Bangalore, Mar

New Delhi, Mar 18: The Government on Wednesday gave a formal nod for issuing notifications for the commencement of the general election process.

Talking to reporters here, Home Minister P Chidambaram said the notifications will be issued on March 23, 28 and April 2, 11 and 17 by the President for the five-phase polls beginning April 16.

"The Representation of the People Act requires that the President shall issue notifications for the general elections," he added

New Delhi, Mar 16: The Communist Party on India (Marxist) released its manifesto for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections on Monday.

San Salvador, El Salvador - Leftist candidate Mauricio Funes claimed victory "without a shadow of doubt" late Sunday in El Salvador's presidential election, a historic vote that put an end to a 20-year rule by right-wing party ARENA.

"This was the happiest night of my life," Funes told reporters and supporters.

The still unofficial result was also a step forward in El Salvador's efforts to recover from a bloody 12-year civil war, which ended in 1992 and claimed 75,000 lives.

San Salvador, El Salvador  - Salvadorans headed to the polls Sunday to elect a new president in a vote that could help the strife- torn Central American country put its violent political past behind it.

For the first time in 20 years of rule by the right-wing party ARENA, the leftist FMLN is within reach of the presidency. The election between leftist former TV journalist Mauricio Funes, 49, and right-wing former police chief Rodrigo Avila, 45, however remains too close to call, according to the latest surveys of public opinion.

New Delhi, Mar 4: Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalswami and two Election Commissioners Navin Chawla and S Y Quraishi will visit Lucknow on Tuesday evening to review the poll preparedness for the coming Lok Sabha polls.

During their two-day visit, the team will meet the top State Government officials.

According to official sources, the Commission is scheduled to hold a separate meeting with the chief secretary and director general of police.