Concerts and mass prayers bring lengthy election campaign to close in Indonesia

Former cricketer Rahul Dravid will not be able to cast his vote in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/elections">India's general election</a> as his name has been deleted from the voters' list because Dravid had not signed and submitted Form 6 on time.&nbsp;

The Form-6 application is filled for Inclusion of a name in the electoral roll for the first time voter or on shifting from one constituency to another.&nbsp;

Dravid moved out from his paternal home in Indira Nagar, which falls in Bangalore Central parliamentary constituency, but failed to submit the application for transfer of constituency before the deadline.&nbsp;

Dravid was Karnataka's election icon during the 2018 Assemble Election and his appeal was 'Cast your vote. Make democracy win'.&nbsp;

The officials said that his name could not be added as he had not signed and submitted Form 6 on time.&nbsp;

Bangalore Central, Bangalore North and Bangalore South vote on April 18.&nbsp;

Former cricketer Rahul Dravid will not be able to cast his vote in India's general election as his name has been deleted from the voters' list because Dravid had not signed and submitted Form 6 on time.

Former cricketer Rahul Dravid will not be able to cast his vote in India's general election as his name has been deleted from the voters' list because Dravid had not signed and submitted Form 6 on time. The Form-6 application is filled for Inclusion of a name in the electoral roll for the first time voter or on shifting from one constituency to another. Dravid moved out from his paternal home in Indira Nagar, which falls in Bangalore Central parliamentary constituency, but failed to submit the application for transfer of constituency before the deadline. Dravid was Karnataka's election icon during the 2018 Assemble Election and his appeal was 'Cast your vote. Make democracy win'. The officials said that his name could not be added as he had not signed and submitted Form 6 on time. Bangalore Central, Bangalore North and Bangalore South vote on April 18.

Lok Sabha polls: Cricketer Rahul Dravid won't be able to vote this general elections, here's why

As World's third largest democracy Indonesia is all set to go to the polls on 17th April, Presidential candidates Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto are ready to encounter each other yet again to win the tough battle of 2019 election.

Indonesia presidential election: Prabowo Subianto vs Joko Widodo

Israel Elections: PM Narendra Modi congratulates Netanyahu

As it became clear on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won the Israeli national election, workers were busy cleaning up the waste accumulated on elections day: ballot slips and cardboard ballot boxes.

At the Central Election Committee logistical centre near Jerusalem, about 300 tons of papers carried by hundreds of trucks from voting stations all over Israel, will be disposed of or recycled in the coming days, the committee said.

Netanyahu secured a record fifth term in office despite running neck-and-neck with his challenger Benny Gantz, the country's three main television channels said on Wednesday.

With 97 per cent of the votes counted, neither of the candidates' parties had captured a ruling majority, but Netanyahu was clearly in a strong position to form a coalition government with other right-wing factions that have backed him.

The closely contested race was widely seen in Israel as a referendum on Netanyahu's character and record in the face of corruption allegations. He faces possible indictment in three graft cases and has denied wrongdoing in all of them.

The veteran right-wing leader's Likud party and Gantz's new centrist Blue and White party both won 35 seats, according to the Knesset website and the Israeli TV channels. That would mean a five-seat gain for Likud.

As it became clear on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won the Israeli national election, workers were busy cleaning up the waste accumulated on elections day: ballot slips and cardboard ballot boxes.

As it became clear on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won the Israeli national election, workers were busy cleaning up the waste accumulated on elections day: ballot slips and cardboard ballot boxes. At the Central Election Committee logistical centre near Jerusalem, about 300 tons of papers carried by hundreds of trucks from voting stations all over Israel, will be disposed of or recycled in the coming days, the committee said. Netanyahu secured a record fifth term in office despite running neck-and-neck with his challenger Benny Gantz, the country's three main television channels said on Wednesday. With 97 per cent of the votes counted, neither of the candidates' parties had captured a ruling majority, but Netanyahu was clearly in a strong position to form a coalition government with other right-wing factions that have backed him. The closely contested race was widely seen in Israel as a referendum on Netanyahu's character and record in the face of corruption allegations. He faces possible indictment in three graft cases and has denied wrongdoing in all of them. The veteran right-wing leader's Likud party and Gantz's new centrist Blue and White party both won 35 seats, according to the Knesset website and the Israeli TV channels. That would mean a five-seat gain for Likud.

Over 300 tons of ballot slips and boxes go to waste after Israel's election day

Israel's Arab minority pledges to boycott election

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party said Tuesday it wants the Istanbul mayoral election to be repeated after the Supreme Electoral Council rejected a demand for a recount of all ballots cast in the city.

The AKP had appealed after results showed its Istanbul candidate narrowly lost in last week's local election in what would be a major setback for the party after a decade and a half in power.&nbsp;

"We will take the path of extraordinary appeal... We will say that we want the election in Istanbul to be repeated," the AKP's deputy chairman Ali Ihsan Yavuz told reporters in Ankara.

Electoral authorities would have to decide whether the AKP has a case for a rerun of the Istanbul ballot after a very tight race for the city's mayor.

Former prime minister Binali Yildirim was the AKP's candidate against the main opposition CHP's Ekrem Imamoglu, an ex-mayor of one of Istanbul's districts.

Imamoglu beat Yildirim by around 28,000 votes according to the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) last week but after a recount of nulled votes, the difference between them narrowed.

The AKP earlier Tuesday said the difference between Imamoglu and Yildirim was now 14,604 ballots, while the latest number from the CHP was at 14,463.

The AKP had appealed to the YSK for another recount of all Istanbul votes but this was rejected. The council ruled for only a partial recount of 51 ballot boxes in 21 districts.

"Everyone has to abide by the YSK decisions but we have the right to criticise these decisions. Really, I don't understand the decision to recount 51 ballot boxes," Yavuz said.

The YSK had delayed a decision on one Istanbul district, Buyukcekmece, because of an investigation into fraud claims.

Yavuz said the AKP was making an extraordinary appeal regarding Buyukcekmece "because there are different kinds of irregularities there".

Istanbul police were investigating claims 11,186 people changed their addresses to Buyukcekmece before the local elections, DHA news agency reported earlier on Tuesday.

"There has been some kind of organised goings-on everywhere in Istanbul," Yavuz added without giving further details.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party said Tuesday it wants the Istanbul mayoral election to be repeated after the Supreme Electoral Council rejected a demand for a recount of all ballots cast in the city.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party said Tuesday it wants the Istanbul mayoral election to be repeated after the Supreme Electoral Council rejected a demand for a recount of all ballots cast in the city. The AKP had appealed after results showed its Istanbul candidate narrowly lost in last week's local election in what would be a major setback for the party after a decade and a half in power. "We will take the path of extraordinary appeal... We will say that we want the election in Istanbul to be repeated," the AKP's deputy chairman Ali Ihsan Yavuz told reporters in Ankara. Electoral authorities would have to decide whether the AKP has a case for a rerun of the Istanbul ballot after a very tight race for the city's mayor. Former prime minister Binali Yildirim was the AKP's candidate against the main opposition CHP's Ekrem Imamoglu, an ex-mayor of one of Istanbul's districts. Imamoglu beat Yildirim by around 28,000 votes according to the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) last week but after a recount of nulled votes, the difference between them narrowed. The AKP earlier Tuesday said the difference between Imamoglu and Yildirim was now 14,604 ballots, while the latest number from the CHP was at 14,463. The AKP had appealed to the YSK for another recount of all Istanbul votes but this was rejected. The council ruled for only a partial recount of 51 ballot boxes in 21 districts. "Everyone has to abide by the YSK decisions but we have the right to criticise these decisions. Really, I don't understand the decision to recount 51 ballot boxes," Yavuz said. The YSK had delayed a decision on one Istanbul district, Buyukcekmece, because of an investigation into fraud claims. Yavuz said the AKP was making an extraordinary appeal regarding Buyukcekmece "because there are different kinds of irregularities there". Istanbul police were investigating claims 11,186 people changed their addresses to Buyukcekmece before the local elections, DHA news agency reported earlier on Tuesday. "There has been some kind of organised goings-on everywhere in Istanbul," Yavuz added without giving further details.

Erdogan's party wants rerun of Istanbul election: Official

India Election Watch, 4th April 2019

India Election Watch, 3rd April 2019

Omar Abdullah wants a President and PM for J&K

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - April 1st, 2019

Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey`s all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds.

Erdogan has ruled Turkey for 16 years with an ever-tightening grip and his June 2018 national election victory vastly expanded his presidential powers, alarming Western allies who fear Turkey is drifting deeper into authoritarianism.

But the 65-year-old president could be brought down to earth on Sunday when Turks vote in municipal elections which threaten to inflict the first defeat for his Islamist-rooted AK Party in Ankara or the country`s biggest city and business hub, Istanbul.&nbsp;

Erdogan has portrayed the vote as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his domestic opponents as terrorist supporters and even invoking the New Zealand mosque killings as examples of the broader threats he says Turkey faces.

"It is a matter of survival against those who want to divide this country and tear it to pieces," he told hundreds of cheering supporters at a rally earlier this month in central Istanbul`s Eyup Sultan district, next to a 19th-century mosque.

He has toured the country for weeks speaking up to eight times a day - a punishing routine which showcased the supreme campaigning skills that have made him the most popular and powerful leader since modern Turkey`s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

It also highlighted, his critics say, Erdogan`s growing reliance on divisive rhetoric since a currency crisis in August ended years of strong economic growth which had helped deliver successive election wins for his AKP, attracting support from well beyond its conservative Muslim core.

A steep fall in the lira last Friday revived memories of last year`s meltdown, and provoked a flurry of stop-gap measures to halt a slump on the eve of voting which could erode support.

For many Turks, the vote is all about whether Erdogan can still deliver a decent standard of living.&nbsp;

"A crushing majority of people - including of course voters from the government party and its partners - think the economy is the number one problem in Turkey," said political analyst Murat Yetkin.&nbsp;

Some polls give the main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) candidate in Ankara, Mansur Yavas, a lead over his AKP rival. In Istanbul, where the AKP is fielding former prime minister Binali Yildirim, the race appears close with the CHP.&nbsp;

Other cities may also be seized by the secularist opposition party.

REFERENDUM ON ERDOGAN

Analysts caution against reading too much into polling data - Erdogan won a first-round presidential victory last year, defying many expectations - and even if the AKP were to lose, it would not diminish the president`s official powers.

But those very powers that he assumed last year leave him increasingly exposed when things go wrong.

"The whole system has been so centralised around one individual that even a municipal election is a referendum on Erdogan himself," said Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of Teneo political risk advisers.

