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New Delhi, The <keyword id="6396354" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="national-company-law-appellate-tribunal" source="Orion">National Company Law Appellate Tribunal</keyword> (<keyword id="6396355" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nclat" source="Orion">NCLAT</keyword>) has stayed a <keyword id="47183" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cci" source="Orion">CCI</keyword> order that imposed a penalty on state-owned power producer <keyword id="45179" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ntpc" source="Orion">NTPC</keyword> for not disclosing the acquisition of 35.47 per cent equity share capital in Ratnagiri Gas &amp; Power Private Ltd. The Competition Commission of India on August 22, 2023, imposed a penalty of Rs 40 lakh on NTPC for non-disclosure of its acquisition of 35.47 per cent of the equity share capital in Ratnagiri Gas &amp; Power Private Ltd (RGPPL). This was challenged by NTPC before the NCLAT, which is an appellate authority over the orders passed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). A two-member bench directed to list the matter on February 27, 2024, for the next hearing on NTPC's appeal and stayed the operation of order passed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). "Till next date of hearing the operation of the impugned order dated 22.08.2023 passed by the CCI shall remained stayed," said NCLAT passed earlier this week. NCLAT directed CCI to file a reply over NTPC appeal within four weeks and rejoinder, if any by the power producer, to be filed within four weeks thereafter. NTPC had acquired 35.47 per cent of the equity share capital of RGPPL without notification to the CCI, increasing its stake from 25.51 per cent to 60.98 per cent. Later, CCI on October 27, 2022, issued a notice or failure to notify the transaction under combination regulation. CCI was of the opinion that the transaction in question was a notifiable transaction. However, NTPC had submitted that the acquisition of an additional 35.47 per cent stake in RGPPL was a part of the resolution plan for the settlement of the outstanding debt of RGPPL. Moreover, the final goal of the said transaction was not to acquire equity shares or control, but to settle RGPPL's debt. NTPC also did not acquire any additional rights and enjoys joint control in RGPPL along with GAIL and Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd even on consummation of the transaction, said PSU. However, rejecting this, CCI held that by failure to notify the transaction before its consummation has resulted in violation of provisions of Section 6(2) of the Competition Act and therefore, is liable to a penalty under Section 43A of the Competition Act and imposed a fine of Rs 40 lakh. This was subsequently challenged by NTPC before NCLAT.

NCLAT stays CCI penalty on NTPC in Ratnagiri Gas & Power shares issue

From political rallies to television debates to drawing room conversations, the Maharashtra state Assembly elections seems to be dead rubber. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, who died in 1966, an election issue in 2019 and a lot of the media as well as the opposition seem to have fallen for the trap. However, there are enough issues which the opposition could have capitalised on the voter dissatisfaction. But as the campaign comes to a close, the dispirited opposition failed to offer even an alternate narrative, and has showed much less gusto in providing leadership against the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government in the state. As the leaders dwell on the glories of the past, the state’s population, which is reeling between drought and deluge, is worried about their future. These are some of the issues in which the people of Maharashtra have suffered under the current establishment. Auto sector slowdown hits Chakan in Pune Maharashtra has been one of the worst victims of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/slowdown-plunges-august-auto-sales-to-lowest-since-1997-98/articleshow/71055961.cms">economic slowdown</a>. In Pune, hundreds of thousands have lost jobs in the auto sales drop resulted in slashing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-auto-manufacturers-have-laid-off-350000-jobs-in-four-months/articleshow/70563890.cms">millions of jobs </a>of both temporary and permanent workers. Auto sector employees who are amongst the most well compensated of blue collar workers, are now roaming around in the auto hub of Chakan in Pune—doing<a href="https://theprint.in/economy/in-pune-auto-hub-an-engineer-is-selling-paan-another-is-roaming-around-with-his-cv/290816/"> menial jobs</a>. Former Congress party president Rahul Gandhi was one of the few to point out to the issue. He commented that Modi is showing youth the moon taking a dig at Chandrayaan 2 mission, even as the auto sector “remained shattered”. BJP, in its manifesto, however promised one crore jobs to people, but lacks details on how they plan to reverse the situation, which only seems to be worsening. Burdened with loans and low support prices-farmers resort to suicides Farmers are in no better position either. In the last five years, around 16,000 farmers have committed suicides said <a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/india/maharashtra-news/elections/article/people-suffered-worst-16000-farmers-committed-suicide-over-the-past-five-years-under-sena-bjp-sharad-pawar/504721">Sharad Pawar</a>, the leader Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) at his election rally in Anushakti Nagar. The septuagenarian criticized the government for not waiving loans of farmers who are hit by drought, even as thousands of crores to corporates are being written off as non-performing assets. The state government did waive off loans but it covered only 30% of the affected. These last five years have been tough for farmers in the state as they claim to be hurt by its policies which did not increase the minimum support prices. Around 15,000 farmers marched from Nasik to Mumbai not once but twice in the last five years—asking the government for aid. In fact, in a shocking protest in 2017, the state’s farmers emptied milk onto the streets leaving the government red faced. The state has a new crime capital in Nagpur The state also has another problem that is ballooning—increasing crime in Nagpur. The constituency of the ruling chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has turned notorious for organized and unorganized crime. On an average, over 700 cases are registered in the city which shares a border with Madhya Pradesh. Apart from increased organized crime and racketeering, the city has also<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/cops-got-cracking-to-remove-nagpurs-crime-capital-tag/articleshow/71283462.cms"> turned infamous</a> for prostitution, murder and attempted murder cases, amongst others. Fadnavis has been trying to turn around the extensive crime using stringent laws against anti-social elements. This started in 2015, but there has only been a slight change in the number of crimes. Mumbai’s creaky infrastructure Mumbai and its suburbs too have been many burning problems for which India the opposition provided only lip service to. The repeated lack of preparation leading to loss of lives during flood, which is a predictable annual occurrence in the city, has been a major source of discontent. The city’s commute has worsened in the last few years as metro and other construction have weighed only the already-snaking traffic. Even if one were to look at it as a temporary pain towards a better, it does not help that even the roads are filled with potholes. The Aarey Colony mess As the state approved the chopping of over 2,000 trees for the construction of a metro car shed at Aarey colony, a large citizen protest ensued but never turned into the poll issue it could have been. The protesting citizens were defeated in a court case and it sure left a bad aftertaste for those who detested the chopping of trees amidst a rising awareness around the terrible impact on the environment it would have. The protests were also diluted by a large number of people who came in support of the metro car shed as it would make commuting easier for millions of Mumbaikars. The opposition parties were conspicuous in their absence on ground over the issue and thus, it never took a political dimension. The dynasty debut The issues which find a pulse with young voters could have been handled by a young politician <a href="https://scroll.in/article/940621/behind-the-aditya-thackeray-campaign-in-mumbai-is-the-quiet-work-done-by-another-shiv-sainik">like Aditya Thackeray </a>from the state’s most-popular political family. But, seven years after the demise of the charismatic Bala Saheb Thackeray, his successors, including Aditya’s father Uddhav, have lacked Bala Saheb’s gravitas. Instead, Aditya got ridiculed for sporting a lungi, a South Indian attire, as his detractors cited his grandfather’s attacks on South Indian migrants a few decades. He was also caught on the wrong foot endorsing the <a href="https://rajkaran.com/aadtiya-thackeray-gets-trolled-for-his-mumbai-best-aahe-tweet/">BEST bus service</a>, and his refusal to address issues like a toddler <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/mumbai-news/video-shows-rescue-operation-of-mumbai-boy-who-fell-in-drain-2-days-ago-2068380">slipping down the </a>drain--did not go down well with the electorate. An acid test for the BJP government The politicians of the ruling party which is the BJP and Shiv Sena combine, seem to be taking it slow on campaigning this year. In fact, the CM Fadnavis also said that there is no<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/pehelwans-panzies-and-nikammas-maharashtra-elections-rallies-keep-the-drama-high/articleshow/71610174.cms"> pehelwan or a great opponent</a> this time. A lot more believe that this state election is a foregone conclusion mostly because the Parliamentary elections in April and May this year have shown that there is a strong BJP wave. Yet, a lot has changed since Modi came to power the second time. For one, the economic slowdown has become a grim reality and painful reality—which the central government has been slow to react to. Maharashtra’s election outcomes often mirror the general elections that have preceded them in recent years but surprises are born out of complacency. But for that, there has to be a credible intent, palpable energy, and effective communication from the opposition.

