Samajwadi Party, TRS favour of one nation, one election
New Delhi, July 8 : The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Sunday announced that they favoured the idea of simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies.
Ramgopal Yadav, SP member of the Rajya Sabha, backed the "one nation, one election" initiative, saying it should begin in 2019.
"The SP is in favour of simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies. This process of simultaneous election should be implemented from the 2019 elections," said Yadav at a meeting convened by the Law Commission.
"In case one party does not get full majority in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies and a few of the parties approach the President or Governor with the list of Lok Sabha/legislative members' to form a coalition government, then the President/Governors should ask all the parties in that coalition for an oath letter which specifies that they will have to work together for the period," Yadav said.
A letter circulated on behalf of the SP said: "If one party in the coalition government separates itself, then the law should empower the speaker to end the association of that party and all the members."
"It has been observed that even after months of someone changing sides, the speaker does not take action. That's why there should be a provision in law in which the speaker is bound to give a decision on someone who changes side within a month.
"If a government falls within three years of its election, and if there is no scope of a new government forming there, then the election for that state should be held for two years so that elections could be held at time," the letter added.
The TRS backed the initiative to save a lot of time and prevent wasteful expenditure.
- Vinod Kumar of the TRS said: "Our party President and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao said we are strongly in favour of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies so that the elected government at the Centre and state level could function appropriately for the elected period of five years without wasting time in elections across the country.
"This can save lot of money, time and wasteful expenditure... The Chief Ministers and Prime Minister can also function for the period of five years without disturbance."
On Saturday, parties including the Trinamool Congress, AIADMK, Goa Forward Party and the Communist Party of India (CPI) opposed the proposal saying that it was against the Constitution and would dilute regional interests.
The Law Commission has invited all the national and recognised state political parties to hold consultations on Saturday and Sunday on the issue.
It prepared a draft paper on "Simultaneous Elections - Constitutional and Legal Perspectives" and has sought opinions of "all stakeholders" including political parties, constitutional experts, bureaucrats, academia and others on the paper before finalising its report and sending it to the government.
The Election Commission has repeatedly said it was capable of holding simultaneous elections provided the legal framework and logistics were in place.
Most of the political parties have, however, not warmed up to the idea citing various reasons besides arguing that it would not be good for democracy.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
