After nearly two decades, the Gaza Strip is set to hold municipal elections, marking its first local electoral exercise since 2006. The town of Deir al-Balah will be among the first to vote, offering residents a chance to choose local leadership. The move is being seen as a significant step in civic participation, even as political and humanitarian challenges continue across the region.

Gaza Set to Hold Municipal Elections In A First Electoral Exercise Since 2006 

Coimbatore-based Future Gaming and Hotels Private Limited, headed by lottery baron Santiago Martin, who was investigated multiple times by the Enforcement Directorate and faced several criminal cases in the past, seems to be the highest purchaser of electoral bonds worth Rs. 1,368 crore.

Top Electoral Bonds donor: 'Lottery King' Santiago Martin

Why did the Supreme Court term the Electoral Bonds Scheme as unconstitutional and what are the potential repercussions of this judgment on political parties, particularly in this election year? Vikram Chandra analyses SC’s judgment with Jagdeep Chhokar, Founding Member of the Association for Democratic Reforms, and former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg.

India: SC scraps Electoral Bonds scheme

The Chinese government's top diplomat State Councillor Wang Yi on Sunday said the electoral system in Hong Kong must be improved for long-term stability, saying reform would bring about a 'brighter future' for the city.&nbsp;

China's plan to dramatically reform Hong Kong's electoral system, unveiled this week during the country's annual parliamentary session, is expected to upend the territory's governance and ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge.&nbsp;

Speaking at his annual news conference at the parliamentary session, Wang said there was no democracy in Hong Kong during colonial times, and that China has confidence electoral reforms will be beneficial.&nbsp;

"Hong Kong's transition from chaos to governance is fully in the interests of all parties," said Wang.&nbsp;

A year ago, China imposed a tough national security law on the former British colony, saying it was needed following months of sometimes violent anti-government protests.&nbsp;

Beijing has since said that it will directly vet electoral candidates for the city's legislature and declared that only 'patriots' should rule Hong Kong.&nbsp;

"Loving Hong Kong and patriotism are exactly the same," said Wang on Sunday, adding that changes to the electoral system are constitutional and justified.&nbsp;

It comes a week after Hong Kong police detained 47 pro-democracy activists on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion, the largest such mass arrest to date under the new national security law.&nbsp;

China's actions in Hong Kong have been condemned by the United States and its allies to the anger of the Chinese government, which has said Hong Kong issues are an internal matter with which foreigners have no right to interfere.&nbsp;

Supporters of the national security law, which punishes what it broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison, have said the legislation is necessary to restore stability in Hong Kong after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Chinese government's top diplomat State Councillor Wang Yi on Sunday said the electoral system in Hong Kong must be improved for long-term stability, saying reform would bring about a 'brighter future' for the city.

The Chinese government's top diplomat State Councillor Wang Yi on Sunday said the electoral system in Hong Kong must be improved for long-term stability, saying reform would bring about a 'brighter future' for the city. China's plan to dramatically reform Hong Kong's electoral system, unveiled this week during the country's annual parliamentary session, is expected to upend the territory's governance and ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge. Speaking at his annual news conference at the parliamentary session, Wang said there was no democracy in Hong Kong during colonial times, and that China has confidence electoral reforms will be beneficial. "Hong Kong's transition from chaos to governance is fully in the interests of all parties," said Wang. A year ago, China imposed a tough national security law on the former British colony, saying it was needed following months of sometimes violent anti-government protests. Beijing has since said that it will directly vet electoral candidates for the city's legislature and declared that only 'patriots' should rule Hong Kong. "Loving Hong Kong and patriotism are exactly the same," said Wang on Sunday, adding that changes to the electoral system are constitutional and justified. It comes a week after Hong Kong police detained 47 pro-democracy activists on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion, the largest such mass arrest to date under the new national security law. China's actions in Hong Kong have been condemned by the United States and its allies to the anger of the Chinese government, which has said Hong Kong issues are an internal matter with which foreigners have no right to interfere. Supporters of the national security law, which punishes what it broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison, have said the legislation is necessary to restore stability in Hong Kong after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong needs electoral reform for 'brighter future', says China  

Over 1.36 crore voters are there in Delhi in the final electoral roll published Friday ahead of the 2019 general elections, an increase of nearly 8 per cent from the total number of electors in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kejriwal-to-not-contest-lok-sabha-polls-from-varanasi-party-to-field-another-candidate-190060">the last Lok Sabha polls</a>, officials said.

However, the figure is 0.87 per cent less than <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ec-may-announce-lok-sabha-poll-schedule-in-march-first-week-sources-191262">the total number of electors</a> in the last electoral roll, 1,38,14,866, published on January 10, 2018, according to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) here.