Maharashtra state elections 2019: These are the issues the opposition could have capitalised on but didn’t

<ul><li>The Indian government is reportedly going to introduce a new bill to regulate cryptocurrencies in the country come February.</li><li>The original draft, shared earlier this year, proposed to ban all ‘private cryptocurrencies’.</li><li>Jaideep Reddy, a technology lawyer with Nishith Desai Associates (NDA), told Business Insider that while banning cryptocurrencies is ‘technically’ possible — it’s easier said than done.</li></ul>The Indian government is likely to introduce a new bill to regulate cryptocurrencies in the country during next year’s Budget Session of Parliament in February. The <a href="https://prsindia.org/billtrack/draft-banning-of-cryptocurrency-regulation-of-official-digital-currency-bill-2019">draft</a>, which was shared earlier this year, banned private cryptocurrencies and made way for the Reserve Bank of India to issue a central bank digital currency (<a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=article-editorial">CBDC</a>). However, with the number of cryptocurrency investors growing in the country along with a burgeoning ecosystem of blockchain applications, banning cryptocurrencies altogether may not be a wise move. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="84401863" title="India's crypto bill is unlikely to be up for discussion this month — and it may be a while before we see it in Parliament" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> “Yes, theoretically, a government can say yes to CBDCs and no to private cryptocurrencies but you have problems both from a development perspective — stifling the software ecosystem and creator ecosystem — as well as from a legal perspective, where it could be challenged that it is unconstitutional,” Jaideep Reddy, a technology lawyer with Nishith Desai Associates (NDA) specialising in the field of crypto, fintech and tech policy, told Business Insider during a webinar titled ‘The Framework: Crypto Regulation And India’. <div type="Youtube" id="f-xWw1y6G24" title="The Framework: Crypto Regulation And India" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/f-xWw1y6G24/mqdefault.jpg"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Blockchains need cryptocurrencies to function" comment="subhead" text="Blockchains need cryptocurrencies to function">Blockchains need cryptocurrencies to function</cmsannotation> Earlier this year, the Indian state of Maharashtra announced its partnership with <a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=article-editorial">blockchain</a> startup LegitDoc to issue diploma certificates to fight against the persistent problem of fake degrees plaguing the country’s education system. Even the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) introduced blockchain to go paperless and make results tamper-proof. On paper, these are blockchain technology use cases. But, behind that, it’s a public blockchain record that needs Ether — the cryptocurrency which powers the Ethereum platform — to pay the network fees for validation. And, this is true for all blockchains. For Solana, it’s the SOL token. For Cardano, it’s the ADA cryptocurrency. And, for Ethereum, which has one of the most widely developed ecosystems, it’s Ether, as mentioned before. <div type="ExtQuote" text="“A lot of these blockchain use cases won’t work without a thriving and enabled cryptocurrency ecosystem.”" auname="Jaideep Reddy, a technology lawyer with Nishith Desai Associates told Business Insider"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The question of maintaining the integrity of the Indian constitution vis-a-vis cryptocurrencies" comment="subhead" text="The question of maintaining the integrity of the Indian constitution vis-a-vis cryptocurrencies">The question of maintaining the integrity of the Indian constitution vis-a-vis cryptocurrencies</cmsannotation> India already tried to ban cryptocurrencies once when the RBI issued a blanket ban in 2018. This was then later reverted with the Supreme Court stepping in to say the move was ‘unconstitutional’. “For every problem statement, there is a regulatory solution, which doesn’t amount to a ban,” explained Reddy. This means that the Indian government would have to justify why a ban was the only way to deal with any problems arising out of cryptocurrencies. “We have fundamental rights today to do business, to pursue various goals that an individual wants to pursue, and there can only be reasonable restrictions on that,” Reddy added. The Indian government, if issuing a blanket ban, would have to meet that test of a ‘reasonable restriction’. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/ethereum-sees-double-digit-gains-as-the-crypto-market-recovers-from-price-crash/slidelist/87356297.cms">Ethereum hits a new record while Shiba Inu crashes as rest of crypto market recovers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/developers-want-steam-to-revert-ban-on-crypto-nft-games/articleshow/87332576.cms">‘Don’t ban Web3 games’ — 29 blockchain game studios and groups write an open letter to Valve to revert ban on NFT games</a>

