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Repromulgation of Ordinances

This article is based on “The ordinance route is bad, repromulgation worse” which was published in The Hindu on 20/04/2021. It talks...

20 Apr 2021 Constitutional Bodies
Is the Election Commission of India Free?

This article is based on “The Election Commission of India cannot be a super-government” which was published in The Hindu on...

19 Apr 2021 Constitutional Bodies
Online Grievance Management Portal: NCSC

Why in News The Government launched the “Online Grievance Management Portal of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)” on the...

15 Apr 2021 Constitutional Bodies
Chief Election Commissioner

Why in News Recently, the President appointed Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). He replaces Sunil...

13 Apr 2021 Constitutional Bodies
Star Campaigners and Model Code of Conduct

Why in News Recently, the Election Commission of India (ECI) delisted Ex-Telecom Minister A. Raja from the list of star campaigners. He has also...

02 Apr 2021 Constitutional Bodies
National Commission for Scheduled Castes

Why in News Recently, Vijay Sampla has been appointed as the chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC). Key...

25 Feb 2021 Constitutional Bodies
Economic Impact of Judicial Decisions

Why in News Recently, the NITI Aayog has asked research organisation ‘Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) International’ to conduct...

08 Feb 2021 Constitutional Bodies
15th Finance Commission Recommendations: Fiscal Consolidation

Why in News Recently, the 15th Finance Commission’s Report was tabled in the Parliament. It provided range for the fiscal deficit and debt...

03 Feb 2021 Constitutional Bodies
15th Finance Commission Recommendations: Different Sectors

Why in News Recently, the 15th Finance Commission’s Report was tabled in the Parliament. The Report included recommendations for different...

03 Feb 2021 Constitutional Bodies
15th Finance Commission Recommendations: Resource Allocation

Why in News Recently, the government accepted the 15th Finance Commission’s recommendation to maintain the States’ share in the...

03 Feb 2021 Constitutional Bodies
Right to Vote for NRIs

Why in News Recently, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed the Ministry of Law and Justice that it is “technically and...

07 Dec 2020 Constitutional Bodies
Model Code of Conduct: EC

Why in News Recently, the Election Commission (EC) has found former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister’s remark on a woman politician violative of...

27 Oct 2020 Constitutional Bodies
ECI Committee on Expenditure Limit

Why in News Recently, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has constituted a committee to examine the issues concerning the expenditure limit for...

22 Oct 2020 Constitutional Bodies
Increased Election Campaign Broadcast Time

Why in News The Election Commission of India (ECI) has increased the broadcast time allotted to recognised political parties on Doordarshan and All...

10 Oct 2020 Constitutional Bodies
Election Commissioner

Why in News The Centre has appointed Rajiv Kumar as the Election Commissioner. He has been appointed in place of Ashok Lavasa, who has resigned to...

22 Aug 2020 Constitutional Bodies
Comptroller and Auditor General

Why in News Girish Chandra Murmu has been appointed the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). He has replaced Rajiv Mehrishi and will...

10 Aug 2020 Constitutional Bodies
Centre’s Inability to Pay GST Dues

Why in News In a recent meeting, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance has been informed that the government is not in a position to pay...

29 Jul 2020 Constitutional Bodies
Reimagining the National Commission for Scheduled Castes

This article is based on the Towards a more equal future which was published in The Indian Express on 22/07/2020. It discusses how the National...

22 Jul 2020 Constitutional Bodies
No Postal Ballots for Above 65 in Bihar

Why in News Recently, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided against extending postal ballots to electors above 65 years of age in the...

21 Jul 2020 Constitutional Bodies
Grant in Aid for Rural Local Bodies

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Finance has released a part of grants-in-aid of Rs. 15187.50 crore for around 2.63 lakh Rural Local Bodies...

