British PM demands elections amid Brexit Chaos. He calls for December 12 elections

Brexit Drama Continues: Boris Johnson calls for December 12 elections

Former military chief Benny Gantz, 60, received an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-rival-gantz-to-be-named-to-try-to-form-next-israeli-government-257632">official mandate</a> on Wednesday to try to form Israel's next government, but with no easy path to ending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long hold on power.

After inconclusive elections in April and September, Gantz's nomination marked the first time since 2008 that someone other than Netanyahu, 70, has been asked by Israel's president to build a ruling coalition.

"Everyone expects us to bring political chaos to an absolute end. Everyone demands us to allow the whole country to gradually return to a normal, functioning, safe and calm life routine. An entire country is awaiting a breath of relief", Gantz said.

Head of the centrist Blue and White party, Gantz will have 28 days to complete the task assigned by President Reuven Rivlin. Failure could lead to a new election, the third within a year.

Watch Video

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-elections-referendum-or-netanyahu-250142/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"I decided today to give you, member of the Knesset Benny Gantz, the possibility to establish a government. The law gives you 28 days starting tomorrow to establish a government", Rivlin said.

Rivlin gave <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/benjamin-netanyahus-rival-benny-gantz-calls-off-israel-unity-government-talks-reports-253192">Netanyahu the chance to form a government first</a>. But the prime minister, who leads the right-wing Likud party, said on Monday that he was abandoning the effort, opening the way for Gantz, his strongest rival.

"I promised to establish a liberal unity government, and that, I intend to do. In the government that I will establish, I will serve all citizens of Israel and will work to benefit all citizens of Israel. I will act to form a functioning government, a government that Israel needs so much", Benny Gantz said.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Former military chief Benny Gantz, 60, received an official mandate on Wednesday to try to form Israel's next government, but with no easy path to ending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long hold on power.

Former military chief Benny Gantz, 60, received an official mandate on Wednesday to try to form Israel's next government, but with no easy path to ending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long hold on power. After inconclusive elections in April and September, Gantz's nomination marked the first time since 2008 that someone other than Netanyahu, 70, has been asked by Israel's president to build a ruling coalition. "Everyone expects us to bring political chaos to an absolute end. Everyone demands us to allow the whole country to gradually return to a normal, functioning, safe and calm life routine. An entire country is awaiting a breath of relief", Gantz said. Head of the centrist Blue and White party, Gantz will have 28 days to complete the task assigned by President Reuven Rivlin. Failure could lead to a new election, the third within a year. Watch Video "I decided today to give you, member of the Knesset Benny Gantz, the possibility to establish a government. The law gives you 28 days starting tomorrow to establish a government", Rivlin said. Rivlin gave Netanyahu the chance to form a government first. But the prime minister, who leads the right-wing Likud party, said on Monday that he was abandoning the effort, opening the way for Gantz, his strongest rival. "I promised to establish a liberal unity government, and that, I intend to do. In the government that I will establish, I will serve all citizens of Israel and will work to benefit all citizens of Israel. I will act to form a functioning government, a government that Israel needs so much", Benny Gantz said. (With inputs from Reuters)

Former military chief Gantz receives official mandate to form government in Israel

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will remain in power but with a minority government that will require the support of a smaller left-leaning party after a hard-fought election in which he was dogged by scandals. Trudeau's Liberal party were leading in 156 out of 338 seats in Monday's (October 21) vote, according to Elections Canada. The party still falls short of the required 170 seats needed for a second straight majority government.

Justin Trudeau set to begin second term as PM

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/morales-leads-bolivia-election-but-faces-run-off-257140">Bolivia's electoral board</a> released new data late on Monday that showed President Evo Morales had enough votes to win the hotly contested election, sparking allegations of fraud from the opposition and angry clashes in the streets.

The board had halted a preliminary vote count late on Sunday with results then showing the election going to a second-round run-off. The abrupt pause had fuelled concerns among election monitors and foreign governments over potential vote tampering.

After the 24-hour gap, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) updated its count to show Morales with a wider lead of 46.85 per cent&nbsp;of votes to rival Carlos Mesa's 36.73 per cent, just enough to give him the 10-point lead needed to win in the first round.

As protesters scuffled with police in the streets of the capital, La Paz, outside the counting venue, runner-up Mesa slammed the results as "shameful" and said he would not recognise them.

"We trust citizens won't accept this," Mesa told journalists in the lowland city of Santa Cruz. "This government has created an impossible situation. It's mocking the popular vote."

Just a day earlier, Mesa had celebrated making it to a second-round after an official count of nearly 84 per cent&nbsp;of ballots showed Morales short of the votes needed to avoid a run-off. Other polls also showed a tight race leading to a second round.

Morales, however, who has won his previous three terms with solid majorities, insisted late on Sunday that he would get enough votes from rural areas for an outright win.

The uncertainty sparked protests in the landlocked South American country and fears among international election observers and diplomats about potential manipulation of the vote, with some worried it could trigger the kind of violent unrest that has recently roiled Chile and Ecuador.

"The result is in question and we're seeing the start of a conflict, a climate could be unleashed that moves this from tension to convulsion," said Bolivian political analyst Franklin Pareja.

 
Tear gas

Before the electoral court resumed updating of preliminary results on Monday, thousands of Bolivians protested outside a hotel in La Paz where the TSE had gathered to process votes. Police fired tear gas at crowds, amid reports of clashes in protests elsewhere.

The TSE's earlier decision to halt the provisionary count with just 83.76 per cent&nbsp;of the ballot completed had prompted the official monitor, the Organisation of American States (OAS), to demand to know why.

"Those numbers clearly indicated a second round, a trend that coincided with the only authorized rapid count and statistics from the observation mission," Manuel Gonzalez, the head of the mission, said.

Gonzalez said the change in one day was "inexplicable" and a blow to voters' trust in the electoral process, but his comments fell short of calling the results illegitimate.

Argentina, Brazil and the White House also expressed concern over the interruption of the official reporting of results.

"Electoral authorities should immediately restore credibility and transparency to the process so that the will of the Bolivian people is respected," Michael Kozak, the US assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs, said on Twitter.

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The U.S. is closely watching 1st round of elections in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bolivia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bolivia</a>, especially the sudden interruption of the electronic vote tabulation. 
 
Electoral authorities should immediately restore credibility &amp; transparency to the process so that the will of the Bolivian people is respected. <a href="https://t.co/vDc1L4ffX3">https://t.co/vDc1L4ffX3</a>
— Michael G. Kozak (@WHAAsstSecty) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHAAsstSecty/status/1186264315780878337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
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If Morales wins, Latin America's longest continuous-serving standing leader would extend his rule to 19 years.

Antonio Costas, one of the six-member TSE team coordinating the count, told Reuters on Monday that the decision had been made to suspend the preliminary count to focus on the slower official calculation.

That count, still underway, with about 60 per cent&nbsp;of ballots processed, has Mesa and Morales closely tied with a little over 42 per cent&nbsp;of votes each.

Costas added that he had not come under any political pressure to halt the preliminary count, which had been meant as a tool to help ensure greater transparency of the vote.

Morales, a former union leader of coca growers, has overseen a long stretch of political and economic stability for Bolivia, the continent's poorest country. His support has slipped amid slowing economic growth and concern about government corruption and anti-democratic practices.

Bolivia's electoral board released new data late on Monday that showed President Evo Morales had enough votes to win the hotly contested election, sparking allegations of fraud from the opposition and angry clashes in the streets.

Bolivia's electoral board released new data late on Monday that showed President Evo Morales had enough votes to win the hotly contested election, sparking allegations of fraud from the opposition and angry clashes in the streets. The board had halted a preliminary vote count late on Sunday with results then showing the election going to a second-round run-off. The abrupt pause had fuelled concerns among election monitors and foreign governments over potential vote tampering. After the 24-hour gap, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) updated its count to show Morales with a wider lead of 46.85 per cent of votes to rival Carlos Mesa's 36.73 per cent, just enough to give him the 10-point lead needed to win in the first round. As protesters scuffled with police in the streets of the capital, La Paz, outside the counting venue, runner-up Mesa slammed the results as "shameful" and said he would not recognise them. "We trust citizens won't accept this," Mesa told journalists in the lowland city of Santa Cruz. "This government has created an impossible situation. It's mocking the popular vote." Just a day earlier, Mesa had celebrated making it to a second-round after an official count of nearly 84 per cent of ballots showed Morales short of the votes needed to avoid a run-off. Other polls also showed a tight race leading to a second round. Morales, however, who has won his previous three terms with solid majorities, insisted late on Sunday that he would get enough votes from rural areas for an outright win. The uncertainty sparked protests in the landlocked South American country and fears among international election observers and diplomats about potential manipulation of the vote, with some worried it could trigger the kind of violent unrest that has recently roiled Chile and Ecuador. "The result is in question and we're seeing the start of a conflict, a climate could be unleashed that moves this from tension to convulsion," said Bolivian political analyst Franklin Pareja. Tear gas Before the electoral court resumed updating of preliminary results on Monday, thousands of Bolivians protested outside a hotel in La Paz where the TSE had gathered to process votes. Police fired tear gas at crowds, amid reports of clashes in protests elsewhere. The TSE's earlier decision to halt the provisionary count with just 83.76 per cent of the ballot completed had prompted the official monitor, the Organisation of American States (OAS), to demand to know why. "Those numbers clearly indicated a second round, a trend that coincided with the only authorized rapid count and statistics from the observation mission," Manuel Gonzalez, the head of the mission, said. Gonzalez said the change in one day was "inexplicable" and a blow to voters' trust in the electoral process, but his comments fell short of calling the results illegitimate. Argentina, Brazil and the White House also expressed concern over the interruption of the official reporting of results. "Electoral authorities should immediately restore credibility and transparency to the process so that the will of the Bolivian people is respected," Michael Kozak, the US assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs, said on Twitter. The U.S. is closely watching 1st round of elections in #Bolivia, especially the sudden interruption of the electronic vote tabulation. Electoral authorities should immediately restore credibility & transparency to the process so that the will of the Bolivian people is respected. https://t.co/vDc1L4ffX3 — Michael G. Kozak (@WHAAsstSecty) October 21, 2019 × If Morales wins, Latin America's longest continuous-serving standing leader would extend his rule to 19 years. Antonio Costas, one of the six-member TSE team coordinating the count, told Reuters on Monday that the decision had been made to suspend the preliminary count to focus on the slower official calculation. That count, still underway, with about 60 per cent of ballots processed, has Mesa and Morales closely tied with a little over 42 per cent of votes each. Costas added that he had not come under any political pressure to halt the preliminary count, which had been meant as a tool to help ensure greater transparency of the vote. Morales, a former union leader of coca growers, has overseen a long stretch of political and economic stability for Bolivia, the continent's poorest country. His support has slipped amid slowing economic growth and concern about government corruption and anti-democratic practices.

Bolivia's election sparks protest as rivals clash over results

Post exit poll projections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is a confident lot as they feel that the party is on its way to retain its governments in both Maharashtra and Haryana.

Speaking to ANI, Haryana in charge and Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated that exit polls are somewhat matching BJP`s pre-polls assessment that it will return to power with over two-third majority.

"BJP has been saying that we are contesting elections on the issue of development and performance of our incumbent governments. Maharashtra government performance was excellent and Haryana got a corruption-free and honest government after a long time," Tomar said.

"Haryana residents have forgotten that there is a quality called honesty in the government and BJP had to gain from its honest image. Voters are getting aware and voting for Narendra Modi and for Nation," Tomar added.&nbsp;

The results for the Assembly polls will be declared on October 24, while the polling for the two states took place on Monday.

The senior minister also claimed that the BJP did not have a viable competitor in these polls.&nbsp;

"People have voted on issues of policies, performance and principles. They rose above narrow-minded politics of caste and voted for BJP. Opposition was not even a factor," he said.

Pointing towards this lack of concerted opposition efforts in these polls, he said, "On different seats, we faced competition from different parties. On some Jannayak Janata Party gave us competition, whereas on the others INLD and Congress candidates posed a challenge."

The senior leader outrightly rejected claims by former chief minister and Congress leader BS Hooda that the Congress was forming the government with an absolute majority.

"Hooda ji ka jijaji prem poore Haryana ko maloom hai. (Everyone in Haryana knows Hooda`s love for his brother-in-law), " he added.

Talking about position of opposition in the polls, Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, who hails from Haryana, said, "If you add zero to the earlier performance of zero, you will get a zero. If you say it a better performance, then so be it. And even Congress will lose seats. I am from Ambala Lok Sabha constituency. My Lok Sabha has seen hattrick. All 9 Assembly seats have come to BJP and I can assure you even this fourth time, we will get all 9 seats."Kataria thinks the many top leaders of Opposition barring one or two had joined BJP ahead of polls.

"We want a strong opposition in democratic setup, but opposition was marred by its internal feud," stated the minister.&nbsp;

Post exit poll projections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is a confident lot as they feel that the party is on its way to retain its governments in both Maharashtra and Haryana.

Post exit poll projections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is a confident lot as they feel that the party is on its way to retain its governments in both Maharashtra and Haryana. Speaking to ANI, Haryana in charge and Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated that exit polls are somewhat matching BJP`s pre-polls assessment that it will return to power with over two-third majority. "BJP has been saying that we are contesting elections on the issue of development and performance of our incumbent governments. Maharashtra government performance was excellent and Haryana got a corruption-free and honest government after a long time," Tomar said. "Haryana residents have forgotten that there is a quality called honesty in the government and BJP had to gain from its honest image. Voters are getting aware and voting for Narendra Modi and for Nation," Tomar added. The results for the Assembly polls will be declared on October 24, while the polling for the two states took place on Monday. The senior minister also claimed that the BJP did not have a viable competitor in these polls. "People have voted on issues of policies, performance and principles. They rose above narrow-minded politics of caste and voted for BJP. Opposition was not even a factor," he said. Pointing towards this lack of concerted opposition efforts in these polls, he said, "On different seats, we faced competition from different parties. On some Jannayak Janata Party gave us competition, whereas on the others INLD and Congress candidates posed a challenge." The senior leader outrightly rejected claims by former chief minister and Congress leader BS Hooda that the Congress was forming the government with an absolute majority. "Hooda ji ka jijaji prem poore Haryana ko maloom hai. (Everyone in Haryana knows Hooda`s love for his brother-in-law), " he added. Talking about position of opposition in the polls, Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, who hails from Haryana, said, "If you add zero to the earlier performance of zero, you will get a zero. If you say it a better performance, then so be it. And even Congress will lose seats. I am from Ambala Lok Sabha constituency. My Lok Sabha has seen hattrick. All 9 Assembly seats have come to BJP and I can assure you even this fourth time, we will get all 9 seats."Kataria thinks the many top leaders of Opposition barring one or two had joined BJP ahead of polls. "We want a strong opposition in democratic setup, but opposition was marred by its internal feud," stated the minister.