It would be nearly impossible for India to ban cryptocurrencies — here’s why

<ul><li>Tracking down protestors who were present at the Red Fort on January 26 is only the most recent example of how <keyword id="447510" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="facial-recognition-technology">facial recognition technology</keyword> is being used by law enforcement in India. </li><li>A civil liberties organisation, the <keyword id="3457213" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="internet-freedom-foundation">Internet Freedom Foundation</keyword> (IFF), has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a discussion with experts and stakeholders to ascertain how this may violate the rights of millions of Indians.</li><li>Concerns around the use of <keyword id="30939" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="facial-recognition">facial recognition</keyword> aren’t just centered in India, but are a global worry as its use becomes more widespread.</li></ul>The Indian government is using facial recognition technology to track down the protestors who were present at the Red Fort during the ruckus on January 26. But, that’s only the most recent example of how the use of facial recognition is accelerating in India as the law plays catch up. In the state of <keyword id="6357713" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttar-Pradesh">Uttar Pradesh</keyword> (UP), for instance, the police are using an AI-based facial recognition system to alert the police whenever a woman is in distress. However, there is no clarity on who will access the surveillance footage from these ‘smart cameras’ and where that data will be stored. The same software, called Trinetra, was also used by the UP police to run surveillance on anti-CAA protestors following which more than 1,100 arrests were made. In another example, the Central Board of Secondary Education (<keyword id="6356155" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="cbse">CBSE</keyword>) used facial recognition to match admit card photos on record to match students logging in to give their board exams — an exercise that was carried out without any additional consent from the students of their parents. The IFF estimates that there are currently 42 ongoing facial recognition projects in India, front he Automated Multimodal Biometric Identification System (AMBIS) in Maharashtra to FaceTagr in Tamil Nadu. Of these, at least 19 are being developed and deployed by state-level police departments and the NCRB for the specific purpose of security and surveillance. Regardless of where one stands on the farmers’ protests, the use of such technology has much wider implications since it falls into a vague and undefined category with no specific laws to address how this technology is being used and on whom. The use of facial recognition technology goes beyond the farmers’ protests The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), as a part of the <a href="https://panoptic.in/petition">Project Panoptic</a>, has written to the government asking them to address the ongoing concerns around the use of facial recognition technology and to call stakeholders and privacy experts for consultation on how this affects individual fundamental rights. According to the non-government organisation (NGO), the deployment of facial recognition is in violation of the right to privacy set out by the Supreme Court in 2017. “Nowhere are these risks more evident than the large scale of deployment of facial recognition technology that is causing certain harm by restricting the liberty and autonomy of millions of Indians,” said the IFF in its letter to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. What is facial recognition technology? Facial recognition can be a lot of things. It’s an umbrella term used to describe a suite of applications that perform a specific task using a human face to verify or identify an individual. It can also be scaled up to identify and categorise people based on physical features like race, ethnicity, gender, age or disability status. And, in recent years, it has been increasingly used in the realm of law enforcement without adequate checks and balances in place. “To ensure security in high crime areas, the simple solution would be to install more police personnel there. Installation of these cameras and the subsequent constant surveillance will only lead to more harm than benefits," said <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/news/a-scary-proposal-to-use-facial-recognition-and-ai-by-an-indian-state-has-experts-fuming/articleshow/80421935.cms">Anushka Jain</a>, Associate Counsel (Transparency &amp; Right to Information) at IFF told Business Insider in an earlier interview. Creation of a national database for facial recognition In India, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) which invites bids for the creation of a National Automated Facial Recognition System (AFRS). It has an estimated budget of ₹308 crore to create a national database of photographs. According to the proposal, this database is purported to be used to swiftly identify criminals by gathering existing data from various other databases. In the US, there was nationwide outrage when Amazon decided to outsource the use of its facial recognition software, Rekognition, to the police. “Just because technology could be misused doesn’t mean we should ban it and condemn it,” Andy Jassy, set to step in as Jeff Bezos replacement as CEO of the company, told <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/6/10/18660224/amazon-facial-recognition-rekognition-federal-regulation-andy-jassy-aws">Recode</a> during a 2019 interview. Misuse of facial recognition technology is a global concern Concerns around the misuse of facial recognition technology are not specific to India. The <a href="https://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy-technology/surveillance-technologies/face-recognition-technology">American Civil Liberties Union</a> has also expressed its apprehension that using facial recognition can be used “in a passive way that doesn’t require the knowledge, consent, or participation of the subject.” Other civil society organisations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Algorithmic Justice League and <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2020/06/amnesty-international-calls-for-ban-on-the-use-of-facial-recognition-technology-for-mass-surveillance/">Amnesty International</a> have also called for a ban on the use of this technology. The question isn’t only of consent but also that facial recognition is known to deliver biased results. “The impact on marginalised communities gains special importance for us locally due to the wide inequality and diversity present in our society,” said the IFF’s letter. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/tech-mahindra-cfo-says-talent-is-getting-expensive-but-clients-are-willing-to-pay-the-premium/articleshow/80779844.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Tech Mahindra CFO says talent is getting expensive but clients are willing to pay the premium</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/indian-space-startup-agnikul-cosmos-has-become-the-worlds-first-company-to-successfully-test-a-fully-3d-printed-rocket-engine/articleshow/80762695.cms">Indian space startup fires world’s first fully 3D printed rocket engine as others play catch up</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/income-tax/news/with-the-new-tds-rule-every-time-you-make-a-payment-you-must-ask-if-the-receiver-has-filed-tax-returns-in-last-two-years/articleshow/80765802.cms">With the new TDS rule, every time you make a payment, you must ask if the receiver has filed tax returns in last two years</a>

India is ramping up the use of facial recognition to track down individuals without any laws to keep track of how this technology is being used

