Those dividing nation on religious terms are not its well-wishers: Kejriwal
New Delhi, Aug 15: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday urged people to love and respect fellow Indians for the nation's development, saying those dividing the country on religious grounds are not its well-wishers.
"People are made to fight in the name of religion. One religion is instigated against another. The nation is our mother and we are its children irrespective of the religion or caste. A house where people living together are fighting will not progress," Kejriwal said in his speech on the 72nd Independence Day.
He said those who instigated one religion against the other were not the well-wishers of the country.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader also asked the people to recall the dreams of freedom fighters as the nation completes 71 years of freedom.
"A number of people lost their lives to give freedom to the nation with a vision for the country and the people. Can we say that we have fulfilled those dreams and visions?"
He said a number of countries got independence after India but had surged past India in growth.
"India is still counted among backward countries. We are considered a developing nation and not developed," he said.
Counting the issues faced by the people, he said a large number of people were illiterate, poor and lacked basic facilities like electricity, water and health.
Speaking about the achievements of his government in the last three years, he said it had proved that things can be improved. "All we need is a clear intention."
He urged people to work on the education sector on war footing so that no one is left uneducated.
"If we only dedicate one year to improving education, no can stop us from being number one in the world. No nation can develop without education," he said.
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HC to decide if gram panchayat members can continue in Manipur post tenure: SC
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday said the high court would decide whether the elected gram panchayat members, whose five-year tenure was over in Manipur, were entitled to continue in their posts in the event of the appointment of an administrative committee or an administrator.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said it would like to have the benefit of the view of the high court in the matter and set a three-month time frame to adjudicate the legal question.
"The question that falls for consideration in this case is that whether the elected member of the Gram Panchayat whose five-year tenure is over was entitled to continue as members of the gram panchayat in the event of appointment of administrative committee or administrator, as contemplated under Section 22 of the Manipur Panchayati Raj Act of 1994," the bench noted.
The Manipur government’s counsel said the state could not hold panchayat elections due to the unprecedented violence.
"Since, we would like to have the advantage of the opinion of the high court, we dispose of the special leave petition without expressing any opinion on merits, with the request to the chief justice of Manipur High Court to post the main case before a division bench at the earliest. We further request the division bench, before whom the matter is listed, to provide expeditious hearing with an endeavour to resolve the controversy within three months," the bench said.
The bench noted that provision of Manipur Panchayati Raj Act was amended to substitute the word "cease" with the word "continue" with respect to the tenure of the elected members of the gram panchayat.
The petitioners have challenged a high court order and submitted that since elections in gram panchayat could not be held in Manipur for various reasons, the previously elected members of the panchayat were entitled to continue as per the amended Section 22 (3) of 1994 Act.
Section 22 deals with the power of deputy commissioner to appoint an administrative committee or an administrator for a period of six months, which will then oversee the election.
Section 22 (3) of the law says once the administrative committee or an administrator is appointed by the deputy commissioner, the elected members of earlier gram panchayat shall cease to exist.
The top court said what has been challenged before it was an interlocutory order of the high court and the main petition in which the question of law that had been raised was still pending.
The original petitioners before the high court were elected representatives at the fifth general elections for gram panchayats and the zilla parishads who sought a direction to continue in the office beyond the period of five years as stipulated by law as elections were last held in 2017.
They sought to continue as panchayat members till the time the state election commission notified the election for the sixth general elections for gram panchayats and zilla parishads.
On February 29, last year, the high court in its interim order gave liberty to Manipur government to appoint an administrative committee for each gram panchayat and zilla parishad in accordance with law and the provision of the Act.
