Latest news with #ElectionCommission
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Jamshed Dasti de-seated over fake degree
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday disqualified Member of the National Assembly Jamshed Dasti on grounds of possessing a fake academic credentials. The commission accepted a reference sent by the Speaker of the National Assembly along with two petitions seeking Dasti's disqualification. A three-member Election Commission bench, led by ECP Member (Sindh) Nisar Durrani, heard a petition filed by Ameer Akbar concerning the assets and liabilities of MNA Jamshed Dasti. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) member of the Election Commission questioned whether MNA Jamshed Dasti possessed any undisclosed property. In response, the petitioner's lawyer argued that Dasti had listed an FA (Intermediate) qualification on his nomination papers, despite not having completed his matriculation. The petitioner's lawyer added that Jamshed Dasti had only submitted his matriculation certificate from the Karachi Board in response. Upon hearing this, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) member of the Election Commission remarked that the ECP held the authority to disqualify him. The decision followed the approval of two petitions against him, one of which was a reference filed by the National Assembly Speaker seeking his disqualification. The Election Commission has also directed authorities to initiate legal proceedings against Jamshed Dasti. In May, the Election Commission decided to have Jamshed Dasti's academic credentials authenticated by the Karachi Education Board. Jamshed Dasti, elected from NA-175 Muzaffargarh in the previous general elections, faced legal proceedings under Articles 62 and 63, as well as Sections 4, 9, and 137 of the Elections Act, 2017. Petitions seeking his disqualification were filed by Ameer Akbar, Zulfiqar Dogar, and Sardar Faizul Hassan. Meanwhile, the ECP rejected opposition leader Omar Ayub's request to drop the assets-related case, and adjourned the hearing until July 29. A five-member bench, led by the Chief Election Commissioner, convened to hear the case concerning Omar Ayub's assets. Representing the PTI leader and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, his lawyer contended that asset and liability details are mandated to be submitted by December 31. According to the rules, the Election Commission is authorized to initiate a complaint against a Member of the Assembly within 120 days of receiving inaccurate asset declarations. However, in this instance, the Commission issued the notice after April 29 this year. Omar Ayub's counsel contended that the Election Commission's notice violated procedural rules and urged its withdrawal. However, the Commission dismissed the request. Election Commission member Shah Mohammad clarified to Omar Ayub's legal counsel that the initial notice was issued within the prescribed timeframe and affirmed that the Election Commission had ensured the provision of a fair trial.
News18
6 hours ago
- Business
- News18
Stormy Parliament Monsoon Session Ahead: Govt Lists Key Bills; Oppn To Raise Bihar SIR, Air India Crash
The opposition is also raising questions over the special intensive revision (SIR) of voter rolls currently being undertaken by the Election Commission in poll-bound Bihar, demanding greater clarity and transparency. Despite these looming confrontations, the government has prioritised legislative business. At the top of the agenda is the Income-tax Bill, 2025, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on February 13 this year and referred to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) led by BJP MP Baijayant 'Jay" Panda. The JPC is scheduled to adopt the draft report on Wednesday, after which the amended bill will be sent to the union cabinet for approval and is expected to be brought to Parliament for passage during this session. Among the other bills listed for consideration is the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aimed at aligning the state GST law with the central legislation. Another key bill is the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, which seeks to promote ease of doing business and improve regulatory compliance. In the education sector, the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposes to bring IIM Guwahati under the formal fold of the IIM Act, giving it statutory recognition. Tax reforms are also on the cards through the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which introduces changes to streamline current tax laws. The government is also focusing on environmental and scientific resource conservation. The Geoheritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) Bill, 2025, aims to protect geologically important sites, while the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025, seeks to regulate the scientific exploration of deep-seated and critical minerals. In the sports sector, the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, proposes ethical and governance reforms to improve accountability in sports bodies. Just last week, the government declared its new sports policy. The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aligns India's anti-doping regulations with global standards set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and ensures the institutional independence of the National Anti-Doping Appeal Panel. Under other business, the government has listed a resolution for the extension of President's Rule in Manipur, originally imposed on February 13, 2025. As per constitutional provisions under Article 356(1), Parliament's approval is required every six months, and President's Rule cannot be extended beyond three years. Additionally, the demands for grants for the state of Manipur for the financial year 2025 will also be taken up during the session.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bihar: Contact voters individually to complete forms under SIR
