PARLIAMENTARY PANEL ENDORSES ONE POLL

The government’s “one nation, one election” plan yesterday got a boost with the parliamentary standing committee on law and justice endorsing it, besides batting for common electoral rolls for the Lok Sabha, state and local body elections.

“Holding simultaneous elections will reduce the burden on exchequer, expenditure of political parties and ensure that human resources are utilised optimally. It will reduce voters’ apathy towards frequent elections and rather enthuse them, which will ultimately enhance participation in the electoral process,” the panel said, adding that common electoral rolls were necessary to make simultaneous elections a reality.

“All-out efforts should be made for the implementation of the common electoral rolls,” said the panel in its report tabled in both Houses on Tuesday.

Headed by BJP’s Bhupendra Yadav, the panel argued that elections around the year — whether for local bodies, state Assemblies or the Lok Sabha — put a strain on the state machinery and created hurdles in governance.

Holding simultaneous elections would entail amendment to the Constitution to have fixed terms for local bodies, legislative assemblies and the Lok Sabha.

Amendments would also be required for common electoral rolls. “But common rolls will be good for the democratic health of our country as these will lessen the burden on exchequer. Wider consultation with all political parties should be held to reach a consensus,” the report said.

STOP PERPETUATING MYTH OF ALLEGED PROXIMITY TO POLITICAL PARTY, EC TELLS MAMATA IN LETTER

The Election Commission will not be reinstating West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s security chief as a new officer has already been appointed on the advice of the state government, the poll panel has said.

In a letter sent to the chief minister Tuesday, the poll body also hit back at Mamata saying her claims of “alleged proximity to any political entity” were attempts to “belittle the institution of Commission with repeated innuendos”.

In response to CM Mamata asking the poll panel to hear grievances of all political parties and not be guided by any one particular party, the EC listed four occasions on which it had met representatives of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

“If it is stated by the Hon’ble CM that the Commission should meet political parties, it is only an attempt to belittle the institution of Commission with repeated innuendos and averments.”

“Commission maintains the position that they would not like to keep on being put on the dock for alleged proximity to any political entity,” the letter adds. “However, if Hon’ble CM persists in creating and attempting to perpetuate this myth for reasons best known to her, it is singularly unfortunate, and it is only for Hon’ble CM to adjudge as to why she is doing so.”

BANK SALE NOT TO HIT JOBS, FM ALLAYS FEARS

Speaking against the backdrop of the two-day strike by public sector bank employees, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman yesterday sought to allay their apprehensions by saying there would be no job losses due to privatisation of nationalised banks.

Her comments come even as trade union leaders have pointed out that new job opportunities have shrunk and there have been job losses due to punitive transfers even during the merger of some banks. “Interests of workers of banks that are likely to be privatised will be protected. Whether their salaries or scale or pension, all will be taken care of,” she assured.

The bankers strike will be followed by a two-day strike by insurance sector employees. Trade union leaders are now in talks with farmer unions and transporters for a nationwide bandh towards the month-end.

WORSE THAN THEY IMAGINED: RAHUL ON V-DEM REPORT ON INDIA’S FREEDOM

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the situation in India was worse than imagined by foreign organisations who recently rated India poorly on freedom indices.

In a virtual talk with Professor Ashutosh Varshney of US’ Brown University, Gandhi said although India does not need a stamp on freedom from foreign organisations but in fact “the situation is worse than they imagined”.

Gandhi was reacting to questions on Sweden’s V-Dem and US based Freedom House rating India poorly on freedom.

“These are foreign institutions and they have their view but frankly, we don’t need a stamp from them…but directionally what they said was correct. I would say they are much behind the curve. I think the situation is actually much worse than they imagined,” said Gandhi.

He said an election was not simply about people voting. “An election is about a judiciary that is being fair, about a debate that is taking place in Parliament. These things are needed for the vote to count,” Gandhi said.

He said dictators Saddam Hussain and Gaddafi used to have elections and win them but there was no institutional framework to protect that vote.