Maharashtra, Haryana polls: BJP upbeat ahead of results, says opposition marred by infighting

Counting is still underway for the 338 seats in the Canadian Parliament. Watch this video to know more.

Canada election: Counting underway for 338 seats

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-votes-as-trudeau-his-sunny-ways-dimmed-by-scandals-seeks-to-retain-power-257377">Canada's ruling Liberals</a> took an early lead after polls closed in four provinces on Monday, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau battled to remain in power after two major scandals and a spirited challenge by the opposition Conservatives.

The Liberals were leading or elected in 25 of 32 electoral districts in Atlantic Canada by&nbsp;0030 GMT on Tuesday&nbsp;despite a drop in their overall popular vote from the 2015 election, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

Some Liberal losses had been expected in the region after Trudeau led the party to a clean sweep there four years ago. Atlantic Canada makes up less than 10% of the seats in the House of Commons.

The national race was expected to be closer as Trudeau, who took power as a charismatic figure promising "sunny ways," battles Conservative leader Andrew Scheer for the chance to form the next government.

Polls close in the vote-rich provinces of Ontario and Quebec at 0130 GMT on Tuesday. National voting is scheduled to end in the Pacific Coast province of British Columbia at 0200 GMT on Tuesday.

Trudeau, 47, the Liberal Party leader, was endorsed by former US&nbsp;President Barack Obama in the final stretch of the campaign and is viewed as one of the last remaining progressive leaders among the world's major democracies.

But he was shaken during the campaign by a blackface scandal and has been dogged by criticism of his handling of a corruption case involving a major Canadian construction company. Trudeau, the son of the late Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, has also had to overcome a sense of fatigue with his government.

Trudeau, accompanied by his family, voted in Montreal on Monday after a marathon sprint campaigning across the country in the past four days. Scheer voted in his Saskatchewan electoral district.

On Twitter, he repeatedly urged people to get out and vote. Voter turnout is crucial for the Liberals, who privately fear low engagement will affect them more than the Conservatives.

"The truth is it's a coin toss right now," Ipsos pollster Darrell Bricker said.

A year ago, no one would have predicted that Trudeau risked becoming the first prime minister since the 1930s to secure a parliamentary majority and then fail to win a second term.

The latest opinion polls suggest he may narrowly avert that result and could win a minority in the 338-seat House of Commons. That would still leave him in a weakened position and needing the support of left-leaning opposition parties to push through key pieces of legislation.

"(A minority government) would force people to talk to each other, which is what we need," said Naomi Higgins, a 25-year-old voter in Toronto who supported the Liberals four years ago but switched to the Greens in this election. "We need to ... start doing what's best for everyone instead of what makes one party or the other look best."

Liberal campaign strategists say four members of Trudeau's Cabinet could lose their parliamentary seats, including Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, a veteran member of parliament who is seen as one of the government's heavyweights.

Goodale, 70, is the only Liberal member of parliament from the western province of Saskatchewan, where anger at Trudeau is mounting over federal environmental policies that the energy industry says will harm output.

The oil industry’s top lobbying group has blamed Trudeau’s policies for throttling investment in the sector, and some global energy companies have shed assets in the oil sands region of Alberta, the country's main oil-producing province.

Canada's economy, however, has been on a general upswing in 2019. The Canadian dollar has been the best-performing G10 currency this year, rising more than 4% against its U.S. counterpart, as the economy added jobs at a robust pace and inflation stayed close to the Bank of Canada's 2 per cent&nbsp;target.

Bumpy campaign ride

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/liberals-tories-slug-it-out-on-last-day-of-canada-election-257159">The six-week official campaign</a> period has been a rough and meandering ride with dirty tactics on both sides.

The liberal image of Trudeau, who has championed diversity as prime minister and whose father opened the country to mass immigration, took a severe blow when pictures emerged early in the campaign of him wearing blackface in the early 1990s and in 2001.

Trudeau had already been wrestling with the fallout from accusations he pressured his justice minister to help shield engineering firm SNC-Lavalin Group Inc&nbsp;from corruption charges. In August, a top watchdog said Trudeau breached ethics rules.

Scheer also has proven to be a determined opponent.

"He can't even remember how many times he put blackface on because the fact of the matter is he's always wearing a mask," Scheer said during a leaders' debate. "Mr&nbsp;Trudeau, you are a phoney and you are a fraud and you do not deserve to govern this country."

Scheer, 40, is also promising to balance the federal budget and eliminate a "carbon tax" on fossil fuels. He is running his first campaign as party leader after winning a bitter leadership fight in 2017.

Given the fact that neither of the front-runners could come away with a parliamentary majority, it is the smaller left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) or the separatist Bloc Quebecois that could end up holding the balance of power.

"I am a lifelong Liberal voter and I am stumped on this one, mostly because I am really concerned about a Conservative win and just trying to figure out how to vote strategically," said Kristin Street, 33, a strategy manager at a computer games company, in Port Moody, British Columbia.

EKOS Research pollster Frank Graves said the Liberals needed turn out to be similar to four years ago or otherwise the Conservatives may have an edge.

"We may well be waiting until the final vote tallies in British Columbia to see who will win on Monday," Graves said.

Canada's ruling Liberals took an early lead after polls closed in four provinces on Monday, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau battled to remain in power after two major scandals and a spirited challenge by the opposition Conservatives.

Canada's ruling Liberals took an early lead after polls closed in four provinces on Monday, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau battled to remain in power after two major scandals and a spirited challenge by the opposition Conservatives. The Liberals were leading or elected in 25 of 32 electoral districts in Atlantic Canada by 0030 GMT on Tuesday despite a drop in their overall popular vote from the 2015 election, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Some Liberal losses had been expected in the region after Trudeau led the party to a clean sweep there four years ago. Atlantic Canada makes up less than 10% of the seats in the House of Commons. The national race was expected to be closer as Trudeau, who took power as a charismatic figure promising "sunny ways," battles Conservative leader Andrew Scheer for the chance to form the next government. Polls close in the vote-rich provinces of Ontario and Quebec at 0130 GMT on Tuesday. National voting is scheduled to end in the Pacific Coast province of British Columbia at 0200 GMT on Tuesday. Trudeau, 47, the Liberal Party leader, was endorsed by former US President Barack Obama in the final stretch of the campaign and is viewed as one of the last remaining progressive leaders among the world's major democracies. But he was shaken during the campaign by a blackface scandal and has been dogged by criticism of his handling of a corruption case involving a major Canadian construction company. Trudeau, the son of the late Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, has also had to overcome a sense of fatigue with his government. Trudeau, accompanied by his family, voted in Montreal on Monday after a marathon sprint campaigning across the country in the past four days. Scheer voted in his Saskatchewan electoral district. On Twitter, he repeatedly urged people to get out and vote. Voter turnout is crucial for the Liberals, who privately fear low engagement will affect them more than the Conservatives. "The truth is it's a coin toss right now," Ipsos pollster Darrell Bricker said. A year ago, no one would have predicted that Trudeau risked becoming the first prime minister since the 1930s to secure a parliamentary majority and then fail to win a second term. The latest opinion polls suggest he may narrowly avert that result and could win a minority in the 338-seat House of Commons. That would still leave him in a weakened position and needing the support of left-leaning opposition parties to push through key pieces of legislation. "(A minority government) would force people to talk to each other, which is what we need," said Naomi Higgins, a 25-year-old voter in Toronto who supported the Liberals four years ago but switched to the Greens in this election. "We need to ... start doing what's best for everyone instead of what makes one party or the other look best." Liberal campaign strategists say four members of Trudeau's Cabinet could lose their parliamentary seats, including Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, a veteran member of parliament who is seen as one of the government's heavyweights. Goodale, 70, is the only Liberal member of parliament from the western province of Saskatchewan, where anger at Trudeau is mounting over federal environmental policies that the energy industry says will harm output. The oil industry’s top lobbying group has blamed Trudeau’s policies for throttling investment in the sector, and some global energy companies have shed assets in the oil sands region of Alberta, the country's main oil-producing province. Canada's economy, however, has been on a general upswing in 2019. The Canadian dollar has been the best-performing G10 currency this year, rising more than 4% against its U.S. counterpart, as the economy added jobs at a robust pace and inflation stayed close to the Bank of Canada's 2 per cent target. Bumpy campaign ride The six-week official campaign period has been a rough and meandering ride with dirty tactics on both sides. The liberal image of Trudeau, who has championed diversity as prime minister and whose father opened the country to mass immigration, took a severe blow when pictures emerged early in the campaign of him wearing blackface in the early 1990s and in 2001. Trudeau had already been wrestling with the fallout from accusations he pressured his justice minister to help shield engineering firm SNC-Lavalin Group Inc from corruption charges. In August, a top watchdog said Trudeau breached ethics rules. Scheer also has proven to be a determined opponent. "He can't even remember how many times he put blackface on because the fact of the matter is he's always wearing a mask," Scheer said during a leaders' debate. "Mr Trudeau, you are a phoney and you are a fraud and you do not deserve to govern this country." Scheer, 40, is also promising to balance the federal budget and eliminate a "carbon tax" on fossil fuels. He is running his first campaign as party leader after winning a bitter leadership fight in 2017. Given the fact that neither of the front-runners could come away with a parliamentary majority, it is the smaller left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) or the separatist Bloc Quebecois that could end up holding the balance of power. "I am a lifelong Liberal voter and I am stumped on this one, mostly because I am really concerned about a Conservative win and just trying to figure out how to vote strategically," said Kristin Street, 33, a strategy manager at a computer games company, in Port Moody, British Columbia. EKOS Research pollster Frank Graves said the Liberals needed turn out to be similar to four years ago or otherwise the Conservatives may have an edge. "We may well be waiting until the final vote tallies in British Columbia to see who will win on Monday," Graves said.

Trudeau's Liberals take early lead after first Canadian polls close

Nearly 63.55 per cent voter turnout was reported from Haryana, where the voting concluded on Monday for 90 Assembly seats.

The voting percentage in Maharashtra, where 288 Assembly seats are at stake, was pegged at 56.65 per cent, as per the details shared by the Election Commission of India (ECI) here.

Also, the by-poll took place for two Lok Sabha constituencies -- Satara in Maharashtra and Samastipur in Bihar, and for 51 Assembly seats spread in 17 states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Bihar.

The polling percentage was 44.64 in Samastipur reserved Parliamentary constituency. 60.75 per cent polling was reported from Satara in Maharashtra. In Uttar Pradesh where the assembly by-poll was held on 11 seats, the voting percentage was put at 46.66. Over 90 per cent of voters cast their votes in Arunachal Pradesh assembly by-poll on Khonsa seat. Gangoh in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh saw 57.8 per cent voting while Lucknow Cantonment assembly seat witnessed 28.53 per cent voting, lowest in the state.

The voter turn out in Naxal-hit Chitrakot in Chhattisgarh was 74.8 per cent, Huzurnagar in Telangana (82.23 per cent) and Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh (62.01 per cent), Bijepur in Odisha (78.96 per cent), Shella in Meghalaya (84.56 per cent) and 69.44 per cent in Puducherry.&nbsp;

The four seats in Assam recorded the poll percentage of 75.69 per cent, five seats in Bihar of 49.50 per cent and six seats in Gujarat of 51.36 per cent.

The poll percentage was 67.97 per cent for two seats in Himachal Pradesh, 66.34 per cent for five seats in Kerala, 69.55 per cent for three seats in Sikkim, 68.87 per cent for two seats in Tamil Nadu and 62.33 per cent for four seats in Punjab.

In Maharashtra, BJP is contesting at 150 seats while its ally Shiv Sena has fielded 124 candidates. The remaining seats have been left for smaller allies. On the other hand, Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The assembly elections in Haryana are a multi-cornered contest among the BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).

Counting of votes in both Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place on October 24.

Nearly 63.55 per cent voter turnout was reported from Haryana, where the voting concluded on Monday for 90 Assembly seats. The voting percentage in Maharashtra, where 288 Assembly seats are at stake, was pegged at 56.

Nearly 63.55 per cent voter turnout was reported from Haryana, where the voting concluded on Monday for 90 Assembly seats. The voting percentage in Maharashtra, where 288 Assembly seats are at stake, was pegged at 56.65 per cent, as per the details shared by the Election Commission of India (ECI) here. Also, the by-poll took place for two Lok Sabha constituencies -- Satara in Maharashtra and Samastipur in Bihar, and for 51 Assembly seats spread in 17 states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Bihar. The polling percentage was 44.64 in Samastipur reserved Parliamentary constituency. 60.75 per cent polling was reported from Satara in Maharashtra. In Uttar Pradesh where the assembly by-poll was held on 11 seats, the voting percentage was put at 46.66. Over 90 per cent of voters cast their votes in Arunachal Pradesh assembly by-poll on Khonsa seat. Gangoh in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh saw 57.8 per cent voting while Lucknow Cantonment assembly seat witnessed 28.53 per cent voting, lowest in the state. The voter turn out in Naxal-hit Chitrakot in Chhattisgarh was 74.8 per cent, Huzurnagar in Telangana (82.23 per cent) and Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh (62.01 per cent), Bijepur in Odisha (78.96 per cent), Shella in Meghalaya (84.56 per cent) and 69.44 per cent in Puducherry. The four seats in Assam recorded the poll percentage of 75.69 per cent, five seats in Bihar of 49.50 per cent and six seats in Gujarat of 51.36 per cent. The poll percentage was 67.97 per cent for two seats in Himachal Pradesh, 66.34 per cent for five seats in Kerala, 69.55 per cent for three seats in Sikkim, 68.87 per cent for two seats in Tamil Nadu and 62.33 per cent for four seats in Punjab. In Maharashtra, BJP is contesting at 150 seats while its ally Shiv Sena has fielded 124 candidates. The remaining seats have been left for smaller allies. On the other hand, Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The assembly elections in Haryana are a multi-cornered contest among the BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP). Counting of votes in both Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place on October 24.

Assembly polls: Haryana records 63.55% voter turnout, Maharashtra 56.65%

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Conservative rival Andrew Scheer slugged it out Sunday on the last day of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-election-brings-call-to-arms-against-gun-violence-256821">rancorous election campaign</a>.

With Canadians going to the polls on Monday, the Liberals and Tories went into the home stretch in a dead heat, each with about 31-32 per cent support after 40 days of mudslinging.

Pollsters are predicting a minority government will result,&nbsp;led either by the Liberals or the Conservatives, as the smaller New Democratic Party (NDP), Green Party and Bloc Quebecois have continued to chip away at the frontrunners' leads.

Their voices hoarse, Trudeau and Scheer made last, desperate pitches to undecided voters over the weekend in key battlegrounds in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec provinces.

"We need a strong, progressive government that will unite Canadians and fight climate change, not a progressive opposition," Trudeau told a rally in a suburb of Vancouver after whistle-stops in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta.

