Leaders of the BJP and Akali Dal have confirmed that the two parties are in talks for a possible re-alliance in Punjab for Lok Sabha polls. A decision regarding the same would be taken after SAD's core committee meeting on March 22. Watch to know more.

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As the Lok Sabha elections draw near fascinating demographic data has emerged shining light on the undiminished spirit of India's oldest Waters in a remarkable testament to the strength of democracy. Thousands of centenarians across India are gearing up to make their voices heard.

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Disgruntled leaders of Mahayuti alliance who have lost out in the nomination race are flocking to veteran leader Sharad Pawar to explore opportunities for a Lok Sabha ticket from the MVA camp.

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It won't be wrong to say that the startup sector has been the flag-bearer of India's growth story. From around 350 in 2014, the number of startups has risen to over 100,000. This also reflects the growing clout of the sector, which is expected to employ millions in the next decade. This report tells you about the rise of startups in India's economy.

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Is Rahul Gandhi's position on social Justice representation and affirmation action contrary to Congress's historical stance? Congress Working Committee Member and Senior leader Anand Sharma says that the party's recent emphasis on cast contradicts the position taken by former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

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With elections in India just over a month away the drama surrounding electoral bonds continues to make headlines. After days of back and forth, the State Bank of India has submitted all details to the Election Commission of India. Following the submission the poll body has now released all the data on its website.

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First-time voters reveal what their expectations are from the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Watch to know more.

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi addressed a press briefing this morning. The leaders sharply attacked the ruling party over the freezing of the Congress party's bank accounts ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

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As Jammu and Kashmir is gearing up for both parliamentary as well as assembly elections this year, the election commission recently said that women voters will comprise around 49 per cent of the union territory.

The women will have a huge responsibility of deciding the political future of Jammu and Kashmir in these upcoming elections. That's not all,&nbsp;the women of the region are also joining active politics in large&nbsp;numbers.

According to the Election Commission of India, there are around 86.93 lakh (8.69 million) voters in Jammu and Kashmir, and among them 42.58 lakh (4.25 million) are female voters.

This is&nbsp;around 49 per cent of the total voters, which makes them extremely important in deciding the&nbsp;political course of the union territory.&nbsp;&nbsp;The large number of women voters have led political parties to woo them.

''Women will be at the forefront to decide who will govern the union territory. Women will look at the history of political parties and how these parties have worked to empower women. They also look at the educational opportunities created by the political parties. Women will also look at how the political parties&nbsp;stood for women's rights. And also, the representation by the political parties. Women will take a 360 view of what has been done for them. The pink booths are token representations, '' said Ifra Jan, National Conference spokesperson.&nbsp;

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She also added that ''It's not easy to join politics as your character is assassinated. The abilities of women are always questioned. Your dress and what you are saying is what gets judged than what you are doing for society. It's not easy, as it's been the case in all professions but yes, I am very thankful to my political party that stood by me like a rock. We are protected by the party and that's a silver lining here''.&nbsp;

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The&nbsp;representation of women in the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir has been very low. In the 2014 assembly elections out of 831 candidates, only 28 were female contestants. Jammu and Kashmir has only had one female chief minister so far. Mehbooba Mufti, the former chief minister and leader of&nbsp;Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is seeing an increase in&nbsp;participation of women.

''It's not easy but if they join it's not difficult. Our party is led by a female, Mehbooba Mufti, &nbsp;and she came at a time when there were hardly any women in politics. It was a male-dominated area, and she became the first female chief minister of the state. She is an idol for me and the entire women population of the state. I look up to her for the work she has done, and she has been the lone voice of Kashmir. We have to encourage more and more women since there is a reservation, '' said Ahra Syed, PDP.&nbsp;

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The women politicians in the Kashmir valley are happy that 49 per cent of the voters in the union territory are females and are hopeful that they will vote and choose their candidates carefully. Some of them are also inviting young women to join politics to change the political scenario as well as help women in general.&nbsp;

"In the earlier times, it was only men who were given the right to vote but with time things have changed and having so many female voters will bring a lot of change in the society. I am really happy that we women are coming out of our homes and going to polling booths choosing what is good for us and beneficial for us. Women are usually given less credit for the work but this time things will turn around and women will bring change. It used to be difficult to get into politics but with new generations women are getting many opportunities. Women need not to be scared of joining politics. A lot of young women want to come and join politics,'' said Bisma Meer from People's Conference.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir will witness&nbsp;parliamentary polls in the first five phases, while the Supreme Court has asked the Centre&nbsp;to hold assembly elections in the union territory before September 2024.&nbsp;

As Jammu and Kashmir is gearing up for both parliamentary as well as assembly elections this year, the election commission recently said that women voters will comprise around 49 per cent of the union territory.

