As the Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on April 19 and 26, District Magistrates (DMs) of Bishnupur,Thoubal and Pherzawl have asked arm license holders to surrender their licenced arms in view of announcement of election schedule for the 18th General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2024. .Two Lok Sabha MPs will be elected from Inner-Manipur and Outer-Manipur constituencies.

In an order, DM Bishnupur district L Bikram prohibited possession and carrying of firearms of any kind by arms license holders within the revenue jurisdiction of Bishnupur district with immediate effect and till the process of elections is completed.

He also directed all the officers in-charge of the police stations functioning within the revenue jurisdiction of Bishnupur district to make detailed and individual assessment and review of all licence holders and instructed all arms license holders to deposit their weapons with the nearest police station immediately and in case, if the individual license holder fails to deposit his/her arms, the OC concerned should impound it.

Rahul Gandhi reached out to people to protect constitution, social harmony. We have not joined hands to defeat PM Narendra Modi but to defeat the ideology which is dividing the country, ” mentioned Tejaswi Yadav, Dy CM of Bihar

“We are not the people who fear but we are here to fight for people. PM Modi is a manufacturer, wholesale and retail distributor of fake propaganda lies,” he added

Addressing a public gathering in Palnadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “Never assume that Jagan’s social gathering and Congress are two completely different events. Both of them are the identical…”

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, party’s general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders of the INDIA alliance pay floral tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray ahead of their mega rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and BJP candidate from Haridwar constituency, Trivendra Singh Rawat, said on Sunday that the Congress is in a state of confusion and that is the reason the grand old party has not been able to announce its candidates.

The former Uttarakhand Chief Minister also took blessings from the holy Ganges earlier in the day.

Speaking to ANI, Rawat said, “I took the blessings of Ma Ganga. Congress is in a state of confusion. Only they will inform this (whether or not they have candidates or not) however, sure, they’ve been unable to announce the candidates.”

On being asked whether Rahul Gandhi will pay tribute to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, Congress leader Husain Dalwai says, “Yes, positively he (Rahul Gandhi) pays the tribute. He (Bal Thackeray) was such a tall chief of Maharashtra, why he will not salute him?”

Addressing a public gathering in Palnadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “Dates for the Lok Sabha elections have been introduced and immediately I’m amongst everybody in Andhra Pradesh. Here I get the blessings of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh from Kotappakonda, with the blessings of the ‘tri dev’, the nation within the third time period of our authorities will make huge selections.”

Addressing a public gathering in Palnadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “See this coincidence, this time the outcomes of the elections are going to be declared on 4th June. The entire nation is saying, ‘400 paar’. ‘400 paar’ for developed India, ‘400 paar’ for Andhra Pradesh’…”

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj says, “People right here have sympathy for Uddhav Thackeray. They take a look at Eknath Shinde as a backstabber who betrayed Balasaheb Thackeray. These elections will convey a really unhealthy time for Eknath Shinde. The folks is not going to forgive him…”

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti arrives at the Shivaji Park, in Mumbai, to attend the INDIA alliance rally.

Senior BJP leader and the party’s Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said its leaders believe that the saffron party is going to make a difference in the state’s politics forever in the LS polls, as the LDF and UDF are “events of the previous” and have “nothing new to supply”. A day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for the Lok Sabha polls, according to which Kerala will go to the polls on April 26, Javadekar met the media here and said the “churning within the minds of the voters” in the state is visible, and that it will translate into major gains for the BJP.

On the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls, Congress leader Sachin Pilot says, “Today, Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay yatra has concluded… The individuals are seeing the state of affairs that has been created within the final 10 years…”

RJD leader and former Bihar Dy CM Tejashwi Yadav arrives in Mumbai to attend the INDIA alliance rally in Shivaji Park

He says, ” Election dates have been introduced…we’ve got all come to Mumbai immediately, Rahul Gandhi had despatched invitation…we’ll converse to folks on key points…like unemployment, inflation, farmers’ issues and the way in which central companies are being misused, we converse on these points”

In a meeting, on the dates recommended by the Election Commission of India in its proceedings, the Cabinet approved to recommend to the President for issuing statutory notifications under sub-section (2) of Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act 1951 from the Parliamentary constituencies for the election of members of the Lok Sabha. The PM asked the ministers to prepare a roadmap for the first 100 days and the next 5 years of the new government with the officers/secretaries of their ministries

Congress leader and former Kerala LoP Ramesh Chennithala says, ” Today is a vital day, Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is ending, all members of INDIA alliance will attend…we’ll transfer ahead with full power. They (BJP) simply preserve saying ‘400 paar’ however this time we’ll win and INDIA alliance will type the government…”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the National Democratic Alliance rally ‘Prajagalam,’ (the voice of the public), the first joint public meeting of NDA partners in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu district, on Sunday evening.