"We need to unite as citizens. We need to unite as a planet," he said.

Policy desert

Scheer, also crisscrossing the country over the weekend, accused the Liberals of being spendthrift, saying on Sunday in Vancouver: "The choice tomorrow is between a Liberal-NDP coalition that will run massive deficits and leave less money in your pocket or a Conservative government that will get back to balanced budgets and make life more affordable.

"Trudeau would pay any price to stay in power and he'd use your money to do it," he said. "We want Canadians to send Conservative MPs to Ottawa to undo the damage that Justin Trudeau has caused."

The campaign, which <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadas-trudeau-slams-rivals-for-dirty-campaign-gets-obama-endorsement-256396">Trudeau has described as the nastiest</a> in Canadian history, has been "a desert from a public-policy point of view," said pollster Nik Nanos of Nanos Research.

Trudeau has faced an unexpected surge from the NDP and Greens on the left, and from the separatist Bloc Quebecois, back from the dead and riding a new Quebec nationalist wave, as he battles disenchantment with his leadership after four years in power.

For his part, Scheer has struggled to convince voters to look past his bland, minivan-driving dad persona and the party's minimalist platform to give the rookie leader a chance to govern.

Attack ads, sometimes skirting the truth, have accused the Liberals of planning to raise taxes and legalize hard drugs, and the Tories of allowing assault rifles on the streets and restricting abortion services.

Both Trudeau and Scheer also took swipes at the Bloc, accusing its leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, after he raised Quebec sovereignty in the dying hours of the campaign, of seeking to "again divide the country," after two failed referendums in 1980 and 1995 on Quebec independence.

Liberals have urged their supporters to vote strategically to prevent a rollback of Trudeau's progressive policies by the Tories.

Former US President Barack Obama chimed in with an endorsement of Trudeau, calling him an "effective leader who takes on big issues like climate change."

"The world needs his progressive leadership now," Obama said in a recent tweet.

'Sing louder'

Plagued by a blackface scandal and accused of ethical lapses in the handling of the bribery prosecution of an engineering giant, Trudeau has seen his star dim and his personal popularity slip over the past year.

At a stop Friday night in Vaughan, Ontario, he invoked the memory of his father, the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau, who was a driving force behind the establishment of modern Canada.

"My father always used to tell me that when you're paddling across a big lake and the clouds get darker and the wind comes up and the waves start to show white caps and break a little more, there really is only one thing to do: sing louder and paddle harder," he said.

"And that's what we do as Liberals."

At another recent rally, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-opposition-chief-pressed-on-us-citizenship-drops-candidate-for-anti-gay-comments-253862">Trudeau</a> was forced to take the unprecedented step of wearing a bulletproof vest on stage amid heavy security due to an unspecified threat.

Trump-inspired chants

Scheer, meanwhile, stepped up efforts to instil fears that the Liberals and New Democrats would form an alliance that he said would be the "worst possible outcome" for Canada.

The only formal coalition in Canada's parliament was in 1917 during World War I.

Throughout the campaign, Scheer faced criticism for padding his resume and over his personal opposition to abortion and gay marriage.

Repeatedly he has had to calm supporters chanting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadas-trudeau-goes-on-attack-in-debate-as-he-seeks-to-revive-campaign-253420">"Lock him up!" against Trudeau</a>, inspired by the line US President Donald Trump's supporters used against Hillary Clinton in 2016.

On Saturday, Scheer sidestepped accusations that the Tories had worked to smear and "destroy" his former rival for the party's leadership, Maxime Bernier, who went on to start his own People's Party.&nbsp;

The People's Party has situated itself to the right of the Conservatives and could draw votes away from the Tories.&nbsp;

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Conservative rival Andrew Scheer slugged it out Sunday on the last day of a rancorous election campaign. With Canadians going to the polls on Monday, the Liberals and Tories went into the home stretch in a dead heat, each with about 31-32 per cent support after 40 days of mudslinging.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Conservative rival Andrew Scheer slugged it out Sunday on the last day of a rancorous election campaign. With Canadians going to the polls on Monday, the Liberals and Tories went into the home stretch in a dead heat, each with about 31-32 per cent support after 40 days of mudslinging. Pollsters are predicting a minority government will result, led either by the Liberals or the Conservatives, as the smaller New Democratic Party (NDP), Green Party and Bloc Quebecois have continued to chip away at the frontrunners' leads. Their voices hoarse, Trudeau and Scheer made last, desperate pitches to undecided voters over the weekend in key battlegrounds in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec provinces. "We need a strong, progressive government that will unite Canadians and fight climate change, not a progressive opposition," Trudeau told a rally in a suburb of Vancouver after whistle-stops in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta. "We need to unite as citizens. We need to unite as a planet," he said. Policy desert Scheer, also crisscrossing the country over the weekend, accused the Liberals of being spendthrift, saying on Sunday in Vancouver: "The choice tomorrow is between a Liberal-NDP coalition that will run massive deficits and leave less money in your pocket or a Conservative government that will get back to balanced budgets and make life more affordable. "Trudeau would pay any price to stay in power and he'd use your money to do it," he said. "We want Canadians to send Conservative MPs to Ottawa to undo the damage that Justin Trudeau has caused." The campaign, which Trudeau has described as the nastiest in Canadian history, has been "a desert from a public-policy point of view," said pollster Nik Nanos of Nanos Research. Trudeau has faced an unexpected surge from the NDP and Greens on the left, and from the separatist Bloc Quebecois, back from the dead and riding a new Quebec nationalist wave, as he battles disenchantment with his leadership after four years in power. For his part, Scheer has struggled to convince voters to look past his bland, minivan-driving dad persona and the party's minimalist platform to give the rookie leader a chance to govern. Attack ads, sometimes skirting the truth, have accused the Liberals of planning to raise taxes and legalize hard drugs, and the Tories of allowing assault rifles on the streets and restricting abortion services. Both Trudeau and Scheer also took swipes at the Bloc, accusing its leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, after he raised Quebec sovereignty in the dying hours of the campaign, of seeking to "again divide the country," after two failed referendums in 1980 and 1995 on Quebec independence. Liberals have urged their supporters to vote strategically to prevent a rollback of Trudeau's progressive policies by the Tories. Former US President Barack Obama chimed in with an endorsement of Trudeau, calling him an "effective leader who takes on big issues like climate change." "The world needs his progressive leadership now," Obama said in a recent tweet. 'Sing louder' Plagued by a blackface scandal and accused of ethical lapses in the handling of the bribery prosecution of an engineering giant, Trudeau has seen his star dim and his personal popularity slip over the past year. At a stop Friday night in Vaughan, Ontario, he invoked the memory of his father, the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau, who was a driving force behind the establishment of modern Canada. "My father always used to tell me that when you're paddling across a big lake and the clouds get darker and the wind comes up and the waves start to show white caps and break a little more, there really is only one thing to do: sing louder and paddle harder," he said. "And that's what we do as Liberals." At another recent rally, Trudeau was forced to take the unprecedented step of wearing a bulletproof vest on stage amid heavy security due to an unspecified threat. Trump-inspired chants Scheer, meanwhile, stepped up efforts to instil fears that the Liberals and New Democrats would form an alliance that he said would be the "worst possible outcome" for Canada. The only formal coalition in Canada's parliament was in 1917 during World War I. Throughout the campaign, Scheer faced criticism for padding his resume and over his personal opposition to abortion and gay marriage. Repeatedly he has had to calm supporters chanting "Lock him up!" against Trudeau, inspired by the line US President Donald Trump's supporters used against Hillary Clinton in 2016. On Saturday, Scheer sidestepped accusations that the Tories had worked to smear and "destroy" his former rival for the party's leadership, Maxime Bernier, who went on to start his own People's Party. The People's Party has situated itself to the right of the Conservatives and could draw votes away from the Tories.

Liberals, Tories slug it out on last day of Canada election

Evo Morales led Bolivia's presidential election race Sunday but faces a historic second-round run-off against opposition rival Carlos Mesa, partial results announced by election authorities showed.

Seeking a fourth term, Morales had 45 per cent of the vote to Mesa's 38 per cent, with 84 per cent of the vote counted, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal said.

Elected Bolivia's first indigenous president in 2005, he has won all his previous elections in the first round, never having to contest a run-off.

South Korean-born evangelical pastor, Chi Hyun Chung, was in third place with 8.7 per cent of the vote.

Morales, who will turn 60 next week, has been at the helm in the poor but resource-rich Latin American country for 13 years, and a new mandate would keep him in power until 2025.

The former coca farmer and leftist union leader obtained Constitutional Court permission in 2017 to run again for president even though the constitution allows only two consecutive terms.

Evo Morales led Bolivia's presidential election race Sunday but faces a historic second-round run-off against opposition rival Carlos Mesa, partial results announced by election authorities showed.

Evo Morales led Bolivia's presidential election race Sunday but faces a historic second-round run-off against opposition rival Carlos Mesa, partial results announced by election authorities showed. Seeking a fourth term, Morales had 45 per cent of the vote to Mesa's 38 per cent, with 84 per cent of the vote counted, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal said. Elected Bolivia's first indigenous president in 2005, he has won all his previous elections in the first round, never having to contest a run-off. South Korean-born evangelical pastor, Chi Hyun Chung, was in third place with 8.7 per cent of the vote. Morales, who will turn 60 next week, has been at the helm in the poor but resource-rich Latin American country for 13 years, and a new mandate would keep him in power until 2025. The former coca farmer and leftist union leader obtained Constitutional Court permission in 2017 to run again for president even though the constitution allows only two consecutive terms.

Morales leads Bolivia election but faces run-off

Over 50 per cent of voters had cast their votes for Haryana assembly polls by 4 pm on Monday while the polling percentage was 43.70 per cent in Maharashtra.

The polling percentage in Haryana was 50.59 per cent in Haryana, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).&nbsp;

The polling percentage was high in some states where assembly by-elections are being held but low in some others.

In Uttar Pradesh where assembly by-poll is being held on 11 seats, the voting percentage was 36.94 per cent. The four seats in Assam recorded a poll percentage of 63.71 per cent, five seats in Bihar of 41.82 per cent, six seats in Gujarat of 40.28 per cent.

The poll percentage was 55.62 per cent for two seats in Himachal Pradesh, 51.65 per cent for five seats in Kerala, 62 per cent for three seats in Sikkim, 58.51 per cent for two seats in Tamil Nadu and 50.49 per cent for four seats in Punjab.

The assembly bypoll for one seat in Arunachal Pradesh recorded a high polling percentage of 89.27 per cent by 4 pm.

It was 56.62 per cent for one seat in Madhya Pradesh, 64.13 per cent for one seat in Meghalaya, 56.50 per cent for one seat in Odisha, 64.14 per cent for one seat in Chhattisgarh, 69.95 per cent for one seat in Telangana and 56.16 per cent in Puducherry. Samasitpur Lok Sabha seat in Bihar recorded 38 per cent voting by 4 pm while Satara in Maharashtra recorded 48.04 per cent.

In Maharashtra, BJP is contesting at 150 seats while its ally Shiv Sena has fielded 124 candidates. The remaining seats have been left for smaller allies. On the other hand, Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The assembly elections in Haryana are a multi-cornered contest among the BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).

Counting of votes in both Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place on October 24.

Over 50 per cent of voters had cast their votes for Haryana assembly polls by 4 pm on Monday while the polling percentage was 43.70 per cent in Maharashtra. The polling percentage in Haryana was 50.

Over 50 per cent of voters had cast their votes for Haryana assembly polls by 4 pm on Monday while the polling percentage was 43.70 per cent in Maharashtra. The polling percentage in Haryana was 50.59 per cent in Haryana, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The polling percentage was high in some states where assembly by-elections are being held but low in some others. In Uttar Pradesh where assembly by-poll is being held on 11 seats, the voting percentage was 36.94 per cent. The four seats in Assam recorded a poll percentage of 63.71 per cent, five seats in Bihar of 41.82 per cent, six seats in Gujarat of 40.28 per cent. The poll percentage was 55.62 per cent for two seats in Himachal Pradesh, 51.65 per cent for five seats in Kerala, 62 per cent for three seats in Sikkim, 58.51 per cent for two seats in Tamil Nadu and 50.49 per cent for four seats in Punjab. The assembly bypoll for one seat in Arunachal Pradesh recorded a high polling percentage of 89.27 per cent by 4 pm. It was 56.62 per cent for one seat in Madhya Pradesh, 64.13 per cent for one seat in Meghalaya, 56.50 per cent for one seat in Odisha, 64.14 per cent for one seat in Chhattisgarh, 69.95 per cent for one seat in Telangana and 56.16 per cent in Puducherry. Samasitpur Lok Sabha seat in Bihar recorded 38 per cent voting by 4 pm while Satara in Maharashtra recorded 48.04 per cent. In Maharashtra, BJP is contesting at 150 seats while its ally Shiv Sena has fielded 124 candidates. The remaining seats have been left for smaller allies. On the other hand, Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The assembly elections in Haryana are a multi-cornered contest among the BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP). Counting of votes in both Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place on October 24.

Haryana registers 50.59% polling by 4 pm, Maharashtra 43.70%

Over 50.59 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Haryana till 3:30 pm on Monday.

The fate of 1,169 candidates for the 90 member Legislative Assembly in the state will be sealed in EVMs by the voters.

19,578 polling stations have been set up for citizens to cast their votes in the state.

About 2,987 polling booths have been marked as vulnerable and 151 polling stations have been identified as critical.

Live footage from these polling stations will be monitored in the control room set up at the headquarters in Chandigarh.

More than 40,000 Haryana Police personnel, over 13,000 paramilitary personnel and more than 20,000 Home Guards and Special Police Officers have been deployed for conducting the elections in the state.

The assembly elections in Haryana are a multi-cornered contest among the BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).

Polling for 90 seats in Haryana began at 7 am today and will continue till 6 pm in the evening.&nbsp;

Over 50.59 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Haryana till 3:30 pm on Monday. The fate of 1,169 candidates for the 90 member Legislative Assembly in the state will be sealed in EVMs by the voters.

Over 50.59 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Haryana till 3:30 pm on Monday. The fate of 1,169 candidates for the 90 member Legislative Assembly in the state will be sealed in EVMs by the voters. 19,578 polling stations have been set up for citizens to cast their votes in the state. About 2,987 polling booths have been marked as vulnerable and 151 polling stations have been identified as critical. Live footage from these polling stations will be monitored in the control room set up at the headquarters in Chandigarh. More than 40,000 Haryana Police personnel, over 13,000 paramilitary personnel and more than 20,000 Home Guards and Special Police Officers have been deployed for conducting the elections in the state. The assembly elections in Haryana are a multi-cornered contest among the BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP). Polling for 90 seats in Haryana began at 7 am today and will continue till 6 pm in the evening.

