Press Releases Archive

The journey is long and arduous, Dr. JP tells Party workers

Notwithstanding the latent desire among people for a change in the nature of politics, they are not prepared to become agents of change, said Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan here today.

Addressing Greater Hyderabad party workers and leaders including those who contested the 2009 Assembly and GHMC elections, Dr. JP said that people are under the illusion that a Messiah will arise and transform society and politics with a magic wand.

Dr. JP recalled that nowhere in the world change has taken place without people associating themselves with it. As of now, people go to the polling booth to elect somebody or the other without realizing that the vote is a means to transform their lives. Against such a backdrop, the Lok Satta has to suffer electoral setbacks. But that should not be a cause for despair. “However long and arduous the journey is going to be we should plod on since there is no alternative to Lok Satta’s philosophy and programs.

Expressing happiness over the large turnout of party activists for the meeting, Dr. JP said they had come to discuss means for improving people’s lives and not in anticipation of any personal gain.

While traditional parties pursued the single-point agenda of coming to power at any cost to serve their narrow interests, the Lok Satta strove to transform society and politics by empowering people. There are no short cuts to accomplishing the mission.

He wanted party workers to pursue the implementation of ward manifstos prepared by the party during the next four years. Mr. A. B. Prathap Reddy, GHMC Unit in charge, presided.

Saturday, April 24, 2010 - 17:19

Slashing seats in IIITs unwarranted: Dr. JP

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said here today that the State Government decision to slash the number of seats in IIITs from 6000 to 3000 reflected its “penny-wise pound-foolish fiscal management”.

Talking to the media, Dr. JP pointed out that continuance of seats would impose a burden of mere Rs.24 crore a year on the Government. The IIITs are meant to provide job-oriented technological skills to bright students from rural areas. Because of its skewed priorities and lack of sincerity, the Government has decided to axe the seats much to the detriment of the younger generation.

What is more galling is, Dr. JP said, that the harmful decision has been taken by a Government which in the name of ‘Jalayagnam’ is building projects even without water and turning a blind eye to monumental corruption. He hoped that the wise Chief Minister would reverse the decision.

On the Government decision to appoint ombudsmen to go into irregularities in NREGS implementation, Dr. JP said the proposed setup would not serve the purpose. First, a sitting fee of Rs.500 a day would not attract talent. Secondly the proposed ombudsmen’s powers are limited to inquire into irregularities thrown up by social audit.

Instead, ombudsmen should be appointed to go into allegations of corruption and irregularities in all schemes including the NREGS by local governments. After all, each district is spending Rs.2000 crore a year under various schemes.

The ombudsmen should be autonomous and powerful to take action on their own against guilty elected public representatives and employees.

On the CBI catching Medical Council Chairman red-handed as he accepted a Rs.2-crore bribe, Dr. JP recalled he had drawn the Prime Minister’s attention to corruption in the grant of medical colleges. What has been detected is merely the tip of the iceberg.

Although thousands of crores of rupees changed hands in the medical education sector, the country has not been able to produce competent doctors. A solution lies in awarding degrees only if medical students pass an examination like the one conducted for chartered accountants on completion of formal education.

Friday, April 23, 2010 - 16:53

Letter to C.M. on Gram Nyayalayas

22nd April, 2010

To
Sri K. Rosaiah
The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
AP Secretariat
Hyderabad.

Sub: Immediate implementation of The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 (Act 4 of 2009) – Reg.

As you are aware, the Parliament of India has enacted the landmark Gram Nyayalayas Act. The Bill was passed in both Houses of Parliament in December, 2008 and the President of India gave her assent on 7th January, 2009. This historic achievement will greatly contribute towards restoring the culture of the rule of law which has been gradually eroded. This statute offers the great promise of speedy, accessible and affordable justice to the poor who have hitherto not been able to access courts because of barriers posed by costs, distance, language and procedural difficulties.

This enabling law, at one stroke, provides for the creation of over 1100 local courts in Andhra Pradesh - under the law, every intermediate panchayat (Mandal) would have at least one rural court. All these local courts will be an integral part of the independent justice system, which is the corner stone of our Constitution and rule of law.

Now, in order to ensure that this great promise is converted into actual, tangible outcomes - at the earliest, the State Government must undertake the following steps, as per the provisions of The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 (Act 4 of 2009).

  • Establishment of Gram Nyayalayas in all Mandals, in consultation with the High Court (Section 3 (1)).
  • Appointment of Nyayadhikaris in consultation with the High Court (Sec 5).
  • Ensuring necessary facilities for enabling the conduct of trials in the villages (Sec 9).
  • Defining the civil and criminal jurisdiction of these courts (Sec. 12 (2) and 14 (3) read with the First and Second Schedules).
  • Approaching the High Court for setting pecuniary limits of civil cases to be tried by these courts (Sec. 13(2)).
  • We understand that the Union Government has conveyed its commitment to: (i) bearing the entire capital cost of setting up of these courts (estimated to be around Rs. 18 lakhs per one such Gram Nyayalaya) and (ii) reimbursing a substantial part of the running costs of these courts (estimated to be around Rs. 6.4 lakhs per court per year). Reports indicate that the Union Law Minister has announced the allocation of Rs. 1400 crores for the setting up of Gram Nyayalayas across the country this year. Now that such funding is available, the State Government should ensure the allocation of adequate financial resources for these courts, by sending proposals to the Union government for financial assistance.
  • Other procedural, administrative and consultative steps to expeditiously constitute Gram Nyayalayas and ensure their smooth and efficient functioning.

Now that the law is in place, it is imperative that urgent steps are taken to constitute the local courts to help the poor and ensure speedy justice. I therefore urge you to immediately approach the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and initiate the steps necessary to constitute the courts at the earliest. Preparatory work on the above lines needs to be completed before the courts are constituted. In particular, budgetary allocations, making available the necessary infrastructure, framing of rules by both the Government and the High Court and appointment of the Nyayadhikaris have to be taken up immediately.

In view of the importance of the issue, I am marking a copy of this letter to the Chief Justice of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Governor of Andhra Pradesh and the State Law Minister and making the contents public.

Sincerely,

Jayaprakash Narayan
President

Copy to:
Justice Nisar Ahmed Kakru, Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Sri ESL Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh.
Sri MV Raman Rao, Minister for Law and Courts, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh.

Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 16:29

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