"The total number electors (in Delhi) during last general elections in 2014 were 1,27,06,366, whereas the count of electors as per the final roll published January 18, stands at 1,36,95,291, an increase of 9,88,925 (or 7.78 per cent)," according to the CEO office.

The number of electors is likely to increase during continuous update process undertaken before the next elections due in 2019, it said.

Also, there was a decrease in the number of both male and female voters vis-a-vis the one published last year.

The number of male, female and third gender electors are 75,56,146, 61,38,335 and 810 respectively, according to the latest draft roll. The corresponding numbers for the final roll last year were 76,42,521, 61,71,469 and 876.

Names of 9,326 electors, who have died, have been deleted from the electoral roll since the last final publication of the roll, it said.

The gender ratio of electors registered in the final roll has increased to 812 as compared to 808 in the last one&nbsp;

"There has been a substantive increase in the gender ratio of voters of age-group 18-19, from 632 last year to 706 in the present year," it added.

The CEO office said a detailed exercise of rationalisation of polling stations was also carried out as a pre-revision activity to the Special Summary Revision 2019 in July-August, 2018 to decongest the existing polling stations.

"As a result of this exercise, the number of polling stations has increased from 13,418 to 13,816 and number of polling locations has increased from 2,670 to 2,696," a senior official said.

A house-to-house verification was carried out as part of the Special Summary Revision 2019 from June 1-30, 2018 wherein such visits were conducted by the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for identification and removal of the dead/permanently shifted electors and inclusion of left out unenrolled/prospective electors in Delhi, he said.

Delhi's draft electoral roll published September 1 last year had shown a dip of over 1.4 lakh in the total number of electors in the city compared to the draft list the previous year, with authorities attributing "death and migration" of voters as the main reasons behind the fall in number.

The total number of electors in Delhi stood at 1,36,15,776 in the draft roll and there was a decrease in the number of both male and female voters vis-a-vis the corresponding one published on October 23, 2017.&nbsp;

The number of electors is likely to increase during continuous update process undertaken before the next elections due in 2019, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said.

Over 1.36 crore voters are there in Delhi in the final electoral roll published Friday ahead of the 2019 general elections, an increase of nearly 8 per cent from the total number of electors in the last Lok Sabha polls, officials said. However, the figure is 0.87 per cent less than the total number of electors in the last electoral roll, 1,38,14,866, published on January 10, 2018, according to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) here. "The total number electors (in Delhi) during last general elections in 2014 were 1,27,06,366, whereas the count of electors as per the final roll published January 18, stands at 1,36,95,291, an increase of 9,88,925 (or 7.78 per cent)," according to the CEO office. The number of electors is likely to increase during continuous update process undertaken before the next elections due in 2019, it said. Also, there was a decrease in the number of both male and female voters vis-a-vis the one published last year. The number of male, female and third gender electors are 75,56,146, 61,38,335 and 810 respectively, according to the latest draft roll. The corresponding numbers for the final roll last year were 76,42,521, 61,71,469 and 876. Names of 9,326 electors, who have died, have been deleted from the electoral roll since the last final publication of the roll, it said. The gender ratio of electors registered in the final roll has increased to 812 as compared to 808 in the last one "There has been a substantive increase in the gender ratio of voters of age-group 18-19, from 632 last year to 706 in the present year," it added. The CEO office said a detailed exercise of rationalisation of polling stations was also carried out as a pre-revision activity to the Special Summary Revision 2019 in July-August, 2018 to decongest the existing polling stations. "As a result of this exercise, the number of polling stations has increased from 13,418 to 13,816 and number of polling locations has increased from 2,670 to 2,696," a senior official said. A house-to-house verification was carried out as part of the Special Summary Revision 2019 from June 1-30, 2018 wherein such visits were conducted by the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for identification and removal of the dead/permanently shifted electors and inclusion of left out unenrolled/prospective electors in Delhi, he said. Delhi's draft electoral roll published September 1 last year had shown a dip of over 1.4 lakh in the total number of electors in the city compared to the draft list the previous year, with authorities attributing "death and migration" of voters as the main reasons behind the fall in number. The total number of electors in Delhi stood at 1,36,15,776 in the draft roll and there was a decrease in the number of both male and female voters vis-a-vis the corresponding one published on October 23, 2017.

Lok Sabha polls: Over 1.36 crore voters from Delhi in final electoral roll

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sunil-arora-takes-charge-as-new-chief-election-commissioner-of-india-180847">The Election Commission</a> will make a fresh push for electoral reforms with the government, including making the filing of false declaration a ground for disqualification and putting a cap on expenditure by candidates in legislative council polls, in the coming days.

According to highly-placed sources in the poll panel, the EC top brass, at the planned meeting with Legislative Secretary G Narayana Raju after the end of the winter session of Parliament, will also ask the government to make bribery during the poll period a cognisable offence.