Defeat in either city would bring to an end a quarter century of rule by Erdogan`s AKP and its Islamist predecessors, and deal a symbolic blow to a leader who launched his career in local politics and served as mayor of Istanbul in the 1990s.

For two months he has addressed rally after rally, repeating well-honed presentations that include campaign songs, gifts of tea to supporters and lists of AKP achievements from garbage clearing to home building and infrastructure mega-projects.&nbsp;

Overwhelmingly supportive media broadcast hours of live coverage. Campaign posters proclaim that Istanbul is "a love story" for the AKP, and municipal duties are a "labour of love".

But Erdogan also promises his political opponents he will "bury them in the ballot boxes" just as Turkey`s armed forces have killed militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which he regularly links to the pro-Kurdish HDP party.&nbsp;

In the speech in Eyup Sultan he said CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, an election ally of the HDP, was "arm in arm" with a terrorist organisation. "Who is behind him? Terrorists are behind him. Mr Kemal is walking together with them".

The CHP and HDP deny any links to the PKK.

To his passionate supporters, Erdogan is speaking a self-evident truth. "I see, I hear, and I believe what I see and hear - not just what Reis (the chief) says," Ismail Zeybek, a 40-year-old electrician, said at the rally.

Others say that by portraying the vote as a question of survival, the president is splitting his country. "What kind of relation could there be between local elections and existence? He is trying to win votes by polarizing," said Mert Efe, a resident of Istanbul`s Besiktas district, a CHP stronghold.

When a lone gunman opened fire in two mosques in New Zealand a fortnight ago, Erdogan said if anyone tried to come to Turkey to do harm they would be sent back "in caskets" like Australian and New Zealand troops who fought Ottoman soldiers in Gallipoli a century ago.

He repeatedly showed extracts from the gunman`s manifesto, which he said threatened Turkey and Erdogan himself, as well as blurred footage from the shooting itself - even after New Zealand`s foreign minister flew to Turkey to ask him to stop.

"Looking at the rhetoric he is using, we have never seen this before on a municipal level. It`s unprecedented," Piccoli said. "This concentration of power is running short of ideas, that is why he is pushing more and more this nationalist, religious agenda."

In the final days of campaigning Erdogan also revived calls for Istanbul`s Hagia Sophia museum - the foremost cathedral in Christendom for 900 years and then one of Islam`s greatest mosques for 500 years until 1935 - to become a mosque again.

FOUR MORE YEARS?

After winning a 2017 referendum on his powerful executive presidency, and then last year`s hard-fought parliamentary and presidential elections, Erdogan could in theory enjoy the next four years free from electoral challenge.

A poor showing on Sunday, however, would strain his parliamentary alliance with the nationalist MHP party, raising the possibility that Erdogan could be back on the campaign trail sooner than the next scheduled national elections in 2023.

If the AKP suffers a "large-scale shock" involving the loss of both Ankara and Istanbul, or saw the share of the vote taken by the AKP/MHP alliance fall well below 50 per cent, it would be a clear sign that Erdogan`s party is on the wane, said Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and analyst at Carnegie Europe.&nbsp;

"That would have consequences over time. It would make it more difficult to hold onto power through 2023, especially given that this perceived political weakness would be combined with the economic slowdown," Ulgen said.

If the vote does not go the way Erdogan hopes, he will be faced with a more immediate decision on Sunday night.&nbsp;

Asked whether he plans to address supporters again as he did triumphantly from his AKP headquarters in Ankara last June, Erdogan said his balcony speech had become an election night tradition.

"We did this in every election. I think it would not be right if we didn`t do it at this election. But we have not sat down with colleagues to make this decision yet."

Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey`s all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds.

Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey`s all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds. Erdogan has ruled Turkey for 16 years with an ever-tightening grip and his June 2018 national election victory vastly expanded his presidential powers, alarming Western allies who fear Turkey is drifting deeper into authoritarianism. But the 65-year-old president could be brought down to earth on Sunday when Turks vote in municipal elections which threaten to inflict the first defeat for his Islamist-rooted AK Party in Ankara or the country`s biggest city and business hub, Istanbul. Erdogan has portrayed the vote as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his domestic opponents as terrorist supporters and even invoking the New Zealand mosque killings as examples of the broader threats he says Turkey faces. "It is a matter of survival against those who want to divide this country and tear it to pieces," he told hundreds of cheering supporters at a rally earlier this month in central Istanbul`s Eyup Sultan district, next to a 19th-century mosque. He has toured the country for weeks speaking up to eight times a day - a punishing routine which showcased the supreme campaigning skills that have made him the most popular and powerful leader since modern Turkey`s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. It also highlighted, his critics say, Erdogan`s growing reliance on divisive rhetoric since a currency crisis in August ended years of strong economic growth which had helped deliver successive election wins for his AKP, attracting support from well beyond its conservative Muslim core. A steep fall in the lira last Friday revived memories of last year`s meltdown, and provoked a flurry of stop-gap measures to halt a slump on the eve of voting which could erode support. For many Turks, the vote is all about whether Erdogan can still deliver a decent standard of living. "A crushing majority of people - including of course voters from the government party and its partners - think the economy is the number one problem in Turkey," said political analyst Murat Yetkin. Some polls give the main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) candidate in Ankara, Mansur Yavas, a lead over his AKP rival. In Istanbul, where the AKP is fielding former prime minister Binali Yildirim, the race appears close with the CHP. Other cities may also be seized by the secularist opposition party. REFERENDUM ON ERDOGAN Analysts caution against reading too much into polling data - Erdogan won a first-round presidential victory last year, defying many expectations - and even if the AKP were to lose, it would not diminish the president`s official powers. But those very powers that he assumed last year leave him increasingly exposed when things go wrong. "The whole system has been so centralised around one individual that even a municipal election is a referendum on Erdogan himself," said Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of Teneo political risk advisers. Defeat in either city would bring to an end a quarter century of rule by Erdogan`s AKP and its Islamist predecessors, and deal a symbolic blow to a leader who launched his career in local politics and served as mayor of Istanbul in the 1990s. For two months he has addressed rally after rally, repeating well-honed presentations that include campaign songs, gifts of tea to supporters and lists of AKP achievements from garbage clearing to home building and infrastructure mega-projects. Overwhelmingly supportive media broadcast hours of live coverage. Campaign posters proclaim that Istanbul is "a love story" for the AKP, and municipal duties are a "labour of love". But Erdogan also promises his political opponents he will "bury them in the ballot boxes" just as Turkey`s armed forces have killed militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which he regularly links to the pro-Kurdish HDP party. In the speech in Eyup Sultan he said CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, an election ally of the HDP, was "arm in arm" with a terrorist organisation. "Who is behind him? Terrorists are behind him. Mr Kemal is walking together with them". The CHP and HDP deny any links to the PKK. To his passionate supporters, Erdogan is speaking a self-evident truth. "I see, I hear, and I believe what I see and hear - not just what Reis (the chief) says," Ismail Zeybek, a 40-year-old electrician, said at the rally. Others say that by portraying the vote as a question of survival, the president is splitting his country. "What kind of relation could there be between local elections and existence? He is trying to win votes by polarizing," said Mert Efe, a resident of Istanbul`s Besiktas district, a CHP stronghold. When a lone gunman opened fire in two mosques in New Zealand a fortnight ago, Erdogan said if anyone tried to come to Turkey to do harm they would be sent back "in caskets" like Australian and New Zealand troops who fought Ottoman soldiers in Gallipoli a century ago. He repeatedly showed extracts from the gunman`s manifesto, which he said threatened Turkey and Erdogan himself, as well as blurred footage from the shooting itself - even after New Zealand`s foreign minister flew to Turkey to ask him to stop. "Looking at the rhetoric he is using, we have never seen this before on a municipal level. It`s unprecedented," Piccoli said. "This concentration of power is running short of ideas, that is why he is pushing more and more this nationalist, religious agenda." In the final days of campaigning Erdogan also revived calls for Istanbul`s Hagia Sophia museum - the foremost cathedral in Christendom for 900 years and then one of Islam`s greatest mosques for 500 years until 1935 - to become a mosque again. FOUR MORE YEARS? After winning a 2017 referendum on his powerful executive presidency, and then last year`s hard-fought parliamentary and presidential elections, Erdogan could in theory enjoy the next four years free from electoral challenge. A poor showing on Sunday, however, would strain his parliamentary alliance with the nationalist MHP party, raising the possibility that Erdogan could be back on the campaign trail sooner than the next scheduled national elections in 2023. If the AKP suffers a "large-scale shock" involving the loss of both Ankara and Istanbul, or saw the share of the vote taken by the AKP/MHP alliance fall well below 50 per cent, it would be a clear sign that Erdogan`s party is on the wane, said Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and analyst at Carnegie Europe. "That would have consequences over time. It would make it more difficult to hold onto power through 2023, especially given that this perceived political weakness would be combined with the economic slowdown," Ulgen said. If the vote does not go the way Erdogan hopes, he will be faced with a more immediate decision on Sunday night. Asked whether he plans to address supporters again as he did triumphantly from his AKP headquarters in Ankara last June, Erdogan said his balcony speech had become an election night tradition. "We did this in every election. I think it would not be right if we didn`t do it at this election. But we have not sat down with colleagues to make this decision yet."

Erdogan fights to hold Turkey's cities in bitter election battle

India Election Watch: Latest updates, 25th March 2019

Breaking News: Indian General election dates to be announced today

North Koreans go to the polls Sunday for an election in which there can be only one winner.

Leader Kim Jong Un's ruling Workers' Party has an iron grip on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as the isolated, nuclear-armed country is officially known.

But every five years it holds an election for the rubber stamp legislature, known as the Supreme People's Assembly.

And in keeping with one of Pyongyang's most enduring slogans -- "Single-minded unity" -- there is only one approved name on each of the ballot papers.

Voters have the opportunity to cross it out before casting their ballot, but in practice that is unknown.

Turnout last time was 99.97 per cent, according to the official KCNA news agency –- only those who were abroad or "working in oceans" did not take part. And the vote was 100 per cent in favour of the named candidates.

"We regard all the people in our country as one family so we will unite with one mind and we will vote for the agreed candidate," Socialist Women's Union official Song Yang Ran, 57, told AFP ahead of this year's poll.

Ordinary North Koreans always express total support for the authorities when speaking to foreign media.

"Our system is the best," Song said when asked her opinion of elections that have several names on the ballot paper.

"We acknowledge no one but the Supreme Leader," she added, referring to Kim Jong Un.&nbsp;

"And we will hold the respected Marshal in high esteem forever."

Ritual exercise&nbsp; 
With a total absence of electoral competition, analysts say the vote is held largely as a political rite to enable the authorities to claim a mandate from the people.

