Prudence dictates it is better to let sleeping dogs lie. But wisdom demands that the unpalatable and unpleasant, at least those in public domain, be discussed publicly and thrashed out in public interest.
LIVING IN A GAS CHAMBER
As deadly carcinogenic pollutants in Delhi’s air reaches record levels, the capital declares a major public health
emergency. It is the worst health crisis in the city’s history. Is there a way out?
LIVING IN A GAS CHAMBER
As deadly carcinogenic pollutants in Delhi’s air reaches record levels, the capital declares a major public health
emergency. It is the worst health crisis in the city’s history. Is there a way out?
5 TOP JUDGMENTS
As the Supreme Court gets back to work after its summer recess, crucial cases which impact Indian society and politics will be decided, ranging from demonetisation being challenged to Aadhaar cards and the cattle trade.
This is the last part of a 5 part series wherein an effort has been made to expose how the public servants in India has subverted the only pro democracy, citizen friendly law in the country- the Right to Information Act. Here is a wake up call to alert citizens who are the mainstay of any democracy!
RUN (A)WAY PRIVATEERING
Favouritism in the negotiation of concessionaire
contracts and land allotments have caused
thousands of crores in losses to the government
Also: Jewar Airport—the New Horizon
Amid the highvoltage
drama,
at times when
a few of the
BJP-led states
are going for polls, to show
each other in the bad light,
the Congress and
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) have left no stone
unturned to woo public by
either showing the failures
of their rivals or highlighting their own success.
Caveat - VOLUME 06/I, NOVEMBER 2009 - LBH MasyarakatLBH Masyarakat
Indonesia has been stunned by the drama of the rivalry
between the Indonesian National Police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as the anti-corruption saga reaches new heights. There was public outcry when
police detained two of the KPK’s deputy commissioners. This sentiment escalated when the Constitutional Court heard wiretapped recordings of conversations between high-ranking law enforcement officials and suspects in corruption cases. The recordings indicate that there is a systemic plot to eliminate the KPK and further, that justice has not been served. In this state of affairs, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s awkward neutrality is disheartening. His strong commitment to fighting corruption must be translated into practice as the epic between the “gecko” (KPK) and the “crocodile” (Indonesian police) – as coined by the latter – is alarming and threatens to collapse the country’s rule of law.
Our main report in this edition of CAVEAT will take you along the journey of this saga and examine how
Indonesia should take the opportunity to complete a thorough reform of its law enforcement institutions.
In the additional feature, we present a joint open letter by LBH Masyarakat and Amnesty International addressed to
Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives regarding a review of the draft of the Indonesian Criminal Code. In the open letter, we focus on several issues:
Torture, freedom of expression, the death penalty, discrimination and violence against women, and crimes under international law.
Finally, Ricky Gunawan raises a recent torture case experienced by a transgender sex worker in his opinion piece entitled, “Indonesian Police Torture Must Be
Stopped.” He argues that the victim’s audacity in coming forward to complain of torture is heroic, given that he is a member of a vulnerable group that is often stigmatized and discriminated against. Thus, “his courage should not go to waste.”
The legislator has filed the petition asking the JSC to instigate disciplinary measures against Chief Justice David Maraga following the Supreme Court's decision to nullify President Uhuru Kenyatta's election on August 8. The petition was filed by NASA leader Raila Odinga
No Woman’s Land
The gang rape of a Hyderabad doctor has once again demonstrated that between patriarchal law and urban anomie, such events will recur to compound the hollowness of governance and rights in India
Prepare Prior to completing this discussion question, review Chapte.docxshpopkinkz
Prepare: Prior to completing this discussion question, review Chapters 10, 11, and 12 in American Government and review Week Five Instructor Guidance. Also read the following articles: How Voter ID Laws Are Being Used to Disenfranchise Minorities and the Poor, Fraught with Fraud, and Proof at the Polls.
