Latest news with #SupremeCourt-monitored
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Thrissur's voters' list row boils over as parties arm themselves for legal battle
The political temperature in Thrissur shows no signs of cooling as allegations of large-scale voters' list tampering and bogus voting escalated into a multi-party legal and political confrontation. All the three major parties - the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], and the Congress - are preparing to move the Election Commission and the courts with what they claim is hard evidence of fraud. CPI leader and former Minister V.S. Sunilkumar set the pace on Wednesday by submitting documents to the State Chief Electoral Officer. CPI State secretary Binoy Viswam has gone further, demanding a Supreme Court-monitored judicial probe into what he calls a 'large-scale desecration of the voters' list' in Thrissur, allegedly carried out under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) influence. On Suresh Gopi Addressing the media in Thrissur on Thursday, Mr. Viswam accused Union Minister Suresh Gopi of playing a 'central role' in the manipulation. 'His stone-like silence speaks volumes. Earlier, he would rush to comment on every issue. Now, even in the face of this grave matter, he remains mute,' Mr. Viswam said. Drawing parallels with Bihar, where he claimed voters were removed on religious grounds, Mr. Viswam said Thrissur's case was different: 'Christian voters were not deleted , fake voters were added. Mr. Gopi must explain who brought them, where they are now, and who funded this operation.' He also took a swipe at sections of the Christian clergy. 'Those dazzled by gold crowns and sweet cake must read Vicharadhara carefully, especially the parts about recognising your enemies.' Fresh allegations came from Mr. Sunilkumar, the CPI's 2024 Lok Sabha candidate from Thrissur, who claimed ten votes were registered under the address and number of the BJP Thrissur district committee office. 'In booth number 42, at 'Deendayal Mandiram,' votes were added without even a house number. None of these individuals live there,' he said. He further alleged that BJP State vice-president V. Unnikrishnan, a Malappuram native, who voted in Thrissur, played a direct role in the voter roll manipulation. CPI(M) district secretary K.V. Abdul Khader said the malpractice extended beyond Thrissur city, citing 17 fake votes allegedly added at a BJP leader's house in Avinissery panchayat. These voters, he said, cast ballots at booth number 69 in Nattika, where 79 non-residents were on the rolls. Last-minute inclusion Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee political affairs committee member T.N. Prathapan accused the BJP's central leadership of manipulating Kerala's 2023–24 voters' list update by influencing a private software company engaged by the Election Commission, enabling the last-minute inclusion of over 30,000 fake voters in Thrissur. He called for judicial investigation into the irregularities. The BJP has fired back with State vice-president K.K. Aneesh Kumar accusing the CPI(M) and the Congress of committing the same malpractice in Punkunnam area. Meanwhile, Thrissur District Congress Committee president Joseph Tajet warned that the new voter registration software provided by the Election Commission lacks safeguards to detect duplicate votes, a change he said will 'open the floodgates' for double voting in Kerala's upcoming local body polls. With the CPI planning a mass protest in Thrissur on Saturday, the voters' list controversy is set to dominate the district's political landscape well into the coming weeks.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Binoy Viswam calls for Supreme Court-monitored probe into voter list discrepancy in Thrissur
Communist Party of India (CPI) Kerala secretary Binoy Viswam has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored judicial probe into the alleged large-scale manipulation of the voter list in Thrissur carried out under the influence of the BJP. Addressing a press conference in Thrissur on Thursday, Mr. Viswam accused Union Minister Suresh Gopi of playing a central role in the alleged tampering of voters' list the and questioned the latter's 'stone-like silence' on the matter. 'This silence speaks volumes. It shows that it was under his initiative that the voter list was manipulated in Thrissur. Earlier, he would rush to comment on every issue. But now, even with such a grave matter at hand, he remains mute,' Mr. Viswam said. According to him, the voter list, which he described as 'the Bible, Quran, and Gita of the election process' has been desecrated. 'From Maharashtra to Karnataka to Thrissur, the story is the same. Thrissur has now been turned into another venue for the murder of democracy,' he charged. He said the credibility of elections across the country has 'hit rock bottom' as electoral malpractices continue to emerge. 'This voter list fraud is not accidental. It it is a serious political conspiracy that exposes the anti-democratic face of the BJP-RSS,' he said. He cited the example of Bihar, where voters were allegedly removed based on religion, targeting Muslims, Adivasis, and Christians. 'In Thrissur, however, Christian votes were not deleted. Instead, fake voters were added. Mr. Gopi must reveal where these fictitious voters have now gone, who brought them here, and who funded the operation,' he said. Mr. Viswam also criticised sections of the Christian clergy for their 'political naivety.' 'When the wolf in sheep's clothing arrived, they thought it was a lamb and gave it everything it asked for. Those dazzled by gold crowns and sweet cake must read Vicharadhara carefully, especially the parts about recognising your enemies,' he said. Announcing the next phase of protests, Mr. Viswam said the CPI would organise a massive march in Thrissur city on August 16 against the alleged voter list tampering. CPI national executive member K.P. Rajendran, district secretary K.G. Sivanandan, and State council members V.S. Sunilkumar and K.K. Valsaraj also attended the press conference.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Greater Noida: GNIDA grants partial occupancy certificates for builders who've cleared 25% dues
