12 candidates for each Assembly segment, which means there will be approximately 1,000 candidates in the fray. “This means each candidate needs to be given proper security cover and for that, there was more requirement of additional forces,” Mr. Kumar said. He, however, said that the Commission was committed to holding Assembly polls in J&K “soon after Lok Sabha polls, when security forces will be available.” 544 instead of 543: why the election schedule shows one additional constituency In the General Elections 2024, one Parliamentary constituency will have the distinction of going to the polls twice. When the Election Commission announced the dates for the General Election on March 16, it was noticed that the number of constituencies added up to 544 instead of tallying with the 543 Lok Sabha seats. However, this did not mean that any new constituency had been added. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar explained that this was due to the special situation in the Outer Manipur constituency. Elections for 543 Lok Sabha constituencies will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. While every constituency gets to choose its Member of Parliament on a single given day, Outer Manipur constituency alone will have elections on two days. This is done taking into consideration the recent ethnic violence in the north-eastern State. While Inner Manipur will be voting on April 19, outer Manipur will vote on two dates: April 19 and April 26. The districts of Churachandpur, and Chandel are part of the phase 1 polling. It may be recalled that both the districts witnessed violence between Kukis and Meiteis. Polling will be held on April 19 for the 15 Assembly segments falling under Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency. This includes Heirok, Wangjing Tentha, Khangabok, Wabgai, Kakching, Hiyanglam, Sugnoo, Chandel (ST), Saikul (ST), Kangpokpi, Saitu (ST), Henglep (ST), Churachandpur (ST), Saikot (ST), and Singhat (ST). The remaining 13 Assembly segments under Outer Manipur will go to polls on April 26. These are Jiribam, Tengnoupal (ST), Phungyar (ST), Ukhrul (ST), Chingai (ST), Karong (ST), Mao (ST), Tadubi (ST), Tamei (ST), Tamenglong (ST), Nungba (ST), Tipaimukh (ST), and Thanlon (ST). The Election Commission has notified a scheme to allow the internally displaced voters to vote from the the camp they are living at present, Mr. Kumar told the media while presenting the election schedule. A similar scheme is already available for the IDPs of Jammu and Kashmir. It will be available in Manipur as well, he added. Electoral bonds data | New firms bought crores of electoral bonds within months of formation At least 43 firms newly incorporated in the year 2018 or later have bought electoral bonds worth over ₹3,84.5 crore. Of them, four companies, all established in 2023 in Hyderabad, bought bonds worth crores of rupees, just a few months after getting established. As many as nine firms in 2020 and eleven companies in 2021, which were formed in the middle of the pandemic, had cumulatively purchased bonds worth close to Rs 100 crore, in just one or two years after getting formed. The company information and date of incorporation are based on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ (MCA) database. The names of the companies which had purchased electoral bonds were matched with names of the firms available in the MCA database to draw out the list of newly incorporated firms. Two companies in Hyderabad —Tsharks Infra Developers Private Limited and Tsharks Overseas Education Consultancy Private Limited — both incorporated in 2023 have the same Director and Managing Director. The former was established on March 26, 2023 and the latter on May 29, 2023. Just three months after the first company was started and barely one month after the second company was incorporated, on July 12, 2023, the firms cumulatively purchased electoral bonds worth ₹7.5 crore, their only such transaction. According to the information available in the company website, they are in the real estate business. A similar trend can be observed across many companies or partnerships. Another firm registered in Hyderabad — Bain Global Resources LLP — which was formed on May 26, 2023, bought bonds worth ₹5 crore just four months later on October 9, 2023. Vasavi Avenues LLP, also registered in Hyderabad which was incorporated on April 6, 2023, bought bonds worth ₹5 crore, just three months later on July 12, 2023. Puttogether these four firms had purchased bonds worth ₹17.5 crore. Some newly incorporated firms have purchased bonds worth more than ₹20 crore within just two years of being incorporated. For instance, Askus Logistics Private Limited, which was formed on November 25, 2021 in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, bought bonds worth ₹22 crore between April 12, 2023 and January 10, 2024. The first transaction took place just a year and four months after formation. Aparna Farms and Estates LLP, formed in Hyderabad on August 18, 2020 bought bonds worth ₹30 crore on two dates (₹15 crore each) — October 12, 2023 and November 20, 2023 — the first of which was bought barely three years after formation. Akshat Greentech Private Limited which was formed in December 2020 in Hyderabad, bought bonds worth ₹5 crore within three years of incorporation. Notably, Yashoda Super Speciality Hospitals which had purchased bonds worth ₹162 crore was incorporated only in April 2019, according to the MCA database. Delhi court sends BRS leader Kavitha to ED custody till March 23 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Kavitha, allegedly a key member of the “South Group”, which has been accused of paying the ruling Aam Aadmi Party kickbacks of ₹100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital, was on March 16 remanded in ED custody till March 23 in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy “scam”. Ms. Kavitha, a member of the Telangana Legislative Council and daughter of former state chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was produced before Special Judge for ED cases M.K. Nagpal, who sent her to the custody of the