17 Jul 2020 Constitutional Bodies

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		'article_id' => (int) 8195,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Repromulgation of Ordinances',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-ordinance-route-is-bad-repromulgation-worse/article34361919.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The ordinance route is bad, repromulgation worse&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 20/04/2021. It talks about the Associated issues with the frequent promulgation and repromulgation of the ordinance route.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the central government has repromulgated the<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/commission-for-air-quality-management-in-the-ncr" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Commission for Air Quality Management</a></strong> in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020. The ordinance establishes a commission for air quality management in the National Capital Region.</p>
<p>This raises questions about the practice of issuing ordinances to make law and that of re-issuing ordinances without getting them ratified by Parliament.</p>
<p>Historically, in the 1950s, central ordinances were issued at an average of 7.1 per year. However, the number peaked in the 1990s at 19.6 per year. The last couple of years has also seen a high spike in ordinance promulgation (16 in 2019, 15 in 2020).</p>
<p>The ordinance was originally conceived as an emergency provision. However, in recent times the frequent use of ordinance route has led to the undermining the role of the legislature and the doctrine of Separation of powers.</p>
<h3>Constitutional Provisions Regarding Ordinances</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Constitution permits the central and state governments to make laws when Parliament (or the State Legislature) is not in session.</li>
<li>The Indian Constitution, in Article 123, authorizes the executive to promulgate ordinances if certain conditions are satisfied.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ordinances may be promulgated only if <strong>at least one House of Parliament is not in session.</strong></li>
<li>President is satisfied that <strong>&ldquo;immediate action&rdquo;</strong> is necessary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Constitution states that the ordinance will lapse at the end of six weeks from the time Parliament (or the State Legislature) next meets.</li>
<li>Similar provisions also exist for<strong> state governments under article 213.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Supreme Court&rsquo;s Judgement on Ordinances</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>RC Cooper Case 1970:</strong> Supreme Court in RC Cooper vs. Union of India (1970) held that the <strong>President&rsquo;s decision to promulgate ordinance could be challenged</strong> on the grounds that &lsquo;immediate action&rsquo; was not required, and the ordinance had been issued primarily to bypass debate and discussion in the legislature.</li>
<li><strong>DC Wadhwa Case 1987:</strong> The issue of frequent promulgation of ordinances was again brought up in the Supreme Court through a writ petition.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The petition was regarding the promulgation of 256 ordinances between 1967 and 1981 in Bihar.</li>
<li>This included 11 ordinances that were kept alive for more than 10 years and famously dubbed as ordinance raj.</li>
<li>The Supreme court held that the legislative power of the executive to promulgate ordinances is to be <strong>used in exceptional circumstances</strong> and not as a substitute for the law-making power of the legislature.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Krishna Kumar Singh Case 2017:</strong> Supreme Court in Krishna Kumar Singh v. the State of Bihar held that the authority to issue ordinances is not an absolute entrustment, but is &ldquo;conditional upon satisfaction that circumstances exist rendering it necessary to take immediate action&rdquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It further stated that the re-promulgation of ordinances is a fraud on the Constitution and a subversion of democratic legislative processes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues with the Ordinance Route</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Usurpation of Legislative Power:</strong> As lawmaking is a legislative function, this power is provided for urgent requirements, and the law thus made has an automatic expiry date.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An ordinance &ldquo;ceases to operate&rdquo; six weeks after the two Houses reassemble, except if it is converted into an Act by then. Repromulgation sidesteps this limitation.</li>
<li>To repromulgate is to effectively extend the life of an ordinance and lead to the usurpation of legislative power by the executive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Undermining the Doctrine of Separation of Powers:</strong> In the Kesavananda Bharati v State of Kerala case 1973, the Supreme Court listed the<strong> separation of powers as a &ldquo;basic feature&rdquo;</strong> of the Constitution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The ordinance mechanism, in effect, is designed to remedy situations of legislative urgency when Parliament is not in session; it is not an alternative to parliamentary legislation.</li>
<li>However, article 123 places no numeric limits on ordinances.</li>
<li>In this way, the repromulgation undermines the separation of powers, as it effectively allows the executive to make permanent legislation without legislative input or approval.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ignoring Supreme Court&rsquo;s Judgements:</strong> Even after tough judgments on the use of ordinances, both the Centre and state governments have ignored the Supreme Court&rsquo;s observations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, in 2013 and 2014, the Securities Laws (Amendment) Ordinance was promulgated three times.</li>
<li>Similarly, an ordinance to amend the Land Acquisition Act was issued in December 2014, and repromulgated twice &ndash; in April and May 2015.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Indian Constitution has provided for the separation of powers among the legislature, executive, and judiciary where enacting laws is the function of the legislature. The executive must show self-restraint and should use ordinance making power only in unforeseen or urgent matters and not to evade legislative scrutiny and debates.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7fff9;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Ordinances though were meant to be temporary, but repromulgation sidesteps this limitation and makes them permanent. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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		'article_id' => (int) 8186,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Is the Election Commission of India Free?',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-eci-cannot-be-a-super-government/article34353019.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;The Election Commission of India cannot be a super-government&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 19/04/2021. It talks about the issues and ambiguous provisions that affect the functioning of the Election Commission of India.</p>
</div>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Election Commission of India (ECI)</strong> </a>is a creation of the Constitution. Article 324 says the superintendence, direction, and control of all elections to Parliament, the State legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President shall be vested in the ECI.</p>
<p>The article has been interpreted by courts and by orders of the ECI from time to time to mean that the power vested in it is plenary in nature. It is seen as unlimited and unconditional in the matter of holding elections.</p>
<p>However, there are many issues and ambiguous provisions that affect the functioning of ECI.</p>
<h3>Source of Power of ECI</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Constitution:</strong> ECI derives its power and functions from Article 324 of the Constitution.</li>
<li><strong>Supreme Court Judgement:</strong> The Supreme Court held in Mohinder Singh Gill vs Chief Election Commissioner 1978 that Article 324 contains plenary powers to ensure free and fair elections and these are vested in the ECI which can take all necessary steps to achieve this constitutional object.</li>
<li><strong>Model Code of Conduct:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/model-code-of-conduct-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>model code of conduct</strong></a> issued by the ECI is a set of guidelines meant for political parties, candidates, and governments to adhere to during an election. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This code is based on consensus among political parties. Its origin can be traced to a code of conduct for political parties prepared by the Kerala government in 1960 for the Assembly elections.</li>
<li>It was adopted and refined and enlarged by the ECI in later years and was enforced strictly from 1991 onwards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Independence of ECI:</strong> The independence of the ECI is preserved by clauses in the Constitution that say the Chief Election Commissioner cannot be removed from office except in the manner provided for the removal of a Supreme Court judge.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, the conditions of his service cannot be varied to the incumbent&rsquo;s disadvantage after appointment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues With The ECI</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Undefined Scope of Powers:</strong> Besides the MCC, the ECI issues from time to time directions, instructions, and clarifications on a host of issues that crop up in the course of an election. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The code does not say what the ECI can do; it contains only guidelines for the candidates, political parties, and the governments.</li>
<li>Thus, there exists a considerable amount of confusion about the extent and nature of the powers which are available to the ECI in enforcing the code as well as its other decisions in relation to an election.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>No Legal Backing of MCC:</strong> MCC is framed on the basis of a consensus among political parties, it has not been given any legal backing. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, it does not have statutory value, and it is enforced only by the moral and constitutional authority of the EC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Paragraph 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 says that the commission may suspend or withdraw recognition of a recognized political party if it refuses to observe the model code of conduct.</li>
<li>However, the issue is when the code is legally not enforceable, how can the ECI resort to a punitive action such as withdrawal of recognition.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Transfer of Officials:</strong> Another issue that pertains to the functioning of the ECI, is the abrupt transfer of senior officials working under State governments by an order of the commission. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In Mohinder Singh Gill&rsquo;s case, the Court had made it clear that the ECI can draw power from Article 324 only when no law exists which governs a particular matter.</li>
<li>However, the transfer of officials, etc is governed by rules made under Article 309 of the Constitution which cannot be bypassed by the ECI under the purported exercise of the power conferred by Article 324.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conflict With the Law:</strong> According to the MCC, Ministers cannot announce any financial grants in any form, make any promise of construction of roads, provision of drinking water facilities, etc or make any ad hoc appointments in the government. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Section 123 (2)(b) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 says that the declaration of a public policy or the exercise of a legal right will not be regarded as interfering with the free exercise of the electoral right.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Enforceability:</strong> The EC does not have the power to disqualify candidates who commit electoral malpractices. At best, it may direct the registration of a case. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>That is why, in the 2019 general election, ECI admitted to the Supreme Court that it was &ldquo;toothless&rdquo;, and did not have enough powers to deal with inflammatory or divisive speeches in the election campaign.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The role played by the ECI has bestowed a very high level of confidence in the minds of Indian citizens in ensuring the purity of the elected legislative bodies in the country. However, the grey areas in the legal sphere must be rectified, so that ECI can ensure the proper functioning of the democracy via free and fair election.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffffc;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>The role played by the Election Commission of India not only ensures free and fair elections but also the proper functioning of democracy. Examine.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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		'article_id' => (int) 8156,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Online Grievance Management Portal: NCSC',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Government launched the <strong>&ldquo;Online Grievance Management Portal of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-commission-for-scheduled-castes-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NCSC</a>)&rdquo;</strong> on the occasion of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dr-b-r-ambedkar-s-129th-birth-anniversary" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>130<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The portal would make it easier for the SC population to register their complaints.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Online Portal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has been <strong>designed in collaboration with the Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N)</strong>, a Centre of Excellence under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.</li>
<li>It will <strong>facilitate an end-to-end e-filing of complaints</strong> and grievances and <strong>their tracking.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is for <strong>submission of complaints about atrocities</strong> against citizens who belong to the Scheduled Castes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is &ldquo;intended to make the hearing processor" similar to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-courts-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India&rsquo;s e-Courts project</strong></a> and allow grievance redressal for the country&rsquo;s scheduled caste population in a &ldquo;time bound manner".</li>
<li>It will <strong>supplement the physical submission of complaints</strong> and grievances.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>NCSC is a constitutional body</strong> that works to <strong>safeguard the interests of the Scheduled Castes (SC)</strong> in India.</li>
<li><strong>Article 338 of the Constitution</strong> of India deals with this commission.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It provided for a National Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes with duties to investigate and monitor all matters relating to safeguards provided for them, to inquire into specific complaints and to participate and advise on the planning process of their socio-economic development etc.</li>
<li>By the <strong>amendment in 2003</strong>, the erstwhile National Commission for SC and ST was replaced by two separate Commissions <strong>from the year 2004</strong> which are: National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-commission-for-scheduled-tribes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)</strong></a>-under <strong>Article 338-A.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Functions of the NCSC:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Monitoring and investigating</strong> all issues concerning the safeguards provided <strong>for the SCs</strong> under the Constitution.</li>
<li><strong>Enquiring into complaints</strong> relating to <strong>the deprivation of the rights</strong> and <strong>safeguards of the SCs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Taking part in and advising</strong> the central or state governments with respect to the planning of <strong>socio-economic development of the SCs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Regular reporting to the President</strong> of the country on the implementation of <strong>these safeguards.</strong></li>
<li>Any other function with respect to the welfare, protection, development and <strong>advancement of the SC community.</strong></li>
<li>The Commission is also required to discharge similar functions with regard to the <strong>Anglo-Indian Community</strong> as it does <strong>with respect to the SCs.</strong></li>
<li>Till 2018, the commission was also required to discharge similar functions with regard to the <strong>Other Backward Classes (OBCs).</strong> It was relieved from this responsibility by the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-commission-for-backward-classes-ncbc#:~:text=102nd%20Constitution%20Amendment%20Act,socially%20and%20educationally%20backward%20classes." target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <strong>102<sup>nd</sup> Amendment Act of 2018.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Other Constitutional and Legal Provisions For Upliftment of the Schedule Caste</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/important-articles-from-indian-constitution-compilation-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Article 15</a>(4)</strong> refers to the special provisions for their advancement.</li>
<li><strong>Article 16(4A)</strong> speaks of <strong>&ldquo;reservation in matters of promotion to any class or classes of posts in the services under the State in favour of SCs/STs</strong>, which are not adequately represented in the services under the State&rsquo;.</li>
