|| Satyameva Jayate ||

Dedicated to Bharat and Dharma

Volunteer to remove Criminals and Cash from Indian Politics

by · November 5, 2008

I am very happy to post this appeal from ADR re. the forthcoming elections (courtesy Nitin).

***

We all dream of an India in which our politicians are honest, public-minded, and deliver effective governance and development to citizens. While we all want to contribute to this dream, we do not know how…
 
Now is your chance to act!
 
With six State Assembly Elections scheduled for Nov/ December 2008, the Association for Democratic Reform (http://www.adrindia.org/home/index.asp) desperately needs your support with their national Election Watch effort.
 
Among other things, this effort will involve:
 
1) Assembling information on contesting candidates (criminal records, assets/liabilities, educational qualifications), 
 
2) Monitoring election expenses incurred by electoral candidates and political parties,
 
3) Disseminating all this information to the public to help them make an informed choice, using a variety of channels such as media, SMS campaigns, e-mailers, etc
 
Most importantly, ADR is in the process of setting up a toll-free helpline to enable people to get candidate data and related information easily. Interested citizens from any of the six states going to the polls will be able to call into the hotline.
 
So, do your bit for the country! Volunteer with ADR for 8-10 hours a day over November/ December 2008. While you will receive a small honorarium to cover travel etc, you will – more importantly – have the satisfaction of knowing that you have contributed to a nationally crucial cause.
 
To volunteer and/ or to find out more, please contact:
 
Anil Bairwal
Tel: 91 11 6590 1524
Email: adr.delhi AT gmail.com; abairwal AT gmail.com
 
PS. A minimum commitment of 2 weeks is required.

An Update re. Section 49-O 

49-O.   Elector  deciding  not  to  vote

– If  an  elector,  after  his electoral  roll number has been duly entered in the register of voters in Form-17A and has put his signature or thumb impression thereon  as required under  sub-rule (1) of rule 49L, decided not to  record  his vote,  a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry in Form  17A  by  the
presiding  officer  and  the  signature  or  thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark.

This is under the Conduct of Election Rules 1961

Source: http://lawmin.nic.in/ld/subord/cer1.htm

Pl. note that there is no record published of these votes. If a majority vote under 49(O), that does not mean the election is re-held.

Tags:

B Shantanu

Political Activist, Blogger, Advisor to start-ups, Seed investor. One time VC and ex-Diplomat. Failed mushroom farmer; ex Radio Jockey. Currently involved in Reclaiming India - One Step at a Time.

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12 Responses

  1. B Shantanu says:
    November 5, 2008 at 4:19 pm

    From the archives:

    ‘Millionaire’ CM pays just Rs 12,491 income tax by Ramesh Kandula (Dec ’07)

    Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy may be a millionaire politician in the public eye but he has paid income tax of just Rs 12,491 in 2004-05.

    According to the official records of the assets of the state legislators, obtained by Lok Satta Party under Right to Information Act, the Chief Minister owns assets totalling Rs 3.36 crore, besides Rs 42 lakh worth shares in companies.

    …The family members of Reddy, widely seen as “Rayalaseema strongman”, are known to own thousands of acres of land in Kadapa district and have business interests in the state and in neighbouring Karnataka.

    The Chief Minister had “voluntarily surrendered” over 900 acres of surplus land in his native district of Kadapa in January this year which was in possession of his family members in violation of land laws.

    …According to Lok Satta’s findings, only 83 legislators in the 294-member Assembly have submitted the details of their assets before the Speaker though such a declaration is mandatory on the part of MLAs.

    The Chief Minister has not filed the financial declaration for the last two years. Of the 41 ministers in the cabinet, 28 have failed to file their declarations even once in the last four years.

  2. B Shantanu says:
    November 11, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    Another disgusting and shameful incident…thankfully the police did act:

    MP minister who abused poll official arrested

    Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Police on Tuesday arrested state minister Tukaji Rao Pawar for allegedly threatening and misbehaving with an electoral officer in Indore.

    Pawar, the state tourism minister, allegedly threw the papers at returning officer Sanjana Jain at her office after she rejected his demand to reject the nomination papers of former minister Sajjan Singh Verma, who is the Congress candidate from Sonkach constituency.

    …When Jain told the minister that she had reviewed the objections against Sajjan Singh’s nomination and found his papers valid, Pawar allegedly threw papers at her table and used abusive language against her.

    http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mp-minister-who-abused-poll-official-arrested/77895-3.html

  3. Krishen Kak says:
    November 14, 2008 at 1:38 pm

    Hoisted by her own petard!

    http://www.dailypioneer.com/134206/Deshmukh-camp-happy-with-Alva’s-exit.html

    Deshmukh camp happy with Alva’s exit

    TN Raghunatha | Mumbai

    Ironical it may seem now but senior Congress leader from the coastal Konkan region Retd Colonel Sudhir Sawant had once created a stir by alleging that as general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Margaret Alva was exchanging money for posts. Sawant had also offered to prove his charge before an inquiry committee. He put in his papers on November 24, 2007, a day after he was served a show cause notice by the AICC’s disciplinary committee for making charges of corruption against Alva.