It was the result of "established institutional inertia and a need to legitimise the government by simulating democratic procedure", said Andrei Lankov of Korea Risk Group.

Soviet-style Communist states had a long tradition of holding general elections, he said, even if the ruling party ignored its own rules about holding regular congresses –- something the North skipped for more than 30 years.

"North Korea is just emulating all other Communist states," he said.

"The early Communists sincerely believed that they were producing a democracy the world had never seen. So they needed elections and it became a very important part of self-legitimisation."

The last significant government of a major country to dispense with elections altogether was Nazi Germany, he pointed out.

The North is divided into constituencies for the vote –- there were 686 at the last election in 2014 when Kim stood in Mount Paektu, a dormant volcano on the border with China revered as the spiritual birthplace of the Korean people.&nbsp;

He received a 100 per cent turnout and 100 per cent in favour according to KCNA.

Some of the seats are allocated to two minor parties, the Korean Social Democratic Party and the Chondoist Chongdu Party, which has its roots in a 20th-century Korean religious movement.

They are both in a formal alliance with the ruling party and analysts and diplomats say they exist largely on paper, with only small central offices maintained for propaganda purposes.

Even so, participation in the poll, like other "obligatory rituals" in the North, does reinforce loyalty to the government and social unity, Lankov said, "because humans love symbolism".

In an article headlined "Superior Election System of DPRK", KCNA said the vote was an important occasion "displaying the solidity and invincibility of the socialist system in which the leader, the party and the masses form a harmonious whole".

North Koreans go to the polls Sunday for an election in which there can be only one winner. Leader Kim Jong Un's ruling Workers' Party has an iron grip on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as the isolated, nuclear-armed country is officially known.

North Koreans go to the polls Sunday for an election in which there can be only one winner. Leader Kim Jong Un's ruling Workers' Party has an iron grip on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as the isolated, nuclear-armed country is officially known. But every five years it holds an election for the rubber stamp legislature, known as the Supreme People's Assembly. And in keeping with one of Pyongyang's most enduring slogans -- "Single-minded unity" -- there is only one approved name on each of the ballot papers. Voters have the opportunity to cross it out before casting their ballot, but in practice that is unknown. Turnout last time was 99.97 per cent, according to the official KCNA news agency –- only those who were abroad or "working in oceans" did not take part. And the vote was 100 per cent in favour of the named candidates. "We regard all the people in our country as one family so we will unite with one mind and we will vote for the agreed candidate," Socialist Women's Union official Song Yang Ran, 57, told AFP ahead of this year's poll. Ordinary North Koreans always express total support for the authorities when speaking to foreign media. "Our system is the best," Song said when asked her opinion of elections that have several names on the ballot paper. "We acknowledge no one but the Supreme Leader," she added, referring to Kim Jong Un. "And we will hold the respected Marshal in high esteem forever." Ritual exercise With a total absence of electoral competition, analysts say the vote is held largely as a political rite to enable the authorities to claim a mandate from the people. It was the result of "established institutional inertia and a need to legitimise the government by simulating democratic procedure", said Andrei Lankov of Korea Risk Group. Soviet-style Communist states had a long tradition of holding general elections, he said, even if the ruling party ignored its own rules about holding regular congresses –- something the North skipped for more than 30 years. "North Korea is just emulating all other Communist states," he said. "The early Communists sincerely believed that they were producing a democracy the world had never seen. So they needed elections and it became a very important part of self-legitimisation." The last significant government of a major country to dispense with elections altogether was Nazi Germany, he pointed out. The North is divided into constituencies for the vote –- there were 686 at the last election in 2014 when Kim stood in Mount Paektu, a dormant volcano on the border with China revered as the spiritual birthplace of the Korean people. He received a 100 per cent turnout and 100 per cent in favour according to KCNA. Some of the seats are allocated to two minor parties, the Korean Social Democratic Party and the Chondoist Chongdu Party, which has its roots in a 20th-century Korean religious movement. They are both in a formal alliance with the ruling party and analysts and diplomats say they exist largely on paper, with only small central offices maintained for propaganda purposes. Even so, participation in the poll, like other "obligatory rituals" in the North, does reinforce loyalty to the government and social unity, Lankov said, "because humans love symbolism". In an article headlined "Superior Election System of DPRK", KCNA said the vote was an important occasion "displaying the solidity and invincibility of the socialist system in which the leader, the party and the masses form a harmonious whole".

Democracy, DPRK style: North Korea holds election

Senegal's President Macky Sall won in the first round of the election Sunday, his prime minister said, although his two main challengers look set to contest the outcome.

"The results allow us to say that we should congratulate President Macky Sall on his re-election," Prime Minister Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne said at midnight, predicting the incumbent would receive "at least 57 per cent" of the vote.

His announcement hours after polls closed was greeted with cheers from supporters gathered at the headquarters of the presidential coalition in Dakar. Sall, who was seen there earlier in the evening, did not speak.

Official results from each region are not expected until Tuesday with a nationwide announcement by Friday midnight at the latest. If no one wins more than 50 per cent a second-round runoff will be held on March 24.

Shortly before Dionne's announcement, Sall's two main challengers had warned against premature proclamations of victory.

"At this stage, a second round is announced and the results that are already compiled allow us to say so," said former prime minister Idrissa Seck, who was making his third run for president.

"At the current state of the vote count, no candidate, I say no candidate, including myself, can claim to have won the presidential election," taxman-turned MP Ousmane Sonko, who was also in the race, added at their joint press conference.

Seck and Sonko are the only two candidates seen as having a chance of making it to a second round, with incumbent Sall, 56, in the lead in many polling stations, according to preliminary results reported in the evening by local media.

The other challengers, former foreign minister Madicke Niang and Issa Sall of the Unity and Assembly Party (PUR), were trailing far behind, according to the results.

Macky Sall had looked set to cruise to victory in the first round after his two key rivals, popular former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade, son of the previous president, were banned from running over graft convictions and he only faced four lesser-known candidates.

"At the end of this day, the Senegalese people alone will be the winner. And the president chosen will equally have to be president of all Senegalese," Sall said after voting Sunday.

A geologist by training, Sall took over as president in 2012 after beating his former mentor Abdoulaye Wade, and this time, he has campaigned for a second term championing his "Emerging Senegal" infrastructure project to boost economic growth.&nbsp;

"Victory in the first round is indisputable," Sall told a recent Dakar campaign rally.

The EU observation mission said its overall assessment was "quite positive" among the polling stations it observed.

"There has been very little violence, very isolated incidents, which is very good news," said Elena Valenciano, head of the mission.&nbsp;

A smaller lineup&nbsp;

Often held up as a model of stability in Africa, Senegal has enjoyed strong growth. The Muslim-majority country has largely escaped the jihadist attacks that destabilised neighbours such as Mali.

Sall has made transport infrastructure a priority. But basic services, healthcare and education often remain inadequate, sometimes triggering strikes and protests.

The other four candidates have campaigned hard against his plans for the second phase of his project, which critics see as a potential debt burden.

The five-horse race leaves voters with a limited choice compared to 2012 when 14 candidates vied for the top post.&nbsp;

A new system approved by parliament last year requires candidates demonstrate support from a minimum number of citizens and regions.

Once the regulations went into force, only seven candidates made the cut, but two of them -- Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade -- were then disqualified.

Both men were barred over their convictions for misuse of public funds, which they say were engineered to bar them from the race.

Their supporters staged a number of protests and last year, Amnesty International issued a report highlighting the "unfair trials" of senior opposition figures, flagging a "lack of (judicial) independence" in the case against Khalifa Sall.

Senegal has a population of 16 million but only 6.7 million were registered to vote in the West African nation which gained independence from France in 1960.

Senegal has known two peaceful power transfers in 2000 and 2012 and has never experienced any coups. But election campaigns are often marred by charges of corruption, disinformation and sometimes violence.

For polling day, some 8,000 police were deployed throughout urban areas alongside an unspecified number of civilian security staff, officials said.&nbsp;

And around 5,000 observers -- including some from the European Union -- were monitoring proceedings, the interior ministry said.&nbsp;

Senegal's President Macky Sall won in the first round of the election Sunday, his prime minister said, although his two main challengers look set to contest the outcome.

Senegal's President Macky Sall won in the first round of the election Sunday, his prime minister said, although his two main challengers look set to contest the outcome. "The results allow us to say that we should congratulate President Macky Sall on his re-election," Prime Minister Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne said at midnight, predicting the incumbent would receive "at least 57 per cent" of the vote. His announcement hours after polls closed was greeted with cheers from supporters gathered at the headquarters of the presidential coalition in Dakar. Sall, who was seen there earlier in the evening, did not speak. Official results from each region are not expected until Tuesday with a nationwide announcement by Friday midnight at the latest. If no one wins more than 50 per cent a second-round runoff will be held on March 24. Shortly before Dionne's announcement, Sall's two main challengers had warned against premature proclamations of victory. "At this stage, a second round is announced and the results that are already compiled allow us to say so," said former prime minister Idrissa Seck, who was making his third run for president. "At the current state of the vote count, no candidate, I say no candidate, including myself, can claim to have won the presidential election," taxman-turned MP Ousmane Sonko, who was also in the race, added at their joint press conference. Seck and Sonko are the only two candidates seen as having a chance of making it to a second round, with incumbent Sall, 56, in the lead in many polling stations, according to preliminary results reported in the evening by local media. The other challengers, former foreign minister Madicke Niang and Issa Sall of the Unity and Assembly Party (PUR), were trailing far behind, according to the results. Macky Sall had looked set to cruise to victory in the first round after his two key rivals, popular former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade, son of the previous president, were banned from running over graft convictions and he only faced four lesser-known candidates. "At the end of this day, the Senegalese people alone will be the winner. And the president chosen will equally have to be president of all Senegalese," Sall said after voting Sunday. A geologist by training, Sall took over as president in 2012 after beating his former mentor Abdoulaye Wade, and this time, he has campaigned for a second term championing his "Emerging Senegal" infrastructure project to boost economic growth. "Victory in the first round is indisputable," Sall told a recent Dakar campaign rally. The EU observation mission said its overall assessment was "quite positive" among the polling stations it observed. "There has been very little violence, very isolated incidents, which is very good news," said Elena Valenciano, head of the mission. A smaller lineup Often held up as a model of stability in Africa, Senegal has enjoyed strong growth. The Muslim-majority country has largely escaped the jihadist attacks that destabilised neighbours such as Mali. Sall has made transport infrastructure a priority. But basic services, healthcare and education often remain inadequate, sometimes triggering strikes and protests. The other four candidates have campaigned hard against his plans for the second phase of his project, which critics see as a potential debt burden. The five-horse race leaves voters with a limited choice compared to 2012 when 14 candidates vied for the top post. A new system approved by parliament last year requires candidates demonstrate support from a minimum number of citizens and regions. Once the regulations went into force, only seven candidates made the cut, but two of them -- Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade -- were then disqualified. Both men were barred over their convictions for misuse of public funds, which they say were engineered to bar them from the race. Their supporters staged a number of protests and last year, Amnesty International issued a report highlighting the "unfair trials" of senior opposition figures, flagging a "lack of (judicial) independence" in the case against Khalifa Sall. Senegal has a population of 16 million but only 6.7 million were registered to vote in the West African nation which gained independence from France in 1960. Senegal has known two peaceful power transfers in 2000 and 2012 and has never experienced any coups. But election campaigns are often marred by charges of corruption, disinformation and sometimes violence. For polling day, some 8,000 police were deployed throughout urban areas alongside an unspecified number of civilian security staff, officials said. And around 5,000 observers -- including some from the European Union -- were monitoring proceedings, the interior ministry said.

