Page 3 - Political Parties

Scindia to execute power show during Amit Shah's Gwalior visit on Oct 16

The political gallery in Madhya Pradesh is set to witness a power show of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia when Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives in Gwalior on October 16

Supreme Court to hear pleas challenging electoral bond scheme on Friday

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Friday a batch of pleas challenging laws permitting funding of political parties through the electoral bond scheme. Electoral bonds have been pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring transparency in political funding. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and B V Nagarathna is likely to take up the PILs by NGO, Association for Democratic Reforms, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other petitioners. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, on April 5 had mentioned the matter before the then CJI N V Ramana saying the issue was critical and needed an urgent hearing. The top court had agreed to list the NGO's plea for hearing but it did not come up before any court. Earlier, Bhushan had sought an urgent listing of the PIL from the apex court on October 4 last year seeking a direction to the Centre not to open any further window for sale of electoral bonds during the pendency of a c

EC wants parties to give info on financial viability of election promises

The Election Commission on Tuesday proposed amending the model code to ask political parties to provide authentic information to voters on the financial viability of their poll promises, a move that comes amid the freebies versus welfare measures debate that has triggered a political slugfest in the recent weeks. In a letter to all recognised national and state parties, the Election Commission(EC) asked them to submit their views on the proposals by October 19. The EC also said empty poll promises have far-reaching ramifications, adding it cannot overlook the undesirable impact inadequate disclosures on election promises have on financial sustainability. "The Commission notes that the consequences of inadequate disclosures by political parties get attenuated by the fact that elections are held frequently, providing opportunities for political parties to indulge in competitive electoral promises, particularly in multi-phase elections, without having to spell out their financial ...

EC says empty poll promises made by parties have far-reaching ramifications

The Election Commission on Tuesday wrote to political parties for providing authentic information to the voters to assess financial viability of their election promises and also sought their views on the issue. The EC said it cannot overlook inadequate disclosures on election promises and consequential undesirable impact on financial sustainability as empty poll promises so made have far-reaching ramifications. The proposed format for disclosure of election promises made by political parties seeks to bring standardisation in the nature of information facilitating comparability. Disclosure proforma mandates declaration of quantification of physical coverage, financial implications of the promises and availability of the financial resources. By proposing the reform, the poll panel aims to inform voters about the financial feasibility of election promises in manifestos and also whether they are sustainable within the financial space of the state or the Union government.

Israeli elections panel bars Arab party from running in upcoming polls

An Israeli-Arab party was disqualified from running in the country's November elections over allegations of promoting an anti-Israel agenda

Ghulam Nabi Azad announces 'Democratic Azad Party' ahead of J-K polls

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday announced that his new political outfit will be named as 'Democratic Azad Party'

Ghulam Nabi Azad likely to unveil new political party in a press meet today

A month after breaking ties with the Congress, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is set to hold a press conference on Monday to unveil his new political outfit

Ghulam Nabi Azad reaches Jammu; likely to launch his party next week

Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who ended his more than five-decade-long association with the Congress last month, is likely to launch his party in the next couple of days. "I am inviting the media tomorrow (Monday) before the launch of the party. I am here to meet workers and leaders," Azad told reporters in a brief interaction at his residence here upon his arrival from Delhi. A close aide of the former J&K chief minister has confirmed the news. "He is having two back to back separate meetings with senior and second rung leaders later today," he said, adding Azad is visiting Srinagar on September 27. He said the name and the flag of the new party have been finalised and it is now a matter of a day or two before the new party becomes a reality on the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir. Azad, 73, quit Congress on August 26, terming the party "comprehensively destroyed". He also lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for "demolishing" the party's entire consultative ...

Footballer Bhaichung Bhutia becomes new president of Hamro Sikkim Party

Legendary footballer Bhaichung Bhutia was on Tuesday elected as the new president of the Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP). The 45-year-old former India captain was elected unanimously by party leaders and members at a national conference held here, HSP general secretary Biraj Adhikari said. "The HSP is confident that Bhutia will now carry the mantle of leading the fight to rid Sikkim of the present corrupt misrule and provide a transparent and responsive government to the people if elected to power in the future," he said. Bhutia said he will strive to serve the people of Sikkim and represent their hopes and aspirations. "We will work tirelessly towards ensuring social equality and justice and create endless opportunities for every Sikkimese to achieve the true potential of our state," he said. Bhutia thanked outgoing HSP president Bina Basnett for successfully completing her tenure of three years.

