National
Vice President for simultaneous polls, strident anti-defection law
New Delhi, Sep 15 (IANS) Stressing that the perennial electoral cycle hampered developmental projects in the country, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday strongly pitched for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
“The time has come to take a serious look at the possibility of simultaneous elections to Parliament and state assemblies, and even municipal bodies, panchayats and cooperative bodies. Otherwise, in this country, this festival of elections will go on,” he said.
“In India, there is a continuous election season and election fever. Development takes a big hit. This has to be understood by all. That is why this suggestion for simultaneous elections,” the Vice President added.
He made the remarks after unveiling book “Loktantra Ke Utsav Ki Ankahi Kahani”, the Hindi version of “An Undocumented Wonder – The Making of the Great Indian Election” written by former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi.
He said the current practice of conducting elections in just a few states at a time tended to divert the country’s attention away from development and slowed progress.
“We should have learnt this in the last 69 years of our experience. Till 1967, elections were held simultaneously… a festival should be a festival, it should be celebrated only once in a while and not constantly,” he said.
Naidu also advocated for a more rational and more stringent anti-defection law.
“There is an imperative need to revisit the anti-defection law. We must examine as to what extent it has served its purpose, and if needed should be amended and made more stringent,” the Vice President said.
“Earlier, retail defection was bad, but now wholesale defection is allowed. People justify it by saying this is not defection but affection. It is also a disease weakening our democracy. We should deliberate and have a perfect anti-defection law,” Naidu said.
He also underlined the need to judicial disposal of election-related disputes in a time-bound manner as delayed judgments become meaningless.
“The judgments in such cases are delayed so much that they lose any meaning. Special election tribunals must be set up. The judiciary and government must have discussion on this,” he said.
Pointing out the need for other electoral reforms, Naidu stressed the need to curb money power in elections as also implementation of the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments in letter and spirit.
–IANS
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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.
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