On a day of high political drama when the ruling coalition of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa suffered serious defections, the election commission on Friday set January 8, 2015 as the date for a snap presidential election.
It keeps getting harder every day for the government to drive its narrative that ample jobs are being created. They sound increasingly silly as they try to defend the indefensible, says Mahesh Vyas.
Some believe she should no longer be the face of the struggle to free Myanmar from the new military dictatorship, observes Prakash Bhandari.
Out of the 69 candidates with declared criminal cases, 30 have declared serious criminal cases like murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, reports Vicky Nanjappa
Latest records show that only one MLA in the newly-elected Gujarat assembly spent more on the election expenses than the limit specified by the Election Commission, reports Vicky Nanjappa.
The Association for Democratic Reforms, an non-government organisation working for electoral reforms, while supporting Election Commission's order to seize unaccounted cash in poll-bound states, has noted that legitimate business transactions based on cash should not suffer.
Data put out by the Karnataka Election Watch (KEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms analysed 179 outgoing MLAs who are contesting again in the 2013 Karnataka Assembly elections.
The report by Association for Democratic Reforms has the highest number of such politicians at 12.
According to the ADR analysis, during the period 2016-18 business houses donated a total of Rs 985.18 crore, constituting 93 per cent of the total contribution to political parties from known sources.
There has been a national outcry seeking harsher laws for rapists in India. As the outrage grows against the heinous incident of gangrape in Delhi and Parliament discusses the issue, Vicky Nanjappa takes a look at the background of our lawmakers (members of Parliament and members of Legislative Assembly) with respect to rape cases and other crimes against women based on their self-sworn affidavits.
A full bench of the Central Information Commission on Monday passed a historic judgment, stating that political parties would under the ambit of the Right to Information Act). While the CIC verdict was made about a case connected to the Communist Party of India, fresh complaints may be filed against all other parties before the CIC to secure a similar verdict and put them under the ambit of the RTI.
Election watchdog Association of Democratic Reforms also reported that Janata Dal-United's Mahendra Prasad was the richest with assets worth Rs 4,078 crore.
The Indian National Congress leads the political pack with most number of candidates who will contest the Tripura Assembly elections to be held in March.
Balbir Singh Verma, an independent candidate from Chopal constituency in Himachal Pradesh, has declared the highest income among all candidates -- Rs. 1.41 crore -- in his income tax returns, according to a report prepared by the Himachal Pradesh Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms.
During the last assembly elections held in Himachal Pradesh in 2007, only 16 per cent of the total candidates were crorepatis. According to a report just released by the Association for Democratic Reforms and the Himachal Pradesh Election Watch, today 33 per cent of the total 445 candidates are crorepatis.
Politically, women have been making their presence felt in voter turnouts. According to the Election Commission, the female voter turnout was higher than male turnout in 16 states and Union territories.
The Election Commission has rejected a demand to make mandatory the filing of affidavits by candidates in the Presidential poll disclosing their assets and criminal record, if any.
There are 57 members with criminal background, one with even charges of rape, and 134 crorepatis (74 per cent) in the newly-elected Gujarat assembly, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms, a non-political group aiming at governmental and electoral reforms. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
The ruling party received Rs 742 crore in 2018-19, a rise of 70 per cent from the previous year.
Statistics from the Association for Democratic Reforms analysis of the newly-elected legislative assemblies in Nagaland and Tripura indicate that there are 36 and 8 crorepatis respectively in both the Houses. Vicky Nanjappa reports:
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking stay on further sale of electoral bonds ahead of assembly elections.
A hearing on making the income tax returns of members of Parliament public was held on Thursday at the Central Information Commission premises in New Delhi.
Did you know that 98 politicians with corruption cases have been given election tickets by various parties in the last 5 years?
All political parties in India except the Communist Party of India have declined to provide information through a Right To Information application on political donations.
The newly elected Legislative Assembly in Himachal Pradesh has seen a decline in the number of members who are facing criminal cases.
The data provided by the Association for Democratic Reforms states that out of thes 60 members of Legislative Assembly, 36 (or 60 per cent) are crorepatis.
When a senior minister in Uttar Pradesh makes a statement such as 'steal a little, but don't loot', then this bit of data regarding corporate donations to political parties in the past three years would be interesting to take note of. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
As Gujarat braces for an election this year, it would be interesting to see the donations received by the political parties in the state, and the list of candidates who have a criminal background, says Vicky Nanjappa
A report prepared by the Association for Democratic Reforms states that the total tax exemptions received by six national parties during financial years 2006 to 2009 is Rs 510.02 crore. Vicky Nanjappa reports
Of the 360 candidates analysed for the 6th phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, 128 candidates or 36 per cent of them have criminal cases registered against them.
Phase two of the Uttar Pradesh elections will see a whopping 118 candidates with a criminal background. The details released by the Association for Democratic Reforms reveals that out of the 337 candidates analysed for the second phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, 118 candidates have declared criminal cases against them. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
The average asset of the 92 re-elected members of Legislative Assembly in Karnataka is estimated at Rs 30.15 crore, according to the Association for Democratic Reforms and Karnataka Election Watch analysis.
Five legislators, who are contesting the forthcoming assembly polls, have serious criminal cases like murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, robbery etc pending against them. This information has been revealed by the Punjab Election Watch which, along with the Association for Democratic Reforms, has assessed the financial and other details of the members of legislative assembly seeking re-election in Punjab.
Of the 258 candidates in the electoral fray in Manipur for the forthcoming assembly elections, only three have criminal charges registered against them. According to the Association for Democratic Reforms, which analyses the affidavits filed by candidates, only three face criminal charges. As many as 33 candidates contesting the assembly polls are crorepatis.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has received more donations compared to the Congress in Himachal Pradesh in the last seven years, a study has found.
The appointment of veteran diplomat Derek Mitchell, who was till now the Special US Representative and Policy Coordinator for Myanmar, was confirmed by the Senate on Friday and he is expected to leave for that country soon.
In Uttarkhand, 71 per cent of the MLAs (50 of 70 analysed) are graduates and have higher qualification and 27 per cent have criminal records, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms.
The United Nations Security Council on Thursday condemned the Syrian government's violent crackdown on civilians demanding democratic reforms and widespread human rights violations, saying those responsible for the atrocities should be held "accountable."
According to a report by the Uttar Pradesh Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms, Samajwadi Party tops the list parties fielding tainted candidates. Vicky Nanjappa reports
Out of the 129 candidates contesting the Goa assembly elections, 30 candidates or 23 per cent declared criminal cases. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
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