Round The States
New Delhi, 6 August, 2016
‘Criminal’
States
ONE
THIRD ARE MINISTERS
By
Insaf
Would one get a job with a criminal record?
Never, but shockingly over 34 per cent criminals adorn the Treasury Benches in various
States. Bluntly, out of 609 Ministers analysed from 29
State Assemblies and two Union
Territories, 210 have criminal
cases against them, according to the latest study by the Delhi-based think-tank Association of Democratic
Reform (ADR). Moreover,
of these, 113 Ministers have been charged with murder, kidnapping, and crime
against women. Pertinently, Maharashtra
tops the list criminal-Ministers with 18, followed by 11 from Bihar, Telengana
and Jharkhand vie for third place with 9 each, Delhi boasts of 4 and Uttarakhand of 2
Ministers. More scandalous, it seems
crime pays whereby not only are the 210 criminal mantris crorepatis but their average assets total Rs 9.52 crores,
while Ministers with no criminal cases possessions is Rs 8.10 crores.
This is not all. Of these 609 State Ministers, 462 (76 per cent) are crorepatis. In fact,
the Council of Ministers in Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab and Puducherry are 100
per cent crorepatis, 97 per cent
Karnataka Ministers and 92 per cent from Rajasthan, Goa,
Meghalaya and Chhattisgarh have declared assets over Rs 1 crore. Interestingly,
20 Andhra Pradesh Ministers account for the highest average assets of Rs 45.49
crores, next comes Karnataka’s 31 Ministers with Rs 36.96 crores and seven from
Arunachal Pradesh with average chattels of Rs 32.62 crores. However Tripura
bucks the trend with the lowest average assets. Twelve Ministers have average
assets of a mere Rs 31.67 lakhs. Undeniably, India’s aam aadmi is being ruled by amir
mantris!
* * * *
Blow
For Gujarat
The BJP Government in Gujarat was hit by a
double whammy: One, prior to the leadership change following the sudden
resignation of its first woman Chief Minister Anandiben Patel Chief and two,
the Gujarat High Court quashing the ordinance providing 10 per cent quota for
the economically backward among the unreserved category, promulgated to pacify
the agitating Patel community who were demanding quota in jobs and educational
institutions under OBC quota. Terming it “inappropriate and
unconstitutional", the Court held that it would breach the 50 per cent
quota cap set up by the Supreme Court. Clearly, bad news for the Saffron Sangh as
it grapples with multiple challenges, including Patidar quota stir, ahead of
next year's Assembly polls. All eyes are now on the Supreme Court as it hears
the State Government petition soon.
* * * *
UP Has
10.45 Judges per 10 Lakh
Justice delayed is justice denied, an adage
which underscores the appalling condition of our judicial system and the
snail’s pace cases progress. Deplorably, India has just 18 judges per 10
lakh people! While Mizoram has the highest judge-to-population ratio at 57.74,
in Delhi it is 47.33, UP 10.54 and Bengal 10.45 judges per 10 lakh people. Worse, in 24
States, High Courts face a shortage of 477 judges despite an increased strength
of 1,079. Predictably, the subordinate courts the backbone of our justice
delivery system in States have a sanctioned strength of 20,502 but there are
only 16,070 judicial officers serving therein, a shortage of 4,432. Alas the
1987 Law Commission report which had recommended 50 judges for a population of
10 lakhs continues to gather dust. Whither justice?
* * * *
Delhi is LG’s Territory
The AAP Government’s campaign for full statehood
to Delhi faced a major setback with the Delhi
High Court ruling that the Capital continues to be a Union Territory.
Adding insult to injury it stated that the Administrative control would
continue to rest with the Lieutenant Governor. Undeniably dashing Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s decisions to probe alleged irregularities in the
functioning of the Delhi
and District Control Association and the CNG fitness scam. The first was
directed at Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who had headed the DDCA and the
later against former Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit. The Court also set aside
the appointments of nominee directors to the three power distribution
companies, directions to Electricity Regulator DERC to pay compensation for
disruption of power supply and revision of circle rates and stamp duty. AAP
leaders are in quandary as Kejriwal is busy meditating in the cool climbs of
Dharamshala. of meditation.
* * * *
Tamil
Nadu For Prohibition
On the heels of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish
Kumar, Tamil Nadu’s Amma Jayalalitha emphasized that she was serious about
bringing in total liquor prohibition in the State. Further taking a pot shot at
her predecessor DMK’s Karunanidhi she lambasted him for lifting the dry law in
1971. This opened the flood gates of shops that sold arrack, todi and Indian
made foreign liquor. Predictably, angry DMK led by Leader of Opposition MK
Stalin walked out of the State Assembly followed by the Congress and IUML
legislators. The war of words continues.---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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