News

Pro-Sisi coalitions to dominate Egypt's parliamentary elections

Oct 07 2015
Egypt
Source: 
Ahram Online

Egypt’s High Election Committee (HEC), the judicial body in charge of supervising the upcoming parliamentary elections, announced on Saturday that seven electoral coalitions will contest the first stage of the polls, scheduled between 17 and 28 October.

 

HEC's spokesperson Omar Marawan told a press conference on 3 October that competition for 60 party-based seats in the first stage will be held in two constituencies: the West Nile Delta and Upper Egypt North, Middle and South.

'You Stink' Campaign Stages Protest near Central Bank as Activist Briefly Detained

Oct 07 2015
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

The “You Stink” civil society campaign staged a march from downtown Beirut to the Central Bank in protest against corruption in Lebanon.

The protesters made their way from a Finance Ministry building in downtown and later arrived at the Central Bank in the Hamra neighborhood.

Soon after their arrival, activist Asaad Zebian was arrested with a member of the campaign accusing the security forces of “militia practices.”

81 domestic, 6 international NGOs to observe Egypt’s upcoming parliamentary polls

Oct 07 2015
Egypt
Source: 
Ahram Online

The Egyptian prime minister’s advisor Refaat Qomsan announced on Wednesday that 81 domestic and six international NGOs will be allowed to observe the upcoming parliamentary elections being held between 17 October and 2 December over two stages.

Ten of Egypt’s ministers will be participating in the preparation and elections processes, among other tasks, Refaat said according to Al-Ahram Arabic news website.

At least 6 lawsuits filed following parliamentary elections results

Oct 07 2015
Kyrgyzstan
Source: 
24 News Agency

Darya Podolskaya.-

At least 31 claims and 6 lawsuits were filed following the results of the parliamentary elections. The information was voiced at today's meeting of the Central Election Commission.

As noted, the complaints were received from voters who could not find themselves in the lists, but have passed biometric registration, as well as from parties which stated bribery and transportation of voters. For example, Azattyk party claimed that representatives of SDPK brought about 1,000 voters to a polling station in Alai district.

Kissan bailout package: With Nawaz’s blessing, govt to take ECP to court

Oct 07 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

 

Abdul Manan.-
 
ISLAMABAD: 

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has given the go-ahead for taking the top election supervisory body to court over its decision to stay implementation of certain components of the multibillion-rupee Kissan package.

On September 15, Premier Nawaz had announced the 341-billion-rupee bailout package for farmers in a bid to shield them from the financial impact of the persistent drop in agricultural commodity prices.

PTI alleges its LG candidate tortured, killed

Oct 07 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

LAHORE: PTI leaders Mahmoodur Rashid and Chaudhry Sarwar have alleged that the body of a party candidate for councillor from UC-84 bearing torture marks was recovered from the canal on Monday, demanding early arrest of his killers.

At a joint press conference here on Tuesday, they said the party would not politicise the issue of the first information report (FIR) and heirs of deceased Mian Akbar would be free to nominate the suspects in the police report.

NA-122: Candidates deny violation of poll code of conduct

Oct 07 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

LAHORE: Candidates for NA-122 by-elections Sardar Ayaz Sadiq of the PML-N and Aleem Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) denied on Tuesday before the returning officer (RO) the charges of violating election’s code of conduct.

In written replies submitted through their counsels, both candidates said they were observing the code of conduct announced by the election commission.

Mr Khan said candidates for the upcoming local government elections were also running their campaign and their violations were being attributed to him by the complainant.

PP-16 by-elections: Jahangir Khanzada cruises to electoral victory

Oct 07 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

By Yaqoob Malik

ATTOCK: Jahangir Khanzada, son of the slain home minister of Punjab Col (retd) Shuja Khanzada, stomped home to victory on Tuesday in the by-election of PP-16 Attock-II. A massive outpouring of sympathy decided the outcome of the vote, according to political observers.

