Latest news with #Amendment)Bill
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Former CJI seeks level-playing field in simultaneous poll plan
NEW DELHI: Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud has raised some concerns about simultaneous state and parliamentary elections in his submissions to a joint parliamentary committee and called for a level-playing field between smaller and national parties, people aware of the matter said on Thursday. The proposal to align elections – known colloquially as one nation, one election (ONOE) – was a part of the BJP's 2024 poll manifesto. (PTI) Ex-CJI Chandrachud and another former CJI, JS Khehar, are set to attend on July 11 a meeting of the JPC examining the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, which are intended to roll out simultaneous polls in the country, the people cited above said. The 39-member JPC — headed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader PP Chaudhary — was set up in December 2024. Although there is no time frame for the submission of the report, the term of the JPC has been extended till the first day of last week of the upcoming Monsoon Session. The proposal to align elections – known colloquially as one nation, one election (ONOE) – was a part of the BJP's 2024 poll manifesto and is backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who argues that it will trim election costs and shift focus to governance. But the proposal is fiercely opposed by a raft of political parties and activists who allege that it will hurt democratic accountability and federalism. The bills propose the alignment process to begin in 2029 and the first simultaneous elections in 2034. 'Justice Chandrachud has also given his opinion about the proposed ONOE. In his submission to JPC in April, he has pointed out that concerns about simultaneous elections possibly marginalising smaller or regional parties because of the dominance of better resourced national parties is a significant policy aspect which warrants legislative attention,' said the person quoted above. A clutch of regional parties such as the Rastriya Janata Dal (RJD) have alleged that the proposed legislation can dent federalism. 'The former CJI has noted that to ensure a level playing field among political parties, the rules governing electoral campaigning, particularly those relating to campaign finance, must be strengthened. Referring to the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 that impose ceilings on the amount a candidate can spend for campaign, there are no corresponding limits on the expenditure incurred by political parties themselves he said. This gap in regulation weighs the electoral process towards parties with greater financial resources he said,' the person quoted above said. On the fear that simultaneous elections may infringe upon the right of voters to choose their elected representatives, the former CJI pointed out that even in instances where the duration of either the Lok Sabha or the assembly expires before the full term, the legislation provide for conducting mid-term elections, ensuring that the Indian electorate remains continuously represented by their duly elected representatives. 'He is of the view that the proposal would be violative of the basic structure doctrine only if the facet of non-simultaneous elections to every tier of the government is a basic feature of the Constitution,' the person quoted above said. Chandrachud is also learnt to have weighed in on the provisions for no-confidence motion. 'He has pointed out that the cardinal principle of parliamentary democracy is that the council of ministers, headed by the Prime Minister, must always have the support of the House. This principle will be diluted if there is a time bar on introducing the no-confidence motion. Similarly, one of the common features of a multi-party democracy such as India is the inability of any party or coalition of parties to secure the majority in the House. If the issuance of a notice of no-confidence is contingent on the motion of confidence, there is a real possibility of the minority government continuing in power. This is contrary to democratic tenets,' said the person quoted above. The bill now being examined by JPC suggests adding Article 82(A) (simultaneous elections to the House of the People and all legislative assemblies) and amending Articles 83 (duration of Houses of Parliament), 172, and 327 (power of Parliament to make provisions with respect to elections to Legislatures). It also states that the provisions of the amendment will come into effect on an 'appointed date,' which the President will notify on the first sitting of the Lok Sabha after a general election. As per the bill, the 'appointed date' will be after the next Lok Sabha elections in 2029, with simultaneous elections slated to begin in 2034. According to a person aware of the details, the meeting on July 11 will see JPC also interact with former Union minister and Congress leader M Veerappa Moily and former Congress lawmaker EMS Natchippan. From the first elections in Independent India in 1952 until 1967, polls were held simultaneously across the country. But since the Lok Sabha and state assemblies can be dissolved before their tenures end, the state and national elections came to be held at different times after that. Several committees, including a parliamentary panel, the Niti Aayog and the Election Commission of India, have studied simultaneous polls in the past, backing the idea but flagging logistical concerns.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
FATF's Pak challenge: Tracing routes of funds
