NEW DELHI 17 MARCH 2024 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard https://epaper.morningstandard.in GHOSTS OF RELATIONSHIPS PAST PLUS: 12 PAGES A Display of Mettle MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE VOICES AI Girlfriends Let’s Talk About Love, Baby Anand Neelakantan Sumeet Bhasin Ravi Shankar Neha Sinha CARAVAN OF DREAMS Anuja Chandramouli Santwana Bhattacharya Shankkar Aiyar Namrata Joshi MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT KICKS IN GET A GUAVA FIX CEC Rajiv Kumar on dissent within the poll panel said, “We have a sound tradition–dissent within commission is encouraged, because it is such a complicated exercise, three minds are better than one, we sleep over issues, we take time, we assimilate. Those who can challenge you should be kept close.” Goel, whose tenure was till Dec 2027, resigned on March 9 SWAMI SUKHABODHANANDA SPEAKS Choosing Peace of Mind Greed for Success 969 M CEC ON ARUN GOEL’S SUDDEN RESIGNATION The Model Code of Conduct came into force on Saturday with the announcement of Lok Sabha polls. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar requested all parties to adhere to the norms and warned that the ECI will be ‘ruthless’ if violence takes place Cherrypicking a Blossom Trail Results June 4 ARE THE TOTAL NO OF VOTERS, UP FROM 896 MILLION IN 2019 SOUND BYTES Polling in Bihar, UP & West Bengal to stretch across all 7 phases; Assembly polls in Andhra, Arunchal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim also being held during the 44-day election season 7-PHASE LS POLLS START FROM APRIL 19, COUNTING ON JUNE 4 Listen to me in Kannada: PM Phase Phase  Phase May 7 21 13 12 states 102 89 seats states  April 19 April 26 states May 13 states  Phase 94 seats Phase   Phase   May 20 May 25 10 13 8 states seats states 57 49 seats June 1 7 states 96 seats Phase 57* seats seats * Total number of constituencies is 543. The numbers add up to 544 because Outer Manipur constituency will have elections on two days SAVE THE DATES Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu annoucing the poll schedule in New Delhi on Saturday | PTI M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi THE 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar announced on Saturday. Assembly elections in four states — Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim — and bypolls in 26 Assembly constituencies will also be held during the 44-day poll season. The results of all elections will be declared on June 4. According to the CEC, voters will choose 102 candidates across 21 states in the first phase on April 19. The second phase on April 26 will cover 89 LS seats across 13 states/Union territories. The third phase polling will be held on May 7 in 12 states for 94 seats. The fourth phase on May 13 will seal the fate of 96 seats in 10 states. The next phase on May 20 will see voters in eight states choosing 49 candidates. Phase six on May 25 will elect 57 Parliamentarians across seven states. And the last phase on June 1 will elect candidates in the remaining 57 seats in eight states. Elections in three states – Bihar (40 seats), Uttar Pradesh (80 seats), and West Bengal (42 seats) — will stretch across all seven phases. Of the four states that will have Assembly elections, Arunchal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats) will have polls on April 19, while Andhra Pradesh (175 seats) will have elections on May 13. However, Odisha will vote for its 224-member state assembly poll alongside the 21 Lok Sabha seats in four phases on May 13, 20, 25, and June 1. The dates coincide with the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th phases of the general elections. The poll authority is prepared to counter the challenges of four ‘M’s — muscle power, money power, misinformation, and Model Code of Conduct violations — the CEC said at a press conference flanked by two new Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. “I would appeal to parties to maintain decorum during the campaign and refrain from personal attacks,” Kumar said. Under no circumstances can children be used in campaigning, the CEC warned. He also said advertisements masquerading as news will not be permitted. Kumar said Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir would take place soon after the Lok Sabha polls are over. He said this is due to security concerns as it will be difficult to hold events simultaneously . The ruling BJP is confident of retaining power at the Centre on the back of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image while the Opposition parties are hopeful the voters will give