Poll bonds 22 firms donated over ₹100 crore
Ram Nath Kovind committee on Simultaneous polls submitted its report to President Draupadi Murmu .
The committee has following key suggestion
●
Simultaneous polls at gap of 100 days – The
committee has favored Simultaneous polls to Look Sabha and state assemblies in
the first stage , and holding municipal and Panchayat polls within 100 days of
the general elections within the next phase .
●
“ Appointed date” for election
– It has
recommended the President to set an “ appointed date “ after LoK Sabha
elections . The next General elections
and Assembly elections will be on the same appointed date .
●
Hung Parliament and No Confidence Motion – In
case of Hung Parliament and No Confidence Motion’ , if election is
performed , in that case the tenure of
the house will “ only for the unexpired the (
remaining ) term of the immediately proceedings full term house .
●
Constitutional Amendments – The panel has
recommended over all 18 amendments to the constitution . The articles to be
amended include , Article 83 ( duration of the house of parliament ) and Article 172 ( duration of state
legislature ) of the constitution .
Article 324 A (
Simultaneous Elections in Panchayats and Municipalities .)
Article 325A to allow election commission and state
election commission to prepare a common electoral roll and voter ID
●
Current situation – “ Now , several
elections are being held every year .
This causes a huge burden on the government , businesses , courts , political
parties , candidates contesting elections , and civil societies at large .”
report observes
Congress and other parties has criticized the
report citing that it aims to “ dismantle “ the constitution .
Poll bonds : 22 firms donated over ₹100 crore
The
Election Commission ( EC ) on Monday published data on
poll bonds received from SBI on March 12 .
The data has following findings :
Key
Donors
●
A total electoral bond of ₹12,135 crore was
purchased by donors
●
22 Parties donated more than ,₹100 crore
●
Future Gaming and hotel services
PR owned by lottery magnate Santiago Martin was the single largest donor to
political parties between April 2019 and January 2024 .The firm doabated a
cumulative sum of ₹1368 crore via electoral bond .
The Enforcement
Directorate ( ED ) had attached ₹411 crore in the bank account of this firm ,
and other companies in March 2022 .
●
Other Major donors include Megha Engineering and Infrastructure
Limited ( MEIL ) , ₹966 crore . Qwik Supply Chain ( ₹410 crore ) , Haldia
Energy ( ₹377 cr ) .Essel Mining (
224.45 crore ) , Bharti Airtel ( ₹198 crore )
Political Parties who gained :
●
Among parties , Bharatiya Janata
Party encased electoral bond worth ₹6060 crore ( 47.5%) , the highest among all parties , The all India Trinamool Congress received
₹1609.5 cr (12.6%) , followed by Congress which received ( ₹1421.9 cr ( 11.1% )
.
Gyanesh Kumar , Sukhbir Sandhu appointed election
commissioner
The President of India on Thursday appointed
retired Bureaucrats Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as Election
Commissioners ( EC) .
This is the first time when the ECs were
appointed according to EC and other ECE appointment conditions .
The committee was composed of the PM , a cabinet minister chosen by the PM , and Leader of Opposition .
Yesterday , the committee consisted of PM Narendra Modi , Home Minister Amit Shah
and Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary .
Don’t ride piggyback on Sharad Pawar to get votes , SC tells
Ajit
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Ajit
Pawar party to not use photographs and the name of Sharad Pawar on its
pamphlets .
The Sharad Pawar faction had filed a plea in
court against the Ajit Pawar faction.
Modi will travel to Bhutan next week
Bhutanese PM Tshering Tobgay is on a five day
visit to India. This is his first visit
to India after being reelected as PM in January .
Mr Togbay met with PM Modi on Thursday night .
PM Modi posted on X that he had “ productive
discussion encompassing various aspects of (India Bhutan’s ) unique and special
partnership . “ And thanked the King of Bhutan for the invitation to Bhutan .
If election dates are announced and model code
of Conduct is out in place ., PM Modi’s visit to Bhutan will carry on major
agreements .
Bhutan is building GMC ( Gelephu Mindful city ) on Bhutan’s
southern border with Assam .
Will oust BJP this
election says Kisan Mahapanchayat
Thousands of Kisan who gathered here on
Thursday on Kisan Mahapanchayat unde the Samyukt Kisan Morcha ( SKM ) banner
resolved to defeat the BJP in coming Lok Sabha elections .
Alleging that the policies of the center were
pro corporate and anti farmer , SKM gave a call of mass protest against BJP .
A resolution was adopted to “ expose and
punish” the BJP .
World
Sri Lanka gets bomb disposal device through Chinese agent
Sri Lanka has received a stock of bomb
disposal equipment through a grant from Chinese military , Srilankan Military
has said .
Beijing confirmed that a military delegation
visited the Maldives , Sri Lanka and Nepal from March 4 to 13 to discuss further defense cooperation.
The enhanced military engagement between
Beijing and Colombo remains a cause of concern for New Delhi .
Currently New Delhi and Colombo helds annual
defense dialogue . And the two countries are involved in a long standing
defense partnership despite this Chinese closeness is a cause of concern .
UK govt releases new guidelines for extremism
The UK government has released its own new
guidelines on extremism . The new expanded definition adds a policy of banning
government funding and association with designated organizations .
PM Rishi Sunak had earlier warned of increased
Anti Sematic and Islamophobic activities as the reasons behind this .
China says US Til Tok vote logic of a bandit
On Wednesday , the US house of Representatives
approved a Bill that would force Tik Tok to digest from its parent company or
face a nationwide ban .
On Thursday , China blasted it as a “ bandit “
mentality , and said that it should take “ all necessary measures “ to protect
the interest of companies overseas .
“ The US should truly respect the principles
of market economy ( and ) stop unjustly suppressing foreign companies “.
Chinese Commerce ministry’s spokesperson He Yadong said.
Tik Tok has repeatedly denied that it is under
control of Chinese Communist parties .
Sports
Mumbai
breaks Vidarbha’s resolve , ascends cloud 42
Mumbai defeated Vidarbha in final of Ranji
Trophy . It is Mumbai’s 42 nd Ranji win in 89 editions .