Gandhi also alleged that if someone controls WhatsApp and Facebook, one can control the narrative. “Facebook India head is a BJP person. A girl recently left the Congress party, went to Facebook, they found out she is from Congress and said you can’t come,” Gandhi alleged.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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CHINA VISA RIDER TO INDIA AND 19 OTHER COUNTRIES: FIRST TAKE CHINESE JABS

Beijing has made it mandatory for people coming from India and 19 other countries to get themselves inoculated with Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccines if they wish to travel to China.

For Indian travellers, this condition is a problem because Chinese-made vaccines are not available in India.

A notice posted at the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi said: “For the purpose of resuming people-to-people exchanges in an orderly manner, starting from 15 March, 2021, the Chinese Embassies and Consulates in India will provide the persons having taken Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine and holding the Certificates of Vaccination.”

China’s state-run Global Times reported that such notices were put up by Chinese embassies in 20 countries including India, Pakistan, Australia, South Korea, Nigeria, Greece, Italy, Israel, Norway and Indonesia. An AFP report included the US in the list as well. It reported that the Chinese embassy in the US, in a statement Monday, said it would begin to process “visa applicants inoculated with Chinese Covid-19 vaccines”.

Asked would it not be better if China recognised the vaccines endorsed by WHO, which is yet to approve the Chinese vaccines, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said: “China’s proposal is a meaningful step. We are trying to facilitate international travel…..Our proposal to facilitate the travel of those who have been inoculated with Chinese vaccines is made after thoroughly considering the safety and efficacy of Chinese vaccines.”

US REPORT SAYS RUSSIA, WITH PUTIN’S KNOWLEDGE, MEDDLED IN 2020 ELECTION

Russian President Vladimir Putin knew of and likely directed a Russian effort to manipulate the 2020 US presidential campaign to benefit former President Trump with “misleading or unsubstantiated allegations” against challenger Joe Biden, US intelligence officials said on Tuesday. The assessment was made in a15-page report into election interference released by the office of the director of national intelligence. It underscored allegations that Trump’s allies played into Moscow’s hands by amplifying claims made against Biden by Russian-linked Ukrainian figures in the run-up to the November 3 election.

US intelligence agencies found other attempts to sway voters, including a “multipronged covert influence campaign” by Iran intended to undercut Trump’s support. The report also punctured a counter-narrative pushed by Trump’s allies that China was interfering on Biden’s behalf, concluding that Beijing “did not deploy interference efforts”. “China sought stability in its relationship with the US and did not view either election outcome as being advantageous enough for China to risk blowback if caught,” the report said. US officials said they also saw efforts by Cuba, Venezuela and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to influence the election.

THE REST

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COVID NUMBERS GETTING WORSE; VACCINE DRIVE GATHERS PACE

KEY COVID NUMBERS:

Current Active Cases Countrywide: 2,31,335

New Cases in last 24 hours: 28,867

Recovered in last 24 hours: 17,746

Increase in Active cases in last 24 hours: 10,934

No. of deaths in last 24 hours: 187

Most Affected States:

(S. No., State, No. of Active Cases, New Cases in last 24 hours)

1          Maharashtra     1,38,813           ↑17,864

2          Kerala  26,124  ↑1,970

3          Punjab  12,616  ↑1,463

4          Karnataka         9,428    ↑1,135

5          Tamil Nadu       5,450    ↑867

6          Madhya Pradesh           5,286    ↑817

7          Gujarat 4,966    ↑954

8          Chhattisgarh     4,661    ↑856

9          Haryana           3,484    ↑523

10        West Bengal     3,158    ↑255

11        Rajasthan         2,661    ↑241

12        Delhi    2,488    ↑425

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 3.48 crore with 19,11,913 people inoculated on Tuesday till 7 pm, the Union Health Ministry said.

PC CHACKO JOINS NCP, TO CAMPAIGN FOR LEFT IN KERALA ELECTIONS

Days after he quit the Congress in protest against candidate selection in Kerala, veteran politician P C Chacko on Tuesday joined the NCP and said he will campaign for Left candidates in Kerala Assembly polls.

Chacko said the need of the hour is to forge an alternative to BJP but he does not see the Congress taking that initiative.

“I am happy to be part of a party which is functioning, active and a party moving with a direction,” he told reporters after joining NCP. “Today, what is needed is unity of the Opposition…as an alternative to BJP. I do not see that initiative very much from the party that I was in earlier.”

