AAP members meet president to oppose ordinance on convicted politicians

Background

|Earlier cabinet cleared an ordinance that protected the convicted politicians. As clear this ordinance is not only against the public opinion but also exactly contradicts from the Supreme Court's judgement of immediate disqualification of lawmakers convicted for a criminal offence punishable with a jail term of more than two years.|

Today (27,Sept,2013) Aam Aadmi Party delegation comprising of 5 members -- Arvind Kejriwal, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh met met President Pranab Mukherjee and asked him to sent ordinance back to the government for reconsideration.

AAP's stand on ordinance is as follows

• Supreme Court has struck down a section of Representation of People's Act terming it unconstitutional, then how the government can bring the same section through an Ordinance.
•  If the section is unconstitutional then the Ordinance itself has become unconstitutional
• Ordinances were supposed to be emergency measures only.
• There is discontentment among the people over government's attempt to save tainted MPs and MLAs and the President should not give his assent.

Asked what would be there next course of action if the President gives his assent to the Ordinance, Kejriwal said, "We will challenge it in the Supreme Court".

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/aam-aadmi-party-asks-president-pranab-mukherjee-to-refer-back-the-ordinance-to-government/1175150/

http://news.oneindia.in/india/aap-members-meet-president-oppose-ordinance-1313878.html

Supreme Court ordered EC to bring Right to Reject(RTR)

Supreme Court (SC) today gave a landmark order to Election Commission (EC) to provide a ‘none of the above’ option in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to allow voters to reject all candidates contesting an election in a constituency.

The court upheld the argument of petitioner, the People's Union for Civil Liberties, an NGO, that a voter has the right to record disapproval of all candidates listed.
Election commission sources said this will be done starting with the next set of assembly elections this year.This means voters in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram - where Assembly elections are due in November - will have the right to reject option.


The apex court thinks this order will “lead to systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates.” The court also thinks this will ensure that people get “good governance”.

Bench that gave the order was headed by Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam.

 According to SC negative voting via RTR  would lead to systemic change in elections and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates.
Justice Sathasivam said, "Democracy is all about choices and voters will be empowered by this right of negative voting. Negative voting will send a clear signal to political parties and candidates as to what the voters think about them." 


DEBATE on the Matter
Right to Reject is still matter of intense debate as will be clear by following points.

• Election Commission had supported this stand. It had recommended that the government amend rules to include this, but that had not been done. 
•  Centre(Government) had opposed the proposal. It contended that an election is meant to elect and not to reject. It also argued that including a rejection button will confuse voters and will not serve any purpose.
• Activists have proposed that if more than 50 per cent of those who vote reject all candidates, there should be a re-election in that constituency.
• The BJP had asked for a detailed debate.
  The Left had sought clarity on what purpose it hoped to serve.
  The AAM ADMI PARTY SUPPORTS RIGHT TO REJECT
• Anna Hazare had campaigned extensively for poll reforms that would include both the right to reject and the right to recall an elected representative if the electorate is dissatisfied with his or her performance.

Source:http://www.ndtv.com/article/cheat-sheet/supreme-court-gives-voters-right-to-reject-all-candidates-in-a-poll-424424

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/randomaccess/entry/right-to-reject-sc-gives-voters-easy-and-effective-option

Arvind Kejriwal takes the metro ride to reach out to people

Arvind Kejrival today (Sept, 10,2013) at  8.30 in the morning with Manish Sisodia, Kumar Vishwas and a bunch of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists  arrived at the crowded Kaushambi metro station.
They were heading for their office in central Delhi.

 As many looked on, Kejriwal was flooded with requests to pose for photos. “Hundred votes for each photo,” he quipped and began handing out his business cards to them. “We don’t have money, so we are asking each commuter to take responsibility for 100 votes,”

The whole team boarded the rear coach as the train arrived. In the train  Kejriwal, Sisodia and Vishwas fanned out in the crowd of commuters and started approaching people. “Please vote for AAP this election. Please cast your vote for an honest party,”

However it doesn't means that the AAP metro squad didn't faced any questions in the train,   Charu Kant, a banker with State Bank of Hyderabad, asked him: “Why should we trust AAP? We have had such bad experience with other parties?”Vishwas replyed to him that “When we are in power, there would be Anna Hazare’s Lokayukta within one month. If that does not happen, you can seek our resignation.”
Shaking hands, posing for photos and distributing cards, the AAP team moved from the last coach towards the train front.Apart from Kejriwal, Sisodia, Vishwas and scores of party volunteers too travel by Delhi Metro daily and on their way try to convince commuters to vote for their party.

Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/DelhiElections2013/Delhi-polls-Kejriwal-takes-the-metro-to-reach-out-to-people/Article1-1119817.aspx

Mahabharat's Bheem Praveen Kumar joins AAP

On 8th September(2013)  Praveen Kumar who famously portrayed the character of Bheem in B R Chopra's TV series Mahabharat joined AAM ADMI PARTY. Praveen Kumar is also a two times Asian games gold medalist.At the public meeting held in Sonia Vihar, where Praveen was inducted into the party, nearly every single speech had references to the Mahabharata.
"It is a role that I have a great fondness for. It gave me fame. If the Mahabharata taught me anything, it was that leaders must serve their people. This is what the Aam Aadmi Party stands for, and which is why I have joined it," Praveen said.

According to internal party sources Praveen was being considered as the party's candidate for the Wazirpur constituency.
"He has filed an application with the party for the candidate's post. It is likely that he will be declared the candidate, as he lives in the area, and has clean credentials," a member said.


Source:http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bheem-joins-aap-ranks-ahead-of-november-battle/1166526/2