federal anti-money laundering agency for a week. The ED had sought her custody for 10 days. Ms. Kavitha, 46, was arrested from her Banjara Hills residence on Friday amid protests by BRS supporters. Her remand came on a day Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared before a metropolitan court in connection with two complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate against him for skipping summons in the money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. Mr. Kejriwal, who skipped eight ED summonses before turning up at the court, was granted bail. His senior party colleagues-Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh-are in jail for their alleged involvement in formulating and implementing the excise policy 2020-21 which drastically raised the profit margins of liquor wholesalers and retailers. The ED has claimed Delhi’s ruling dispensation extended them the favour in return for money. In Brief The bodies of two Indians who were killed on the Russia-Ukraine border after they were forced to fight alongside the Russian Army were brought to Delhi on March 16 and flown to their homes in Surat and Hyderabad. The deceased, Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya (23), a resident of Surat in Gujarat, and Mohammad Asfan (31) from Hyderabad, Telangana were hired as helpers for the Russian Army but were forced to participate in the ongoing war, their families said. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 16 March 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( 2024 Lok Sabha elections to be held in 7 phases from April 19, results on June 4 Chief Election Commissioner Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on March 16 [announced the schedule for the elections to the 18th Lok Sabha and for the Assembly election to the four States]( of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim. The counting of votes will take place on June 4, Mr. Kumar said. The Model Code of Conduct came into effect immediately on the announcement of the schedule, the Election Commission said. The elections to the 18th Lok Sabha will be conducted in seven phases across the country from April 19, 2024 to June 1, 2024. The counting of votes will be on June 4, 2024, the CEC Rajiv Kumar said. It may recalled that only on March 14 retired bureaucrats Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were appointed as Election Commissioners by a high-powered panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Odisha will be conducted simultaneously along with the Lok Sabha elections. Andhra Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha constituencies and 175 Assembly constituencies. Odisha will also elect its 147-member assembly while Sikkim has a 32-member State assembly. Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19, and in Andhra Pradesh on May 13. Elections to Odisha assembly will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Bypolls will also be held for 26 Assembly constituencies. J&K Assembly elections will not be held along with Lok Sabha elections. Here’s why. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday [ruled out simultaneous Assembly and Parliament elections in Jammu and Kashmir]( on the grounds of “security and delimitation exercise”. However, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar indicated that an Assembly election could be held in J&K “soon after Lok Sabha polls”. Elaborating on the reasons not to hold Assembly and Parliament elections simultaneously, despite the unanimous demand of political parties in the Union Territory (UT), Mr. Kumar said, “The J&K Administration told us [the ECI] that two elections can’t be held at the same time due to more security requirements.” The J&K administration had told an ECI team, during their recent visit, that there will be roughly 10 to 12 candidates for each Assembly segment, which means there will be approximately 1,000 candidates in the fray. “This means each candidate needs to be given proper security cover and for that, there was more requirement of additional forces,” Mr. Kumar said. He, however, said that the Commission was committed to holding Assembly polls in J&K “soon after Lok Sabha polls, when security forces will be available.” 544 instead of 543: why the election schedule shows one additional constituency In the General Elections 2024, one Parliamentary constituency will have the distinction of going to the polls twice. When the Election Commission announced the dates for the General Election on March 16, it was noticed that the number of constituencies added up to 544 instead of tallying with the 543 Lok Sabha seats. However, this did not mean that any new constituency had been added. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar explained that this was due to the special situation in the Outer Manipur constituency. Elections for 543 Lok Sabha constituencies will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. While every constituency gets to choose its Member of Parliament on a single given day, [Outer Manipur constituency alone will have elections on two days](. This is done taking into consideration the recent ethnic violence in the north-eastern State. While Inner Manipur will be voting on April 19, outer Manipur will vote on two dates: April 19 and April 26. The districts of Churachandpur, and Chandel are part of the phase 1 polling. It may be recalled that both the districts witnessed violence between Kukis and Meiteis. Polling will be held on April 19 for the 15 Assembly segments falling under Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency. This includes Heirok, Wangjing Tentha, Khangabok, Wabgai, Kakching, Hiyanglam, Sugnoo, Chandel (ST), Saikul (ST), Kangpokpi, Saitu (ST), Henglep (ST), Churachandpur (ST), Saikot (ST), and Singhat (ST). The remaining 13 Assembly segments under Outer Manipur will go to polls on April 26. These are Jiribam, Tengnoupal (ST), Phungyar (ST), Ukhrul (ST), Chingai (ST), Karong (ST), Mao (ST), Tadubi (ST), Tamei (ST), Tamenglong (ST), Nungba (ST), Tipaimukh (ST), and Thanlon (ST). The Election Commission has notified a scheme to