Amid a recent deterioration in the law and order situation in Kerala, a clash ensued between the Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammed Khan, and the Student Federation of India, a student wing of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), who was staging a protest in Kollam. The protesters blocked the governor’s car and allegedly attempted to attack him. In response to this unsettling situation, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan staged a roadside protest to express his dissatisfaction

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan sitting in protest on the roadside in Nilamel, Kollam after SFI cadres came close to his car with black flag.

The Gov stopped his car, questioned police, pulled out a chair from a nearby tea shop and is sitting on the roadside. pic.twitter.com/UoTophCPkN

— Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) January 27, 2024

The situation unfolded as the governor was en route to Kottarakkara to inaugurate the centenary celebration of an ashram, with activists from the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) at Nilamel College gathering along the roadside, chanting slogans. The governor withdrew the protest following the registration of a case against the protestors. In response to this development, the Union Home Ministry has opted to grant Z+ security to the Governor and the Kerala Raj Bhavan.

Union Home Ministry has informed Kerala Raj Bhavan that Z+ Security cover of CRPF is being extended to Hon'ble Governor and Kerala Raj Bhavan :PRO,KeralaRajBhavan

— Kerala Governor (@KeralaGovernor) January 27, 2024

In Tamil Nadu too, the DMK government has been at logger heads with the Governor. In the recent DMK Youth Wing conference held at Salem, Udhayanidhi Stalin passed a resolution calling for the removal of Governor like removing the extra growth in our bodies.

At the backdrop of this let’s see why there is a governor for a state.

The Constitution of India (COI) has established a parliamentary system of government in which the President and Governors serve as nominal executives. This arrangement aims to ensure that a nonpartisan individual takes charge of the government’s reins in times when the essence of democracy fails.

The current structure of the governor’s office is derived from the Government of India Act 1935. While the COI may not extensively delineate every power of the governor, a comprehension of their role and functions reveals their significance.

Though the role of the Governor is quite similar to that of the President of India in certain instances he has more powers at his situational discretion.

Article 153, stipulates that there must be a Governor appointed for each state, allowing for the possibility of a single individual serving as the Governor for multiple states.

Article 155, states that the President is responsible for appointing the Governor of a State through a warrant issued under the President’s hand and seal.

Article 156, declares that the Governor holds office at the pleasure of the President, indicating the discretionary nature of the gubernatorial appointment.

Article 161, grants the Governor the power to provide pardons, reprieves, respites, or remissions of punishment, and to suspend, remit, or commute sentences in matters of crime where the state legislature holds the authority to enact laws.

Article 163, outlines the discretionary powers of the Governor, encompassing scenarios such as appointing a chief minister when no party secures a clear majority in the state legislative assembly, responding to no-confidence motions, dealing with the failure of constitutional machinery in the State, and the authority to withhold assent to a Bill, reserving it for the consideration of the President.

Article 356, pertains to situations where a state government is unable to operate under constitutional provisions, enabling the Central government to assume direct control over the state machinery. The state’s governor issues a proclamation, obtaining the consent of the President of India.

Article 357, addresses the exercise of legislative powers under a proclamation issued by the Central government under Article 356.

Article 361, ensures that the Governor of a State is not held accountable to any court for the exercise and performance of their powers and duties.

Let’s dig deeper into the matter to realize the functions of the Governor.

Initially, in terms of executive functions, Article 154 of the Constitution of India (COI) vests the Governor with the state’s executive power. All official transactions are conducted in the Governor’s name with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers (COM). This involves crucial appointments such as those of the Council of Ministers, Chief Ministers, Advocate General, State Election Commissioner, State Public Service Commission Chairman and members, and Vice Chancellors, among others. The Governor, within defined limits, also recommends the imposition of an emergency and wields extensive powers as the agent of the President (a practice that ceased after the Congress era).

Moving on to legislative powers, as an integral part of the state legislature, the Governor is responsible for summoning and dissolving sessions, sending messages to houses regarding bills, and delivering an annual address. In the case of a State Legislative Council, the Governor nominates special representatives, decides disqualifications in consultation with the Election Commission, and can promulgate ordinances when the Legislative Assembly is not in session.

The Governor’s veto powers constitute a crucial aspect, allowing the approval, withholding, or return of a bill. In special circumstances, the Governor may forward a bill to the President for consideration if it is deemed ultra vires to the COI, poses a threat to the directive principles of state policy, goes against the country’s larger interests, or involves compulsory acquisition of property. This serves the purpose of preventing hastily crafted and unconstitutional legislation, ensuring additional checks and balances.