<li><strong>Article 17</strong> abolishes Untouchability.</li>
<li><strong>Article 46</strong> requires the State <strong>&lsquo;to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections</strong> of the people, and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and to protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.</li>
<li><strong>Article 335</strong> provides that the claims of the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into consideration, consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration, in the making of <strong>appointments to services and posts</strong> in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State.</li>
<li><strong>Article 330</strong> and <strong>Article 332</strong> of the Constitution respectively provide for <strong>reservation of seats in favour of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People and in the legislative assemblies</strong> of the States.</li>
<li>Under <strong>Part IX</strong> relating to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/panchayati-raj-institutions-and-participative-democracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Panchayats</strong></a> and <strong>Part IXA</strong> of the Constitution relating to the Municipalities, reservation for SC and ST in local bodies has been envisaged and provided.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sc-upholds-changes-to-sc-st-atrocities-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SC and the ST (Prevention of Atrocities) amendment Act, 2018.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID%3D1711868&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1618486972066000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1XyieJyQj3nMy-4cSogBay" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8133,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Chief Election Commissioner',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the President appointed<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/election-commissioner" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Election Commissioner</a> Sushil Chandra</strong> as the <strong>Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He replaces <strong>Sunil Arora</strong> who has retired.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Election Commission of India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Election Commission of India (ECI)</strong></a> is an <strong>autonomous constitutional authority</strong> responsible for administering <strong>Union and State election</strong> processes in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was established in accordance with the Constitution on <strong>25<sup>th</sup> January 1950 (celebrated as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/10th-national-voters-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national voters' day</a>).</strong> The<strong> secretariat</strong> of the commission is located in <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The body administers elections to the<strong> Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies</strong> in India, and the<strong> offices of the President and Vice President in the country.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is not concerned with the elections to panchayats and municipalities in the states. For this, the Constitution of India provides for a separate <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/state-election-commission-s-autonomy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State Election Commission.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Part XV (Article 324-329) of the Indian Constitution:</strong> It deals with elections, and establishes a commission for these matters.</li>
<li><strong>Article 324:</strong> Superintendence, direction and control of elections to be vested in an Election Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Article 325:</strong> No person to be ineligible for inclusion in, or to claim to be included in a special, electoral roll on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex.</li>
<li><strong>Article 326:</strong> Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be on the basis of adult suffrage.</li>
<li><strong>Article 327:</strong> Power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to Legislatures.</li>
<li><strong>Article 328:</strong> Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature.</li>
<li><strong>Article 329:</strong> Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Structure of ECI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Originally the commission had only <strong>one election commissioner</strong> but after the <strong>Election Commissioner Amendment Act 1989,</strong> it has been made a multi-member body</li>
<li>The Election Commission <strong>shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and such number of other election commissioners,</strong> if any, as the President may from time to time fix.</li>
<li>Presently, it consists of the CEC and two Election Commissioners.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At the state level, the election commission is helped by the <strong>Chief Electoral Officer</strong> who is an IAS rank Officer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Appointment &amp; Tenure of Commissioners:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> President appoints</strong> CEC and Election Commissioners.</li>
<li>They have a<strong> fixed tenure of six years,</strong> or up to the<strong> age of 65 years,</strong> whichever is earlier.</li>
<li>They enjoy the <strong>same status and receive salary and perks as available to Judges of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court (SC)</a></strong> of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Removal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They can <strong>resign anytime</strong> or can also be <strong>removed before the expiry of their term.</strong></li>
<li>The CEC can be removed from office only <strong>through a process of removal similar to that of a SC judge</strong> by Parliament.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Procedure of Removal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Judges of High Courts and <strong>SC,</strong> CEC, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/comptroller-and-auditor-general-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)</strong></a> may be removed from office through a motion adopted by Parliament on grounds of <strong>&lsquo;proved misbehaviour or incapacity&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Removal requires a<strong> special majority of 2/3<sup>rd</sup> members present and voting supported by more than 50% of the total strength of the house.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Constitution does not use the word &lsquo;impeachment&rsquo;,</strong> for the removal of the judges, CAG, CEC.</li>
<li>The term <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impeachment-of-the-president-of-the-usa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Impeachment&rsquo;</a> is only used for removing the President</strong> which requires the special majority of 2/3<sup>rd</sup> members of the total strength of both the houses which is not used elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Limitations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not prescribed the qualifications</strong> (legal, educational, administrative or judicial) of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not specified the term</strong> of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has<strong> not debarred the retiring election commissioners from any further appointment by the government.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Powers and Functions of ECI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Administrative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To <strong>determine the territorial areas</strong> of the electoral constituencies throughout the country on the basis of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/delimitation-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Delimitation</strong> </a>Commission Act of Parliament.</li>
<li>To prepare and<strong> periodically revise electoral rolls</strong> and to register all eligible voters.</li>
<li>To <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-national-party-from-north-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>grant recognition to political parties</strong></a> and <strong>allot election symbols</strong> to them.</li>
<li>Election Commission <strong>ensures a level playing field</strong> for the political parties in election fray, through strict observance by them of a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/model-code-of-conduct-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Model Code of Conduct</strong></a> evolved with the consensus of political parties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advisory Jurisdiction &amp; Quasi-Judicial Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the Constitution, the Commission has<strong> advisory jurisdiction in the matter of post election disqualification</strong> of sitting members of Parliament and State Legislatures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>opinion of the Commission in all such matters is binding on the President or, as the case may be, the Governor</strong> to whom such opinion is tendered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, the <strong>cases of persons found guilty of corrupt practices at elections</strong> which come before the SC and High Courts are also<strong> referred to the Commission for its opinion</strong> on the question as to whether such person shall be disqualified and, if so, for what period.</li>
<li>The Commission has the <strong>power to disqualify a candidate</strong> who has failed to lodge an account of his election expenses within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618307930_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618307930_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sushil-chandra-appointed-chief-election-commissioner/article34303884.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8062,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Star Campaigners and Model Code of Conduct',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Election Commission of India (ECI)</strong></a> delisted Ex-Telecom Minister A. Raja from the list of<strong> star campaigners.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He has also been reprimanded for violation of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/model-code-of-conduct-ec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Model Code of Conduct (MCC)</strong> </a>for making certain remarks during election times.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Star Campaigners:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A star campaigner is a <strong>celebrity vote seeker in an election</strong> for a party. This person can be anyone, a politician or even a film star. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There is <strong>no law governing who can or cannot be made a star campaigner.</strong></li>
<li>They are <strong>nominated by the concerned political parties</strong> specifying their constituencies and duration of the status.</li>
<li>The <strong>ECI issues guidelines under the Model Code of Conduct regulating poll campaigns.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Numbers of Star Campaigners:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-party-status-by-election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;recognised&rsquo; National or State party</strong></a> declared as such by the ECI can nominate a <strong>maximum of 40 star campaigners.</strong></li>
<li>An<strong> unrecognised political party</strong> can nominate a maximum of <strong>20 star campaigners.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need For Star Campaigners:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>ECI keeps a tab on expenditure incurred by individual candidates</strong> during campaign - Rs. 70 lakh for most states in one constituency by each candidate.</li>
<li><strong>Expenditure incurred on electioneering by the star campaigner is not added </strong>to a<strong> candidate&rsquo;s poll expenditure</strong> giving him/her more scope for expenditure. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, for an individual candidate to get relief from campaign expenditure, the star campaigner has to limit oneself to general campaigning for the party.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the <strong>Representation of People&rsquo;s Act,</strong> these <strong>expenses will be borne by the political parties.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prime Minister as Star Campaigner:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The MCC guidelines say when a prime minister or a former prime minister is star campaigner, the<strong> expenditure incurred on security</strong> including on the bullet-proof vehicles will be <strong>borne by the government</strong> and will not be added to the election expenses of the party or the individual candidate.</li>
<li>However, <strong>if another campaigner travels with the prime minister,</strong> the individual candidate will have to bear 50% of the expenditure incurred on the security arrangements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenge of Delisting from Star Campaigner List:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951,</strong> which relates to a <strong>candidate&rsquo;s election expenditure,</strong> leaves it to the political party itself to decide who its &ldquo;leaders&rdquo; are and allows every party to submit a list of such &lsquo;star campaigners&rsquo; to the election authorities.</li>
<li>As the expenditure on the star campaigners is not included in the expenditure of the candidate concerned, an order of the ECI revoking the star status is actually a <strong>withdrawal of the right to campaign</strong> without incurring electoral expenditure on the candidates&rsquo; account.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Model Code of Conduct (MCC):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The MCC is a <strong>set of guidelines</strong> issued by the ECI to <strong>regulate political parties and candidates</strong> prior to elections.</li>
<li>It helps ECI in keeping with the mandate it has been given under <strong>Article 324</strong> of the Constitution, which gives it the <strong>power to supervise and conduct free and fair elections</strong> to the Parliament and State Legislatures.</li>
<li><strong>Duration of Enforcement:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The MCC is <strong>operational from the date on which the election schedule</strong> is announced <strong>until the date of result</strong> announcement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Legal Status:</strong> MCC is <strong>not statutory</strong> but Political Parties, Candidates and Polling Agents are expected to observe the norms, on matters ranging from the content of election manifestos, speeches and processions, to general conduct etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Certain provisions of the MCC may be enforced through invoking corresponding provisions in other statutes such as the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-road-map-for-criminal-justice-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Penal Code 1860</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/re-imagining-cognizable-offences" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Code of Criminal Procedure 1973</strong></a>, and <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/the-representation-of-the-people-act-part-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Representation of the People Act 1951.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recommendations Related to MCC:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2013, the <strong>Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice,</strong> recommended making the <strong>MCC legally binding,</strong> i.e. MCC shall be made a part of the RPA 1951.</li>
<li>In 2015, <strong>Law Commission of India (LCI) Report 255</strong> observed that since the MCC comes into operation only from the date on which the ECI announces elections, the government can release advertisements prior to the announcement of elections. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The report recommended that a restriction should be imposed on government-sponsored advertisements for up to <strong>six months prior to the date of expiry</strong> of the House/Assembly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/elections/tamil-nadu-assembly/election-commission-bars-dmks-a-raja-from-campaigning-for-48-hours/article34213233.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 5 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7779,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'National Commission for Scheduled Castes',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Vijay Sampla</strong> has been appointed as the chairman of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/reimagining-the-national-commission-for-scheduled-castes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).</strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NCSC is a <strong>constitutional body</strong> that works to<strong> safeguard the interests of the scheduled castes (SC)</strong> in India.</li>
<li><strong>Article 338</strong> of the constitution of India deals with this commission:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It provides for a <strong>National Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes</strong> with duties to investigate and <strong>monitor all matters relating to safeguards provided for them,</strong> to inquire into specific complaints and to participate and advise on the planning process of their socio-economic development etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>History and Origin:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Special Officer:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Initially, the constitution provided for the appointment of a<strong> Special Officer</strong> under Article 338.</li>
