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Saturday, 25 March 2017

A “ Not – so - Supreme “ Court ?

Mint ( 21 March 2017 ) carries following news report :

“ EC for special courts to deal with criminal cases against Lawmakers “

The Election Commission (EC) told the Supreme Court on Monday that it is in favour of setting up special courts to deal with criminal cases against lawmakers.

The EC also enclosed a copy of a letter written by the chief election commissioner to the law minister in December 2015 urging proposed by the EC, Law Commission and National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution on electoral reforms.

“If this is put in place it is expected to expedite cases of elected representatives whether they are to be found guilty or not.

The EC also told the court that it has submitted detailed proposals on decriminalization of politics, prohibition of paid news, and election expenditure.

The Centre is yet to file its response in the case.

“Ultimately such electoral reforms rest with the political class. A number of recommendations are made by the judiciary and the EC but if there is no political will, it will not happen,” Chhokar added.

So very true , Mr Chhokar

There is no political will ; and , there will never be , considering that some 33 % of ALL MPs and State MLAs , have criminal cases pending against them !

If they were to pass those Electoral Reforms , it would amount to passing a “ Death Sentence “ against themselves ! – apart from the fact that there will be a “ By Election “ every single day of the year , with 365 MPs / MLAs getting jail terms of more than 3 years !

One can only hope that our Supreme Court has powers to set up those “ Special Courts “ , without having to get permission / approval of the Lok Sabha !

And, if yes , a hope that it has the courage to do so !

But I suppose , corrupt / criminal politicians know too well that they will continue to get elected , since :

· They can just change the Constitution, to render the Supreme Court powerless

· In a poor country like India , ignorant voters can be always “ purchased “ !

26 March 2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Friday, 24 March 2017

How To Shame MPs / MLAs ?

Two days back , Shiv Sena MP , Ravindra Gaikwad slapped an Air India officer 25 times and threatened him with dire consequences , for not providing him with a seat in Business Class ( -the aircraft did not have a Business Class ! )

Nothing new !

Over the past decade , we have had hundreds of cases of MPs / MLAs :

· Assaulting ordinary citizens / public servants

· Insulting anyone and everyone / inside and outside of Parliament

· Breaking all kinds of laws with impunity

· Increasing wealth 10 times in 5 years of their tenure !

Once in a while, some Newspaper / TV channel conducts a SMS-based poll to find out what general public thought of a given incidence

In the present case , a poll conducted by Times of India , got 1.33 lakh responses , of which 78 % said “ YES “ , when asked :

“ SHOULD SHIV SENA MP RAVINDRA GAIKWAD BE DISQUALIFIED FROM LOK SABHA ? “

Does anyone think Smt Sumitra Mahajan or the Hon Supreme Court can take a suo-moto notice of this incidence and citing the poll results, disqualify this MP ?

Unlikely , since there is , as of now , no law for disqualifying an MP / MLA , based on a public poll !

For a couple of years now , I have been writing to Ministers / MPs / MLAs / Political Parties , etc to enact such a law based on my following suggestion

I don’t expect them to listen to my lone voice !

But , if an Institution ( such as Association for Democratic Reforms / India Against Corruption etc ) were to take the initiative and launch the Mobile App : ROMP : , then things can – and , WILL – change

Any internet – based START UP , would be able to come up with such an App , within ONE MONTH !

Thursday, 6 August 2015

ROMP - A Panacea ?

In past few years , our Lok Sabha has been repeatedly paralyzed by slogan shouting MPs

Perhaps , the past two weeks were the worst in the history of Lok Sabha , with no business conducted

Someone suggested that MPs be made to lose their salaries for this period , following the universally / legally accepted rule : No Work , No Pay

This won't work . Our crore-pati MPs could not care a hoot for loss of pay !

Only thing that might work :

A mobile app called , " ROMP / Recall Our MP " ( Idea for a Start-Up ? )

Only voters who qualify as follows , will be permitted to use this App , in order to recall an MP :

* He must be on Electoral Roll

* He must have actually voted ( even if NOTA ) , in the last general election

{ This criteria is bound to boost voting percentage to 95 % ! No need to

make voting compulsory ! }

* He can " Vote to Recall " , only MP who got elected from the constituency

from where he cast his vote in last election

* He can vote only if there is no Criminal charges filed against him

* The App itself will accept his " Rating / Vote " only on two days of the year

announced by the Election Commission for each constituency

* Any other criteria that readers may wish to suggest ( crowd-sourcing )

ROMP will show following criteria , with " YES " or " NO " buttons against each :