Chacko also said he had met two of the letter-writers in the Congress, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, before joining NCP. “We met just as friends – I cannot say what we discussed. Being old colleagues I wanted to meet them because they have their opinion and no one knows whether the party is going to receive their opinion or reject it…since they have expressed an independent opinion I thought I must meet them,” he said.

Azad is among the 23 senior Congress leaders who wrote to party chief Sonia Gandhi last year seeking reforms in the party.

FULL-BLOWN POLITICAL SLUGFEST OVER SACHIN VAZE IN MAHARASHTRA

Since the arrest of controversial Mumbai police cop Sachin Vaze, the BJP has stepped up its offensive against the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government with more allegations.

A day after former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said that the arrest of Vaze “is just the start of the probe and much more would come out in the days to come”, senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleged that the controversial Mumbai cop had six businesses and two Shiv Sena leaders were his business partners. Another BJP leader, Nitesh Rane, accused him and a cousin of Aaditya Thackeray of “running an IPL extortion racket”.

The Shiv Sena hit back, claiming that the BJP-led Centre had “insulted” the Maharashtra Police force.

A scathing article in party mouthpiece 'Saamana' stated that the Maharashtra Police was quite capable of solving the case, but the NIA sent by the central government arrested Vaze. Sena leader Sanjay Raut said the state government handed the case over to the Anti-Terrorism Squad realising the seriousness of the situation. However, even while the investigation was on, the Centre sent the NIA, creating “unnecessary interference in the case”. Terming the arrest of Vaze, an accused in the death of automobile parts dealer Mansukh Hiren, by the NIA an “insult” of the Maharashtra Police, the Sena alleged it was a deliberate move.

According to NIA spokespersons, Vaze had been arrested for his “role and involvement in placing an explosives-laden vehicle near Carmichael Road on February 25". Currently suspended, speculations are flying around about what he has “told/spilled out ” to the NIA.

RAJYA SABHA NOD TO BILL ON ABORTION TILL 24 WEEKS IN SPECIAL CASES

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed a Bill to raise the upper limit for permitting abortions from the present 20 weeks to 24 for minors and victims of rape and incest.

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was passed by voice vote after rejecting a resolution moved by Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa to refer the Bill to a Parliament committee. The Lok Sabha had passed the Bill in March last year.

Under the law, doctors will face up to one year in prison and fine or both if they disclose the mother’s identity except to an authorised person.

Demands for changes to the abortion law had intensified after a Chandigarh-based minor, raped for months by her maternal uncle, delivered a baby in August 2017. The 10-year-old underwent C-section after the SC rejected her request for abortion.

The Bill accepts “failure of contraceptive” as a legal reason for abortion in cases of unmarried women. Such a condition is presently allowed only for married women.

“The amendments have been made keeping global practices in mind. The law will preserve the dignity of women,” said Harsh Vardhan.

PM’S PRINCIPAL ADVISER RESIGNS

Former Cabinet Secretary Sinha, a retired IAS officer (1977 batch) of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed officer on special duty in the PMO in August 2019 after then Principal Secretary to the PM Nripendra Mishra requested to be relieved of his charge.

In September 2019, Sinha was made Principal Adviser to the PM. Sinha’s appointment was concurrent to the term of PM Modi or until further announcement, whichever was earlier. Sinha served as Union Cabinet Secretary from June 13, 2015, till 2019.

With Sinha’s exit, speculation is rife within power corridors over the senior administrator’s future role. Nripendra Misra had similarly sought to be relieved in August 2019 and he returned in February 2020 as chairman of a committee set up for the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

BHU STUDENTS PROTEST DECISION TO MAKE NITA AMBANI VISITING PROFESSOR

The proposal of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to appoint Nita Ambani, the wife of billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani, as a visiting professor is being opposed by students who see it as a “wrong example” being set by the university.

On Tuesday, a group of over 40 students protested outside the residence of Vice-Chancellor Rakesh Bhatnagar on the campus and submitted a memorandum.

