My Columns: Without Fear and Favour

Age-Criteria for Politicians : Modi’s Masterstroke By  Deepak Parvatiyar December 2, 2014 Narendra Modi’s ‘under 75′ formula has thus far made him successful in thwarting potential challenges from party stalwarts such as Murli Manohar Joshi and Lal Krishna Advani. He has deftly marginalised other leaders who are over 75 years of age by making his formula rule of the thumb. The formula, initially meant to deny ministerial rank to anybody above 75 year of age, now seems to be applicable to the selection criteria for party candidates in state elections too. Obviously, the decision resonates with Modi’s thrust on youth. But is this healthy for a functional democracy where the onus is on the people to decide who they want to elect as their representatives in the legislative bodies? Age has been no Criteria for Contesting Elections Old age certainly cannot be the criteria for disqualification for any legislator or parliamentarian and Indian Constitution is quite clear ...

Jammu & Kashmir Elections: Chief Minister Contenders By  Deepak Parvatiyar December 1, 2014 Ever since the elections were restored in Jammu and Kashmir in 1996 after almost a decade of insurgency that stalled the poll process, the state’s first political family, the Abdullahs, dominated the political scene as they had earlier. Of the four Chief Ministers that the state had since 1996, two were Abdullahs – the father-son duo of Farooq and Omar. Both had completed their respective terms in power while the other two CMs – Mufti Mohammad Saeed and Ghulam Nabi Azad – shared the power by rotation in the same House. This was because of a pact between their respective political parties – the Jammu & Kashmir People’s Democratic Party and the Congress – in the wake of a fractured verdict in 2002. Omar Abdullah: Facing Tough Times Omar, the present CM, is again in contention for the position in case his party, the National Conference, returns to power. In 2009, when...