Unaccounted cash worth Rs 70 cr seized in poll-bound Telangana
Hyderabad, Nov 15: Unaccounted cash worth Rs 70 crore was seized in separate searches carried out in poll-bound Telangana on different occasions, since the Model Code of Conduct came into force, a poll official said Thursday.
Besides, illegal liquor worth Rs 6.70 crore was seized by by the police and income tax sleuths, Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar told reporters here.
To a query, he said it came to the Election Commission's notice that certain political leaders were attempting to influence the electorate in the name of caste and religion and attending caste and religion-based meetings.
"It is not permitted to make promises to particular caste or religion in the context of elections," he noted.
To another question, he said he did not receive any direction from the EC to conduct inquiry against the Collector of Sangareddy District, Hanumantha Rao, to ascertain whether the official was holding the same position for over three years, which is violation of Model Code of Conduct.
Some political parties have made a representation to the EC seeking his removal as District Electoral Officer alleging that he was continuing in the post since 2014, contrary to the rule.
Meanwhile, an official release from the Chief Electoral Officer's office said as many as 540 nominations put together have been filed till Thursday by political parties in the state for the December 7 Assembly polls.
Candidates on behalf of Congress filed 77, while the TRS filed 98, the BJP 65 and aspirants from Telugu Desam Party filed 14 nominations.
Seeking reelection, Caretaker Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and several of his colleagues filed papers from their respective constituencies on Wednesday.
Rao is in the poll fray from Gajwel constituency.
The process of filing nominations began on November 12 and the last date is November 19.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Constitution amendment bill defeat was BJP’s first embarrassment in Parliament: Margaret Alva
Bengaluru (PTI): Senior Congress leader Margaret Alva on Monday said that the constitution amendment bill's defeat in the Lok Sabha on April 17 was the first embarrassment faced by the BJP-led government in Parliament.
She also alleged that the BJP has no real concern regarding women’s reservation.
The opposition INDIA bloc defeated the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill that sought to facilitate the implementation of women's reservation by expanding the strength of the Lok Sabha, apart from making changes to delimitation.
"This is the first embarrassment and defeat faced by the NDA government in the Lok Sabha," the former Governor of Gujarat and Rajasthan said in a press conference here.
According to her, the women’s reservation has been under discussion since the time of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
"During Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, a 14-member committee was formed, and I was appointed as its chairperson. We prepared a report after studying what needed to be done to enhance the dignity of women across 12 sectors. This was submitted to the government in 1989,” Alva, 84-year-old veteran Congress leader, said.
She said political empowerment for women was emphasised in that report, without which, empowerment in any other sphere is not possible.
“Many people in Parliament used to question me — should we vacate seats for women and stay at home cooking? Why insist on this? Has anyone written these seats in your name? This debate has been ongoing since 1975,” Alva explained.
The Congress leader said Rajiv Gandhi had introduced 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies.
“At that time, all opposition parties united and defeated the Bill,” she pointed out.
Again, during the tenure of former Prime Minister late P V Narasimha Rao, the 33 per cent reservation Bill in local bodies was passed.
“It was the Congress party that first introduced women’s reservation. Now they are falsely accusing us of being anti-women,” Alva charged.
In 2023, the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed with much fanfare, but it was not immediately implemented.
According to her, a condition was imposed for its implementation that it would be enforced based on census data.
"Once it is in the statute book, what is preventing its implementation? Two years for the census and another two years for delimitation — this means it cannot be implemented by 2029. It was not given in 2024, and there is no possibility even in 2029," Alva charged the BJP-led government at the Centre.
The Congress leader said the BJP is saying that the Bill can be implemented based on the 2011 Census, but when the same suggestion was made in 2023, the BJP rejected it.
On increasing the Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent, she sought to know the basis for it.
“Where did this (idea) come from? Whose advice was taken? Was it decided by the RSS? Or ordered by a court?” Alva asked.
The former union minister said the Constitution amendment bill, which was defeated on April 17 appears to favour certain North Indian states.
“We pay taxes, but they receive greater benefits and allocations. If seats are increased by 50 per cent based on their calculations, we would get only 14 additional seats, while they would get 40. How is this fair?” she questioned.
While 298 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-third majority.
According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to "operationalise" the women's reservation act before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Seats were also to be increased in state and Union territory Assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
