News for 'Association for Democratic Reforms'

Richest Lok Sabha candidates' club grows threefold

Richest Lok Sabha candidates' club grows threefold

Rediff.com9 May 2014

Self-proclaimed heir of Rani Rashmoni, lottery baron join businessmen in the list of MP-aspirants with assets worth over Rs 100 cr, reports Abhineet Kumar.

AAP wants Congress and BJP to disclose names of fund-givers

AAP wants Congress and BJP to disclose names of fund-givers

Rediff.com29 Mar 2014

Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday challenged Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party to disclose the names of the people from whom they have got more than 80 per cent of their funds being spent in the Lok Sabha election campaign.

BJP spent 6 times more than Congress on elections in 2016-17

BJP spent 6 times more than Congress on elections in 2016-17

Rediff.com10 Apr 2018

Of Rs 1,034.27 crore, the ruling party spent Rs 606.64 crore, while the Congress spent Rs 149.65 crore of its Rs 225.36 crore.

Modi unveils Vivekananda statue in JNU, says nation above ideology

Modi unveils Vivekananda statue in JNU, says nation above ideology

Rediff.com12 Nov 2020

Giving priority to one's ideology over national interest has harmed the democratic system of the country a lot, Modi said in his address to students after unveiling the statue through video conferencing.

We are all Americans!

We are all Americans!

Rediff.com12 Aug 2020

'What Kamala Harris' rise and rise underscores is that our old ways of identifying the Indian-American Diaspora need to change...' 'None of this detracts from her Indian-American identity, which makes us feel as if we are Americans too,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

Corporates contributed Rs 379 crore to political parties in 8 yrs

Corporates contributed Rs 379 crore to political parties in 8 yrs

Rediff.com8 Jan 2014

The Association for Democratic Reforms has stated in its report that 87 percent of the contributions or donations made to political parties in the past eight years were from business houses. The corporate houses contributed Rs 378.89 crore, constituting 87 per cent of the total contribution from known sources of political parties.

UP Polls Phase 3: Akhilesh Yadav's litmus test

UP Polls Phase 3: Akhilesh Yadav's litmus test

Rediff.com18 Feb 2017

Home to several Yadav family bastions, Phase III of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections is especially crucial for the Samajwadi Party.

Senate okays Indian-American Neomi Rao for federal judgeship

Senate okays Indian-American Neomi Rao for federal judgeship

Rediff.com14 Mar 2019

She will replace controversial Brett Kavanaugh who endured a bitter confirmation battle last year after President Donald Trump named him to the US Supreme Court.

Govt to SC on poll bonds: Transparency not a mantra

Govt to SC on poll bonds: Transparency not a mantra

Rediff.com11 Apr 2019

Govt effort to curb black money in polls futile if identity of donors not known, says SC.

Corporates-politicians nexus can be toxic

Corporates-politicians nexus can be toxic

Rediff.com3 Apr 2019

'Rather than encouraging transparency, the opacity of electoral bonds adds to the murkiness,' argues Amit Tandon.

Full Text: President Murmu's address to nation on Independence Day eve

Full Text: President Murmu's address to nation on Independence Day eve

Rediff.com14 Aug 2022

Here's the full text of the maiden address to the nation by President Droupadi Murmu on the eve of Independence Day 2022.

Modi's government must govern!

Modi's government must govern!

Rediff.com29 May 2019

He has left no one in any doubt about his ability to take bold, even out-of-the-box, decisions, to gauge the feelings and aspirations of the common people at the grassroots and to ensure that polices and schemes do not remain on paper, but are implemented, says B S Raghavan, the distinguished civil servant.

Modi's message in portfolios for new ministers

Modi's message in portfolios for new ministers

Rediff.com1 Jun 2019

He dropped those perceived to be non-performers or whose integrity came into question, and also where it was felt they needed to learn a lesson or two in humility.

Electoral bonds: SC asks parties for funding details

Electoral bonds: SC asks parties for funding details

Rediff.com12 Apr 2019

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked the parties to furnish 'forthwith' the details of electoral bonds received by a political party till date.

