ZAMBOANGA CITY, PHILIPPINES

Convicts are barred from seeking elective positions. The commission on elections made the ruling on the candidacies of Jalosjos brothers, Romeo Sr. and Dominador Jr., citing a law that disqualifies convicts from running for posts. Romeo Sr. is a child rape convict and Dominador Jr. was convicted of robbery. Unless granted absolute pardon by the President, persons convicted of criminal offences cannot even vote.

AUSTRALIA

A person convicted of a 'felony' is barred from holding office for the rest of his or her life. In most jurisdictions, they are prevented from holding office while in jail, provided the sentence is of a certain length, usually a year or more. In Queensland, convictions for certain types of offence, such as political bribery, can prevent a person from being a candidate for a fixed period of time, even if they have not been in jail.

PAKISTAN

According to legal experts, Imran Khan may face disqualification for five years from the Assembly if the Supreme Court convicts him in a contempt case. Yusaf Raza Gilani was disqualified and ousted last year by the Supreme Court from holding the prime minister's office for being in contempt of court. In June 2013, Pervez Musharraf was disqualified from parliamentary elections on charges of abrogating the Constitution. Among conditions for the dismissal stated in the Constitution: a person has been, on conviction for any offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since his release; or he has been removed or compulsorily retired from the service of Pakistan.

NIGERIA

The election commission has called for more powers amid opposition, to disqualify questionable candidates from participating in elections. The commission also wants to establish a body known as Electoral Offences Commission with powers to investigate and prosecute breaches of electoral provisions.

United Kingdom

MPs are disqualified from Parliament only if they are sentenced to a prison term of more than 12 months. But under the Coalition Government's plans to give voters the right to "recall" their MP, any criminal conviction could be sufficient to trigger a local ballot to consider whether expulsion should take place. "Recall election" is a procedure in which voters can remove an elected representative through a direct vote before his/her term ends.

United States

In 2011, there were at least 150 "recall elections" in the US. 19 states permit the recall of state officials. Till date only two governors have been successfully recalled ' in 1921, Lynn Frazier, Governor of North Dakota, was recalled. In 2003, Governor Gray Davis of California was recalled. Two Colorado legislators, Senate President John Morse and Senator Angela Giron, will face recall elections on September 10, 2013.

Compiled by Pooja Sharma