Reflect Icon
Reflect: The U.S. has one of the lowest voter turnout rates among modern democratic political systems. One study ranks the U.S. 120th on a list of 169 nations compared on voter turnout (Pintor, Gratschew, & Sullivan, 2002). During the last decade, many initiatives have been undertaken to increase voter participation, yet concerns about the possibility of election fraud have also increased. Additionally, some political interests feel threatened by the increase in turnout among some traditionally low-turnout ethnic minorities. Several states have recently passed legislation imposing new registration and identification requirements. This has sparked debate about whether these are tactics intended to suppress turnout or to prevent fraud. Think about the media’s role in the election process and how both mass media and social media can impact the election process.
Write Icon
Write: In your initial post, summarize recent developments in several states enacting voter ID laws. Analyze and describe the pros and cons on both sides of the debate about these laws. Is voter fraud a major problem for our democracy or are some groups trying to make it harder for some segments of society to vote? What impact has the media (mass and social) had in influencing public opinion regarding voter ID laws? Draw your own conclusion about the debate over voter ID laws and justify your conclusions with facts and persuasive reasoning.
Fully respond to all parts of the prompt and write your response in your own words. Your initial post must be at least 300 words. Support your position with at least two of the assigned resources required for this discussion, and/or peer reviewed scholarly sources obtained through the AU Library databases. Include APA in-text citations in the body of your post and full citations on the references list at the end. Support your position with APA citations from two or more of the assigned resources required for this discussion. Please be sure that you demonstrate understanding of these resources, integrate them into your argument, and cite them properly.
Respond to the following
1)Many states as many as 27 have recently instituted or tried to institute voters ID laws. Many believe this was done to make it harder on minorities and low-income persons to vote. It has become more so in states with Republican governors. After the previous two presidential elections in which many minority voters came out and made a huge difference in who won certain states believed a change needed to be made. Many thought there was fraud involved.
I believe voter fraud has been around since the birth of our political system. "In .
Reflect on voter participation, campaign financing, and the legitimafelipaser7p
Reflect on voter participation, campaign financing, and the legitimacy of elections. Also discuss whether financing elections solely with tax dollars and banning contributions from special interest groups and individuals would make elections more representative of the will of the American people. Discuss whether “voter ID laws” have the effect of disenfranchising eligible voters or of protecting the sanctity of elections from fraud.
In responding to your classmates, discuss how the low level of voter turnout in American elections can make those elections less legitimate than they would be with higher turnout. Explain and support your position.
For your response posts (2), you must do the following:
Reply to at least two different classmates outside of your own initial post thread.
In Module One, complete the two response posts by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
In Modules Two through Eight, complete the two response posts by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. of your local time zone.
Demonstrate more depth and thought than simply stating that “I agree” or “You are wrong.”
Guidance is provided for you in each discussion prompt.
classmates Post #1:
In this discussion, many questions are being raised about elections in general. Let’s look at these question one at a time:
Voter Participation: The Soomo web text covered that issue very well. It stated that a few criteria exist for the participation of voter, and they are usually categorized under a few categories. Voter Turnout is identified as more than approximately 74 % are college graduates, most who also vote to have annual incomes above 50 k per year also most who vote are older American over the age of 35 years or older. A lot of the voting is along party line as opposed to the quality of the candidate. But my feeling is that voters are moving toward voting for the candidate as opposed to the party. (Evans, J., & Michaud, K)
Campaign Financing: The content is always at the forefront of the news every election cycle. Monies are being thrown at the candidates and many illegal items come out of the campaigns. For example; Lavish Trips, extra activities not associated with the campaign (diner, escorts etc…) Dark money donor is and always have been an issue these monies are not recorded, this is almost like play money for the campaigns to do what they want, with whoever they want. The SuperPAC monies are for the candidate to be influenced in a way that the average person never knows about. The candidate doesn’t speak of the donation while on the speech tours but the widely influence the route a candidate take after he is elected. Even in small-town elections the monies from developers, business influences are given being the seen for agendas that no one sees. (Evans, J., & Michaud, K)
The legitimacy of Elections and the Voter ID issue goes hand in hand with each other. Many believe that voter fraud and the id or lack thereof is the biggest is ...
5 TOP JUDGMENTS
As the Supreme Court gets back to work after its summer recess, crucial cases which impact Indian society and politics will be decided, ranging from demonetisation being challenged to Aadhaar cards and the cattle trade.
