Cong hints at second term for Ansari as VP

June 18, 2012

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New Delhi, June 18: Congress appears to be considering giving a second term to Vice-president Hamid Ansari, who narrowly lost out to finance minister Pranab Mukherjee in the race for UPA nomination for the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

An indication to that effect came on Sunday, when Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said in a TV interview that the party leadership could continue Ansari as VP. To a question about the possibility of a second term for Ansari as VP, Singh said, "It is not a bad idea. Ansari has conducted himself admirably as a vice-president".

Singh also confirmed that Congress, assured of majority support, does not intend to leave the post of VP for the Opposition in order to ensure Mukherjee's unanimous election as the President. "It looks unlikely because we already have the numbers," he said.

Besides SP and BSP, who have often rescued it from sticky situations, the Congress can also expect to get the Left Front's backing for Ansari in case the leadership decides to retain him. Although the Left, which had sponsored the VP five years ago, was unhappy with the way he handled the debate on Lokpal in the Rajya Sabha in the winter session, they are likely to support his second stint as well.

However, Congress sources are not sure whether Ansari would agree to have another term, something which is sure to be viewed as a consolation trophy for the former diplomat who in the race for the Congress ticket for the Rahstrapati Bhawan appeared to be snapping at Mukherjee's heels until the last lap.

Singh's TV interview was marked by tough talk against Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, although he stressed that the Congress on its own would not want her to leave the ruling coalition and does not favor "throwing her out".

Reflecting Congress's annoyance with Banerjee's defiant opposition to Mukherjee's choice for the Rashtrapati Bhawan, he said there is a "limit" to which one can "bend" as certain eventualities have to be faced if they cannot be avoided. Singh was replying to question as to whether the Congress is ready to bend over backwards to prevent Banerjee's exit from the UPA-II if she chooses to leave the ruling alliance.

In contrast, the Congress leader was all praise for SP boss Mulayam Singh, who had teamed up with Banerjee to block Congress nominees but de-coupled himself in 24 hours to clear the way for Mukherjee's elevation.

Singh called the SP chief as a "pragmatic political person", stoutly rejecting suggestions of a "deal" between the Congress and the SP such as the promise of some relief to Mulayam in CBI cases or a financial package for UP.

Justifying the party's tough response to Banerjee, he said: "All efforts have been made to console her, accept her views, accept her tantrums...beyond a certain limit, the decision is hers...there is a limit to which you can bend to...there are certain eventualities, which if it cannot be avoided have to be faced." He said that it was "very embarrassing" for party chief Sonia Gandhi and PM Manmohan Singh that Trinamool boss not only rejected the names of both UPA nominees but joined hands with the SP and announced three more names, including that of the PM when they "did not have consent of any of the three".

Singh felt that the step taken by the "erratic" Banerjee was "extremely immature" and appealed to her that she should reconsider her decision and respond to the "magnanimity" shown by Mukherjee and support his candidature. To questions on why Banerjee resorted to such an action, Singh said that the Trinamool chief "miscalculated".

"She has been erratic in some way...That is Mamata...nothing is impossible, nothing is unexpected as far as Mamata is concerned" was his refrain to a volley of questions about Banerjee's behaviour.

He also felt that Banerjee continuing to back Kalam is a "mistake" which she should "avoid".

Regarding the challenge before the Congress to find a replacement for Mukherjee as the finance minister and as the Leader of the Lok Sabha, Singh admitted that there could be choppy days for a while as "we do not have many people of his stature and abilities". However, he expressed confidence that the vacuum will be filled as UPA has "no dearth of talent".

Asked about the possibility of a new finance minister from outside the political domain like Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the Congress leader said," it is for the PM to decide...the PM has every right to appoint anyone even from outside" as the finance minister.

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March 17,2024

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New Delhi: The Election Commission on Sunday made public fresh data on electoral bonds, which it had submitted in sealed covers to the Supreme Court and was later asked to put it in public domain.

These details are believed to be pertaining to the period before April 12, 2019. Electoral bond details after this date was made public by the poll panel last week.

The BJP encashed electoral bonds totalling Rs 6,986.5 crore; maximum Rs 2,555 crore received in 2019-20, as per the EC data.

The Trinamool Congress received Rs 1,397 crore through electoral bonds, second largest recipient after BJP, as per the EC data.

On the other hand, the Congress redeemed a total of Rs 1,334.35 crore through electoral bonds.

DMK received Rs 656.5 crore through electoral bonds, including Rs 509 crore from lottery king Santiago Martin's Future Gaming.

