Month: July 2023

Floor Leaders of I.N.D.I.A

Floor Leaders Of I.N.D.I.A To Meet RS LoP In Parliament Tomorrow

By LokMarg

Floor leaders of the newly formed Opposition alliance the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) will meet at the office of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament on Tuesday to chalk out the strategy for the floor of the House.

The meeting of the floor leaders will be held at 10 am on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the proceedings of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha faced adjournments for the third consecutive day.

The situation in Manipur dominated the proceedings of the third day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which began on Thursday, with the Opposition demanding the Centre to discuss the issue.

The Congress and opposition leaders are demanding a statement from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament during the ongoing Monsoon session.

Earlier in the day, in Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar suspended Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on Monday for the remainder of the monsoon session of Parliament for “repeatedly violating” the Chair’s directives.

The Chairman first named Sanjay Singh for interrupting the proceedings of the House when it had taken up the Question Hour amid protests by the Opposition over its demand for a statement from Prime Minister on the Manipur violence and a detailed discussion on the issue.

Lok Sabha also witnessed protests and sloganeering from opposition members over their demand for a discussion on the Manipur situation and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)

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Radhakrishnan on Jharkhand Democracy

Demography Of J’khand Should Not Change: Govnr Radhakrishnan

By LokMarg

Expressing concerns over the intrusion of foreigners in Jharkhand, Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Monday said that he has taken up the issue with  Chief Minister Hemant Soren, adding that this “incursion is dangerous” as foreigners are marrying tribal women thereby “changing the demography” in the state.

“This is very dangerous because the intrusion of foreigners will change the entire lifestyle of the tribal people. Especially when they are coming and marrying tribal women is alarming…we have to be very cautious about that,” the Jharkhand Governor told ANI in an exclusive interview on the matter of intrusion of Bangladeshi people increasing in Jharkhand.
He further said that the issue has been taken with the CM as well as the Chief Secretary.

“I have taken up this issue with the CM as well as the Chief Secretary. The tribal tradition should not get changed and the demography of Jharkhand should not change by foreigners’ infiltration. We should be very careful about this…,” Radhakrishnan said.

Meanwhile, when asked about the disharmony between the Raj Bhavan and the state government, Governor said that the Raj Bhavan and state government are working together for the development of the people

“What is to be taken up by me I am always taking it to the Chief Minister and chief secretary. I am not ready to comment about the inner things. As long as possible we want the Raj Bhavan and state government to work together for the development of the people,” he added.

Governor Radhakrishnan also spoke on the accusations by the rulling alliance that bills are being returned by Raj Bhavan because they are not liking the developmental work.

“I have returned only one bill that is of the reservation. It is 77 per cent was being recommended, then I said you take the second opinion of the Attorney General that’s why I have returned the bill. The other one we are having some reservation about the private universities. I have rejected one private University’s approval. That’s all other than that no bill has been returned by me,” he added.

On his visits being termed as politically motivated and propogating BJP’s agenda, he said, “I haven’t seen such statements…see the Governor is a linking bridge between state and the centre unless. Governor visit the interior places to know what is the ground reality what suggestion will you make to the state and centre. So anybody can find fault in good work. But I am not worried as long as I am doing the good work.”

He also reacted over the issue of Manipur and said that no politics should be done out of this.

“We all know the history of Manipur there’s always a big fight between the two sections of people. This has not happened all of a sudden. That is the history of Manipur one single judgement has provoked the people and it is going alarming since. We should not make politics out of this. we all should work together so that Manipur return to normalcy at the earliest,” he added.

He further mentioned that the state government and Raj Bhavan should work together to bring back calm and peace in Manipur.

The violence in Manipur erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3 in protest against the proposed inclusion of people belonging to the Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs). (ANI)

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Tomatoes through ONDC

Subsidised Tomatoes Now Available Online Through ONDC

By LokMarg

The government’s agricultural marketing company National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) on Monday began selling tomatoes at the subsidised rate of Rs 70 per kilogram through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

Anice Joseph Chandra, Managing Director, NCCF told ANI that “We have partnered with ONDC for sale of tomatoes in Delhi NCR.”

Incorporated on December 31, 2021, ONDC goes beyond the current platform-centric digital commerce model where the buyer and seller have to use the same platform or application to be digitally visible and do a business transaction.

Consumers can place their orders from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm daily and the delivery will be made the next day.

