News Analysis India

Tag: MCC

  • Electoral bonds amendment sparks row as opposition calls it poll code breach

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Centre’s move to amend the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 has evoked strong protests from Opposition parties and civil society groups. The finance ministry on Monday issued a notification for amending the scheme to add “an additional period of 15 days” for the sale of electoral bonds “in the year of general elections to the Legislative Assembly of states and Union Territories with Legislature”.

    The Centre also declared that the sale of electoral bonds under the 23rd tranche will take place through 29 authorised branches of State Bank of India from November 9- 15. Usually, the electoral bonds are open only for sale on 10 specified dates in January, April, July and October. The last sale of electoral bonds took place during October1-10.

    Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra called it a violation of the model code of conduct, as it comes ahead of Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. “Centre yesterday notified the electoral bond sale for extra days Nov 9-15 allowing more anonymous BJP donations for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh campaigns. Previously sale was allowed only on 10 specified dates in January, April, July and October except in Lok Sabha poll years. Clear MCC violation, Wake up ECI,” tweeted Moitra. The Congress also asked why the BJP gets 70% of money from the bonds.

    Opposition parties also said that the amendment was done even as the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear pleas challenging the process, filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms and the CPM, among others, on December 6. 

    Speaking to this daily, ADR co-founder Prof Jagdeep S Chhokar said that the amendment will open the floodgates of unaccounted money going into the political system. Chhokar added that since Assembly elections to various states are held every year, the amendment will allow 15 additional dates annually for the sale of bonds.

    “This is an obvious violation of the model code of conduct, which is in force in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. This is another step in the direction of making the bonds available any time you want. We know that the ruling party at the Centre gets more money than any other party. There will be no level playing field for all parties,” Chhokar said.

    CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury also took exception to the amendment. “The 2018 legislation had notified four tranches annually… The SC is to hear challenges to its Constitutional validity on December 6,” he said. 

    NEW DELHI: The Centre’s move to amend the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 has evoked strong protests from Opposition parties and civil society groups. The finance ministry on Monday issued a notification for amending the scheme to add “an additional period of 15 days” for the sale of electoral bonds “in the year of general elections to the Legislative Assembly of states and Union Territories with Legislature”.

    The Centre also declared that the sale of electoral bonds under the 23rd tranche will take place through 29 authorised branches of State Bank of India from November 9- 15. Usually, the electoral bonds are open only for sale on 10 specified dates in January, April, July and October. The last sale of electoral bonds took place during October1-10.

    Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra called it a violation of the model code of conduct, as it comes ahead of Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. “Centre yesterday notified the electoral bond sale for extra days Nov 9-15 allowing more anonymous BJP donations for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh campaigns. Previously sale was allowed only on 10 specified dates in January, April, July and October except in Lok Sabha poll years. Clear MCC violation, Wake up ECI,” tweeted Moitra. The Congress also asked why the BJP gets 70% of money from the bonds.

    Opposition parties also said that the amendment was done even as the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear pleas challenging the process, filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms and the CPM, among others, on December 6. 

    Speaking to this daily, ADR co-founder Prof Jagdeep S Chhokar said that the amendment will open the floodgates of unaccounted money going into the political system. Chhokar added that since Assembly elections to various states are held every year, the amendment will allow 15 additional dates annually for the sale of bonds.

    “This is an obvious violation of the model code of conduct, which is in force in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. This is another step in the direction of making the bonds available any time you want. We know that the ruling party at the Centre gets more money than any other party. There will be no level playing field for all parties,” Chhokar said.

    CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury also took exception to the amendment. “The 2018 legislation had notified four tranches annually… The SC is to hear challenges to its Constitutional validity on December 6,” he said. 

  • SC seek replies from Centre, MCC on plea against decision to provide quota for OBCs and EWS in NEET

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Friday sought responses from the Centre and MCC on a plea against the July 29 notice providing 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Class (OBC) and 10 per cent for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in NEET admissions for medical courses.

    A bench of justices D Y Chandrachud and B V Nagarathna issued notice and sought replies from the Centre and Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) on a plea filed by eight petitioners, including those who would be appearing in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) postgraduate exams.

    The bench tagged the plea with pending petitions on similar issue.

    The fresh plea, filed through advocate Vivek Singh, has said that a notice was issued on July 29 stating that it has been decided to provide 27 per cent reservation for OBC and 10 per cent for EWS in the all India quota for undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental courses for the academic session 2021-22.

    Seeking quashing of the notice, the plea alleged that the attempt to provide for reservation in 50 per cent all India quota seats in PG medical course is “clearly contrary” to the law laid down by the apex court earlier.