Research scholar Shubham Tiwari, who was among the protesting students, alleged that the step “smacked of a conspiracy”. “We are setting up a wrong example. Being the wife of a rich person is not an achievement and these people cannot be our icons. If you talk about women empowerment, then invite icons like Arunima Sinha, Bachendri Pal, Mary Kom or Kiran Bedi,” Tiwari said.

DELHIVERY AIMS FOR PRE-IPO FUNDING AT $3BN VALUATION

New-age logistics major Delhivery is in talks with multiple global investors, including US-based Fidelity, for funding before its IPO that would value the startup at around $3 billion. Delhivery was valued at a little over $2 billion after the secondary investment from Steadview Capital in December 2020.

This indicates an almost 50% higher valuation for the SoftBank-backed Delhivery in about three month.

The e-commerce-focused logistics firm is one of the leading contenders for an IPO among the top league of Indian startups.Others include Policybazaar and Zomato, both of which have also seen similar pre-IPO transactions recently with significant jumps in their valuations.

NCPCR ASKS NETFLIX TO REMOVE ‘OBJECTIONABLE’ SCENES OF CHILDREN FROM BOMBAY BEGUMS

Apex child rights body NCPCR on Tuesday asked online streaming platform Netflix to remove “objectionable” scenes involving children from its series “Bombay Begums” and gave it time till Thursday to act upon the issue.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked Netflix to stop the streaming of the series on its platform till the time it comes to any decision on removal of scenes.

The commission has also written to the Mumbai police commissioner to probe a scene in which a minor is seen smoking a cigarette. “Further, in one of the aforementioned scenes a minor girl was smoking cigarettes which is violation of Section 77 of JJ Act, 2015 and therefore, the commission is forwarding this matter to Commissioner of Police, Mumbai for investigation/inquiry and deemed lawful necessary action,” it said.

LONG JUMPER SREESHANKAR QUALIFIES FOR TOKYO OLYMPICS WITH A LEAP OF 8.26M

Long jumper Murli Sreeshankar on Tuesday qualified for the Tokyo Olympics by bettering his own national record with a leap of 8.26m on the second day of the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships here.

The Olympics qualification mark in men’s long jump event is 8.22m.

The 21-year-old Kerala athlete’s 8.26m jump came in his fifth attempt as he improved his earlier national record of 8.20m which he had registered in 2018.

ENGLAND BEAT INDIA BY 8 WICKETS IN 3RD T20I

England defeated India by 8 wickets in the third T20I to move 2-1 up in the five-match series here on Tuesday.

Invited to bat, skipper Virat Kohli pulled India out of trouble with an unbeaten 46-ball 77 as the hosts posted 156 for six.

Jos Buttler then smashed an unbeaten 52-ball 83 to take England home in 18.2 overs.

Earlier, skipper Virat Kohli’s magnificence overshadowed an otherwise ordinary batting performance as India recovered from a difficult situation to manage a decent 156 for 6.

INDICATORS

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GBP 0.72 /US$, Euro 0.83 /US$, Jap.Yen 109.07 /US$, Aus$ 1.29 /US$, Sing 1.34 /US$, Bang Taka 83.19 /US$, Can$ 1.24 /US$, Mal Ring 4.11 /US$,

Pak Re 156.22 /US$, Phil Peso 48.59 /US$, Russian Rouble 72.81 /US$, NZ$ 1.39 /US$, Thai Baht 30.70 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 27.43 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 55,930

Dollar Index 91.90 Brent Crude 68.19  BDI 1,983

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,735 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,484 / 4,384, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 67,600

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

A good reputation is better than fame. - Louis Dudek

OFF TRACK

Writes a business executive:

Several months ago I went on a business trip to the enormous Boeing factory in Redmond , WA , where I was able to crawl on and around several 747s, 767s, and 777s airliners in various stages of assembly.

I noticed that the engines aren't attached until the rest of the plane is pretty much assembled. To keep the airplanes from tipping while work crews are in the fuselage, enormous weights are hung from chains on the wings, dangling above the floor like bizarre Christmas ornaments. Each weight is a solid slab of steel the size of golf cart and is painted with fluorescent, reflective yellow paint. Most interesting is the boldface label stenciled on each side of the weight: "7,800 LBS. REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT".