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EC order may land several MPs in trouble
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Rajasthan has sufficient water for irrigation: Raje
Resignation an attempt to save face: BJP
Court intervenes to address ailing economy of Bihar
Chawla not to distance himself
from EC
Liberhan panel’s term extended
Jet, Sahara honchos meet
Anand Sharma on tour of South Africa, Chile
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EC order may land several MPs in trouble
New Delhi, March 23 The EC findings, in its recommendation to the President for disqualification of Jaya Bachchan, made available to media today, said five important tests as laid down by the Supreme Court in its various judgements on the issue of “office of profit” have to be considered while deciding such an issue. The five parameters include—whether the government makes the appointment of the holder of the office; whether the government has the right to remove or dismiss the holder; whether the government pays remuneration; what are the functions of the holder and does he perform them for the government and whether the government exercises any control over the performance of these functions. While applying these tests to Jaya’s case, the poll panel was of the view that even if a post created by the government was of an “advisory” nature, even then the holder of the office would not be out of the ambit of Article 102(1)(a) of the Constitution, laying down the disqualification provision for holding an “office of profit” by an MP, if all these parameters were met. The EC said there was “no force” in the argument put up by Jaya that her role as Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh Film Development Council (UPFDC) was only that of advising the state government on policies related to the development of films. “The very fact that the state government has considered it necessary to set up the council shows that the government is interested in the development of film industry in the state and has undertaken the task by setting up the council to aid and advise it in this regard,” the EC said. Legal experts are of the view that it was a “very important” aspect of the order as many MPs could have taken the defence that they were not involved in any decision making process while holding such offices but were only giving advise to government. The commission further said it was clear from the UP Government order appointing Jaya Bachchan as Chairperson of the UPFDC that she would have the “status of a Cabinet Minister with attendant benefits and facilities (that) must lead to the obvious conclusion that the council and its Chairperson had certain important duties to perform and task to accomplish for the government.” “No government would set up a council and make appointments thereto with such high status without any significant reason or end to achieve. It is thus futile to contend that the council is not performing any important function of or for the government,” the poll penal said. Jaya’s appointment was made by the state government, which also has the power to terminate it and the expenditure on the maintenance of the office was “wholly borne” by the state government, which controlled the functioning of the council, it held. Besides, the EC said honorarium of Rs 5,000 per month payable to her was “pecuniary gain” to her and it was immaterial whether she had actually drawn it or not. “What matters is whether the holder of the office is ‘entitled’ to any remuneration or other pecuniary gain,” the EC said. |
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Rajasthan has sufficient water for irrigation: Raje
Jaipur, March 23 "I have got the water and there is no need for me to go to Delhi on this account," she said when asked how the state would cope up following rejection by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh yesterday to give additional water to Rajasthan from Pong dam. Meanwhile, the official sources said Punjab and Rajasthan Chief Ministers had a telephonic conversation on the matter early morning, and probably Punjab agreed to provide 50,000 cusecs of additional water for the districts of Hanumangarh, Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer for a week to meet the exigency in peak rabi season. Earlier, the Punjab Chief Minister had rejected Raje's demand saying there was no spare water to share with other areas. Even the BJP legislators had created uproar in Parliament demanding more water from the neighbouring state.
— PTI |
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Resignation an attempt to save face: BJP
New Delhi, March 23 “Politics of revenge has recoiled back and Sonia Gandhi has become a victim of her own conspiracy. This grand standing will not help,” party general secretary Arun Jaitley said. Ms Gandhi’s plans to resign as MP and NAC chairperson may be projected as a “grand standing”, but it is a case of “confession of a culprit caught red handed trying to subvert the Constitution and Parliament”, former Union Law Minister said, voicing BJP’s Opposition to bring any law on the ‘office of profit” with retrospective effect. A meeting of the BJP office bearers has been called here tomorrow to chalk out the future course of action, he said. Asked whether Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and BJP’s own leaders like V.K. Malhotra, who are also accused of holding offices of profit, should step down, he said, “Every individual has his own case, which he should present before the Election Commission (EC) and the President. It is for the commission to decide”. He said the whole issue was “being handled by the UPA government in a pathetic and ham-handed manner and the ordinance was being brought to save one person”. Earlier in the day, BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar presented a petition before President Kalam seeking to disqualify Ms Sonia Gandhi from the membership of the Lok Sabha, since she had incurred disqualification under Article 102 (1)(a) of the Constitution of India, by virtue of her appointment as chairperson of the NAC.
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Court intervenes to address ailing economy of Bihar
Patna, March 23 The court expressed concern over the facts presented by the petitioner, Arvind Kumar, on behalf of the NGO, that nationalised banks were maintaining an inadequate CD ratio of 20 to 22 per cent, much lower than 40 per cent of the national average, in Bihar leading to siphoning off of Rs 13,000 crore annually from the state for investment in other states. The court shared the argument put forward by the petitioner that such poor CD ratio meant robbing the people of Bihar of an opportunity for development. While demanding at least 40 per cent priority advances for Bihar, the PIL pointed out that 31 blocks in the state still did not have an effective banking system. The court’s response to the PIL directing the Centre and the RBI to address this issue comes close on the heels of the proposed trip by the state Chief Secretary G.S Kang to Mumbai later this month in an effort to chalk out ways and means to increase the CD ratio of banks in the state to 40 per cent. Mr Kang is scheduled to meet the RBI Governor and discuss the issue to ensure more resources for the development of Bihar.
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Chawla not to distance himself
from EC
Guwahati, March 23 “The very fact that I am here to review the Assam election situation in a full team, including the Chief Election Commissioner, proves that I am a part of it,” Mr Chawla said in reply to a query, whether he was contemplating to disassociate himself from taking major decisions in view of the allegations. The Election Commissioner avoided a direct reply on whether he would resign, saying he had stated his views long back. Mr Chawla has been at the centre of a controversy after the BJP questioned his integrity because of his alleged connection with the Congress.
— PTI |
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Liberhan panel’s term extended
New Delhi, March 23 The commission is inquiring into the consequences that led to the destruction of the Babri Masjid structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. |
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Jet, Sahara honchos meet
New Delhi, March 23 Jet Airways Chief Naresh Goyal, along with his top officials, flew in from Mumbai this morning to start meetings with Sahara officials even as journalists got no answer to queries if the deal was through and whether price for the Rs 2,300-crore deal was being re-negotiated. Sahara Group Chairman Subrata Roy is also in Delhi. — PTI |
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Anand Sharma on tour of South Africa, Chile
New Delhi, March 23 On March 24-25, the minister will hold bilateral meetings with the Foreign Minister of South Africa and chair a conference of Indian Ambassadors in Southern Africa. He will interact with the National Executive Committee of the ANC.
— TNS |
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