<li>The special officer was designated as the Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>65<sup>th</sup> Amendment, 1990:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It replaced the one-member system with a multi-member <strong>National Commission for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).</strong></li>
<li>The Constitution (65<sup>th</sup> Amendment) Act 1990, amended Article 338 of the Constitution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>89<sup>th</sup> Amendment, 2003:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for SC and ST was replaced by <strong>two separate Commissions</strong> from the year 2004 which were:<strong> National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-commission-for-scheduled-tribes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)</strong></a>- under <strong>Article 338-A.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Structure:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It consists of:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Chairperson.</li>
<li>Vice-chairperson.</li>
<li>Three other members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They are <strong>appointed by the President</strong> by warrant under his hand and seal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Monitoring and investigating all issues</strong> concerning the safeguards provided <strong>for the SCs</strong> under the constitution.</li>
<li><strong>Enquiring into complaints</strong> relating to the deprivation of the rights and safeguards of the SCs.</li>
<li>Taking part in and <strong>advising the central or state governments</strong> with respect to the planning of socio-economic development of the SCs.</li>
<li>Regular <strong>reporting to the President</strong> of the country on the implementation of these safeguards.</li>
<li><strong>Recommending steps</strong> to be taken to further the <strong>socio-economic development and other welfare activities</strong> of the SCs.</li>
<li>Any other function with respect to the welfare, protection, development and advancement of the SC community.</li>
<li>The Commission is also required to discharge similar functions with regard to the <strong>Anglo-Indian Community</strong> as it does with respect to the SCs.</li>
<li>Till 2018, the commission was also required to discharge similar functions with regard to the other backward classes (OBCs). It was relieved from this responsibility by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-commission-for-backward-classes-ncbc#:~:text=102nd%20Constitution%20Amendment%20Act,socially%20and%20educationally%20backward%20classes." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>102<sup>nd</sup> Amendment Act of 2018</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Other Constitutional Provisions For Upliftment of the Schedule Caste</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/important-articles-from-indian-constitution-compilation-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 15</strong></a><strong>(4)</strong> refers to the special provisions for their advancement.</li>
<li><strong>Article 16(4A)</strong> speaks of <strong>&ldquo;reservation in matters of promotion to any class or classes of posts in the services under the State in favour of SCs/STs,</strong> which are not adequately represented in the services under the State&rsquo;.</li>
<li><strong>Article 17</strong> abolishes Untouchability.</li>
<li><strong>Article 46</strong> requires the State <strong>&lsquo;to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections</strong> of the people, and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and to protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.</li>
<li><strong>Article 335</strong> provides that the claims of the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into consideration, consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration, in the making of <strong>appointments to services and posts</strong> in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State.</li>
<li><strong>Article 330</strong> and <strong>Article 332</strong> of the Constitution respectively provide for <strong>reservation of seats in favour of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People and in the legislative assemblies</strong> of the States.</li>
<li>Under <strong>Part IX</strong> relating to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/panchayati-raj-institutions-and-participative-democracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Panchayats</strong></a> and <strong>Part IXA</strong> of the Constitution relating to the Municipalities, reservation for SC and ST in local bodies has been envisaged and provided.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/national-commission-for-scheduled-castes-gets-chairman/article33928022.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 6 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7642,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Economic Impact of Judicial Decisions',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> has asked research organisation <strong>&lsquo;Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) International&rsquo;</strong> to conduct a study on the<strong> &ldquo;economic impact&rdquo;</strong> <strong>of various judgments delivered by courts and tribunals</strong> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/when-judges-legislate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;judicial activism&rsquo;</strong></a> of such courts and tribunals.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Judicial Activism:</strong> It implies the<strong> assertive role played by the judiciary</strong> to force the other two organs of the government (legislature and executive) to discharge their constitutional duties. It is<strong> also known as &ldquo;judicial dynamism&rdquo;.</strong> It is the<strong> antithesis of &ldquo;judicial restraint&rdquo;,</strong> which means the self-control exercised by the judiciary.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Conducting Organization:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The study is to be undertaken by the Jaipur-headquartered <strong>CUTS (Consumer Unity and Trust Society)</strong> Centre for Competition, Investment and Economic Regulation, that also has an international presence.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a<strong> registered, recognised, non-profit, non-partisan, non-government organisation (NGO)</strong> pursuing social justice and economic equity both within and across borders.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The objective of the study aims a<strong> &ldquo;narrative building for sensitising the judiciary on the economic impact of their decisions&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>It is to do an objective <strong>cost-benefit analysis of the economic impact of the decisions.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Projects to be Studied:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Study intends to examine<strong> five major projects that have been &ldquo;impacted&rdquo; by judicial decisions of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court (SC)</a></strong> or the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal (NGT).</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Projects to be analysed include the construction of an<strong> airport in Mopa, Goa;</strong> cessation of<strong> iron ore mining in Goa,</strong> and the shutting down of the <strong>Sterlite copper plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.</strong></li>
<li>The others are decisions by the NGT involving <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unep-report-on-sand-mining" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sand mining</a>, and construction activities in the National Capital Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Process:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It plans to do this by <strong>interviewing people who have been affected</strong> by the closure of the projects, environmental campaigners, experts and assessing the business impact of closure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The findings will be used as a <strong>training input for judges</strong> of commercial courts, NGT, High Courts and SC.</li>
<li>It would contribute to public discourse among policymakers for promoting an <strong>&ldquo;economically responsible approach by judiciary&rdquo;</strong> in its decisions.</li>
<li>The study is also a <strong>part of the larger umbrella project</strong> undertaken by NITI Aayog under which it wants to establish a<strong> judicial performance index,</strong> which would measure the performance of judges at district courts and subordinate levels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Previous Study:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2017, the same CUTS International had also conducted an assessment study on the economic impact of the SC&rsquo;s decision to <strong>impose a ban on the presence of liquor shops within 500 m of any highway.</strong></li>
<li>The study showed that <strong>cases which involve substantial social and economic dimensions need to be studied in detail</strong> to assess whether they are implementable in the first place and whether the loss to the economy outweighs the gains envisaged.</li>
<li>This could be done <strong>if Courts set up expert committees</strong> to study these aspects which can also engage economists to analyse the cost/benefits before a judgment is pronounced.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Supreme Court had established such expert group committees for cases in the past like the <strong>Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety</strong> under the Chairmanship of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan in 2014 and <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sc-alters-lodhas-bcci-proposals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justice Lodha Committee</a> set up in 2015</strong> for reforms within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), amongst others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612782274_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612782274_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/niti-aayog-orders-study-on-economic-impact-of-judicial-decisions-7178976/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 7 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7600,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => '15th Finance Commission Recommendations: Fiscal Consolidation',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the 15<sup>th</sup> Finance Commission&rsquo;s Report was tabled in the Parliament. It provided range for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/increased-fiscal-deficit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>fiscal deficit</strong></a> and debt path of both the Union and States.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Fiscal Deficit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Target for Centre:</strong> It recommended that the Centre brings down its fiscal deficit to 4% of Gross Domestic Product GDP by 2025-26 against 6.8% in FY22.</li>
<li><strong>Target for States:</strong> For states, it recommended <strong>fiscal deficit at 4% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in 2021-22,</strong> 3.5% in the following year and 3% for the next three years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Borrowing Ceilings for States:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Because of <strong>Article 293 of the Constitution,</strong> State Governments operate under borrowing limits and, hence, budget constraints, approved by the Union Government.</li>
<li>The normal limit for <strong>net borrowing may be fixed at 4% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in 2021-22, 3.5% in 2022-23 </strong>and be maintained at<strong> 3% of GSDP from 2023-24 to 2025-26.</strong></li>
<li><strong>An additional borrowing of 0.5% of GSDP</strong> to be allowed to the States in case they meet the criteria for <strong>power sector reforms.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Better Monitoring of Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A <strong>threshold amount of annual appropriation should be fixed</strong> below which the funding for a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/reforming-centrally-sponsored-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> CSS</strong></a> may be stopped. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Below the stipulated threshold, the<strong> administration department should justify the need for the continuation of the scheme.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As the life cycle of ongoing schemes has been made co-terminus with the cycle of Finance Commissions, <strong>third-party evaluation of all CSSs should be completed within a stipulated time frame.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>New FRBM Framework:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/flexibility-under-the-frbm-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FRBM Act, 2003</strong></a>) <strong>needs a major restructuring</strong> and recommended that the time-table for defining and achieving debt sustainability may be examined by a <strong>High-powered Inter-governmental Group.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This High-powered Group can craft the <strong>new FRBM framework</strong> and oversee its implementation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>State Governments may explore formation of independent public debt management cells</strong> which will chart their borrowing programme efficiently.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1693868" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7599,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => '15th Finance Commission Recommendations: Different Sectors',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the 15<sup>th</sup> Finance Commission&rsquo;s Report was tabled in the Parliament. The Report included recommendations for different sectors - Health, Defence and Internal Security and Disaster Risk Management, etc.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Health:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Health spending by States should be <strong>increased to more than 8% of their budget by 2022.</strong></li>
<li>Given the inter-State disparity in the availability of medical doctors, it is essential to constitute an <strong>All India Medical and Health Service</strong> as is envisaged under Section 2A of the <strong>All-India Services Act, 1951.</strong></li>
<li>15<sup>th</sup> FC also allocated funds for <strong>overhauling of medical services</strong> at all the levels and <strong>training of the allied healthcare workforce. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Defence and Internal Security:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Union Government may constitute in the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mp-s-salaries-cut-and-mplads-suspended#:~:text=Public%20Account,the%20Consolidated%20Fund%20of%20India." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Public Account of India</strong></a>, a dedicated non-lapsable fund, <strong>Modernisation Fund for Defence and Internal Security (MFDIS).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disaster Risk Management:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Formation of Mitigation Funds</strong> at both the national and State levels, in line with the provisions of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/invocation-of-disaster-management-act-2005-to-deal-with-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Disaster Management Act</strong></a>, 2005.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Fund should be used for those local level and community-based interventions which reduce risks and promote environment-friendly settlements and livelihood practices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Funding Priority Areas:</strong> 15<sup>th</sup> FC has also earmarked allocations for certain priority areas, such as :<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Funds for the<strong> National Disaster Response Force</strong> for expansion and modernisation of fire services and resettlement of displaced people affected by erosion.</li>
<li>Funds for <strong>National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF)</strong> for catalytic assistance to twelve most drought-prone states, managing seismic and landslide risks in ten hill States, reducing the risk of urban flooding in seven most populous cities and mitigation measures to prevent erosion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1693868" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Source: PIB</a></strong></p>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7598,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => '15th Finance Commission Recommendations: Resource Allocation',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the<strong> government accepted the 15<sup>th</sup><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/j-k-and-15th-finance-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Finance Commission</a>&rsquo;s recommendation to maintain the States&rsquo; share in the divisible pool of taxes to 41%</strong> for the five-year period starting 2021-22.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Commission&rsquo;s Report was tabled in the Parliament.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>15<sup>th</sup> Finance Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Finance Commission (FC)</strong> is a<strong> constitutional body,</strong> that determines the method and formula for <strong>distributing the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tax</a> proceeds between the Centre and states,</strong> and among the states as per the constitutional arrangement and present requirements.</li>
<li>Under<strong> Article 280 of the Constitution, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/president-s-powers-to-pardon#:~:text=Pardoning%20Power%20of%20the%20President%20in%20India%3A,is%20a%20sentence%20of%20death." target="_blank" rel="noopener">President of India</a></strong> is required to constitute a Finance Commission at an interval of five years or earlier.</li>