As Jammu and Kashmir is gearing up for both parliamentary as well as assembly elections this year, the election commission recently said that women voters will comprise around 49 per cent of the union territory. The women will have a huge responsibility of deciding the political future of Jammu and Kashmir in these upcoming elections. That's not all, the women of the region are also joining active politics in large numbers. According to the Election Commission of India, there are around 86.93 lakh (8.69 million) voters in Jammu and Kashmir, and among them 42.58 lakh (4.25 million) are female voters. This is around 49 per cent of the total voters, which makes them extremely important in deciding the political course of the union territory. The large number of women voters have led political parties to woo them. ''Women will be at the forefront to decide who will govern the union territory. Women will look at the history of political parties and how these parties have worked to empower women. They also look at the educational opportunities created by the political parties. Women will also look at how the political parties stood for women's rights. And also, the representation by the political parties. Women will take a 360 view of what has been done for them. The pink booths are token representations, '' said Ifra Jan, National Conference spokesperson. Also Read | Indian student goes missing in US, family seeks MEA's help after getting ransom call She also added that ''It's not easy to join politics as your character is assassinated. The abilities of women are always questioned. Your dress and what you are saying is what gets judged than what you are doing for society. It's not easy, as it's been the case in all professions but yes, I am very thankful to my political party that stood by me like a rock. We are protected by the party and that's a silver lining here''. Also Read | SBI submits complete electoral bond details with unique numbers to Election Commission The representation of women in the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir has been very low. In the 2014 assembly elections out of 831 candidates, only 28 were female contestants. Jammu and Kashmir has only had one female chief minister so far. Mehbooba Mufti, the former chief minister and leader of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is seeing an increase in participation of women. ''It's not easy but if they join it's not difficult. Our party is led by a female, Mehbooba Mufti, and she came at a time when there were hardly any women in politics. It was a male-dominated area, and she became the first female chief minister of the state. She is an idol for me and the entire women population of the state. I look up to her for the work she has done, and she has been the lone voice of Kashmir. We have to encourage more and more women since there is a reservation, '' said Ahra Syed, PDP. Watch | Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev undergoes emergency brain surgery; Indian PM wishes speedy recovery × The women politicians in the Kashmir valley are happy that 49 per cent of the voters in the union territory are females and are hopeful that they will vote and choose their candidates carefully. Some of them are also inviting young women to join politics to change the political scenario as well as help women in general. "In the earlier times, it was only men who were given the right to vote but with time things have changed and having so many female voters will bring a lot of change in the society. I am really happy that we women are coming out of our homes and going to polling booths choosing what is good for us and beneficial for us. Women are usually given less credit for the work but this time things will turn around and women will bring change. It used to be difficult to get into politics but with new generations women are getting many opportunities. Women need not to be scared of joining politics. A lot of young women want to come and join politics,'' said Bisma Meer from People's Conference. Jammu and Kashmir will witness parliamentary polls in the first five phases, while the Supreme Court has asked the Centre to hold assembly elections in the union territory before September 2024.

Jammu and Kashmir's political future hinges on 49pc women voters in upcoming elections

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in India Himachal Pradesh Congress president Pratibha Singh has declined to contest for the Lok Sabha elections citing unfavourable ground conditions. Watch to know more!

India elections 2024: Congress faces jolt in Himachal Pradesh

Days after announcing the 2024 Lok Sabha election polling schedule the Election Commission has cracked its whip. This comes as the Supreme Court of India has refused to entertain please pleading to stay the recent appointments of Election Commissioners.

India elections 2024: IT Ministry directed to 'immediately halt' Viksit Bharat messages

A war of words erupted between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the principal opposition party Indian National Congress. The Congress party has levelled serious allegations of misuse of government agencies for political motives by the ruling Bharatiya Janata party.

India elections 2024: War of words between Sonia Gandhi and Sambit Patra

Congress president Mallikatjun Kharge, senior leader Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi addressed a press briefing this morning. The leaders sharply attacked the ruling party over the freezing of the Congress party's bank accounts ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

India elections 2024: Congress leadership hits out at BJP

Be it the state or the General Elections in India, polling season brings in a wave of freebies not that political parties employ as a last ditch effort to ensure their vote bank.

India Elections 2024: Supreme Court lists PIL against freebies

Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto has been elected president of the world's third-biggest democracy, the elections commission said Wednesday, beating two rivals who have vowed to file legal complaints about the vote.