Financial powers grant the Governor authority over money bills and demands for grants, requiring prior permission for their introduction. The annual budget must be laid before the Governor in the State Legislative Assembly (SLA), and contingency funds can only be accessed with the Governor’s approval.

Lastly, the Governor’s judiciary powers involve consultation with the President on the appointment of High Court judges, the appointment and promotion of district judges, and the granting of pardons within the state’s jurisdiction. Notably, the pardoning power is independent of the judiciary, serving as an executive power to correct any judicial errors and provide relief from unduly harsh sentences.

The COI outlines two distinctive discretions for the Governor: constitutional discretion and situational discretion. Constitutional discretion allows the Governor to act independently on specific matters where the validity of the discretion cannot be questioned in any court. This includes the reservation of bills to the President, recommending the President’s rule, seeking information from the Chief Minister on administration and legislative matters, exercising powers as the administrator of adjoining Union Territories, and determining royalty amounts for tribal districts.

Situational discretion, without the aid and advice of the COM, comes into play during the appointment of a Chief Minister when no party has a clear majority in the SLA or when a Chief Minister dies without a successor. It also applies to the dismissal of the COM when they fail to prove confidence in the floor and the dissolution of the SLA when the COM loses its majority. In such situations, the Governor can exercise discretion independently. This stands in contrast to the President, whose discretion is bound by the advice of the COM as per the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976.

In conclusion, the position of the Governor is a highly esteemed role that carries a significant sense of responsibility. Rather than engaging in conflicts, state governments and Raj Bhavan should collaborate for the betterment of the people, ensuring the prosperity of citizens and, ultimately, the nation of Bharath.

Satheesh is a freelance writer.

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post Understanding Powers And Responsibilities Of A Governor appeared first on The Commune.

Worldwide, January 1st is celebrated as the first day of the year, calling it the New Year’s day. On this day, people across the globe send greetings to their near and dear, wishing them a happy and a prosperous year ahead. However, for the disciples and believers of the Ramakrishna Mission, January 1st corresponds to a different celebration, ‘The Kalpataru Day’. 

Back in 1886, it was on this day that Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, revealed himself as a ‘Kalpataru’ and spiritually awakened a large number of his devotees in Cossipore, Kolkata. ‘Kalpataru’ refers to the ‘Kalpaka Vriksha’ in Hinduism, that is a divine wish-fulfilling tree that bestows what is wished upon by an individual who stands below it. Just like the Kalpaka Vriksha, Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa bestowed spiritual awakening upon all of the devotees who were present with him that day. 

A disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, Ramachandra Dutta termed this day as ‘Kalpataru Day’, referring to the complete revelation of Sri Ramakrishna as a Kalpakavriksha. References to this happening in History is mentioned in two books written by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s disciples. ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’ by Sri Nikhilananda and ‘Sri Ramakrishna, The Great Master’ by Sri Saradananda. 

Devotees and followers of the Ramakrishna Mission believe that, whatever is prayed for on this day will be bestowed upon. Therefore, a lot of prayer meets and mass prayers are conducted worldwide on this day. 

The post January 1st : The Kalpataru Day and its significance appeared first on The Commune.

The DMK government in Tamil Nadu has proposed to set up an industrial estate at Annur village in Coimbatore district. The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) is set to acquire 3,832 acres of agricultural land in and around the site for this purpose.

However, a circular regarding this announcement was issued to the Coimbatore District Collector by TIDCO without any discussion with the main stakeholders – the farmers.

Why are the farmers protesting against it?

Though the circular claims that these lands are dry lands and are not under cultivation, it has been reported that the area is fertile with abundant groundwater supply. Cash crops like banana, turmeric, mint, jasmine, coconut etc. are being cultivated.

With the implementation of Avinashi-Athikadavu scheme, more than 100 ponds that are located inside the proposed area are expected to get recharged every year by this project. As a result, the farmers are all set to increase cropping cultivation of cash crops like tapiaco, turmeric, etc from 2022 that will help them get more income. This decision by the DMK government to take over these lands (which they claim to be dry lands) has come as a shock to the farmers of the region.

The Costliest Industrial Park

The estimated land price per acre based on the earlier SPMC EMC Cluster Project that was to come up in this region turns out to be ₹20 lakh.

Assuming that the land price has doubled in the last 6 years, the approximate minimum cost per acre will be ₹40 lakhs. For 3832 acres, the Tamil Nadu government must set aside  ₹1500 crores just for compensation alone. This does not even include other expenses like construction, labour, operational costs, etc.

