Phase 2 Campaign Ends Today, Supreme court  Set to Decide on VVPAT Request 

Image source:The Economic Times 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will talk at events in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, while Amit Shah and Rahul Gandhi will speak at gatherings in Amravati.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak at gatherings in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. In Chhattisgarh, he’ll address one meeting in Surguja district at 10:45 a.m. In Madhya Pradesh, he’ll hold two meetings, one in Sagar at 2:45 p.m. and another in Betul at 5:15 p.m. Later, there will be a roadshow in Bhopal at 7:15 p.m. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and State Party President V.D. Sharma will accompany him.

Image source : Amar Ujala

Today is the last day of campaigning for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress, saying they support those who cause violence. He spoke at a rally in Chhattisgarh, then will go to Madhya Pradesh.Elections on Friday will happen in 12 states and Union territories. Stay updated on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Rahul Gandhi Starts Campaigning Again After Short Illness Break

Image source: News 18

After taking a short break for health reasons, Rahul Gandhi, the former president of the Congress party, is getting back into campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections. He’ll be holding public meetings in Maharashtra’s Amravati and Solapur on Wednesday. Gandhi had paused his campaign activities since Sunday due to illness, but now he’s returning to the trail.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh confirmed Gandhi’s comeback, mentioning that he’ll speak at a public meeting in Amravati at 12:30 pm, followed by another in Solapur at 3:30 pm. Gandhi missed the I.N.D.I.A. bloc rally in Ranchi on Sunday because of a sudden illness, so Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took his place after addressing a gathering in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna.

Rahul Gandhi, a Congress leader, criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for forgiving loans totaling Rs 16 lakh crore for his wealthy associates. Gandhi argued that instead of benefiting the country, this money was spent on favoring individuals like the Adani group. He suggested that the massive sum could have been used to address various pressing issues, such as creating jobs for millions of young people, providing financial support to millions of women and farmer families, preventing suicides in the farming community, ensuring affordable gas cylinders for all, funding the Indian Army’s expenses for three years, and offering free education up to graduation for disadvantaged youth from Dalit, tribal, and backward communities.

Tension Rises in Amravati as BJP Faces Challenges in Lok Sabha Race

Image source: NDTV

In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, all attention is on the BJP in Maharashtra’s Amravati constituency, where they’ve never won before. They’ve nominated Navneet Rana, who won independently in 2019 and recently joined the BJP.

The campaign has been tense, with controversies like a rally venue dispute between an independent MLA and the BJP. On Tuesday, MLA Bacchu Kadu protested after his rally permission was revoked due to the BJP’s use of the same venue for a meeting with Amit Shah. This has caused tension with the ruling alliance, although Chief Minister Eknath Shinde tried to play it down, stating that priority is given to rallies of “big leaders.” Kadu, founder of the Prahar Janshakti Party supporting the government, has also fielded a candidate in Amravati.

The Supreme Court is expected to give instructions today on a group of requests asking for a complete check of votes cast through EVMs using VVPAT. In these requests, people are asking for every vote recorded electronically to be matched with the paper trail. The Supreme Court asked the Election Commission some questions about this matter, and they will discuss it further at 2 PM today. The case involves petitions filed by an NGO called the Association for Democratic Reforms and others. The court had finished hearing arguments on April 18 and was deciding on its ruling. Today’s session is for giving instructions on what to do next.

 What is an EVM- VVPAT?

An Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) is a device used in elections to record and count votes digitally. It has a screen, buttons, and a place to put your vote. You press buttons or touch the screen to pick your choice, and it gets stored in the machine.

A Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) is an extra part added to EVMs to make voting more transparent and trustworthy. It prints a paper showing who you voted for. You can check if it’s correct before you finalize your vote. This paper gets kept safely in case we need to double-check the votes later. VVPAT gives us a paper record of every vote, so if there are any problems, we can count them manually.

EVMs with VVPATs are used to make sure elections are fair and everyone’s vote is counted accurately.

In conclusion, it is imperative for policymakers to prioritize the implementation of measures that enhance transparency, trust, and inclusivity in the electoral process, thereby safeguarding the fundamental principles of democracy and ensuring the voice of every citizen is heard and respected in shaping the future of our nation.