This is the last part of a 5 part series wherein an effort has been made to expose how the public servants in India has subverted the only pro democracy, citizen friendly law in the country- the Right to Information Act. Here is a wake up call to alert citizens who are the mainstay of any democracy!
RUN (A)WAY PRIVATEERING
Favouritism in the negotiation of concessionaire
contracts and land allotments have caused
thousands of crores in losses to the government
Also: Jewar Airport—the New Horizon
Amid the highvoltage
drama,
at times when
a few of the
BJP-led states
are going for polls, to show
each other in the bad light,
the Congress and
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) have left no stone
unturned to woo public by
either showing the failures
of their rivals or highlighting their own success.
Caveat - VOLUME 06/I, NOVEMBER 2009 - LBH MasyarakatLBH Masyarakat
Indonesia has been stunned by the drama of the rivalry
between the Indonesian National Police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as the anti-corruption saga reaches new heights. There was public outcry when
police detained two of the KPK’s deputy commissioners. This sentiment escalated when the Constitutional Court heard wiretapped recordings of conversations between high-ranking law enforcement officials and suspects in corruption cases. The recordings indicate that there is a systemic plot to eliminate the KPK and further, that justice has not been served. In this state of affairs, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s awkward neutrality is disheartening. His strong commitment to fighting corruption must be translated into practice as the epic between the “gecko” (KPK) and the “crocodile” (Indonesian police) – as coined by the latter – is alarming and threatens to collapse the country’s rule of law.
Our main report in this edition of CAVEAT will take you along the journey of this saga and examine how
Indonesia should take the opportunity to complete a thorough reform of its law enforcement institutions.
In the additional feature, we present a joint open letter by LBH Masyarakat and Amnesty International addressed to
Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives regarding a review of the draft of the Indonesian Criminal Code. In the open letter, we focus on several issues:
Torture, freedom of expression, the death penalty, discrimination and violence against women, and crimes under international law.
Finally, Ricky Gunawan raises a recent torture case experienced by a transgender sex worker in his opinion piece entitled, “Indonesian Police Torture Must Be
Stopped.” He argues that the victim’s audacity in coming forward to complain of torture is heroic, given that he is a member of a vulnerable group that is often stigmatized and discriminated against. Thus, “his courage should not go to waste.”
The legislator has filed the petition asking the JSC to instigate disciplinary measures against Chief Justice David Maraga following the Supreme Court's decision to nullify President Uhuru Kenyatta's election on August 8. The petition was filed by NASA leader Raila Odinga
No Woman’s Land
The gang rape of a Hyderabad doctor has once again demonstrated that between patriarchal law and urban anomie, such events will recur to compound the hollowness of governance and rights in India
Prepare Prior to completing this discussion question, review Chapte.docxshpopkinkz
Prepare: Prior to completing this discussion question, review Chapters 10, 11, and 12 in American Government and review Week Five Instructor Guidance. Also read the following articles: How Voter ID Laws Are Being Used to Disenfranchise Minorities and the Poor, Fraught with Fraud, and Proof at the Polls.
Reflect Icon
Reflect: The U.S. has one of the lowest voter turnout rates among modern democratic political systems. One study ranks the U.S. 120th on a list of 169 nations compared on voter turnout (Pintor, Gratschew, & Sullivan, 2002). During the last decade, many initiatives have been undertaken to increase voter participation, yet concerns about the possibility of election fraud have also increased. Additionally, some political interests feel threatened by the increase in turnout among some traditionally low-turnout ethnic minorities. Several states have recently passed legislation imposing new registration and identification requirements. This has sparked debate about whether these are tactics intended to suppress turnout or to prevent fraud. Think about the media’s role in the election process and how both mass media and social media can impact the election process.
Write Icon
Write: In your initial post, summarize recent developments in several states enacting voter ID laws. Analyze and describe the pros and cons on both sides of the debate about these laws. Is voter fraud a major problem for our democracy or are some groups trying to make it harder for some segments of society to vote? What impact has the media (mass and social) had in influencing public opinion regarding voter ID laws? Draw your own conclusion about the debate over voter ID laws and justify your conclusions with facts and persuasive reasoning.