(Eds: Combining related stories) New Delhi, May 6 () The nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed the 50,000 mark on Wednesday with a large number of healthcare professionals and security personnel testing positive amid the worsening spread of the deadly virus, while authorities also flagged high fatality rate in states like West Bengal, Gujarat and Maharashtra. While some positive news came from Kerala with no new infection getting detected there despite the state being among the first ones to witness the spread, Maharashtra reported a record daily increase of more than 1,200 in its number of cases. The economic cost of the pandemic also began to hit the people with a sharp increase in fuel prices. Looking to shore up their dwindling resources, more states announced higher taxes on liquor sales, while Punjab pegged its overall revenue loss for the month of April at 88 per cent due to all its tax revenues having dried up and only 1.5 per cent the industry being operational. Industry sources in various parts of the country said they were wary of opening their plants and offices due to concerns over movement of their staff, suppliers, transporters and vendors till the nationwide lockdown, which has been in force since March 25, gets completely lifted. While announcing the third phase of the lockdown till May 17, the government had given several relaxations for getting industrial and agricultural activities restarted, but not much have changed on the ground with only a few companies, especially in the manufacturing sector, resuming their operations in a limited way. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday said it would resume operations at its Manesar plant in Haryana from May 12. There are widespread fears that the virus spread may get worse with easing of the lockdown measures as yet, as the number of cases have been rising continuously across most of the major urban centres of the country. While the Union Health Ministry stopped giving an evening update of the COVID-19 tally from Wednesday, its morning update showed the death rising to 1,694 and the number of cases climbing to 49,391, registering an increase of 126 deaths and 2,958 cases since Tuesday morning. It also showed more than 15,000 people having recovered, giving a recovery rate of nearly 29 per cent. However, a tally of figures reported by different states and union territories till 9 PM put the total number of confirmed cases at 51,435 and the death toll at 1,694. While Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of cases and fatalities, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka and Punjab are among other major states affected badly by the virus. Kerala also has reported more than 500 confirmed cases so far, but it did not report a single new case on Wednesday and the state government officials said the number of active patients is now only 30 as a big majority of COVID-19 patients have recovered. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan also expressed concern over the high fatality rate among COVID-19 patients in some districts of Maharashtra and Gujarat and asked the states to focus on early surveillance, aggressive contact tracing and early diagnosis to reduce the number of deaths in the areas. Maharashtra reported 1,233 new COVID-19 cases -- a new single-day high -- taking its tally to 16,758, while 34 more deaths raised the toll to 651, a health department official said. Mumbai alone has more than 10,500 cases now. Gujarat reported 380 new cases and 28 more deaths during the day, taking its total case count to 6,625 and the number of fatalities to 396. This included 291 new cases and 25 more deaths in Ahmedabad alone, where the civic authorities have ordered closure of all shops except those selling milk and medicines for a week. Separately, the Union Home Ministry wrote to the West Bengal government that the COVID-19 response in the state was characterised by a very low rate of testing and a very high rate of mortality of 13.2 per cent, which it said was by far the highest for any state. The ministry also flagged instances of overcrowding in markets, free movement of people in large numbers without masks, bathing of people in rivers, people playing cricket and football, serious laxity in enforcing lockdown measures in containment zones, plying of rickshaws without any restriction, saying these were grave violation of lockdown instructions and social distancing norms. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government has identified over 92,000 cases of influenza-like illness and 870 people with severe acute respiratory illness across the state, findings that serve as "early warning signals" in the fight against COVID-19. Banerjee said the results were the outcome of her government's extensive door-to-door surveillance over the last one month, covering over 5.5 crore households, and the exercise will continue "till the virus is defeated". Official sources said around 548 doctors, nurses and paramedics across the country have been found to be positive for the virus infection so far. This includes 69 doctors in the national capital. However, this figure does not include field workers, ward boys, sanitation workers, security guards, lab attendants, peons, laundry and kitchen staff among others and the figures may be much higher after taking these people into account. Also, at least 154 personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) have tested positive for coronavirus, including 85 cases that were detected on Wednesday. These include more than 60 deployed for law and order duties in the Jamia and Chandni Mahal area of the national capital, and six from the escort team of the inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) that toured West Bengal to check COVID-19 containment measures in the state. At least 37 infected personnel are from the Tripura frontier of the force. In the meantime, the Delhi government ordered the release of 4,000 Tablighi members who have completed their required quarantine period in centres in the national capital, sources said. A huge congregation of 'Tablighi Jamaat' in Delhi's Nizamuddin area earlier in March was seen as a major hotspot for the virus spread, after which there were also several cases of Muslims getting targeted and blamed by some for the pandemic. Thousands of the Jamaat members were subsequently traced in various parts of the country and quarantined, including around 4,000 in Delhi itself. While nearly 900 of those being released from quarantine are from Delhi itself, the rest are from other states and would be sent back to their home states. A majority of them hail from Tamil Nadu and Telangana. PLB ACB BUN NES UD PJT PD SCH RBT KK ND BJBJ

COVID-19: Nationwide tally crosses 50k with record jump in Maharashtra; Health workers, security personnel among infected

