Move comes after threat perception report by central security agencies recommended a strong cover for Kumar amid preparations for seven-phase general elections that begin on 19 April.
Responding to pleas against 14 March appointments, govt submits that ‘it would have been humanly not possible for one chief election commissioner to discharge his functions alone’.
LS polls round the corner, CEC Rajiv Kumar now sole member of EC after Arun Goel resigned. SC had upheld constitutionality of single-member commission in TN Seshan & SS Dhanoa cases.
EBS is now gone, but ETS is still available, ECI should nudge political parties and the corporate world towards wider use of ETS. Then, at least one part of electoral funding can become cleaner.
During the event, Election Commissioner Arun Goel quoted the Vedas to emphasise that India was the world’s oldest, and not just the largest, democracy.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said 1991 Act on service conditions of CEC, ECs was a half-baked attempt and present Bill covers areas left out by previous legislations.
Bill, now passed in Rajya Sabha, seeks to negate an SC judgment on selection of the CEC and ECs in the Election Commission by replacing CJI in the panel with a cabinet minister.
Launch of S.Y. Quraishi’s book, India’s Experiment with Democracy saw Fali Nariman, Shashi Tharoor, Shekhar Gupta & Neerja Chowdhury discuss various aspects of the electoral system.
When reading the book, one can see Roy’s mother as a 'fascist government' unto herself, the centre of her own cult. In Arundhati’s words, Mary Roy was ‘mother guru’.
ED has accused Amtek promoter Arvind Dham of controlling web of nearly 500 shell companies operating as a layered structure, with up to 15 levels of indirect ownership, to divert funds.
China flaunted military might & modernisation as it displayed stealth drones, anti-satellite system & cyber warfare contingent during parade to mark victory over Japan in WWII.
From Munir’s point of view, a few bumps here and there is par for the course. He isn’t going to drive his dumper truck to its doom. He wants to use it as a weapon.
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