<li>The 15<sup>th</sup> Finance Commission was constituted by the President of India in November 2017, <strong>under the chairmanship of NK Singh.</strong> Its recommendations will cover a <strong>period of five years from the year 2021-22 to 2025-26.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Vertical Devolution (Devolution of Taxes of the Union to States):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has recommended<strong> maintaining the vertical devolution at 41% -</strong> the same as in its<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/j-k-and-15th-finance-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> interim report for 2020-21.</strong></a> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is<strong> at the same level of 42% of the divisible pool</strong> as recommended by the <strong>14<sup>th</sup> Finance Commission.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It has <strong>made the required adjustment of about 1%</strong> due to the changed status of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir into the new <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/uts-j-k-and-ladakh#:~:text=The%20two%20new%20UTs%2C%20Ladakh,into%20the%20Union%20of%20India." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Horizontal Devolution (Allocation Between the States):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For horizontal devolution, it has suggested <strong>12.5% weightage to demographic performance, 45% to income, 15% each to population and area, 10% to forest and ecology and 2.5% to tax and fiscal efforts.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Revenue Deficit Grants to States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Revenue deficit grants <strong>emanate from the requirement to meet the fiscal needs of the States</strong> on their revenue accounts that remain to be met, even after considering their own tax and non-tax resources and tax devolution to them.</li>
<li>Revenue Deficit is <strong>defined as</strong> the difference between revenue or current expenditure and revenue receipts, that includes tax and non-tax.</li>
<li>It has recommended post-devolution <strong>revenue deficit grants amounting to about Rs. 3 trillion over the five-year period</strong> ending FY26. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>number of states qualifying</strong> for the revenue deficit grants<strong> decreases from 17 in FY22,</strong> the first year of the award period to 6 in<strong> FY26,</strong> the last year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Performance Based Incentives and Grants to States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These grants <strong>revolve around four main themes.</strong></li>
<li>The first is the<strong> social sector,</strong> where it has focused on <strong>health and education.</strong></li>
<li>Second is the<strong> rural economy,</strong> where it has focused on <strong>agriculture and the maintenance of rural roads.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The rural economy plays a significant role in the country as it <strong>encompasses two-thirds of the country's population, 70% of the total workforce</strong> and<strong> 46% of national income.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Third,<strong> governance and administrative reforms</strong> under which it has recommended grants for<strong> judiciary, statistics and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/aspirational-districts-programme#:~:text=Aspirational%20Districts%20are%20those%20districts,in%20human%20development%20in%20India." target="_blank" rel="noopener">aspirational districts</a> and blocks.</strong></li>
<li>Fourth, it has developed<strong> a performance-based incentive system for the power sector,</strong> which is not linked to grants but provides an important, additional borrowing window for States.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fiscal Space for Centre:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Total <strong>15<sup>th</sup> Finance Commission transfers (devolution + grants)</strong> constitutes about <strong>34% of estimated Gross Revenue Receipts</strong> to the Union, <strong>leaving adequate fiscal space</strong> to meet its resource requirements and spending obligations on national development priorities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Grants to Local Governments:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Along with grants for municipal services and local government bodies, it includes <strong>performance-based grants for incubation of new cities</strong> and <strong>health grants</strong> to local governments.</li>
<li>In grants for Urban local bodies, <strong>basic grants are proposed only for cities/towns having a population of less than a million.</strong> For <strong>Million-Plus cities,</strong> 100% of the grants are performance-linked through the <strong>Million-Plus Cities Challenge Fund</strong> (MCF).
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>MCF amount is linked to the performance of these cities in <strong>improving their air quality</strong> and meeting the service level benchmarks for <strong>urban drinking water supply, sanitation and solid waste management.</strong><strong></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Criticism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Performance based incentives disincentivizes independent decision-making.</strong> Any conditions on the state's ability to borrow will have an adverse effect on the spending by the state, particularly on development thus,<strong> undermines cooperative fiscal federalism.</strong></li>
<li>It <strong>does not hold the Union government accountable for its own fiscal prudence</strong> and dilutes the joint responsibility that the Union and States have.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Horizontal Devolution Criteria</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Population:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The population of a State<strong> represents the needs of the State to undertake expenditure</strong> for providing services to its residents.</li>
<li>It is also <strong>a simple and transparent indicator</strong> that has a significant equalising impact.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Area:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>larger the area, greater is the expenditure requirement</strong> for providing comparable services.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Forest and Ecology:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By taking into account the share of dense forest of each state in the aggregate dense forest of all the states, the share on this criteria is determined.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Income Distance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Income distance is the <strong>distance of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of a particular state from the state with the highest GSDP.</strong></li>
<li>To maintain inter state equity, the <strong>states with lower per capita income would be given a higher share. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Demographic Performance: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It<strong> rewards efforts made by states in controlling their population.</strong></li>
<li>This criterion has been computed by <strong>using the reciprocal of the total fertility ratio of each state,</strong> scaled by 1971 population data.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This has been done to <strong>assuage the fears of southern States</strong> about losing some share in tax transfers due to the reliance on the 2011 Census data instead of the 1971 census, which could penalise States that did better on managing demographics.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>States with a lower fertility ratio will be scored higher</strong> on this criterion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indias-falling-fertility-rate#:~:text=India's%20total%20fertility%20rate%20(TFR,2.3%20between%202013%20and%202016." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Total Fertility Ratio</strong> </a>in a specific year is defined as the total number of children that would be born to each woman if she/they were to pass through the childbearing years bearing children according to a current schedule of age-specific fertility rates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tax Effort:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This criterion has been <strong>used to reward states with higher tax collection efficiency.</strong></li>
<li>It has been computed as the ratio of the average per capita own tax revenue and the average per capita state GDP during the three-year period between 2016-17 and 2018-19.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612339962_image15.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612339962_image15.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1693868" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7145,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Right to Vote for NRIs',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/election-commissioner" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Election Commission of India</strong></a> (ECI) has informed the Ministry of Law and Justice that it is<strong> &ldquo;technically and administratively ready&rdquo;</strong> to extend the <strong>Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System</strong> (ETPBS) to <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-diaspora" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non Resident Indian</strong> </a>(NRI) voters for elections next year in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The ECI started to look for possible options after receiving <strong>several requests from MPs, industrialists, ministers and also writ petitions by NRIs</strong> in the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> (SC) in 2013 and 2014.</li>
<li>After the <strong>2014 Lok Sabha elections,</strong> a <strong>12-member committee</strong> was set up to <strong>study mainly three options</strong> of:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Voting by post.</li>
<li>Voting at an Indian mission abroad.</li>
<li>Online voting.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The committee ruled out online polling as it felt this could compromise <strong>&ldquo;secrecy of voting&rdquo;</strong> and also shot down the proposal to vote at Indian missions abroad as they <strong>do not have adequate resources.</strong></li>
<li>In<strong> 2015,</strong> the panel finally recommended that NRIs should be given the <strong>&ldquo;additional alternative options of e-postal ballot</strong> and <strong>proxy voting&rdquo;,</strong> apart from voting in person.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under proxy voting, a registered elector can delegate his <strong>voting power to a representative.</strong></li>
<li>At present, postal ballots are<strong> allowed</strong> for certain categories of voters <strong>(Service Voters)</strong> living in India, which include:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Members of the Armed Forces.</li>
<li>Members of the Armed Police Force of a State, serving outside that State.</li>
<li>Persons employed under Government of India on post outside India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In<strong> 2017,</strong> the Union Cabinet <strong>passed the proposal on proxy voting rights</strong> for NRIs and brought a Bill amending the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/representation-of-people-s-act-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Representation of the People Act 1950.</strong></a></li>
<li>However, the bill lapsed in Rajya Sabha due to<strong> dissolution of the 16<sup>th</sup> Lok Sabha</strong> and the proposal has not been revived yet.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>ECI pushed only for postal voting rights</strong> for NRIs instead of the proxy voting.</li>
<li>To extend the postal voting facility to overseas voters, the government only needs to <strong>amend the Conduct of Election Rules 1961. It does not require Parliament&rsquo;s nod.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Current Voting Process for NRIs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Voting rights for NRIs were introduced only in <strong>2011,</strong> through an <strong>amendment to the Representation of the People Act 1950.</strong></li>
<li>An NRI can vote in the constituency in <strong>his/her place of residence,</strong> as mentioned in the passport, is located.</li>
<li>He/She can<strong> only vote in person</strong> and will have to <strong>produce her passport in original at the polling station for establishing identity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Current Strength of NRI Voters:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to a <strong>United Nations</strong> report of 2015, India&rsquo;s diaspora population is the <strong>largest in the world at 16 million people.</strong></li>
<li>However, registration of NRI voters has been <strong>very low</strong> with a little over one lakh overseas Indians registered as voters in India.</li>
<li>In the <strong>2019 Lok Sabha elections,</strong> roughly<strong> 25,000</strong> of them flew to India to vote.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Process of Voting by Postal Ballots:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any NRI interested in voting through the postal ballot will have to<strong> inform the Returning Officer</strong> (RO) <strong>not later than five days after the notification of the election.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The RO of a parliamentary or assembly constituency is <strong>responsible for the conduct of elections in the parliamentary or assembly constituency.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On receiving such information, the <strong>RO will dispatch the ballot paper electronically.</strong></li>
<li>The NRI voters will<strong> download the ballot paper, mark their preference</strong> on the printout and send it back along <strong>with a declaration attested by an officer appointed by the diplomatic or consular representative of India</strong> in the country where the NRI is resident.</li>
<li>However, it is not clear right now, if the voter will return the <strong>ballot paper herself through ordinary post or drop it off at the Indian Embassy,</strong> which may then segregate the envelopes constituency-wise and send them to the <strong>Chief Electoral Officer</strong> of the state concerned for forwarding to the RO.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The committee had <strong>consulted national political parties and the Ministry of External Affairs</strong> (MEA) on the options being considered for NRIs to cast their vote abroad.</li>
<li>Among parties,<strong> only the NCP has expressed complete support</strong> and according to the <strong>BSP, BJP and CPI,</strong> postal ballots were not a viable option due to time constraint. The <strong>Congress</strong> was <strong>not in favour</strong> of sending the postal ballot paper electronically.</li>
<li>The MEA expressed <strong>strong reservations over attesting the declaration</strong> as the <strong>process might be difficult in non-democratic countries.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Non Resident Indian</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to India&rsquo;s <strong>Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 (FEMA),</strong> NRI is an Indian citizen or Foreign National of Indian Origin residing outside India for<strong> purposes of employment, carrying on business or vocation</strong> in circumstances as would indicate an intention to stay outside India for an indefinite period.</li>
<li>Visiting NRIs whose total income (which is defined as taxable income) in India is up to <strong>Rs. 15 lakh during the financial year</strong> will continue to remain <strong>NRIs if the stay does not exceed 181 days.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Union Budget 2020</strong> proposed to<strong> reduce this period to 120 days</strong> for all NRIs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-nris-could-vote-by-post-7088800/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6858,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Model Code of Conduct: EC',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Election Commission</strong></a> (EC) has found former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister&rsquo;s<strong> remark on a woman politician violative of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/model-code-of-conduct-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Model Code of Conduct</a></strong> (MCC).</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The MCC is a<strong> set of guidelines issued by the EC to regulate political parties and candidates prior to elections.</strong></li>
<li>It helps EC in keeping with the <strong>mandate it has been given under Article 324</strong> of the Constitution, which gives it the <strong>power to supervise and conduct free and fair elections</strong> to the Parliament and State Legislatures.</li>
<li>The MCC is <strong>operational from the date on which the election schedule is announced until the date of result announcement.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Evolution:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The origins of the MCC lie in the <strong>Assembly elections of Kerala in 1960,</strong> when the State administration <strong>prepared a &lsquo;Code of Conduct&rsquo; for political actors.</strong></li>
<li>Subsequently, in the <strong>Lok Sabha elections in 1962,</strong> the ECI <strong>circulated the code</strong> to all recognised political parties and State governments and it was <strong>wholeheartedly followed.</strong></li>
<li>It was in <strong>1991</strong> after repeated flouting of the election norms and continued corruption, the <strong>EC decided to enforce the MCC more strictly.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>MCC contains eight provisions dealing with:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>General Conduct:</strong> Criticism of political parties must be limited to their policies and programmes, past record and work. Activities such as using caste and communal feelings to secure votes, criticising candidates on the basis of unverified reports, bribing or intimidation of voters, etc. are prohibited.</li>
<li><strong>Meetings:</strong> Parties must inform the local police authorities of the venue and time of any meeting in time to enable the police to make adequate security arrangements.</li>
