Press Releases Archive

Lok Satta elections an example to all parties: Dr.JP

Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today hoped that the party’s organizational elections by secret ballot would promote internal democracy and serve as an example to all other parties.

Dr. JP was talking to media after exercising his franchise in the elections to the post of the State party President and office-bearers of the Greater Hyderabad unit.

Dr. JP pointed out that democracy alone facilitated people with different outlooks and backgrounds to work for a common goal under democratically elected leadership. In the party elections, the vote of the ordinary party worker had the same value as that of the national president.

Dr. JP said the Independent Election Authority headed by Mr. Kaki Madhava Rao conducted the elections in an exemplary manner. He congratulated party workers who took part in the elections enthusiastically.

Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao and Mr. Kongara Gangadhara Rao, who contested for the post of the State party President, thanked the party and its President Dr. JP for enabling ordinary workers to contest for the top post in the party. Both of them pledged to work for the party whoever won in the race.

The polling for the president’s election which began in different districts on April 5 concluded today. Counting of votes and declaration of the result will take place on April 10.

Sunday, April 7, 2013 - 21:06

Surajaya photo contest on rural realities

The Surajya movement is organizing a photo contest & exhibition on ‘Maa Palle Sithraalu’ to enhance awareness among youth on rural India.

Giving this information in a media statement, Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, Convener, Surajya Movement, recalled that the Foundation for Democratic Reforms and the Lok Satta launched the Surajya Movement in August 2012 advocating that youth be at the forefront for attaining ‘Suraaj’ through ethical politics and good governance.

The movement among other things seeks creation of independent and powerful anti-corruption mechanisms and empowerment of local governments for rural development.

The photo competition encourages youth to capture the development or backwardness of villages through their camera lens when they visit villages in the coming summer holidays. The contestants have to focus on nine different themes: Education, Employment, Health & Medical Facilities, Sanitation & Hygiene, Rural Youth, Rural Women, Government Services- Policies & Programs, Rural Infrastructure and Social Awareness.

Apart from rewarding the first three best photographs with cash awards of Rs 10,000, Rs 7000, Rs 5000 respectively, all the selected photographs will be displayed in the photo exhibition being organized across the State in June 2013.

While students, employees, photographers, rural/urban youth and any citizen below 40 years of age can participate in the contest & exhibition, participants above 40 years can send entries for photo exhibition alone. The entries can also be photographs taken within the last two years (not before March 2011). They have to be sent before May31, 2013.

Photographs can be submitted in soft copy through e-mail (surajyainfo@gmail.com) or in CD or by post to ‘Maa Palle Sithraalu Photo Contest, C/o Foundation for Democratic Reforms, 8th Floor, Srinivasa Towers, Besides ITC Kakatiya Hotel, Begumpet, Hyderabad’ or in person. For more details on rules & instructions, contact through email or phone (8790000492) or visit Surajyam website (www.surajyam.in) or facebook (Surajya Udyamam).

Saturday, March 30, 2013 - 16:39

Lok Satta Party Statement on Internal Party Elections in State of Andhra Pradesh

Lok Satta Party stands for free and fair internal party elections and therefore have adopted the concept of "Independent election authority". The national leadership of the party has received a few complaints in recent days that the internal elections that are underway in Andhra Pradesh may be affected by missing names and bogus entries in the list of eligible voters. Members of the National Steering Committee discussed this during the day today.

During the last quarter of 2012, the members of the party in Andhra Pradesh, as well as the State Working Committee were keen that elections to offices of the party at different levels should be held soon. Accordingly, it was decided by state working and executive committee that the elections would be held immediately after the end of the Surajayam Movement (9th Dec, 2012), and that they should be concluded by 31 March 2013.

A massive registration campaign to induct new members was held until 31 January 2013. Thereafter, the independent Election Authority, which conducts elections to various offices of Lok Satta, notified the election on 6 February 2013.

At this stage, it should be admitted that the State Working Committee as well as the national leadership did not believe that there would be errors or misconduct in the compilation of the voters list. As a result, the voters list was forwarded to the Election Authority without the necessary scrutiny of it. In hindsight, it appears we could have anticipated this and taken the additional time needed to vet the roll; this will be done in all future elections through an appropriate process in place.

Since the Election Authority is an independent body, the party has no role in the conduct of the election after the elections are notified by the EA. Therefore, it is not up to the party to postpone the elections as desired by few members. Also, given the stature and esteem of the EA's members, we would not like to seek a revision of their process in the middle of this election cycle.

That said, however, the National Steering Committee is absolutely of one mind that the election results must reflect the views and preferences of the party's genuine members to the fullest. To this end, the party has constituted an enquiry committee (Hyma Saggi, Dilip Sankarreddy and Padma Bhupatiraju) to look into the allegations of errors and misconduct in the compilation of the voter roll. Party will add few more credible names to this committee soon.

Strict disciplinary action will be taken against anyone found to have tampered with the fairness of the process. Strict disciplinary actions against all the members who were involved in acts of commission and/or omission or have tampered with the fairness of the process will taken after the inquiry.

If such acts of commission and/or omission or tempering of election process are of the magnitude that it distraught's the outcome of the elections, the party will not hesitate to ask the EA to conduct the election again.

This statement is issued in consultation and with the approval of "National Steering Committee" including Dr. JP, Mr.Surendra Srivastava and Dr. Ahwin Mahesh and others.

The National Steering Committee requests your support in taking the election forward robustly, and making it a success we can showcase to other parties. The lessons of this round will serve us well in the future.

Saturday, March 30, 2013 - 10:38

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