    A year later, Alva has now paid the price for taking a moral position and making an allegation in public that party tickets were “sold” in the Karnataka Assembly polls………..

  4. B Shantanu says:
    November 14, 2008 at 5:53 pm

    Cash-for-ticket row now rattles BJP

    http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/elections-rajasthan/election_story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080072553

    Rahul Sharma
    Friday, November 14, 2008 12:25 AM (Jaipur)

    Cash-for-ticket charges are now coming from BJP ranks. Vishvendra Singh, the Bharatpur MP and Rajasthan CM’s advisor, is saying that the seat he wanted was sold.

    …But, a rattled BJP has refused to probe the charge.

    …While the BJP is fighting a battle, the Congress fights a war. It wonders what to do with the 13 complaints of seat sale sent to Sonia Gandhi.

    While new complaints keep throwing up surprises, past elections have come back to haunt when Congress leader Narendra Swamy had alleged that Congress sold tickets and its leader should be put through narco-analysis.

  5. Jago Party says:
    November 16, 2008 at 6:43 pm

    Dear Friends,

    Whenever you see corruption, cheating, eve-teasing, child-labor, injustice, violation of consumer right etc, please lodge a complaint at party website:
    http://www.jago.in/postincident.php.

    Let us cultivate the habit of complaining. Only by complaining and following it up with authorities, we
    can pressurize them to be less corrupt and inefficient.

    Jago Party will take immediate action on all such complaints by following up with authorities. Please forward this mail to all your friends.

    Regards,

    Jago Party
    http://www.jago.in

  6. B Shantanu says:
    November 18, 2008 at 11:58 pm

    A dose of realism:

    Money power in polls cannot be completely eliminated: Rahul

    Amritsar (PTI): Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said use of money power in elections cannot be completely eliminated but his party will try to minimise it.

    Asked by reporters here on the role of money power in elections and how the Congress intended to fight it, the Amethi MP said, “we want to minimise the use of money power. I am not naive to say that we can completely eliminate it.”

    http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200811182131.htm

  7. B Shantanu says:
    November 22, 2008 at 1:02 am

    I wonder if this is something to applaud or worry about (given the blurring of the “secular” line between religion and state):

    [ Oct 22 ’08 ] …The 2008 Assembly election of Mizoram is going to be very different from the past ones, thanks to the Mizoram Peoples’ Forum (MPF), which is strictly monitoring the event so that nothing “dirty” occurs this time.

    The Mizoram Peoples’ Forum (MPF), sponsored by Mizoram Presbyterian Church Synod, the largest and most influential church body in Mizoram, has decided to monitor the election so that no untoward incidents happen and ensure that deserving candidates get elected.

    Towards this target, the Forum has banned election related community feasts, usually hosted by the political parties or by the candidates, in any part of Mizoram. The Forum has also directed that no political parties or candidates can open election offices anywhere in the State. The MPF further directed that “house-to-house” election campaigns by any party or candidate have been banned.

    …The Mizoram Presbyterian Church Synod, being the most influential church body in the state, said the directives are being strictly adhered by the public so far. [ link ]

    ***

    [ June 25 ’08 ]

    …After its initiative in ensuring that by-elections in Tlungvel and Chawngte assembly constituencies in late 2006 was relatively unostentious, an organisation in Mizoram is working to ensure that this could be replicated in the Mizoram assembly elections due later this year.

    Allegations of use of money and muscle power by political parties in elections led to the formation of the Mizo People’s Forum (MPF), an organization floated by the churches and major NGOs, on June 21, 2006.

    The MPF is now led by Rev H Vanlalauva, moderator of the Mizoram Presbyterian Synod, the biggest and most powerful church in the state.

    MPF leaders said that according to its suggestions joint public meetings could be organized on a common platform for all candidates which would bring down expenses and waste less time of the candidate and the people.

    Also, expensive and noisy street concerts to make people attend public meetings and ostentatious feasts to attract voters could be done away with, they said.

    The MPF, a leader said, investigated complaints of money being given to the people and made the findings public.

    …The objective of the Mizoram Presbysterian Church, the main proponent of the policies of the MPF, was to do away with the party system. [ link ]

  8. B Shantanu says:
    November 27, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    http://www.dailypioneer.com/137175/‘Crorepati-politicians’-club’-flourishes-in-JK.html
    ‘Crorepati politicians’ club’ flourishes in J&K

    Mohit Kandhari | Jammu

    The Richie rich club of ‘crorepati politicians’ in Jammu and Kashmir is growing fast. National Conference Chief Omar Abdullah and his wife Payal Abdullah with a net worth of over 3.5 crore are still behind former Deputy Chief Minister and senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig whose worth, according to the affidavit filed along with his nomination papers from Baramula Assembly segment, is over Rs seven crore.

    But Omar’s wife is far ahead of Baig’s life partner. Payal Abdullah is having 300 tolas of gold, precious stones and diamonds worth Rs 40 lakh in her kitty while Baig’s spouse, not too fond of jewelley, has only three sets, three chains and six bangles in her jewellery box worth Rs 5 lakh.

    Giving them company are not few but a long list of former Congress Ministers including Taj Mohi-ud Din, Nawang Rigzin Zora and former NC legislators and few independent candidates fighting a close contest to don the colours of the richest politician in the fray in Jammu and Kashmir.

    PDP leader Baig has submitted in his affidavit that a sum of Rs 1.58 crore is deposited in his bank account. He owns four vehicles, including two luxury cars, agricultural land worth Rs 5crore, besides 50 per cent joint ownership of 62 kanals non-agricultural land, jewelley worth Rs 5 lakhs in the name of his spouse, two plots, each measuring one kanal in Jammu and Srinagar.

    On the other hand Omar Abdullah has furnished details of bank accounts stating that Rs 3,17,447 are parked in his bank account along with a fixed deposit of Rs 1.60 lakh and a joint account with his wife with a bank balance of Rs 7,03,262.75. In his affidavit Omar has also submitted that he has invested a sum of Rs 3,600 in bonds, shares and debentures whereas his wife Payal Abdullah has invested more than Rs 31 lakh in shares, debentures and bonds. Omar’s wife also owns a flat in a posh Delhi colony worth Rs 1.68 crore and a factory in Kullu in Himanchal Pradesh with a net worth of Rs 90 lakh.

    Former Congress Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din from Uri is one of the richest Congressmen in the State. He has Rs 80.9 lakh in his different bank accounts, Rs 1 lakh cash in hand, 300 tolas of gold in the name of his wife, diamond jewellery worth Rs 5 lakhs, a fleet of four wheelers including Scorpio, Zen and two jeeps. His wife has a bank balance of Rs 25 lakh in her account. Taj is the proud owner of roughly 350 kanals of orchard land and 62 kanals of non-agricultural land in Kathua and five houses in Jammu and Srinagar.

    Congress candidate from Leh constituency Nawang Rigzin Jora is a new entrant in the club of crorepatis. Jora has declared that his wife owns a 34 room hotel worth Rs 2.40 crore. He also owns a flat worth Rs 50 lakh at Rajinder Nagar in Delhi. His immovable properties are valued at Rs 15 lakh.

    Former Minister and independent candidate from Handwara Sofi Ghulam Mohiuddin has assets worth over Rs four crore, mostly comprising agricultural and non-agricultural land.

    Omar’s uncle Sheikh Mustafa Kamal is not too far. He has a bank balance of Rs 50 lakh, Rs three lakh in cash, and a luxury car worth 6.25 lakh. He owns a joint ancestral land of over 50 kanals (agricultural land) in Jammu and Srinagar.

    Meanwhile, Shabnum Gani Lone, daughter of slain Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Gani Lone, who is contesting from Kupwara, is also a millionaire. A lawyer by profession, Lone’s assets are worth 2.24 crore, including a house in the city and a flat in Faridabad worth Rs 60 lakh and Rs20 lakh respectively, fixed deposit of Rs 56 lakh and nearly Rs three lakh in savings. She owns three vehicles valued at Rs 11 lakh.

    Faqir Mohammad Khan, the Congress candidate from Gurez constituency, does not have any bank deposits like most of the contestants. He owns a plot worth Rs 10 lakh. However, his wife has a bank balance of Rs two crore and also owns land worth Rs 7.5 lakh. Panthers party leader Harsh Dev Singh is also one of the richest MLAs and is seeking a third term from Ramnagar constituency. His bank balance is over 6.5 lakh, LIC policy worth Rs 5 lakh, and jewellery worth 6 lakh. He along with his wife owns more than 20 kanals of land and has stakes in ancestral property worth several lakhs. PDP leader Qazi Mohd Afzal has no cash left with him and his bank balance is worth 1.13 lakh. His wife has jewellery worth Rs 3 lakh and owns a two-storied house and two shops along with more than four kanals of non-agricultural land. Several candidates have not filed their affidavits furnsihing details of their assets, and movable and immovable property.

  9. raja says:
    July 10, 2009 at 1:06 pm

    i had passport old one then i have finger print on it. but i loose passport, and unfortunatly i get another one but other information now i need to take finger print what i have to do because i had finger print in older passport but the new one not the same details on older. what i have to do?

  10. Moderator says:
    October 15, 2009 at 2:38 pm

    *** COMMENT DELETED ***

    Pl. provide authentic (and relevant) links only. The link you have mentioned does not link to the original ToI article.

    Irrelevant comments will be deleted without notice.

  11. B Shantanu says:
    October 25, 2009 at 10:36 pm

    Courtesy ADR:

    1] 50% MLAs in Maharashtra…have pending criminal charges against them according to self sworn affidavits

    2] More than 50% of MLAs are crorepatis (not just in Maharashtra but in Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh too)

  12. B Shantanu says:
    August 29, 2012 at 4:03 pm

    For the record: http://www.moneylife.in/article/crime-money-biting-the-bullet-of-the-ballot-3/28109.html#.UDzd2-qRwgN.facebook

    Crime & Money: Biting the bullet of the ballot-3
    SANDEEP KHURANA | 28/08/2012 02:57 PM