Assembly polls 2022: 2,271 FIRs for Covid-19, poll code violations

Around 2,270 First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur, Goa and Uttarakhand this election season for violation of model code of conduct and COVID-19 guidelines.

The highest number of FIRs were registered in UP, which ended its seven-phase polling on Monday. Out of 1,700 FIRs registered in UP, 1,236 were for violation of model code of conduct, while 464 were for Covid-19 related violations.

After criticism for its handling of the pandemic during the last assembly elections in 2020, the Election Commission of India took extra precautions this time, banning all physical rallies and road shows for nearly three weeks of the campaign period.

It asked the state’s electoral machinery to take strict action against any Covid-19 related violations by political parties and leaders and directed the district election officers to book the violators without delay.

As per the latest data, while 464 FIRs were registered in UP for violation of epidemiological guidelines, Uttarakhand registered 93 FIRs. 48 FIRs were registered in Goa and 26 in Punjab for COVID-19 violations. Not a single FIR was registered in this case in Manipur. In all, over 300 FIRs were registered in Uttarakhand, 104 in Punjab, 106 in Goa and 26 in Manipur for violation of model code of conduct and COVID-19 directives.

While party-wise data on FIRs is still being compiled, the figures in UP till February 27 are telling. Maximum 306 FIRs were registered against Samajwadi Party in UP for Covid-19 and model code violation. He is followed by BJP at 256, against Bahujan Samaj Party at 132 and Congress at 99.

The smaller partners were not spared either. The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) had lodged 60 FIRs against him, while Owai’s AIMIM had 16 and the Aam Aadmi Party had filed 32 FIRs against him. There are four such FIRs against NDA ally Apna Dal. 47 FIRs registered against independents

The important metric in this round of elections, however, as per the data compiled so far, was the voting percentage in all the states except Manipur. Election Commission officials said that even though the turnout was slightly lower, the turnout is high as nearly 11 million new voters have been added across five states since the 2017 elections.

That’s what the polling figures say though. While Goa recorded 81.27% voter turnout in the 2017 assembly elections, it was 79.61% in the 2022 elections. Uttarakhand was largely stagnant, but showed a slight decline – from 65.56% in 2017 to 65.37% in 2022.

UP has almost uniform turnout in seven phases with slight decline and increase. Punjab saw a major drop- from 77.4% in 2017 to 71.95% in 2022.

Manipur, on the other hand, increased from 85.9% in Phase 1 in 2017 to 88.69% in 2022 and from 87.2% in Phase 2 in 2017 to 89.70% in 2022.

Originally published at Pen 18

maharashtra: Maharashtra bills on local body polls may face legal scrutiny

The Maharashtra Assembly has passed two bills that will make it mandatory for the state to redraw ward maps, prepare electoral rolls and for the State Election Commission to consult the state government before finalizing the poll dates.

The Assembly on Monday unanimously passed the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act and the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act as well as the Maharashtra Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act.

The Supreme Court recently quashed the state’s decision to reserve 27% wards in local bodies for OBCs. With all parties agreeing that local body elections should not be held before the OBC quota is reinstated, the state government introduced two bills that mirror similar enactments in neighboring Madhya Pradesh.

Constitutional expert Ulhas Bapat said, “There are some constitutional problems with the Bill. Prima facie, they have been passed in haste. A bill that extends the term of an elected body and curtails the powers of the Election Commission, deserves judicial scrutiny. may face.” “The Election Commission is a constitutional authority to conduct free and fair elections. Taking away its powers may be violative of the basic structure of the Constitution. It cannot stand the test of law,” he said.

The Supreme Court order had said that the OBC quota should be based on rigorous empirical data and specify the proportion of reservation. The total reservation should not exceed the 50% quota limit prescribed in Indira Sawhney case also.

Originally published at Pen 18

uttarakhand: Congress to send observers to Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab to keep flock together after polls

Trying to keep its flock together in the case of hung assemblies in Goa, Uttarakhand and Punjab, the Congress has chalked out a plan and deputed some of its leaders to these states in case of a post-poll scenario. The Congress has also appointed party leader Deepinder Hooda as its special observer in Uttarakhand, who along with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will work on the post-poll scenario after the results are out on March 10. Hooda will leave for Uttarakhand on Tuesday morning.

Party sources said plans are also afoot in the Grand Old Party to shift its newly-elected MLAs to a safer place in the Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

Sources said the party is also deputing other leaders in Goa and Punjab, who will assess the situation after the declaration of the results and keep their MLAs along.

He also said the legislators would be kept in “safe places” to prevent “potential attempts by others to hunt them down” to stop what they are saying.

Exit polls have predicted a tight race in Uttarakhand and Goa, while most of them have predicted a victory for the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab.