In essence, it will become the most costliest project of the state even before its actual development.

Also, the proposed site is situated just 10 kms away from Tamil Nadu’s second largest dam Bhavani Sagar, which irrigates about 2.0 lakh acres in Erode, Tirupur, Salem districts. The site is also in close proximity to the Sathyamangalam Reserve Forest.

Therefore, setting up of the industrial estate here would collapse the entire ecosystem.

The Double-Standards Of DMK And Their Godi Media

This project was not even announced in the Policy Note published by the Tamil Nadu government during the budget session. The Policy Note for the year 2021-22 mentions only about 1000 acres land for the industrial park near Annur.

What is worth noting is that the DMK had promised to stop this industrial park during the rural local body polls in September 2021.

While the DMK and its allies opposed the Chennai-Salem highway which needed 2791 hectares of land over 277 km length, they are now acquiring 1557 acres of land in just a 10 kms radius displacing close to 5000 families.

What is even more worrying is that a 250 acre plot owned by a premier mill is excluded from TIDCO industrial park acquisition.

The farmers who are to be affected by this move have been shocked, as no political party except the BJP has taken up the matter.

In a video, a farmer from the Annur village opens up about the difficulties the farmers of the area will be facing if the agricultural lands are taken away from them. He says, “Even if we’re given 1 crore rupees, we are not ready to give up our lands, and we are very clear about this.” Check out the full video here:

அன்னூர் பகுதி விவசாயி ஒருவர் – அங்கு தமிழக அரசு திட்டமிடும் தொழிற்பேட்டையை எதிர்த்து விவசாயிகளின் சார்பாக கருத்தை பதிவை செய்கிறார் pic.twitter.com/sBhrUkHS6S

— Selva Kumar (@Selvakumar_IN) December 3, 2021

The Farmers have conducted talks with the district collector and have even approached A Raja, DMK MP from the Nilgiris constituency. But, even he dismissed them without even giving heed to their requests. In a video, we can see him saying, “Go home, think about this once more and let me know again. I will then talk to the Chief Minister.”

மேட்டுப்பாளயத்தில் 3800 ஏக்கர் விவசாய நிலங்களை கையகப்படுத்தி தொழிற்பேட்டை உருவாக்கத் திட்டமிட்டுள்ளது திமுக அரசு.

அத்திக்கடவு அவினாசி திட்டத்தின் மூலமாகப் பயன்பெற்று விடுவோம் என்று நினைத்த விவசாயிகள் தங்கள் நிலங்களை அரசு கையகப்படுத்துமோ என்ற அச்சத்தில் உள்ளனர். pic.twitter.com/7ufvM13NqO

— Krishna Kumar Murugan (@ikkmurugan) November 11, 2021

When DMK was the opposition party, it opposed the Chennai-Salem 8 lane highway project spanning across 277 kms, with a requirement of 2791 acres of land. However, the same government has proposed turning good agricultural land into an Industrial park. AIADMK’s proposition to do such a project was debated and argued left right and center in all media channels.  This government’s announcement and plan has not even come out for the past 3 months and not one debate has taken place even after news about the farmer’s protest has come out.

BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai personally met the farmers whose lands are to be taken by the government announcing that the party will stand with the farmers and will not let the project to commence.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post What is the Annur Industrial Estate project? Why are farmers protesting against it? Why no ‘Godi Media’ of TN is talking about it? appeared first on The Commune.

The Lakshadweep administration’s move to bring reforms to the islands has invited sharp criticism from Congress and the Left parties. While the Union Territory Administration has stated that Administrator Patel’s proposals are aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of residents as well as promoting the islands as a tourist destination comparable to the Maldives, opposition parties have taken advantage of the opportunity to promote their own agenda which will be inimical to national interest. Some of the misinformation spread by opposition parties, celebrities with vested interests, and media outlets must be debunked here.

Cow Slaughter and Beef

PROPOSAL: An order from the Administration seeks to ban the slaughter of cow, calf, bull, and buffalo without a certificate from a competent authority. It prohibits the sale, transport, and storage of beef and beef products. Penalties include a jail term of up to one year and a fine of ₹10,000.

PROTEST: Residents view the rule as a direct infringement on their culture and eating habits.

