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Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP ally TDP seeks clarity on SIR, says exercise shouldn't link to citizenship or burden voters
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel New Delhi: Taking a contrarian view on the Special Intensive Revision ( SIR ) of electoral roll , key NDA ally Telugu Desam Party ( TDP ) said the purpose of the exercise should be clearly defined and delinked from citizenship verification , wrapped up at least six months before elections and the burden of proof should not be on the a four-page representation submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, TDP sought clarity on the SIR's purpose -- a move seen as a guarded way of questioning the on-going exercise in openly criticising SIR, TDP has made four submissions which are against the current approach of ECI. TDP, whose 16 MPs provide crucial support to BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, has sought clarity on the "scope of SIR" and wants it to be completely delinked from the citizenship question. "The purpose of SIR must be clearly defined and limited to electoral roll correction and inclusion. It should be explicitly communicated that the exercise is not related to citizenship verification, and any field instructions must reflect this distinction," reads the TDP representation. It said adequate time should be given for such an exercise and it should take place "ideally not within six months of any major election". This is contrary to what is underway in Bihar, where a new assembly will be in place by November-end and SIR is underway with elections just three months documentation, TDP stated, "Voters who are already enrolled in the most recent certified electoral roll should not be required to re-establish their eligibility unless specific and verifiable reasons are recorded." TDP has sought to make a distinction between intensive roll revision and electoral roll revision and suggested that the last electoral roll revision be made the base year. This means that for Bihar it should be the electoral roll revision of January 2025 which should be the base year, not 2003. It cited a Supreme Court judgement in Lal Babu Hussein vs Electoral Registration Officer to say "prior inclusion created a presumption of validity and any deletion must be preceded by a valid inquiry."In the Bihar SIR, the ECI sought proof and asked voters to fill a form to ensure inclusion. However, TDP representation said: "The burden of proof lies with ERO or objector, not the voter, especially when the name exists on the official roll".


India.com
2 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Bihar Is Set For Its 18th Assembly Election: From Revised Electoral Roll To Majority Run
The 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election is scheduled for October–November 2025, although the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not yet announced the official dates. The Bihar Assembly consists of a total of 243 seats, with 122 required for a majority. In recent elections, three major parties have maintained a strong presence in the state: the BJP, JD(U), and RJD. Currently, the BJP and JD(U) are part of the NDA alliance, while the opposition alliance, known as the Mahagathbandhan, includes RJD and Congress. There are also several smaller parties expected to play a significant role in the upcoming election, such as Jan Suraj and AIMIM. In preparation, ECI launched a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls on June 24, 2025. Voters were required to submit updated documentation by July 25, and 86 per cent of enumeration forms were submitted by mid‑July. Section 21 of the Representation of the People (RP) Act empowers the Election Commission (EC) to conduct a special revision of the electoral roll at any time, provided it records the reasons for doing so. The ECI discovered fake voters on the rolls, which triggered political controversy. The opposition is opposing the implementation of SIR while the BJP supports it. Additionally, urban and migrant voters are expected to play a pivotal role. The NDA has promised multiple benefits to win the election, including 35 per cent reservation for women in various sectors, aiming to garner support from key demographics. The Bihar Legislative Assembly has changed since its inception. After India's independence, the assembly first convened in 1952 with 331 members. Today, it comprises 243 members, known as Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). From the above context answer the following question. Q: How many assembly seats does Bihar have? A: Bihar consists total of 243 seats. Q: When was the first Bihar assembly formed after independence? A: The assembly first convened in 1952 with 331 members. Q: When is the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election scheduled? A: October-November 2025 Q: How many seats are required for a majority in the Bihar Assembly? A: 122 seats. Q: Which parties are part of the NDA alliance in Bihar? A: BJP and JD(U). Q: What is the name of the opposition alliance in Bihar? A: Mahagathbandhan consists of RJD and Congress. Q: When did the ECI launch the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls? A: June 24, 2025. Q: Why did ECI launch the SIR process? A: To identify Fake voters on the rolls. Q: What percentage of reservations for women has the NDA promised? A: 35 per cent