Taking to his social media handle, Prime Minister Modi posted on X, “On the way in which to Andhra Pradesh, the place I might be addressing an NDA rally at Palnadu together with @ncbnJi and @PawanKalyan Ji this night. The NDA is searching for AP’s blessings to convey a optimistic change in folks’s lives and take the state to new heights of progress.”

Prime Minister Modi will be joined by TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan in the public meeting, and this is the first time all three leaders will share the stage in a rally for the 2024 polls.

With the stage set for yet another political showdown between Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP, two regions – Gangetic plains and Midnapore – seem to hold the key to the state’s action-packed electoral battle.

The Jalpaiguri region in North Bengal and the Matua belt in south Bengal are also important in the political landscape of the state.

The Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, comprising 42 seats, will take place in seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. Counting is on June 4.

Posters of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party MP Rahul Gandhi, party’s general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders put up at Shivaji Park in Mumbai ahead of the mega rally of INDIA alliance.

“These elections will resolve whether or not the folks will consider points like inflation, unemployment, and crony capitalism being institutionalised by electoral bonds or not. I consider folks will make selections holding the precise issues of their minds,” says Congress leader Manish Tewari

Congress MLA from Badrinath assembly constituency Rajendra Singh Bhandari on Sunday resigned from the party and joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a day after the announcement of the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections. The legislator joined the BJP in Delhi in presence of Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, state BJP in charge Dushyant Gautam, and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni.

After joining the party, Bhandari said he joined the BJP as he was inspired by PM Modi’s leadership abilities to take the country forward.

Jammu and Kashmir is set to witness its first major electoral battle since it was bifurcated and downgraded to the status of union territory months after the general elections in 2019.

Jammu and Kashmir has a total of five Lok Sabha seats — three of which are currently with the National Conference and two with the BJP.

The Union Territory has been under the central rule since the fall of PDP-BJP government in June 2018. The last assembly polls were held in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014.

A significant development since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 was the delimitation exercise completed in May 2022 as part of J&K Reorganisation Act. It revised the boundaries of 90 assembly and five parliamentary constituencies.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday issued a revised schedule, modifying the date of counting of votes for the legislative assembly elections of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim from June 4 to June 2.

The poll body cited that the term of both the legislative assemblies would be ending on June 2 and according to Article 324, Article 172(1) of the Constitution of India and Section 15 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, it is necessary for the ECI to conduct the elections before the cessation of their respective terms.

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president and UP minister OP Rajbhar on Sunday said the Congress and opposition parties have been duping Muslims for years, and urged the community to support the ruling National Democratic Alliance to benefit from welfare schemes.

Rajbhar went on to claim that at least 15 to 20 per cent Muslims are going to vote for the BJP and that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will win all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.

“Congress social gathering is primary in duping Muslims, adopted by the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party is on the third place,” Rajbhar told ‘PTI Video’.

With Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar’s announcement that Lok Sabha elections for 543 seats will be held in seven phases, from April 19 till June 1 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4, the Bharatiya Janata Party said that the party is fully prepared for the Lok Sabha elections adding that Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister of the country for the third time.

Shortly after the announcement of the Lok Sabha election dates, reactions from party workers started pouring. The BJP leaders exuded confidence in the party win and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be back in power for the third consecutive time.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal spoke on the LS date announcement in Rajasthan and said, “As quickly because the dates had been introduced, we directed everybody to comply with the ECI. We will go among the many public and can make them conscious of the works finished by PM Modi and also will take suggestions.”

Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant also reacted on the same and said, “We are totally ready for the election that might be occurring in 7 phases. Our alliance Shiva Sena, BJP and NCP are totally ready. Seats might be finalised in 2-3 days.”

Uttarakhand Congress MLA Rajendra Singh Bhandari joined the BJP here on Sunday, in a setback to the grand-old party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Bhandari, a three-term Congress legislator who was also a minister in the state in the past, joined the BJP in the presence of its senior leaders, including Union Minister Piyush Goyal and the party’s national general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam.

Gautam is also the BJP’s in-charge for Uttarakhand.

The Congress is in such a bad situation that even leaders like Sonia Gandhi are taking the “backdoor” Rajya Sabha route to reach Parliament instead of contesting Lok Sabha polls, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday. Rahul Gandhi’s decision-making is full of confusion and the opposition party is not getting candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, which the BJP will win with a record mandate, he told reporters.

BJP MP Hema Malini says, “These elections are crucial not just for the state or the nation but additionally for the entire world. The leaders of the world need PM Modi to change into the prime minister and information them… The recognition of Mathura and Vrindavan has elevated within the final 10 years… River Yamuna can be one of many most important points for us this time…”

On seat-sharing in Bihar, State Minister Santosh Kumar Suman says, “The seat-sharing formality is completed, the announcement is left. I feel that inside 24-48 hours, the declaration is feasible. The talks have been held with every and everybody and all people has considered…”