Haryana assembly elections: 50.59% polling recorded till 3:30 pm

The voter turnout for Maharashtra Assembly constituency stood at 43.78 per cent till 3 pm, as per the Election Commission (EC).

The voter turnout for Mumbai city district stood at 35 per cent while the total turnout in Pune district was recorded at 41.1 per cent comprising of 21 assembly constituencies, till 3 pm.&nbsp;

Out of 288 Assembly constituencies in the state, Karvir witnessed the highest voter turnout of 65.61 per cent while Ulhasnagar witnessed the lowest at 25.82 per cent till 3 pm.

Polling is underway in the state and Bollywood stars--Jaya Bachchan along with Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan exercised their right to vote at Mumbai`s Juhu constituency on Monday. BJP MP from Gurdaspur, Sunny Deol too exercised his right to vote at a polling booth in Juhu, Mumbai.

Polling for 90 seats of Haryana and 288 constituencies of Maharashtra began at 7 am today and will continue till 6 pm.

The electoral fate of over 4,400 candidates -- 1,169 in Haryana and 3,237 in Maharashtra will be sealed in EVMs by the voters who will exercise their democratic franchise in the assembly elections.

There are 96,661 polling booths in Maharashtra for citizens to cast their votes.

In Maharashtra, BJP is contesting at 150 seats while its ally Shiv Sena has fielded 124 candidates. The remaining seats have been left for smaller allies. On the other hand, Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Counting of votes in both Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place on October 24.

The voter turnout for Maharashtra Assembly constituency stood at 43.78 per cent till 3 pm, as per the Election Commission (EC). The voter turnout for Mumbai city district stood at 35 per cent while the total turnout in Pune district was recorded at 41.

The voter turnout for Maharashtra Assembly constituency stood at 43.78 per cent till 3 pm, as per the Election Commission (EC). The voter turnout for Mumbai city district stood at 35 per cent while the total turnout in Pune district was recorded at 41.1 per cent comprising of 21 assembly constituencies, till 3 pm. Out of 288 Assembly constituencies in the state, Karvir witnessed the highest voter turnout of 65.61 per cent while Ulhasnagar witnessed the lowest at 25.82 per cent till 3 pm. Polling is underway in the state and Bollywood stars--Jaya Bachchan along with Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan exercised their right to vote at Mumbai`s Juhu constituency on Monday. BJP MP from Gurdaspur, Sunny Deol too exercised his right to vote at a polling booth in Juhu, Mumbai. Polling for 90 seats of Haryana and 288 constituencies of Maharashtra began at 7 am today and will continue till 6 pm. The electoral fate of over 4,400 candidates -- 1,169 in Haryana and 3,237 in Maharashtra will be sealed in EVMs by the voters who will exercise their democratic franchise in the assembly elections. There are 96,661 polling booths in Maharashtra for citizens to cast their votes. In Maharashtra, BJP is contesting at 150 seats while its ally Shiv Sena has fielded 124 candidates. The remaining seats have been left for smaller allies. On the other hand, Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Counting of votes in both Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place on October 24.

Maharashtra polls: 43.78% voter turnout till 3 pm

Potential scenarios in Canada's elections

<div class="content" itemprop="articleBody">
The campaigning ended for assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra on Saturday with political leaders making all-out efforts to woo voters through rallies and road shows.

On the last day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally at Rewari and Sirsa in Haryana.

Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah held rallies in Maharashtra. State Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a roadshow in Nagpur while NCP chief Sharad Pawar addressed an election rally in Satara.

Polling in the two states will be held on October 21 and the results will be announced on October 24. BJP is in power on its own in Haryana and in alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

The BJP targeted Congress on its past record in office and vociferously raised the issues of national security and repeal of Article 370.

The Congress and other opposition parties raised issues such as "unemployment", "slow down in economy" and " farm distress".

BJP is contesting 150 seats in 288-member Maharashtra Assembly while its ally Shiv Sena has fielded candidates in 124 candidates. The remaining seats have been left for smaller allies.

Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with NCP in Maharashtra.

The elections to 90-member Haryana assembly will witness multi-cornered contest on several seats between BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).&nbsp;
</div>

The campaigning ended for assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra on Saturday with political leaders making all-out efforts to woo voters through rallies and road shows.

The campaigning ended for assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra on Saturday with political leaders making all-out efforts to woo voters through rallies and road shows. On the last day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally at Rewari and Sirsa in Haryana. Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah held rallies in Maharashtra. State Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a roadshow in Nagpur while NCP chief Sharad Pawar addressed an election rally in Satara. Polling in the two states will be held on October 21 and the results will be announced on October 24. BJP is in power on its own in Haryana and in alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. The BJP targeted Congress on its past record in office and vociferously raised the issues of national security and repeal of Article 370. The Congress and other opposition parties raised issues such as "unemployment", "slow down in economy" and " farm distress". BJP is contesting 150 seats in 288-member Maharashtra Assembly while its ally Shiv Sena has fielded candidates in 124 candidates. The remaining seats have been left for smaller allies. Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with NCP in Maharashtra. The elections to 90-member Haryana assembly will witness multi-cornered contest on several seats between BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).

Campaigning ends for Haryana, Maharashtra assembly polls

Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Manoj Yadava on Saturday said that the state police administration has made massive security arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of general elections to the Vidhan Sabha on October 21 in the state.

In a statement issued here, the DGP said that State Police have taken all measures and in a very comfortable position to complete the task of the democratic process in a peaceful and incident-free manner.&nbsp;

"As part of election preparedness, the neighbouring states would also deploy maximum force in their territory to ensure sealing of inter-state borders before the election," added Yadava.

A total of more than 75,000 police personnel have been mobilised for election duty. All the Range ADGPs/IGs, Commissioners of Police and district Superintendents of Police have already been instructed to leave no stone unturned for maintaining law and order at their respective places of postings.

The DGP warned that any attempt to disrupt the electoral process would not be tolerated and stern action will be taken against the elements who would try to vitiate the law and order in the State.

Giving details about the security arrangement, Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order, Navdeep Singh Virk said that 130 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed in every nook and corner across the state.

In addition, 26,896 state police personnel, 22,806 home guards volunteers, 7,936 Special Police Officers and 6,001 police trainees are on poll duty to ensure tight vigil and security at all polling stations in the state.

The entire force will prevent any kind of disruption and detect the movement of illegal and unlawful activities along with other law and order duties before as well as on the day of polling.

He said the monitoring has been intensified by the flying squads and other surveillance teams to prevent violation of the Model Code of Conduct, especially the distribution of cash, liquor, and other inducements. As part of the confidence-building measure, security forces are conducting flag marches.

Virk said that police teams also are conducting close monitoring of critical and vulnerable polling stations, which would be covered by the deployment of Central Paramilitary Forces as well as webcasting. He said that police are also keeping a close watch on habitual offenders and other anti-social elements who might try to disrupt the electoral process.&nbsp;

Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Manoj Yadava on Saturday said that the state police administration has made massive security arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of general elections to the Vidhan Sabha on October 21 in the state.

Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Manoj Yadava on Saturday said that the state police administration has made massive security arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of general elections to the Vidhan Sabha on October 21 in the state. In a statement issued here, the DGP said that State Police have taken all measures and in a very comfortable position to complete the task of the democratic process in a peaceful and incident-free manner. "As part of election preparedness, the neighbouring states would also deploy maximum force in their territory to ensure sealing of inter-state borders before the election," added Yadava. A total of more than 75,000 police personnel have been mobilised for election duty. All the Range ADGPs/IGs, Commissioners of Police and district Superintendents of Police have already been instructed to leave no stone unturned for maintaining law and order at their respective places of postings. The DGP warned that any attempt to disrupt the electoral process would not be tolerated and stern action will be taken against the elements who would try to vitiate the law and order in the State. Giving details about the security arrangement, Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order, Navdeep Singh Virk said that 130 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed in every nook and corner across the state. In addition, 26,896 state police personnel, 22,806 home guards volunteers, 7,936 Special Police Officers and 6,001 police trainees are on poll duty to ensure tight vigil and security at all polling stations in the state. The entire force will prevent any kind of disruption and detect the movement of illegal and unlawful activities along with other law and order duties before as well as on the day of polling. He said the monitoring has been intensified by the flying squads and other surveillance teams to prevent violation of the Model Code of Conduct, especially the distribution of cash, liquor, and other inducements. As part of the confidence-building measure, security forces are conducting flag marches. Virk said that police teams also are conducting close monitoring of critical and vulnerable polling stations, which would be covered by the deployment of Central Paramilitary Forces as well as webcasting. He said that police are also keeping a close watch on habitual offenders and other anti-social elements who might try to disrupt the electoral process.

Haryana: Police roll up their sleeves for poll, over 75000 security personnel mobilised for election duty

Mozambique's main opposition party Renamo on Saturday called for this week's election to be annulled, accusing the government of breaching their peace deal by using violence and intimidation during the vote.

Partial results from Tuesday's election show President Filipe Nyusi and his ruling Frelimo party headed for a major victory but the poll was marred by claims of fraud and irregularities.

Renamo accused Frelimo of violating a "cessation of hostilities agreement" under the August peace deal which states no party should "commit acts of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political objectives".

Renamo said some of its delegates were arrested after they caught poll organisers handing out more than one Frelimo ballot paper to voters.

"There were arbitrary arrests of agents... and voters who tried to complain about anything, ballot box stuffing, being unable to exercise the right to vote," they said in a statement.

The party called for a cancellation of the vote and asked for "new elections that must be supervised by reputable entities".

The vote was seen as a test of the fragile peace deal between Frelimo and Renamo, a former rebel group.

The two sides fought a brutal civil war from 1975-1992, devastating the economy and leaving almost one million people dead.&nbsp;

They picked up arms again from 2013 to 2016, although tensions continued until the peace deal was sealed.

Mozambique's main opposition party Renamo on Saturday called for this week's election to be annulled, accusing the government of breaching their peace deal by using violence and intimidation during the vote.

Mozambique's main opposition party Renamo on Saturday called for this week's election to be annulled, accusing the government of breaching their peace deal by using violence and intimidation during the vote. Partial results from Tuesday's election show President Filipe Nyusi and his ruling Frelimo party headed for a major victory but the poll was marred by claims of fraud and irregularities. Renamo accused Frelimo of violating a "cessation of hostilities agreement" under the August peace deal which states no party should "commit acts of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political objectives". Renamo said some of its delegates were arrested after they caught poll organisers handing out more than one Frelimo ballot paper to voters. "There were arbitrary arrests of agents... and voters who tried to complain about anything, ballot box stuffing, being unable to exercise the right to vote," they said in a statement. The party called for a cancellation of the vote and asked for "new elections that must be supervised by reputable entities". The vote was seen as a test of the fragile peace deal between Frelimo and Renamo, a former rebel group. The two sides fought a brutal civil war from 1975-1992, devastating the economy and leaving almost one million people dead. They picked up arms again from 2013 to 2016, although tensions continued until the peace deal was sealed.

Mozambique opposition calls for vote to be annulled

The Afghan Election Commission will not be able to announce the results of last month's presidential election on Saturday, as scheduled, because of delay in processing data from the biometric voter verification system, Election Commission Secretary Habib-ur-Rehman Nang told Sputnik on Friday.

Afghans voted on September 28 to elect the country's president, with around 9.5 million people having registered to cast their ballots. The biometric identification system was used in a bid to avoid fraud.

"We were trying hard to announce the results on the given date, but since there was no audience, no monitors in the first days after the election, the system didn't work for several days, and the contents of the biometric systems were not copied immediately," Nang said.

The Election Commission has not yet set a new deadline for announcing the results, but sources have told Sputnik that the preliminary results will be announced within 10 days.

Election Commissioner Mualana Mohammad Abdullah said at a news conference that work was progressing fast despite "some problems."

"There were some problems in the commission that were left out of schedule, but works are not stagnant, and progress is being made to announce transparent results with no confusion," Abdullah said.

Another commissioner, Aurangzeb, stressed that transparency should be prioritised, not rapid announcement of the results. "It is not important that the announcement of the results is delayed, it is important to use transparency and declare the results after full confidence is guaranteed," Aurangzeb added.

The US Embassy, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, and the European Union representatives in Kabul also insist that the announcement of the results may be delayed for the sake of guaranteeing transparency.

Meanwhile, there is a strong belief both <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/blood-and-hope-women-in-afghanistans-elections-253513">in Afghanistan and within the global community</a> that the election was transparent, and that a crisis similar to that of the 2014 election is unlikely to be repeated.

The Afghan Election Commission will not be able to announce the results of last month's presidential election on Saturday, as scheduled, because of delay in processing data from the biometric voter verification system, Election Commission Secretary Habib-ur-Rehman Nang told Sputnik on Friday.

The Afghan Election Commission will not be able to announce the results of last month's presidential election on Saturday, as scheduled, because of delay in processing data from the biometric voter verification system, Election Commission Secretary Habib-ur-Rehman Nang told Sputnik on Friday. Afghans voted on September 28 to elect the country's president, with around 9.5 million people having registered to cast their ballots. The biometric identification system was used in a bid to avoid fraud. "We were trying hard to announce the results on the given date, but since there was no audience, no monitors in the first days after the election, the system didn't work for several days, and the contents of the biometric systems were not copied immediately," Nang said. The Election Commission has not yet set a new deadline for announcing the results, but sources have told Sputnik that the preliminary results will be announced within 10 days. Election Commissioner Mualana Mohammad Abdullah said at a news conference that work was progressing fast despite "some problems." "There were some problems in the commission that were left out of schedule, but works are not stagnant, and progress is being made to announce transparent results with no confusion," Abdullah said. Another commissioner, Aurangzeb, stressed that transparency should be prioritised, not rapid announcement of the results. "It is not important that the announcement of the results is delayed, it is important to use transparency and declare the results after full confidence is guaranteed," Aurangzeb added. The US Embassy, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, and the European Union representatives in Kabul also insist that the announcement of the results may be delayed for the sake of guaranteeing transparency. Meanwhile, there is a strong belief both in Afghanistan and within the global community that the election was transparent, and that a crisis similar to that of the 2014 election is unlikely to be repeated.

Afghanistan Presidential Election: Result will not be announced on October 19 as planned

Conservative political outsider Kais Saeid has won <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/outsider-saied-set-for-landslide-in-tunisia-presidency-exit-polls-255874">Tunisia's presidential election</a> by a landslide taking 72.71 per cent of the votes, the North African country's electoral commission said Monday.

Saied garnered 2.7 million votes against one million received by his rival business tycoon Nabil Karoui in Sunday's runoff, the commission said.

The vote -- the second presidential election since 2014 -- reflected Tunisia's shifting political landscape since the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that ousted an autocratic regime.

Saied, a retired law professor with a rigid and austere demeanour that earned him the nickname "Robocop", was carried to victory by young voters, wooed by his anti-establishment platform.