“There will be doorstep delivery at no extra cost to the consumer,” she said.

Chandra said that tomatoes will be made available through buyers’ app listed at ONDC such as Paytm, Magicpin, Mystore and Pincode to begin with.

“The interface is simple and user-friendly. Consumers can simply go on these apps and order tomatoes at the rate of Rs 70 per kg. Order is restricted to 2 kg per order only.”

Currently, e-commerce companies are providing doorstep delivery at about Rs 170-180 per kg.

The sharp rise in tomato prices was reported across the country, and is not just limited to a particular region or geography. In key cities, it rose to as high as Rs 150-200 per kg.

In its bid to give further relief to consumers, the central government on last Wednesday said it has directed its marketing agencies – NAFED and NCCF – to sell tomatoes at Rs 70 per kg instead of Rs 80.

The tomatoes procured by National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) had been retailed, initially, at Rs 90 per kg and then reduced to Rs 80 per kg from July 16, 2023 to now Rs 70.

Amid a sharp spurt in tomato prices across the country, the agencies — NCCF and NAFED – had commenced the procurement of tomatoes from mandis in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra for simultaneous disposal in major consumption centres where retail prices have recorded maximum increase in last one month.

The government attributed the rise in prices to the monsoon season, saying that it added to further challenges related to distribution and increased transit losses. (ANI)

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Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC)

Judicial Custody of Supertech’s Chairman Extended Till Aug7

By LokMarg

Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Monday extended Supertech’s Chairman RK Arora’s judicial custody till August 7. He was recently arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with money laundering case.

On Monday, RK Arora was presented before Delhi’s Patiala House Court’s judge Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala after the end of his Judicial custody period.
The Court also fixed date of hearing on August 7 for an arguement on an application filed by accused seeking copy of grounds of arrest which is pending. Reply to said application has been filed by ED.

It was submitted by accused’s counsel that in absence of grounds of arrest given to accused the accused is not able to move an effective bail application.

Earlier while sending Arora to ED remand, Court said that “The power to seek remand is essentially a part of the power of arrest and to conduct investigation in respect to commission of the alleged offence of money laundering and this power has necessarily to be inferred with the help of above Section as Section 65 of the PMLA, 2002 does not prohibit remand of an accused under the said act to ED custody”.

The court also said that when it comes to power of the ED officers to seek ED custody of the accused, it had observed that though Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) do not confer any specific power in this regard, but this power has to be inferred with the help of provisions contained in Section 65 of the PMLA, 2002 and Section 167 of CrPC as Section 65 of the PMLA provides that the provisions of CrPC shall apply, in so far as they are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, to arrest, search and seizure, attachment, confiscation, investigation, prosecution and all other proceedings.

“It is contended on behalf of accused that the present ECIR was registered in the year 2021 and the applicant has been repeatedly examined by the investigating agency and after completion of investigation provisional attachment order dated 11.04.2023 has been issued and hence there was no requirement of arrest. The issuance of provisional attachment order by the competent authority does not means that the investigation qua the offences defined under Section 3 punishable under Section 4 of PMLA has been completed,” the court noted.

It has been specifically stated by the ED that the investigation for commission of offence punishable under Section 3/4 of PMLA is not yet complete, therefore the Enforcement Directorate is justified to seek custody of the applicant/accused, the court said.

However, the court had earlier directed that his interrogation shall be conducted at some place having CCTV coverage in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court and also in accordance with all the other applicable rules, directions and guidelines on the subject and the said CCTV footage shall be preserved.

Earlier, ED has apprised the court that 26 FIRS were registered by EOW, Delhi Police; Haryana Police and UP Police against Supertech Limited and its group companies under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) read with 406(criminal breach of trust)/420 (cheating)/467/471 IPC having allegations of cheating atleast 670 home buyers for an amount of Rs 164 Crores. ED also alleged that the amount collected by Supertech Ltd was diverted to their group companies for purchase of properties and the company with land having much lesser value.

ED alleged that the accused persons have acquired properties, made illegal/wrongful gain arising out the said proceeds of crime by involving, indulging and commissioning of criminal activities related to scheduled offences.

It is stated that the prima facie case for commission of offence punishable under Section 3 punishable under Section 4 of the PML Act has been made out.

Arora’s defence lawyer RK Handoo opposed the plea and submitted that his client has been illegally arrested and no grounds of arrest have been furnished.