Originally published at Pen 18

Amrapali projects: Bank consortium informs SC of Rs 300 crore infusion for completion of stalled Amrapali projects

In a bid to boost the construction of stalled projects of Amrapali, the Supreme Court was informed on Monday that Bank of Baroda which is leading the 6-bank consortium has made an investment of Rs 300 crore. A bench of Justices UU Lalit and Bela M Trivedi directed the other banks of the consortium to release the balance amount of Rs 1,200 crore before March 14, the next date of hearing.

Initially, the bench was informed by senior advocate N Venkataramani, who was appointed as court receiver, that Bank of Baroda has invested Rs 300 crore, while the other five banks of the consortium are in the process of releasing the funds. .

The counsel appearing for the consortium said that the banks are in the final stages of releasing the funds and assured that they will get the approval soon.

Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), said they are conducting structural audit of under-construction projects of Amrapali through two agencies VNIT Nagpur and NIT Jalandhar.

He said the company needs to operate without interference from home buyers and their consortium, as it would delay the execution of the stalled project.

The bench concurred with the submission and said that home buyers should not create any trouble.

On February 21, NBCC assured the top court that the construction of stalled projects of Amrapali Group would be of good quality and that independent experts would assess the safety and quality parameters.

The assurance was given to the court by NBCC after some Amrapali home buyers expressed their concern in the wake of poor quality work in a housing project in Gurugram, where residents have been asked to vacate the building.

The home buyers, through advocate ML Lahoti, sought court’s intervention in ensuring quality control of works done by NBCC in Amrapali projects.

Dave had said that the company is committed to maintain the quality of the work done by it and the controversy over the Gurugram project should not be linked to the Amrapali projects.

NBCC had earlier told the top court that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, it is making all efforts to successfully complete various projects of Amrapali Group located in Noida and Greater Noida.

It had said that at present, 10 projects in Noida and 12 in Greater Noida are under execution, comprising 45,957 units with a sanctioned project cost of Rs 8,025.78 crore.

The apex court, in its July 23, 2019 judgment, had cracked the whip on builders at fault for breach of trust reposed by home buyers and ordered cancellation of the registration of Amrapali Group under real estate law RERA , and had taken it out of prime properties. By abolishing NCR land leases.

The former group directors of Amrapali- Anil Kumar Sharma, Shiv Priya and Ajay Kumar are in jail on the orders of the apex court.

The court had directed the Enforcement Directorate to probe alleged money laundering by realtors, giving relief to over 42,000 home buyers of Amrapali Group from the verdict.

The top court, which is trying to bring in funds for stalled projects, had then directed state-run NBCC to complete the stalled projects of Amrapali Group.

Originally published at Pen 18

Aditya Narayan Bids Adieu To Hosting With a Heavy Heart After Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Finale – Pen 18

Mumbai: Singer and host Aditya Narayan shares a very special connection with the singing reality TV show ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’. The show concluded on Sunday, March 06 and declared Nilenjana Ray as the winner. The singer penned an emotional note as the show drew to a close and that he would no longer be hosting it. Aditya shared some special moments from the show, including his father Udit Narayan, judges Shankar Mahadevan, Himesh Reshammiya and Vishal Dadlani.Also read- Aditya Narayan-Shweta Agarwal welcome baby girl, singer said ‘was secretly praying for daughter’

Taking to his Instagram handle, Aditya captioned the post, “With a heavy heart, I bid adieu to my hosting duties for a show that gave me my identity as an adult, Saregamapa. From an 18 year old teenager to a young man with a beautiful wife and a baby girl! 15 years. 9 seasons. 350 Episodes Time Really Udaar. Thank you Neeraj Sharma, my soul brother. The best is yet to come!” Also Read – Aditya Narayan And Wife Shweta Are Expecting Their First Child, Neha Kakkar, Avika Gor And Others Congratulate

Check it out:

Also Read – Smriti Irani, Sameera Reddy to Khushboo Sundar: Incredible Weight Loss Transformations of 2021

Singer and show’s judge Vishal immediately commented on Aditya’s post. He urged him to reconsider his decision to discontinue hosting until he was making excellent music. He wrote, “Vishal wrote, “Dude… what should I say? Your first SRGMP was also my first SRGMP, and for what it’s worth… I hope you change your mind. Or, the music you make is so incredibly loved and successful that you don’t have time to do TV!! with whom I can live. Go, etc… live your life! Love you man (sic).

Several friends from the industry wished him all the best for his future and told how much they will miss him as a host. While actor Nia Sharma wrote, “@adityanarayanofficial more power to youuuuuuuu!!!!” Indian playback singer Aditi Singh Sharma wrote, “You are the best addict, there will never be a host like you Bum Digit. @adityanarayanofficial”

On the personal front, Aditya Narayan welcomed a baby girl with his wife Shweta Agarwal on February 24. Fans and family congratulated the couple!

Watch this space for more updates!