Fully respond to all parts of the prompt and write your response in your own words. Your initial post must be at least 300 words. Support your position with at least two of the assigned resources required for this discussion, and/or peer reviewed scholarly sources obtained through the AU Library databases. Include APA in-text citations in the body of your post and full citations on the references list at the end. Support your position with APA citations from two or more of the assigned resources required for this discussion. Please be sure that you demonstrate understanding of these resources, integrate them into your argument, and cite them properly.
Respond to the following
1)Many states as many as 27 have recently instituted or tried to institute voters ID laws. Many believe this was done to make it harder on minorities and low-income persons to vote. It has become more so in states with Republican governors. After the previous two presidential elections in which many minority voters came out and made a huge difference in who won certain states believed a change needed to be made. Many thought there was fraud involved.
I believe voter fraud has been around since the birth of our political system. "In .
Reflect on voter participation, campaign financing, and the legitimafelipaser7p
Reflect on voter participation, campaign financing, and the legitimacy of elections. Also discuss whether financing elections solely with tax dollars and banning contributions from special interest groups and individuals would make elections more representative of the will of the American people. Discuss whether “voter ID laws” have the effect of disenfranchising eligible voters or of protecting the sanctity of elections from fraud.
In responding to your classmates, discuss how the low level of voter turnout in American elections can make those elections less legitimate than they would be with higher turnout. Explain and support your position.
For your response posts (2), you must do the following:
Reply to at least two different classmates outside of your own initial post thread.
In Module One, complete the two response posts by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
In Modules Two through Eight, complete the two response posts by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. of your local time zone.
Demonstrate more depth and thought than simply stating that “I agree” or “You are wrong.”
Guidance is provided for you in each discussion prompt.
classmates Post #1:
In this discussion, many questions are being raised about elections in general. Let’s look at these question one at a time:
Voter Participation: The Soomo web text covered that issue very well. It stated that a few criteria exist for the participation of voter, and they are usually categorized under a few categories. Voter Turnout is identified as more than approximately 74 % are college graduates, most who also vote to have annual incomes above 50 k per year also most who vote are older American over the age of 35 years or older. A lot of the voting is along party line as opposed to the quality of the candidate. But my feeling is that voters are moving toward voting for the candidate as opposed to the party. (Evans, J., & Michaud, K)
Campaign Financing: The content is always at the forefront of the news every election cycle. Monies are being thrown at the candidates and many illegal items come out of the campaigns. For example; Lavish Trips, extra activities not associated with the campaign (diner, escorts etc…) Dark money donor is and always have been an issue these monies are not recorded, this is almost like play money for the campaigns to do what they want, with whoever they want. The SuperPAC monies are for the candidate to be influenced in a way that the average person never knows about. The candidate doesn’t speak of the donation while on the speech tours but the widely influence the route a candidate take after he is elected. Even in small-town elections the monies from developers, business influences are given being the seen for agendas that no one sees. (Evans, J., & Michaud, K)
The legitimacy of Elections and the Voter ID issue goes hand in hand with each other. Many believe that voter fraud and the id or lack thereof is the biggest is ...
this presentation is about the corruption in India. i also mentioned about the causes and impacts of it.
let us be against corruption and make India corruption free.....
Public Affairs Round-up - MSLGROUP in India - February 2014Ashraf Engineer
As India strides towards the general election, the media and corporations are in overdrive trying to understand how the country will vote. Based on these projections are critical investments and other business decisions.
In the past few months, our television screens and newspaper front pages have been filled with pre-election surveys predicting seat share and impact on policy. Their results vary vastly, depending upon the methodology, the sample and timing.
In this edition of MSLGROUP in India’s ‘Public Affairs Round-up’ (PAR), Sanjeev Singh, a veteran in the art of the pre-election survey, writes about its evolution in India and the science behind it. Singh, the director of the Centre for Empowerment Studies, details the challenges in India and also compares them to those faced in the US.
We also analyse the passing of the Lokpal Bill and tell stories through numbers related to the election.