Noida: Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has approved partial occupancy certificates for several stalled housing projects under UP govt's rehabilitation policy that was based on recommendations of the Kant committee to rescue stalled real estate projects. So far, builders of 37 of the 98 stalled projects in Greater Noida have deposited 25% of their total dues, the basic criterion to avail of policy benefits that include rescheduling of debt and a default zero period waiver because of the Covid pandemic. Under the approved policy, developers who have part-paid will get occupancy and completion certificates (OCs/CCs) proportionate to the payment made, allowing handover of an equivalent number of completed units. For example, if a developer pays 50% of the dues, it will receive OCs/CCs for 50% of the units. You Can Also Check: Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida | Gold Rates Today in Noida | Silver Rates Today in Noida The decision is expected to speed up possession for many homebuyers. Greater Noida has the highest number of stalled projects in the country. Along with Noida, it forms the lion's share of stalled projects that led to the Centre setting up the committee under former Niti Ayog CEO Amitabh Kant to look for a way out. UP govt came up with the relief package in Dec 2023. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like TV providers are furious: this gadget gives you access to all channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo Without OCs/CCs, developers cannot raise the final payment demand from buyers, execute property registries or hand over flats. This left hundreds of completed homes locked because the builder defaulted on dues and OCs/CCs were held back and buyers paying both EMIs and rent since they could not take possession. Dinesh Gupta, secretary of Credai West UP, said after issuance of OCs from GNIDA, developers would be able to issue their final outstanding demands to flat allottees. The recovery of dues from buyers would directly open payment gateways for clearing subsequent instalments to the authorities, either directly or through construction finance lenders, he added. The final OC/CC will be granted only after full payment. Credai, an association of realtors, had suggested provisional OCs valid for 90-120 days with developers giving undertakings or indemnities to ensure compliance with policy rules for payments of the remaining 75%. Gupta called the police approval a "win-win" for all stakeholders, saying it would speed up registrations, ensure faster recovery of dues and revive cash flows in the Noida-Greater Noida real estate market. The GNIDA board approved the proposal on July 28. GNIDA additional CEO Saumya Srivastava confirmed the development, adding that the decision was taken in homebuyers' favour. The Dec 2023 policy covers 98 stalled projects, excluding the Supreme Court-monitored Amrapali and Unitech and projects that are in bankruptcy proceedings at National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Of these, 77 opted for the rehab policy, while 21 did not pay the initial 25% dues. These 77 projects have 85,242 sanctioned flats. Among them, 13 projects saw their dues reduced to zero after recalculation and 27 cleared the entire dues, allowing them to proceed with registries of all their flats. The rest are those who have paid 25%. The policy has so far generated Rs 1,352 crore for GNIDA, with another Rs 1,680 crore expected over the next year, sources said. Across the 77 projects, CCs have been issued for 45,774 flats, while work is pending on 39,468. So far, 40,107 flats have been registered - 16,294 after the policy came into effect. Of the 21 projects that did not opt for the scheme, 19 are in litigation in different courts while recovery certificates have been issued against two projects to recover dues. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
The Hindu
08-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
'Vote theft' claim: Congress stages 'rasta roko' in Mumbai; EC has lost credibility, says Sapkal
