We respect process and outcome of Arunachal elections: US envoy

October 14th, 2009 KOLKATA - Reiterating India's stand, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh was a constitutional right as the state was an "integral part" of India. Asked for his reaction to China's objection over the prime minister's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Mukherjee said: "The prime minister can definitely visit the state for campaigning or any other purpose." "I too visited Arunachal Pradesh for campaigning and considered it as a legitimate right.

October 13th, 2009 BEIJING - China Tuesday expressed "strong dissatisfaction" over Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, a state whose ownership they dispute. "China is strongly dissatisfied with the visit to the disputed region by the Indian leader disregarding China's serious concerns," Xinhua quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu as saying.

October 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI/BEIJING - India Tuesday rejected China's protest against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, whose ownership is disputed by Beijing, with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee describing it as nothing new and the government expressing disappointment. "It is nothing new.

October 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission Sunday expressed satisfaction over the immediate action the Arunachal Pradesh administration has taken against unregistered motorcycles and vehicle, which were allegedly given free of cost to voters in the state on a large scale. Elections to the Arunachal Pradesh state assembly are to be held on Oct 13.

October 10th, 2009 ITANAGAR - The ruling Congress party has emerged as the frontrunner in the coming assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, with the fractured opposition unlikely to spring any surprises. Elections to the 60-member legislature is scheduled for Oct 13 but voting would take place for just 57 seats.

September 27th, 2009 ITANAGAR - Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu is third time lucky to have been elected unopposed to the 60-member state legislature -- a rare feat for a politician in India. The chief minister and two more ruling Congress members were declared elected unopposed -- sitting MLA Tsewang Dhondup from Tawang constituency and debutant Jambey Tashi from the Lumla seat.

September 27th, 2009 ITANAGAR - Two major allies of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre are raking up the Chinese incursion issue in the run up to the assembly elections in the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh even as Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu maintains that Chinese claims over the state are baseless. Elections to the 60-member legislature are scheduled for Oct 13, although voting would be for just 57 seats with three candidates already declared elected unopposed.

September 5th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - The Election Commission of India (ECI) Saturday indicated that it could consider advancing the counting of votes in assembly elections to be held in Maharashtra and Haryana next month. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Navin Chawla said here that the long gap between the polling (Oct 13) and the counting (Oct 22) for assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh was kept in view of the Diwali festival season next month and also due to the tough terrain in Arunachal Pradesh.

September 1st, 2009 ITANAGAR - The ruling Congress party in the mountainous frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh seems set for another easy electoral victory in the absence of any opposition worth its name. Elections to the 60-member legislature are scheduled for Oct 13 with counting of votes on Oct 22.

August 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The three Congress-ruled states of Haryana, Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh will elect new assemblies Oct 13 in the first popularity test after the April-May Lok Sabha elections. The Election Commission said the results of the single-phase balloting will be known Oct 22.

August 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Assembly polls in the three Congress-ruled states of Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh will be held simultaneously Oct 13, the Election Commission announced Monday. The counting of votes will take place nine days later, Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla told reporters here.

July 31st, 2009 KABUL - The Taliban has called for a boycott of the Afghan presidential and provincial elections scheduled Aug 20 and warned it would launch fresh attacks if its diktat is not heeded. In a statement to the media Friday, the rebels said people must boycott these elections as the polls are backed by the US.

May 16th, 2009 GUWAHATI - Counting of votes for 24 parliamentary seats in the northeast began Saturday amid heavy security arrangements, officials said. Counting of votes began at 8 a.m.

April 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's staggered parliamentary elections began Thursday morning in 124 constituencies spread across 17 states and union territories. Polling centres opened at 7 a.m.

March 31st, 2009 ITANAGAR - The battle lines for elections to the two parliamentary seats in Arunachal Pradesh are drawn with the Bharatya Janata Party (BJP) trying its best to retain both seats, while the Congress party puts up a tough challenge. The firebrand 38-year-old sitting BJP MP Kiren Rijiju is facing a stiff fight in the Arunachal (West) parliamentary seat from former education minister and student leader Takam Sanjay.