'One nation - one election' not practical in Indian Parliamentary Democratic system: Shashi Tharoor
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday criticised the BJP-led Centre's proposal for 'one nation, one election', saying there is no practical way in which such a system can be implemented.
Talking to reporters here on his first visit to his Lok Sabha constituency after becoming a member of the Congress Working Committee, Tharoor said the 'one nation, one election' initiative of the government would be against the existing system, which is based on parliamentary democracy, where parties cannot continue in power if they lose the majority in the house.
"There is no practical way in which you can implement such a system. The second concern that many of us have is that the big diversity of India actually benefits from the staggered calendar that has evolved over the years," Tharoor said.
Former president Ram Nath Kovind was on Friday tasked by the Centre with the responsibility of heading a committee to explore the feasibility of 'one nation, one election'.
The committee will explore how the country can go back to having simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls, as was the case till 1967.
Tharoor said the Chief Executive of the country is selected by a parliamentary majority and a legislative majority, and the moment that majority goes, for whatever reason, the government falls.
Then a new election has to be held out of sync with the calendar. He said that between 1947 and 1967, India had all national and state elections on the same date, but the system collapsed when the coalition government fell in 1967 and the calendar slipped. Then the national government fell in 1970, and elections were held in 1971, he said.
"Therefore, that calendar also slipped There's been a number of changes, and that's why now there are different calendars for different states. The same thing will happen again in the future," Tharoor said.
He said the opposition would attentively listen to Ramnath Kovind's committee on this.
"Let us see if Mr Kovind's committee can come up with any practical solutions. We will listen attentively, but we have every reason to have a lot of scepticism about this entire initiative," Tharoor added.
About the impromptu Parliament session called by the central government, Tharoor said no one was informed about the agenda.
In an aside, he said the central government may be thinking that it may not get a chance to function out of the new Parliament building, that's why it called for the session.
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SC asks Centre to consider amending law on terminating pregnancy of rape survivors
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday took strong exception to a plea by AIIMS seeking to set aside its order allowing a 15-year-old girl to medically terminate her 30-week pregnancy, and asked the Centre to consider amending the law to permit rape survivors to terminate unwanted pregnancies even beyond 20 weeks.
The top court said when there is pregnancy due to rape, there should not be a time limit.
Law needs to be organic and in sync with evolving time, it stressed.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said this is a case of child rape and the survivor will have a lifelong scar and trauma if termination is not allowed.
The top court said if the mother does not have permanent disability then it should be carried out.
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It asked AIIMS to counsel parents of the survivor over the issue and said the decision has to be of the person concerned.
"There are children for adoption. In this country we have lot of sympathies...There are deserted, abandoned children on the streets and even mafias on it. We have to look at them. This is an unwanted pregnancy of a 15-year-old child.
"This is a curative petition. Unwanted pregnancy cannot be thrusted on a person. Imagine she is a child. She should be studying now. But we want to make her a mother. Imagine the pain, the humiliation the child has suffered in this," the bench said.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for AIIMS, mentioned the curative plea, and said the termination of pregnancy is not possible.
"It will be a live baby with severe deformities. Minor mother will have lifelong health issues and cannot reproduce. Minor mother will have lifelong health issues. This child can be given for adoption. It has been 30 weeks now. It is a viable life now," she said.
The top court said the decision on termination has to choice of the survivor and her parents and AIIMS may help them take an informed decision.
On April 24, a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan had allowed the girl to medically terminate her pregnancy of 30 weeks.