allow the internally displaced voters to vote from the the camp they are living at present, Mr. Kumar told the media while presenting the election schedule. A similar scheme is already available for the IDPs of Jammu and Kashmir. It will be available in Manipur as well, he added. Electoral bonds data | New firms bought crores of electoral bonds within months of formation At least [43 firms newly incorporated in the year 2018 or later have bought electoral bonds]( worth over ₹3,84.5 crore. Of them, four companies, all established in 2023 in Hyderabad, bought bonds worth crores of rupees, just a few months after getting established. As many as nine firms in 2020 and eleven companies in 2021, which were formed in the middle of the pandemic, had cumulatively purchased bonds worth close to Rs 100 crore, in just one or two years after getting formed. The company information and date of incorporation are based on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ (MCA) database. The names of the companies which had purchased electoral bonds were matched with names of the firms available in the MCA database to draw out the list of newly incorporated firms. Two companies in Hyderabad —Tsharks Infra Developers Private Limited and Tsharks Overseas Education Consultancy Private Limited — both incorporated in 2023 have the same Director and Managing Director. The former was established on March 26, 2023 and the latter on May 29, 2023. Just three months after the first company was started and barely one month after the second company was incorporated, on July 12, 2023, the firms cumulatively purchased electoral bonds worth ₹7.5 crore, their only such transaction. According to the information available in the company website, they are in the real estate business. A similar trend can be observed across many companies or partnerships. Another firm registered in Hyderabad — Bain Global Resources LLP — which was formed on May 26, 2023, bought bonds worth ₹5 crore just four months later on October 9, 2023. Vasavi Avenues LLP, also registered in Hyderabad which was incorporated on April 6, 2023, bought bonds worth ₹5 crore, just three months later on July 12, 2023. Puttogether these four firms had purchased bonds worth ₹17.5 crore. Some newly incorporated firms have purchased bonds worth more than ₹20 crore within just two years of being incorporated. For instance, Askus Logistics Private Limited, which was formed on November 25, 2021 in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, bought bonds worth ₹22 crore between April 12, 2023 and January 10, 2024. The first transaction took place just a year and four months after formation. Aparna Farms and Estates LLP, formed in Hyderabad on August 18, 2020 bought bonds worth ₹30 crore on two dates (₹15 crore each) — October 12, 2023 and November 20, 2023 — the first of which was bought barely three years after formation. Akshat Greentech Private Limited which was formed in December 2020 in Hyderabad, bought bonds worth ₹5 crore within three years of incorporation. Notably, Yashoda Super Speciality Hospitals which had purchased bonds worth ₹162 crore was incorporated only in April 2019, according to the MCA database. Delhi court sends BRS leader Kavitha to ED custody till March 23 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Kavitha, allegedly a key member of the “South Group”, which has been accused of paying the ruling Aam Aadmi Party kickbacks of ₹100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital, was on March 16 [remanded in ED custody till March 23]( in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy “scam”. Ms. Kavitha, a member of the Telangana Legislative Council and daughter of former state chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was produced before Special Judge for ED cases M.K. Nagpal, who sent her to the custody of the federal anti-money laundering agency for a week. The ED had sought her custody for 10 days. Ms. Kavitha, 46, was arrested from her Banjara Hills residence on Friday amid protests by BRS supporters. Her remand came on a day Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared before a metropolitan court in connection with two complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate against him for skipping summons in the money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. Mr. Kejriwal, who skipped eight ED summonses before turning up at the court, was granted bail. His senior party colleagues-Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh-are in jail for their alleged involvement in formulating and implementing the excise policy 2020-21 which drastically raised the profit margins of liquor wholesalers and retailers. The ED has claimed Delhi’s ruling dispensation extended them the favour in return for money. In Brief The bodies of two Indians who were killed on the Russia-Ukraine border after they were forced to fight alongside the Russian Army were [brought to Delhi on March 16]( and flown to their homes in Surat and Hyderabad. The deceased, Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya (23), a resident of Surat in Gujarat, and Mohammad Asfan (31) from Hyderabad, Telangana were hired as helpers for the Russian Army but were forced to participate in the ongoing war, their families said. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [Sign up for free]( Today’s Top Picks [[General Election 2024: full schedule] General Election 2024: full schedule]( [[What is Model Code of Conduct, and what are the penalties for violation? | Explained] What is Model Code of Conduct, and what are the penalties for violation? | Explained]( [[BJP MP C.M. Ramesh’s company bought ₹45-crore poll bonds soon after bagging contract to build Sunni Dam] BJP MP C.M. Ramesh’s company bought ₹45-crore poll bonds soon after bagging contract to build Sunni Dam]( [[(embargo)Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Central aims, subnational strategies] (embargo)Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Central aims, subnational strategies]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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