20 UP ministers have criminal charges, 35 are crorepatis

20 UP ministers have criminal charges, 35 are crorepatis

Rediff.com21 Mar 2017

Chief Minister Adityanath has total assets worth over Rs 71 lakh, while Deputy CM Keshav Prasad has total assets of over Rs 9 crore.

UP Polls Phase 7: All roads lead to Varanasi

UP Polls Phase 7: All roads lead to Varanasi

Rediff.com7 Mar 2017

On the eve of the final phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections, Rediff.com's Aslam Hunani reviews the political landscape in the epicentre and beyond.

BJP never regarded dissenters as anti-national: Advani

BJP never regarded dissenters as anti-national: Advani

Rediff.com4 Apr 2019

The 91-year-old leader said, 'Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries.'

India's economy to suffer record contraction in 2020-21: S&P

India's economy to suffer record contraction in 2020-21: S&P

Rediff.com25 Sep 2020

Observing that India's worsening COVID-19 situation and the strict measures to contain it have hit the economy hard, the rating agency said productive capacity has been severely disrupted since the start of the pandemic.

15 pc Delhi candidates face charges; 33 pc crorepatis

15 pc Delhi candidates face charges; 33 pc crorepatis

Rediff.com2 Apr 2014

Out of the 150 candidates analysed in Delhi, where Lok Sabha elections will be held on April 10, 23 candidates (15 per cent) have declared cases against themselves.

EXPLAINED: Gujarat Phase I polls in 5 graphs

EXPLAINED: Gujarat Phase I polls in 5 graphs

Rediff.com7 Dec 2017

The high-octane campaign for the first phase of the crucial Gujarat elections, viewed as a prestige battle for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a litmus test for the leadership of soon-to-be Congress president Rahul Gandhi, will come to an end on Thursday. Here's everything you need to know about the polls -- from candidates to the constituencies.

PM credits 'silent' women voters with BJP's Bihar win

PM credits 'silent' women voters with BJP's Bihar win

Rediff.com12 Nov 2020

Addressing BJP workers at a felicitation function after the Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in Bihar elections and various bypolls, he asserted that the only mantra for his party's victory was 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas and sabka vishwas' and also launched a veiled attack on the West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress, saying those who cannot challenge the saffron party democratically have resorted to 'murdering' its workers to realise their goals.

Will Congress withdraw the ordinance that favours the tainted?

Will Congress withdraw the ordinance that favours the tainted?

Rediff.com27 Sep 2013

A weak and troubled United Progressive Alliance government has stumbled badly by issuing the ordinance to counter the fine judgment by the Supreme Court that forces the disqualification of lawmakers convicted for a criminal offence punishable with a jail term of over two years.

It's prasada politics: Sibal on Jitin joining BJP

It's prasada politics: Sibal on Jitin joining BJP

Rediff.com10 Jun 2021

Kapil Sibal, a prominent member of the Congress's group of 23 leaders who wrote to party chief Sonia Gandhi seeking organisational overhaul last year, on Thursday slammed fellow letter signatory Jitin Prasada for crossing over to the Bharatiya Janata Party and said it represented politics of "prasada" or personal gains.

75 pc of total funds received by parties can't be traced!

75 pc of total funds received by parties can't be traced!

Rediff.com14 Sep 2013

Political parties in India have received funds to the tune of Rs 4,895.6 crore between 2004 and 2012, and the irony is that 75 per cent of these funds cannot be traced.

Meet the Opposition's grand marshall in the Rajya Sabha

Meet the Opposition's grand marshall in the Rajya Sabha

Rediff.com10 Aug 2019

Despite the Congress having nearly four times as many members in the Rajya Sabha as the TMC (48 to 13), Derek O'Brien has been informally leading the coordination of Opposition parties, rallying other parties to demand a discussion on electoral reforms and to protest the government's disinvestment plans, report Rahul Jacob and Archis Mohan.

Farmers' Bharat Bandh hits rail, road traffic at several places

Farmers' Bharat Bandh hits rail, road traffic at several places

Rediff.com28 Sep 2021

Several trains were cancelled, highways and key roads blocked and many thousands stranded for hours on Monday as a nationwide 10-hour shutdown against the Centre's three agri laws disrupted lives across parts of India, particularly in the north.