BJD encashed electoral bonds worth Rs 944.5 crore, YSR Congress Rs 442.8 crore, TDP Rs 181.35 crore.

Political parties had filed data on electoral bonds in sealed cover as directed by the Supreme Court's interim order dated April 12, 2019, the poll panel said in a statement.

"Data so received from political parties was deposited in the Supreme Court without opening sealed covers. In pursuance of the Supreme Court's order dated March 15, 2024, the Registry of the Supreme Court has returned physical copies along with a digitized record of the same in a pen drive in sealed cover. The Election Commission of India has today uploaded the data received in the digitized form from the registry of the Supreme Court on electoral bonds on its website," EC said.

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March 28,2024

New Delhi: After India summoned an American diplomat over their remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, the US reiterated on Wednesday its call for "fair, transparent, timely legal processes".

We continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller while responding to questions on India summoning Gloria Berbena, the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi.

The meeting at the foreign ministry's South Block office lasted nearly 40 minutes yesterday with India objecting strongly to the US remarks on the arrest of Mr Kejriwal.

Miller also responded to a question on the Congress party's frozen bank accounts, saying, "We are also aware of the Congress party's allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections."

He said the US encourages "fair, transparent and timely legal processes" for each of these issues.

"With respect to your first question, I'm not going to talk about any private diplomatic conversations, but of course, what we have said publicly is what I just said from here, that we encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes. We don't think anyone should object to that," he said.

Mr Kejriwal was arrested last week by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the third Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader after Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh to be taken into custody in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.

The US State Department on Tuesday said it is monitoring reports of Mr Kejriwal's arrest and called on New Delhi to ensure "a fair and timely legal process" for the jailed Chief Minister.

India objected to it and warned of "unhealthy precedents".

"States are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others, and this responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents," the foreign ministry said.

"India's legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted," the ministry stressed.

The US remarks came days after Germany's Foreign Office stressed that Mr Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial. The Indian government had reacted strongly and summoned the German envoy, labelling their remark "blatant interference in internal matters".

The excise policy was introduced to bring an overhaul to the liquor business in Delhi, but was scrapped after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered a probe into the alleged irregularities in the policy. The ED believes the bribe money from the policy was allegedly used for funding the AAP's election campaigns. It has also called Mr Kejriwal a "conspirator" in the case.

His arrest just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election has also prompted furious protests from the opposition camp.

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March 15,2024

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New Delhi, Mar 13: The Supreme Court on Friday took exception to the State Bank of India (SBI) for not disclosing complete details of Electoral Bonds, including unique alfa numeric numbers, furnished to the Election Commission for uploading on the website.

A five-judge Constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud issued notice to the SBI seeking its response on Monday after the court was informed that the issuing bank for the Electoral Bonds has not disclosed unique alfa numeric number of each bond.

"They have not disclosed the bond numbers. It has to be disclosed by the State Bank of India. All details have to be provided by the SBI," the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, noted.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal said as per the Constitution bench judgment of February 15, 2024, all details were to be disclosed.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted since the SBI was a party to the judgment, notice may be issued to it.

The court said the counsel for SBI should have been here.

"If you see the judgment, we have specified that bond numbers have to be provided," the bench said.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan appeared for the main petitioner Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

On an application by the EC, the bench said the details of Electoral Bonds furnished by the poll panel before the top court should be scanned and returned to it for the purpose of uploading on the website.

The Election Commission through advocate Amit Sharma filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to release data on electoral bonds furnished to the top court in terms of previous orders of April 12, 2019 and November 2, 2023.

As per March 11, 2024 order, the Election Commission on Thursday uploaded the data on electoral bonds furnished to it by the SBI.

However, in an application, the poll panel said it had furnished to the Supreme Court a number of sealed envelopes, containing details on EBs encashed by the political parties, during the course of hearing in the matter.

It sought a direction for the return of those sealed envelopes to comply with the directions to upload it on the website as per order of March 11.

On Monday, the Supreme Court had told the SBI to furnish details of purchasers of Electoral Bonds and names of political parties redeemed those instruments by March 12 to the Election Commission, rejecting its plea for extension of time until June 30 for the purpose.

It had then directed the Election Commission to publish the information provided by the SBI on its website on March 15.

In its February 15, 2024 judgment, the SC had declared the Electoral Bonds scheme, introduced in 2018 for donation to political parties, as "unconstitutional" for being violative of the right to information.

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