Around 90 per cent of 18- to 25-year-olds voted for Saied, according to estimates by the Sigma polling institute, compared with 49.2 per cent of voters over 60.

According to Tunisian law, the results can still be appealed within two weeks before the new president is sworn in at the end of the month.

The electoral commission ISIE said turnout was 55 per cent, slightly lower from an initial figure of 58 per cent announced Sunday after the runoff.

It noted however that turnout was higher than during the first round on September 15.

Saied, a 61-year-old constitutional law expert, campaigned on the values of the 2011 revolution, based on opposition to Westernised and corrupt elites, and in favour of radical decentralisation.

The poll, Tunisia's second free presidential election since its 2011 revolt, followed the death of president Beji Caid Essebsi in July. 
&nbsp;

Conservative political outsider Kais Saeid has won Tunisia's presidential election by a landslide taking 72.71 per cent of the votes, the North African country's electoral commission said Monday.

Conservative political outsider Kais Saeid has won Tunisia's presidential election by a landslide taking 72.71 per cent of the votes, the North African country's electoral commission said Monday. Saied garnered 2.7 million votes against one million received by his rival business tycoon Nabil Karoui in Sunday's runoff, the commission said. The vote -- the second presidential election since 2014 -- reflected Tunisia's shifting political landscape since the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that ousted an autocratic regime. Saied, a retired law professor with a rigid and austere demeanour that earned him the nickname "Robocop", was carried to victory by young voters, wooed by his anti-establishment platform. Around 90 per cent of 18- to 25-year-olds voted for Saied, according to estimates by the Sigma polling institute, compared with 49.2 per cent of voters over 60. According to Tunisian law, the results can still be appealed within two weeks before the new president is sworn in at the end of the month. The electoral commission ISIE said turnout was 55 per cent, slightly lower from an initial figure of 58 per cent announced Sunday after the runoff. It noted however that turnout was higher than during the first round on September 15. Saied, a 61-year-old constitutional law expert, campaigned on the values of the 2011 revolution, based on opposition to Westernised and corrupt elites, and in favour of radical decentralisation. The poll, Tunisia's second free presidential election since its 2011 revolt, followed the death of president Beji Caid Essebsi in July.

Kais Saied elected Tunisian president by 72.71%: Commission

The Haryana Police has seized 1,204 kilograms of narcotics worth crores of rupees during a month-long special anti-narcotic drive across the state in the lead up to the assembly polls, said Director-General of Police, Manoj Yadava on Monday.

They have also arrested 483 persons by registering 386 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act&nbsp;(NDPS), Yadava added.

"A special drive was launched between August 20 and September 20, 2019, ahead of the announcement of Vidhan Sabha polls, to bust the network of supplying drugs and tightening the noose on those involved in the peddling them in the state," the Director-General of Police said.

As part of the crackdown, the DGP said that 559 kg marijuana, 1 kg&nbsp;heroin, 630 kg poppy husk, 5 kg&nbsp;opium, 3 kg&nbsp;charas, over 2 kg of smack and 458 gram&nbsp;sulfa have been seized from the&nbsp;arrested.

In addition to the above, police teams have also seized prohibited medicines including 1,43,483 tablets, 196 bottles of syrup, 15,469 capsules and 827 injections.

Sharing further details, the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Navdeep Singh Virk said that the maximum number of cases - 129 cases were&nbsp;registered in the district of Sirsa, where 178 accused were arrested under the NDPS Act.

Similarly, 30 cases were registered in Fatehabad with the arrest of 85 accused, 23 cases each were registered in Ambala and Panipat, 20 in Gurugram, 18 in Rohtak, 16 in Kurukshetra, 13 in Karnal and 10 in Yamunanagar by recovering huge consignments of drugs including heroin, poppy husk, marijuana and opium.

Virk said that the Police Department under the guidance of DGP Manoj Yadava has made elaborate security arrangements to implement a multi-pronged pre-poll strategy to ensure free, fair and peaceful polling in the state.

The Haryana Police has seized 1,204 kilograms of narcotics worth crores of rupees during a month-long special anti-narcotic drive across the state in the lead up to the assembly polls, said Director-General of Police, Manoj Yadava on Monday.

The Haryana Police has seized 1,204 kilograms of narcotics worth crores of rupees during a month-long special anti-narcotic drive across the state in the lead up to the assembly polls, said Director-General of Police, Manoj Yadava on Monday. They have also arrested 483 persons by registering 386 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), Yadava added. "A special drive was launched between August 20 and September 20, 2019, ahead of the announcement of Vidhan Sabha polls, to bust the network of supplying drugs and tightening the noose on those involved in the peddling them in the state," the Director-General of Police said. As part of the crackdown, the DGP said that 559 kg marijuana, 1 kg heroin, 630 kg poppy husk, 5 kg opium, 3 kg charas, over 2 kg of smack and 458 gram sulfa have been seized from the arrested. In addition to the above, police teams have also seized prohibited medicines including 1,43,483 tablets, 196 bottles of syrup, 15,469 capsules and 827 injections. Sharing further details, the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Navdeep Singh Virk said that the maximum number of cases - 129 cases were registered in the district of Sirsa, where 178 accused were arrested under the NDPS Act. Similarly, 30 cases were registered in Fatehabad with the arrest of 85 accused, 23 cases each were registered in Ambala and Panipat, 20 in Gurugram, 18 in Rohtak, 16 in Kurukshetra, 13 in Karnal and 10 in Yamunanagar by recovering huge consignments of drugs including heroin, poppy husk, marijuana and opium. Virk said that the Police Department under the guidance of DGP Manoj Yadava has made elaborate security arrangements to implement a multi-pronged pre-poll strategy to ensure free, fair and peaceful polling in the state.

Haryana police arrests 483 people, seize over 1000 kg of contraband before polls

Hungarians go to the polls Sunday in municipal elections seen as a rare chance for the beleaguered opposition to roll back the power of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Opposition parties across the political spectrum have joined forces, potentially denying Orban's right-wing Fidesz party a landslide win for the first time in almost a decade.

Since Orban came to power in 2010, he has overhauled election rules, making it more difficult for opposition parties to compete individually against Fidesz.

The main battleground is the capital Budapest, where Gergely Karacsony, 44, is neck-and-neck in polling for the mayor's post with the Fidesz-backed incumbent Istvan Tarlos, who like Orban has been in office since 2010.

Karacsony has compared the Budapest race to the Istanbul mayoral election in March, in which the candidate of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party was defeated by the opposition challenger.

"Istanbul voted against an aggressive illiberal power in many ways similar to Orban's regime," Karacsony told AFP.

After sweeping to power, Orban pushed through swathes of new legislation, including measures that critics at home and abroad say have neutered key democratic institutions such as the media and the judiciary in the EU member state.

Critics say some of those reforms helped Fidesz to rout opposition parties at parliamentary, European and local elections despite around half of the electorate often voting against it.

Now, in many municipalities just one opposition challenger is lining up against Fidesz.

Outside the capital tight races are also forecast in several currently Fidesz-run cities like Miskolc, Pecs, and Szombathely, as well as in most of Budapest's 23 district municipalities.

Hopes of opposition gains increased last week after a sex scandal involving a Fidesz mayor erupted, threatening to erode the party's support nationwide.

An anonymous blogger posted explicit pictures and videos of the mayor of the western city of Gyor taking part in an orgy on a yacht in Croatia.&nbsp;

Fidesz leaders, who brand the party as a Christian-conservative one promoting family values, have sought to downplay the scandal. But analysts say its impact on voters is still unclear.

Around 1,000 people demonstrated against Fidesz in Gyor late Saturday, with opposition politicians from different parties urging the crowd to vote out the mayor.

Observers see the elections as a litmus test for the opposition's new strategy of cooperation, which could offer a way to challenge Orban in the next general election in 2022.

The opposition is expected to make gains Sunday from its 2014 results and possibly win the Budapest mayoralty. But it needs to do well in the countryside to stand a chance in 2022, says Andras Biro-Nagy of the Policy Solutions think-tank.&nbsp;

"Budapest has symbolic value of course, but it is equally important to win provincial cities and build roots and infrastructure there, that is where 2022 will be won or lost," he told AFP.

Hungarians go to the polls Sunday in municipal elections seen as a rare chance for the beleaguered opposition to roll back the power of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Hungarians go to the polls Sunday in municipal elections seen as a rare chance for the beleaguered opposition to roll back the power of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Opposition parties across the political spectrum have joined forces, potentially denying Orban's right-wing Fidesz party a landslide win for the first time in almost a decade. Since Orban came to power in 2010, he has overhauled election rules, making it more difficult for opposition parties to compete individually against Fidesz. The main battleground is the capital Budapest, where Gergely Karacsony, 44, is neck-and-neck in polling for the mayor's post with the Fidesz-backed incumbent Istvan Tarlos, who like Orban has been in office since 2010. Karacsony has compared the Budapest race to the Istanbul mayoral election in March, in which the candidate of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party was defeated by the opposition challenger. "Istanbul voted against an aggressive illiberal power in many ways similar to Orban's regime," Karacsony told AFP. After sweeping to power, Orban pushed through swathes of new legislation, including measures that critics at home and abroad say have neutered key democratic institutions such as the media and the judiciary in the EU member state. Critics say some of those reforms helped Fidesz to rout opposition parties at parliamentary, European and local elections despite around half of the electorate often voting against it. Now, in many municipalities just one opposition challenger is lining up against Fidesz. Outside the capital tight races are also forecast in several currently Fidesz-run cities like Miskolc, Pecs, and Szombathely, as well as in most of Budapest's 23 district municipalities. Hopes of opposition gains increased last week after a sex scandal involving a Fidesz mayor erupted, threatening to erode the party's support nationwide. An anonymous blogger posted explicit pictures and videos of the mayor of the western city of Gyor taking part in an orgy on a yacht in Croatia. Fidesz leaders, who brand the party as a Christian-conservative one promoting family values, have sought to downplay the scandal. But analysts say its impact on voters is still unclear. Around 1,000 people demonstrated against Fidesz in Gyor late Saturday, with opposition politicians from different parties urging the crowd to vote out the mayor. Observers see the elections as a litmus test for the opposition's new strategy of cooperation, which could offer a way to challenge Orban in the next general election in 2022. The opposition is expected to make gains Sunday from its 2014 results and possibly win the Budapest mayoralty. But it needs to do well in the countryside to stand a chance in 2022, says Andras Biro-Nagy of the Policy Solutions think-tank. "Budapest has symbolic value of course, but it is equally important to win provincial cities and build roots and infrastructure there, that is where 2022 will be won or lost," he told AFP.

Hungary opposition eyes Budapest, gains in local elections

Ahead of Assembly polls in the state, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/five-died-in-bihar-due-to-illicit-liquor-23058">Election Commission officials</a> on Sunday seized illicit liquor worth Rs 70,000 in Malabar hill Assembly constituency here. 
 
Last week, EC officials&nbsp;seized Rs 63.09 lakh&nbsp;cash from two different places in Mumbai. 
 
Maharashtra will go to polls on October 21 and the counting of votes will take place on October 24.

Ahead of Assembly polls in the state, Election Commission officials on Sunday seized illicit liquor worth Rs 70,000 in Malabar hill Assembly constituency here. Last week, EC officials seized Rs 63.

Ahead of Assembly polls in the state, Election Commission officials on Sunday seized illicit liquor worth Rs 70,000 in Malabar hill Assembly constituency here. Last week, EC officials seized Rs 63.09 lakh cash from two different places in Mumbai. Maharashtra will go to polls on October 21 and the counting of votes will take place on October 24.

Election Commission seizes illicit liquor worth Rs 73,000 in Mumbai ahead of elections

Tunisians began voting on Sunday in a presidential runoff pitting a conservative academic against a media magnate fresh out of jail, reflecting a shift in the country's post-revolution political landscape.

The political newcomers swept aside the old guard in the first round, highlighting voter anger over a stagnant economy, high unemployment and poor public services in the cradle of the Arab Spring.

Adding controversy and suspense to the contest, presidential contender Nabil Karoui only walked free on Wednesday, having spent more than a month behind bars on suspicion of money-laundering.

This election is "more exciting than a local derby (football match)," said a young man taking part in lively debate on Bourguiba Avenue in central Tunis ahead of the showdown.

The vote, Tunisia's second free presidential poll since the 2011 revolt, follows the death of president Beji Caid Essebsi in July.

Polling stations opened to the electorate of seven million at 8:00 am (0700 GMT) and are due to close at 6:00 pm. Exit polls are expected by Sunday evening.

On Friday night, Karoui and law professor Kais Saied went head-to-head in a rare television debate, the last bid to woo voters.

Karoui, a 56-year-old business tycoon, appeared relaxed, if at times hesitant. Speaking in Tunisian dialect, he stuck to his key themes of economic liberalisation and fighting poverty.

Serious but also at ease, 61-year-old independent candidate Saied called for the decentralisation of power and criticised the country's partisan system, in classical Arabic.

The runoff outcome remains uncertain, with a ban on opinion polls, but Karoui received a boost with his newly formed party, Qalb Tounes (Heart of Tunis), coming second in legislative elections a week earlier.

Saied topped the first round in the presidential election, held on September 15, with 18.4 per cent of votes, while Karoui followed with 15.6 per cent. Turnout for that round was a modest 45 per cent.

Karoui presents himself as a candidate for the poor but spent most of his campaign imprisoned on money-laundering and tax-evasion charges. He was released on his fourth appeal in court after threatening to contest the results.

Sharp contrast

While the candidates are both seen as anti-establishment figures, the contrast between them is sharp, with Saied nicknamed "Robocop" for his rigid and austere manner.

A social conservative, he has defended the death penalty, criminalisation of homosexuality and a sexual assault law that punishes unmarried couples who engage in public displays of affection.

Saied is an expert on constitutional law, who taught at the Tunis faculty of judicial and political sciences for nearly two decades.

He launched an unorthodox election campaign that saw him shun mass rallies and instead canvass door-to-door.

The appeal of flamboyant Karoui, who always appears in designer suits, stems largely from his media empire and philanthropic activity.

A former executive for Colgate-Palmolive, in 2002 Karoui launched a media agency with his brother.

After the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the Nessma TV channel that Karoui founded turned from entertainment programming towards news, becoming one of Tunisia's largest private broadcasters.

Over the past three years, Karoui burnished his reputation with a charity show on Nessma in which he distributed household appliances to needy families.

His arrest in the run-up to the election cemented his status as an outsider -- despite being a longtime key supporter of Essebsi, whose death on July 25 brought forward the polls.

Karoui, who says the allegations against him are politically motivated, campaigned by proxy through his wife and party.

Although now a free man, Karoui is still under investigation for fraud and banned from travelling abroad.

But if he wins the runoff, Karoui will receive immunity "and all the legal proceedings against him... will be suspended until the end of his mandate", constitutional law professor Salsabil Klibi told AFP.

Tunisians began voting on Sunday in a presidential runoff pitting a conservative academic against a media magnate fresh out of jail, reflecting a shift in the country's post-revolution political landscape.

Tunisians began voting on Sunday in a presidential runoff pitting a conservative academic against a media magnate fresh out of jail, reflecting a shift in the country's post-revolution political landscape. The political newcomers swept aside the old guard in the first round, highlighting voter anger over a stagnant economy, high unemployment and poor public services in the cradle of the Arab Spring. Adding controversy and suspense to the contest, presidential contender Nabil Karoui only walked free on Wednesday, having spent more than a month behind bars on suspicion of money-laundering. This election is "more exciting than a local derby (football match)," said a young man taking part in lively debate on Bourguiba Avenue in central Tunis ahead of the showdown. The vote, Tunisia's second free presidential poll since the 2011 revolt, follows the death of president Beji Caid Essebsi in July. Polling stations opened to the electorate of seven million at 8:00 am (0700 GMT) and are due to close at 6:00 pm. Exit polls are expected by Sunday evening. On Friday night, Karoui and law professor Kais Saied went head-to-head in a rare television debate, the last bid to woo voters. Karoui, a 56-year-old business tycoon, appeared relaxed, if at times hesitant. Speaking in Tunisian dialect, he stuck to his key themes of economic liberalisation and fighting poverty. Serious but also at ease, 61-year-old independent candidate Saied called for the decentralisation of power and criticised the country's partisan system, in classical Arabic. The runoff outcome remains uncertain, with a ban on opinion polls, but Karoui received a boost with his newly formed party, Qalb Tounes (Heart of Tunis), coming second in legislative elections a week earlier. Saied topped the first round in the presidential election, held on September 15, with 18.4 per cent of votes, while Karoui followed with 15.6 per cent. Turnout for that round was a modest 45 per cent. Karoui presents himself as a candidate for the poor but spent most of his campaign imprisoned on money-laundering and tax-evasion charges. He was released on his fourth appeal in court after threatening to contest the results. Sharp contrast While the candidates are both seen as anti-establishment figures, the contrast between them is sharp, with Saied nicknamed "Robocop" for his rigid and austere manner. A social conservative, he has defended the death penalty, criminalisation of homosexuality and a sexual assault law that punishes unmarried couples who engage in public displays of affection. Saied is an expert on constitutional law, who taught at the Tunis faculty of judicial and political sciences for nearly two decades. He launched an unorthodox election campaign that saw him shun mass rallies and instead canvass door-to-door. The appeal of flamboyant Karoui, who always appears in designer suits, stems largely from his media empire and philanthropic activity. A former executive for Colgate-Palmolive, in 2002 Karoui launched a media agency with his brother. After the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the Nessma TV channel that Karoui founded turned from entertainment programming towards news, becoming one of Tunisia's largest private broadcasters. Over the past three years, Karoui burnished his reputation with a charity show on Nessma in which he distributed household appliances to needy families. His arrest in the run-up to the election cemented his status as an outsider -- despite being a longtime key supporter of Essebsi, whose death on July 25 brought forward the polls. Karoui, who says the allegations against him are politically motivated, campaigned by proxy through his wife and party. Although now a free man, Karoui is still under investigation for fraud and banned from travelling abroad. But if he wins the runoff, Karoui will receive immunity "and all the legal proceedings against him... will be suspended until the end of his mandate", constitutional law professor Salsabil Klibi told AFP.

Media mogul, academic face off as Tunisians choose president

Afghanistan's election commission is orchestrating "systematic fraud" following presidential polls last month, a top candidate's running mate alleged Saturday, an accusation likely to inflame political tensions following the key vote.

The claims by Asadullah Saadati, who is running beside <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/we-have-the-most-votes-in-this-election-abdullah-claims-victory-in-afghanistan-election-252846">Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah</a>, come as the country is in the midst of an uneasy waiting period after the September 28 election.

Election officials have called on candidates to show restraint and wait for the announcement of preliminary results in a bid to avoid a repeat of the disastrous election of 2014 which was marred by duelling claims of victory and fraud by Abdullah and his top rival Ashraf Ghani, who went on to win the presidency.

"Circles within the election commission and the palace are jointly organising systematic fraud," Saadati told a news conference, without citing any evidence.

"The result sheets that are being counted are fraudulent and their entries must stop."

Voting this year is supposed to be more secure than ever, with each voter verified through biometric machines to ensure no one can cast multiple ballots.

Saadati claimed the Independent Election Commission (IEC) was counting "fraudulent" and non-biometric votes.

The IEC has repeatedly said it would only count ballots verified biometrically.

Highlighting the challenges it faces, the commission on Saturday said unidentified hackers had unsuccessfully attempted to break into its computer servers.

On September 30, just two days after the election and before all votes had even arrived in Kabul for counting, Abdullah claimed victory in a move that international and local observers panned as premature.

Preliminary results are not due until October 19 but officials have already said that date will likely be pushed back by a few days.

The IEC has said about 2.7 million of Afghanistan's 9.6 million registered voters cast a ballot -- a record low turnout amid fears of fraud, and threats of deadly Taliban violence. However not all of those votes have been verified.

After a recent visit to the IEC, Canada's ambassador to Afghanistan Dave Metcalfe said he was "impressed" by the commission's attempts to fight voter fraud.&nbsp;

"The checks and balances implemented by the IEC represent a new standard for Afghan elections," he said in a statement.

Afghanistan's election commission is orchestrating "systematic fraud" following presidential polls last month, a top candidate's running mate alleged Saturday, an accusation likely to inflame political tensions following the key vote.

Afghanistan's election commission is orchestrating "systematic fraud" following presidential polls last month, a top candidate's running mate alleged Saturday, an accusation likely to inflame political tensions following the key vote. The claims by Asadullah Saadati, who is running beside Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, come as the country is in the midst of an uneasy waiting period after the September 28 election. Election officials have called on candidates to show restraint and wait for the announcement of preliminary results in a bid to avoid a repeat of the disastrous election of 2014 which was marred by duelling claims of victory and fraud by Abdullah and his top rival Ashraf Ghani, who went on to win the presidency. "Circles within the election commission and the palace are jointly organising systematic fraud," Saadati told a news conference, without citing any evidence. "The result sheets that are being counted are fraudulent and their entries must stop." Voting this year is supposed to be more secure than ever, with each voter verified through biometric machines to ensure no one can cast multiple ballots. Saadati claimed the Independent Election Commission (IEC) was counting "fraudulent" and non-biometric votes. The IEC has repeatedly said it would only count ballots verified biometrically. Highlighting the challenges it faces, the commission on Saturday said unidentified hackers had unsuccessfully attempted to break into its computer servers. On September 30, just two days after the election and before all votes had even arrived in Kabul for counting, Abdullah claimed victory in a move that international and local observers panned as premature. Preliminary results are not due until October 19 but officials have already said that date will likely be pushed back by a few days. The IEC has said about 2.7 million of Afghanistan's 9.6 million registered voters cast a ballot -- a record low turnout amid fears of fraud, and threats of deadly Taliban violence. However not all of those votes have been verified. After a recent visit to the IEC, Canada's ambassador to Afghanistan Dave Metcalfe said he was "impressed" by the commission's attempts to fight voter fraud. "The checks and balances implemented by the IEC represent a new standard for Afghan elections," he said in a statement.

Top candidate's running mate in Afghan poll alleges 'systematic fraud'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iaf-continues-to-serve-india-with-utmost-dedication-excellence-pm-modi-on-87th-air-force-day-254363">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> is slated to address election rallies in Haryana and Maharashtra, the two states which will go to polls shortly. 
 
Assembly polls in both Haryana and Maharashtra will be held on October 21 and the results will be announced on October 24. 
 
In Maharashtra, Modi will carry out nine rallies from October 14 and is slated to address four rallies in Haryana from October 17. 
 
"BJP is confident about its report card. The work done by the party like abrogation of article 370, triple talaq, NRC, an airstrike is still in people's mind, so we have no tension," said a source. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mamallapuram-gets-a-facelift-ahead-of-modi-xi-informal-summit-254322">The Prime Minister will start the rallies</a> just four days before the last date of election campaigning - October 19. 
 
Scores of BJP star campaigners like Piyush Goyal, Prakash Javadekar, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Yogi Adityanath and others will also carry out rallies and election programs, the source revealed. 
 
"Apart from this, around 10,000 BJP workers are working on this platform", the source revealed. 
 
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had bagged 23 seats in Maharashtra, while the Sena emerged victorious in 18 constituencies. 
 
Whereas in Haryana, the BJP has set a target of bagging over 75 seats in the 90-member Assembly. 
 
"PM will not do any campaigning this week. He will start it after meeting and greeting the President of China," a source privy to the development said. 
 
Xi Jinping is slated to visit the country for an informal summit with Prime Minister Modi in the coming days. 
 
Unlike the last time, both the chief ministers -&nbsp;Devendra Fadnavis and Manohar Lal Khattar -&nbsp;have a good image among the people, the source added. 
 
Unhappy leaders, who did not get the tickets, will be sorted by the team comprising BJP president Amit Shah in both the states.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to address election rallies in Haryana and Maharashtra, the two states which will go to polls shortly. Assembly polls in both Haryana and Maharashtra will be held on October 21 and the results will be announced on October 24.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to address election rallies in Haryana and Maharashtra, the two states which will go to polls shortly. Assembly polls in both Haryana and Maharashtra will be held on October 21 and the results will be announced on October 24. In Maharashtra, Modi will carry out nine rallies from October 14 and is slated to address four rallies in Haryana from October 17. "BJP is confident about its report card. The work done by the party like abrogation of article 370, triple talaq, NRC, an airstrike is still in people's mind, so we have no tension," said a source. The Prime Minister will start the rallies just four days before the last date of election campaigning - October 19. Scores of BJP star campaigners like Piyush Goyal, Prakash Javadekar, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Yogi Adityanath and others will also carry out rallies and election programs, the source revealed. "Apart from this, around 10,000 BJP workers are working on this platform", the source revealed. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had bagged 23 seats in Maharashtra, while the Sena emerged victorious in 18 constituencies. Whereas in Haryana, the BJP has set a target of bagging over 75 seats in the 90-member Assembly. "PM will not do any campaigning this week. He will start it after meeting and greeting the President of China," a source privy to the development said. Xi Jinping is slated to visit the country for an informal summit with Prime Minister Modi in the coming days. Unlike the last time, both the chief ministers - Devendra Fadnavis and Manohar Lal Khattar - have a good image among the people, the source added. Unhappy leaders, who did not get the tickets, will be sorted by the team comprising BJP president Amit Shah in both the states.

PM Modi to address nine election rallies in Maharashtra, four in Haryana

LGBT rights have become the single biggest cultural issue in Poland's election campaign ahead of Sunday's vote.

In the eyes of the ruling law and justice party, LGBT rights are a threat to traditional polish families and values.

First banned by the mayor of Lublin city for security reasons, the provincial city's second-ever pride parade took place in September.

Far-right groups and conservative campaigners staged violent counter-protests throughout the event.&nbsp;

It's a reaction that came as no surprise for one local official of the ultra-conservative law and justice party, which has been in power for four years and is favourite in the upcoming parliamentary elections.&nbsp;

Unlike most of its fellow European Union members, Poland does not recognise any form of homosexual union.

The highly influential Catholic Church and the governing right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party have launched blistering attacks on the LGBT community in the campaign preceding it.&nbsp;

Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski labelled the community a "rainbow plague".&nbsp;

Powerful PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, widely viewed as Poland's de facto powerbroker, thanked the cleric for his words and accused the LGBT community of posing a "threat" to the traditional family.

Kaczynski's position on gay rights is "unique in European mainstream politics" and "reminiscent of the standards of (President Vladimir) Putin's Russia," according to Piotr Pacewicz, editor-in-chief of OKO press, an acclaimed Polish website for investigative journalism and fact-checking.

'Set fire'

The anti-gay rhetoric being spread by Poland's arguably two most powerful institutions is creating a climate of fear that is taking a toll on the mental health of some members of the gay community.

A lesbian couple in their early thirties living in Lublin say they fear for their lives and those of their children.

"I'm afraid that we or our children will be attacked, I'm afraid of being humiliated in front of children, I'm afraid my car will be vandalised or that someone will set fire to our flat," one of the women said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"We would never dare to hold hands in public in Lublin," she added.

One of the women said that she is considering taking legal action in connection with workplace harassment over her sexual orientation.

The other says her ex-husband became sharply homophobic, controlling and abusive when she said she was leaving him for a woman.

'LGBT ideology'

Tomasz Pitucha, a PiS party member and Lublin city councillor in charge of family affairs, opposed the march and insisted that the gay community is itself to blame for triggering violent counter-protests by the far-right and others.

"Gay pride and other LGBT marches are provocations against society," the 50-year-old said.

"No one is hunting homosexuals, but if these people show up and march, it triggers a variety of reactions."&nbsp;

Earlier this year, PiS-allied Lublin authorities handed out awards to local officials for publicly opposing "LGBT ideology", which they said, "goes against the family, the nation and the Polish state".&nbsp;

Ten kilometres (six miles) from Lublin, the city of Swidnik in March became the first of some 30 municipalities in Poland to adopt resolutions declaring themselves to be "free of LGBT ideology".&nbsp;

Although the resolutions are not legally binding, they encourage elected officials to make sure that sex education, including information of sexual diversity, is kept out of schools.

"We oppose 'ideology LGBT' (LGBT rights), which is ever more prevalent in the international public arena," Andrzej Manka, a Swidnik local official said.

"We consider it harmful and oppose it being promoted by public institutions."

A safe place

Some members of Poland's LGBT community are optimistic about the future despite the avalanche of anti-gay rhetoric that has dominated the election cycle.

"It's the political class that forbids our love, but society is more open-minded," Tomasz Kitlinski, an openly gay university professor from Lublin who is running as a leftwing candidate in the election.

Fifty-seven per cent of Poles favours the legalisation of civil union for same-sex couples, according to a recent survey.

But the fact that the PiS is poised to win another four-year term is pushing some members of the LGBT community to consider leaving Poland.

"Lately, we've been wondering whether we have any chance to live a normal, safe life and raise our children in Poland," says one of the lesbians in the couple from Lublin.&nbsp;

"We'll see what the climate will be after the elections; we may need to find another place where we can be safe."

(With inputs from AFP)

LGBT rights have become the single biggest cultural issue in Poland's election campaign ahead of Sunday's vote. In the eyes of the ruling law and justice party, LGBT rights are a threat to traditional polish families and values.

