Shahabuddin, Soren to vote in V-P polls

Two members of Parliament (MPs), Mohammad Shahabuddin and Shibu Soren, in jail for the last few months, will be allowed to visit the Parliament building to vote in the vice-presidential election on August 10, according to the Election Commission.

Although they can't take part in Parliament sessions due to incarceration, their voting rights for the vice-presidential election are intact. According to EC sources, Rule 8(4) of the Representation of People's Act states that an MP, even if convicted for a crime, retains his voting rights if he has appealed against the verdict and the case is pending in a court appeal, however, has to be filed within three months of the lower court's order.

Both Soren and Shahabuddin have challenged the verdict. This gives them the chance to meet their colleagues in Parliament on August 10, even though briefly.

However, two others, PC Thomas and Babubhai Kataria, won't get this opportunity as their membership has been terminated due to allegations of "corrupt practice".

EC sources told Business Standard that Shahabuddin had applied to vote in the presidential election too, from the Patna Assembly polling centre.