TRUTH: According to the authorities, cows and cattle for meat are limited on the islands, with a population of little more than 1,200. Therefore, the government needs to protect it for breeding and agricultural activities. The government also clarified that these regulations will not be applicable to animals – other than a cow, bull, or bullock – being slaughtered for religious purposes.

BJP’s national vice-president A.P. Abdullakutty and several other leaders clarified that the objective is to protect the milch animals and has nothing to do with Lakshadweep being a Muslim-majority island and their religious beliefs.

Lakshadweep collector S Asker Ali said that only those associated with its illegal business and those who have personal interests are making a hue and cry against this legislation. He added that the decision to remove meat from the mid-day meal scheme is to include fish that is readily available on the island, which will benefit local fishermen by providing a quick market for their harvest.

Two-child policy

PROPOSAL: Under the Draft Panchayat Regulation 2021, the Administration aims to bar people with more than two children from becoming a member of the gram panchayat.

PROTEST: Locals are protesting this motive saying that it infringes on their political rights.

TRUTH: The government has clarified that the objective of the proposed law is to control the population. The law states that for those who already have more than two children, the regulation does not disqualify them provided they do not have further children after the date on which the rule comes into effect. This legislation is already in place in states like Andhra, Odhissa, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.

Serving Liquor To Tourists

PROPOSAL: The Administration has decided to allow liquor to be served at resorts on inhabited islands.

PROTEST: Residents are protesting against this as Islam forbids alcohol. They say that the move will lead to a proliferation of liquor sales on the island, which had been observing near-prohibition until now.

TRUTH: Collector S Asker Ali clarified that liquor permits would be given only to resorts for tourists, not for locals. He also stated that liquor is already available at the resorts on the uninhabited island of Bangaram.

Land Acquisition Powers

PROPOSAL: The Administration brought in a draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation (LDAR) to oversee the development of towns on the islands, with sweeping changes in the way land can be acquired and utilized.

PROTEST:  They fear large infrastructure and tourism projects can destabilize the ecology, and that the notification gives powers to the Administration to remove small landholdings of ST residents.

TRUTH: The government has stated that it intends to make Lakshadweep the next Maldives of India, which will necessitate a number of development projects such as road, airport, and power production facility expansion. The administration wants visitors from all over the world to come to Lakshadweep, which will increase employment opportunities and raise the standard of living for inhabitants. The lagoons have been devastated by the diesel generators that have been utilized on the island for decades, according to Island Administrator Praful Patel. He added that the new legislation will enable to build of new solar and wind power plants.

The Lakshadweep administration is also developing three water villa projects in Minicoy, Kadmat, and Suheli in collaboration with NITI Aayog on the lines of Maldives. Work will start in August. The Agatti airstrip is being expanded so that Boeing and Airbus planes can land here.

Also, as there are inadequate facilities for higher education, the administration has taken the initiative to set up a nursing college and paramedical college in Kavaratti and a polytechnic college in Minicoy.

Anti-Goonda Regulation

PROPOSAL: The draft Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation provides for powers to detain a person for up to one year to prevent him from “acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”. It allows for detention for anti-social activities from six months to a year without legal representation.

PROTEST: Residents are skeptical of the need for such stringent law in a Union Territory with one of the lowest crime rates in the country. They allege it has been brought in to arrest those opposed to the Administration.

TRUTH: According to Collector S Asker Ali, while the island remains peaceful, there have been complaints of narcotics, weapons, and live ammo being seized. He said the regulation is required to keep the “youth from getting misguided by illegal businesses”

Reports added that 300 kg of heroin worth ₹3,000 crore, five AK-47s, and 1,000 live rounds were confiscated from a boat near Minicoy islands a few weeks ago and several cases of marijuana and liquor smuggling have been filed too.

Covid-19 SOPs

PROPOSAL: Lakshadweep did not record any case of COVID-19 in the first wave. However, Last December, Covid-19 SOPs were diluted by doing away with mandatory quarantine for travelers at Kochi and Kavaratti. Instead, anyone with a negative RT-PCR certificate issued in the previous 48 hours could travel to Lakshadweep.

PROTEST: The change led to the island losing its ‘green zone’ tag and a spurt in infections in subsequent months. Islanders blame the Administration for mismanagement in the handling of the pandemic.

Truth: Ahead of Ramadan, the islanders visited Kerala for shopping, and Kerala was one of the worst affected states during the second wave, which led to a rise in the number of cases in Lakshadweep. However, since the administration made proactive steps to control COVID infections, the number of cases has decreased, and approximately 75% of the population has been vaccinated.