How MLAs are getting richer faster than MPs

How MLAs are getting richer faster than MPs

Rediff.com3 Nov 2014

"When it comes to economic matters, state governments have a far bigger role to play. Whether it is acquiring land for a major project or issuing a licence to a private university, the role of the state government has become very important. MLAs are bound to be natural beneficiaries of this heightened economic activity."

UP Polls Phase 5: From Ayodhya to Amethi

UP Polls Phase 5: From Ayodhya to Amethi

Rediff.com26 Feb 2017

As the Uttar Pradesh assembly election battle hits new lows, Rediff.com's Aslam Hunani walks you through all you need to know about the fifth phase of polling on February 27.

69% of political parties' funding from unknown sources

69% of political parties' funding from unknown sources

Rediff.com24 Jan 2017

Income of political parties from known donors was Rs 1,835.63 crore, which is 16 per cent of their total income.

Congress, BJP got Rs 5,450 cr from 'unknown sources'

Congress, BJP got Rs 5,450 cr from 'unknown sources'

Rediff.com17 Nov 2016

I-T returns data show 83% of the Congress' and 65% of the BJP's total income was from anonymous benefactors.

It's Raining Billions For Gujarat!

It's Raining Billions For Gujarat!

Rediff.com3 Nov 2022

Hemant Shivsaran lists the number of projects the Modi government has announced since August to woo Gujarat voters.

50 lawmakers have 136 pending criminal cases for 10 years or more

50 lawmakers have 136 pending criminal cases for 10 years or more

Rediff.com11 Mar 2014

According to a document by the Association for Democratic Reforms, the average number of years a case against a member of Parliament or a member of Legislative Assembly is pending is seven years. Vicky Nanjappa reports

First list: Which party tops in candidates with criminal records?

First list: Which party tops in candidates with criminal records?

Rediff.com6 Mar 2014

The Shiv Sena is leading currently in terms of criminal candidates. Out of the 14 declared by them in the first list 12 have a criminal background, as per the Association for Democratic Reforms.

The Panama Papers effect on Pakistan

The Panama Papers effect on Pakistan

Rediff.com23 Apr 2016

How does the country's civilian government reclaim legitimacy after the names of many Pakistanis, including the family members of PM Nawaz Sharif, figured in the leaked documents.

What Election Commission can learn from US

What Election Commission can learn from US

Rediff.com31 Oct 2020

India needs to examine some way in which, assuming that there is either no vaccine or a delay in administering it to everyone, voting can be made safer, notes Aakar Patel.

IT firms breathe easy as Trump softens tone

IT firms breathe easy as Trump softens tone

Rediff.com2 Mar 2017

The US government should not only look at salary, but also focus on skills while making immigration reforms

Very tough times lie ahead for next govt

Very tough times lie ahead for next govt

Rediff.com25 Apr 2019

'The new government will have to contend with slowing economic growth, weak private investment, anaemic exports and vulnerable external imbalances, a stressed financial system, mounting fiscal pressures (including high government debt-to-GDP ratios) and an exceptionally bad employment situation,' says Shankar Acharya, former chief economic adviser to the Government of India.

'194 MPs did not receive funds from political parties'

'194 MPs did not receive funds from political parties'

Rediff.com1 Aug 2014

The election commission had upped the expense limit for Lok Sabha elections from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 70 lakh per candidate in big states but a new report states that 537 MPs declared expenses of less than 50 per cent of the limit. Vicky Nanjappa/Rediff.com reports

'Sasikala is an extremely smart operator'

'Sasikala is an extremely smart operator'

Rediff.com7 Feb 2017

'As the financier, she controls the party.'

S&P retains India's rating at lowest investment grade

S&P retains India's rating at lowest investment grade

Rediff.com10 Jun 2020

S&P Global Ratings has forecast India's economy to shrink by 5 per cent in the current fiscal. It, however, has projected GDP growth to be 8.5 per cent in 2021-22 and 6.5 per cent in 2022-23.