Par panel seeks govt, EC views on regional commissioners for 2024 LS polls
New Delhi(PTI): Asserting that the Election Commission (EC) should have optimum manpower, a parliamentary committee has sought views of the government and the poll panel on appointing regional commissioners to help the EC in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
There is a provision in the Constitution to appoint regional commissioners to assist the EC in various elections. During the first Lok Sabha elections in 1951, regional commissioners were appointed for six months in Bombay and Patna. After that, there was no such deployment.
In its report on Demands for Grants (2022-23) for the legislative department in the Union law ministry, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Personnel said that it has taken note of constitutional provisions and also the submission by the EC stating regional commissioners may be appointed by the President of India, if required.
However, after the first general elections, they were not appointed, the committee observed.
"The committee is of the view that ECI should have optimal level of manpower as per its requirements and accordingly, recommends the Legislative Department/Election Commission of India to submit its views on the appointment of regional commissioner/s for the forthcoming general elections to the Lok Sabha in the year 2024," the committee headed by Sushil Modi said.
The legislative department is the nodal agency in the government to deal with issues relating to the EC.
The report was tabled in Parliament last week in the ongoing Budget session.
Article 324 of the Constitution deals with the Election Commission, and one of its provisions refers to regional commissioners.
According to Article 324(4), "before each general election to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assembly of each State, and before the first general election and thereafter before each biennial election to the Legislative Council of each State having such Council, the President may also appoint after consultation with the Election Commission such Regional Commissioners as he may consider necessary to assist the Election Commission in the performance of the functions conferred on the Commission..."
The poll panel secretariat here relies on its chief electoral officers in every state to help it hold free, fair and peaceful polls. The chief electoral officers are often called the "limbs" of the EC.
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.
Paper leak mafia thriving under BJP's double-engine governments: Bhagwant Mann
Shimla (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday slammed the Centre over the alleged NEET paper leak and said that such incidents are surfacing in regions governed by the BJP's 'double-engine' and 'triple-engine' governments.
He said the leak and cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance test (NEET) 2026 examination is a major failure on the part of the Union government.
"This is not the first time that a paper leak has happened. Such incidents have surfaced in 2017, 2021, 2024, and now even in 2026 and every time, a CBI inquiry is initiated, arrests are made, yet after a short while, the accused are released on bail," he said.
Mann, who arrived at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium to boost the morale of the Punjab Kings team ahead of their upcoming IPL match, told the media that lakhs of students toil day and night, harbouring dreams of transforming their families' fortunes, but when exams are cancelled due to paper leaks, these students are left heartbroken.
The NEET 2026 paper held on May 3 was cancelled on May 12 after reports of a paper leak in Rajasthan.
He said that the paper leak mafia is predominantly surfacing in regions governed by the BJP's 'double-engine' and 'triple-engine' governments. "Paper leaked, dreams shattered, the country's administrative system is unable to conduct even a single examination properly", he added.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mann said that while Modi imposes various restrictions on the public, he himself continues to embark on foreign tours.
He asserted that the public deserves to know the country's true economic situation.
"The prime minister must disclose the current status of the country's oil reserves, the extent of our gold reserves, and fundamentally why restrictions are being imposed on every single commodity", he said.
No other nation has imposed such restrictions and the ongoing war is being used as a pretext, even though the country's economy is already in a precarious state, Mann added.
Regarding the ongoing campaign against drugs in Punjab, Mann said that the state government is continuously taking action against drug traffickers and asserted that a large number of traffickers are being sent to jail and that Punjab will soon move towards becoming drug-free.
Speaking about the upcoming IPL match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians to be held in Dharamshala, Mann said that he also holds the portfolio of Punjab's sports minister and has arrived in Dharamshala to cheer the team.