Secular parties’ appeasement policies to woo Muslims have always resulted in retrograde outcomes, and this time is no exception. Opposition parties’ and other vested interests in the islands are carrying out an organized misinformation campaign to block reforms in Lakshadweep would not help the people of Lakshadweep.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post Debunking the propaganda on Lakshadweep reforms appeared first on The Commune.

Just before the Election Commission announced the date for the 2021 Assembly Elections, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a bill providing for 10.5% quota for the Vanniyar community, within the existing 20% quota for Most Backward Communities (MBC) and other communities. The bill also provides an internal quota of 7% for Denotified Communities (DC) and some of the MBCs have for specified communities listed in the MBC. Those MBCs not included in the above have been given 2.5% quota.

The bill introduced by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and passed unanimously in the House, will now make way for special reservations for the Vanniyar community in educational institutions, and appointments or positions in the state government services.

The DMK and its allies were not present in the Assembly as they boycotted the session altogether.

Chief Minister Palaniswami said that there would be separate reservations in appointments or posts in the state service and constant representation from the Vanniyar community in educational institutions. He also said that they are entitled to get the right and fair share of reservation benefits.

Welcoming this, Paatali Makkal Katchi leader Ramdas said that the first step of a 40-year dream had come true after a lot of struggle. Commenting on the struggles, Dr. Ramdas added, saying, “My 40-year-old struggle for social justice has been met with satisfactory initial success through this law. The struggles for social justice for the Vanniyar community have been nothing short of arduous. The Vanniyar Sangam started by me in 1980 had carried out a number of protests for the cause. In 1980, under my leadership, a massive rally was conducted in Karungalpalayam in Erode district. From 1981 to 1989, we had visited more than 30,000 settlements in Tamil Nadu and prepared people for the struggle for social justice. On March 15, 1984, hunger strike was conducted at the Marina Beach in Chennai. A massive rally from Island Grounds to Seerani Theatre followed by a public meeting at the Seerani theatre was conducted on August 25, 1985. One day road blockade was conducted on May 6, 1986 and a one day rail roko on December 19, 1986.  As a culmination of the struggle, a series of road blockades were held throughout Tamil Nadu from September 17, 1987 to September 23, 1987. Such is the historic struggle of the Vanniyars for social justice.”

In 1987, the then Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) was in the USA for his treatment. At that time, widespread revolt of the Vanniyar community shook the northern districts of Tamil Nadu. Violent clashes led to the arrest of 18,000 protesters. As police tried to control the mob, 11 people were killed in a shooting in the South Arcot district.

Twice before 1987, the Vanniyars had agitated for more reservations. Their demands included a 20 percent reservation in education and employment in Tamil Nadu and a 2 percent reservation in central government services.

The uprising disrupted normal life for a whole week in most of the Vanniyar strongholds in the northern districts of the state. In South Arcot, stones and trees were fell as roadblocks and in some places, pits were dug on the highways. As a result, vehicular traffic south of the Madras ground was halted.

Violent clashes also erupted between the Vanniyars and DMK cadres. Thousands of partygoers returned to their home southern districts after attending the inauguration of the Anna Arivalayam. In Valavanur, lorries and buses carrying DMK protesters were stopped, poured with kerosene, and set on fire by miscreants. The police eventually had to provide an armed guard to the heavy vehicle force.

Although the MGR government had increased the quota for backward classes from 31 percent to 50 percent, the Vanniyars started getting  less share of their pie, as a large number of sub-categories were added to the list of backward classes for political reasons. The DMK added 42 communities while MGR had added another 39 communities when they were in power. The Vanniyar community, therefore, demanded a separate reservation for their benefit like in the case of Karnataka.

MGR, who had returned from the United States, tried to fix the problem but passed away before a smooth end could be reached. After this, Chief Minister Karunanidhi instead of resolving the issue of Vanniyar reservation directly, introduced 20 per cent reservation to 108 communities, including Vanniyars, under a new category: ‘Most Backward Class and Denotified Communities’ by dividing the Backward Class quota. Dr. Ramadoss had said that by doing so Karunanidhi betrayed the Vanniyar community and as a result of which the Vanniyars had to fight for another 32 years.

It is noteworthy that DMK leader Stalin promised in 2019 that if they came to power in 2021, a separate quota would be given to the Vanniyars, and Dr. Ramadoss condemned the DMK for not fulfilling its earlier promises.

(With inputs from Kathir News)

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post The political history of reservation for Vanniyars appeared first on The Commune.

