Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan have successfully managed to blow the lid off the 'crony capitalism' that is flourishing in the country today, and in the process delivered a crushing blow to the UPA government. Sheela Bhatt analyses
Dissident Aam Aadmi Party leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan on Monday hit back at the party leadership, claiming that it indulged in "gross violation" of the constitution and accusing national disciplinary committee members Pankaj Gupta and Ashish Khetan of accepting donations from dubious companies and doing a 'paid news' story favouring a company.
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear pleas challenging the Centre's decision to block a BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Civil society members on Thursday came down heavily on the government's decision to present only their version of the Lokpal Bill.
Bhushan questioned the appointment and removal processes of the Lokpal laid out in the bill, which was recently cleared by the Aam Aadmi Party cabinet, saying they would put the ombudsman at the mercy of the city government.
Delhi faces a severe financial crunch and the deficit is largely due to numerous welfare schemes without adequate revenue flowing in. The success of welfare schemes and electoral promises will need careful financial planning and out of the box thinking to whip up additional revenue, notes Ramesh Menon.
Swaraj Abhiyan leader Prashant Bhushan on Friday claimed the Delhi government's new Janlokpal Bill is different from what was drafted during the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement, as the appointment and removal of an independent ombudsman will now be done by the state government.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday deprecated criticism of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and calls for reverting to ballot papers, saying the electoral process in India is a "humongous task" and attempts should not be made to "bring down the system".
The CBI has registered a case of alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act against human rights activist Harsh Mander and his NGO, and searched his premises on Friday, officials said.
"The voter turnout data for the first two phases of the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections published by ECI on April 30 has been published after 11 days of the first phase of polling... on April 19 and four days after second phase of polling... on April 26.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav, who has been ousted from the party's national executive, on Saturday said it was a death of democracy in the national council meet that took place in New Delhi.
Underscoring the importance of voter satisfaction and trust in the electoral system, the Supreme Court on Thursday told petitioners who sought its direction to go back to using ballot papers not to suspect the efficacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and appreciate if the Election Commission does good work.
On Monday, Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, mentioned an interim application before a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala.
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal has alleged that the government was spending crores of rupees and planting stories in the media to separate Anna Hazare from him, Kiran Bedi and Prashant Bhushan. Accusing the government of trying to defame Team Anna with charges that would not stick, he said during a programme on TV channel Aaj Tak that "there's a conspiracy to separate Anna Hazare". "The government is spending crores of rupees for this. Stories are being planted," he said.
Noted social activist Swami Agnivesh has said that there is no need to show any leniency to Team Anna members Prashant Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi if they are found guilty of violating the law of the land.
The top court said it cannot order a roving inquiry into purchase of electoral bonds on the assumption that it was quid pro quo for award of contract.
The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Centre over the procedure adopted for the appointment of election commissioners and asked how six names were shortlisted from 200 within a few hours.
Taking a jibe at the AAP, BJP's Shazia Ilmi said the party lacks internal democracy.
In the taped conversation, Kejriwal allegedly threatens to quit the party and form a new one.
Stepping up the attack on the ruling AAP over the 2015 Delhi Janlokpal Bill, ousted party leader Prashant Bhushan on Sunday said that the proposed legislation is "completely" different from its previous 2014 version.
Reconciliation talks between the two warring factions in Aam Aadmi Party appeared to have been collapsed with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal insisting on Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan quitting the national executive, ahead of the crucial National Council meeting on March 28.
The Supreme Court said on Wednesday it cannot 'control the elections' or issue directions simply because doubts have been raised about the efficacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), as it reserved its judgment on a clutch of petitions claiming the polling devices can be tinkered with to manipulate the results.
Bhushan on August 31 was directed to deposit the fine with the Supreme Court registry by September 15 and failure to comply would entail a three-month jail term and debarment from law practice for three years.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said Indian firms, involved in the export of arms and equipment to Israel, may be sued for breach of contractual obligations if they are stopped by it from supplying.
Right to Information activist Anjali Bhardwaj said the VVPAT system should be re-calibrated to be fully voter-verifiable.
The bench said it was not questioning the credentials of the election commissioners appointed but the procedure.
More than 750 eminent citizens, including historian Romila Thapar, economist Jean Dreze and actor Naseeruddin Shah, on Wednesday came out in support of a news website which is alleged to have received dubious funds to spread Chinese propaganda.
Aam Aadmi Party on Friday issued show-cause notices to rebel leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav for alleged anti-party activities, taking final steps towards their expulsion, even as Yadav questioned the move saying it was against the principle of natural justice.
The Gujarat government told the Supreme Court on Thursday that the petitioners who have sought a probe into the alleged fake encounters in the state from 2002 to 2006 need to explain the reasons for their "selective public interest" in raising the issue.
The plea came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta issued notice to the Centre on a plea filed by an NGO, Association for Democratic Reforms, and listed the matter along with other pending petitions on the issue for hearing in April.
Satish, Girish, and Rajiv Roshan were allegedly murdered by Mohammed Shahabuddin's henchmen. Their parents are thankful that Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan will challenge the former RJD MP's bail order.
The Supreme Court Registry is learnt to have refused to accept the Centre's plea seeking modification of its 2012 verdict in the 2G spectrum case which had said the State was duty bound to adopt the auction route while transferring or alienating the country's natural resources.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday made it clear that reduction of footprints of security forces and phased withdrawal only needs a "courageous statesman" and not referendum.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta took note of the submissions of lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGOs 'Common Cause' and the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, that the plea needed to be listed for hearing at the earliest.
'The BJP was supporting him from behind in order to bring down the Congress government.'
The apex court orally observed that if FIRs are given to those unrelated to the case like busybodies and NGOs, they might be misused.
What made Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi speak up against the ordinance introduced by the United Progressive Alliance headed by his own party -- to allow convicted legislators to contest elections -- so late in the day?
After the sacking of Prashant Bhushan as the Aam Aadmi Party's national disciplinary committee chief, Yogendra Yadav is likely to be next to face the axe as the party's chief spokesperson.
High drama was witnessed on Tuesday at Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal's press conference when a man, claiming to be Anna Hazare supporter and a Bharatiya Janata Party activist from Maharashtra, threw black paint on him and other party members present there.
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