India and Qatar hold first meeting of Joint Task Force on Investment in New Delhi today

The Commission paid homage to the Father of the Nation at Rajghat this evening, after handing over the names of elected members to the 18th Lok Sabha to the Hon’ble President of India. Model Code of Conduct ceases to be in operation with immediate effect except in the Graduates’ and Teachers’ Constituencies of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana where MCC is in-force due to biennial /bye-elections to Legislative Council from Graduate and Teachers constituencies.

Statement from the Commission after paying tributes to the father of the nation at Rajghat:

“We stand here paying homage to the father of the nation after the conclusion of the sacred task that the nation assigned us, the conduct of the General Election to the 18th Lok Sabha. We stand here with humility in our hearts having catalyzed the will of the people of India in an almost non-violent manner.

“There is no room for violence in democracy”, was the upfront commitment with which the 18th Lok Sabha elections were announced on March 16, 2024. Our inspiration behind this pledge to keep the electoral exercise free from violence was the Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi. He championed equality amongst human beings and espoused democratic rights for all.

In Mahatma’s thoughts, adult suffrage “enables to satisfy all the reasonable aspirations of all kinds of classes”. The long queues at polling stations in a festive mood and the determination to decide their future through the ballot were testament to Mahatma’s cherished ideals and India’s civilizational heritage.

The Commission has, with all sincerity of heart and mind, made its best efforts to make sure that: the right to franchise of the most ordinary Indian is not denied at any cost, and rather it gets vigorously enabled; that the world’s largest electoral contest creates democratic surpluses; and that violence of any form is not allowed to cast even the smallest shadow in the intense activity involving crores of people over our large landscape. All States of India and Union Territories, including Jammu & Kashmir, and Manipur have set an example with their mature conduct that bodes well for the future. Ballots and not bullets are the way to peace and development.

We sign off with the pledge that Election Commission of India’s service to the nation, now in its 76th year, will go on with unflinching dedication. We rebuffed all attempts to vitiate the electoral process with rumors and baseless doubts which could have fomented unrest. The ‘Will’ and ‘Wisdom’ of the common man who has enormous faith in democratic institutions of India have prevailed. We are morally and legally obliged to always uphold the same by conducting free, fair and inclusive elections.

Jai Hind!”