<ul><li>In Mumbai, almost <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/uber-ola-drivers-on-strike-heres-the-impact-on-different-cities/articleshow/63361106.cms">60,000 cabs are reportedly off the roads</a> in the city today leaving most commuters stranded. </li><li>The companies initially offered huge overhead payouts to them, but now takes approximately 25% cut from each of their trips. </li><li><keyword id="488032" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra-Navnirman-Vahatuk-Sena">Maharashtra Navnirman Vahatuk Sena</keyword> has reached out to the police to get the ‘decision makers’ from these companies to meet them and the government, in order to come to an amicable decision </li></ul><keyword id="6354720" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola">Ola</keyword> and <keyword id="1042120" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uber">Uber</keyword> drivers have gone on an indefinite strike starting midnight 18 March, organised by the <keyword id="13126" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra">Maharashtra</keyword> Navnirman Vahatuk Sena (MNVS). Though the strike is primarily affecting commuters in Mumbai, there have been some instances of cab unavailability in Delhi and Bangalore too. In Mumbai, almost <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/uber-ola-drivers-on-strike-heres-the-impact-on-different-cities/articleshow/63361106.cms">60,000 cabs are reportedly off the roads</a> in the city today leaving most commuters stranded. We spoke to a couple of drivers in Delhi who seemed to be blissfully unaware of the strike and claim they are happy and have 'no problem' with the company. Uber itself says that only Mumbai and Pune have been affected by the strikes and it’s business as usual in other cities. In a statement to the press, an Uber spokesperson said: We regret the disruption caused to our rider and driver community by a small group of individuals. We remain committed to serving the city, ensuring driver partners can continue to access stable earning opportunities, while giving riders a convenient option to get around their city. The Hon’ble Bombay High Court issued an injunction prohibiting unions, their leaders and anybody else from obstructing the activities of Uber driver partners. We welcome this, and hope that it will enable drivers to stay behind the wheel, something many have been telling us they wish to do. We have been listening to our driver partners all along and are committed to ensuring that Uber remains an attractive entrepreneurial opportunity for them. While the authorities have taken steps to ensure minimal disruption to our rider and driver communities, we hope that they will continue to enforce the order passed by the High Court. However, it's no secret that disgruntled cab drivers who bought in on the rosy picture painted by Uber and Ola, promising a lucrative career and a chance to squeeze into the middle class have today realised that it was nothing but a pipe dream. Initially promised earnings over a lakh per month, people from various walks of lives decided to give up their full-time jobs and even land to cash-in on this. However, today these drivers are finding it difficult to scrounge up enough money to pay up the loans taken to buy their cars. But this isn’t the first time we’ve heard this story. Drivers in India have been complaining about reduced incentives and overall earnings from Uber and Ola for a while now. The companies initially offered huge overhead payouts to them, but now takes approximately 25% cut from each of their trips. While both companies still do have some incentives in place, drivers say they are more difficult to achieve and working for Uber and Ola isn’t the “joyride” it once used to be. Examples overseas... When strikes against Uber first broke out in London back in 2016, Uber’s impact on Black Cab drivers’ income was one of the cornerstones of the movement. “Unite, the union that represents many black-cab drivers, claims the government is biased against their trade and claims light-touch regulation will threaten passenger safety as well as drivers’ incomes,” <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/10/black-cab-drivers-uber-protest-london-traffic-standstill">the Guardian</a> wrote at the time. These strikes have become somewhat commonplace and except for one big win for Uber drivers in the UK in November last year, the results, for the drivers at least, have always been wanting. In the UK, a panel ruled that <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/11/10/british-panels-rules-uber-drivers-employees-not-contractors/851388001/">Uber drivers are employees and not contractors</a>, and therefore entitled to basic protections such as minimum wage and vacation pay. In September last year, Uber was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/sep/22/uber-licence-transport-for-london-tfl">denied the licence to operate by Transport for London</a> (TfL) claiming that the company was not a “fit and proper” operator. Uber’s failure to report ‘serious criminal offences, obtaining medical certificates and driver background checks’ was the main reason behind this decision. This move affected the 40,000 people who worked for Uber, not to mention its 3.5 million users. In 2015, local <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/24/rio-de-janeiro-uber-protest-taxis">cab drivers in Rio de Janeiro protested against Uber</a> because they claimed they were the “official” drivers who were strictly regulated and fewer overhead costs gave them a ‘competitive advantage’. In 2016, Uber decided to cease operations in Austin, Texas because it didn’t find it feasible to comply with the regulation to fingerprint and run thorough background checks on all its drivers. In 2014, both Berlin and Hamburg, Germany voted to ban Uber because it did not <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/aug/14/uber-taxi-service-banned-berlin-safety-grounds">‘do enough to protect its passengers from unlicensed drivers’</a>. The common thread of grievance is a predictable trio -- local taxi operators revolting against Uber’s competitive advantage, security concerns based on Uber’s slack regulation over the choice of drivers with regards to proper background checks, and unethical treatment of drivers. All of these complaints have been cited in India as well, but this is the second time such protests have sprung in as many years. Last year, the Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi (SDAD) called for a strike in Delhi against Uber and Ola on similar grounds, though the companies escaped unscathed at the time. Taking cues... The current strike in India hopes to achieve similar results. “This time things will be different because they have partnered with us,” says <keyword id="165480" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Naik">Sanjay Naik</keyword>, president of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's (MNVS) transport wing. He believes that the <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/maharashtra-taxi-rules-discriminates-between-black-and-yellow-cabs-and-app-based-taxi-services-bombay-hc-4780461/">privileges that are mandated by law to the Mumbai Kaali Peeli’ (black-and-yellow) taxi drivers</a> should also be applicable to Ola and Uber cabs so that all drivers can benefit from them. He wants the implementation of the <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/some-relief-for-cab-taxi-operators-in-maharashtra/article9921977.ece">BC Khatua Committee’s proposal</a> that includes ‘relaxation of several provisions of the Maharashtra City Taxi Scheme, including lowering the permit fees for all types of cars to a flat ₹10,000 instead of a graded system ranging from ₹75,000 to ₹2.6 lakh under the City Taxi rules.’ He also accused the companies of giving preference to cabs owned by the companies instead of driver-owned cabs. In India, Uber offers to buy cabs that are then passed on to drivers. Drivers effectively work off their debt to the company, by paying a monthly instalment to them. What Naik is insinuating is that Uber gives these drivers more rides than those who register their own cars on the service. What is most interesting, however, is that MNVS hasn’t ruled out going into business for themselves. Naik told us that if things don’t work out, they will consider bringing all the drivers together under one umbrella and take out the middlemen (Ola and Uber). However, for now, the organisation has reached out to the police to get the ‘decision makers’ from these companies to meet them and the government, in order to come to an amicable decision that will not only benefit the drivers monetarily but also implement regulations so that all drivers come under the same law and benefit from it. With the predictable spate of grievances by Uber drivers, commuters and local taxi operators, will Maharashtra take a cue from international events and tighten the leash on the private taxi operators? If it does, will that, in turn, set the precedent for the rest of the country? UPDATE: Ola shared the statement below with us today. “Interest of our driver partners and customer convenience is of paramount importance to us. While, we have seen a slight improvement in our services in Mumbai, however for the situation to improve significantly it is imperative that intimidation of driver partners and vandalism of their cars by vested interests be stopped. New economy companies like us are counting on the police for normalcy to return.”

