SC to examine plea for political parties publishing their memorandum, rules on their websites
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New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court said on Monday it will issue certain directions following a plea urging the Election Commission to ensure that every political party publishes its memorandum, rules and regulations on its website.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and Joymalya Bagchi, which issued notice to the Centre and the Election Commission (EC) on an application filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, said, “Unless there are very strong impediments, we would like to issue certain directions”.
The bench asked Upadhyay, who appeared in-person, to remind the court about it on the next date of hearing.
The top court also told Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, that the petition has some “meaningful prayers” and asked him to seek instructions from the EC on the issues raised in the plea.
The interlocutory application filed by Upadhyay on his pending PIL sought direction to the poll panel to ensure that every political party publishes its memorandum, rules and regulations on the home page of its official website and place the compliance report before the court.
It also sought a direction to the EC to ensure that every political party follows its memorandum, rules and regulations in letter and spirit of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act and place compliance reports before the court.
On September 12, the top court agreed to examine the plea seeking a direction to the poll panel to frame rules for registration and regulation of political parties to promote secularism, transparency and political justice.
It had issued notice to the Centre, ECI and the Law Commission of India on a plea filed by Upadhyay.
Upadhyay's main plea alleged that "bogus political parties" not only posed a serious threat to democracy but also maligned the country by appointing hardcore criminals, kidnappers, drug smugglers and money launderers as national and state office bearers after taking huge amounts of money from them.
"There are no rules and regulations for political parties. Therefore, many separatists have formed their political party to collect donations. Some office bearers of these parties have succeeded in getting police protection also," the plea said.
Referring to a recent media report, the plea has claimed the income tax department found a "fake" political party that was "converting black money into white by deducting 20 per cent commission".
"Transparency and accountability in the working of political parties are essential in public interest as they perform public function and, therefore, ECI must frame rules and regulations for them," the plea, filed through lawyer Ashwani Kumar Dubey, said.
It has said the apex court has initiated various reforms to bring transparency and probity in public life.
''The move to regulate political parties within the ambit of the Constitution would pave the way for robust democratic functioning," it has said.
Alternatively, the plea sought a direction to the Law Commission of India to examine the best practices of developed democratic countries and prepare a comprehensive report on registration and regulation of political parties to reduce corruption and criminalisation in politics.
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Indian mobile hospital treats over 2,200 cyclone-hit people as New Delhi ramps up relief efforts in
Colombo (PTI): A mobile hospital set up by India in Sri Lanka has provided medical care to over 2,200 people affected by Cyclone Ditwah, as New Delhi ramped up its assistance to the flood-ravaged island nation with engineering support and delivery of fresh relief consignments, the Indian mission here said on Sunday.
Sri Lanka has been grappling with widespread flooding, landslides and severe infrastructure collapse triggered by the cyclone, leaving several districts isolated and severely straining the country's disaster-response capacity.
At least 627 people have been killed and 190 remain missing as of Sunday noon due to catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather conditions since November 16.
Sharing a social media post by the Ministry of External Affairs on its X handle, the Indian High Commission said a field hospital set up by India in Mahiyanganaya near Kandy has provided medical care to more than 2,200 people affected by the cyclone since December 5.
The hospital has also performed 67 minor procedures and three surgeries, it said. The field hospital was airlifted to Sri Lanka by an IAF C-17 aircraft along with a 78-member Indian medical team on Tuesday.
In another post, the mission said Indian Army engineers, working with Sri Lanka Army Engineers and the Road Development Authority, in Kilinochchi have begun removing a damaged bridge on the Paranthan–Karachchi–Mullaitivu (A35) road, a key route disrupted by the cyclone.
"This joint effort marks another step toward restoring vital connectivity for affected communities," it said.
India has additionally sent nearly 1,000 tonnes of food items and clothing contributed by the people of Tamil Nadu. Of these, about 300 tonnes reached Colombo on Sunday morning aboard three Indian Naval ships.
High Commissioner Santosh Jha handed over the supplies to Sri Lankan Minister for Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe.
India, on November 28, launched 'Operation Sagar Bandhu', a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) initiative, to aid Sri Lanka in its recovery from the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Since the launch of the operation, India has provided about 58 tonnes of relief material, including dry rations, tents, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, essential cloths, water purification kits and about 4.5 tonnes of medicines and surgical equipment, the Indian mission said in a press release on Sunday.
Another 60 tonnes of equipment, including generators, inflatable rescue boats, Outboard Motors, and excavators, have also been brought to Sri Lanka, it said, adding that 185 tonnes of Bailey Bridge units were airlifted to restore critical connectivity along with 44 engineers.
Two columns of the National Disaster Response Force, comprising 80 experts and K9 units with specially trained dogs, assisted with immediate rescue and relief efforts in Sri Lanka.
Besides the field hospital in Mahiyanganaya, medical centres have also been set up in the badly hit Ja-Ela region and in Negombo. INS Vikrant, INS Udaygiri, and INS Sukanya provided immediate rescue and relief assistance to Sri Lanka.
Apart from the two Chetak helicopters deployed from INS Vikrant, two heavy-lift, MI-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force are actively involved in evacuations and airlifting relief material, the release said.
At the request of the Sri Lankan Disaster Management Centre, a virtual meeting was organised between DMC and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s National Remote Sensing Centre on Saturday.
Since the onset of the disaster, ISRO has been providing maps to assist DMC in its rescue efforts, the release said.