Chance to reform, redeem India's distorted electoral funding system

With the long-frozen hearing on the challenge to the Modi government's anonymous electoral bonds finally listed by the Supreme Court, India will see one last opportunity to fix the system

Recognised problem: Unrecognised political parties doubled in a decade

Only a fraction of the RUPPs declare income and file audit reports

The party's over

EC does well to delist inactive political parties

EC delists 86 more non-existent political parties; total tally at 537

The Election Commission on Tuesday ordered delisting of another 86 'non-existent' registered unrecognised political parties, raising the number of such organisations red flagged by the poll panel for failing to comply with electoral rules to 537. In a statement, the EC said "immediate corrective measures" were required to be taken in larger public interest as well as for the "purity" of electoral democracy and hence it has also declared an additional 253 registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs) as "inactive". The decision was taken by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey, it said. "The EC today further delisted 86 non-existent RUPPs and declared additional 253 as 'Inactive RUPPs'. This action against 339 non-compliant RUPPs takes the tally to 537 defaulting RUPPs since May 25, 2022." The Commission said the 86 RUPPs that have been delisted were found to be "non-existent either after a physical verification carried out by the

EC declares 253 registered unrecognised political parties as 'inactive'

The action against 339 non-compliant RUPPs takes the tally to 537 defaulting RUPPs since May 25, 2022.

I-T dept conducts pan-India raids against unrecognised political parties

The income tax department on Wednesday launched raids in multiple states as part of a tax evasion probe against registered unrecognised political parties (RUPP) and their alleged dubious funding, official sources said. The searches are being conducted in Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana and some other states, they said. A coordinated action has been launched by the tax department against the RUPPs, their linked entities, operators and others, the sources said. The surprise action is understood to have been taken by the department on the recommendation of the Election Commission (EC) which recently struck off 87 entities from its list of RUPP after they were found non-existent during physical verification. The poll panel had announced that it was taking action against more than 2,100 registered unrecognised political parties for flouting rules and election laws, including those related to filing of monetary contributions, failing to update their address and names

Consensus on public welfare issues among parties in India: Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said there is consensus on issues of public welfare among political parties in India notwithstanding differences of opinion. Birla is leading an Indian Parliamentary Delegation to Mexico. He unveiled a bust of freedom fighter Pandurang Khankhoje at Chapingo University in Mexico on Friday. Recalling Khankhoje's contribution, Birla said he was an outstanding Indian revolutionary, scholar, agricultural scientist and statesman. Talking about successful governance in India through democratic means, he said Indian Parliament is the epitome of the will and aspirations of the people of the country. "Matters of public importance are raised in Parliament by members of both ruling and opposition parties. Notwithstanding differences of opinion, there is consensus on issues of public welfare," Birla said. He said parliamentary committees are functioning as effective mechanisms to ensure accountability of the executive. Birla also called on President of the

No contribution received, no donations made: Two electoral trusts tell EC

Delhi-based Swadeshi Electoral Trust and Jaybharath Electoral Trust registered in Coimbatore have told the Election Commission that they neither received any contribution nor made any donation to a political party in financial year 2021-22. In their annual reports for FY 2021-22 submitted to the poll panel, the two trusts said they received "nil" contributions from all sources permissible under the income tax law. Hence they made "nil" donations to any political party in the fiscal. Electoral trusts have to submit their contribution reports to the EC containing details of contributions received and disbursed by them to political parties in the interest of transparency.

Don't burden utilities, pay for freebies from budget: Sitharaman to parties

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said political parties that come to power on pre-poll promises of freebies should pay for those through budgetary provisions. Citing the example of free electricity being promised in many states, the finance minister said the burden for the freebies should not be thrust upon the power discoms or gencos. "If a promise has been made to the people at the time of the election, you are looking at a quid pro quo. You should be, as a responsible party, assume after you come to power, make a provision in the budget for it," Sitharaman said, speaking at the FE Best Bank Awards event here. She said in the case of the power sector, there have been cases where states have paid the utilities in parts or not paid at all. "You end up shifting the burden to the discom which has not gone to the election. The discom has not asked for votes. Why should they be burdened? Do they have the power to stop continuing the supply? And similarly the gencos,"

'Why not call an all-party meeting to hear freebies' issue,' SC asks Centre

Things like freebies, which can destroy the economy, have to be looked into, says court

All political parties, including BJP, are in favour of freebies, says SC

All political parties including BJP are in favour of freebies and due to this a judicial attempt has been made to deal with it, said the Supreme Court on Tuesday while deliberating with a PIL opposing promises of such handouts by the parties during polls. The top court also rapped Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and some of its leaders for making statements on the issue of freebies and the judicial intervention on the ground that welfare measures are for uplifting marginalised people and cannot be held as freebies. On this issue, I can say all political parties are on one side including BJP. Everybody wants freebies. That is the reason we made an attempt, a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Hima Kohli and C T Ravikumar observed during the hearing. The intention was to initiate a wider public debate on the issue and for this purpose, the setting up of the committee was mooted, the bench said, adding We have to see what is a freebie and what is welfare." The ben