This edition is part of our ‘Voice of India 2014’, an insights programme based on the Lok Sabha poll. It will include infographics, blogs, editions of PAR, and much more.
corruption in India!!!!!1
completely kills the growth of an economy!!!!
so we the YOUTH OF THE NATION should do something to stop this ...
we the youth should fulfill the vision of Dr. APJ ABDUL KALAM
by not encouraging the bribe with traffic police,
bribe in government offices
bribery,
then we the youth are responsible for the development of the ECONOMY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr. Kislay Pandey Supreme Court of India, Following enormous demonstrations from the public and international organisations, the courts made it clear that the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is sanctioned to defend whistleblowers and to take actions on their complaints. The CVC can now take action against anybody who discloses names of whistleblowers, and witnesses and can request police assistance to investigate complaints.”
It is 15 years since the Right to Information Act was introduced as another piece of legislation, only to cheat the masses once again. Touted as a sunshine act, as a panacea for corruption and introduce accountability of the public servants to the public, it has grown into one of the biggest, yet unrecognized, scams over the last 15 years.
The title is a quip from Malayalam, the regional language of Kerala, India. It means for the king who kills, the minister who eats. It is used to describe an unholy nexus where no evidence of any crime is left. This was written in the context of a scam where the Government of Kerala shared private information of Covid patients to a software firm in the US of A, flouting all laws on such transactions. A bureaucrat, the Principle Private Secretary of the Chief Minister claimed that he had done it on his own, absolving his boss, secure in the feeling that his boss would not give permission to prosecute him, a ridiculous requirement of our laws.
This is the copy of a leaflet prepared for distribution during a protest against Palat Mohandas, the then Chief Information Commissioner, Kerala State Information Commission, when he had come to Palakkad on 08 Dec 2007 to address a seminar on Right to Information. The original is in Malayalam and this post includes the original and its translated version in English.
The RTI Act has been murdered by the bureaucrats appointed as CIC and ICs. This is an application of 21 Apr 2007 whihc i had filed with the President of India to remove the first CIC, Wajahat Habibullah
On 19 feb 2009 there was open war in the Madras High Court premises when the police tried to control an unruly mob of advocates. Sree Krishna, former judge of the apex court, who inquired into the above incidence submitted an interim report on 4 Mar 2009. This report is documentary proof of how biased and unreliable our (former) judges are.
The only citizen friendly law in India- the Right to Information Act- has been totally subverted by the very commissioners appointed to enforce it. One of them, the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission has been recently designated as the 1st Lt Governor of the newly created union territory of Ladhak. Shouldn't it be considered as a reward for treason?
The judiciary in India is a law unto itself. Recently, an apex court bench dusted an appeal of 2015 vintage and ordered 5 apartment complexes in Kochi to be demolished within one month- without having ensured that even one of the 350 odd owners of the flats had been heard.
For all the failures of the authorities to implement the laws the blame is invariably palmed off to the masses and their ignorance of the laws. This is a fraud. The performance of the authorities can be easily seen to be indifferent, incompetent and wayward by just studying their functions objectively. Whether it is the judiciary or the quasi judicial organisations they can all be seen most brazenly violating the laws which they are tasked, empowered, equipped and paid to enforce. The experience of those who know these laws is sufficient to indict these authorities.
Indian democracy is a unique system where unelected babus (bureaucrats) and judges dictate the terms. The civil military relationship should be the worst in India given the self serving nature of both the babus and judges and the helpless politicians acting as the sikhandi in the Mahabaratha though the former two can never be compared with Arjun.
The only thing that marks India as a democracy is the periodical visits to the polling booths. Government administration, led by the bureaucrats of the Indian Administrative Service, is a synonym for corruption and treason. The politically elected government is just a puppet in the hands of these bureaucrats. And the judiciary is a law unto itself.
The Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states have been established to deal with corruption and impropriety at the higher levels of government. But sad to say, these have been turned into another rehabilitation home for retired judges.
Short of a decade after Anna Hazare led Anti Corruption Movement took the nation by storm from Jantar Mantar, the Lokpal is a reality in the country. As soon as the agitation had begun gathering momentum, the then UPA government led by Man Mohan Singh brought in a Bill in 2011 that was derided by the activists as Jokepal. They came up with a draft bill touted as Jan Lokpal. After some stalemate the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 became a reality in 2014. To be precise it became effective from 16 Jan 2014. But the appointment of the first Chairman and members of the Lokpal took another five years.