Senegal's Sall wins re-election in first round: PM Abdallah Dionne 

A helicopter carrying Nigeria's Vice President crash-landed on Saturday en route to a political campaign two weeks before an election, but he survived the incident in central Kogi state unharmed, saying later he was safe and sound.

Nigerian go to the polls on February 16 to elect a new president in an election where the incumbent Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy have been touring the country to woo voters for a second term in office.

A video on the Twitter account of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, showed him cheering to supporters after the incident. He posted: "We are safe and sound!"

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear. Spokesman Laolu Akande said the vice president was continuing his engagements in Kogi state.

"VP Osinbajo's chopper crash lands in Kabba, but he and the entire crew is safe," the spokesman tweeted.

Nigeria's airlines are plagued by problems - delays, cancellations and fuel shortages that are almost expected from domestic passengers. However, safety records have been improving in recent years.

Political party candidates have been campaigning across the country to market their plans on how they intend to lead one of Africa's top economies over the next four years, with the key issues being corruption, security and the economy.

Buhari is hoping his anti-corruption agenda can win him a second term while the main opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar has said he would consider an amnesty for corruption suspects and privatise the state-owned oil company NNPC.

A helicopter carrying Nigeria's Vice President crash-landed on Saturday en route to a political campaign two weeks before an election, but he survived the incident in central Kogi state unharmed, saying later he was safe and sound.

A helicopter carrying Nigeria's Vice President crash-landed on Saturday en route to a political campaign two weeks before an election, but he survived the incident in central Kogi state unharmed, saying later he was safe and sound. Nigerian go to the polls on February 16 to elect a new president in an election where the incumbent Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy have been touring the country to woo voters for a second term in office. A video on the Twitter account of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, showed him cheering to supporters after the incident. He posted: "We are safe and sound!" The cause of the accident was not immediately clear. Spokesman Laolu Akande said the vice president was continuing his engagements in Kogi state. "VP Osinbajo's chopper crash lands in Kabba, but he and the entire crew is safe," the spokesman tweeted. Nigeria's airlines are plagued by problems - delays, cancellations and fuel shortages that are almost expected from domestic passengers. However, safety records have been improving in recent years. Political party candidates have been campaigning across the country to market their plans on how they intend to lead one of Africa's top economies over the next four years, with the key issues being corruption, security and the economy. Buhari is hoping his anti-corruption agenda can win him a second term while the main opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar has said he would consider an amnesty for corruption suspects and privatise the state-owned oil company NNPC.

Nigeria vice president survives chopper crash weeks before election

Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) withdrew over Rs 5,300 crore from the Indian capital markets in January, indicating their 'wait and watch' approach ahead of the general elections.

Prior to this, they had infused a net sum of over Rs 17,000 crore in the capital markets — equity and debt — during November and December 2018. In October, they had pulled out a massive Rs 38,900 crore.

According to data available with the depositories, FPIs pulled out a net amount of Rs 5,264 crore from equities and Rs 97 crore from the debt markets last month, taking the total outflow to Rs 5,361 crore.

"Investors are taking a cautious approach given their focus on global headwinds and upcoming general election," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services Ltd.

It has not been a good start of the year with regards to FPI flows and clearly, they are continuing with their cautious or 'wait and watch' stance towards India, which they have been maintaining for a long time, said Himanshu Srivastava, Senior Analyst Manager Research at Morningstar Investment Adviser India.

He further said the focus would continue to be on economic growth and the general elections.

Other factors such as movement in crude prices and currency, which would have a bearing on the country's macro-environment, and worries over global trade war will continue to guide the direction of FPI flows, Srivastava added.

Echoing the views, Alok Agarwala, Senior VP and Head Investment Analytics at Bajaj Capital, said FPI flows would continue to be volatile in the coming months.

"The outflows could continue further with escalating trade disputes. The domestic macroeconomic concerns viz, weakness in currency, movement of crude oil prices, trade deficit would also weigh on inflows," he said.

"As a base case scenario, we could expect overall net flows to turn marginally positive in case external conditions improve in the next few months as one of the factors, that is oil prices, corrected sharply in last few months," he added. 
&nbsp;

Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) withdrew over Rs 5,300 crore from the Indian capital markets in January, indicating their 'wait and watch' approach ahead of the general elections.

Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) withdrew over Rs 5,300 crore from the Indian capital markets in January, indicating their 'wait and watch' approach ahead of the general elections. Prior to this, they had infused a net sum of over Rs 17,000 crore in the capital markets — equity and debt — during November and December 2018. In October, they had pulled out a massive Rs 38,900 crore. According to data available with the depositories, FPIs pulled out a net amount of Rs 5,264 crore from equities and Rs 97 crore from the debt markets last month, taking the total outflow to Rs 5,361 crore. "Investors are taking a cautious approach given their focus on global headwinds and upcoming general election," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services Ltd. It has not been a good start of the year with regards to FPI flows and clearly, they are continuing with their cautious or 'wait and watch' stance towards India, which they have been maintaining for a long time, said Himanshu Srivastava, Senior Analyst Manager Research at Morningstar Investment Adviser India. He further said the focus would continue to be on economic growth and the general elections. Other factors such as movement in crude prices and currency, which would have a bearing on the country's macro-environment, and worries over global trade war will continue to guide the direction of FPI flows, Srivastava added. Echoing the views, Alok Agarwala, Senior VP and Head Investment Analytics at Bajaj Capital, said FPI flows would continue to be volatile in the coming months. "The outflows could continue further with escalating trade disputes. The domestic macroeconomic concerns viz, weakness in currency, movement of crude oil prices, trade deficit would also weigh on inflows," he said. "As a base case scenario, we could expect overall net flows to turn marginally positive in case external conditions improve in the next few months as one of the factors, that is oil prices, corrected sharply in last few months," he added.

Foreign Portfolio Investors pull out Rs 5,300-cr from capital markets in January

Members of Malaysia's royal families on Thursday elected Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah as the new king, following the unexpected abdication of the previous monarch.

Sultan Abdullah, 59, ruler of the central state of Pahang, will formally take over the throne on January 31 for a five-year term, the keeper of the rulers' seal said in a statement.

Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with the king assuming a largely ceremonial role, including acting as custodian of Islam in the Muslim-majority country. The king's assent is needed for the appointment of a prime minister and various senior officials.

Malaysia's nine royal households take turns to provide a king, who is chosen through a vote in a Council of Rulers, made up of the nine households, most of which are led by a sultan.

The king is elected for a five-year term.

The head of the Pahang royal family was next in line in take over from the former king, Sultan Muhammad V, who is the head of the state of Kelantan.

Sultan Muhammad abdicated this month after just two years on the throne, the first time a monarch had stepped down before completing their tenure.

No reason was given for his decision, which came after images purporting to show him getting married in Russia appeared on social media in December. Posts identified his new wife as Oksana Voevodina, who won a Miss Moscow contest in 2015.

The new king, Sultan Abdullah, succeeded his ailing father as ruler of Pahang last week.

His ascent to the Pahang throne was seen as a sign that he would take over as the new monarch.

Sultan Abdullah is on the non-executive supervisory council of football governing body FIFA. He is also the president of the Asian Hockey Federation.

Members of Malaysia's royal families on Thursday elected Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah as the new king, following the unexpected abdication of the previous monarch.

Members of Malaysia's royal families on Thursday elected Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah as the new king, following the unexpected abdication of the previous monarch. Sultan Abdullah, 59, ruler of the central state of Pahang, will formally take over the throne on January 31 for a five-year term, the keeper of the rulers' seal said in a statement. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with the king assuming a largely ceremonial role, including acting as custodian of Islam in the Muslim-majority country. The king's assent is needed for the appointment of a prime minister and various senior officials. Malaysia's nine royal households take turns to provide a king, who is chosen through a vote in a Council of Rulers, made up of the nine households, most of which are led by a sultan. The king is elected for a five-year term. The head of the Pahang royal family was next in line in take over from the former king, Sultan Muhammad V, who is the head of the state of Kelantan. Sultan Muhammad abdicated this month after just two years on the throne, the first time a monarch had stepped down before completing their tenure. No reason was given for his decision, which came after images purporting to show him getting married in Russia appeared on social media in December. Posts identified his new wife as Oksana Voevodina, who won a Miss Moscow contest in 2015. The new king, Sultan Abdullah, succeeded his ailing father as ruler of Pahang last week. His ascent to the Pahang throne was seen as a sign that he would take over as the new monarch. Sultan Abdullah is on the non-executive supervisory council of football governing body FIFA. He is also the president of the Asian Hockey Federation.

Malaysian royals elect new king after surprise abdication

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-opposition-boycotts-swearing-in-amid-calls-to-probe-vote-rigging-188025">Bangladesh's opposition </a>demanded fresh elections on Wednesday as parliament convened for the first time since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stormed to power in a disputed poll her rivals say was rigged.

Police said several hundred demonstrators gathered in the capital Dhaka to protest against Hasina and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/weakened-bangladesh-opposition-hopes-for-change-in-sundays-election-186930">her crushing victory </a>in late December, which reduced the beleaguered opposition to just eight seats.

Hasina won a third-straight term and her Awami League secured 96 per cent of the vote in an election her critics and international observers say was plagued by irregularities.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies said they would boycott parliament and vowed huge demonstrations unless fresh polls were held within six months.

"We have demanded the resignation of the government and the dissolution of the parliament, which was not elected by the people," a senior party official, Moudud Ahmed, told AFP.

"It was a stolen election. It was heavily rigged."

The December 30 election was marred by violence, the mass arrest of opposition activists and claims of ballot stuffing and voter intimidation.

Corruption watchdog Transparency International found voting irregularities occurred in 47 out of 50 electorates surveyed in an investigation into the poll.