He also apprised the court that present ECIR was registered in the year 2021 and the applicant has been repeatedly examined by the investigating agency and after completion of investigation provisional attachment order dated April 11, 2023 has been issued. That once the investigation has already been completed, therefore was no requirement of arrest, the defence lawyer said.

He further submitted that the offences of Enforcement Directorate are not the police officers, under law, therefore, the enforcement directorate is not entitled for custody remand of the applicant/accused. (ANI)

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah

I Am Ready For Discussion: Shah On Manipur

By LokMarg

Urging the opposition party MPs in Lok Sabha to let the House function smoothly during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that he is ready for discussion on Manipur issue and that it is important that the country gets to know the truth on this “sensitive” matter.

As the members of the Lok Sabha met at 2 pm after being adjourned at 12 pm, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stood from his seat to address the Lower House.
After the House reassembled at 2 pm, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, amid continuous sloganeering from the opposition party MPs, said, “Honorable members, you have been demanding discussion on Manipur for two-three days.” He then appealed to the Union Home Minister to address the House on the issue.

During his address, Shah said that he does not understand why the opposition does not want to allow discussion on the Manipur issue.

“I urge all the respected members of the opposition that on a very sensitive issue, many members have demanded a discussion by the ruling party and the opposition, I am ready for the discussion. I do not know why the opposition does not want to allow discussion,” Shah said.

“I request the leader of the opposition to let the discussion happen and this truth should be known to the whole country, it is very important,” he added.

While Shah was speaking sloganeering continued from opposition benches with a few MPs leaving their seats and raising placards in the House with “INDIA stands with Manipur people”, written on them.

The Lok Sabha Speaker also urged the members of the opposition parties to let the house function smoothly. With continuous sloganeering, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day to again meet at 11 am on Tuesday. (ANI)

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Satyendra Jain interim bail

Satyendra Gets Interim Bail Extension On Medical Grounds

By LokMarg

The Supreme Court on Monday extended for five weeks interim bail given to Satyendra Jain on medical ground in a money laundering case observing that he has undergone a surgery and need time to recover.

A bench of Justice AS Bopanna and Bela M Trivedi extended the interim bail to Satyendra Jain and listed the matter for August 21.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Jain, apprised the court that Jain has undergone spine operation and need time to recover. He sought extension of his interim bail.

However Additional Solicitor General SV Raju stressed for an independent evaluation and said that independent evaluation would reveal that Jain does not need hospitalisation.

The court said that it will consider Enforcement Directorate plea for independent evaluation on the next hearing.

Jain has undergone surgery on July 21. The interim bail given to Jain on medical ground is extended time to time.

On May 26, the top court granted interim bail to Satyendra Jain for six weeks in money laundering case but imposed various conditions including neither to talk with media and nor to live Delhi without permission.

The top court had also given Jain to choose any hospital of his choice for his medical treatment. The top court had made it clear that interim bail is considered on medical conditions.

Satyendra Jain has moved the top court seeking bail in money laundering case. He has challenged Delhi High Court order dismissing his bail plea in the money laundering case against him.

Satyendra Jain lawyer had told the top court that he has lost 35 kg and turned skeleton due to this.

Former Delhi minister Satyendra Jain has moved Supreme Court challenging Delhi High Court order dismissing his bail plea in the money laundering case against him.

On April 6, the Delhi High Court dismissed the bail plea of Satyendra Jain. The HC while dismissed the Satyendar Jain bail plea stated that applicant is an influential person and has the potential of tampering with evidence. Satyender Jain/applicant, at this stage, can’t be held to clear the twin conditions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)

The HC had kept the order reserved on March 21 after the conclusion of the submissions made by the defence and prosecution sides after multiple hearings.During arguments in High Court, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju appeared for Enforcement Directorate contented that money laundering is crystal clear against Jain and other co-accused.In his bail plea, Jain stated, “I appeared before ED on 7 occasions. I have cooperated and participated in the investigation. I was arrested 5 years down the line in 2022.”

On November 17, 2022, the trial court dismissed the bail petition of Satyendar Jain. He was arrested on May 30, 2022, under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by Enforcement Directorate and is presently in Judicial Custody in the case.

The ED case is based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint registered on the allegation that Satyender Jain had acquired movable properties in the name of various persons from February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, which he could not satisfactorily account for. (ANI)

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Delhi Services Bill

LS,RS Face Adjournments Amid Opposition Demands On Manipur situation

By LokMarg

Opposition parties continued their protest in the two Houses of Parliament over their demands relating to the debate on the Manipur situation with both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seeing adjournments on Monday.

Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 12 noon and then till 2 pm.
In Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar suspended Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on Monday for the remainder of the monsoon session of Parliament for “repeatedly violating” the Chair’s directives.

The Chairman first named Sanjay Singh for interrupting the proceedings of the House when it had taken up the Question Hour amid protests by the Opposition over its demand for a statement from Prime Minister on the Manipur violence and a detailed discussion on the issue.

Sanjay Singh came near the Chairman’s podium over opposition demands. Dhankhar told him to resume his seat. As the AAP member kept protesting, the Chairman named him.

Soon after the Chairman named Sanjay Singh, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal moved a motion urging the Chair to suspend the AAP member, saying this kind of behaviour “is completely against the ethics and rules of the House.”

Sanjay Singh should be suspended from the entire session of the House, he said.

The Chairman put the motion for approval of the House and said  Sanjay Singh was being suspended for the remainder of the monsoon session of Parliament “for having repeatedly violated the directives of the Chair”.

The Chairman then adjourned the House till 2 pm.

Dhankhar had last week cautioned Sanjay Singh, saying that he will be forced to name the AAP member after he repeatedly protested against the proposed bill to replace the Centre’s ordinance for control over services in Delhi.

Dhankhar had cautioned Sanjay Singh after urging AAP members to take their seats as he briefed the House about the proceedings of the Business Advisory Committee.

AAP has been among opposition parties demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament on the situation in Manipur and a detailed discussion on the issue.

The government has said it is prepared to discuss the situation in Manipur.

Lok Sabha witnessed protests and sloganeering from opposition members over their demand for a discussion on the Manipur situation and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The House briefly took up Question Hour before it was adjourned till 12 noon.

As soon as House met for the day, opposition members were on their feet over their demand. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary demanded that the Prime Minister should make a statement in the House on the situation in Manipur.

Speaker Om Birla said that the House is ready for discussion and the opposition parties cannot decide who will reply to the debate.

Birla said Deputy Leader of the House Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has already said that the government is ready for discussion.

Rajnath Singh spoke briefly and said that there should be discussion in the House on Manipur situation and the government is ready.

Birla said that a solution will be found through discussions.  “The House is for debate. Have you been sent by people to display placards, resort to sloganeering. This is Question Hour,” he told opposition members

The Speaker said that the matter can be discussion after Question Hour.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the government was willing for discussion and the opposition parties were trying to interrupt the proceedings of the House.

Opposition members displayed placards which expressed concern over the situation in Manipur and sought statement from the Prime Minister in the House.

The House briefly proceeded with the Question Hour amid protests and sloganeering by opposition members befofe it was adjourned till 12 noon.

Opposition members continued their protest when the Houser resumed proceedings at 12 noon.

The House briefly took up government’s legislative agenda among sloganeering by opposition members.

The government withdrew DNA  Technology (Use and Application)  Regulation Bill,  2019.

Three bills – The National Dental Commission Bill, 2023, The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 were introduced in the Lok Sabha.

As the protests continued, the Chair adjourned the House till 2 pm.  (ANI)

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Sanjay Singh suspension

Sanjay Suspended From RS For Remainder Of Monsoon Session

By LokMarg

AAP member Sanjay Singh was suspended from Rajya Sabha on Monday for the remainder of the monsoon session of Parliament for “repatedly violating directions of the Chair.”

The motion for Sanjay Singh’s suspension was moved by Union Minister and Leader of the House Piyush Goyal.
Chairman Jagadeep Dhankhar sought the approval of the House for the motion and said that Sanjay Singh was being suspended “for having repeatedly violated directive of the Chair”.

The AAP MP was suspended for the remaining duration of the Monsoon session during the Opposition’s protest in the House over the Manipur issue.

Dhankhar had last week cautioned Sanjay Singh saying that he will be forced to name the AAP member after he repeatedly protested against the proposed bill to replace Centre’s ordinance for control over services in Delhi.

Dhankhar had cautioned the AAP member after repeatedly urging AAP members to take their seats.

AAP has been among opposition parties demanding statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament on the situation in Manipur and a detailed discussion on the issue

The government had said it is prepared to discuss the situation in Manipur.

The Monsoon session of Parliament began on July 20 and will continue till August 11. (ANI)

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