<li><strong>Processions:</strong> If two or more candidates plan processions along the same route, organisers must establish a contact in advance to ensure that the processions do not clash. Carrying and burning effigies representing members of other political parties is not allowed.</li>
<li><strong>Polling Day:</strong> All authorised party workers at polling booths should be given suitable badges or identity cards. Identity slips supplied by them to voters shall be on plain (white) paper and shall not contain any symbol, name of the candidate or the name of the party.</li>
<li><strong>Polling Booths:</strong> Only voters, and those with a valid pass from the EC are allowed to enter polling booths.</li>
<li><strong>Observers:</strong> The EC will appoint observers to whom any candidates may report problems regarding the conduct of the election.</li>
<li><strong>Party in power:</strong> The MCC incorporated certain restrictions in 1979, regulating the conduct of the party in power.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ministers <strong>must not combine official visits with election work</strong> or use official machinery for the same.</li>
<li>The party <strong>must avoid</strong> advertising at the cost of the public exchequer or using official mass media for publicity on achievements to improve chances of victory in the elections.</li>
<li>Ministers and other authorities must not announce any financial grants, or promise any construction of roads, provision of drinking water, etc.</li>
<li>Other parties must be allowed to use public spaces and rest houses and these must not be monopolised by the party in power.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Election manifestos: Added in 2013,</strong> these guidelines prohibit parties from making promises that exert an undue influence on voters, and suggest that manifestos also indicate the means to achieve promises.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Legal Enforcement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Though MCC<strong> does not have any statutory backing,</strong> it has come to acquire strength in the past decade because of its <strong>strict enforcement by the EC.</strong></li>
<li>Certain provisions of the MCC may be enforced through invoking corresponding provisions in other statutes such as the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-road-map-for-criminal-justice-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Penal Code 1860</strong></a>, <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/re-imagining-cognizable-offences" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Code of Criminal Procedure 1973</a></strong>, and <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/the-representation-of-the-people-act-part-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Representation of the People Act 1951.</strong></a></li>
<li>In <strong>2013,</strong> the<strong> Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, recommended making the MCC legally binding</strong> and recommended that the MCC be made a part of the RPA 1951.</li>
<li>However, the<strong> EC argues against making it legally binding.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to it, elections must be completed within a relatively short time or close to 45 days and <strong>judicial proceedings typically take longer, therefore it is not feasible to make it enforceable</strong> by law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/violation-of-model-code-dont-use-such-words-ec-to-nath-on-item-remark-6890749/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6815,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'ECI Committee on Expenditure Limit',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Election Commission of India</strong></a> (ECI) has constituted a <strong>committee to examine the issues concerning the expenditure limit for a candidate.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Committee:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has been tasked with <strong>assessing the change in the number of electors</strong> across states/UTs and the <strong>change in the Cost Inflation Index</strong> (CII) and their bearing on expenditure pattern of candidates in recent elections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Political parties</strong> in the feedback to the Commission had <strong>asked for an increase in the expenditure</strong> of Bihar assembly elections to meet the<strong> increased digital campaign expenses</strong> amid the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19 pandemic.</strong></a></li>
<li>The Ministry of Law and Justice notified an <strong>amendment in Rule 90 of Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961,</strong> which <strong>enhanced the existing expenditure limit by 10%,</strong> applicable with <strong>immediate effect.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Earlier Revisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The expenditure limit was<strong> last revised in 2014</strong> while the same was done for <strong>Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in 2018,</strong> following their<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/statehood-day-of-telangana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> bifurcation</strong> </a><strong>in 2014.</strong></li>
<li>After that, the limit has not been increased <strong>despite an increase in the electorate</strong> from 834 million in 2014 to 921 million in 2020 and an <strong>increase in the Cost Inflation Index</strong> from 220 in 2014 to 301 in 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Expenditure Limit</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the<strong> amount an election candidate can legally spend for their election campaign</strong> and has to account for, which <strong>includes expenses on</strong> public meetings, rallies, advertisements, posters, banners vehicles and advertisements.</li>
<li>These <strong>limits range from Rs. 20 lakh to Rs. 28 lakh</strong> for <strong>assembly elections</strong> and from <strong>Rs. 54 lakh to Rs. 70 lakh</strong> for<strong> Lok Sabha elections.</strong></li>
<li>Under <strong>Section 77 of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/the-representation-of-the-people-act-part-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951</a></strong>, every candidate shall keep a <strong>separate and correct account of all expenditure</strong> incurred between the date on which they have been nominated and the date of declaration of the result.</li>
<li>All candidates are required to <strong>submit their expenditure statement to the ECI within 30 days</strong> of the completion of the elections.</li>
<li>An <strong>incorrect account or expenditure beyond the cap can lead to disqualification</strong> of the candidate by the ECI <strong>for up to three years,</strong> under <strong>Section 10A of RPA, 1951.</strong></li>
<li>The limit prescribed by the ECI is <strong>meant for legitimate expenditure</strong> because a lot of money in elections is spent for illegitimate purposes.</li>
<li>It has often been <strong>argued that these limits are unrealistic</strong> as the <strong>actual expenditure</strong> incurred by the candidate is <strong>much higher.</strong></li>
<li>In <strong>December 2019,</strong> a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/introduction-of-private-member-s-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>private member&rsquo;s bill</strong></a> was introduced in the Parliament which<strong> intended to do away with the cap on election spending</strong> by candidates.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The move was taken on the ground that the<strong> ceiling on election expenses ends up being counterproductive</strong> by encouraging candidates to under-report their expenditure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is <strong>no cap on a political party&rsquo;s expenditure,</strong> which is often<strong> exploited by candidates of the party.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, <strong>all registered political parties</strong> have to <strong>submit a statement of their election expenditure to the ECI within 90 days</strong> of the completion of the elections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>State Funding of Elections:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this system, the <strong>states bear the election expenditure of political parties</strong> contesting the Election.</li>
<li>This can <strong>bring transparency in the funding process</strong> as public finance can limit the influence of interested donors&rsquo; money and thereby help curb corruption.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recommendations on State Funding:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Indrajit Gupta Committee (1998):</strong> It suggested that state funding would <strong>ensure a level playing field for poorer political parties</strong> and argued that such a move would be in public interest.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It also recommended that state funds should only be given to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-party-status-by-election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>recognised national and State parties</strong></a> and funding should be given in the form of free facilities provided to these parties and their candidates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Law Commission Report (1999):</strong> It stated that a state funding of elections is <strong>&lsquo;desirable&rsquo;</strong> provided that political <strong>parties are prohibited from taking funds from other sources.</strong></li>
<li><strong>National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2000):</strong> It <strong>did not support</strong> the idea but mentioned that an appropriate framework for the regulation of political parties needs to be implemented before state funding is considered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/eci-not-in-favour-of-state-political-fundings-for-polls" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ECI is not in favour of state funding</strong> </a>of elections on the grounds that it would <strong>not be able to prohibit or check candidates&rsquo; and other expenditures</strong> over and above what is provided for by the state.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cost Inflation Index</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>used to estimate the increase in the prices of goods and assets year-by-year due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/return-of-inflation#:~:text=Inflation%20refers%20to%20the%20rise,transport%2C%20consumer%20staples%2C%20etc.&amp;text=Inflation%20is%20indicative%20of%20the,unit%20of%20a%20country's%20currency." target="_blank" rel="noopener">inflation</a>.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>calculated to match the prices to the inflation rate.</strong> In simple words, an increase in the inflation rate over time will lead to a rise in the prices.</li>
<li>Cost Inflation Index =<strong> 75% of the average rise in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/inflation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consumer Price Index</a></strong> (urban) for the immediately preceding year.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Consumer Price Index</strong> compares the current price of a basket of goods and services (which represent the economy) with the cost of the same basket of goods and services in the previous year to calculate the increase in prices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Central Government specifies CII by notifying in the official gazette.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1666540" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6698,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Increased Election Campaign Broadcast Time',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Election Commission of India</strong></a> (ECI) has increased the broadcast time allotted to <strong>recognised political parties</strong> on <strong>Doordarshan and All India Radio</strong> to aid campaigning for elections to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar, 2020.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Broadcast Timings:</strong> A base time of <strong>90 minutes</strong> will be given to <strong>each</strong> national party and recognised state party of Bihar uniformly on the regional kendras of <strong>Doordarshan</strong> network and <strong>All India Radio</strong> network in Bihar.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>No party will be given more than <strong>30 minutes</strong> in a single broadcast session.</li>
<li>Any additional time (beyond the basic 90 minutes) will be given to a party based on its electoral performance in the last Assembly election in 2015.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Broadcast Period:</strong> The period of broadcast will be between the last date of filing nominations and two days before the date of polling in Bihar.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Prasar Bharati Corporation</strong> in consultation with the ECI will decide the actual date and time for broadcast and telecast.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Prasar Bharati</strong> is India's largest public broadcasting agency. It is a<strong> statutory autonomous</strong> body set up by the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990 and comprises the Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio, which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The parties will be required to <strong>submit transcripts</strong> and <strong>recordings</strong> in advance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In addition to the broadcast by parties, the Prasar Bharati Corporation will organise a maximum of <strong>four panel discussions and/or debates</strong> on the Kendra/Station of Doordarshan/ All India Radio.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Each eligible party can nominate one representative to such a programme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> With the pandemic restricting movement and maintenance of safety for the people and party workers through <strong>non-contact-based campaign.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This can act as an <strong>experimental step to reduce the expenditure on physical campaigning.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Types of Parties</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Election Commission of India</strong> lists political parties as &ldquo;national party&rdquo;, &ldquo;state party&rdquo; or &ldquo;registered (unrecognised) party&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The conditions for being listed as a national or a state party are specified under the <strong>Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Conditions for recognized parties:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>National Party:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>6% valid votes polled in any four or more states at a general election to the Lok Sabha or to the State legislative assembly; and, in addition, it wins four seats in the Lok Sabha from any state or states.</li>
<li>2% of all Lok Sabha seats in the last such election, with MPs elected from at least three states.</li>
<li>Recognition as a state party in at least four states.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>State Party:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Two seats plus a 6% vote share in the last Assembly election in that state.</li>
<li>One seat plus a 6% vote share in the last Lok Sabha election from that state.</li>
<li>3% of the total Assembly seats or 3 seats, whichever is more.</li>
<li>One of every 25 Lok Sabha seats (or an equivalent fraction) from a state.</li>
<li>An 8% state-wide vote share in either the last Lok Sabha or the last Assembly polls.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Loss of Recognised Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Once recognised as a national or a state party, a political party loses its given status only if it fails to fulfil any of the conditions for two successive Assembly and two successive Lok Sabha elections.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>That means a party retains that status irrespective of its performance in the next elections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ec-increases-broadcast-time-for-parties-on-dd-air-6718928/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6260,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Election Commissioner',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Centre has appointed <strong>Rajiv Kumar as the Election Commissioner.</strong> He has been appointed<strong> in place of Ashok Lavasa,</strong> who has resigned to<strong> join the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/4-contraction-in-growth-adb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asian Development Bank (ADB).</a></strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Constitutional Provisions:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Election Commission of India</strong> </a>is an <strong>autonomous constitutional authority responsible</strong> for administering Union and State election processes in India. The body<strong> administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies</strong> in India, and the <strong>offices of the President and Vice President</strong> in the country <strong>(Article 324).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is<strong> not concerned with the elections to panchayats and municipalities</strong> in the states. For this, the Constitution of India provides for a separate<strong> State Election Commission.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Election Commission shall <strong>consist of the chief election commissioner and such number of other election commissioners,</strong> if any, as the<strong> President may from time to time fix.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Presently, it consists of the Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Appointment &amp; Tenure of Commissioners:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>President appoints</strong> Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.</li>
<li>They have<strong> tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years,</strong> whichever is earlier.</li>
