My Columns: Without Fear and Favour

Delhi Elections 2015 : Time to Shun Tainted Politicians By  Deepak Parvatiyar January 2, 2015 Tainted politicians seem to have become a necessary evil in Indian politics. A study by Association of the Democratic Reforms (ADR), a voluntary organisation working on issues of electoral reform, shows that the rise in the graph of politicians with criminal background remains unchecked. While in 2009, the Lok Sabha had 30 per cent members facing criminal charges, the number went up by four per cent in 2014. In the present Lok Sabha, 186 members face criminal cases against them and 98 of these MPs belong to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ! Delhi: Crorepati, Tainted MLAs on the Rise Before the 2013 state Assembly elections, Delhi had an incredible 43 per cent MLAs who faced criminal charges against them. It is significant that 10 of Delhi’s tainted MLAs got re-elected in 2013. This is quite a sizeable number considering that only 22 of the sitting 70 ML...

Delhi 2014 : When Politics Hit New Lows By  Deepak Parvatiyar January 1, 2015 The year 2014 was a time of upheaval in Delhi politics. Almost all political parties and their leaders had a contribution – direct or indirect – in leaving behind some unsavoury situations.  Here are some of such distressing moments in the political life of the national capital : 1. CM Kejriwal on Dharna:   The Centre-state relationship came under a close scrutiny following an unprecedented move by the then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to sit on an indefinite dharna and spend a night under the open sky at the Raiseena Hills in January winter. He was irked at the Delhi Police’s refusal to raid an alleged drug and prostitution racket in the Assembly constituency of state’s Law Minister Somnath Bharti in spite of the latter’s instructions to this effect. Kejriwal wanted action against the erring police officials. He also wanted the Delhi police to be brought under the ...

Delhi Politics : 10 Turning Points By  Deepak Parvatiyar January 1, 2015 1.   Statehood :  After Independence, Delhi was accorded the status of a ‘C’ category state with limited legislative powers that ensured that Delhi, as the National Capital, largely remained a chief commissioner’s regime. The legislative powers of Delhi Assembly were further curtailed under Section 21 of the Part C States Act, 1951, and subsequently, following the recommendation of the States Reorganisation Commission, Delhi was finally made a Union Territory following a Constitutional amendment through States Reorganisation Act, 1956. The turning point though came on 14th December 1989 when the Sarkaria Committee (later on called Balakrishan Committee) recommended the provision of Legislative Assembly and a Council of Ministers and a special status to the National Capital. Following the recommendations, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 came...