The Constitution of India, touted as the most voluminous and most detailed, has the dubious reputation of its own architect, DR Ambedkar stating that "I was a hack. What I was asked to, I did much against my will. I am quite prepared to say that I shall be the first person to burn it. It does not suit anybody.” It has also been criticised as a revised version of the Government of India Act 1935 which had been legislated by the colonial rulers to grant limited self government to the locals. Suffice to say that on completion of almost 7 decades, it retrospect it can definitely be said that it needs to be rewritten keeping the aspiration of the new generation in mind.
I cannot say if the apex court judgment in the hands of Pinarayi led Government can be compared to a bouquet of flowers in the hands of a monkey or a murderous weapon in the hands of a serial murderer. The fact remains that the fear of their rights related to their faith being violated was writ large and there were reports of protests from devotees even in far away Australia, Canada and the US of A. This is a complaint to the CM, Pinarayi Vijayan, himself
Kerala, a small state in southern India has faced one of its worst natural disasters in recent times- a flood since the last one 1924! How the indifference of the government of the day made it worse and almost man made is the topic of this article.
The only pro-democracy, citizen friendly law, the Right to Information Act, has been subverted blatantly by the very information commissioners who have been appointed at exorbitant cost to the exchequer to enforce it. Here is another example of such subversion by none other than the Chief Information Commissioner of Kerala, Vinson M Paul, former DGP and Direcor Vigilance of the State.
Monitoring Health for the SDGs - Global Health Statistics 2024 - WHOChristina Parmionova
The 2024 World Health Statistics edition reviews more than 50 health-related indicators from the Sustainable Development Goals and WHO’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work. It also highlights the findings from the Global health estimates 2021, notably the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on life expectancy and healthy life expectancy.
ZGB - The Role of Generative AI in Government transformation.pdfSaeed Al Dhaheri
This keynote was presented during the the 7th edition of the UAE Hackathon 2024. It highlights the role of AI and Generative AI in addressing government transformation to achieve zero government bureaucracy
This session provides a comprehensive overview of the latest updates to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (commonly known as the Uniform Guidance) outlined in the 2 CFR 200.
With a focus on the 2024 revisions issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), participants will gain insight into the key changes affecting federal grant recipients. The session will delve into critical regulatory updates, providing attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate and comply with the evolving landscape of federal grant management.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the rationale behind the 2024 updates to the Uniform Guidance outlined in 2 CFR 200, and their implications for federal grant recipients.
- Identify the key changes and revisions introduced by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the 2024 edition of 2 CFR 200.
- Gain proficiency in applying the updated regulations to ensure compliance with federal grant requirements and avoid potential audit findings.
- Develop strategies for effectively implementing the new guidelines within the grant management processes of their respective organizations, fostering efficiency and accountability in federal grant administration.
Understanding the Challenges of Street ChildrenSERUDS INDIA
By raising awareness, providing support, advocating for change, and offering assistance to children in need, individuals can play a crucial role in improving the lives of street children and helping them realize their full potential
Donate Us
https://serudsindia.org/how-individuals-can-support-street-children-in-india/
#donatefororphan, #donateforhomelesschildren, #childeducation, #ngochildeducation, #donateforeducation, #donationforchildeducation, #sponsorforpoorchild, #sponsororphanage #sponsororphanchild, #donation, #education, #charity, #educationforchild, #seruds, #kurnool, #joyhome
Jennifer Schaus and Associates hosts a complimentary webinar series on The FAR in 2024. Join the webinars on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, eastern.
Recordings are on YouTube and the company website.
https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferschaus/videos
Jennifer Schaus and Associates hosts a complimentary webinar series on The FAR in 2024. Join the webinars on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, eastern.
Recordings are on YouTube and the company website.
https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferschaus/videos
Presentation by Jared Jageler, David Adler, Noelia Duchovny, and Evan Herrnstadt, analysts in CBO’s Microeconomic Studies and Health Analysis Divisions, at the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists Summer Conference.
