What for ?
Government
in talks with Election Commission to overhaul poll laws : Rijiju /
TNN / 06
Oct 2022
Extract :
A
day after the Election Commission released the proposed proforma for political
parties to detail their electoral promises and disclose how they plan to fund them, law minister Kiren Rijiju told TOI on Wednesday that the government is in discussion
with the poll watchdog and considering
giving legislative backing to “major
electoral reforms” through amendments in the Representation of the People
Act (RP Act).
The law minister said the “changing time and
situation” demands overhaul of some
electoral laws that are lacking in ensuring adequate transparency and accountability.
“I
am already having elaborate discussions with the EC to study major changes in the RP Act and other
election rules. The Centre will take steps after due consultation for major electoral reforms which are
required as per the new changing time and situation,” Rijiju said when asked if
the election watchdog had consulted the government before floating recent
proposals.
Dear Shri Rijijuji,
I suggested :
PIPPPA ( Prevention of Irresponsible Promises by Political Parties Act ) through my following email :
Freezing
of Freebies ……………………………..[ 29 Aug 2022 ]
My logic behind
suggesting such a law was obvious
Over past many
decades, most Political Parties have , flagrantly violated the Model Code of
Conduct , with impunity
Reason is simple
> Such “ violations “ were not held as “ crimes “, punishable under any LAW
Not having any
power to PUNISH , whenever such “ violations “ were brought to the notice of
Election Commission, all that EC could do is to ADVISE – ADMONISH –REPRIMAND the
violating party – which went about merrily to commit further violations !
It was a mockery of
our democracy !
Proof :
As expected, within 4 days of EC letter
to Political Parties re FREEBIES , most parties have come out strongly against
the EC proposal , as read from today’s Eco Times :
Ø Poll
Promises: Opposition alleges EC overreach, seeks all-party meet / ET
/ 05 Oct 2022
Extract :
Ø The proposal has generated strong political
reaction on the larger debate on ‘freebies’ vis a vis ‘welfare schemes’ even as the ruling BJP did
not comment on the matter.
Ø JDU, a former ally of BJP, has demanded that an all-party meeting should be called by the EC even as it said the matter was outside the jurisdiction of the poll panel.
“The mandate of the EC
is to conduct free and fair elections in the country,” senior JDU leader KC
Tyagi told ET. “This letter indicates that the EC is encroaching into the rights and duties of other constitutional
authorities.”
Ø RJD leader Manoj Jha also pitched the EC move against the narrative on freebies.
“I am surprised by this debate over freebies and
time and again I have maintained that it shouldn’t be called freebie. We are a
welfare state as per our constitution. If the EC is ready to go beyond their
mandate and comment on the constitution, democracy becomes a farce,” he told
ET.
Ø While the ruling BJP has so far maintained a studied silence on the subject, opposition parties alleged that the EC move has
been prompted by the party’s discomfort with ‘welfare’ models of other parties.
Ø “EC is not
the final authority, and their
decisions can be challenged in the court. If it goes ahead, parties will take legal recourse,” he added. Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray also
blamed it on BJP and said it is another way to target the opposition.
Ø However, this is first in the world where ECI will
meddle into the functioning of political parties' commitments to its people,”
senior Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi told ET. “This is exactly how lines have
blurred between administration and governance by BJP by giving unchecked powers
to institutions to target opposition,” she alleged.
Dear Shri Rijiju :
That request by
opposition parties for an “ All Party “ meeting, is only to re-iterate /
reaffirm their opposition to EC proposal
Emergence of any
CONSENSUS is unlikely .
You may still want
to accede , call such a meeting and attend , knowing fully in advance, its likely
outcome
Much the same way
Mahatma Gandhiji went and attended the “ Round
Table Conference “ in London, called by the then British Government ,
knowing fully well its likely outcome
And at the end of
such “ All Party “ meeting, you could tell the opposition :
“ Let us decide
democratically .