Indian drivers may finally be taking cues from global movements against on-demand cab services

This World Environment Day the United Nations had only one directive - reject single-use plastic. Hosted by <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>, the internet was in an uproar to #BeatPlasticPollution and to reduce humanity’s over-reliance on disposable plastic. It may be the need of the hour, but there’s a sizable economic cost attached to it as well that seems to be getting sidelined in the name of environment preservation. Banning plastic is definitely a boon for the environment. For starters, it reduces the amount of non-biodegradable litter that clogs up storm drains and piles up in landfills. Even the ocean has islands that are made of solid waste that consist mostly of plastic garbage. Indirectly, since disposable plastics are derived from crude oil refining, when their manufacturing reduces, it also reduces the contribution of polypropylene to climate change. But then, there’s flip-side to a ban. Businesses that manufacture disposable plastic, firms using plastics for packaging and even the consumer - all have to bear the cost. The burden of a ban isn’t just limited to the plastics industry. Horizontal and vertical dependants like the petroleum industry, food delivery outlets and even the road-side juice vendor will feel the impact. In India, Sikkim was the first state to implement a ban on plastic bags in 1996. It was also one of the first states to apply a ban on single-use plastics. The state’s been fairly successful in its implementation considering that there’s a very limited space for garbage dumps within their territory. But then again, that’s not always the case. States like Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh that have significant plastic waste generation have only been marginally successful in implementing partial bans. Taking the most recent case of the <keyword id="6360810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Plastic-ban">plastic ban</keyword> in <keyword id="13126" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra">Maharashtra</keyword>, the All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association (AIPLMA) claims that while this initiative may help the environment, it will also result in a <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/plastic-ban-india-stares-at-loss-of-rs-15000-crore-3-lakh-jobs/articleshow/64721810.cms">loss of up to ₹15 billion</a> ($220 million) and nearly 300,000 jobs. The snowball effect One assumes that the direct effect of banning plastic use is that plastic wastage decreases, but the reality is broader than that. Plastics is an industry of its own that makes a significant contribution to key sectors in India like textiles and healthcare. That being said, one sector that will be hit the hardest by the plastic ban is the packaging sector. 
	<div type="image" title="SNOWBALL" msid="64749162" hostid="261"></div>


 1. <keyword id="6369865" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="job-loss">Job loss</keyword> So, it’s a fairly straightforward correlation that when there’s unemployment in one sector then the supply of labour will increase. In this case, it will affect polymer manufacturers, plastic processors and recycling players. Especially those that work in extrusion, which would include the manufacture of plastic bags and blow moulding which is how bottles and containers are made. It should be noted that the plastics industry is highly labour intensive and largely unorganised. In Maharashtra, specifically, AIPMA <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/policy/plastic-ban-may-shave-800-cr-off-maharashtras-gst-revenues-says-lobby/article23375711.ece">claims</a> that the ban will result in the shut down of 2,150 industrial units. In India, there’s already a surplus of low wage labourers, which will be further impacted by such a move. The extent of the impact will be determined by the skill set and specialisation that distills into the market. 2. Gross Domestic Product (<keyword id="35050" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="gdp">GDP</keyword>) will be affected As of 2017, the Indian plastic industry <a href="http://www.plastindia.org/pdf/indian-plastics-industry-report2014.pdf">contributes</a> around 7.1% to the country’s GDP. It’s also complementary to the petrochemical industry that works in tandem. But, the ban itself hits the ‘end user market’ where plastic products are primarily used for domestic purposes. Additionally, the packaging industry is one of the key drivers of demand for plastics. It’s one the fastest growing industries with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% over the last five years. It has received major impetus from retail growth, changes in lifestyle, and growth of smaller packaging. The implementation of a strict ban would be a fairly large obstacle for the plastics industry to compensate. In Maharashtra itself, the plastics industry is fairly big. In fact, plastics <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/policy/plastic-ban-may-shave-800-cr-off-maharashtras-gst-revenues-says-lobby/article23375711.ece">contribute</a> to around 35% of the state’s GDP with a turnover of ₹50,000 crore. It’s also one of the reasons why the state contributes to nearly <a href="http://cpcb.nic.in/displaypdf.php?id=cGxhc3RpY3dhc3RlL0FubnVhbF9SZXBvcnRfMjAxNS0xNl9QV00ucGRm">one-third</a> of India’s plastic waste. Placing a ban on plastic use will retract the demand for plastics overall, thus leading to decreased sales and decreased revenue. As a result, whatever stocks of single-use plastics are left with manufacturers of plastic products, and companies that use them, will basically be a sunk cost after 23 June, as per the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/articles/maharashtra-extends-deadline-for-disposal-of-existing-plastic-stock-to-3-months/19313179">government directive</a>. AIPMA estimates that the banned products would results in a loss of up to ₹15 billion. 3. <keyword id="142154" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="bad-loans">Bad loans</keyword> in the banking sector will increase As the demand for plastics falls, assuming the ban is implemented effectively, a lot of micro, small and medium units (<a href="http://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/plastic-ban-chokes-maharashtras-msme-industriy/1246368">MSMEs</a>) in the plastics industry, could default on loans and the proportion of bad loans could increase. This is especially true as one analyses the <a href="http://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/plastic-ban-chokes-maharashtras-msme-industriy/1246368">downstream supply chain</a> of plastics. While polymer manufacturing is dominated by large industrial groups, plastic processors and recycling players are largely MSMEs. 4. Fines on small and micro retailers will affect their P&amp;L statements As with any new law or directive, there’s an implementation curve. There will always be a few defaulters who won’t comply immediately, and the heavy fines could send their <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/retailers-to-move-hc-to-exempt-pp-bags-from-ban/article24213766.ece">profit and loss</a> (P&amp;L) statements for a spin. Large corporations won’t feel the pinch of a ₹5,000, ₹10,000 or ₹25,000 fine, but <a href="https://localpress.co.in/2018/03/plastic-ban-maharashtra-developments-ban-till-date/">roadside vendors, food vendors and delivery kitchens</a> have to be wary. Some vendors have reported that they’ve had to temporarily stall their services as they come up alternative methods of packaging. 5. Cost of going green to consumers More than the plastics sector, industries that depend on plastic for packaging will have to find alternative green methods of presenting their commodities in the market. Nonetheless, there’s <a href="http://ladpw.org/epd/aboutthebag/PDF/SocioEconomicImpactStudy_final.pdf">evidence</a> to support the fact that firms generally pass on this cost onto their consumers where they can purchase a paper/reusable bag at nominal rates. There’s the crux of the issue. More than the repercussions of the plastic ban, what matters is how the ban is embraced by the public. The use of paper bags is only effective if they are reused, otherwise the problem shifts from <keyword id="1820144" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="plastic-pollution">plastic pollution</keyword> to deforestation. And, if climate change is the primary concern, banning plastics might not even necessarily be the right solution.

