National
We are concerned with purity and sanctity of electoral process, says SC
New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday said that it was concerned with the purity and sanctity of the electoral process as it asking how people barred, upon conviction in criminal cases, from contesting election or holding public office, can be allowed to float a political party or be its office bearer.
An unimpressed bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said this as it was told about the Central government’s stand that a person who upon his conviction in a criminal case is barred from contesting election can’t be stopped from floating a political party or becoming its office bearer.
In the last hearing of the matter on February 12, the top court had asked that if a convicted person can’t contest election, then how can he be at the helms of the affairs of a political party and select candidates to contest elections.
Posting the matter on May 3 for final hearing, the bench asked all the parties to the case to file their written notes of submission by next date of hearing.
The Central government has told the top court in its response that the office bearer of a political party was not a “representative” and there was no “connectivity and nexus” between a person barred from contesting election to parliament or the state assembly upon conviction and prohibiting such a person from forming or becoming a member of any political party.
To buttress its stand, it referred to the 255th report of the Law Commission, the Goswami Committee and the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, contending that in none of these reports there is a suggestion to bar a person from being an office bearer of a political party on grounds of his antecedents.
Pointing to the situation in the legislatures including Parliament, senior counsel Vikas Singh said that 40 per cent of country’s lawmakers have criminal antecedents.
Appearing for one of the petitioners, advocate Gopal Shankarnarayan said that Section b 41 of the Representation of People Act too says the same thing which the petitioners are asking for.
Section 41 holds that a person who has been disqualified from being a member of either House of Parliament or the State legislature or from voting at election, can’t become an election agent during the period of disqualification.
Shankarnarayan expressed “surprise” that the Election Commission, which is empowered with the superintendence and conduct of elections, can’t derecognise a political party.
–IANS
pk/vd
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.