Indonesia Presidential poll results declared, Prabowo Subianto to become next President

Biggest developments coming in from India at this hour the Election Commission has notified the first phase of the general election in India and this signals the start of the process to file nominations for 102 seats.

India elections 2024: Election Commission of India notifies first phase of polls

Senegal an African nation that is usually known for its stability in an otherwise turbulent region it's now facing a 10th presidential election. The vote originally scheduled for February was delayed by President Saul sparking protests and raising concerns about Democratic backsliding in the country.

Investors watch Senegal elections

There is a lot of buzz over the BJP plans for Varun Gandhi. The Gandhis, the current BJP lawmakers from Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit constituency and his name has not figured in both candidates' lists.

Indian elections 2024: Will Varun Gandhi get a ticket from BJP?

In the year of Elections, that's 2024 keeping the Indian general elections at the centre tech giant Meta has unveiled its strategy to tackle the growing threat of AI-generated content on its platforms. Watch to know more!

India elections 2024: Meta launches India-specific elections operations centre

What elections in India mean for the South Asian region. India has a long history of dominance in South Asia with over 5,000 years of civilizational ties it sees itself as the natural leader in the region to solidify this position India has provided over a hundred billion in development assistance to its neighbours however maintaining this influence is not without challenges.

Indian elections 2024: India's balancing act in South Asia

In Break the fake in which we deal with fake news around the Indian elections 2024 beat the bogus WhatsApp forwards or AI-generated deep fakes. We report them all and tell you the truth behind them.

Indian  elections 2024 | Fact check: Did Manohar Lal Khattar cry after his resignation?

In the vibrant Indian democracy, the sanctity of the ballot holds a sacred place a Supreme Court judgment upholds this principle of secrecy while underscoring the essence of free and fair elections. But beyond the legal mandate, Indian voters have also embraced their right to anonymity in election after election.

Indian elections 2024: Indian voters and the secret ballot

The BJP has finalised its alliance with the (PMK) in Tamil Nadu for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The INDIA bloc is also ready with with heavyweights Congress and DMK who had near perfect records in Tamil Nadu back in 2019.Tamil Nadu is one of the states where BJP scored a duck in 2019. Has the BJP and NDA done enough to counter the mighty INDIA bloc in 2024? How important is it for the BJP to win in T.N. if they want to reach that 370-400 range? Watch this insightful conversation between WION’s Shivan Chanana and Senior Journalist R K Upadhyay from Bengaluru.

BJP’s Tamil Nadu Game Plan | Can NDA score a win in 2024 after an epic defeat in 2019?

The nomination process for the first phase of the Lok Sabha Election 2024 on April 19 has commenced in 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories with the issuance of notification from the Election Commission today. Watch the video to know more.

Rajasthan: Lok Sabha nomination begins

Russia's President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a programme which marked the 10th anniversary of Crimea's annexation, which has been deemed illegal by the Western nations, hailed its "return" to the country from Ukraine.

He said that Crimea had "returned to its home harbour" and added that the territory would move ahead with Russia "hand in hand".

Putin was speaking to thousands who had gathered at the Red Square in Moscow, a day after the Russian president claimed a landslide victory.

The governments of Western nations have condemned the voting, calling it a "sham".&nbsp;

Germany has said that Russia held a "pseudo-election", while the US said it was "obviously not free nor fair." Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Putin of "simulating" another election.

Speaking about the elections, UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said the fact that no serious opposition candidates were permitted to contest the elections, "starkly underlines the depth of repression under President Putin's regime".

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelenskiy-says-russia-will-get-fair-response-for-odesa-strike-700589">Zelensky says Russia will get 'fair response' for Odesa strike that killed at least 20</a>

He further emphasised that conducting Russian elections in annexed Ukrainian territories was an "abhorrent violation of the UN charter and Ukrainian sovereignty".

Putin on Monday (Mar 18) said that the "return" of four Ukrainian regions to Russia was "much more grave and tragic" than Crimea.

"But in the end we did it. It is a big event in the history of our country," said Putin, while calling the occupied territories as being part of "New Russia". As Putin made these remarks, the crowds chanted "Russia, Russia".

<h2>Russia's new railway line to run from Rostov-on-Don to Crimea</h2>

Putin further announced that Russia will lay down a new railway line which will run from their city of Rostov-on-Don to Crimea through occupied Ukraine. This route is likely to serve as an alternative way to the current bridge which connects the peninsula to Russia's mainland.

"This is how together, hand in hand, we will move on. This is what - not in words, but in deeds - makes us really stronger," Putin said.