At one level it seems like a huge win for India. At least one major body has focused on the Pahalgam terror attack rather than the operation that followed it, and ensuing calls for restraint. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the foremost authority on money laundering and terrorist finance, has not just condemned the terror attack, but, last week, resolved to launch a probe noting that it could not have been carried out 'without money and the means to move funds between terrorist supporters'. Unlike various groups asking for proof of who did the attack, the FATF proposes to find it for itself. The Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 security personnel happened even as Islamabad was threatened with blacklisting. (Waseem Andrabi/HT) The FATF was formed in 1989 by the G-7 countries, the European Commission and eight others (who are not listed), to combat money laundering, including 'terrorist financing and the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction'. Over the years, it steadily increased its mandate to include all manner of actors including narcotics networks. India joined in 2010, after a rigorous examination of its banking systems, a review which happens periodically to protect the global system from danger. In 2024, India again got an 'outstanding' report for its financial stability and probity, though the FATF warned about 'non-profit' associations being used for terrorist finance. A number of NGOs were shut down, causing a cry of illiberalism. Pakistan, on the other hand, was put on a 'grey list', which means its financial systems have significant deficiencies, three times: Once in 2008, and taken off the list in two years after some improvements; again in 2012 for not curbing terrorist financing among other things; and again in 2018 for the same reason. This time it kept it there until October 2022, during which period Islamabad sentenced Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi to five years imprisonment, Hafiz Saeed to 33 years in jail, and set in place legislation including an Anti-Terrorism Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 which updated the legal definition of terrorism to international standards. A legislation was introduced to bring Pakistan's laws in line with the UN laws on terrorist financing, 20 years after Resolution 1373 had been enacted, and further gave the State Bank of Pakistan a degree of autonomy to implement much of this. That was when Imran Khan was in office, against an Opposition which feared their large unaccounted funds would come under scrutiny. Khan, who had a clean record on corruption, warned that going onto the 'black list' would mean an economic crash. A country on the black list is sealed off from the rest of the world in financial terms and faces serious difficulties in securing loans. At that time, Pakistan's external debt was 37.6% of GDP! But terrorism did not stop. The Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 security personnel happened even as Islamabad was threatened with blacklisting. It paused after India retaliated with air strikes deep inside Pakistan for the first time. Subsequently, government reports showed a significant drop in infiltration attempts from 216 incidents in 2019 to 53 in 2022 (according to MHA reports). But terrorist tactics simply shifted. Narcotics trafficking long associated with terrorism in Punjab returned. According to reports, some 251 transborder sorties by drones brought in weapons and drugs, this time mostly methamphetamine and derivatives from Lahore, even as underground tunnels were spotted along the international border. Second, terrorist groups became smaller in size but better trained and equipped. The personnel could live off the land for months in thick forests and were equipped with phones that evaded mobile towers. Then Pahalgam happened. As the FATF swoops in, two things matter. The first is whether our forces have managed to crack the communication system of terror groups to trace the source areas. That is vital. Second, Pakistan, despite the Taliban's crackdown on opium cultivation, seems to be able to access vast amounts of meth, as seen in the 300-kg seizure in April 2025 off the Gujarat coast. Pakistan also has money to continuously raise not just its defence budget — now far above the mandated 1.9% of its GDP when pensions are included — but also the pay of parliamentarians (by 138%) and defence personnel. Then, the FATF has to examine how Chinese funds are coming in to support the army, since none of it is evident in the budget papers. The FATF may also find other sources of financing, from outside the country. The sum of all this is to find out why Pakistan doesn't seem to care even if access to international financial assistance, crucial for it, is cut off. If Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's call for peace has some basis, he could start by emulating Indian initiatives like linking national identity cards with bank accounts, use its very capable investigative agencies to root out terrorist accounts, and those of 'charitable' organisations such as the highly suspect Al Khidmat Foundation. The army will, of course, oppose this. But major financial institutions must back the politicians, by linking aid with democracy. Otherwise nothing at all will move forward. Meanwhile, India had better look at hawala networks at home. Money has no nationality and no morals, and it could be used by hostile agencies as well. Time to get cracking for our own interests. Meanwhile, the Sharifs might actually find the going easier as terrorists are curtailed, and the army's powers with it. Tara Kartha is director (research), Centre for Land Warfare Studies. The views expressed are personal.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Karnataka hikes housing scheme quota for minorities from 10% to 15%
The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday (June 19, 2025) approved a proposal to increase the reservation from 10% to 15% for minorities under various State government housing schemes. Briefing the Cabinet decisions after the meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil said the move was based on the disproportionately high number of houseless individuals among minority communities in both urban and rural areas. Muslims form the bulk of the minority population in Karnataka. Norm in Centre The Law Minister pointed out that the Centre had issued guidelines and it had already provides 15% allocation for minorities, and Karnataka was following it. Minority communities have long been requesting the hike in quota in the housing schemes, he added. The decision will apply to all housing schemes implemented by different departments, including Housing and Urban Development, across the State. While the opposition BJP criticised it as 'appeasement politics', Mr. Patil said the decision showed the government's commitment to equitable housing. ''Housing for All' is the key slogan of the Congress government, and we are committed to ensuring that every citizen has access to a home,' he said. Many houseless individuals belong to downtrodden communities and minorities, and the decision to increase the quota reflects this ground reality, he said. 