them a chance. The Congress said this was “perhaps the last chance to save democracy and our Constitution from dictatorship”. SEATS PHASE Capital’s big day with polls on May 25 in 6th phase J&K 5 1-5 Ladakh 4 7 1 5 Punjab 13 7 A S H I S H S R I V A S TA V A @ New Delhi Haryana AN estimated 1.47 crore voters in the national capital spread across seven constituencies are set to decide the fate of candidates on May 25 during the sixth phase of polling. In a largely bipolar contest between the BJP and INDIA bloc comprising Congress and AAP the former will fight for its pres, tige having won all seats in the 2019 polls. The AAP-Congress combine will have to prove the strength of the alliance as they drew a blank in the last two general elections. The neighbouring Gurugram will also vote the same day while the elections in Noida will take place on April 26. According to the EC website, there are 79,86,572 male and 67,30,371 female voters while 1,176 electors constitute the third gender. New Delhi with 14.8 lakh electors is the smallest constituency West Delhi with 24.9 lakh is the largest one. . In 2019, the BJP Congress, and AAP were in a triangular con, test. For the upcoming general election, the AAP and Congress have divided the constituencies wherein the former is contesting 4 seats. The Congress will lock horns with BJP in three constituencies. The AAP has already announced its candidates from East Delhi, South Delhi, New Delhi and West Delhi. However, Congress, which will contest from North East, Chandni Chowk and North-West, is More coverage on page 3, 5, 7 & 8 yet to announce its candidates. 7 SEATS, 7 ISSUES Fractured governance: ACB, police, DDA & bureaucracy controlled by L-G Pollution: Often tops most polluted cities in the world list Sanitation: Three garbage mountains Water: DJB yet to supply potable water to all parts of the capital Crime: Accounts for 31% of crimes against women in the country and tops the chart of cities with highest vehicle thefts Himachal Pradesh VITAL STAT Traffic: Congested, parking mostly done on roads Unauthorized colonies & slums: Nearly 40% of the city’s population live in unauthorised settlements and slums 10 6 Female 67.42 L Largest constituency: West Delhi (25 lakh) Smallest constituency: New Delhi (15 lakh) (in terms of no. of voters) 7 6 PRESSINTAKE Candidates list for JNUSU polls | P3 Street vendors to have space | P3 THE Rouse Avenue court on Saturday remanded BRS leader K Kavitha in seven-day ED custody for her alleged involvement in the Delhi liquor policy case. Special judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) MK Nagpal directed that Kavitha would remain in the ED custody till March 23. The ED sought 10-day custody . Kavitha, 46, was produced by the ED in the courtroom in the presence of heavy security. Kavitha termed her arrest illegal. “We will fight it (case) in the court,” she said. Senior advocate Vikram Chaudhary appearing for Kavitha argued that her arrest was a blatant abuse of power that violated an effective stay on her arrest, at least until March 19, when the Supreme Court is due to hear her plea. Chaudhary said the Additional Solicitor General had verbally assured the court that Kavitha would not be arrested until March 19. “Look at the way she was arrested. This is completely illegal,” he said, questioning the manner in which she was arrested. Hours after the SC hearing, the ED entered her house under the garb of searches. The intimation of her arrest was given at 5:20 pm, Chaudhary said. ED’s lawyer Zoheb Hossain, however, said, “The statement was that we will issue her summons after 10 days.” Hossain said that there was no particular order on coercive action by the ED against Kavitha. Assam 1 7 14 1-3 Uttar Pradesh 80 1-7 Bihar Meghalaya 40 1-7 2 1 Sikkim 1 1 * Manipur 25 1&2 2 1 & 2 Gujarat 2 1&2 Tripura 26 3 Madhya Pradesh 29 1-4 Maharashtra 48 1-5 Goa 2 3 Karnataka 28 2&3 Kerala 20 2 West Bengal Mizoram 42 1-7 1 1 Jharkhand 14 4-7 Odisha 21 4-7 Chhattisgarh 11 1-3 Telangana 17 4 Andhra Pradesh 25 4 Puducherry 1 1 Tamil Nadu 39 1 Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 2 3 Andaman & Nicobar Island 1 1 | Lakshadweep 1 1 * In Manipur, people living in camps will be allowed to vote from there with the EC making special two-phase voting arrangements in one of the two Lok Sabha constituencies ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS IN 4 STATES Odisha ......147 seats Andhra Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh Sikkim 13 May 2024 ....28 seats 175 seats 32 seats 60 seats 20 May 2024 ... 