India News Online » News Analysis » Indian Politics » 

Political Notes

	November 20, 2006

UP CM talks about early polls



Under attack from the BJP and the Congress for alleged rigging of the local bodies elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav said on Wednesday, Nov. 15 that he favours early Assembly elections in the state. He said, “we want the elections on time, and if required before the completion of our five-year term.” But everything depends on the Election Commission as the tenure of the present Assembly will expire in less than six months, he said.



The Chief Minister claimed that Governor T.V. Rajeshwar had recommended dismissal of his Government and imposition of President’s Rule in Uttar Pradesh. He said if his Government is dismissed, the Samajwadi Party would not allow the Central Government to function.



The State Governor issued a statement on Nov. 15 categorically denying the Chief Minister’s allegation that he had recommended the dismissal of the Samajwadi Party Government. Raj Bhavan denied that any report in this regard had been sent to the Centre.



The Union Minister of state for Home, Sriprakash Jaiswal has said that the Centre cannot behave like a hapless spectator to allegations of massive rigging during the recent local bodies elections in Uttar Pradesh. Speaking in Rampur, he said almost all Opposition parties in the state have demanded the dismissal of the state government.



Congress president Sonia Gandhi said in New Delhi on Nov. 17 that people of Uttar Pradesh did not believe that free and fair Assembly elections would be possible under Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. Observers say that Sonia Gandhi’s remarks are in tune with demands made by Congress leaders to dismiss the Mulayam government ahead of the Assembly elections in view of the deteriorating law and order situation. But the Congress may find it impossible to garner support among the UPA allies for sacking the Mulayam Government. The DMK is totally opposed to any such proposal and the Left has repeatedly opposed any move to destabilise the Mulayam Singh Government.



In a related development, it now appears that there may be no third front or third alternative in the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. The CPI(M) politburo is reported to have asked its Uttar Pradesh unit to independently contest the next elections in the state. This will end the possibility of an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. But seat-sharing arrangements have not been ruled out. State leaders of the CPI(M) are reported to have expressed the view that the party should not be seen as defending allegations of corruption, misgovernance and lawlessness against the Samajwadi Party government.



More convictions in 1993 Mumbai blasts case



The special court in Mumbai convicted seven more people in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case in its verdicts delivered from Nov. 14 to 16. On Nov. 16, the court convicted Hawala financier, Mool Chand Shah alias Chokshi who had helped prime conspirator Tiger Memon by funding his terrorist activities. One of the close aides of Memon, Imtiaz Ghawte was held guilty of planting an RDX laid scooter in Zhaveri bazaar. Chokshi had provided funds to the tune of Rs. 1.89 crore to Tiger Memon.



On Wednesday, Nov. 15, the special court convicted four people for their complicity in the 1993 blasts. They included Tiger Memon’s adopted sister and his former driver.





BJP’s internal dissensions force extension of deadline for party polls



Internal dissensions have blocked unanimity on the choice of new presidents of BJP’s state units of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. This has forced the party high command to extend the deadline for concluding the state polls from Nov. 15 to Nov. 23. Former party president Venkaiah Naidu said in New Delhi on Nov. 15 that the presidential election would be held by the end of this month. Sources said incumbent president Rajnath Singh is expected to be the sole candidate and would be declared elected on the day nomination papers are put through scrutiny. This could happen any time between Nov. 26 and Nov. 28. The national council would be convened later to put its seal on the election.





Kerala : Karunakaran’s outfit merges with NCP



Former Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran’s one year old outfit, the Democratic Indira Congress (K), has merged with Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party. Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel was present at the rally in Kochi on Nov. 12 where the merger formally took place. The CPI and the RSP, both constituents of the Left Front have opposed the merger as the NCP is also a partner in the Left Front in the state. The CPI(M), the major force in the Left front, has however, left a decision on NCP’s continuance in the combine entirely to the Left Front committee, which may meet soon





—————————Box———————



Supreme Court : Is it super organ ?



Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has said the Constitution did not envisage a situation where the Supreme Court is a “super organ” or authorise the judiciary to “exploit” other organs on the grounds that they have failed. “The Supreme Court will be supreme (on matters of law) only until Parliament changes that position by law,” he said.



Reacting to the Chief Justice of India’s comment that the Supreme Court is supreme as it has the final say, Chatterjee said,” The CJI is absolutely right. The Supreme Court is supreme until Parliament changes the law by which the decision is changed.”



He asked : “Has the judiciary done its duty fully ? Has it cleared all cases ? Has the Constitution contemplated it as a super organ ? There is no super organ....”



Pointing out that judgments have been reversed, he said : “ Nobody is infallible. Even the Supreme Court has reversed its judgments.”





Apex court for respecting balance of power



A Supreme Court judgment is sure to gladden the legislature and the executive, which have been complaining of frequent judicial forays into their domain.



At a time when the list of complaints is getting longer, the recent judgment of a Bench comprising Justices S B Sinha and Markandey Katju could provide a silver lining as it said: “The courts must exercise judicial restraint, and not encroach into the executive or legislative domain.”



The case pertained to regularisation of employees in the sick PSU, Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which had appealed against the Uttaranchal HC order directing regularisation of daily workers.



Setting aside the HC order, the Bench ruled that creation of posts, appointment on these posts, regularisation, fixing of pay scales, continuation in service and promotions were all executive or legislative functions.



“It is highly improper for judges to step into this sphere, except in rare and exceptional cases,” said Justice Katju, writing the judgment for the Bench.





No immediate police reforms



The Centre and the States have concluded that major police reforms like fixed tenures to cops, role of the Centre in appointments of DGPs and an accountability commission could not be implemented as yet.



The meeting was held in the backdrop of the Supreme court’s December 31 deadline to implement the recommendations of various committees to improve service rules and conditions as well as accountability in police. Though the Centre will be careful to avoid appearing to confront the apex court, it will look for more time to implement reforms. It is clear that there are serious obstacles as was evident at the meeting held on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Efforts to bring police reforms hit a roadblock with states expressing strong reservations against some of the key suggestions made by the Sorabjee committee, set up by the Centre.









VVIPs grandchildren to get Z-plus security



The Government has decided to put the grandchildren of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee under the highest security cover.



The children, along with Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani’s son and daughter will now get Z-plus security cover while traveling alone to school or to work This entails the constant escort by a posse of armed personnel, drawn from paramilitary and police forces. They previously had no ring of protection, unless they were traveling with a VVIP.



A meeting of security agencies, chaired by National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan, felt that terrorists could try taking these children as hostages and seek a swap with jailed militants like Afzal. The move is apparently more a precaution based on broad intelligence, rather than specific information.