The bridge, which connects Russia and Crimea and was opened in 2018, has been attacked numerous times and forced to close twice before the war started in Ukraine.

Watch:&nbsp;Russian presidential polls day 2: Over 114 MN Russians eligible to vote

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Earlier in the rally, Putin said that a railway line from Rostov to the occupied Ukrainian cities of Mariupol, Berdyansk and Donetsk had been restored, and it will now be extended to Sevastopol, the Crimean port city.&nbsp;

Putin further thanked the citizens for showing their support in the recent elections, in which he clinched a landslide victory of 87 per cent votes and a fifth term.&nbsp;

Russia&nbsp;held elections for three days and in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine it was held even longer to ensure residents participate in the process.&nbsp;

Putin has been the president of Russia since 2000 and is now set to remain in power till 2030, which will make him the longest-serving Kremlin leader after Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia's President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a programme which marked the 10th anniversary of Crimea's annexation, which has been deemed illegal by the Western nations, hailed its "return" to the country from Ukraine.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a programme which marked the 10th anniversary of Crimea's annexation, which has been deemed illegal by the Western nations, hailed its "return" to the country from Ukraine. He said that Crimea had "returned to its home harbour" and added that the territory would move ahead with Russia "hand in hand". Putin was speaking to thousands who had gathered at the Red Square in Moscow, a day after the Russian president claimed a landslide victory. The governments of Western nations have condemned the voting, calling it a "sham". Germany has said that Russia held a "pseudo-election", while the US said it was "obviously not free nor fair." Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Putin of "simulating" another election. Speaking about the elections, UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said the fact that no serious opposition candidates were permitted to contest the elections, "starkly underlines the depth of repression under President Putin's regime". Also Read: Zelensky says Russia will get 'fair response' for Odesa strike that killed at least 20 He further emphasised that conducting Russian elections in annexed Ukrainian territories was an "abhorrent violation of the UN charter and Ukrainian sovereignty". Putin on Monday (Mar 18) said that the "return" of four Ukrainian regions to Russia was "much more grave and tragic" than Crimea. "But in the end we did it. It is a big event in the history of our country," said Putin, while calling the occupied territories as being part of "New Russia". As Putin made these remarks, the crowds chanted "Russia, Russia". Russia's new railway line to run from Rostov-on-Don to Crimea Putin further announced that Russia will lay down a new railway line which will run from their city of Rostov-on-Don to Crimea through occupied Ukraine. This route is likely to serve as an alternative way to the current bridge which connects the peninsula to Russia's mainland. "This is how together, hand in hand, we will move on. This is what - not in words, but in deeds - makes us really stronger," Putin said. The bridge, which connects Russia and Crimea and was opened in 2018, has been attacked numerous times and forced to close twice before the war started in Ukraine. Watch: Russian presidential polls day 2: Over 114 MN Russians eligible to vote Earlier in the rally, Putin said that a railway line from Rostov to the occupied Ukrainian cities of Mariupol, Berdyansk and Donetsk had been restored, and it will now be extended to Sevastopol, the Crimean port city. Putin further thanked the citizens for showing their support in the recent elections, in which he clinched a landslide victory of 87 per cent votes and a fifth term. Russia held elections for three days and in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine it was held even longer to ensure residents participate in the process. Putin has been the president of Russia since 2000 and is now set to remain in power till 2030, which will make him the longest-serving Kremlin leader after Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014. Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Putin calls Crimea part of 'New Russia', announces new rail line from Rostov-on-Don to Crimea

National Democratic Alliance partners are announcing seat-sharing for the upcoming General Elections. Watch the video to know more.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Battle for Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats

Meanwhile Congress allies are also not sparing any quarter Uddhav Thackeray has called BJP a termite damaging the country the leader has also urged people to prevent it from coming to power again for 'Sachche Din.' Watch to know more!

Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Uddhav Thackeray's 'Sachche Din' jibe at PM Modi

India Elections 2024: Uddhav Thackeray's 'Sachche Din' jibe at BJP

Union Minister Pashupati Paras is reportedly going to step down from his position in prime minister Narendra Modi's cabinet today. The move comes after his party the RJLP did not receive any seat allocations in the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar. Watch in for more details!

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Pashupati Paras resigns from Modi cabinet today

Vladimir Putin has won six more years. This term also poses some important challenges. Let's have a look at some of them.

What are the top challenges Putin is going to face in the new six-year term?

National Democratic Alliance partners are announcing seat-sharing for the upcoming General Elections.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP announces NDA's seat sharing deal for Bihar

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