The winter session of Parliament will end on January 8.

While the Law Ministry is the administrative ministry for the EC, the Legislative Department is the nodal unit for issues related to the poll panel.

The sources said, the Commission would also ask the ministry to take a call on its demand to extend constitutional protection to the two election commissioners on the lines of the Chief Election Commissioner.

The President appoints the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners after the Law Ministry initiates the file for their appointment.

A Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from the office only through impeachment by Parliament. The President can remove the ECs based on the recommendation of the CEC.

In its report on electoral reforms submitted in March&nbsp;2015, the Law Commission had proposed extending constitutional protection to the two ECs.

The EC had been pushing to extend constitutional protection to the election commissioners.

Another proposal that the EC would press for is making electoral law gender neutral for armed forces personnel.

As of now, an army man's wife is entitled to be enrolled as a service voter, but a woman army officer's husband is not, according to the provisions in the electoral law.

But a bill pending before the Rajya Sabha proposes to replace the term 'wife' with 'spouse', thus making the provision of gender neutral.

Members of the armed forces, central armed police forces, personnel of state police forces posted outside their state and employees of the Centre&nbsp; 
posted outside India are eligible to be enrolled as service voters.

"Much depends on Parliament. The bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha... It is a major electoral reform for service voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls... We want government to get it passed at the earliest," an EC official said.

Referring to the issue of filing the false declaration, the sources said, as of now, it attracts a six months' jail term. But the EC wants to make it into an "electoral offence", they said.

Conviction in an electoral offence is a ground for disqualification. "Jail term of six months does not instil fear. Disqualification would," another official explained.

As of now, candidates contesting legislative council elections don't have a bar on campaigning expenses, which, the EC wants to put a cap on.

The expenditure should be half of what is allowed for candidates contesting assembly polls. Every state has a different expenditure limit based on its size, a number of voters and assembly seats.

As of today, bribery in elections is a non-cognisable offence where an investigation cannot take place without a magistrate's permission. The EC wants to make it a cognizable offence and bring in the category of "serious" crimes like murder, dowry, death,and rape.&nbsp;

The Election Commission will make a fresh push for electoral reforms with the government, including making the filing of false declaration a ground for disqualification and putting a cap on expenditure by candidates in legislative council polls, in the coming days.

The Election Commission will make a fresh push for electoral reforms with the government, including making the filing of false declaration a ground for disqualification and putting a cap on expenditure by candidates in legislative council polls, in the coming days. According to highly-placed sources in the poll panel, the EC top brass, at the planned meeting with Legislative Secretary G Narayana Raju after the end of the winter session of Parliament, will also ask the government to make bribery during the poll period a cognisable offence. The winter session of Parliament will end on January 8. While the Law Ministry is the administrative ministry for the EC, the Legislative Department is the nodal unit for issues related to the poll panel. The sources said, the Commission would also ask the ministry to take a call on its demand to extend constitutional protection to the two election commissioners on the lines of the Chief Election Commissioner. The President appoints the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners after the Law Ministry initiates the file for their appointment. A Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from the office only through impeachment by Parliament. The President can remove the ECs based on the recommendation of the CEC. In its report on electoral reforms submitted in March 2015, the Law Commission had proposed extending constitutional protection to the two ECs. The EC had been pushing to extend constitutional protection to the election commissioners. Another proposal that the EC would press for is making electoral law gender neutral for armed forces personnel. As of now, an army man's wife is entitled to be enrolled as a service voter, but a woman army officer's husband is not, according to the provisions in the electoral law. But a bill pending before the Rajya Sabha proposes to replace the term 'wife' with 'spouse', thus making the provision of gender neutral. Members of the armed forces, central armed police forces, personnel of state police forces posted outside their state and employees of the Centre posted outside India are eligible to be enrolled as service voters. "Much depends on Parliament. The bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha... It is a major electoral reform for service voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls... We want government to get it passed at the earliest," an EC official said. Referring to the issue of filing the false declaration, the sources said, as of now, it attracts a six months' jail term. But the EC wants to make it into an "electoral offence", they said. Conviction in an electoral offence is a ground for disqualification. "Jail term of six months does not instil fear. Disqualification would," another official explained. As of now, candidates contesting legislative council elections don't have a bar on campaigning expenses, which, the EC wants to put a cap on. The expenditure should be half of what is allowed for candidates contesting assembly polls. Every state has a different expenditure limit based on its size, a number of voters and assembly seats. As of today, bribery in elections is a non-cognisable offence where an investigation cannot take place without a magistrate's permission. The EC wants to make it a cognizable offence and bring in the category of "serious" crimes like murder, dowry, death,and rape.

Make false disclosure an 'electoral offence': Election Commission to tell Law Ministry

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