Snags hit new election commission website

September 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has put out a list of 123 government officials on its website on Thursday, whom the commission wants to penalize or prosecute for corruption charges. This is for the first time that the CVC has made public the name of corrupt officials.

May 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission's new website, specially created to provide the Lok Sabha election trends and results, developed technical snags in the morning and evening Saturday. The website's server crashed for over two hours in the evening and poll panel officials said it would be set right soon.

May 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for the counting of votes May 16 and all proceedings will be videographed, Chief Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla said here Wednesday. An approximate 60,000 counting staff will carry out the counting exercise in 4,260 counting halls in 1,080 counting centres in the country, Chawla said at a press conference.

May 5th, 2009 JAIPUR - When Bundi district of Rajasthan votes Thursday, election officials will share all polling-related details among themselves through SMSes and with people through website updates. This is being tried out perhaps for the first time in India, election officials said here Tuesday.

May 4th, 2009 KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai officially registered with the Election Commission Monday to stand for re-election in country's presidential polls slated for Aug 20. The incumbent president appeared before the Election Commission Monday morning, naming current Vice President Karim Khalili as one of his running mates.

April 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission has reiterated that the result of opinion/exit polls should not be published from Tuesday evening till the conclusion of polls May 13. 'The result of opinion/exit polls carried out at any time cannot be published, publicised or disseminated in any manner, during the period starting from 48 hours before the hour fixed for conclusion of poll in the first phase of election and till the conclusion of poll in the last phase of election,' the Election Commission said in a statement Tuesday.

April 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission Tuesday sought an explanation from Communications and IT Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia for distributing letters highlighting the achievements of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government. The Election Commission has asked him to file a written reply by Wednesday.

April 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Delhi State Election Commission Friday announced that the nomination process for candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will begin Saturday. Details of the nomination process, which will culminate April 18, will be available in the commission's website, Delhi's chief electoral officer Satbir Silas Bedi said.

April 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram will reply to a Election Commission notice today for allegedly offering poll sops during his Rajasthan visit for a security review.

April 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) underplayed the reports of distribution of money by its party leader Jaswant Singh at an election campaign whereas the Congress party sought action by the Election Commission. However, the party contended that it would take a decision in case the Election Commission takes cognisance of this particular issue.

March 25th, 2009 AHMEDABAD - Noted danseuse and independent candidate from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat Mallika Sarabhai Wednesday regretted that the Election Commission 'does not have the teeth' to debar Varun Gandhi from contesting the polls despite his alleged 'hate speeches'. 'I am horrified by the comments made by Varun Gandhi.

March 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - In order to reach out to the younger generation, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has launched its election campaign website, designed by its 'IT comrades'. The website, www.vote.cpim.org set against a reddish background has the photo of party patriarch Jyoti Basu addressing a mammoth rally.

March 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), using IT tools aggressively in its election campaigns to woo young voters, plans to give a new look to its website, making it more colourful, interactive and vibrant. 'The website is expected to be officially launched Saturday by BJP president Rajnath Singh,' a party source said Friday.

March 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday appointed its general secretary Arun Jaitley as the chief coordinator for its Lok Sabha election campaign. He will be assisted by general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal, according to a party statement.

March 5th, 2009 KABUL - Afghanistan's Election Commission Wednesday rejected President Hamid Karzai's ruling to advance the presidential election to April or May. In January, the commission announced that the election would be held Aug 20.