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOG-IN :

# Suspend MP for next Session................................ YES.......NO

# Recall MP.............................................................YES ..... NO

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Justify your recommendation by " Rating " your MP , below

( Unless rated on each criteria , your vote will be invalid )

Is this MP ( who is being rated by you ) :

# Honest.............................................. YES........NO

# Of high Integrity................................. YES........ NO

# Sincere.............................................. YES........ NO

# Hard-working .................................... YES........ NO

# Punctual.............................................. YES....... NO

# Dignified............................................ YES........ NO

# Follows Speaker's Orders..................... YES........ NO

# Good Listener....................................... YES......... NO

# Awaits his turn to speak.......................... YES........ NO

# Asks only relevant questions.................. YES........ NO

# Approachable to Voters.......................... YES....... NO

# Answers Voters' Emails promptly............... YES...... NO

# Provides regular feedback to Voters ............. YES.......NO

# Addresses other MPs with respect............... YES..........NO

SUBMIT

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conditions governing use of ROMP :

* It can be downloaded from the web site of Election Commission , upon

filling up a form, requiring all kinds of proof that you are a genuine voter

* Upon being satisfied ( that you are a genuine voter ) , the Server will

issue a User ID and Password, to log in before you can use the App.

It would be better still , if biometric identification is integrated with the

App , since AADHAR cards are already having such identification

* ROMP can be downloaded only once

* At least 66 % of the Voters who had actually voted in that Constituency

during the last General Election , should take part in ROMP event for it

to be considered valid

* Only in case more than 2/3rd ( > 66 % ) of " Ratings " cast recommend

Suspension or Recall , will the Election Commission / Speaker act

according to People's Mandate

* However , in case where those 66 % are divided between " Recall " and

" Suspend " , then " Suspend " will prevail

* Rating results will be made public on Election Commission web site on the

next day and also published in leading Newspapers

I do believe that the present NDA government is keen to introduce / pass ,

" RIGHT TO RECALL BILL " in Lok Sabha as part of Electoral Reforms

Except that the combined opposition may defeat it in Rajya Sabha !

Which MP would want to sign his own death-warrant ?

But even without a legal backing , I feel ROMP would have a salutary effect

on the behavior of our MPs , who would know that they are being watched,

and their conduct is being evaluated ! - and will be made public !

ROMP , along with my earlier suggested mobile Apps ,

* VotesApp ( 18 Aug 2013 )

{ http://www.hemenparekh.in/2013/08/votesapp.html }

* I SIN><U SIN , ( 18 Aug 2013 )

{ http://www.hemenparekh.in/2013/08/i-sin-sin-that-could-be-name-of-android.html }

will take us many steps closer to a Digital India

If you endorse my views , please forward to all Policy Makers

If not , please do come up with a better idea !

25 March 2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Thursday, 23 March 2017

Shri Raoteji has a Vision

And that vision is to “ INSTANTLY – AUTOMATICALLY IMMOBILIZE “ all vehicles whose drivers, are drunk ( see Times of India / 22 March . news report below ) :

“ Alcohol sensors in state-run buses to curb drunk driving ? “

The transport department is exploring a new technology developed by a group of engineering students that prevents a drunk driver from plying a public transport bus.

The system involves installing an 'alcohol sensor' in the driver's cabin that will automatically stop the engine if it detects that the driver is in an inebriated state.

"We are looking at the feasibility of introducing the technology in state transport buses and other public transport buses," state transport minister Diwakar Raote told media persons after inaugurating a day-long workshop on road safety on Tuesday.

Stating that drunk driving is a serious, unpardonable offence, he added, "The government will take harsh steps to nab and punish drunk drivers."

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But , if Shri Raoteji has his way , he would like to “ INSTANTLY – and AUTOMATICALLY IMMOBILIZE “ ( without human intervention / discretion ) , all those vehicles on the roads which :

· Keep honking / jumping red light signals / obstructing traffic

· keep cutting lanes / overtake wrongly / violate speed limits

· park in “ No Parking “ zones or on footpaths or double parking

· hit other vehicles or pedestrians ( exceed “ XYZ “ number of accidents “ )

· belch smoke / have noisy exhausts ( exceed pollution limits of any type )

· driven by drivers without valid driving license / by under-aged persons

· driven wrong way in “ One Way “ lanes

· are “ older “ than 15 years

· whose REGISTRATIONS have expired / not paid road-tax

which are carrying CONTRABAND drugs

Dear Shri Raoteji :

Your VISION of how transport must run in 2020 , is feasible / doable