<li>They enjoy the <strong>same status</strong> and receive salary and perks as available to <strong>Judges of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court of India.</a></strong></li>
<li><strong>All Election Commissioners have equal say</strong> in the decision making of the Commission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Removal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They<strong> can resign anytime or can also be removed</strong> before the expiry of their term.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> Chief Election Commissioner can be removed</strong> from his office in the <strong>same manner</strong> and on<strong> same grounds</strong> as a <strong>judge of the Supreme Court.</strong></li>
<li>In other words, he can be removed by the President on the basis of a<strong> resolution</strong> passed to that effect by <strong>both the Houses of Parliament with special majority,</strong> either on the ground of <strong>proved misbehaviour or incapacity.</strong></li>
<li>Thus, he <strong>does not hold his office till the pleasure of the President,</strong> though he is appointed by him.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Any other <strong>election commissioner</strong> or a regional commissioner cannot be removed from office except on the <strong>recommendation of the chief election commissioner.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Limitations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not prescribed the qualifications</strong> (legal, educational, administrative or judicial) of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has<strong> not specified the term of the members</strong> of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has<strong> not debarred the retiring election commissioners from any further appointment</strong> by the government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Powers and Functions of the Election Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Administrative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To determine the <strong>territorial areas of the electoral constituencies</strong> throughout the country on the basis of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/delimitation-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Delimitation</strong></a> <strong>Commission Act</strong> of Parliament.</li>
<li>To <strong>prepare and periodically revise electoral rolls</strong> and to register all eligible voters.</li>
<li>To <strong>grant recognition to political parties</strong> and<strong> allot election symbols</strong> to them.</li>
<li>Election Commission ensures a level playing field for the political parties in election fray, through strict observance by them of a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/model-code-of-conduct-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Model Code of Conduct</strong></a> evolved with the consensus of political parties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advisory Jurisdiction &amp; Quasi-Judicial Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under the Constitution, the Commission has<strong> advisory jurisdiction in the matter of post election disqualification of sitting members</strong> of Parliament and State Legislatures. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>opinion of the Commission in all such matters is binding</strong> on the President or, as the case may be, the Governor to whom such opinion is tendered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, the<strong> cases of persons found guilty of corrupt practices</strong> at elections which come before the Supreme Court and High Courts are also referred to the Commission for its opinion on the question as to whether such person shall be disqualified and, if so, for what period.</li>
<li>The Commission <strong>has the power to disqualify a candidate who has failed to lodge an account of his election expenses</strong> within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rajiv-kumar-appointed-election-commissioner/article32416860.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6149,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Comptroller and Auditor General',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Girish Chandra Murmu</strong> has been appointed the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/comptroller-and-auditor-general-of-india-cag" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).</strong> </a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He has replaced Rajiv Mehrishi and will have a tenure up to 20<sup>th</sup> November, 2024.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Constitutional Body: Article 148</strong> provides for an independent office of the CAG. It is the <strong>supreme audit institution of India.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Other Provisions</strong> Related to CAG include:<strong> Articles 149-151</strong> (Duties &amp; Powers, Form of Accounts of the Union and the States and Audit Reports), <strong>Article 279</strong> (calculation of net proceeds, etc.) and <strong>Third Schedule</strong> (Oath or Affirmation) and <strong>Sixth Schedule</strong> (Administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Profile in Brief:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Head of the <strong>Indian Audit and Accounts Department -</strong> created in 1753.</li>
<li><strong>Guardian of the public purse</strong> and controls the entire <strong>financial system</strong> of the country at both the levels&ndash;<strong>the Centre and the state.</strong></li>
<li><strong>One of the bulwarks</strong> of the democratic system of government in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The others being the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Supreme Court</strong></a>, the<strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Election Commission</a></strong> and the <strong>Union Public Service Commission.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>accountability of the executive (i.e. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/strength-of-com-in-madhya-pradesh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Council of Ministers</a>)</strong> to the Parliament in the sphere of <strong>financial administration</strong> is secured through audit reports of the CAG.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Appointment:</strong> Appointed by the<strong> President of India</strong> by a warrant under his hand and seal.</li>
<li><strong>Tenure:</strong> A period of<strong> six years</strong> or upto the age of <strong>65</strong> years, whichever is earlier.</li>
<li><strong>Removal:</strong> CAG can be removed by the President on the <strong>same grounds and in the same manner as a judge of the Supreme Court. </strong>He<strong> does not hold his office till the pleasure of the President.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In other words, he can be removed by the President on the basis of a <strong>resolution</strong> passed to that effect by both the <strong>Houses of Parliament with special majority,</strong> either on the ground of <strong>proved misbehaviour or incapacity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Related Points:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Not eligible for further office,</strong> either under the Government of India or of any state, after he ceases to hold his office.</li>
<li><strong>Salary and other service conditions are determined by the Parliament.</strong></li>
<li>The administrative expenses of the office of the CAG, including all salaries, allowances and pensions of persons serving in that office are <strong>charged upon the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mp-s-salaries-cut-and-mplads-suspended#:~:text=Government%20Accounts-,Consolidated%20Fund,and%20all%20non%2Dtax%20revenues." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consolidated Fund of India</a></strong> (thus are<strong> not subject to the vote of Parliament).</strong></li>
<li><strong>No minister can represent the CAG in Parliament.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Duties &amp; Powers</strong> as also under the <strong>CAG&rsquo;s (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Audits the accounts related to all <strong>expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India,</strong> consolidated fund of each state and consolidated fund of each union territory having a Legislative Assembly.</li>
<li>Audits all expenditure from the<strong> Contingency Fund of India</strong> and the <strong>Public Account of India</strong> as well as the contingency fund of each state and the public account of each state.</li>
<li><strong>Audits</strong> profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and other subsidiary <strong>accounts kept by any department of the Central Government and state governments.</strong></li>
<li>Audits the receipts and expenditure of the following:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Bodies and authorities substantially <strong>financed from the Central or state revenues;</strong></li>
<li><strong>Government companies;</strong> and</li>
<li>Other corporations and bodies, when so required by related laws.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Audits the accounts of any other authority when<strong> requested by the President or Governor.</strong> For example, the audit of local bodies.</li>
<li>Acts as a <strong>guide, friend and philosopher of the Public Accounts Committee</strong> of the Parliament.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Limitation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Constitution of India visualises the CAG to be Comptroller as well as Auditor General. However, in practice, the CAG is <strong>fulfilling the role of an Auditor-General only and not that of a Comptroller.</strong></li>
<li>In other words, the CAG has no control over the issue of money from the consolidated fund and many departments are authorised to draw money by issuing cheques without specific authority from the CAG, who is concerned only at the audit stage when the expenditure has already taken place.</li>
<li>In this respect, the CAG of India <strong>differs totally from the CAG of Britain</strong> who has powers of both Comptroller as well as Auditor General. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In other words, in Britain, the executive can draw money from the public exchequer only with the approval of the CAG.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/gc-murmu-appointed-comptroller-and-auditor-general-of-india/article32289014.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6042,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Centre’s Inability to Pay GST Dues',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>In a recent meeting, the <strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance</strong> has been informed that the government is not in a position to pay the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Goods and Services Tax</strong></a> (GST) <strong>share of States</strong> as per the current revenue sharing formula.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Centre had released the <strong>final instalment of Rs. 13,806 crore of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-compensation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GST compensation</a> for the FY 2019-20.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It comes as a relief for States seeking to finance efforts to ramp up public health-care capacity and contain <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> effects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the <strong>FY 2020-21,</strong> there is going to be a<strong> revenue shortfall</strong> due to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Even the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fall-in-goods-and-services-tax-gst-collections" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST collections for March 2020 also saw a dip.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For such times, the<strong> GST Act</strong> has <strong>provisions to rework the formula for paying compensation</strong> to the State governments if the <strong>revenue collection drops below a certain threshold.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>GST Compensations</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The GST became applicable from <strong>1<sup>st</sup> July 2017</strong> after the enactment of the<strong> 101<sup>st</sup> Constitution Amendment Act, 2016</strong> and with it, a large number of central and state indirect taxes merged into a single tax.</li>
<li>The Centre<strong> promised compensation</strong> to the States for any shortfall in tax revenue due to GST implementation for a <strong>period of five years.</strong> This promise <strong>convinced a large number of reluctant States to sign</strong> on to the new indirect tax regime.</li>
<li>As per the GST Act, states are <strong>guaranteed compensation for any revenue shortfall below 14% growth (base year 2015-16)</strong> for the<strong> first five years ending 2022.</strong></li>
<li>GST compensation is <strong>paid out of Compensation Cess every two months</strong> by the Centre to states.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Compensation Cess are <strong>collected on the supply of select goods</strong> (luxury and sin goods) <strong>and/or services or both</strong> till 1<sup>st</sup> July 2022.</li>
<li>All the taxpayers, except those who export specific notified goods and those who have opted for the <strong>GST composition scheme,</strong> are liable to collect and remit the GST compensation cess to the central government.</li>
<li>Subsequently, the central government distributes it to the states.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Deviated Priorities:</strong> The committee held its first meeting after the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>lockdowns</strong></a> and instead of discussing the state of the Indian economy amidst the ongoing pandemic and the fight against it, it chose the topic of <strong>&lsquo;Financing the Innovation Ecosystem and India&rsquo;s Growth Companies&rsquo;</strong> which is not so relevant given the times.</li>
<li><strong>Unclear Finances:</strong> The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/union-budget-2020-21-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Budget 2020-21</strong> </a><strong>may no longer be relevant</strong> since it was based on certain assumptions about the revenue collections and there is <strong>no clarity so far from the government on overall revenue shortfall</strong> this year.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is <strong>no clarity over the efficacy of the government&rsquo;s rescue package</strong> in the form of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/economic-stimulus-v" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>different Economic Stimulus.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Widening Gaps:</strong> The <strong>gap between the compensation cess and the payment to states is expected to widen further</strong> with expected economic contraction denting GST collections as well.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Compensation cess inflows could reduce because of <strong>people curbing discretionary spending on luxury goods</strong> in order to conserve capital in the pandemic-hit economy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>More Difficult Payments: Paying compensation to States this year is going to be even more difficult</strong> for the Centre because, for the FY 2019-20, the Compensation cess was almost Rs. 70,000 crore less than the payments due to States.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>overcome</strong> by tapping cess balances from the<strong> first two years of GST implementation</strong> and from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mp-s-salaries-cut-and-mplads-suspended#:~:text=Government%20Accounts-,Consolidated%20Fund,and%20all%20non%2Dtax%20revenues." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Consolidated Fund of India</strong> </a>by debiting <strong>Integrated GST (IGST) funds.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>IGST is levied on inter-State supply of goods and services</strong> and some of this levy collected in 2017-18, had not yet been allocated to States.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Delayed Meetings:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-council-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST Council</strong></a> was <strong>scheduled to meet in July</strong> to try and work out the formula to rework the compensation<strong> but the meeting has not been convened</strong> so far.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The chief solution officials have suggested the Centre to raise special loans against future GST cess accruals (an amount of money that accumulates) in order to help meet its compensation promise to States.</li>
<li>The pandemic has thrown multiple challenges in front of the Centre and the States. They need to have more certainty and clarity on the cash at their disposal which would help them to battle the virus more effectively.</li>
<li>There is a need to boost the economic growth of the country and the government needs to think about the ways through which it can increase GST collections.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/centre-unable-to-pay-gst-dues-to-states-union-finance-secretary/article32216329.ece#:~:text=Finance%20Secretary%20Ajay%20Bhushan%20Pandey,revenue%20sharing%20formula%2C%20sources%20said." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 5981,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Reimagining the National Commission for Scheduled Castes',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on the <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/towards-a-dalit-future-national-commission-for-scheduled-castes6516851/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Towards a more equal future</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 22/07/2020. It discusses how the National Commission for Scheduled Castes can help in socio-economic empowerment of Dalits in contemporary India.</p>
</div>
<p>Though the Indian constitution envisages the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-political-thinker-br-ambedkar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>abolition of &lsquo;untouchability&rsquo;</strong></a> and an end to discrimination, prejudice is rampant in society and entrenched social discrimination and existing socio-economic realities add to the disadvantages faced by Scheduled Castes in India.</p>