Banning plastics is necessary, but here’s what that might cost India

<ul><li>Most school students in India are carrying nearly half of their own <keyword id="17819" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="weight">weight</keyword> in their backpacks. </li><li>Research shows that not only does this result in backaches but could also lead to long-term ailments that affect muscle maturity. </li><li>The Indian government has put an ‘expert group’ together to form a nationwide policy to restrict how heavy a bag can be. </li></ul> As a kid in India it’s common to joke about how many books you’re carrying to school and whose <keyword id="1342271" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="backpack">backpack</keyword> is heavier on any given day. But, the Indian government has a different take on the issue. They’ve put together an <a href="http://www.hcmadras.tn.nic.in">expert group</a> to formulate a draft policy where the weight of a school bag should be in proportion to the age and average weight of the <keyword id="6354493" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="children">children</keyword>. The court ruled that - “Neither are children weightlifters nor school bags load containers” in response to a filed petition. A survey conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (<a href="http://www.assocham.org/newsdetail.php">ASSOCHAM</a>) revealed that heavy school bags put 68% of children at risk for developing backaches and hunchbacks. And, these are kids under the age of 13 years. According to the survey, 88% of children carry nearly half of their own weight on their backs. The Indian school culture The expert group put together by the government on the suggestion of the Madras High Court, has the directive to form a nationwide policy based on the Children’s School Bags (Limitation on Weight) Bill of 2006. The bill basically directs that state governments have to ensure that school children aren’t carrying backpacks that are more than 10% of their own weight. While some states, like Maharashtra and Telangana, turned this bill into law, most Indian states are still going about without any regulation. The conundrum is really quite simple. One, India doesn’t have a canteen or cafeteria culture. Children get their food packed from home and carry it with them until it’s time for lunch. Two, the majority of <keyword id="37180" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="schools">schools</keyword> in India don’t have lockers. So, what you take with you to school, you carry with you throughout the day until it’s time to bring it back home with you. And, three, everyone has to buy their books. There’s no library or communal system where books can be used and returned as per student requirements. To address these issues, the Children’s School Bags (Limitation on Weight) Bill of 2006 proposes that first and foremost lockers need to be placed in schools. Not only does that cut down on how much weight students have to carry to and from school, but also in between classes. Second, it proposes that teachers should inform students of what books are required the next day in class so that they don’t have to overpack. Currently, some schools do enforce this policy on a voluntary basis, but for most it’s not a priority. Even the Yash Pal Committee, back in 1993, stated that young children shouldn’t be put in a situation where they’re compelled to carry heavy bags in the name of education. ‘Learning without burden’ is both metaphorical and literal in India’s case.

Neither are children weightlifters nor school bags load containers: Backpacks of Indian kids have gotten so heavy that a law needs to be passed to limit their weight

We often hear that size doesn’t matter and small things bring about the biggest changes. This is what happened when the tiny state of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Sikkim+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Sikkim </a>emerged at the top spot with the best workplace conditions for women in India. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Delhi&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Delhi</a>, the national capital on the other hand happened to be ranked the worst for women to work in. 
 A report, jointly prepared by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (<keyword id="6701742" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="CSIS">CSIS</keyword>), a top American think-tank, and Nathan Associates, gave <keyword id="48118" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sikkim">Sikkim</keyword> the max marks that were 40 and Delhi received just 8.5 marks, reflecting what is wrong in the capital. 
 
"In something of a surprise, Delhi came last in our Index, due to its relatively low justice and workforce participation scores; its continued formal restrictions on women working at night in a wide range of sectors; and its lack of any incentives for female entrepreneurs in its industrial policies," the report said. 
 
The ranking was based on four main factors: legal restrictions on women's working hours in factories, retail, and the IT industry; the responsiveness of the state's criminal justice system to crimes affecting working women, such as sexual harassment; the number of women workers in the state as a percentage of total workers; and the number of incentives the state's startup and industrial policies offer women entrepreneurs. 
 
"But the tiny northeastern state of Sikkim is the breakthrough state for women in the workplace, thanks to its high rates of female workforce participation, lack of restrictions on women's working hours, and high conviction rates for workforce crimes against women (albeit on a small sample size)," the report said. 
 
Sikkim is followed by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Telangana&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Telangana</a> (28.5 points), <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Puducherry&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Puducherry</a> (25.6), <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Karnataka+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Karnataka </a>(24.7), <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Himachal+Pradesh&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Himachal Pradesh</a> (24.2), <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Andhra+Pradesh+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Andhra Pradesh </a>(24.0), <keyword id="28504" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kerala">Kerala</keyword> (22.2), <keyword id="13126" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra">Maharashtra</keyword> (21.4), <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=tamil+nadu&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Tamil Nadu</a> (21.1) and <keyword id="43945" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chhattisgarh">Chhattisgarh</keyword> (21.1). “All Four states (Sikkim, <keyword id="6354780" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnataka">Karnataka</keyword>, <keyword id="37102" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Andhra-Pradesh">Andhra Pradesh</keyword>, and <keyword id="20154" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</keyword>) have removed all restrictions on women working at night in factories, retail establishments and the IT sector,” the report said. 
 
These restrictions were removed as a result of court order in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. 
 