The European Union — the number-one destination for Bangladeshi exports — has called for an inquiry into the elections, saying "significant obstacles to a level playing field... tainted the electoral campaign and the vote."

The United States too expressed concern about "credible reports of harassment, intimidation, and violence" while the United Nations raised indications of "reprisals" against the opposition since the election.

The accusations have been denied by Hasina and the election commission, which oversaw the poll in the South Asian nation of 165 million.

Hasina, 71, has presided over record economic growth in Bangladesh but critics say her rule has been marked by creeping authoritarianism.

Hasina has been accused of orchestrating mass arrests and wielding draconian free speech laws to silence critics and cling to power. Her chief rival, Khaleda Zia, is behind bars on charges her supporters say are politically motivated.&nbsp;

Bangladesh's opposition demanded fresh elections on Wednesday as parliament convened for the first time since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stormed to power in a disputed poll her rivals say was rigged.

Bangladesh's opposition demanded fresh elections on Wednesday as parliament convened for the first time since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stormed to power in a disputed poll her rivals say was rigged. Police said several hundred demonstrators gathered in the capital Dhaka to protest against Hasina and her crushing victory in late December, which reduced the beleaguered opposition to just eight seats. Hasina won a third-straight term and her Awami League secured 96 per cent of the vote in an election her critics and international observers say was plagued by irregularities. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies said they would boycott parliament and vowed huge demonstrations unless fresh polls were held within six months. "We have demanded the resignation of the government and the dissolution of the parliament, which was not elected by the people," a senior party official, Moudud Ahmed, told AFP. "It was a stolen election. It was heavily rigged." The December 30 election was marred by violence, the mass arrest of opposition activists and claims of ballot stuffing and voter intimidation. Corruption watchdog Transparency International found voting irregularities occurred in 47 out of 50 electorates surveyed in an investigation into the poll. The European Union — the number-one destination for Bangladeshi exports — has called for an inquiry into the elections, saying "significant obstacles to a level playing field... tainted the electoral campaign and the vote." The United States too expressed concern about "credible reports of harassment, intimidation, and violence" while the United Nations raised indications of "reprisals" against the opposition since the election. The accusations have been denied by Hasina and the election commission, which oversaw the poll in the South Asian nation of 165 million. Hasina, 71, has presided over record economic growth in Bangladesh but critics say her rule has been marked by creeping authoritarianism. Hasina has been accused of orchestrating mass arrests and wielding draconian free speech laws to silence critics and cling to power. Her chief rival, Khaleda Zia, is behind bars on charges her supporters say are politically motivated.

Bangladesh opposition demands fresh polls as parliament convenes

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika issued a decree on Friday calling a much anticipated presidential <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ec-may-announce-lok-sabha-poll-schedule-in-march-first-week-sources-191262&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjNu7-Br_ffAhWFq48KHceqDfcQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3V_tomT07Q_rRCQIialXWv">election</a> for April 18 but without saying whether he will seek a new term.

The ailing 81-year-old, who uses a wheelchair and is rarely seen in public, completes a fourth term of office on April 28.

Despite his advanced age and poor health, there have been calls from his supporters for him to stand for a fifth term but he has yet to make his intentions clear.

By law, would-be candidates now have until March 4 to register with the constitutional court.

Uncertainty over whether Bouteflika will stand for re-election has frozen Algerian politics for months.

No candidate of note has thrown his or her hat into the ring while the president's intentions remain in doubt.

For the last presidential election in 2014, Bouteflika left it until just days before the deadline to register.

Algerian politics is notoriously opaque with the winner of every multiparty presidential election pre-selected by a shadowy elite, beginning in 1995 with a victory by retired General Liamine Zeroual.&nbsp;

For this year's election, the membership of the kingmaking elite has changed.

During his fourth term, Bouteflika finally made good on a longstanding pledge to reduce the power of the traditional powerbrokers by disbanding the DRS intelligence agency in 2016.

But under his watch, business networks have become increasingly entwined with the political structure, leaving it difficult to judge with confidence who will be put to voters as the regime's anointed candidate. &nbsp;

The president's brother and special adviser Said have been widely seen as Algeria's de facto ruler since Abdelaziz suffered a stroke in 2013 that severely impaired his speech.

But many believe Said will wish to remain in the shadows behind the throne, rather than be the public candidate.

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika issued a decree on Friday calling a much anticipated presidential election for April 18 but without saying whether he will seek a new term.

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika issued a decree on Friday calling a much anticipated presidential election for April 18 but without saying whether he will seek a new term. The ailing 81-year-old, who uses a wheelchair and is rarely seen in public, completes a fourth term of office on April 28. Despite his advanced age and poor health, there have been calls from his supporters for him to stand for a fifth term but he has yet to make his intentions clear. By law, would-be candidates now have until March 4 to register with the constitutional court. Uncertainty over whether Bouteflika will stand for re-election has frozen Algerian politics for months. No candidate of note has thrown his or her hat into the ring while the president's intentions remain in doubt. For the last presidential election in 2014, Bouteflika left it until just days before the deadline to register. Algerian politics is notoriously opaque with the winner of every multiparty presidential election pre-selected by a shadowy elite, beginning in 1995 with a victory by retired General Liamine Zeroual. For this year's election, the membership of the kingmaking elite has changed. During his fourth term, Bouteflika finally made good on a longstanding pledge to reduce the power of the traditional powerbrokers by disbanding the DRS intelligence agency in 2016. But under his watch, business networks have become increasingly entwined with the political structure, leaving it difficult to judge with confidence who will be put to voters as the regime's anointed candidate. The president's brother and special adviser Said have been widely seen as Algeria's de facto ruler since Abdelaziz suffered a stroke in 2013 that severely impaired his speech. But many believe Said will wish to remain in the shadows behind the throne, rather than be the public candidate.

Algeria calls April election with incumbent's plans unclear

Anupam Kher's mother has praised Dr. Manmohan Singh after watching 'The Accidental Prime Minister', in which Kher has stepped into the shoes of the former PM.

The veteran actor shared a video on social media in which his mother, Dulari Kher, heaped praises on her son as well as the former Prime Minister.

When the 'A Wednesday' star asked if she liked Singh, his mother repiled, "Manmohan Singh shareef tha bechara. Lagta tha door se shareef hai, tabhi log shareef ko bewakoof mante hain. Ye nahi pata wo bohot tez hote hain."

Praising his acting skills, Anupam's mother also said she could not believe it's her son and exclaimed, "What do you eat, I don't understand!"

She further stated, "I really liked the film and I am sure everyone will like it too."

Anupam Kher posted the video on Instagram with the caption, "Mother of all Reviews: Dulari Watched #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister and has given her review in a one minute video.&nbsp;

Her first sentence was frightening. "Aise koi acting karta hai?" And she almost acted me out."

He added, "But what followed was a great endorsement for my performance. Her observation about #DrManmohanSingh is spot on. Her review is my ultimate reward. After all these years mom is relieved that I can act. Jai Mata di. #DulariRocks #DulariReviewsTAPM #FilmReleasesToday"

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsen-iGhg9y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsen-iGhg9y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsen-iGhg9y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsen-iGhg9y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Mother of all Reviews: Dulari Watched #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister and has given her review in a One minute video. Her first sentence was frightening. “ऐसे कोई acting करता है?”😳. And she almost acted me out. But what followed was a great endorsement for my performance. Her observation about #DrManmohanSingh is spot on. Her review is my ultimate reward. After all these years Mom is relieved that I can act. Jai Mata di. 🙏😍 #DulariRocks #DulariReviewsTAPM #FilmReleasesToday</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anupampkher/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Anupam Kher</a> (@anupampkher) on <time datetime="2019-01-11T03:30:32+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jan 10, 2019 at 7:30pm PST</time>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

'The Accidental Prime Minister' is based on facts as chronicled in a book by Sanjaya Baru - Manmohan Singh's media advisor between 2004 and 2008.

It revolves around Singh`s life, the economist and politician who served as the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014 under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

The film hits the big screens today.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Anupam Kher's mother has praised Dr. Manmohan Singh after watching 'The Accidental Prime Minister', in which Kher has stepped into the shoes of the former PM. The veteran actor shared a video on social media in which his mother, Dulari Kher, heaped praises on her son as well as the former Prime Minister.

Anupam Kher's mother has praised Dr. Manmohan Singh after watching 'The Accidental Prime Minister', in which Kher has stepped into the shoes of the former PM. The veteran actor shared a video on social media in which his mother, Dulari Kher, heaped praises on her son as well as the former Prime Minister. When the 'A Wednesday' star asked if she liked Singh, his mother repiled, "Manmohan Singh shareef tha bechara. Lagta tha door se shareef hai, tabhi log shareef ko bewakoof mante hain. Ye nahi pata wo bohot tez hote hain." Praising his acting skills, Anupam's mother also said she could not believe it's her son and exclaimed, "What do you eat, I don't understand!" She further stated, "I really liked the film and I am sure everyone will like it too." Anupam Kher posted the video on Instagram with the caption, "Mother of all Reviews: Dulari Watched #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister and has given her review in a one minute video. Her first sentence was frightening. "Aise koi acting karta hai?" And she almost acted me out." He added, "But what followed was a great endorsement for my performance. Her observation about #DrManmohanSingh is spot on. Her review is my ultimate reward. After all these years mom is relieved that I can act. Jai Mata di. #DulariRocks #DulariReviewsTAPM #FilmReleasesToday" View this post on Instagram Mother of all Reviews: Dulari Watched #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister and has given her review in a One minute video. Her first sentence was frightening. “ऐसे कोई acting करता है?”😳. And she almost acted me out. But what followed was a great endorsement for my performance. Her observation about #DrManmohanSingh is spot on. Her review is my ultimate reward. After all these years Mom is relieved that I can act. Jai Mata di. 🙏😍 #DulariRocks #DulariReviewsTAPM #FilmReleasesToday A post shared by Anupam Kher (@anupampkher) on Jan 10, 2019 at 7:30pm PST × 'The Accidental Prime Minister' is based on facts as chronicled in a book by Sanjaya Baru - Manmohan Singh's media advisor between 2004 and 2008. It revolves around Singh`s life, the economist and politician who served as the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014 under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. The film hits the big screens today.

Anupam Kher's mother praises 'The Accidental Prime Minister', calls former PM 'shareef'

After two years of delays, the Democratic Republic of Congo voted Sunday in presidential elections that will determine the future of Africa's notoriously unstable giant.

The country's Catholic Bishop Council said the voting took place in "relative calm", based on their observations in 78 per cent of polling stations.

But there were reports of clashes at a polling station in the volatile eastern South-Kivu province that claimed the lives of a police officer, an electoral official and two civilians.

The vote gives DR Congo the chance for its first peaceful transfer of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960.