Representative image NEW DELHI: With collection of enumeration forms (EFs) under the special intensive revision (SIR) in Bihar already covering 91 per cent of its electorate after accounting for the deceased, permanently shifted and people enrolled at more than one place, Election Commission has asked booth level officers to individually contact the remaining electors to assist them to turn in their EFs well in time. Meanwhile, electors who handed over their filled-up enumeration forms to the booth level officers directly or through booth level agents appointed by political parties, can, starting Tuesday night, check the status of their forms on ECINeT or EC's voters portal. "The purpose of the new module is to ensure full transparency and a direct interface between the elector and EC; it will allow any elector to enter his EPIC no. and view for himself if his enumeration form has been accepted by the BLO," a senior EC official told TOI. All electors who submit their forms by July 25 will be included in Bihar's draft electoral roll to be published on Aug 1, 2025. A SIR update shared by EC on Tuesday said EFs have been collected from 86.3 per cent of Bihar's 7.9 crore electorate, with 10 more days to go for the deadline. Over 6.2 crore forms have been uploaded on ECINet. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo Sparing no effort to ensure that all eligible electors are included in the draft electoral roll, the third round of household visits by the nearly 1 lakh BLOs will soon begin to collect EFs of Bihar's remaining 9.2 per cent electorate. This will cover households where the electors were temporarily absent during the previous visits. Special camps have been established in all the 5,683 wards of 261 urban local bodies of Bihar and newspaper advertisements issued to ensure that the remaining electors fill their EFs well in time. Such electors are also being encouraged by the BLOs to fill up their forms online using the ECINet app on their mobile phones or through the online form on Through ECINet, electors can fill out their EFs online and search for their names in the 2003 electoral roll. The electors can also connect with their election officials, including their BLOs, using the ECINet app.
India Today
13 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Is Election Commission's Bihar poll roll revision deadline impractical? Experts debate
The top focus of this episode of News Today is an exclusive India Today special investigation that delves into the ground reality of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. Ahead of the state elections, the exercise has sparked significant controversy, with villagers discovering their names are missing despite having voted in the 2024 elections. The report from the Simanchal region highlights claims of profiling based on language and religion. The opposition has termed the drive 'Vote Bandi,' stating that it appears that the government is going ahead with a scheme that could actually be an assault on democracy. The investigation finds Booth Level Officers under pressure to meet a July 25 deadline, leading them to collect forms without necessary documents, raising questions about the entire process and fears of it being a citizenship test by the backdoor. So, the questions we are raising are: Is the Election Commission's Bihar roll revision deadline impractical? Is this becoming a citizenship test? Watch as experts debate this and more on the show.
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Conduct polls on 2024 electoral rolls: Dipankar
Patna: CPI(ML) general secretary, Dipankar Bhattacharya , said here on Tuesday that the Election Commission (EC) should conduct the assembly elections on the basis of the state's electoral roll used during the 2024 parliamentary polls, as the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll has got mired in controversies. "The voting right of each and every elector in the state should be guaranteed. The EC wants to meet every political party separately and has also sent a letter asking us to present our points of view, which we will do. Our singular demand is that the ongoing SIR should be withdrawn," Bhattacharya said while talking to reporters, He took strong exception to the alleged "misinformation" being spread that foreign nationals are present in the state. "It is a bland lie. Did anyone, or any political party, make such complaints regarding the electoral roll used during the 2024 parliamentary elections?" he asked. "People of Musahar caste are found in Bihar in large numbers. Are they being presented as people from Myanmar? The Bihari migrant workers and Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal are being described as Bangladeshis," he alleged. Pointing out that the visits of the CPI(ML) workers to houses have shown the EC is insisting that the documents have to be furnished in any case, if not in July then in August. "The documents that the poor can furnish are the domicile and caste certificates, but even these certificates are not being issued to them by the authorities concerned," he alleged.
