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GENERAL ELECTIONS-2009

SUMMARY OF SCHEDULES

NOTE:

a)    Schedule 2A in only for Manipur

       (separate schedule was required due to holiday on 23^rd April 2009)

b)    Schedule 3B is only for Jammu and Kashmir

       (separate schedule was required due to holidays on 13^th and 14^th April 2009)

c)    Schedule 3C is only for Gujarat, Daman & DIU, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Sikkim

       (separate schedule was required since 10^th April 2009 is not a holiday in these states but is a   

       holiday in other states in this phase)

d)    Schedule 5B is only for Uttar Pradesh (separate schedule was required due to holiday on 27^th

       April 2009).

Over 1,300 candidates are in the fray after withdrawal of nominations, for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. 124 constituencies in 15 States and two Union Territories will be covered in this phase on the 16th of this month. 305 candidates are in the fray in Andhra Pradesh for 22 constituencies in Andhra Pradesh, 272 for 16 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 243 for 13 seats in Maharashtra, 224 for 13 seats in Bihar and 217 candidates for 20 seats in Kerala. In the northeast, 37 candidates are left in the fray for three constituencies in Assam, 12 for the lone seat in Nagaland, nine for the lone seat in Manipur and four for the lone seat in Mizoram. A total of 1833 candidates are also contesting for Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh from 154 constituencies in the first phase.

Filing of nominations for the 2nd phase is continuing. 141 constituencies in 13 states are to be covered in this phase. Filing of nominations for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections began today with the issue of notification. 107 constituencies spread over 9 states and two union territories will go to the polls in this phase on the 30th of this month.

Union Ministers Ram Vilas Paswan, Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav, M. A. A. Fatimi, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj and noted danseuse Dr. Malika Sarabhai were among those filed their papers today for the Lok Sabha elections.

With poll days approaching fast, electioneering by different political parties has gained momentum.

Election Commission to decide on Jaswant Singh issue on Monday

The full Election Commission will decide on Monday on the issue of alleged distribution of cash by senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh and a complaint that Home Minister P Chidambaram made certain comments on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at a news conference.

Deputy Election Commissioner J P Prakash told reporters in New Delhi that the Commission has received the CD on the alleged distribution of cash by Jaswant Singh and also papers related to Home Minister P. Chidambaram on the IPL.

The Commission would also consider in the meeting the report sent by the Sports Ministry on the full page advertisements on Commonwealth Games which had appeared in major dailies after the announcement of Lok Sabha polls.

EC advises ministers not to hold press conferences

The Election Commission on Thursday advised Union ministers to avoid press conferences, as far as possible, in view of the polls to the Lok Sabha and certain assemblies. The poll panel asked them to follow the practice of issuing press releases.

The Commission’s directive comes in the backdrop of a BJP complaint against Home Minister P Chidambaram making certain comments on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at a press conference held at the PIB in New Delhi.

Sonia lashes out at Third Front & says only Congress can provide stable govt.

Rejecting the proposed Third Front as momentary, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday claimed that her party alone is capable of providing a stable and efficient government at the Centre.

Adressing an election rally at Berhampur in Orissa she said, creation of new groups like Third Front and so on ahead of the elections is not good for democracy and they cannot provide good governance to the people.

Strongly criticising the concept of fronts, she said these groups coming into being on daily basis would push the country towards disaster as they have no specific plans and programmes.

Hitting out at BJP for raking up the issue of terrorism ahead of the polls, the UPA chairperson asked them to recall that Parliament house was attacked during NDA rule and said no one should try to politicise the issue.

Lalu announces lifetime alliance with LJP

RJD chief Lalu Prasad has claimed that his party has entered into a ‘lifetime’ alliance with Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) of Ramvilas Paswan and the combine along with Samajwadi Party would play a vital role in the country’s politics after the general elections. He was addressing an election rally at Hajipur in Bihar where Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan has filed his papers.

BSP declares its candidates for Punjab, J&K

The Bahujan Samaj Party declared its candidates for Punjab and Jammu Kashmir Lok Sabha seats. Party has declared its 10 nominees including former governor JKN Chhibbar from Amritsar segment in Punjab while five candidates from Jammu and Kashmir constituencies of Jammu, Udhampur, Baramula, Srinagar and Anantnag .

George Fernandes files nomination from Muzaffarpur constituency

In Bihar, 60 candidates have filed their nomination papers so far for the second phase of elections in 13 constituencies of the state. AIR correspondent reports that senior Janata Dal United leader George Fernandes filed as an independent candidate from Muzaffarpur constituency.

Four remain in fray for lone Lok Sabha seat from Mizoram

In, Mizoram, four candidates are in the fray to contest the election to the lone Mizoram Parliamentary seat after the expiry of the last date for withdrawal of candidature on Thursday. No one, among the four persons who submitted nomination papers, has withdrawn his candidature till the last hour of the withdrawal of nominations on Thursday. The election wii be held on the 16th of this month the main contestants would be the Congress nominee C.L. Ruala and Dr H.Lallungmuana, sponsored by the opposition Mizo National Front(MNF) and Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) combine.

Campaigning for Lok Sabha polls at peak in Maharashtra

The state of Maharashtra has the highest number of Lok Sabha seats after Uttar Pradesh. The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party combine and the saffron alliance of Bhartiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena are major contenders in the state for these seats.

Political parties in Maharashtra have begun campaigning to make sure that the party agenda reaches everyone. State NCP President R R Patil says that secularism, nation’s development, industrial and agricultural growth and providing jobs to unemployed will be the main issues of NCP in the state for this election. During the BJP-Shiv Sena campaign in Mumbai, BJP President Shri Rajnath Singh said combating terrorism will be the main issue while Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi during his poll campaigning in the state highlighted the achievements of UPA and encouraged youth to come into politics to work for the poor.

Although other issues like farmer’s suicides, power and water shortage and revival of the money markets are being raised, security of citizens remains the biggest issue raised by all.