Donate to charity during this holiday seasonSERUDS INDIA
For people who have money and are philanthropic, there are infinite opportunities to gift a needy person or child a Merry Christmas. Even if you are living on a shoestring budget, you will be surprised at how much you can do.
Donate Us
https://serudsindia.org/how-to-donate-to-charity-during-this-holiday-season/
#charityforchildren, #donateforchildren, #donateclothesforchildren, #donatebooksforchildren, #donatetoysforchildren, #sponsorforchildren, #sponsorclothesforchildren, #sponsorbooksforchildren, #sponsortoysforchildren, #seruds, #kurnool
1. TO WRITE OR NOT TO WRITE...
P M Ravindran, raviforjustice@gmail.com
Prudence dictates it is better to let sleeping dogs lie. But wisdom demands that the
unpalatable and unpleasant, at least those in public domain, be discussed publicly and
thrashed out in public interest.
On 04 Jul 2020, Hindustan Times carried a report under the heading ‘NSA Doval coordinated
PM Modi’s surprise Nimu visit’. I was too shocked at the preposterousness of the suggestion
implicit in the title and posted a comment thus:
I really don't understand what is there for NSA Doval to co-ordinate about the PM's visit to a
military station. From the general reports appearing in the media involving Doval, it looks
like there is more to it than meets the eye. Is there any effort to paint a larger than life size
picture of Doval? Or, is it to reduce the PM to a puppet in the hands of Doval? Even worse, is
it just to paint the armed forces as puppets of the same public servant? Otherwise, all that
Doval had to do in this case was just inform the CDS that the PM would be visiting Leh on
such and such date at such and such time. And the Services would have taken it on from
there and done the job much, much better than Doval can even dream of.
Earlier in the film ‘Uri, the Surgical Strike’ too Doval is shown to be the brain behind the
successful military operation.
And now, the usually unreliable Malayalam visual and print media is also seen going gaga
over Doval, the Indian James Bond, leading the investigations in the
gold-smuggling-through- diplomatic bag case. With the investigations leading to terror
funding, and may be their mouth pieces too, one can imagine the motivation for such
blurbs.
I have nothing to do with Doval, and even if there is, it just doesn’t matter a fig. But where
was this Doval before he became the National Security Advisor under Prime Minister Modi?
He had been a member of the Indian Police Service and retired with no obvious fanfare. Had
he left any lasting impression in the performance of the police as a service organization?
Like Kiran Bedi did, with her reforms in Tihar Jail?
Doval draws comparison T N Seshan, a member of the Indian Administrative Service who
went on to become the Cabinet Secretary without much ado. But once he got appointed as
the Chief Election Commissioner, he did try to cleanse the election system. Notable among
those efforts was the introduction of Identity Cards for voters. Unfortunately, the then Chief
Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, of Bihar had openly said that he would not implement it in the
State under his charge. But what has happened there after? Even today this identity card is
not the only identification document required to cast vote. And, in the last elections in
Kerala, to the Legislative Assembly, there were complaints of impersonation. But that is not
all.
Driven by apex court orders, the candidates are also submitting information about their
criminal records while filing their application. But does that information reach the
electorate in time? An NGO, Association for Democratic Reforms have been trying to
compile this information of candidates, at least of important constituencies, and publishing
them for the information of the voters. But even while the effort is tremendous, for a small
NGO, they are less than the proverbial drop in the ocean for what needs to be done and
could be achieved.
2. I remember my own case of getting my Voter’s Identity Card just 10 days before the
elections in 1999 and finding my name missing from the electoral roll when I landed up at
the polling booth. Complaints to the concerned authorities had remained unanswered.
Interestingly, some similarly placed citizens had approached the High Court; but the court
had dismissed the petition with the observation that even if they had voted it would not
have made any difference to the result. The court had obviously forgotten that it was not
the result of the election that was being challenged but the denial of the fundamental right
of citizens to choose, through ballots, their representatives in law making bodies.
There are laid down procedures to remove names from an electoral roll. And the public
servants who had violated it had also not been made accountable for their sins of omissions
and commissions.
Much later, I had also read a report of a court observing that those who had not voted had
no right to complain against the government.