Maharashtra missed the perfect score by just a point as the state doesn’t allow women to work after 10 pm in retail establishments. 
 
India has the world's lowest rate (24 per cent) of female workforce participation as many states have laws limiting women's working hours, and Indian women face harassment in the workplace and while commuting. 
(image:youtube)

Sikkim topped the women workplace
index, Delhi at the bottom

New Delhi, More than 10 years after a Supreme Court judgement paved way for introduction of the <keyword id="20335981" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nota" source="keywords">NOTA</keyword> button on EVM for polls, the number of voters choosing it still remains low, with the experts dubbing it as a "toothless tiger" with no implications on the results. NOTA (None of the Above) was introduced in India through the Supreme Court's judgement in September 2013. The need to introduce NOTA was felt to discourage the parties from fielding tainted candidates. The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to make necessary provision in the ballot papers/EVMs so that the voters can decide not to vote for any of the candidates in the fray. Introduced in 2013, the NOTA option on electronic voting machines has its own symbol - a ballot paper with a black cross across it. After the Supreme Court order in September 2013, the Election Commission added the NOTA button on the EVMs as the last option on the voting panel. One ballot unit has 16 buttons. Before the apex court order, those not inclined to vote for any candidate had the option of filling what is popularly called form 49-O. But filling out the form at the polling station under Rule 49-O of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, compromised the secrecy of the voter. However, even as NOTA has secured over 1.29 crore votes in the state assembly elections and the <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections combined in the last five years, the number of candidates with criminal records has increased in both the general and the assembly elections. According to a report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the share of MPs with declared criminal cases against them has been increasing in the last decade. While 30 per cent elected MPs had criminal cases against them in 2009, which went up. Of the 543 winners analysed by the ADR in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, 162 (30 per cent) had declared criminal cases against them, with 76 (14 per cent) had serious criminal cases against them. In 2019, the share of MPs with criminal and serious criminal cases increased to 43 per cent and 29 per cent. "NOTA has made no difference as far as criminality is concerned, in fact the number of candidates with criminal cases has increased," Major General (Retd) Anil Verma, Head of ADR, told PTI. "The concept of NOTA was that some pressure would be on the parties not to field tainted candidates. It has not happened," he said. Overall in different state and general elections, votes polled on NOTA have been between .5 per cent to 1.5per cent, according to data compiled by the ADR. It secured around 1.06 per cent votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, and among states, highest was when it got 1.98 percent of the total votes in the 2018 Chhattisgarh Assembly polls. The lowest number of votes NOTA in the Lok Sabha was 100 votes in Lakshadweep, and among the state polls, it secured the lowest percentage of vote share - 0.46 percent in both the Delhi State Assembly Elections, 2020, and the Mizoram State Assembly Elections, 2018. "Unfortunately, it turned out to be a toothless tiger. It merely provided a platform to express dissent or one's anger for political parties to take note and nothing more," <keyword id="20887282" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maj-gen-verma" source="keywords">Maj Gen Verma</keyword> (Retd) said. He, however, pointed out that overall, the percentage of NOTA votes in seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribe has been slightly higher, which may indicate there are more grievances among these groups. "In the reserved constituencies, we have seen the percentage of NOTA votes are higher. Perhaps the tribals and SCs have more grievances so they go in larger numbers for NOTA," he said. Constituency wise, NOTA has secured as high as 27,500 votes in Maharashtra's Latur Rural constituency, a seat reserved for the SC community, over 13 per cent of the total votes. NOTA got the second spot, with Congress' Dhiraj Deshmukh winning with over 67 per cent of the total votes. In 'Red Alert Constituencies', the seats with three or more candidates with criminal cases contesting the elections, NOTA secured 26, 77,616 votes (26.77 lakhs) in the state assembly elections since 2018. It ranges from 1.63 per cent in Bihar in 217 red alert constituencies to 0.43 per cent in Delhi. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the highest number of NOTA votes (51,660) were polled in Bihar's Gopalganj, another reserved SC constituency, where it secured the third spot getting 5.03 per cent of the total votes. Axis India chairman <keyword id="20816878" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pradeep-gupta" source="keywords">Pradeep Gupta</keyword> said there is a requirement to give more teeth to the NOTA option. "I believe that candidates, who have lost against NOTA should not get a chance to contest again. That is what the logic is all about. Since there is no such rule, many voters think what is the point of choosing NOTA," Gupta told PTI. "In 2014, 1.08 pc voters chose NOTA, the percentage was 1.06 pc in 2019. It is a sizeable number but I believe it is more due to error and less due to intention," Gupta said. "But if a rule is brought in barring the rejected candidates from contesting again, I believe the number will go up like anything. The political parties understand the sensitivity of this and that is why I believe no one will favour such a law and hence NOTA is a toothless option," he added. Calls have also been made for scrapping NOTA. Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel had last year sought scrapping NOTA, stating that in certain cases it polled more votes than winning margin. In 2018, the Supreme Court had ruled that NOTA option should not be given in the <keyword id="19895369" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rajya-sabha" source="keywords">Rajya Sabha</keyword> elections.

You Searched For "maharashtra cet law result" and got 10 results

NCLAT stays CCI penalty on NTPC in Ratnagiri Gas & Power shares issue

PTI

Maharashtra state elections 2019: These are the issues the opposition could have capitalised on but didn’t

Katya Naidu

It would be nearly impossible for India to ban cryptocurrencies — here’s why

Prabhjote Gill

India is ramping up the use of facial recognition to track down individuals without any laws to keep track of how this technology is being used

Prabhjote Gill

COVID-19: Nationwide tally crosses 50k with record jump in Maharashtra; Health workers, security personnel among infected

PTI

Indian drivers may finally be taking cues from global movements against on-demand cab services

Kavita Majumdar

Banning plastics is necessary, but here’s what that might cost India

Prabhjote Gill

Neither are children weightlifters nor school bags load containers: Backpacks of Indian kids have gotten so heavy that a law needs to be passed to limit their weight

Prabhjote Gill

Sikkim topped the women workplace index, Delhi at the bottom

BI India Bureau

None of the Above or NOTA toothless without right to reject, say experts

PTI

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