Kumar is 1st CEC to be appointed under a new law on appointment of EC members. His term will run till 26 January, 2029, days before EC will be expected to announce the next LS poll schedule.
Jammu and Kashmir will witness elections after a gap of ten years. There are a total of 90 assembly constituencies, of which 74 are general, nine are ST and seven are SC.
Move comes after threat perception report by central security agencies recommended a strong cover for Kumar amid preparations for seven-phase general elections that begin on 19 April.
Responding to pleas against 14 March appointments, govt submits that ‘it would have been humanly not possible for one chief election commissioner to discharge his functions alone’.
LS polls round the corner, CEC Rajiv Kumar now sole member of EC after Arun Goel resigned. SC had upheld constitutionality of single-member commission in TN Seshan & SS Dhanoa cases.
EBS is now gone, but ETS is still available, ECI should nudge political parties and the corporate world towards wider use of ETS. Then, at least one part of electoral funding can become cleaner.
During the event, Election Commissioner Arun Goel quoted the Vedas to emphasise that India was the world’s oldest, and not just the largest, democracy.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said 1991 Act on service conditions of CEC, ECs was a half-baked attempt and present Bill covers areas left out by previous legislations.
As Visakhapatnam readies a mega airport, the Andhra Pradesh government has revived its shelved Dagadarthi project, aiming to boost cargo and connectivity on the south coast.
Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries are leaning on drones, but they’re also firing cruise and ballistic missiles, some of them relatively new and experimental.
UK, EFTA already in the bag and EU on the way, many members of RCEP except China signed up, and even restrictions on China being lifted, India has changed its mind on trade.
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