'The government is firm in its stand that all houseless individuals, regardless of their community, should be provided with housing,' Mr. Patil said. Defending the decision, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said, 'There is a large urban population, and many minorities and poor people are part of it.' In contracts Thursday's decision was followed by the government's proposal to extend quota benefits for Muslims in contract allocations, indicating a bigger push for minorities in welfare initiatives. The State legislature passed the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aimed to provide a 4% quota for Muslims in government contracts of under ₹2 crore. The BJP legislators was strongly opposed the Bill. After returning it twice, the Governor has forwarded the Bill for President's assent.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India prepares for 'one nation, one election' rollout by 2034: Assemblies to have shorter terms post-2029
The Modi government is advancing its plan for implementing simultaneous national and state elections by 2034, with all state assemblies elected after 2029 expected to serve shortened terms to align with the general elections, according to a Times of India report. The groundwork is being laid through the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to enable the 'One Nation, One Election' system, the report added. According to PP Choudhary, chairman of the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) overseeing the bill, state assemblies elected after 2029 — such as Uttar Pradesh's in 2032 — may serve shorter terms, potentially as brief as two years, to ensure synchronisation with the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for 2034. The bill empowers the President to issue a notification after the first sitting of the Lok Sabha following the 2029 general elections, marking the starting point for the new synchronized electoral cycle. Assemblies elected after this notification will have terms ending concurrently with the Lok Sabha's term. If either the Lok Sabha or a state assembly is dissolved early, fresh elections will be held only for the remainder of the five-year term, preserving alignment. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Vietnam (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now Undo In states where elections are due before the 2034 target, polls will still be conducted, but only for the remaining duration needed to bring those assemblies in sync with the national election timeline. An exception clause exists: if the Election Commission determines that a simultaneous election isn't feasible in a particular state, it can recommend to the President that polls be held separately. Choudhary, a BJP MP from Pali, Rajasthan, also noted that the JPC is likely to extend its term, as there is consensus among members to visit more states and Union Territories before finalising recommendations. So far, visits have been conducted in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand to gather public and stakeholder feedback. Live Events Both the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill were introduced in Parliament in December 2024 and referred to the JPC for detailed scrutiny. The goal is to streamline the electoral process, reduce logistical burdens, and ensure more consistent governance cycles nationwide.
Business Recorder
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
NA panel takes note of leakage of Advanced Level exam papers
ISLAMABAD: The parliamentary panel has taken note of recent reports of the leakage of Advanced Level examination papers conducted by Cambridge University in Pakistan, which have raised serious concerns among students and public in general. 'This incident has raised questions on the integrity of the examination process of Cambridge University in Pakistan,' the parliamentary panel remarked. The meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education, Professional Training, National Heritage and Culture was held on Friday under the chairmanship of Dr Azim Uddin Zahid Lakhvi at Project Coordination Unit (PCU), Islamabad. The committee urged the Cambridge University and relevant authorities to address these critical concerns promptly. In addition, a sub-committee has been formed to discuss the matter and draw recommendations and submit report in 30 days. The sub-committee will discuss to clarify under whose authority and legal framework Cambridge University operates in Pakistan. The committee demanded for transparency regarding the regulatory oversight governing these examinations to ensure accountability. Additionally, Cambridge University must disclose what remedial measures it has taken in the past to address similar leaks and whether those measures were effective in preventing future breaches. Most urgently, steps must be taken to protect affected students from bearing the consequences of this negligence. Possible solutions include re-conducting compromised papers under enhanced security, adjusting grading methodologies to account for the irregularity, and offering supplementary examination opportunities. Cambridge University must also provide a clear and binding commitment to strengthen examination security, investigate the leak thoroughly, and implement stringent measures to prevent recurrence. This incident highlights the need to strengthen Pakistan's own examination boards. The government and educational authorities should invest in modernizing assessment systems, pursue international accreditation for local boards, and establish robust mechanisms to restore public trust and reduce dependency on foreign examination systems. The committee, unanimously, passed, 'The Right to free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The bill aims to enhance the educational experience by providing students not only access to free education but also the free necessary tools and skills for digital literacy, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to thrive in an increasingly digital world. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