Time of India
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Opposition senses ‘opportunity' in electoral roll revision, frequently rakes up issue
Patna: During the 2020 , the opposition Grand Alliance (GA) missed forming the govt by a whisker. Five years later, the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted by the Election Commission ahead of the polls in the state has come as a blessing in disguise for GA, feel poll analysts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now GA is armed with a prominent issue that is supposedly causing confusion among electors, they said. Cashing in on the 'opportunity', leader of opposition in the state assembly, , along with INDIA bloc allies, is raking up the concerns of voters almost daily. So far, he has held around six press conferences over the issue, indicating the significance of the issue, while the NDA has held none. The opposition is finding it a major opportunity to reach out to a large number of voter, cashing in on the anger gripping them. "First, your name will be deleted from the voter list, and in due course, you will lose benefits from all welfare schemes that you might be getting now, one by one," Tejashwi has repeatedly warned at press conferences. Explaining how the deletion of names of the voter proves disastrous for the poor, RJD spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan said on Tuesday: "Deletion of names from the voter list means losing every govt facility." He said the biggest loss the people could face is not getting 5 kg free ration. Of the total population of 10.41 crore, as per the 2011 census, the total number of beneficiaries under the Centre-sponsored Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in Bihar is around 8.71 crore, which comes to 84% of the total population. They will also not be getting houses under PM Awas Yojana, pension and other such facilities. Social scientist B N Prasad said the EC has launched such a big campaign, but the methodology remains unclear. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "It is not clear if the BLOs are visiting door to door to deliver/collect enumeration forms. No BLO has visited my home so far. Also, the voices coming from the grassroots do not appear fair or accurate," Prasad, who works with the AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies, told the TOI. "This is a theatre of the absurd," said former principal of Patna College, N K Chaudhary, while reacting to the opposition's hullabaloo over the SIR issue. "But EC should have given more time and increased the number of documents required to be submitted with the filled-up enumeration forms," he said. The opposition has found a potent issue—much like in the 2015 Bihar polls, when NDA's lead crumbled after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called for a review of the reservation policy. RJD chief Lalu Prasad turned it into an 'opportunity', warning voters that the RSS-BJP aimed to dismantle the quota system.


Time of India
5 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
PM Modi to launch projects worth Rs 7,200cr at Motihari meeting on July 18
1 2 3 4 5 Patna/Motihari: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch projects worth around Rs 7,200 crore in the region and flag off three Amrit Bharat express trains during his public meeting at Motihari in East Champaran district on July 18, said state BJP president Dilip Jaiswal. "This will be PM Modi's 53rd visit to Bihar in the last 11 years. He will lay foundation stones for and inaugurate projects related to rail, road, rural development, animal husbandry, dairy, self-help groups and housing," he said. Among them, railway projects are worth Rs 5,398 crore, and road and transport projects worth Rs 1,173 crore. The PM is also likely to announce projects related to electronics and information technology worth Rs 63 crore. The PM will lay the foundation stone for a four-lane Ara bypass from Asni to Bampali on NH-319, which will cost Rs 138 crore and inaugurate a four-lane road from Parriya to Mohania in Kaimur, built at a cost of Rs 828 crore, and a two-lane paved shoulder road worth Rs 110 crore from Sarwan to Chakai as part of NH-333C. Apart from these, he will transfer a total of Rs 162 crore to the accounts of 40,000 beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin, besides handing over house keys to 12,000 beneficiaries. The PM is also likely to release Rs 400 crore for 61,500 self-help groups Meanwhile, the top NDA leaders of the state, including deputy CMs, are keeping no stones unturned to make the public meeting at historic Gandhi Maidan of Motihari a grand success. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esta nueva alarma con cámara es casi regalada en Mar Del Plata (ver precio) Verisure Más información Undo In the last four days, both the deputy CMs, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha, health minister Mangal Pandey and his other cabinet colleagues Jibesh Mishra, Nitish Mishra and Nitin Nabin, MPs Lalan Singh and Sanjay Jha among other top leaders, apart from Jaiswal, visited East Champaran and its adjoining district and took stock of preparations. Local MP Radha Mohan Singh is engaged in monitoring the entire programme. Jaiswal, JD(U) national executive present Sanjay Kumar Jha, and his party leader and Union minister Lalan Singh among the other NDA leaders addressed several meetings in the area on Tuesday to garner support for the PM's rally, which is being considered as a part of the preparations for the state assembly elections due in Oct-Nov. There are 12 assembly seats in East Champaran where BJP had won eight seats and JD(U) one in the 2020 elections. Pandey, who inspected the site on Monday, said that PM Modi is coming to East Champaran for the sixth time in his 11-year tenure. Five hangers have already been built in Gandhi Maidan, with a seating capacity for lakhs of people. Blacktop roads have been constructed between all hangers, where PM Modi will greet the public from an open vehicle. Radha Mohan Singh said that the people of 24 assembly constituencies of East and West Champaran, Sheohar, west Muzaffarpur and Sahebganj are likely to participate in the meeting. Bihar chief secretary Amrit Lal Meena, DGP Vinay Kumar, Champaran range DIG Har Kishor Rai, district magistrate Saurabh Jorwal, superintendent of police (SP) Swarn Prabhat and other top police officers have already visited the venue and discussed security measures. According to police sources, 18 IPS officers, 60 deputy SPs, 125 inspectors, and 10,000 police and paramilitary force personnel will be deployed on rally duty in Motihari. They have already started coming to Motihari for their deployment.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
SELLAS Meets All Primary Endpoints in Phase 2 Trial of SLS009 in r/r AML and Receives FDA Guidance to Advance into First-Line Therapy Study
The Trial Exceeded Target Overall Response Rate (ORR) of 20%, with 44% Response Rate Among Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia-Myelodysplasia-Related Changes (AML MR) Treated at Optimal Dose of 30 mg Twice a Week (BIW) and 50% in AML MR with Myelomonocytic/Myelomonoblastic (M4/M5) Subtype Median Overall Survival (mOS) of 8.9 Months in Patients with AML MR and 8.8 mOS in Relapsed or Refractory to Venetoclax-Based Regimens at 30 mg BIW Dose Level Surpasses the Historical Benchmark of 2.4 Months FDA Recommends Advancement towards a Trial Including Newly Diagnosed First-Line AML Patient Cohorts That May Support a New Drug Application; Trial Preparation Underway with Enrollment Expected to Begin by Q1 2026 NEW YORK, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SLS) ('SELLAS' or the 'Company'), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for a broad range of cancer indications, today announced that is has met all primary endpoints in its Phase 2 trial of SLS009 (tambiciclib), a highly selective CDK9 inhibitor, in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (r/r AML). The Phase 2 clinical trial of SLS009 is an open-label, single-arm, multi-center study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of SLS009 in combination with venetoclax and azacitidine at two dose levels, 45 mg and 60 mg. In the 60 mg dose cohort, patients were treated with either a 60 mg dose once per week or a 30 mg dose two times per week. The trial was expanded to include ASXL1-mutated AML patients as well as patients with myelodysplasia-related cytogenetic abnormalities other than ASXL1 mutations. The target response rate for this Phase 2 trial, at the optimal dose level, was at least 20% and a target median survival of at least 3 months. The primary endpoint for the trial was overall response rate (ORR), and key secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), safety, and tolerability. The trial met all endpoints, demonstrating strong efficacy and favorable safety and tolerability with robust anti-tumor activity. Based on these data, the Company plans to advance SLS009 into a randomized trial that will expand into the newly diagnosed AML populations where earlier intervention may enhance therapeutic outcomes, as well as patients refractory to venetoclax and azacitidine, with the study to support a potential New Drug Application (NDA) with the FDA. 