But analysts said the threat of upheaval was great, given organisational hitches and suspicion of President Joseph Kabila, who refused to quit in 2016 after his two-term limit expired.

Kabila appeared on public television late Sunday to congratulate the Congolese for having voted "in peace and dignity".

But the election's credibility has been strained by repeated delays, fears of chaos on polling day and accusations that electronic voting machines would help to rig the result.

Provisional results are not set to be announced until January 6.

On election eve, talks aimed at averting violence after the vote broke down.

Opposition frontrunners Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi refused to sign a proposed code of conduct with Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. They accused officials with the Independent National Election Commission (CENI) of thwarting changes to the text.

The United Nations, United States and Europe have appealed for the elections to be free, fair and peaceful -- a call echoed by the presidents of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and the neighbouring Republic of Congo.

On Sunday evening, Tshisekedi's campaign chief said violence erupted at a polling station in the Walungu area of South-Kivu province after an electoral official was accused of trying to rig the vote in Shadary's favour.

"An agitated crowd started fighting with police. An officer was killed, which we deeply regret," said Vital Kamerhe, a former president of the National Assembly who is from South-Kivu.

The mob "then attacked the electoral official who died. Two civilians were also killed," he told AFP of the incident which South-Kivu authorities said was being investigated.

Opposition chance?

The main contenders for president posed for the cameras as they went to cast their ballot.

"You saw how I campaigned, everything that happened. I'll be elected, I'll be president from tonight." Shadary told Actualite.cd news site.

Meanwhile, Tshisekedi predicted: "Victory is ours."

Many voters said they were exhilarated at taking part in the first elections after the nearly 18-year Kabila era.

"I feel liberated, freed," said Victor Balibwa, a 53-year-old civil servant, casting his ballot in Lubumbashi, the country's mining capital in the southeast.

But there was also much evidence of organisational problems, including with the contested voting machines.&nbsp;

A monitoring commission with 40,000 grass-roots observers, set up by the influential Catholic Church, said it had received 1,543 reports of incidents by early afternoon.

Of these, 544 involved "malfunctions with voting machines," it said.

In some places, long queues built up because of a lack of electoral roll or because voters could not find their names on the lists, AFP reporters found.

At Imara in Lubumbashi, 30-year-old voter Diane Mumba, said, "The (voting) machines have been breaking down again and again for the last two hours. I don't know when I am going to vote."

An election observer in Lubumbashi confirmed that "there are five or six polling stations where the machines aren't working. You have to wait for a technician".

In Kinshasa, an elderly lady said she had trouble with the touch-screen voting.

"It's very complicated. I pressed the button without really knowing who I voted for -- I didn't see my candidate's number or face," she complained.

In the eastern city of Goma, voters who began queueing before the cut-off of 5:00 pm were allowed to stay on to cast ballots.

In the Kinshasa district of St. Raphael, where a delay in voting sparked anger earlier, ballotting was being allowed until 10:00 pm, an African Union observer told AFP.

The vote for a new president took place alongside legislative and municipal polls.

Kabila's champion Shadary is a hardline former interior minister facing EU sanctions for a crackdown on protesters.

His biggest rivals are Fayulu, until recently a little-known legislator and former oil executive, and Tshisekedi, head of a veteran opposition party, the UDPS.

If the elections are "free and fair," an opposition candidate will almost certainly win, said Jason Stearns of the Congo Research Group, based at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University.

Opinion polls make Fayulu the clear favourite, garnering around 44 per cent of voting intentions, followed by 24 per cent for Tshisekedi and 18 per cent for Shadary, he said.&nbsp;

However, "the potential for violence is extremely high," he warned. Roughly half of respondents said they would reject the result if Shadary was declared winner, and would distrust DRC courts to settle a dispute fairly.

Frail giant

Almost the size of continental western Europe, the DRC is rich in gold, uranium, copper, cobalt and other minerals, but little wealth trickles down to the poor.

In the last 22 years, it has twice been a battleground for wars drawing in armies from central and southern Africa.

That legacy endures in the jungles of eastern DRC, where militias have carried out hundreds of killings.

Insecurity and an ongoing Ebola epidemic in part of North Kivu province, and communal violence in Yumbi, in the southwest, prompted the authorities to postpone the elections there until March.&nbsp;

Around 1.25 million people in a national electoral roll of around 40 million voters are affected.

Despite this, the elections in the rest of the country have gone ahead.&nbsp;

The provisional results will be announced on January 6, final results on January 15 and the new president sworn in on January 18.

After two years of delays, the Democratic Republic of Congo voted Sunday in presidential elections that will determine the future of Africa's notoriously unstable giant.

After two years of delays, the Democratic Republic of Congo voted Sunday in presidential elections that will determine the future of Africa's notoriously unstable giant. The country's Catholic Bishop Council said the voting took place in "relative calm", based on their observations in 78 per cent of polling stations. But there were reports of clashes at a polling station in the volatile eastern South-Kivu province that claimed the lives of a police officer, an electoral official and two civilians. The vote gives DR Congo the chance for its first peaceful transfer of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. But analysts said the threat of upheaval was great, given organisational hitches and suspicion of President Joseph Kabila, who refused to quit in 2016 after his two-term limit expired. Kabila appeared on public television late Sunday to congratulate the Congolese for having voted "in peace and dignity". But the election's credibility has been strained by repeated delays, fears of chaos on polling day and accusations that electronic voting machines would help to rig the result. Provisional results are not set to be announced until January 6. On election eve, talks aimed at averting violence after the vote broke down. Opposition frontrunners Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi refused to sign a proposed code of conduct with Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. They accused officials with the Independent National Election Commission (CENI) of thwarting changes to the text. The United Nations, United States and Europe have appealed for the elections to be free, fair and peaceful -- a call echoed by the presidents of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and the neighbouring Republic of Congo. On Sunday evening, Tshisekedi's campaign chief said violence erupted at a polling station in the Walungu area of South-Kivu province after an electoral official was accused of trying to rig the vote in Shadary's favour. "An agitated crowd started fighting with police. An officer was killed, which we deeply regret," said Vital Kamerhe, a former president of the National Assembly who is from South-Kivu. The mob "then attacked the electoral official who died. Two civilians were also killed," he told AFP of the incident which South-Kivu authorities said was being investigated. Opposition chance? The main contenders for president posed for the cameras as they went to cast their ballot. "You saw how I campaigned, everything that happened. I'll be elected, I'll be president from tonight." Shadary told Actualite.cd news site. Meanwhile, Tshisekedi predicted: "Victory is ours." Many voters said they were exhilarated at taking part in the first elections after the nearly 18-year Kabila era. "I feel liberated, freed," said Victor Balibwa, a 53-year-old civil servant, casting his ballot in Lubumbashi, the country's mining capital in the southeast. But there was also much evidence of organisational problems, including with the contested voting machines. A monitoring commission with 40,000 grass-roots observers, set up by the influential Catholic Church, said it had received 1,543 reports of incidents by early afternoon. Of these, 544 involved "malfunctions with voting machines," it said. In some places, long queues built up because of a lack of electoral roll or because voters could not find their names on the lists, AFP reporters found. At Imara in Lubumbashi, 30-year-old voter Diane Mumba, said, "The (voting) machines have been breaking down again and again for the last two hours. I don't know when I am going to vote." An election observer in Lubumbashi confirmed that "there are five or six polling stations where the machines aren't working. You have to wait for a technician". In Kinshasa, an elderly lady said she had trouble with the touch-screen voting. "It's very complicated. I pressed the button without really knowing who I voted for -- I didn't see my candidate's number or face," she complained. In the eastern city of Goma, voters who began queueing before the cut-off of 5:00 pm were allowed to stay on to cast ballots. In the Kinshasa district of St. Raphael, where a delay in voting sparked anger earlier, ballotting was being allowed until 10:00 pm, an African Union observer told AFP. The vote for a new president took place alongside legislative and municipal polls. Kabila's champion Shadary is a hardline former interior minister facing EU sanctions for a crackdown on protesters. His biggest rivals are Fayulu, until recently a little-known legislator and former oil executive, and Tshisekedi, head of a veteran opposition party, the UDPS. If the elections are "free and fair," an opposition candidate will almost certainly win, said Jason Stearns of the Congo Research Group, based at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University. Opinion polls make Fayulu the clear favourite, garnering around 44 per cent of voting intentions, followed by 24 per cent for Tshisekedi and 18 per cent for Shadary, he said. However, "the potential for violence is extremely high," he warned. Roughly half of respondents said they would reject the result if Shadary was declared winner, and would distrust DRC courts to settle a dispute fairly. Frail giant Almost the size of continental western Europe, the DRC is rich in gold, uranium, copper, cobalt and other minerals, but little wealth trickles down to the poor. In the last 22 years, it has twice been a battleground for wars drawing in armies from central and southern Africa. That legacy endures in the jungles of eastern DRC, where militias have carried out hundreds of killings. Insecurity and an ongoing Ebola epidemic in part of North Kivu province, and communal violence in Yumbi, in the southwest, prompted the authorities to postpone the elections there until March. Around 1.25 million people in a national electoral roll of around 40 million voters are affected. Despite this, the elections in the rest of the country have gone ahead. The provisional results will be announced on January 6, final results on January 15 and the new president sworn in on January 18.

Voting winds up in volatile DR Congo's long-awaited election

The Bangladesh High Court on Tuesday delivered a split verdict over whether imprisoned former prime minister and main opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia should be allowed to contest the upcoming general election even as campaigning began for the December 30 polls.

One of the judges of the two-member High Court bench favoured Zia's candidacy while the other ruled that she was disqualified from the polls for being a convicted prisoner serving a 10-year jail term in two graft cases, court officials and lawyers said.

"As the two judges could not reach a consensus, in line with the practice, they referred the matter to the chief justice who will now send the case to another bench for hearing the case," an official said.

The ruling came after 73-year-old Zia challenged an earlier decision of the Election Commission to scrap her candidacy as the ex-premier filed nomination papers for contesting polls from three constituencies.

Senior judge of the bench Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed in his ruling asked the EC to accept Zia's nomination and simultaneously sought the commission's explanation on why its decision to scrap her candidacy should not be declared illegal.

But the other judge Justice Iqbal Kabir, on the other hand, blocked Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Zia from contesting the polls.

Zia on December 9 had challenged the EC order disqualifying her from contesting the polls while the High Court had earlier ruled that those jailed for more than two years, with their appeals pending in court, cannot contest polls.

She has been in prison since February this year when a lower court sentenced her to a five-year term in the first of two corruption cases while a special court in Dhaka has ordered her appearance in a third graft case.

