National
Existing laws hemming EC’s wide powers under Article 324, SC told
New Delhi, Sep 7 (IANS) The Election Commission on Thursday told the Supreme Court that though its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution were wide enough, it could not take recourse to them for electoral reforms due to existing laws.
The Election Commission told a bench of Justice J. Chelameswar and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer that the plenary powers under Article 324 were limited by laws already in operation, and this inhibited it from pushing reforms so that voter made a more informed choice during voting.
Article 324 vests in the Election Commission the powers of superintendence, direction and control over elections in the country.
The commission pointed to 43 proposals it had sent to the Centre at different points of time since 2004 and more after 2010 for amending laws for pushing electoral reforms.
As the bench said that the commission would have to do whatever was necessary and incidental to its mandate of superintendence, direction, and control of elections, its senior counsel Meenakshi Arora said: “We will be more than happy to do it. We feel we are stultified by the laws already occupying the area.”
In response, the court said not all the area was occupied.
Responding to the Election Commission’s stand, Association for Democratic Reforms counsel Kamini Jaiswal said: “The right of voter to exercise his franchise is part of Article 324 and it has to be given a wider definition in the given context.”
Jaiswal said after the Presidential notification for elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, it was incumbent upon the Election Commission to conduct the polls in a free and fair manner with level playing field.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by NGO Lok Prahari to seek wide ranging directions, including disclosure of sources of income of candidates, their spouses and dependent children and subsisting contracts with the government, so that voters could make an informed choice.
–IANS
pk/tsb/vt
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.