35 seats 13 May 2024 19 Apr 2024 19 Apr 2024 25 May 2024 ....42 seats 162 seats in 7 phases across 3 states | P8 1 June 2024 .....42 seats Corruption, dynasty BJP’s main poll plank | P7 S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi ED claimed that K Kavitha was linked to a ‘South Group’ lobby of liquor traders who were trying to play a larger role under the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22. ED alleged that one of the accused, Vijay Nair, received kickbacks of `100 crore on behalf of AAP leaders from ‘South Group’. 2 1 Chandigarh Rajasthan Kejriwal appears in court, gets bail in summons case ED: Part of South Group 5 1 Nagaland Kavitha remanded in ED custody till March 23 S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi Arunachal Pradesh 1 1 Delhi Total seats: 7 Total voters: 1.47 cr Male 79.98 L Uttarakhand IN a partial relief to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a city court on Saturday granted him bail in two complaints filed by the ED for skipping summonses in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy case. The court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra also allowed Kejriwal to leave the courtroom. “Offence being bailable, accused Arvind Kejriwal is admitted to bail,” it said. Kejriwal had to appear before the courtroom physically in the case in compliance with the court’s order. The court directed Kejriwal to furnish a bail bond of `15,000 and a surety of `1 lakh before enlarging him on bail. The ED served him eight summonses, but he failed to appear before the court for questioning. The ED took legal recourse against the AAP leader, to make him available for questioning. The ED moved the court seeking a direction for his availability before it. Kejriwal, through his lawyers — Ramesh Gupta and Rajeev Mohan — argued before the court that he did not miss the ED summonses intentionally but was un, able to do so due to his “hectic schedule as a CM”. Kalaburagi: PM Narendra Modi, who launched his Lok Sabha election campaign in Karnataka from Kalaburagi on Saturday, said that he has utmost love and affection for Kannada. To see his love for the language, people have to go to social media and open ‘NAMO in Kannada’ handle, which allows them to hear his speeches in Kannada in his voice. “Then I will be at your service, you can tell anybody that Modi is in my pocket (Modi Mere Jeb Me Hai). You should support me in promoting respect towards Kannada and it will help us serve Kannada better,” he said. ‘Shramik Nyay’ & ‘Hissedari Nyay’ Bengaluru: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday announced another five guarantees each for ‘Shramik Nyay’ and ‘Hissedari Nyay’. While ‘Shramik Nyay’ promises a job guarantee for the urban dwellers besides `400 as the national minimum wage for labourers that also applies to MGNREGA workers, ‘Hissedari Nyay’ aims to remove the 50% cap on the quota for SCs, STs, and OBCs and raise the quota up to 65%, through a constitutional amendment. The party promises to protect the dwellings of adivasis in forests, including MSP for their products. Akhilesh cousin in Azamgarh poll fray Lucknow: The SP on Saturday released another list of six candidates with party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s cousin Dharmendra standing out as party’s Azamgarh candidate. The other candidates included Dr Mahendra Nagar from Gautam Budhh Nagar, Manoj Rajvanshi from Mishrikh, Bheem Nishad from Sultanpur, Jitendra Dohre from Etawah and Narain Das Ahirwar from Jalaun. As per the seat-sharing deal sealed with the INDIA alliance partner Congress, the SP has got 63. Akhilesh is likely to contest from Kannauj, according to reports. Sen-sational run ends India shuttler Lakshya Sen loses in the semifinals of the ongoing All England Championships in Birmingham Like his quarterfinal tie, Lakshya Sen showed lot of spirit to put up a fighting show on Saturday. However, it was all in vain as he lost against Jonatan Christie of Indonesia More importantly, Lakshya, who was racing against time to make cut for Paris Olympics, would have fetched enough points to consolidate his position in the top-16 (Olympic qualifiers ranking) EXPRESS READ 40 hurt in Haryana factory blast AP student found dead in US At least 40 workers were rushed to hospitals with burn injuries following a blast in the boiler of a spare parts manufacturing facility in the industrial area of Dharuhera in Haryana on Saturday, said the police. An engineering student hailing from Burripalem of Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh was found dead in his car in a forest in Boston. According to reports, he was allegedly killed by thugs. Police registered a case and a probe is on.