Meanwhile, formal campaigning for the polls started on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina began the campaign for her Awami League from southwestern Tungipara sub-district, the birthplace of her father and Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was assassinated in a 1975 coup along with most of his family members.

Hasina is contesting polls from the Tungipara constituency while she is set to travel across Bangladesh to rally support for her party candidates and alliance partners, including former president H M Ershad's Jatiya Party.

The Awami League's arch-rival BNP also launched its campaign in the absence of party chairperson Zia and her son and 'fugitive' acting chief Tarique Rahman.

Rahman is now living in London ostensibly to evade the law after a court sentenced him to life imprisonment for masterminding a grenade attack in 2004 that killed 24 Awami League leaders and activists.

The absence of the two top BNP leaders has pushed the party into a state of disarray.

The BNP had boycotted the previous 2014 polls demanding an election time neutral non-party government and instead waged a violent street campaign in subsequent years.

Analysts say political and legal considerations have forced the BNP to take part in the upcoming polls as it could lose its registration with the EC as a political party if it boycotted polls for the second consecutive time even as it faces structural erosion from within.

The BNP recently joined the new opposition alliance National Unity Front (NUF) under the leadership of eminent jurist Kamal Hossain.&nbsp;

The Bangladesh High Court on Tuesday delivered a split verdict over whether imprisoned former prime minister and main opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia should be allowed to contest the upcoming general election even as campaigning began for the December 30 polls.

The Bangladesh High Court on Tuesday delivered a split verdict over whether imprisoned former prime minister and main opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia should be allowed to contest the upcoming general election even as campaigning began for the December 30 polls. One of the judges of the two-member High Court bench favoured Zia's candidacy while the other ruled that she was disqualified from the polls for being a convicted prisoner serving a 10-year jail term in two graft cases, court officials and lawyers said. "As the two judges could not reach a consensus, in line with the practice, they referred the matter to the chief justice who will now send the case to another bench for hearing the case," an official said. The ruling came after 73-year-old Zia challenged an earlier decision of the Election Commission to scrap her candidacy as the ex-premier filed nomination papers for contesting polls from three constituencies. Senior judge of the bench Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed in his ruling asked the EC to accept Zia's nomination and simultaneously sought the commission's explanation on why its decision to scrap her candidacy should not be declared illegal. But the other judge Justice Iqbal Kabir, on the other hand, blocked Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Zia from contesting the polls. Zia on December 9 had challenged the EC order disqualifying her from contesting the polls while the High Court had earlier ruled that those jailed for more than two years, with their appeals pending in court, cannot contest polls. She has been in prison since February this year when a lower court sentenced her to a five-year term in the first of two corruption cases while a special court in Dhaka has ordered her appearance in a third graft case. Meanwhile, formal campaigning for the polls started on Tuesday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina began the campaign for her Awami League from southwestern Tungipara sub-district, the birthplace of her father and Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was assassinated in a 1975 coup along with most of his family members. Hasina is contesting polls from the Tungipara constituency while she is set to travel across Bangladesh to rally support for her party candidates and alliance partners, including former president H M Ershad's Jatiya Party. The Awami League's arch-rival BNP also launched its campaign in the absence of party chairperson Zia and her son and 'fugitive' acting chief Tarique Rahman. Rahman is now living in London ostensibly to evade the law after a court sentenced him to life imprisonment for masterminding a grenade attack in 2004 that killed 24 Awami League leaders and activists. The absence of the two top BNP leaders has pushed the party into a state of disarray. The BNP had boycotted the previous 2014 polls demanding an election time neutral non-party government and instead waged a violent street campaign in subsequent years. Analysts say political and legal considerations have forced the BNP to take part in the upcoming polls as it could lose its registration with the EC as a political party if it boycotted polls for the second consecutive time even as it faces structural erosion from within. The BNP recently joined the new opposition alliance National Unity Front (NUF) under the leadership of eminent jurist Kamal Hossain.

Bangladesh High Court splits its judgement on permitting BNP's Khaleda Zia to contest polls

Political clashes in Bangladesh left two campaign workers dead and injured dozens more, police said on Wednesday, as tensions soared before a general election on December 30.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-opposition-to-challenge-pm-hasina-in-election-176659">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina</a> of the ruling Awami League Party is seeking a third straight term as formal election campaigning got underway on Monday.

Her old rival, Khaleda Zia, who leads the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is in jail after being convicted on charges she says were politically motivated.

The BNP boycotted the last election, in 2014, as unfair, but has said it will take part this time, though it is seeking international monitors of polls it believes will be flawed.

Workers from the two parties clashed on Tuesday in two districts outside the capital Dhaka, leaving two Awami League campaigners dead, police said.

Police in the Noakhali and Faridpur districts said cases had been opened against 45 people and more arrests were expected.

"The returning officer has convened a meeting of both parties to avoid such an incident in future," said Elias Sharif, superintendent of police in Noakhali.

Awami League spokesman Hasan Mahmud accused the BNP of trying to "foil a peaceful environment and for that they are attacking our people".

The BNP denied the accusation and said at least 200 of its supporters were injured. It also accused Awami League workers of attacking the motorcade of the BNP general secretary, a charge denied by Hasan.

Elections in Bangladesh are typically marred by violence, but tensions are particularly high during this campaign season. The BNP says scores of its workers have been detained in recent months on fictitious charges.

Hasina and Khaleda, who between them have ruled Bangladesh for over two decades, are bitter rivals, and the BNP says its leader has been jailed on trumped-up charges to keep her out of politics.

While the BNP has joined smaller opposition parties to form the United National Front, the alliance does not have a clear candidate for prime minister. BNP lawyers are still working for Khaleda's release before the December 30 vote.

Awami League "supporters and workers are desperate to keep us away from the election as they are contemplating a massive defeat," said Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the BNP's senior joint secretary general.

Political clashes in Bangladesh left two campaign workers dead and injured dozens more, police said on Wednesday, as tensions soared before a general election on December 30.

Political clashes in Bangladesh left two campaign workers dead and injured dozens more, police said on Wednesday, as tensions soared before a general election on December 30. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of the ruling Awami League Party is seeking a third straight term as formal election campaigning got underway on Monday. Her old rival, Khaleda Zia, who leads the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is in jail after being convicted on charges she says were politically motivated. The BNP boycotted the last election, in 2014, as unfair, but has said it will take part this time, though it is seeking international monitors of polls it believes will be flawed. Workers from the two parties clashed on Tuesday in two districts outside the capital Dhaka, leaving two Awami League campaigners dead, police said. Police in the Noakhali and Faridpur districts said cases had been opened against 45 people and more arrests were expected. "The returning officer has convened a meeting of both parties to avoid such an incident in future," said Elias Sharif, superintendent of police in Noakhali. Awami League spokesman Hasan Mahmud accused the BNP of trying to "foil a peaceful environment and for that they are attacking our people". The BNP denied the accusation and said at least 200 of its supporters were injured. It also accused Awami League workers of attacking the motorcade of the BNP general secretary, a charge denied by Hasan. Elections in Bangladesh are typically marred by violence, but tensions are particularly high during this campaign season. The BNP says scores of its workers have been detained in recent months on fictitious charges. Hasina and Khaleda, who between them have ruled Bangladesh for over two decades, are bitter rivals, and the BNP says its leader has been jailed on trumped-up charges to keep her out of politics. While the BNP has joined smaller opposition parties to form the United National Front, the alliance does not have a clear candidate for prime minister. BNP lawyers are still working for Khaleda's release before the December 30 vote. Awami League "supporters and workers are desperate to keep us away from the election as they are contemplating a massive defeat," said Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the BNP's senior joint secretary general.

Two dead, dozens injured in Bangladesh clashes as election nears

Bangladesh's telecoms regulator shut down dozens of online news portals for several hours on Monday, citing security reasons, as officials scrutinise hundreds of sites before a parliamentary election this month.

The move comes as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/campaigning-underway-in-bangladesh-polls-amid-opposition-arrests-182832">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government</a> is already facing criticism for introducing laws that many journalists fear are aimed at curbing press freedom.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) asked International Internet Gateway (IIG) operators to block 58 news sites, BTRC spokesman Zakir Hossain Khan said, without elaborating on the security concerns. The portals were inaccessible for at least 12 hours.

"When an issue is raised to us by the commission which is related to law and order of the country, we are bound to comply," IIG President Sarwar Alam Shikder said.

The 58 sites were found to be not registered with the information ministry and therefore their content was being examined, said Abdul Malek, an official at the ministry.

"It is the responsibility of this ministry to bring all news portals under a system so that they can run smoothly," he said, adding that hundreds of websites were under scrutiny.

While Hasina's government has won widespread global praise for letting in hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar, its critics have decried her increasingly authoritarian rule, the government's handling of student protests this year and its crackdown on free speech.

The election is being held on December 30.

Bangladesh's telecoms regulator shut down dozens of online news portals for several hours on Monday, citing security reasons, as officials scrutinise hundreds of sites before a parliamentary election this month.

Bangladesh's telecoms regulator shut down dozens of online news portals for several hours on Monday, citing security reasons, as officials scrutinise hundreds of sites before a parliamentary election this month. The move comes as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government is already facing criticism for introducing laws that many journalists fear are aimed at curbing press freedom. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) asked International Internet Gateway (IIG) operators to block 58 news sites, BTRC spokesman Zakir Hossain Khan said, without elaborating on the security concerns. The portals were inaccessible for at least 12 hours. "When an issue is raised to us by the commission which is related to law and order of the country, we are bound to comply," IIG President Sarwar Alam Shikder said. The 58 sites were found to be not registered with the information ministry and therefore their content was being examined, said Abdul Malek, an official at the ministry. "It is the responsibility of this ministry to bring all news portals under a system so that they can run smoothly," he said, adding that hundreds of websites were under scrutiny. While Hasina's government has won widespread global praise for letting in hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar, its critics have decried her increasingly authoritarian rule, the government's handling of student protests this year and its crackdown on free speech. The election is being held on December 30.

Bangladesh briefly shuts dozens of online news sites citing security concerns

Senior IAS officer Sunil Arora appointed Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday.

Sunil Arora is a 1980-batch IAS officer belonging to the Rajasthan cadre 
will be taking over on December 2 and will be in charge of the poll body when the 2019 general elections take place, media reports said.

Arora will be replacing OP Rawat for the post of the poll panel chief.

An EC or CEC has a tenure of six years. But if officers turn 65 before that, they demit office.

Sunil Arora had been the Information and Broadcasting Secretary, and Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

He has also worked in ministries and departments such as Finance, Textiles and Planning Commission.

He served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation during 1999-2002 and CMD, Indian Airlines for five years (two years as an additional charge and three years as full charge).

