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Thursday, November 08, 2007

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   Politics & Polity

The Constitution of India does not recognize political parties.  Parliament too, has not enacted any law with regard to their formation and functioning.  In view of that, the Election Commission has evolved its own procedure for recognition of political parties for the limited purpose of regulating the allotment of exclusive election symbols to them.  According to the Election Symbols  (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, 'A political party shall be treated as a recognized political party in a State' if, and only if, either of the conditions specified in clause (A) or the conditions specified in clause (B) are fulfilled by that party and not otherwise, that is to say,

(A) that such party - (a) has been engaged in political activity for a continuous period of five years; and (b) has, at the general election to the House of the People in that State or, as the case may be, to the Legislative Assembly, for the time being in existence and functioning, returned either (i) at least one member to the House of the People for every twenty-five members of that House or any fraction of that number elected from that State, or (ii) at least one member to the Legislative Assembly of that State for every thirty members of that Assembly or any fraction of that number

(B) that the total number of valid votes polled by all the contesting candidates set up such party at the general election in the State to the House of the People or, as the case may be, to the Legislative Assembly, for the time being in existence and functioning is not less than four per cent of the total number of valid votes polled by all the contesting candidates at such general election in the State.

National and State Parties: The list of recognized parties is revised after every general election by the Election Commission in the light of the criteria laid down by it.  A political party recognized by the Election Commission enjoys the status of national party, if it is a recognized party four or more States.  Among the major national parties, the Indian Nation

Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are having almost All-India political support base at present.  CPI(M), CPI, Bahujan Samaj Party and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are other important parties at National level while DMK, AIADMK, PMK and MDMK (Tamil Nadu), Telegu Desam Party and Telengana Rashtra Samiti (Andhra Pradesh), Samajwadi Party (Uttar Pradesh), Asom Gana Parishad (Assam), Akali Dal (B) [Punjab] and BJI (Orissa) are important regional parties. The status of various other political parties changes from time to time on their performance at every election.

A political party which is a recognized party is less than four States is deemed as a State party. Among the important State parties are: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, All India Forward Bloc, All India Muslim League, All Parties Hill Leaders' Conference, Asom Gana Parishad, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Kerala Congress, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Manipur Peoples' Party, Mizo National Front, Muslim League, Peasants and Workers Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Shiromani Akali Dal, Tamil Manila Congress and Telegu Desam Party.

Events in Pakistan have overshadowed recent developments in Sri Lanka and its impact in Tamil Nadu. (The Other Crisis, Times of India, Editorial, The Times of India, Nov 08, 2007)

The BJP today said the Indo-US nuclear deal needs to be renegotiated, overturning the impression that the party was softening its stand. (Bjp Roots For Nuke Rethink , Telegraph, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

The UPA-Left panel on the nuclear deal is unlikely to meet on November 16. Indications are that the next sitting could be held early next month. (Cloud On N-Panel Meet , Telegraph, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto threatened today to lead a mass protest heading to the capital unless President Pervez Musharraf quits as army chief, holds elections and restores the constitution. (Benazir Ultimatum To Pervez, Telegraph, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

The practice of businessmen lending money to their suppliers was not illegal and would not come under the Money Lenders Act, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday. (Money Lending Is Now Legal, Says Sc, Hindustan Times, A N Sudarsan Rao , Nov 08, 2007)

Although Bollywood is much maligned for churning out mindless blockbusters, at times, it also obliquely depicts the ground realities. (Nation In Distress , Telegraph, Abhijit Bhattacharyya , Nov 08, 2007)

Warning that terrorism could trigger disasters across borders, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asserted that the modern societies must prepare to come together to deal with manmade disasters, be they industrial disasters or disasters caused by terrori (Pm: Terror Threat Can Trigger Disasters, Tribune, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has just now armed herself with a new law to fight organised crime by powerful people. (Minister Or Criminal?, Tribune, Editorial, The Tribune, Nov 08, 2007)

Former Prime Minister and PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto today warned General Musharraf that she would launch a "long march" from Lahore to Islamabad next week if he failed to rescind the emergency, restore the Constitution and announced election schedule (Benazir Plans ‘Long March’, Tribune, Afzal Khan, Nov 08, 2007)

Apparently not to spoil the festive mood ahead of Diwali, the Congress-led UPA government has put off till at least next week a decision on raising fuel prices, despite global crude price nearing $100 a barrel. (No Fuel Hike Till After Diwali, Tribune, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today agreed that human rights violations were rampant in the Kashmir valley and custodial disappearances were also prevalent before the Congress took over the reins from the PDP two years ago. (Human Rights Violations Have Declined, Claims Azad , Tribune, Tejinder Singh Sodhi, Nov 08, 2007)

IT was an amazing pointer by the former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Dr P.K. Iyenger. (Nuclear Ignorance, Tribune, O.P. Sabherwal, Nov 08, 2007)

Democracy and federalism should be the guiding principles for a new world order as power-sharing arrangements between different units of the government give a sense of belonging to various groups within the political system . . . . (Federalism Tool For Global Order: Pratibha , Tribune, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

Betting on cricket is passe. The latest craze among punters is the on-going drama on government formation in Karnataka! (Punters Betting On Yeddy As Cm , Deccan Herald, A N Sudarsan Rao , Nov 08, 2007)

Bhutto, who flew into the capital from the southern city of Karachi on Tuesday to consult other opposition leaders on steps to oppose the emergency, said a public meeting scheduled for November 9 in the nearby garrison city of. . . (Take To The Streets, Bhutto Tells Pak , Deccan Herald, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

It would not have been quite cricket. This seems to have been the Indian security establishment’s thinking when it advised against a visa to Pakistan Railway Minister Sheikh Rasheed for the cricket match at Mohali on Thursday. (Emergency, ‘Terror Camp’ Behind Denial Of Visa To Pak Minister, Indian Express, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

While one may find the richest man in India, disparities in the country are so wide that it isnt difficult to find the poorest man either. (India In The Billionaire Club: An Increasing Divide , Deccan Herald, Editorial, The Deccan Herald, Nov 08, 2007)

The last, wan defence but one is that Pakistan is too vast for any minority to rule effectively (Proud But A Failing State , Deccan Herald, Peter Preston, Nov 08, 2007)

With no signs of Left giving way on the India-US nuclear deal and expectations in the PMO of a shift in BJP's opposition to the pact proving unfounded, the November 17 AICC session will have just one omnibus political resolution which will mention . . . . (Congress To Play Down Us-India Nuclear Deal At Aicc, Times of India, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

The decision whether to send central forces to Nandigram rests with the Prime Minister’s Office. (Force File With Pmo, Telegraph, BHAVNA VIJ-AURORA, Nov 08, 2007)

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