'We are excited to report that our Phase 2 trial met all key endpoints, with clinical responses and survival outcomes that exceed targeted expectations and historical benchmarks,' said Angelos Stergiou, MD, ScD h.c., President and Chief Executive Officer of SELLAS. 'AML remains an area of urgent unmet medical need, particularly for patients with relapsed or refractory disease, where standard treatments are often ineffective and poorly tolerated. What sets SLS009 apart is its consistent efficacy across a broad range of molecular subtypes. The remarkable response rates of 44% among AML MR patients, 50% among ASXL1-mutated AML MR, and 50% among M4/M5 patients at the optimal 30 mg BIW dose far exceed the targeted 20% benchmark. We saw a clear survival benefit with median OS reaching 8.8 months in patients refractory to venetoclax-based regimens in the cohort of patients with median 1 prior line of therapy, surpassing the historical median of 2.4 months and 4.1 months in cohorts with median 2 lines of prior therapy, versus 1.8 months reported in similar patient population. The treatment was also well-tolerated, with no dose-limiting toxicities across any treatment arm, validating both the biological selectivity and safety profile of our approach. We believe these data strongly support the potential of SLS009 to meaningfully extend life in patients with otherwise limited options, and we look forward to sharing these findings in more detail in the future. With the expected Phase 3 REGAL study final analysis by year-end, our galinpepimut-S (GPS) immunotherapy and SLS009 are complementary therapies that together enable us to hopefully address AML patients across the treatment spectrum — from early intervention to maintenance.' Key Phase 2 Results: Patients Characteristics: 54 evaluable r/r AML patients who previously failed venetoclax-based therapies were enrolled and treated with SLS009, and venetoclax/azacitidine; patients were enrolled across all five cohorts. Among the 54 treated patients, 47 had AML MR (87%) and 23 had ASXL1 mutations (43%). 47 out of 54 had AML MR (acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes). Among AML MR patients,17 had myelomonocytic/myelomonoblastic subtype of AML (M4 and M5), representing 31% of all patients. All patients had adverse risk cytogenetics except one patient who had intermediate risk cytogenetics. The median age of all patients was 69. Median number of prior lines of therapy was 2. Efficacy: The results exceeded the pre-specified ORR threshold of 20%, demonstrating robust clinical activity and supporting advancement into late-stage development. The ORR in all evaluable patients was 33% across all cohorts and dose levels and 40% for the 30mg BIW dose level. At the 30 mg BIW dose, among AML MR patients, the ORR was 44%. The highest efficacy was observed among patients with ASXL1 mutations, with an ORR of 50% (9/18) at 30 mg BIW dose levels and M4/M5 patients with 50% (6/12) ORR. The mOS surpassed the historical benchmark of best available therapy of 2.4 months1 for patients who received one prior line of therapy and 1.8 months for those who received more than one prior line of therapy. The mOS for patients treated with 30mg BIW, with a median of 1 prior line of therapy, was 8.8 months, while the mOS in AML MR patients reached 8.9 months vs. 2.4 months with best available therapy. The mOS for cohorts with a median of 2 prior lines of therapies was 4.1 months vs.1.8 months with best available therapy. Safety: The addition of SLS009 to the venetoclax/azacitidine regimen was well tolerated and did not result in increased toxicities compared to ven/aza alone. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed across all dose levels. Front Line Trial Planning Underway Following FDA Guidance Following a productive end of Phase 2 meeting, the FDA recommended that SELLAS proceeds into a trial to include newly diagnosed, first-line AML patients eligible for venetoclax/azacitidine (aza/ven) therapy, where the agency believes clinical benefit might be greatest. The randomized 80-patient trial is currently in preparation and is expected to begin enrollment by Q1 2026. The trial will include two groups: Predictive biomarker cohort: Newly diagnosed patients unlikely to benefit from standard aza/ven therapy based on molecular profiling Early resistance cohort: Patients who initiate treatment with aza/ven but demonstrate confirmed lack of any response after two treatment cycles This precision approach allows SELLAS to target subpopulations with high unmet need and greatest potential for benefit. 