Press Releases Archive

Dr. JP welcomes SC verdict and calls for immediate elections to local bodies

Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today whole-heartedly welcomed the Supreme Court verdict permitting elections to local bodies as per existing reservations and demanded that the State Government conduct the elections without further delay.

Addressing a media meet, Dr. JP said that local body elections instead of being held on schedule like elections to the Assembly and the Lok Sabha have been postponed repeatedly under some pretext or the other. Courts too had to share the blame for postponement of elections in violation of 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution.

Dr. JP demanded that the State Government empower the Election Commission decide on reservations, instead of retaining the powers for itself.

Besides conducting elections, the State Government should make a per capita grant of about Rs.2000 to village panchayats and municipal wards or divisions so that people at the grass root level could address their problems. If the State Cannot straightway part with 10 percent of its annual budget of Rs.1,60,000 crore this year, it could at least part with five percent.

Dr. JP wanted the ensuing Parliament's budget session to pass the Lokpal Bill. He regretted that certain sections had scuttled the move to include appointment of Lokayuktas in States as part of the Bill. He wanted the State Government to adopt a Bill providing for appointment of a strong and independent Lokayukta in the State on the lines of the Lokpal at the national level. He was sorry that the draft Bill he had submitted to all the parties in the Assembly and the Speaker has not seen the light of the day.

Dr. JP wanted Parliament to also adopt the Service Guarantee Bill which the Lok Satta Party had prepared at the request of the Parliamentary Committee.

Dr. JP disclosed that he would be meeting the Vice President of India and leaders of different political parties during his visit to New Delhi tomorrow on electoral reforms. This is a follow-up to the meeting he had had with President Pranab Mukherjee last month in New Delhi.

Mr. J. Iramamurthy, Lok Satta Vice-President and Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao, General Secretary, shared the dais with Dr. JP.

Monday, February 18, 2013 - 21:23

Lok Satta Party elections to be completed by March-end

The State Election Authority of the Lok Satta Party plans to complete the party's organizational elections before the end of March 2013, its Chairman Kaki Madhava Rao announced today. If it encounters any unexpected problems, the slippage in the schedule will not exceed two weeks.

Addressing a media meeting, Mr. Madhava Rao, former Chief Secretary and State Election Commissioner, said that the authority would conduct the party elections in a fair, impartial and credible manner.

Active Lok Satta Party members will take part in voting to elect office-bearers at the constituency, district and State levels.

The authority will appoint district returning and assistant returning officers and train them. It will meet once again next week and announce the election schedule.

Mr. M. Padmanabha Reddy, retired IFS officer and Mr. K. Satyanarayana Murty, former Law Secretary and Election Commission Secretary are the two other members of the authority which met today.

Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan told media earlier that he stood by the decision not to contest for the position of the State President. In reply to a question, he said he would contest from Kukatpally again in case he chose to run for the Assembly. Asked if he would contest for the Lok Sabha, Dr. JP said the question was premature.

Dr. JP said that the Lok Satta would like to demonstrate that the party is not the property of any individual but that of its members. The elections would provide an opportunity to competent people irrespective of their money power, pedigree and caste and religion to emerge as leaders and run the party.

Monday, February 18, 2013 - 21:18

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