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Originally published at Pen 18

Trinamool Plans Oppn CMs’ Conclave on Lines of NTR’s 1983 Meeting

Drawing parallels with NT Rama Rao’s opposition convention in 1983, the Trinamool Congress intends to convene an opposition chief ministers’ conference to put forward an opposition alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

NT Rama Rao (NTR), the former chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh, launched a non-Congress Unified Front in 1983 on his birthday – 28 May – by hosting a conference in Vijayawada to chalk out a common strategy. Rao, who took the initiative at the 1983 Vijayawada Conclave, marked the beginning of opposition unity, which bore fruit in the 1989 government of Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh.

“We are currently planning to organize a conference of opposition chief ministers without the prime ministerial face and unite against the anti-people policies of the BJP. There will be a platform. Against the Congress in 1983. It was taken forward by Farooq Abdullah, who organized the second such conference in Kashmir. These were small steps but it led to a united opposition and led to the formation of Vishwanath Pratap Singh’s government,” Trinamool Congress’ national spokesperson Sukhendu Shekhar Roy told ET.

The effort initiated by NTR in 1983 was followed by conferences in Srinagar and Kolkata in 1984 and several meetings in New Delhi. NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah were among 24 leaders from 14 opposition parties who shared a common stage in Vijayawada with NT Rama Rao as the host.

“Whatever step the opposition parties will take, it is a step towards Lok Sabha elections and it will be done through deliberation, combination of views and consensus of like-minded people,” Roy said.

“Keeping an eye on the coming Lok Sabha elections, the opposition parties will unite and strengthen themselves with various regional parties that dominate a particular state or region – DMK in Tamil Nadu and KCR in Telangana. However, there are other like-minded and adversaries. -BJP forces will also be involved,” Roy told ET. “Some opposition chief ministers are determined to start a fight against the BJP to save the democracy and the federal structure of the country. After the rise of the BJP, the federal structure of the country is at stake. It is the fundamental duty of the Center. To preserve it. For.”

Apart from the conclave, the Trinamool is planning to convene a meeting of its National Working Committee (NWC) in New Delhi during the second phase of the budget session of Parliament in March. The party intends to form an opposition alliance with anti-BJP opposition leaders through the conclave. Banerjee has already set the ball rolling after initial discussions with MK Stalin and KCR, who in turn took the issue forward with Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray.

Roy slammed the governors of various opposition-ruled states for “acting as agents of the central government” and interfering in the day-to-day activities of the state. “Bengal has seen regular interference of the Governor in the routine affairs of the state. Unless we are united with our respective identities, there will be centralization of the executive.”

Originally published at Pen 18

Illegal activities of Chinese companies in India under lens

Since the launch of crackdowns against Chinese firms for alleged evasion of taxes, the government has uncovered several cases of illegal activities by Chinese business entities, either directly or through proxy, in sectors including telecommunications, higher education and microfinance.

According to investigations launched by security and investigative agencies, several Chinese companies in India were found to be involved in tax evasion, ET has learned.

Bengaluru-registered Jumpmonkey Promotion Pvt Ltd, which is operated by Biyaladugu Krishnaiah and a Chinese national Hutu, committed the fraud of issuing fake invoices (₹18.16 crore) to various Chinese firms/companies in which services were offered to Chinese nationals. The director was kept without genuine supply so as to take advantage of the fake. Input tax credit by Chinese firms, ET has learned reliably. Sources said that Jumpmonkey issued fake invoices to companies running illegal sugar loan apps such as Truthhigh Finance Pvt Ltd (₹0.36 crore), Ajay Solutions Pvt Ltd (₹0.18 crore), Bienance Information Technology Pvt Ltd (Rs 0.19 crore), Gorupi had done. Infintech Services Pvt Ltd (₹0.14 crore), and VCred Technologies Pvt Ltd (₹0.03 crore). Sources alleged that it is likely that Jumpmonkey (created in 2019) helped these illegal loan app companies launder money abroad.

ET has learned that over 1,000 pre-activated SIM cards were also exported to China and some re-entered India through Chinese nationals. About 1,650 pre-activated Indian SIM cards were sent to China through Star Spring, a Gurugram-based hotel, the people said. Four Chinese nationals were arrested as part of this network for smuggling SIM cards. Leading Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE reportedly had links with the hotel owner, a Chinese national, ET has learned.

It may be recalled that tax raids were conducted against ZTE Corp in 2021, after which the Income Tax Department unearthed tax liability of hundreds of crores over the years, unaccounted money and failure to deduct tax at source for several financial years . Social media has also been misused by Chinese companies for financial fraud. China Radio International (CRI), in its Tamil broadcast, advocates a pro-China stance by drawing an official Chinese line of economic slowdown and economic growth in China, criticism of Indian activities in the border areas and non-recognition of the union territory. Used to be. Ladakh.

Originally published at Pen 18