'These SLS009 results represent an important advancement for patients with r/r AML, where treatment options remain limited and outcomes are often poor,' said Dr. Yair Levy, Director of Hematologic Malignancies Research at Texas Oncology Baylor University Medical Center. 'The response rates and survival outcomes are particularly compelling, especially given the consistency of responses across high-risk molecular subtypes and the favorable safety profile. What's especially encouraging is the opportunity to now explore this therapy in the first-line setting, where outcomes are often dictated by how patients respond to initial treatment. The FDA's recognition of this unmet need and its support for a trial in newly diagnosed patients reflects SLS009's potential to address a critical gap in AML care.' 'Following constructive FDA guidance, we are preparing the trial focused on newly diagnosed AML patients as well as those early refractory to venetoclax and azacitidine,' said Dragan Cicic, MD, Chief Development Officer of SELLAS. 'The study will include two groups – one comprising patients predicted not to benefit from standard aza/ven, based on cytogenetic risk factors, and a second comprising patients who begin aza/ven treatment but demonstrate confirmed resistance after two cycles. We believe earlier intervention with SLS009 may offer greater clinical benefit before patients' bone marrow reserve is depleted by disease or prior therapies, and before the disease evolves into more resistant and aggressive forms. Data from other recent clinical trials suggests meaningful differences in response rates between newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory patients, reinforcing the importance of this strategic approach. In addition, our ongoing collaboration with one of the nation's most prestigious cancer centers continues to generate insights in genomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics, which will refine patient selection and our precision medicine strategy and help us unlock the full potential of SLS009 as we prepare to enter pivotal development.' Zainaldin et al, Leukemia and Lymphoma, 2022 About SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. SELLAS is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapeutics for a broad range of cancer indications. SELLAS' lead product candidate, GPS, is licensed from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and targets the WT1 protein, which is present in an array of tumor types. GPS has the potential as a monotherapy and combination with other therapies to address a broad spectrum of hematologic malignancies and solid tumor indications. The Company is also developing SLS009 (tambiciclib) - potentially the first and best-in-class differentiated small molecule CDK9 inhibitor with reduced toxicity and increased potency compared to other CDK9 inhibitors. Data suggests that SLS009 demonstrated a high response rate in AML patients with unfavorable prognostic factors including ASXL1 mutation, commonly associated with poor prognosis in various myeloid diseases. For more information on SELLAS, please visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts are 'forward-looking statements,' including those relating to future events. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as 'plan,' 'expect,' 'anticipate,' 'may,' 'might,' 'will,' 'should,' 'project,' 'believe,' 'estimate,' 'predict,' 'potential,' 'intend,' or 'continue' and other words or terms of similar meaning. These statements include, without limitation, statements related to the GPS clinical development program, including the REGAL study and the timing of future milestones related thereto. These forward-looking statements are based on current plans, objectives, estimates, expectations, and intentions, and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties with oncology product development and clinical success thereof, the uncertainty of regulatory approval, and other risks and uncertainties affecting SELLAS and its development programs as set forth under the caption 'Risk Factors' in SELLAS' Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 20, 2025 and in its other SEC filings. Other risks and uncertainties of which SELLAS is not currently aware may also affect SELLAS' forward-looking statements and may cause actual results and the timing of events to differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date hereof. SELLAS undertakes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information, future events, changes in its expectations, or other circumstances that exist after the date as of which the forward-looking statements were made. Investor Contact John Fraunces Managing Director LifeSci Advisors, LLC jfraunces@