News

Change in voting procedure: Amendment passed amid opposition’s uproar

Jan 20 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
KARACHI: 

The Sindh Assembly, despite a vehement protest by the opposition and thin attendance on the treasury benches, passed a law to hold the election of mayors, deputy mayors, chairmen, vice-chairmen of local bodies and candidates on reserved seats through a ‘show of hands’.

Earlier, the process was to be held through secret ballot.

Moving an amendment in the Sindh Local Government Act 2013, senior education and parliamentary affairs minister, Nisar Khuhro, said the move would make the election process transparent.

Report: Riyadh Continues to Veto Aoun, Mustaqbal Says No Elections despite Candidacies

Jan 20 2016
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Al-Mustaqbal chief ex-PM Saad Hariri has informed his movement's officials that Saudi Arabia continues to veto the candidacy of Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun for the presidency, al-Akhbar daily reported on Wednesday.

 

Several officials, including al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora, traveled to Saudi Arabia on Monday following Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea's endorsement of Aoun.

 

SC orders vote verification in Khawaja Asif's NA-110

Jan 19 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered verification of votes in Sialkot's NA-110 constituency, where Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had emerged victorious in the 2013 general elections.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali had taken up an application filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Usman Dar, challenging the election of Asif in NA-110.

NA-218 by-elections: Makhdooms record 13th victory from Hala

Jan 19 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
HYDERABAD: 

The Makhdooms of Hala crushed their opponents in the by-elections for their home constituency of NA-218 Matiari on Monday, recording the 13th consecutive victory from the area.

The national assembly seat had fallen vacant after the demise of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians’ chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim in November 2015.

Stability party wants fresh polls after electoral reforms

Jan 19 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The newly-formed opposition party, Security and Stability Council (SSC), on Monday said it would not participate in future elections until electoral reforms were implemented.

Earlier in the day, Independent Elections Commission (IEC) Chairman Yousuf Nuristani told a news conference in Kabul that the panel was technically prepared to hold the delayed parliamentary election on October 15, 2016.

Geagea Nominates Aoun as President, Urges March 14 Alliance to Back him

Jan 19 2016
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced on Monday his support for his rival Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun as president after weeks of speculation.

He declared during a joint press conference with the MP at Maarab: “I declare, after thorough assessment among the LF, the nomination of MP Michel Aoun as president.”

“The LF does not take impulsive or spontaneous decisions, but takes them after deep reflection,” he noted in an indirect reference to Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc chief MP Fouad Saniora.

Fed-up Iranian women organize to take more seats in parliament

Jan 19 2016
Iran
Source: 
Al Monitor

Nine women and 281 men. Such is the composition of the Iranian parliament. Rights activists believe this lopsided gender imbalance is one reason why so many discriminatory laws against women have been passed by the current legislature, in office since 2012. Ahead of the upcoming Feb. 26 parliamentary elections, a group of women's rights activists organized Changing the Male-Dominated Face of the Parliament, a campaign to address the dearth of women in the legislature.

Senate to accept citizens’ complaints against MPs

Jan 18 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD: The Senate is set to implement a new code of conduct which envisages serious penalties for violators including suspension of house membership.

The upper house of parliament passed a draft code of conduct for senators with a majority vote on Thursday. Only three senators, two from JUI-F and one from the ruling PML-N, opposed the initiative. They argued that it would open floodgates of complaints which could in turn tarnish the image of politicians.

Parliamentary, district council elections set for mid-October

Jan 18 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Monday announced the schedule for parliamentary and district council elections.

IEC Chairman Yousuf Nuristani told a news conference that the panel made all technical preparations to conduct the election process on October 15, 2016.

He promised mistakes of the 2014 presidential vote would not be repeated. The coming polls would be fully transparent, he assured, claiming the panel had learnt a lot from past experience.

Bassil Says Legislative Polls Can be Held as FPM Stages 'Proportional' Party Vote

Jan 18 2016
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil stressed Sunday that “nothing justifies postponing the parliamentary polls,” as the FPM held unprecedented internal elections based on the “proportional representation” system.

Bassil voiced his remarks during an inspection tour that saw him visit Akkar, Baalbek-Hermel, Jezzine, Jbeil, Keserwan, Beirut and Aley.

The FPM's polls were aimed at electing regional committees.

Kılıçdaroğlu re-elected as CHP eyes new era with new faces

Jan 18 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was re-elected as chair of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for his fourth consecutive term at his the party’s convention over the weekend, saying he aimed to renew the CHP’s management with “more new and young faces.” 

Kılıçdaroğlu received the votes of 990 delegates out of 1,238, running alone as his sole contender İzmir deputy Mustafa Balbay failed to garner the required number of signatures to be a candidate. 

Turkey academics held 'for criticism of army offensive'

Jan 15 2016
Turkey
Source: 
BBC

Turkish police have detained at least 18 academics who signed a petition criticising military operations in the largely Kurdish south-east.

Fifteen were later released after questioning, the state-run Anadolu agency reported.

The academics are accused of engaging in "terrorist propaganda" and insulting the state.

But the detentions have rekindled concerns about freedom of expression in Turkey, analysts say.

Netanyahu declared Likud leader for seventh term

Jan 15 2016
Israel
Source: 
The Jerusalem Post

The Likud’s election committee decided Thursday to endorse a decision by the party’s internal court to cancel the February 23 leadership race and declare Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the uncontested winner.

The decision ended a legal dispute over whether to hold a single candidate Likud primary once it emerged that Netanyahu was running unchallenged.

Committee chairman, former Haifa District Court judge Menahem Neeman, said Netanyahu would be the party’s candidate for prime minister in the next election and no leadership contest could be held beforehand.

Parliamentary body affirms constitutional amendments, laws for electoral reforms

Jan 14 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The News

ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms on Wednesday gave a nod to constitutional amendments and amendments in electoral laws that needed in electoral reforms package for transparency and fairness in the general elections.

The members expressed its satisfaction over the pace of working of the committee to proposed electoral reforms for the transparency in the election process but still not in hurry to complete the task of bringing the electoral reform package in Parliament for the legislation.

Pages