LGBT rights have become the single biggest cultural issue in Poland's election campaign ahead of Sunday's vote. In the eyes of the ruling law and justice party, LGBT rights are a threat to traditional polish families and values. First banned by the mayor of Lublin city for security reasons, the provincial city's second-ever pride parade took place in September. Far-right groups and conservative campaigners staged violent counter-protests throughout the event. It's a reaction that came as no surprise for one local official of the ultra-conservative law and justice party, which has been in power for four years and is favourite in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Unlike most of its fellow European Union members, Poland does not recognise any form of homosexual union. The highly influential Catholic Church and the governing right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party have launched blistering attacks on the LGBT community in the campaign preceding it. Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski labelled the community a "rainbow plague". Powerful PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, widely viewed as Poland's de facto powerbroker, thanked the cleric for his words and accused the LGBT community of posing a "threat" to the traditional family. Kaczynski's position on gay rights is "unique in European mainstream politics" and "reminiscent of the standards of (President Vladimir) Putin's Russia," according to Piotr Pacewicz, editor-in-chief of OKO press, an acclaimed Polish website for investigative journalism and fact-checking. 'Set fire' The anti-gay rhetoric being spread by Poland's arguably two most powerful institutions is creating a climate of fear that is taking a toll on the mental health of some members of the gay community. A lesbian couple in their early thirties living in Lublin say they fear for their lives and those of their children. "I'm afraid that we or our children will be attacked, I'm afraid of being humiliated in front of children, I'm afraid my car will be vandalised or that someone will set fire to our flat," one of the women said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We would never dare to hold hands in public in Lublin," she added. One of the women said that she is considering taking legal action in connection with workplace harassment over her sexual orientation. The other says her ex-husband became sharply homophobic, controlling and abusive when she said she was leaving him for a woman. 'LGBT ideology' Tomasz Pitucha, a PiS party member and Lublin city councillor in charge of family affairs, opposed the march and insisted that the gay community is itself to blame for triggering violent counter-protests by the far-right and others. "Gay pride and other LGBT marches are provocations against society," the 50-year-old said. "No one is hunting homosexuals, but if these people show up and march, it triggers a variety of reactions." Earlier this year, PiS-allied Lublin authorities handed out awards to local officials for publicly opposing "LGBT ideology", which they said, "goes against the family, the nation and the Polish state". Ten kilometres (six miles) from Lublin, the city of Swidnik in March became the first of some 30 municipalities in Poland to adopt resolutions declaring themselves to be "free of LGBT ideology". Although the resolutions are not legally binding, they encourage elected officials to make sure that sex education, including information of sexual diversity, is kept out of schools. "We oppose 'ideology LGBT' (LGBT rights), which is ever more prevalent in the international public arena," Andrzej Manka, a Swidnik local official said. "We consider it harmful and oppose it being promoted by public institutions." A safe place Some members of Poland's LGBT community are optimistic about the future despite the avalanche of anti-gay rhetoric that has dominated the election cycle. "It's the political class that forbids our love, but society is more open-minded," Tomasz Kitlinski, an openly gay university professor from Lublin who is running as a leftwing candidate in the election. Fifty-seven per cent of Poles favours the legalisation of civil union for same-sex couples, according to a recent survey. But the fact that the PiS is poised to win another four-year term is pushing some members of the LGBT community to consider leaving Poland. "Lately, we've been wondering whether we have any chance to live a normal, safe life and raise our children in Poland," says one of the lesbians in the couple from Lublin. "We'll see what the climate will be after the elections; we may need to find another place where we can be safe." (With inputs from AFP)

LGBT community under fire ahead of elections in Poland

Candidates registered for the upcoming <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/president-maithripala-sirisena-to-not-contest-sri-lanka-polls-next-month-report-254239">Sri Lankan presidential election</a> on Monday&nbsp;in Colombo.

According to the election commission, a record number of 35 candidates have registered.

Notable candidates include former defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa of the main opposition party, the Sri Lanka People's Front, and Sajith Premadasa of the ruling United National Front.

Rajapaksa, brother of pro-China former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said he is ready to repair ties with China, should he win the November election, one of his advisers has said.

Premadasa, 52, son of former president Ranasinghe Premadasa who was assassinated by a Tamil Tiger rebel suicide bomber in 1993, is popular among the rural poor.

The election is likely to be dominated by national security issues, after a wave o suicide bombings claimed by Islamic State killed more than 250 people in April, denting the island's critical tourism industry.

Candidates registered for the upcoming Sri Lankan presidential election on Monday in Colombo. According to the election commission, a record number of 35 candidates have registered.

Candidates registered for the upcoming Sri Lankan presidential election on Monday in Colombo. According to the election commission, a record number of 35 candidates have registered. Notable candidates include former defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa of the main opposition party, the Sri Lanka People's Front, and Sajith Premadasa of the ruling United National Front. Rajapaksa, brother of pro-China former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said he is ready to repair ties with China, should he win the November election, one of his advisers has said. Premadasa, 52, son of former president Ranasinghe Premadasa who was assassinated by a Tamil Tiger rebel suicide bomber in 1993, is popular among the rural poor. The election is likely to be dominated by national security issues, after a wave o suicide bombings claimed by Islamic State killed more than 250 people in April, denting the island's critical tourism industry.

Candidates register for Sri Lanka's upcoming presidential election

Outsider candidates challenged <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tunisia-in-sprint-to-arrange-poll-after-president-dies-247587">Tunisia's political elite</a> on Sunday as voters returned to the polls weeks after a presidential election that reshaped the country's post-Arab Spring political landscape.

The ink-stained fingers once proudly displayed after the&nbsp;2011 revolution were briskly wiped clean as Tunisians fed up with the status quo cast ballots for MPs for the third time since the uprising.

The vote comes after traditional political parties were eclipsed in favour of independent candidates during the first round of presidential polls last month in a trend that looked likely to continue.

Sixty-year-old voter Mohamed Daadaa said he had "no hope for a positive change" in Tunisia.

"I don't trust anyone or any political party. Life just gets worse in this country," he said.

More than 15,000 candidates on 1,500 lists are contesting 217 seats in a parliament dominated by the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha in alliance with centrist party Nidaa Tounes, which has been decimated by infighting.

Polling stations for the seven-million electorate are to remain open until 1700 GMT, with preliminary official results scheduled for Wednesday although exit polls will be released from late Sunday.

Surveys circulated informally due to a ban on their publication predict Ennahdha will lose ground to the new Qalb Tounes (Heart of Tunisia) party of jailed business tycoon Nabil Karoui, who has won a place in a two-way presidential runoff on October 13.

The sidelining of the ruling political class in the first round on September 15 was rooted in frustration over a stagnant economy, high unemployment, failing public services and rising prices.

But monitors worried voters on Sunday found little inspiration at the ballot box.

"People no longer trust the old parties, and they <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tunisia-parliamentary-speaker-to-be-interim-president-238447">don't know the new ones</a>, so they're not motivated in this election," said Ali Rekiki, who works with Tunisian electoral monitor Mourakiboun.

New movements vie for vote

Karoui, a media mogul held since August on money-laundering charges, came second behind Kais Saied, an independent law professor, in the first round of presidential voting.

Courts have rejected several appeals for his release during campaigning.

Interim president Mohammed Ennaceur - filling in since the death of Beji Caid Essebsi in July brought forward the vote for head of state -&nbsp;warned Friday that Karoui's detention could have "serious and dangerous repercussions on the electoral process".

The presidential race may have overshadowed the legislative contest, but parliament is responsible for tackling the main challenges facing Tunisian society.

A strong showing for Qalb Tounes could bolster Karoui's campaign and supporters say it might make a case for him to take over as prime minister if he loses to Saied.

The socially conservative professor has not come out in support of any party.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tunisia-extends-nationwide-state-of-emergency-until-year-end-ahead-of-presidential-vote-246910">With the electorate tired of political manoeuvring</a> and the failure to improve living conditions since the ouster of late longtime autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, new movements have been vying for votes.

Aich Tounsi, which calls itself an "anti-party", has emerged from the civil society movement, while Islamist populist lawyer Seifeddine Makhlouf's Karama aims to take seats from Ennahdha, which has been weakened by past alliances with political elites.

With the plethora of parties and movements in contention, the stage is set for complex and rowdy negotiations before any side emerges with the minimum 109 seats needed to head Tunisia's next government.

In the runup to the vote, Qalb Tounes and Ennahdha have officially ruled out forming an alliance.

Parliament will have two months to agree on the formation of a new government in a country hailed as the Arab Spring's sole democratic success story but straining to meet the revolution's other demands of "work and dignity".

While it has succeeded in curbing terrorist attacks that rocked the key tourist sector in 2015, Tunisia's economy remains hampered by austere International Monetary Fund-backed reforms.

Outsider candidates challenged Tunisia's political elite on Sunday as voters returned to the polls weeks after a presidential election that reshaped the country's post-Arab Spring political landscape.

Outsider candidates challenged Tunisia's political elite on Sunday as voters returned to the polls weeks after a presidential election that reshaped the country's post-Arab Spring political landscape. The ink-stained fingers once proudly displayed after the 2011 revolution were briskly wiped clean as Tunisians fed up with the status quo cast ballots for MPs for the third time since the uprising. The vote comes after traditional political parties were eclipsed in favour of independent candidates during the first round of presidential polls last month in a trend that looked likely to continue. Sixty-year-old voter Mohamed Daadaa said he had "no hope for a positive change" in Tunisia. "I don't trust anyone or any political party. Life just gets worse in this country," he said. More than 15,000 candidates on 1,500 lists are contesting 217 seats in a parliament dominated by the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha in alliance with centrist party Nidaa Tounes, which has been decimated by infighting. Polling stations for the seven-million electorate are to remain open until 1700 GMT, with preliminary official results scheduled for Wednesday although exit polls will be released from late Sunday. Surveys circulated informally due to a ban on their publication predict Ennahdha will lose ground to the new Qalb Tounes (Heart of Tunisia) party of jailed business tycoon Nabil Karoui, who has won a place in a two-way presidential runoff on October 13. The sidelining of the ruling political class in the first round on September 15 was rooted in frustration over a stagnant economy, high unemployment, failing public services and rising prices. But monitors worried voters on Sunday found little inspiration at the ballot box. "People no longer trust the old parties, and they don't know the new ones, so they're not motivated in this election," said Ali Rekiki, who works with Tunisian electoral monitor Mourakiboun. New movements vie for vote Karoui, a media mogul held since August on money-laundering charges, came second behind Kais Saied, an independent law professor, in the first round of presidential voting. Courts have rejected several appeals for his release during campaigning. Interim president Mohammed Ennaceur - filling in since the death of Beji Caid Essebsi in July brought forward the vote for head of state - warned Friday that Karoui's detention could have "serious and dangerous repercussions on the electoral process". The presidential race may have overshadowed the legislative contest, but parliament is responsible for tackling the main challenges facing Tunisian society. A strong showing for Qalb Tounes could bolster Karoui's campaign and supporters say it might make a case for him to take over as prime minister if he loses to Saied. The socially conservative professor has not come out in support of any party. With the electorate tired of political manoeuvring and the failure to improve living conditions since the ouster of late longtime autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, new movements have been vying for votes. Aich Tounsi, which calls itself an "anti-party", has emerged from the civil society movement, while Islamist populist lawyer Seifeddine Makhlouf's Karama aims to take seats from Ennahdha, which has been weakened by past alliances with political elites. With the plethora of parties and movements in contention, the stage is set for complex and rowdy negotiations before any side emerges with the minimum 109 seats needed to head Tunisia's next government. In the runup to the vote, Qalb Tounes and Ennahdha have officially ruled out forming an alliance. Parliament will have two months to agree on the formation of a new government in a country hailed as the Arab Spring's sole democratic success story but straining to meet the revolution's other demands of "work and dignity". While it has succeeded in curbing terrorist attacks that rocked the key tourist sector in 2015, Tunisia's economy remains hampered by austere International Monetary Fund-backed reforms.

Outsiders battle political elite as Tunisia votes

Austrian conservatives won the most seats in <a href="Austrians vote in snap election with conservatives in lead">snap elections</a> Sunday, putting their 33-year-old leader Sebastian Kurz on track to retake power but forcing him into tough coalition negotiations after a corruption scandal sent his erstwhile far-right allies preparing for the opposition.

Kurz's&nbsp;People's Party (OeVP) gained 37 per cent, up almost six percentage points from the last election two years ago, but not enough to form a government on its own, according to projections based on partial results.

Kurz's former allies, the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), were the biggest losers of the night, falling 10 percentage points to around 16 per cent following the spectacular "Ibiza-gate" corruption scandal in May.

The affair brought down the OeVP-FPOe coalition after just 18 months in government and triggered Sunday's snap poll.

The Greens were also big winners as climate change rose to the top of voters' concerns, securing around 14 per cent of the vote.

That means they will be viable coalition partners for a new government, but Green leader Werner Kogler said on Sunday evening that in order to consider working with Kurz, the party would need to see "radical change" from the right-wing policies pursued by the previous coalition.

The centre-left Social Democrats look set for their worst-ever result on around 22 per cent of the vote, with the liberal NEOS party winning around eight per cent.

A total of 6.4 million people were eligible to vote in the small Alpine country, with&nbsp;turnout estimated at 75.5 per cent.

Far-right falls

Kurz told jubilant supporters at party headquarters on Sunday evening the scale of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-acquits-austrian-student-on-terror-charge-249015">the victory</a> had left him "almost speechless", but gave few clues as to his next moves.

Before the election, Kurz -- a former law student, who has enjoyed a rapid ascent through the ranks to become the youngest-ever chancellor in 2017 --&nbsp;said he would keep all options open.

"It is a big responsibility. We accept this trust humbly and respectfully, and I promise we will do our best to honour this trust," Kurz said.

The FPOe took a bigger hit than expected from the "Ibiza-gate" scandal which brought down its long-time leader Heinz-Christian Strache, and was followed by a fresh investigation against him announced in the past week -- this time over alleged fraudulent expense claims.

FPOe leader Norbert Hofer, a former aircraft engineer who took over from Strache, told Austrian media that he believed Sunday's result meant the party would not take part in coalition talks and that it was "preparing for opposition".

Previously, a renewed coalition with the far-right -- touted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and other nationalists as a model for all of Europe -- &nbsp;had looked a likely outcome.

Rebrand for Kurz?

The Greens failed to make it into parliament in the last election in 2017, in a shock result, but have staged an impressive recovery, with an especially strong showing in&nbsp;Austria's big cities.

The Greens' gains put Kurz in a tough spot if he wants to try to woo them and rebrand himself as fighting climate change rather than immigration.&nbsp;

"The Greens could be an opportunity for Kurz to jump on the environment bandwagon while also getting the green wave under control," political analyst Thibault Muzergues from the International Republican Institute told AFP, pointing out that the OeVP in the more rural Salzburg and Tyrol regions already worked with the Greens.

"For Kurz the important thing will be to know who he will be able to best control and who poses a danger for him," he added.