We will call a special session of the
Parliament for introducing “ PIPPPA “ and
give each political party, 4 hours to put forward its views, before taking a
vote . All will get ample opportunity to debate . We will broadcast this live
on all TV channels
We will even
introduce an APP using which, citizen will be able to air their own views on
the subject, as explained at :
Ø Virtual
Parliament : a COVID bye-product ? …………………[ 02 June 2020 ]
Extract :
Just before the voting starts on any Bill , enable the Members of Parliament to
receive “ Instructions ( really ,
as to how voters want him to vote ( “for “ or “against “ the bill ) , as outlined
at :
Ø VotersWill ………………………………….[ 03 Nov 2018 ]
- which “ Will “ take following shape ,
: Now how about modifying UMANG in following way :
· Links
users’ Mobile phones with their respective MPs / MLAs
· Flash on the voters’ mobiles , each proposed resolution requiring voting by
MP / MLA
· Enables each Voter to “ direct / instruct “ his / her MP , to vote “ for “ or
“ against “
· Aggregates
“ FOR / AGAINST “ votes polled by UMANG from
all voters,
# MP ( or MLA ) wise
# Party-wise
# Overall ( for all Members put together )
· Publish these results on the web sites of Lok Sabha / Parties / MPs and
MLAs
Irrespective of weather the majority of the voters desired “ FOR “ or “ AGAINST “
any given resolution, voters
the party to which he / she belongs
But at least this mechanism would provide the MPs / MLAs / Parties ,
a QUANTIFIED MEASURE of
the wishes
their wishes
And the voters will get an opportunity to question
their elected representatives !
With regards,
Hemen Parekh
hcp@RecruitGuru.com /
06 Oct 2022
Related Readings :
Ø 2013 ( 6 ) :
Ø Needed - your
Declaration of Intent - NOW !
……[ 19 Sept 2013 ]
Ø BJP Poll
Manifesto ……………………………………………………[ 19 Oct 2013 ]
Ø Selling Dreams ?.............................................. [
04 Nov 2013 ]
Ø Issues Vs Non –
Issues …………………………………………….[ 18 Nov 2013 ]
Ø Perennial Poll
Promises…………………………………………….. [ 15 Dec 2013 ]
Ø Congressmen are
Confused ! …………………………………… [ 31 Dec 2013 ]
Ø 2014 ( 7
) :
Ø Robinhood of
Delhi ?............................................
[ 01 Jan 2014 ]
Ø An Unprecedented
Opportunity…………………………………. [ 04 Jan 2014 ]
Ø Selling Rainbows
?...............................................
[ 22 Jan 2014 ]
Ø Poll Promises ?
Tall Promises ? …………………………………..[ 23 Feb 2014 ]
Ø If / Then…………………………………………………………………………[ 06 Apr 2014 ]
Ø Bribing The
Voters……………………………………………………….. [ 28 Apr 2014 ]
Ø What Are the
Chances ?..........................................[
18 May 2014 ]
Ø 2016 ( 2 ) :
Ø Advantage ,
Incumbent ?.......................................
[ 05 Sept 2016 ]
Ø A Freebie that
cannot be Faulted ? ………………………………[
25 Dec 2016 ]
Ø 2017 ( 5 ) :
Ø Model Code of (
Hypocrite ) Conduct ? …………………………[ 07
Jan 2017 ]
Ø We are not
bribing the Voters !................................
[ 10 Jan 2017 ]
Ø Time to ditch
Model Code of Conduct ?......................
[ 22 Jan 2017 ]
Ø " Election
Reforms " Summarized………………………………….
[ 18 Aug 2017 ]
Ø Poll Reforms :
Time for a Consensus…………………………….. [ 21 Aug
2017 ]
Ø 2018 ( 2
) :
Ø Citizen’s
Charter of Demand ……………………………………………[
29 Oct 2018 ]
Ø Divide Quota ?
To rule Raj ? …………………………………………….[ 03 Dec 2018 ]
Ø 2019 ( 1
) :
Ø Simple Summary of Sankalp
…………………………………………….[ 10 Apr 2019 ]
Ø 2020 ( 1 ) :
Ø Poll Promise to create 10 lakh jobs……………………………….. [ 21 Oct 2020 ]
Ø 2022 ( 2 ) :
Ø What is price of your Vote ? …………………………………………….[ 27 Jan 2022 ]
Ø Ignoramus ? Gullible ? ……………………………………………………..[ 09 Apr 2022 ]