The best way to know the self is feeling oneself at the moments of reckoning. The feeling of being alone, just with your senses, may lead you to think more consciously. More and more of such moments may sensitize ‘you towards you’, towards others. We become regular with introspection and retrospection. We get ‘the’ gradual connect to the higher self we may name Spirituality or God or just a Humane Conscious. We tend to get a rhythm again in life. We need to learn the art of being lonely in crowd while being part of the crowd. A multitude of loneliness in mosaic of relations! One needs to feel it severally, with conscience, before making it a way of life. One needs to live several such lonely moments. One needs to live severallyalone.

Tuesday 16 April 2019

WHY THEY WERE BANNED?


Yogi Adityanath, Azam Khan, Maneka Gandhi and Mayawati were banned by the Election Commission for giving provocative speeches.

Azam Khan questioned her rival Jaya Prada’s personal character and commented he knew Jaya Prada wore khaki underwear.

Yogi Adityanath said if SP, BSP and Congress have Ali, we have Bajrang Bali.

Maneka Gandhi tried to warn the Muslim voters that if they vote for her, there will be no jobs for them.

Mayawati appealed to the Muslim voters to vote for her.

According to the EC model code of conduct, criticism can only be for work, past record, policies and programme and anyone’s private life should not be looked into.

The model code of conduct says leaders must not use language or should not indulge in activity that promotes that creates tension and hatred between caste and communities, religious or linguistic.

The EC, through a guideline, has also advised leaders to not indulge in acts that are repugnant to a woman’s honour and dignity.

AZAM KHAN VIOLATED SECOND CLAUSE OF THE MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT.

Criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work. Parties and Candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.

An FIR under section 509 of the Indian Penal Code was also registered against him under Section 125 of the Representation of People’s’ Act 1951 for making personally objectionable comment against Jaya Prada.  

What the EC’s November 2013 notification about women’s honour and dignity says?

All political parties and candidates to refrain from any deeds, actions or otherwise that may be construed as being repugnant to honour and dignity of women.

Section 125 in the Representation of the People Act, 1951

Promoting enmity between classes in connection with election.—Any person who in connection with an election under this Act promotes or attempts to promote on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language, feelings of enmity or hatred, between different classes of the citizens of India shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

YOGI ADITYANATH VIOLATED THIRD AND FOURTH CLAUSE OF THE MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT.

There shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Mosques, Churches, Temples or other places of worship shall not be used as forum for election propaganda.

All parties and candidates shall avoid scrupulously all activities which are “corrupt practices” and offences under the election law, such as bribing of voters, intimidation of voters, impersonation of voters, canvassing within 100 meters of polling stations, holding public meetings during the period of 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for the close of the poll, and the transport and conveyance of voters to and from polling station.

MAYAWATI VIOLATED THIRD AND FOURTH CLAUSE OF THE MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT.

MANEKA GANDHI VIOLATED THIRD AND FOURTH CLAUSE OF THE MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT AS WELL AS SECTION 123 OF THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE’S ACT 1951.

Section 123 of the Representation of the People’s Act 1951 deals with corrupt electoral practices.

©SantoshChaubey 

WHY SUPREME COURT QUESTIONED ELECTION COMMISSION?


The Supreme Court questioned the Election Commission (EC) if it had powers to implement the model code of conduct. While hearing a plea, the top court went by the run of hate speeches being given by leaders in this electoral season and asked why the Election Commission was not able to take action against them.

When the lawyer of the EC said that the election body was toothless and powerless against hate speeches, Chief Justice of India retorted back saying wasn’t the Election Commission aware of its powers?

Asking either the Chief Election Commissioner or a representative conversant with the matter to be present in the court during next hearing today, the CJ of India said he would like to examine the matter further.

The top court objected on the EC practice of issuing just a notice on the violation of model code of conduct using hate speech followed by an advisory if violation was still continued emphasizing that EC needed more to do.

After the SC’s caustic remarks yesterday, the EC suddenly came into action and banned Yogi Adityanath, Maneka Gandhi, Mayawati and Azam Khan for delivering proactive speeches that violated model code of conduct. The ban that is from today, though, is only for two days for Maneka Gandhi and Mayawati and for three days for Yogi Adityanath and Azam Khan.

If we go back to the previous Lok Sabha elections in 2014, the EC ban for inflammatory speeches on Amit Shah was on for one week while Azam Khan and Giriraj Singh were banned for the whole campaign phase. The ban on Amit Shah was lifted after after a week after he vowed not to use abusive or derogatory language again. Election Commissioner HS Brahma had said 2014 poll campaign was worst in 30 years.

Going by that standard, the EC decision this time looks tampered as social media has added another extension to derogatory and abusive language though the top court is happy that at least EC is doing something.

But why the country’s top court has to call the EC to get up, to wake from the deep slumber it is in to realize the powers it has?

Why can’t it take decisions like it did in past when it had banned and disenfranchised Shiv Sena’s Bal Thackeray and Ramesh Prabhoo for 6 years for corrupt electoral practices, or comparatively tougher decisions to back to ban Amit Shah, Azam Khan and Giriraj Singh in 2014?

Will the EC follow the suit now? If we can’t expect to see a replica of it, can we a stronger institutional body?

©SantoshChaubey