    “It is submitted that the General category students applying for post graduate medical courses are being reduced to a miniscule minority,” it said, adding that number of seats for PG medical courses are limited and providing seats based on reservation is “denial of opportunity to meritorious candidates.”

    On September 6, the top court had issued notices on similar petitions.

    One of the petitions had said that the petitioners and similarly affected candidates were shocked to note that the committee vide the impugned notice had resolved to implement 27 per cent OBC reservation and 10 per cent EWS reservation in 15 per cent UG and 50 per cent PG All India Quota seats (MBBS/BDS and MD/MS/MDS) with effect from current academic session 2021-22.

    The petitioners had sought quashing of the July 29 notice which provided for implementation of the prescribed reservation criteria with effect from academic session 2021-22.

    They had said that as per the reservation policy, the overall reservation in 15 per cent UG and 50 per cent PG All India Quota seats would be — SC – 15 per cent, ST – 7.5 per cent, OBC- (non-creamy layer) as per the Central OBC list – 27 per cent, Economically Weaker Section – as per Central Government norms – 10 per cent and persons with disability-5 per cent horizontal reservation as per norms.

    On July 29, the Centre had decided to provide 27 percent reservation for OBCs and 10 per cent reservation for EWS in the all India Quota scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical/dental courses (MBBS /MD/MS/Diploma/BDS /MDS).

  • ‘Did not violate model code, IPC’: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to EC on her remarks on CAPF

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Defending her remarks on central armed police forces, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is learnt to have told the Election Commission on Saturday that she has the highest regard for CAPF but there have been serious allegations against them of intimidating and influencing the electorate to cast their vote for a particular political party.

    Responding to a notice issued by the poll panel on Thursday, the Trinamool Congress chief denied the contents of the EC communication which sought an explanation over her “prima facie completely false, provocative and intemperate statements” against the central armed police forces deputed on election duty in the state.

    ALSO READ| Bengal poll booth violence: CM Mamata Banerjee questions central forces’ version, orders CID probe

    Banerjee also urged the poll watchdog to rescind its notice, contending she has not violated the model code or the various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

    She claimed that a girl was allegedly molested by an unidentified CRPF personnel in the early hours of April 6 at Ramnagar, under Tarakeshwar police station and the matter was reported to the police which lodged an FIR.

    She claimed that the TMC had complained with the state chief electoral officer. But till date, no tangible action has been taken nor an advisory or instruction issued by Election Commission to the central forces in this regard. “I have the highest regard for the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and commend and laud their contributions to the safety and security of the country,” she said in her reply.

    West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee replies to Election Commission notice to her on her remarks on CAPFs. She states, “There has been no effort to incite/influence the electorate against CAPFs. It is clear I haven’t violated Model Code of Conduct.” pic.twitter.com/KnwrryG5gI
    — ANI (@ANI) April 10, 2021

    But during the first three phases of polls in West Bengal, there have been serious allegations of CAPF resorting to intimidation of voters by exerting force, influencing the electorate to cast their votes for a particular political party, Banerjee is learnt to have alleged her reply.

    She claimed that her party has also lodged several complaints but only a few were redressed. To drive home her point that she did not instigate people to carry out violent acts against the central forces, Banerjee also reproduced certain portions of her speech in her reply to the EC.

    “I tell you ladies, a group of you go and restrain (gherao) them while another group will go to cast their votes. One group will restrain them and another group will go to cast their votes. Don’t waste your vote. If you engage yourself only in restraining them, they will be happy that you did not cast your vote. This is their plan. It is the plan of the BJP,” she added.

    ALSO READ| Bengal polls 2021: CM Mamata Banerjee demands Amit Shah’s resignation over firing incident

    “And your plan will be that you will not be scared if they try to intimidate you coming to your village on the one hand, on the other you just talk to them. Talking to them will tantamount to restraining them. You don’t have to gherao them literally,” according to the portion of her speech cited in her reply.

    She said that in her speech she had only called upon the voters, specifically women voters, “to protest democratically by gherao if and when somebody (including CAPF) created any obstruction in their right to vote”.

    She said “gherao” is one of the democratic ways of registering public protest and there is no reason why gherao should be considered illegal. Banerjee said the term “gherao” has been a part of the political lexicon of West Bengal since late 1960.

    She said it has been used to connote peaceful “satyagraha” against authorities and she referred to “gherao” in her speech by way of verbal engagement and not a literal gherao.

    ALSO READ| West Bengal poll firing: Trinamool Congress seeks explanation from EC over death of four

    The TMC chief again targeted the Centre and the CAPF on Saturday after four people were killed in firing by CISF personnel allegedly after coming under attack from locals who “attempted to snatch their rifles” in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district during the fourth phase of polls.

    Banerjee said her government will initiate a CID probe into the incident and questioned the central forces’ version of firing in self-defence.