In Rajasthan, besides district postings in Dholpur, Alwar, Nagaur and Jodhpur, he was Secretary to the Chief Minister during 1993-1998 and Principal Secretary to CM (2005- 2008) and handled Information and Public Relations (IPR), Industries and Investment Departments.

Senior IAS officer Sunil Arora appointed Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday. Sunil Arora is a 1980-batch IAS officer belonging to the Rajasthan cadre will be taking over on December 2 and will be in charge of the poll body when the 2019 general elections take place, media reports said.

Senior IAS officer Sunil Arora appointed Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday. Sunil Arora is a 1980-batch IAS officer belonging to the Rajasthan cadre will be taking over on December 2 and will be in charge of the poll body when the 2019 general elections take place, media reports said. Arora will be replacing OP Rawat for the post of the poll panel chief. An EC or CEC has a tenure of six years. But if officers turn 65 before that, they demit office. Sunil Arora had been the Information and Broadcasting Secretary, and Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. He has also worked in ministries and departments such as Finance, Textiles and Planning Commission. He served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation during 1999-2002 and CMD, Indian Airlines for five years (two years as an additional charge and three years as full charge). In Rajasthan, besides district postings in Dholpur, Alwar, Nagaur and Jodhpur, he was Secretary to the Chief Minister during 1993-1998 and Principal Secretary to CM (2005- 2008) and handled Information and Public Relations (IPR), Industries and Investment Departments.

Sunil Arora appointed chief election commissioner, to take charge on 2 December

Taiwan Premier William Lai said on Saturday he had offered his resignation to the president after the ruling Democratic Progressive Party was trounced in mayoral elections.

"The election results showed that people are not satisfied. For this, I feel sorry, and have offered my resignation to President Tsai Ing-wen to accept political responsibility," he wrote in a statement on his Facebook page.

Taiwan`s pro-independence ruling Democratic Progressive Party on Saturday admitted defeat in the mayoral election in Taiwan`s second-largest city of Taichung.

Mayor Lin Chia-lung conceded defeat to his challenger from the China-friendly opposition Kuomintang Party, Lu Shiow-yen, in comments carried live on Taiwanese television channels.

Taiwan Premier William Lai said on Saturday he had offered his resignation to the president after the ruling Democratic Progressive Party was trounced in mayoral elections.

Taiwan Premier William Lai said on Saturday he had offered his resignation to the president after the ruling Democratic Progressive Party was trounced in mayoral elections. "The election results showed that people are not satisfied. For this, I feel sorry, and have offered my resignation to President Tsai Ing-wen to accept political responsibility," he wrote in a statement on his Facebook page. Taiwan`s pro-independence ruling Democratic Progressive Party on Saturday admitted defeat in the mayoral election in Taiwan`s second-largest city of Taichung. Mayor Lin Chia-lung conceded defeat to his challenger from the China-friendly opposition Kuomintang Party, Lu Shiow-yen, in comments carried live on Taiwanese television channels.

Taiwan premier offers resignation after local election trouncing

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that public opposition by a group of US&nbsp;senators to a Russian candidate to head the international police organisation Interpol amounted to election meddling.

Interpol's general assembly is due to elect a new head at a meeting on Wednesday. On Monday, four US&nbsp;senators issued a statement urging US&nbsp;President Donald Trump to oppose the candidacy of Russia's Alexander Prokopchuk.

The senators accuse Russia of abusing Interpol to settle scores and harass dissidents by issuing warrants, known as red notices, for their arrest. The senators said the election of Prokopchuk would allow Moscow to step up such abuse.

"This is probably a certain kind of interference in the electoral process of an international organisation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call.

Prokopchuk, a former major general in Russia's Interior Ministry and current vice president of Interpol, is generally considered the leading candidate for the presidency.

Bill Browder, a British fund manager critical of the Kremlin who has been detained repeatedly at Russia's behest before being released again, said it would be "outrageous" if Prokopchuk was named to head the global police agency.

"This particular individual has been responsible for trying to chase me down and have Interpol arrest me seven times," he said in comments to BBC radio.

"All of a sudden, this guy is now put in charge of the institution he's been trying to abuse for the last six years," he said.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that public opposition by a group of US senators to a Russian candidate to head the international police organisation Interpol amounted to election meddling.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that public opposition by a group of US senators to a Russian candidate to head the international police organisation Interpol amounted to election meddling. Interpol's general assembly is due to elect a new head at a meeting on Wednesday. On Monday, four US senators issued a statement urging US President Donald Trump to oppose the candidacy of Russia's Alexander Prokopchuk. The senators accuse Russia of abusing Interpol to settle scores and harass dissidents by issuing warrants, known as red notices, for their arrest. The senators said the election of Prokopchuk would allow Moscow to step up such abuse. "This is probably a certain kind of interference in the electoral process of an international organisation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call. Prokopchuk, a former major general in Russia's Interior Ministry and current vice president of Interpol, is generally considered the leading candidate for the presidency. Bill Browder, a British fund manager critical of the Kremlin who has been detained repeatedly at Russia's behest before being released again, said it would be "outrageous" if Prokopchuk was named to head the global police agency. "This particular individual has been responsible for trying to chase me down and have Interpol arrest me seven times," he said in comments to BBC radio. "All of a sudden, this guy is now put in charge of the institution he's been trying to abuse for the last six years," he said.

Kremlin says US is meddling in selection of Interpol head

At least 76 per cent of the licensed gun owners have deposited their arms to the police in Mizoram ahead of the November 28 Assembly elections, a senior police officer said Tuesday.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) L H Shanliana said that 10,337 licensed gun owners had deposited their firearms in various police stations across Mizoram.

The deputy commissioners of all the districts in the state had issued orders asking all registered gun owners to deposit their firearms before the Assembly elections as per a directive issued by the Election Commission of India.

Shanliana hoped that all licensed gun owners, including farmers, would deposit their firearms before the polls though the farmers need guns to protect their jhums (cultivation) from animals at this time of the year.

"We have received excellent cooperation from the village councils in the rural areas and the local councils in the capital Aizawl city," he said.

Keeping in mind the gun owners' sentiments about their guns, he said they would be able to check and clean their firearms whenever they want to do so by visiting the respective police stations and outposts.

The IGP said that DGPs of neighbouring Assam, Tripura and Manipur have been asked to ensure that no persons or materials that could disrupt the poll process in Mizoram should be allowed to enter the state.

Superintendents of police and officers-in-charge of border districts have been put on high alert.

Close circuit television cameras were in place in the border outposts at Assam border Vairengte, Saiphai and Bairabi and Tripura border Zawlnuam Police outposts, the IGP added.&nbsp;

At least 76 per cent of the licensed gun owners have deposited their arms to the police in Mizoram ahead of the November 28 Assembly elections, a senior police officer said Tuesday.

At least 76 per cent of the licensed gun owners have deposited their arms to the police in Mizoram ahead of the November 28 Assembly elections, a senior police officer said Tuesday. Inspector General of Police (IGP) L H Shanliana said that 10,337 licensed gun owners had deposited their firearms in various police stations across Mizoram. The deputy commissioners of all the districts in the state had issued orders asking all registered gun owners to deposit their firearms before the Assembly elections as per a directive issued by the Election Commission of India. Shanliana hoped that all licensed gun owners, including farmers, would deposit their firearms before the polls though the farmers need guns to protect their jhums (cultivation) from animals at this time of the year. "We have received excellent cooperation from the village councils in the rural areas and the local councils in the capital Aizawl city," he said. Keeping in mind the gun owners' sentiments about their guns, he said they would be able to check and clean their firearms whenever they want to do so by visiting the respective police stations and outposts. The IGP said that DGPs of neighbouring Assam, Tripura and Manipur have been asked to ensure that no persons or materials that could disrupt the poll process in Mizoram should be allowed to enter the state. Superintendents of police and officers-in-charge of border districts have been put on high alert. Close circuit television cameras were in place in the border outposts at Assam border Vairengte, Saiphai and Bairabi and Tripura border Zawlnuam Police outposts, the IGP added.

Mizoram Assembly Election 2018: 76% licensed gun owners deposit arms in poll-bound state

Bangladesh's main opposition party announced Sunday it would not boycott next month's general election and would challenge Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the polls, despite its leader being in jail.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party said it would contest the December 23 election but has expressed fears it will not be democratic and has threatened protests.

The BNP boycotted the 2014 election over fears it would be rigged, allowing Hasina to walk into a second term unchallenged.

The prime minister's tenure has been marred by a crackdown on dissent in the South Asian democracy of 160 million.

The opposition says thousands of its activists have been detained in recent months, depriving it of a grassroots presence necessary to fight any polls.

BNP veteran leader Khaleda Zia remains behind bars, her prison sentence doubled last month to ten years for corruption charges her supporters say were politically motivated.

The two-term prime minister has virtually no time to appeal her sentence, and will almost certainly be banned from contesting the election against her arch-rival Hasina.

The opposition has said the charges against Zia, and other party activists, were deliberately planned by Hasina's increasingly authoritarian government.

Zia's exiled son and heir apparent, Tarique Rahman, will not be able to contest the polls after being sentenced to life in prison last month over a 2004 grenade attack at Hasina's rally. He lives in exile. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The arrest of activists and prominent dissidents including student leaders and a top photographer have also cast a shadow over the buildup to the vote.

Bangladesh's main opposition party announced Sunday it would not boycott next month's general election and would challenge Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the polls, despite its leader being in jail.

Bangladesh's main opposition party announced Sunday it would not boycott next month's general election and would challenge Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the polls, despite its leader being in jail. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party said it would contest the December 23 election but has expressed fears it will not be democratic and has threatened protests. The BNP boycotted the 2014 election over fears it would be rigged, allowing Hasina to walk into a second term unchallenged. The prime minister's tenure has been marred by a crackdown on dissent in the South Asian democracy of 160 million. The opposition says thousands of its activists have been detained in recent months, depriving it of a grassroots presence necessary to fight any polls. BNP veteran leader Khaleda Zia remains behind bars, her prison sentence doubled last month to ten years for corruption charges her supporters say were politically motivated. The two-term prime minister has virtually no time to appeal her sentence, and will almost certainly be banned from contesting the election against her arch-rival Hasina. The opposition has said the charges against Zia, and other party activists, were deliberately planned by Hasina's increasingly authoritarian government. Zia's exiled son and heir apparent, Tarique Rahman, will not be able to contest the polls after being sentenced to life in prison last month over a 2004 grenade attack at Hasina's rally. He lives in exile. The arrest of activists and prominent dissidents including student leaders and a top photographer have also cast a shadow over the buildup to the vote.

Bangladesh opposition to challenge PM Hasina in election

election-0

Election, News on Election, stories on Election, articles on Election, Election stories at Wion, Election news, Election latest news

election 0