The Karnataka state polls are scheduled for May 12. Credit: Wikimedia Commons. By Anil Verma With only a few days remaining before the Karnataka state polls scheduled for May 12, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) analysed the affidavits of about 96% of the candidates. The study revealed some shocking facts about gender disparity, as well as the […]
Democracy
The Chronology of Subterfuge on Amending the FCRA
Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi admitted on live TV that the repealed FCRA 1976 was amended retrospectively to save BJP and Congress from prosecution. The current saga of the FCRA (Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act), the latest episode of which happened on April 11, 2018, started in January 2013. It is revealing to look at developments in […]
Without Transparency in Political Funding, Modi’s Black Money Crackdown Doesn’t Carry Weight
Although the BJP says demonetisation will target unaccounted money, it and other national parties have in the past failed to submit their income tax returns and disclose sources of donations. With its recent move to demonetise high-value currency notes, the government claims to be fighting the problem of black or untaxed money that has become […]
After Ink Fiasco, Do the Rajya Sabha Polls Need to Be Revamped?
Election Commission doesn’t have full authority to avert another pen fiasco in Rajya Sabha polls, by Jagdeep Chhokar (Congress suffered a blow in the recently held Rajya Sabha polls after an independent candidate backed by it lost the elections. At the centre of the controversy was the usage of a pen, other than the ink […]
Interview: How To Do Away With Corporate Funding
A crucial point that came up during the investigations into the corporate espionage scam was that several corporates had made huge political donations to political parties so that they could lobby. It has been found during the investigations that corporates had lobbied with politicians to ensure posting of their favoured bureaucrats in some ministries so […]
Party, manifesto, freebie or candidate?
As campaigning in Maharashtra, Haryana begins, parties are back to promises. How will voters choose? It was one year ago that India’s parliament passed the landmark Food Security Act legislation, the Right to Food. The FSA guarantees subsidized rice, wheat and coarse cereals to 75 per cent of rural, and 50 per cent of urban […]
Jagdeep Chhokar: Why Does Our Political Process Produce Rotten Leaders?
By resisting reforms and efforts to introduce transparency in their functioning, the political establishment is defeating the purpose of democracy Profile: Jagdeep S Chhokar is founder and trustee of Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). He has been central to ADR’s success in bringing political parties under the ambit of RTI and the Supreme Court ruling barring […]
