Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Saturday 17 February 2018

IT IS NOT DIFFICULT AT ALL !


Candidates /  Spouses  /  Kids  :  Assets  ?

-----------------------------------------------

Economic Times ( 17 Feb ) carries following news :







The Supreme Court on Friday expressed alarm over the undue accretion of assets of law-makers, a sure sign that they were misusing their offices, and made it obligatory for candidates to reveal the source of their incomes and that of their spouses and dependent children, apart from their share or interest if any in government contracts. 


This, the court said, would go a long way in letting the electorate make an
informed choice of the candidate. “In our opinion, such information would certainly be relevant and necessary for a voter to make an appropriate choice at the time of the election whether to vote or not in favour of a particular candidate.” 

However, the bench baulked at the prospect of setting up a permanent mechanism to keep tabs on and probe the assets of law-makers and their immediate families, saying it may end up in a “political witch-hunt”.


Unfortunately, in our country, neither the Parliament nor the Election Commission of India paid any attention to the problem so far,” the bench said.

The judges attributed the sharp spike in non-performing assets and other such financial ills ailing the Indian state to such misuse of office by legislators to humour their own in bagging major government contracts.

Such undue accretion of assets was certainly a matter which should alarm the citizens and voters of any truly democratic society, it said, as it was a sure indicator of the beginning of a failing democracy.

“If left unattended, it would inevitably lead to the destruction of democracy and pave the way for the rule of mafia.” “Democracies with higher levels of energy have already taken note of the problem and addressed it.

Unfortunately, in our country, neither the Parliament nor the Election Commission of India paid any attention to the problem so far,” the bench said.

Legislators, the court said, are deputed by the people to get grievances redressed. “But they become the grievance.” The bench said that there was no reason why the election rules should not be changed by the government to make such undue accumulation of assets an electoral disqualification, besides a criminal offence

“If assets of a legislator and his / her associates ( wife, dependent children ) increase without bearing any relationship to their known sources of income, the only logical inference that can be drawn is that there is some abuse of the constitutional office,” the court said. 

The court said that the citizen, the ultimate repository of sovereignty in a democracy, must have access to all information that enables critical audit of the performance of the state, its instrumentalities and their incumbent or aspiring public officials. 


Dear Hon Supreme Court :


There is no need for  “ setting up a permanent mechanism to keep tabs on and probe the assets of law-makers and their immediate families “


All that is required is to add one more field in the Income Tax Form ( revised one introduced in 2016 ) , which says :


If either yourself or any member of your near family ( spouse / children / son-in-law / daughter-in-law ) have held any position in Parliament or State Legislature or Municipal Corporation , at any time during past 5 years , provide full details below :…………………. “


For 2016-17 assessment year, the tax department has unveiled new income tax return form


For persons with income above Rs 50 lakhs, it requires submission of following details ( with cost of each item ) :


*  All immovable assets ( such as land / buildings etc )

*  All movable assets ( such as Cash, Jewellery , Vehicles , Yachts etc )

*  All liabilities ( such as loans )




For rest of the “ permanent mechanism “ and “ informed choice of the candidate  “ , find

Solutions at :



 

Filtering Candidate Information ?  [  18  Sept  2016  ]

 

https://myblogepage.blogspot.in/2016/09/filtering-candidate-information.html

 

 

Reforming Elections and Lok Sabha [ REaL ] [ 20 Dec 2016 ]

 

https://myblogepage.blogspot.in/2016/12/reforming-elections-and-lok-sabha-real.html

 

 

17  Feb  2018

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs





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