Forming a coalition with the Social Democrats (SPOe) is another option.&nbsp;

Since World War II, either the OeVP or SPOe have always been in government, and for 44 years in total the two have ruled together.

But it was Kurz who ended their last "grand coalition", leading to the 2017 election.

Kurz has also floated the idea of ruling in a minority government. But this could bring political uncertainty or even trigger another election.

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/possible-scenarios-in-austrias-upcoming-snap-elections-252098">new administration</a> could take months to emerge.

On Sunday President Alexander Van der Bellen, a former Greens leader, said initial discussions between the parties would take place in the coming weeks.

Van der Bellen said he would "strive to make sure... that trust is rebuilt" after "Ibiza-gate".

The OeVP-FPOe government imploded in May when two German media outlets published footage filmed secretly on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza, showing then FPOe leader Strache appearing to offer public contracts in exchange for campaign help from a fake Russian backer.

Austrian conservatives won the most seats in snap elections Sunday, putting their 33-year-old leader Sebastian Kurz on track to retake power but forcing him into tough coalition negotiations after a corruption scandal sent his erstwhile far-right allies preparing for the opposition.

Austrian conservatives won the most seats in snap elections Sunday, putting their 33-year-old leader Sebastian Kurz on track to retake power but forcing him into tough coalition negotiations after a corruption scandal sent his erstwhile far-right allies preparing for the opposition. Kurz's People's Party (OeVP) gained 37 per cent, up almost six percentage points from the last election two years ago, but not enough to form a government on its own, according to projections based on partial results. Kurz's former allies, the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), were the biggest losers of the night, falling 10 percentage points to around 16 per cent following the spectacular "Ibiza-gate" corruption scandal in May. The affair brought down the OeVP-FPOe coalition after just 18 months in government and triggered Sunday's snap poll. The Greens were also big winners as climate change rose to the top of voters' concerns, securing around 14 per cent of the vote. That means they will be viable coalition partners for a new government, but Green leader Werner Kogler said on Sunday evening that in order to consider working with Kurz, the party would need to see "radical change" from the right-wing policies pursued by the previous coalition. The centre-left Social Democrats look set for their worst-ever result on around 22 per cent of the vote, with the liberal NEOS party winning around eight per cent. A total of 6.4 million people were eligible to vote in the small Alpine country, with turnout estimated at 75.5 per cent. Far-right falls Kurz told jubilant supporters at party headquarters on Sunday evening the scale of the victory had left him "almost speechless", but gave few clues as to his next moves. Before the election, Kurz -- a former law student, who has enjoyed a rapid ascent through the ranks to become the youngest-ever chancellor in 2017 -- said he would keep all options open. "It is a big responsibility. We accept this trust humbly and respectfully, and I promise we will do our best to honour this trust," Kurz said. The FPOe took a bigger hit than expected from the "Ibiza-gate" scandal which brought down its long-time leader Heinz-Christian Strache, and was followed by a fresh investigation against him announced in the past week -- this time over alleged fraudulent expense claims. FPOe leader Norbert Hofer, a former aircraft engineer who took over from Strache, told Austrian media that he believed Sunday's result meant the party would not take part in coalition talks and that it was "preparing for opposition". Previously, a renewed coalition with the far-right -- touted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and other nationalists as a model for all of Europe -- had looked a likely outcome. Rebrand for Kurz? The Greens failed to make it into parliament in the last election in 2017, in a shock result, but have staged an impressive recovery, with an especially strong showing in Austria's big cities. The Greens' gains put Kurz in a tough spot if he wants to try to woo them and rebrand himself as fighting climate change rather than immigration. "The Greens could be an opportunity for Kurz to jump on the environment bandwagon while also getting the green wave under control," political analyst Thibault Muzergues from the International Republican Institute told AFP, pointing out that the OeVP in the more rural Salzburg and Tyrol regions already worked with the Greens. "For Kurz the important thing will be to know who he will be able to best control and who poses a danger for him," he added. Forming a coalition with the Social Democrats (SPOe) is another option. Since World War II, either the OeVP or SPOe have always been in government, and for 44 years in total the two have ruled together. But it was Kurz who ended their last "grand coalition", leading to the 2017 election. Kurz has also floated the idea of ruling in a minority government. But this could bring political uncertainty or even trigger another election. A new administration could take months to emerge. On Sunday President Alexander Van der Bellen, a former Greens leader, said initial discussions between the parties would take place in the coming weeks. Van der Bellen said he would "strive to make sure... that trust is rebuilt" after "Ibiza-gate". The OeVP-FPOe government imploded in May when two German media outlets published footage filmed secretly on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza, showing then FPOe leader Strache appearing to offer public contracts in exchange for campaign help from a fake Russian backer.

Conservatives win Austria election as far-right tumbles

Shiv Sena and BJP will announce the seat-sharing arrangement for the ensuing Maharashtra Assembly polls, scheduled for October 21, by Monday.&nbsp;

"Shiv Sena will get 128 seats while the BJP will field its candidates on 160 seats. 15 to 18 seats will be given to small alliance partner," sources in the Shiv Sena told ANI.&nbsp;

The discussion for the post of Deputy Chief Minister from the Shiv Sena will take place later, sources added.

Talking to ANI, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, "Yes, we are in an alliance and will fight the state election together."

On seat-sharing formula, he said, "Earlier this year, during the Lok Sabha elections both Amit Shah and Uddhav Thackrey, agreed on 50-50 seat-sharing formula but now the BJP leaders are holding closed doors meeting in Delhi over seat-sharing."

"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also there in the meeting and he must have gone back to Mumbai with a formula," added Raut.

He further said, "Shiv Sena believes in giving rather than taking. Considering Aditya Thackeray as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra is baseless. Thackrey family never runs behind power."

On the other hand, BJP sources have indicated that almost everything is final and both parties will fight elections together.&nbsp;

BJP will retain the big brother status in the alliance and is expected to get around 20 more seats than the Shiv Sena, they said.

BJP has called the crucial Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting on Sunday to finalise the name of party candidates for Haryana and Maharashtra candidates.

The NCP and the Congress have already announced a seat-sharing agreement for Maharashtra polls, where both the parties would be contesting on 125 seats each in the 288-member Assembly.&nbsp;

Shiv Sena and BJP will announce the seat-sharing arrangement for the ensuing Maharashtra Assembly polls, scheduled for October 21, by Monday. "Shiv Sena will get 128 seats while the BJP will field its candidates on 160 seats.

Shiv Sena and BJP will announce the seat-sharing arrangement for the ensuing Maharashtra Assembly polls, scheduled for October 21, by Monday. "Shiv Sena will get 128 seats while the BJP will field its candidates on 160 seats. 15 to 18 seats will be given to small alliance partner," sources in the Shiv Sena told ANI. The discussion for the post of Deputy Chief Minister from the Shiv Sena will take place later, sources added. Talking to ANI, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, "Yes, we are in an alliance and will fight the state election together." On seat-sharing formula, he said, "Earlier this year, during the Lok Sabha elections both Amit Shah and Uddhav Thackrey, agreed on 50-50 seat-sharing formula but now the BJP leaders are holding closed doors meeting in Delhi over seat-sharing." "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also there in the meeting and he must have gone back to Mumbai with a formula," added Raut. He further said, "Shiv Sena believes in giving rather than taking. Considering Aditya Thackeray as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra is baseless. Thackrey family never runs behind power." On the other hand, BJP sources have indicated that almost everything is final and both parties will fight elections together. BJP will retain the big brother status in the alliance and is expected to get around 20 more seats than the Shiv Sena, they said. BJP has called the crucial Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting on Sunday to finalise the name of party candidates for Haryana and Maharashtra candidates. The NCP and the Congress have already announced a seat-sharing agreement for Maharashtra polls, where both the parties would be contesting on 125 seats each in the 288-member Assembly.

Maharashtra polls: BJP-Shiv Sena to announce seat-sharing arrangement by Monday

Afghans are divided on whether to defy the Taliban's threats and cast their ballots in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-commits-to-holding-presidential-polls-on-time-248549">presidential election</a> this week and even those who are willing to vote fear the poll will be tainted by fraud.

"It is a chance to bring changes," says teacher Mohsen Karimi, 30, from the western city of Herat near the Iranian border.

The country's fourth presidential elections since the Taliban's fall from power in 2001 will be held as increasing uncertainty grips the country.&nbsp;

Fighting between the government and insurgents is killing record numbers of people, while the collapse of US-Taliban talks earlier this month has raised fresh questions about how long Washington plans to keep troops on the ground.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Civilians continue to pay a heavy price in the nearly 18-year-long conflict.

More than 1,500 civilians were killed or wounded in July, according to the UN, the highest monthly toll this year.

The Taliban have already threatened to target the polls.

"In most areas, people cannot vote due to Taliban threats. Even if a candidate is elected, it is not the absolute choice of all Afghans," said Mohamad Qasim from the southern province of Kandahar.

Among the students, shopkeepers, and teachers&nbsp;in Kabul and provinces across Afghanistan, several said that they did not plan to vote on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I want to vote, but I'm scared," said Samim from the eastern city of Jalalabad, which is frequently targeted by both the Taliban and Islamic State militants.&nbsp;

However, it is a fraud that deters the 33-year-old shopkeeper the most.

"The last election was full of irregularities. If I was sure there would be no fraud in this election, then I would vote and call on my friends to vote," he said.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fraud-the-main-enemy-for-afghan-election-officials-250714">2014 presidential election</a> was so badly tainted by fraud allegations that it required US intervention.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A power-sharing deal brokered by then US Secretary of State John Kerry was needed to prevent a confrontation between Ashraf Ghani, who was handed the presidency, and Abdullah Abdullah, who became the Chief Executive.

Following a bitter five-year partnership, the two rivals are squaring off again and are seen as the main contenders to lead a country where more than half the population lives in poverty, making under two dollars a day.

'I&nbsp;will vote'

Candidates have done little campaigning in the run-up to this year's contest, which was largely overshadowed by talks seeking a potential US-Taliban deal. Many thought the talks would delay the poll but they have since been suspended.

"I have not decided whether to vote or not," explained Abdul Ahmad, a 56-year-old businessman in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

"I also don't know if any good government would come to power", he added.

Meanwhile, fears of more attacks on campaign events and polling centres are swelling.

The first day of campaigning saw the Taliban target President Ghani's running-mate Amrullah Saleh in an attack that killed 20 people in July.

Last week, another 26 people were killed in the central province of Parwan near Kabul when the Taliban targeted a Ghani campaign rally.

Many residents of Kabul, one of the deadliest places for civilians in the country, were split on whether to vote.

While labourer Mohammad Akbar, 51, said none of the candidates seemed "right" to him and he would stay away from the polls, restaurant manager Mohamad Sadeq, 53, said he was ready to vote.

"Although there will be many security challenges, people will still get out and vote and I will go and vote as well," added Arash Rasuli, an insurance executive.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Zainab Sepehri, 20, a student in Herat, hoped her vote would help "change the lives of the women in this country" -- a sentiment echoed by fellow student Monisa Qarizada, 22.

"I will vote. Because as a woman, I don't want to go back, I don't want women to be oppressed again," she said from Mazar-i-Sharif.

For <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/afghan-presidential-candidates-fear-for-safety-after-attack-239294">some Afghans</a>, voting is the only voice that they have.&nbsp;

"Don't let others decide for you," said Karimi, the teacher from Herat.&nbsp;

"You must vote to have a say in your country", she added.

Afghans are divided on whether to defy the Taliban's threats and cast their ballots in a presidential election this week and even those who are willing to vote fear the poll will be tainted by fraud.

Afghans are divided on whether to defy the Taliban's threats and cast their ballots in a presidential election this week and even those who are willing to vote fear the poll will be tainted by fraud. "It is a chance to bring changes," says teacher Mohsen Karimi, 30, from the western city of Herat near the Iranian border. The country's fourth presidential elections since the Taliban's fall from power in 2001 will be held as increasing uncertainty grips the country. Fighting between the government and insurgents is killing record numbers of people, while the collapse of US-Taliban talks earlier this month has raised fresh questions about how long Washington plans to keep troops on the ground. Civilians continue to pay a heavy price in the nearly 18-year-long conflict. More than 1,500 civilians were killed or wounded in July, according to the UN, the highest monthly toll this year. The Taliban have already threatened to target the polls. "In most areas, people cannot vote due to Taliban threats. Even if a candidate is elected, it is not the absolute choice of all Afghans," said Mohamad Qasim from the southern province of Kandahar. Among the students, shopkeepers, and teachers in Kabul and provinces across Afghanistan, several said that they did not plan to vote on Saturday. "I want to vote, but I'm scared," said Samim from the eastern city of Jalalabad, which is frequently targeted by both the Taliban and Islamic State militants. However, it is a fraud that deters the 33-year-old shopkeeper the most. "The last election was full of irregularities. If I was sure there would be no fraud in this election, then I would vote and call on my friends to vote," he said. The 2014 presidential election was so badly tainted by fraud allegations that it required US intervention. A power-sharing deal brokered by then US Secretary of State John Kerry was needed to prevent a confrontation between Ashraf Ghani, who was handed the presidency, and Abdullah Abdullah, who became the Chief Executive. Following a bitter five-year partnership, the two rivals are squaring off again and are seen as the main contenders to lead a country where more than half the population lives in poverty, making under two dollars a day. 'I will vote' Candidates have done little campaigning in the run-up to this year's contest, which was largely overshadowed by talks seeking a potential US-Taliban deal. Many thought the talks would delay the poll but they have since been suspended. "I have not decided whether to vote or not," explained Abdul Ahmad, a 56-year-old businessman in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. "I also don't know if any good government would come to power", he added. Meanwhile, fears of more attacks on campaign events and polling centres are swelling. The first day of campaigning saw the Taliban target President Ghani's running-mate Amrullah Saleh in an attack that killed 20 people in July. Last week, another 26 people were killed in the central province of Parwan near Kabul when the Taliban targeted a Ghani campaign rally. Many residents of Kabul, one of the deadliest places for civilians in the country, were split on whether to vote. While labourer Mohammad Akbar, 51, said none of the candidates seemed "right" to him and he would stay away from the polls, restaurant manager Mohamad Sadeq, 53, said he was ready to vote. "Although there will be many security challenges, people will still get out and vote and I will go and vote as well," added Arash Rasuli, an insurance executive. Zainab Sepehri, 20, a student in Herat, hoped her vote would help "change the lives of the women in this country" -- a sentiment echoed by fellow student Monisa Qarizada, 22. "I will vote. Because as a woman, I don't want to go back, I don't want women to be oppressed again," she said from Mazar-i-Sharif. For some Afghans, voting is the only voice that they have. "Don't let others decide for you," said Karimi, the teacher from Herat. "You must vote to have a say in your country", she added.

Afghans fear violence and fraud as presidential vote looms

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