As per unofficial results, Jahangir Khanzada polled over 41,700 votes, whereas his nearest opponent, an independent candidate, received a measly 4,420 votes.

Voting for Oman's Majlis Al Shura soon

Oct 07 2015
Oman
Source: 
Times of Oman

Muscat: Voting in the Sultanate’s embassies in other GCC countries and the Commercial Office of the Sultanate in Dubai, will be held on Sunday, October 18, in addition to the working committees who will vote at the election centre in Muscat, Salim bin Humaid Al Hajri, Chairman of Preparation Committee for Majlis Al Shura 8th Term Elections, has said.

Voters from the governorates of Dhofar and Musandam present in the Governorate of Muscat will vote at the same centre, he added.

107 polling stations

PP-16 by-polls: ECP uses Android technology to transfer results from polling stations

Oct 07 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD: In a first, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) used on Tuesday Android technology to transfer results from polling stations to ECP headquarters.

As a test project, results from 61 polling stations of PP-16 constituency of Punjab Assembly were transferred to ECP headquarters before sending hard copies to the office of district returning officers (ROs).

Over 6,900 Jeddah voters dropped out

Oct 07 2015
Saudi Arabia
Source: 
Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The local committee for the upcoming third municipal elections here has dropped out a total of 6,922 men and women voters for various errors or incomplete data.

The committee's spokesman, Saud Al-Tuwaim, said 21 new candidates were added to the list of the contenders.

He said the voters who were registered for the previous elections were 91,547 to which 26,248 new voters were added raising the total number of eligible voters in Jeddah and its suburbs to  117,795.

Municipal poll candidates get list of dos and don’ts

Oct 06 2015
Saudi Arabia
Source: 
Arab News

JEDDAH: Candidates contesting the municipal council elections later this year are banned from using the state logo and flag, mosques, public buildings and sports clubs in their campaigns.
The prohibitions include religious and tribal signs and symbols, names and photographs of public officials, and public and private television stations inside and outside the country, a local publication reported recently.

Terrorist attacks cause tension inside Netanyahu's coalition

Oct 06 2015
Israel
Source: 
The Jerusalem Post

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has become increasingly frustrated with how right-wing ministers in Bayit Yehudi and Likud have reacted to the wave of terrorist attacks, Netanyahu's associates said Monday night.

They said the claims that the IDF was not being given the proper support was "an infuriating lie" and that ministers have been issuing proposals to the press that are already being implemented by security forces under the prime minister and defense minister's directives.

Jumblat: I Have no Problem to Elect Aoun for Presidency

Oct 06 2015
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat stated on Tuesday that he has no trouble to elect head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun as president.

“I have no problem to elect Aoun as president for the Republic as it will change nothing of Lebanon’s difficulties,” said Jumblat in an interview to the As Safir daily.

YSK’s rejection of ballot box relocation an ‘erosion of authority,’ says PM

Oct 06 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has joined criticism of Turkey’s top election authority for its refusal to call for the relocation of ballot boxes in several eastern and southeastern districts, though Deputy Prime Minister Tuğrul Türkeş voiced confidence that security forces and local administrations would find a “formula” for a safe election.

Speaking to private broadcaster Habertürk on Oct. 5, Davutoğlu said the Supreme Election Board (YSK) should consider the appeal to relocate ballot boxes under current delicate security conditions. 

Egypt's human rights council temporary freezes activity of members running for parliament

Oct 06 2015
Egypt
Source: 
Ahram Online

Egypt's National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) said on Tuesday that it will temporary freeze the activity of two of its members who are running in the upcoming parliamentary elections, a council statement read.

 

The council will freeze the activities of rights lawyer Hafez Abu-Seida and journalist Mohamed Abdel-Aziz until the end of the parliamentary elections as the council is one of the entities monitoring the polls and it wants to adhere to "objectivity and independence" during monitoring.

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