The Maharashtra Congress on Friday (August 8, 2025) stepped up its attack on the BJP and Election Commission (EC), by staging a 'rasta roko' in Mumbai, accusing the ruling party of "stealing votes" with the poll body's help. Congress leaders and workers, led by the party's Maharashtra unit chief Harshwardhan Sapkal, blocked traffic and raised slogans against the EC and the BJP government, causing a traffic snarl that lasted for over an hour. Addressing a press conference earlier at Tilak Bhavan, Mr. Sapkal said the EC had "completely lost credibility" and was acting like a "broker or advocate" of the BJP. He further questioned why the ruling party, and not the EC, was responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations in Parliament. Mr. Gandhi on Friday described the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as an "institutionalised chori" and claimed that the EC was "openly colluding" with the BJP to carry out this "theft" with the objective of taking away the voting rights of the poor. VIDEO | Maharashtra Congress workers protest against the Election Commission in Mumbai.#MumbaiNews#MaharashtraNews (Full video available on PTI Videos - — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 8, 2025 Mr. Sapkal said, "Rahul Gandhi has laid bare, with documentary evidence, how the BJP manipulated elections with the EC's help. Instead of initiating a high-level probe or appointing a Supreme Court-monitored SIT, the government is attacking Gandhi personally." He pointed out that provisions 17, 18 and 19 of the Election Conduct Rules 1960 mandate an inquiry if a formal objection is raised. "Why has the EC not acted? Why this silence?" Mr. Sapkal said. Taking a swipe at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Congress leader said, "He is not the chief minister but the 'Chip Minister', a representative of a fraudulent digital democracy. The way he attacked Rahul Gandhi using demeaning language doesn't show strength, but the stench of arrogance." He also accused the BJP of "rushing to defend the EC at every instance", hinting at "deep-rooted collusion" between the poll body and the ruling party. Responding to the BJP's countercharge that the Congress never raised objections during elections, Mr. Sapkal clarified that objections were, in fact, raised both during and after polling. "Candidates who lost have filed petitions in the high courts. Evidence was also submitted to the EC. This propaganda is just the BJP's attempt at sowing confusion," he said. The Congress has announced a statewide agitation across Maharashtra, including rallies, marches and protests to expose the alleged "vote theft". The party stated that it would continue its campaign until an independent probe is initiated and accountability is fixed.
India Today
02-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Now playing in Assam, the drama of deportation
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated July 7, 2025)As Assam gears up for assembly election early next year, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has already set a combative tone for the campaign. In recent months, his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has launched an aggressive, and legally contentious, drive to identify and deport 'illegal Bangladeshis'. This move has involved reviving decades-old laws, sidelining the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and stirring a combustible mix of security, identity and religion in the state's political prompted by judicial developments but largely driven by electoral calculations, the Sarma government has intensified efforts to deport individuals suspected of being illegal immigrants, particularly those of Bangladeshi origin. What marks this phase as particularly significant is a new legal interpretation: even those included in the NRC, the Supreme Court-monitored citizenship register, are not necessarily safe from deportation if later declared foreigners by the state's quasi-judicial Foreigners Tribunals (FT) that determine citizenship status through an adversarial process. This reinterpretation quietly nullifies the political and administrative heft of the NRC NRC was conceived as the definitive solution to Assam's decades-old 'foreigner problem', a comprehensive register that would once and for all separate genuine Indian citizens from illegal immigrants. The exercise consumed enormous resources and generated tremendous anxiety across the state before finally producing its results in 2019. However, the outcome satisfied no one. Of the 33 million applicants, 1.9 million were excluded from the final list, a number that BJP leaders, including Sarma, deemed suspiciously Sarma, who was then a rising star in the BJP after his dramatic defection from the Congress in 2015, was among the NRC's most vocal critics. He demanded 'reverification' of 20 per cent of names in border districts and 10 per cent elsewhere, arguing that the process had been compromised. But rather than wait for any such reverification, his government has now taken a more radical step: effectively robbing the NRC of any legal SC handed Sarma the legal tool he needed in a May ruling in Rafiqul Hoque vs Union of India, in which Hoque had challenged his designation as a foreigner partly on grounds that his name appeared in the draft NRC. The court ruled that 'inclusion of the name of the appellant in the draft NRC would have no bearing on the order passed by the Tribunal, affirmed by the [Gauhati] High Court, declaring the appellant a foreigner'. In other words, being on the NRC list provided no protection against being declared a foreigner by a dual-track system has unleashed a Kafkaesque nightmare in Assam where even legal reprieve offers no protection. In a recent case, one Hachinur, who was out on bail and regularly reporting to the police, was detained again, without warning, and without his family being informed, despite his appeal pending before the high court. The court later termed the detention illegal, ordering his immediate release and chastising state authorities for violating due Having sidelined the NRC, Sarma has turned to more expedient methods. His