<p>For the past many years the two main concerns of the group- <strong>protection from atrocities, and adequate representation,</strong> have not been addressed effectively by most of the stakeholders in Indian society- citizens, civil society, and governments.</p>
<p>One can still find incidents where a Dalit has been murdered for breaking bigoted social barriers or for marrying outside his or her caste or a Dalit who died while being forced to clean sewers.</p>
<p>It is in this backdrop that the role of <a href="/printpdf/constitutional-status-for-national-commission-for-backward-classes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Commission for Scheduled Castes</strong></a> (NCSC) can be diversified to add to the sensitive and inclusive reforms in the society.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Commission for Scheduled Castes</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order to provide the Scheduled Castes of Indian society safeguards against exploitation and to promote their social, economic, educational and cultural development, the Commission was set up by the Government of India.</li>
<li>The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) was established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new <strong>Article 338A</strong> in the Constitution through the Constitution (89<sup>th</sup> Amendment) Act, 2003.</li>
<li>By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced by two separate Commissions namely- the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) from February, 2004.</li>
<li>It consists of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and three other members. They are appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.</li>
<li>Lack of infrastructure, lack of powers to take affirmative action (Commissions recommendations are not binding) have been some of the issues faced by the NCSC. It has been criticised for inefficient functioning, vague selection and appointment process, exorbitant budget etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Steps That Can Be Taken Up By the NCSC</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Strengthening the legal and judicial protection of Dalits under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-clears-bill-to-restore-the-provisions-of-sc-st-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act</a>:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Commission can facilitate <strong>online reporting and tracking</strong> of crime.</li>
<li>It can make people aware of the process of filing the cases by framing and making available simplified Standard Operating Procedures in local languages at all the police stations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Capacity building and sensitisation of the institutions:</strong> The Commission can help in capacity building of lawyers, judges and policemen. This can ensure their empathetic engagement with members from Scheduled Castes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Commission can help sensitize at least the government institutions and organisations by regularly monitoring their grievance redressal mechanisms like internal complaints committee.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ensuring effective implementation of existing government policies:</strong> The Commission can discuss with legislators and prioritise outcome-oriented fund expenditure across the Ministries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Each ministry is supposed to set aside 15% of its spending in a Scheduled Caste Sub Plan. The Commission can restructure these funds for employment generation and self-employment, capacity building, including soft skills of Dalits.</li>
<li>Effectiveness and impacts of existing schemes can be monitored by the Commission regularly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Scheduled Caste Sub Plan</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Every year, the Union Budget makes allocations exclusively for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe.</li>
<li>This fund is spent through the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP).</li>
<li>All Central Ministries and departments are obligated to set aside funds under the SCSP and the TSP.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Incentivise Good Social Work:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Innovation, effectiveness, and positive impact of the work done by a department or a body can be rewarded by the Commission.</li>
<li>The Commission has a constitutional mandate to participate in the social and economic planning for SC welfare &mdash; it should use this mandate to guide the civil services that engage with the ground level realities in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Better engagement with civil society:</strong> The Commission can create a platform for structured engagement with civil society groups working on Dalit issues.</li>
<li><strong>Behavioural nudge:</strong> The Commission can identify social practices that promote discrimination and can help civil society and the government organise debates, deliberations, awareness campaigns around them.</li>
<li><strong>Facilitate economic empowerment and entrepreneurship:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It can discuss and encourage Universities to frame short term courses on entrepreneurship. It can also ensure that measures taken by the government in this direction reach their beneficiaries- for example <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f13cO1L2yQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Stand Up India Scheme.</strong></a></li>
<li>It can encourage a participative approach to promote economic empowerment by engaging with the ideas proposed by the members of the community.</li>
<li>It can promote skills and small business development in the service economy.</li>
<li>Members of Scheduled Castes are not usually landowners or agriculturists. So they need help in integrating and competing with local and other markets which can be done through mentoring and other non-financial support.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Preparing for future challenges by facilitating inter-disciplinary research:</strong> The Commision can invite Central universities and civil society to first identify the five biggest challenges that Dalits are likely to face in the next five years and to suggest ways to mitigate them.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Social identities are so entrenched in our society that they often decide the fate of individuals. Jobs, schemes and policing are not the only things that can ensure equality of social representation and access to dignity in India. Restructuring the tasks of NCSC can only be one among the many steps in this direction.</p>
<p>Empowerment in its real sense can only be brought by creating sensitive and empathetic societies that acknowledge their responsibility to work for the removal of suffering and stigma of exploited and deprived sections.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fbffde;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Autonomous bodies like the National Commission for Scheduled Castes are not able to bring justice in true sense and are a drain on the state exchequer. Critically analyse.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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		'article_id' => (int) 5964,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'No Postal Ballots for Above 65 in Bihar',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Election Commission of India</strong></a> (ECI) has <strong>decided against extending postal ballots to electors above 65 years of age</strong> in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections due to logistical challenges.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier in June 2020, the Law Ministry, on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/amendments-in-postal-ballot-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>recommendation of ECI</strong></a>, had extended the postal ballot facility to electors over 65 years (being most vulnerable to Covid-19), <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> patients and those suspected to have it by notifying a change to the <strong>Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.</strong></li>
<li>Earlier, postal ballots were <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/postal-ballot-facilities-for-absentee-voters" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>extended to Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and electors over 80 years</strong></a> in November 2019 ahead of the Jharkhand and Delhi elections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Working Mechanism:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The postal ballot facility for electors above 65 years is different from the conventional postal service.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Usually, <strong>ballot papers are distributed electronically</strong> to electors and are <strong>returned to the election officers via post.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For above 65 and Covid-19 patients, it works as a<strong> polling station on the move,</strong> with the polling staff visiting the homes of such electors, having them fill out their ballots, sealing them in envelopes and taking it back.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was done to <strong>minimize vulnerability and exposure</strong> at the polling stations for above 65 and to<strong> not deprive</strong> the Covid-19 patients and people under quarantine <strong>of their voting rights.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>After reviewing the preparations for the Bihar polls, the ECI has made this decision keeping in mind the <strong>logistical, staff and safety protocol</strong> related constraints.</li>
<li>For collecting votes of so many electors, <strong>additional staff and security will be required</strong> and would not be possible to arrange the facility for about 72 lakh electors, about 10% of the total 7.19 crore electors in the state.</li>
<li>State authorities are already preparing 34,000 additional polling stations in order to <strong>limit electors to 1,000 at each location.</strong> It also <strong>requires additional polling personnel</strong> which is an administrative challenge in itself.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Postal Ballots System</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Ballot papers are distributed electronically to electors and are returned to the election officers via post.</li>
<li>Currently, <strong>only the following voters</strong> are allowed to cast their votes through postal ballot:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Service voters</strong> (armed forces, the armed police force of a state and government servants posted abroad).</li>
<li><strong>Voters on election duty.</strong></li>
<li>Voters <strong>above 80 years of age or Persons with Disabilities</strong> (PwD).</li>
<li>Voters <strong>under preventive detention.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The exception to the above-mentioned category of voters is provided under Section 60 of the<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/the-representation-of-the-people-act-part-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Representation of the People Act, 1951.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/no-postal-ballot-as-over-70-lakh-electors-in-65-plus-age-group-in-bihar/article32141225.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 5922,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Grant in Aid for Rural Local Bodies',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Finance has released a part of grants-in-aid of <strong>Rs. 15187.50 crore</strong> for around <strong>2.63 lakh <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/panchayati-raj-institution-pri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rural Local Bodies (RLBs)</a></strong> of 28 States.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This has been made on the recommendations of the<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-panchayati-raj" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Ministry of Panchayati Raj</strong></a> and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jal-shakti-mantralaya" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ministry of Jal Shakti.</strong></a></li>
<li>This forms part of the <strong>Tied Grant</strong> as recommended by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/need-to-set-up-state-finance-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>15<sup>th</sup> Finance Commission (FC)</strong></a> for the <strong>Financial Year (FY) 2020-2021.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Recommendation of 15<sup>th</sup></strong> FC: It recommended the grant in aid of <strong>Rs. 60,750 crore</strong> for (FY 2020-21) the RLBs which is the<strong> highest ever allocation</strong> made by the Finance Commission in any single year.</li>
<li><strong>Allocation:</strong> It will be allocated in two parts, namely <strong>Basic Grant and Tied Grant</strong> in <strong>50:50%</strong> mode.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Basic Grant:</strong> These grants are <strong>untied</strong> and can be used by RLBs for<strong> location-specific needs,</strong> except for salary or other establishment expenditure<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Untied funds are utilised for the works of <strong>emergent nature</strong> which are <strong>normally not covered under the schemes</strong> decentralized at the district level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tied Grants:</strong> These are used for the <strong>basic services</strong> of:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Sanitation and maintenance of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/open-defecation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Open-Defecation Free (ODF)</strong></a> status.</li>
<li>Supply of drinking water, rain water harvesting and water recycling.</li>
<li>The RLBs shall, as far as possible, earmark one half of these grants each to these two critical services.</li>
<li>However, if any RLB has fully <strong>saturated the needs of one category</strong> it can utilize the<strong> funds for the other category.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Distribution:</strong> The <strong>State Governments</strong> will be distributing the grants to all the tiers of of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/increased-funding-for-panchayats" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Panchayati Raj</strong> </a>-village, block and district including the traditional bodies of <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/xaxa-committee-on-tribal-communities-of-india#:~:text=5th%20Scheduled%20Areas%20under%20the,Telangana%20have%20Fifth%20Schedule%20Areas." target="_blank" rel="noopener">5<sup>th</sup></a> and<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/indepth-6th-schedule-and-ilp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> 6<sup>th</sup> Schedule</strong></a> areas based on the accepted recommendations of the latest <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/need-to-set-up-state-finance-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State Finance Commission (SFC)</strong></a> and in conformity with the recommendations of the <strong>15<sup>th</sup> FC.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Assistance:</strong> The <strong>Ministry of Panchayati Raj</strong> would support the states in effective utilization of the grants by providing <strong>Web/IT enabled platforms for planning, monitoring, accounting / auditing</strong> of the works and funds flow at the level of each of the RLBs.</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Fighting Covid 19:</strong> It would help RLBs in <strong>providing employment. E.g.</strong> migrant laborers who have returned to their native places owing to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> pandemic</strong></a> situation.</li>
<li><strong>Delivery of Basic Services:</strong> Availability of this fund will <strong>boost RLBs effectiveness</strong> in delivery of basic services to the rural citizens.</li>
<li><strong>Rural Infrastructure:</strong> It will augment the <strong>rural infrastructure in a constructive way</strong> e.g construction of roads, supply of water etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Finance Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>constitutional body,</strong> that determines the <strong>method and formula for distributing the tax proceeds</strong> between the <strong>Centre and states</strong> and among the states as per the constitutional arrangement and present requirements.</li>
<li>Under <strong>Article 280</strong> of the Constitution, the President of India is required to constitute a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/j-k-and-15th-finance-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Finance Commission</strong> </a>at an interval of five years or earlier.</li>
<li>The <strong>1<sup>st</sup> FC</strong> was set up in 1951 and there have been fifteen so far.</li>
<li>The <strong>15<sup>th</sup> FC headed by N.K. Singh</strong> was constituted by the President of India on<strong> 27<sup>th</sup></strong> November 2017, against the backdrop of the abolition of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/planning-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Planning Commission</strong></a> and the introduction of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fall-in-goods-and-services-tax-gst-collections" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Goods and Services Tax</strong> </a>(GST).</li>
<li>In November 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the <strong>15<sup>th</sup></strong> FC to submit its first report for the first <strong>fiscal year 2020-21</strong> and to extend its tenure to provide for the presentation of the final report covering Financial Years 2021-22 to 2025-26 by 30th October, 2020.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1639157" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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