Now, here is the situation after the implementation of the Right to Information Act.
Post the 2014 General Election, I had sought some information related to the activities of
the Anti-Defacement Squads constituted by the District Election Officer (DEO), their
constitution, deployment, tasks, cost etc. Among the information obtained was the cost of
defacement required to be recovered from the candidates/political parties. This was as
under:
UDF: Rs 1,10,100/-; LDF: 1,18,000/-; BJP: 42,100/-; Welfare Party: 1650/-; SDPI: 2670/-; BSP:
1142/-; AAP: 1050/-; Virendra Kumar: 2100/-. Total: Rs 2,78,812/-
Post the 2019 General Election too I had sought similar information plus the following
information in the context of the earlier dues:
(a) The date(s) when the payment(s) were made and copies of the proofs of payment.
(b) Of the cases filed, the number of cases disposed of and the punishments awarded.
Suffice to say that no information was provided and the 2nd appeal is pending with the
Kerala State Information Commission (KSIC) since 26 Sep 2019.
Thanks to this fraud perpetrated in perpetuity, this issue of defacing public spaces continues
unabated. When even in Motor Vehicle Act provision has been made for repetition of
offences to be taken more seriously, is there any reason why such measures should not be
introduced to make the dance of democracy more orderly for the society?
If defacing public spaces is explicitly banned it is presumed that private spaces will not be
misused by candidates/political parties during elections. In the matter of private spaces, it is
explicitly mandated that the permission of the owner must be taken. But in practice any
property which appears not occupied is used with impunity.
Thus, it was that during the last General Election (in 2019) I found the walls of my adjacent
plot plastered with the posters of a candidate. I immediately complained to all authorities
from the CEC (complaints@eci.gov.in) down to the DEO(dcpkd@kerala.nic.in and
contactus@ceo.kerala.gov.in, the State Chief Electoral Officer, in between).
3. The ECI merely acknowledged receipt of the complaint and informed that it had been
forwarded to ‘concerned’ authorities. A query regarding the identity of this
authority/authorities returned the same useless acknowledgement.
An application under the RTI Act, seeking copy of the file noting on action taken on the
complaint by the DEO, did not elicit any response from the Public information Officer and
the 1st Appellate Authority. The 2nd appeal is pending with the KSIC since 26 Sep 2019.
As per Sec 28A of the Representation of People Act 1951, those who are drafted for election
work are deemed to be on deputation to the Election Commission of India, hence their
control, discipline and superintendence will be vested with the Election Commission of
India. This is quoted in all the proceedings of the District Election Officer and District
Collector whenever the election machinery is set in motion.
But what happens if an Observer on election duty in one district of Kerala goes off to play
golf in another district and he is recalled by the Election Commission of India? When
information is sought on disciplinary action taken against the Observer, the Public
Information Officer simply informs you that it is not available with the Commission. And the
First Appellate Authority of the Commission, a Principal Secretary, has the cheeks to state
that the information had itself been sought based on a newspaper report and recalling the
Observer need not even be construed as a case of disciplinary or administrative action.
Readers may like to recollect or re-read the article ‘Survival by blackmail or art of
governance’ at http://www.vijayvaani.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?aid=4595.
Former President of India, K R Narayanan writing in the Illustrated Weekly of India (‘Fragile
Chimera’, 6-12 Sep 1987) had stated that few men are so disinterested as to prefer to live in
discomfort under a government which they hold to be right rather than in comfort under one
they hold to be wrong. In politics and administration, it is not enough to be right. It is
imperative that the goods are delivered to the people, there is law and order and a general
sense of comfort and above all a common sense of unity in the country and the society.
And Alvin Toffler, had observed in Future Shock that ‘psychologists studying the impact of
change on various organisms have shown that adaptation can occur only when the level of
stimulation- the amount of change and novelty in the environment- is neither too low nor
too high’.
To conclude, it was Bernard Shaw who had said that ‘the reasonable man adapts himself to
the world, the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore,
all progress depends on the unreasonable man’.
I hope the message, or as it is often called, ‘the writing on the wall’, is clear.
24 Jul 2020.