government's most controversial innovation has been the revival of the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act (IEAA), 1950, that had largely fallen into disuse. The Act grants the central government and, by extension, district commissioners acting on its behalf, sweeping powers to expel 'any person or class of persons who have come into Assam from outside India' if their presence is deemed 'detrimental to the interests of the general public of India or any Scheduled Tribe in Assam'.What makes this law so attractive to Sarma's government is that it bypasses the elaborate judicial machinery that has come up around immigration cases. Under the current system, suspected foreigners are typically referred to FTs. These proceedings can drag on for years, and many of those declared foreigners subsequently appeal to higher courts, creating further 1950 Act, by contrast, allows for much swifter action. Sarma contends that a recent SC constitutional bench ruling (October 17, 2024, in a case concerning Section 6A of the Citizenship Act) validates this approach, thereby facilitating swifter 'pushbacks', occasionally even without antecedent FT proceedings. The SC bench, in upholding Section 6A, explicitly stated that the IEAA 'shall be effectively employed for the purpose of identification of illegal immigrants', granting the Centre the power to remove immigrants deemed 'detrimental to the interests of India'.At least 330 declared foreigners have reportedly been 'pushed back' into Bangladesh. In January 2025, when more than 200 individuals were found languishing for years in Matia detention centre, the country's largest, the SC expressed stern disapproval over the delay and directed the government to expedite the deportation executing the court order has not been easy. Bangladesh has shown little enthusiasm for accepting deportees, especially those unable to provide clear proof of their nationality. The 14 people who were 'pushed back' in May but then spent days in no-man's land before returning to Assam illustrated the practical limitations of the deportation policy. Without cooperation from Bangladesh, many deportation orders become political That, indeed, is what Himanta's drive has become. By reviving the decades-old fear of demographic alteration, the Assam CM is reactivating the BJP's Hindu-Muslim binary in a state where religion, language and indigeneity form an unstable triangle. His messaging is aimed squarely at indigenous communities who have historically felt threatened by migration from erstwhile East Bengal and later Bangladesh. Sarma's 'uncompromising' stand on security and illegal immigration is designed to consolidate this support base. On June 25, he signalled a renewed push to reclaim land for indigenous communities by intensifying the crackdown on alleged encroachments by illegal immigrants. Soon after taking office, Sarma had launched a series of eviction drives, largely targeting Bangla-speaking recent incidents in Assam, where meat was allegedly found near temples following Eid celebrations, have reinforced the narrative the BJP is trying to push. Sarma was quick to frame these acts as 'the weaponisation of beef against Hindus', amplifying communal tensions. Another polarising move has been the government's decision to issue arms licences to 'original inhabitants' in vulnerable border areas. This has been widely interpreted as an attempt to strengthen perceptions of insecurity and promote community-based self-defence. Sarma has urged citizens to adopt a firm stance. 'Modiji alone cannot protect us,' he warned, insisting that unless the Assamese people themselves resist infiltration, neither laws nor leaders can preserve their political intent becomes more apparent when considered alongside Assam's shifting electoral dynamics. The All India United Democratic Front, once a key force representing Muslim interests, has been significantly weakened. This opens up space for the Congress to reclaim Muslim support. At the same time, it gives the BJP an opportunity to label any Congress-Muslim alliance as evidence of the party's alleged 'anti-national' leanings. The Congress finds itself in a complicated position. Supporting due process and minority rights leaves it vulnerable to charges of being 'pro-foreigner'. But remaining silent in the face of what critics see as systematic persecution of a certain group undermines its secular credentials. The recent appointment of Gaurav Gogoi as state Congress president was an attempt to find a leader who could navigate these treacherous political Gogoi's own background has given Sarma ample ammunition for attack. The BJP leader has accused Gogoi and his British wife of being Pakistani sympathisers gathering intelligence on Indian soil. Sarma's announcement that he will reveal 'evidence' on September 10 appears strategically timed to build anti-Congress sentiment. For Gogoi and the Congress, the stakes are high. Gogoi's appointment suggests the Congress is willing to stake its fortunes on a direct contest with Sarma. But the BJP's narrative, of a Muslim-friendly Congress allegedly compromised by foreign interests, could prove a potent challenge in Assam's volatile electoral Assam approaches the election, Sarma's efforts are not only aimed at consolidating the BJP's support base but are also subtly redefining the terms of political engagement in the state, where the boundaries between governance and campaign rhetoric are getting increasingly to India Today Magazine- Ends