The US Presidential Elections 2020 is all set to take place on November 3. An event that is discussed in drawing rooms, office cafeteria, tea shops and news rooms, it is one of the most anticipated events of the world. However, many would have a blank face when asked about how a US President is elected.

In parliamentary democracies like India, the Prime Minister is the Head of the Government while the President is the Head of the State. In the United States, the President is both the Head of the State and the Government and hence the governance system is called as a presidential democracy.

In most democracies, the head of the government/state is elected by a popular vote i.e., the party or candidate with most number of votes win. However, in the US, things work differently. In this explainer, we break it down for you.

Who is eligible to run for the office of President Of The United States (POTUS)?

A candidate who:

a) is a natural-born citizen of the United States,

b) is at least 35 years of age

c) has been a resident of the United States for 14 years

becomes eligible to run for the office of POTUS.

When does the US Presidential Elections happen?

The election is held on the first Tuesday of November. This has been the norm since 1845, which was instated by the US Congress at that time. Voting in the US begins a few weeks before Election Day as a large number of voters exercise their franchise by email or by direct vote. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of mail votes are expected to increase by a great percentage. The ballots will carry the faces of Joe Biden of Democratic Party and Donald Trump from the Republican Party. However, this is only the final leg of the entire election process.

How is the US President elected?

The US President is not directly elected by the people but instead by a body called the ‘Electoral College’. The Electoral College comprises of delegates from each of the 50 states. So, when American exercise their franchise, they are not directly electing the President but are voting who their state will vote for, i.e., electing delegates to the Electoral College who will then elect the President.

So, that is why we come across terms like ‘popular vote’ and the ‘electoral vote’. A candidate with the popular vote may not necessarily get the electoral vote to become President. This has happened 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000 and 2016.

It is expected that 2020 too might throw up the same scenario with Joe Biden expected to win the ‘popular vote’ while Donald Trump becomes the President securing the required ‘electoral vote’.

Ok, so how many people are elected to the ‘Electoral College’?

The number of delegates from a particular state depends on the number of representatives the state has in the US Congress. The number of representatives in the House of Representatives (Lower House) depends on the population of the state while every state by default has 2 Senators in the Senate (Upper House). A state like Texas which has 36 representatives in the House of Representatives (Lower House) and 2 Senators will have 38 delegates in the electoral college while Alaska, a state with 1 representative in the Lower House and 2 Senators will have 3 delegates in the electoral college.

In all, there are 538 electors and a Presidential candidate requires the support of at least 270 to win the electoral vote and become President. So, the Presidential candidates strategize their campaigns to get the electoral votes required to become President.

But, how do the two parties decide who their candidates are for the Presidential Elections?

Primaries and Caucasus 

Most candidates for president go through a series of state Primaries and Caucuses. Though both Primaries and Caucasus serve the same purpose, they are run differently. Primaries are simple and less cumbersome. State Primaries are run by state and local governments and voting happens through a secret ballot. Caucuses on the other hand are private meetings run by political parties at the county, district, or precinct level. In these caucuses, participants divide themselves into groups according to the candidate they support with the undecided voters forming their own group. Each group gives speeches supporting its candidate and tries to get others to join its group. At the end, the number of voters in each group determines how many delegates each candidate has won.

Primaries and Caucasus can be held open, closed or a mix of the two. In an open Primary/Caucasus all people can vote for a candidate of any political party. In a closed Primary/Caucasus only voters registered with a particular party can take part and vote.

The candidates who make it through the Primaries/Caucasus become the delegates to the National Convention, the next step.

National Conventions

After the Primaries and Caucuses, each major party, Democrat and Republican, holds a National Convention to finalize the Presidential nominee from their side.

The National Convention is a large gathering, usually held at a stadium or a big open space, with selected delegates from each state who choose the Presidential candidates rather than members of the public. At this gathering, the delegates vote and the party announces who is going to run for the Presidential elections from their party.

The party’s Presidential nominee announces his or her choice for Vice President. The President – Vice President duo of each party is from then on called a ‘ticket’.

To put in a nut shell – members of the public/registered voter of a party votes for delegates supporting a particular Presidential candidate in the Primaries and Caucasus and these delegates gather at the National Convention to finalize the Presidential candidate.

Following this, the Presidential candidates campaign throughout the country to win the support of the general population and three public debates are held between the Presidential candidates where they lay out the policies and the principles they stand for.

Who are the candidates for this year’s elections?

The United States have a two party system with – Democrats and the Republicans being the only two parties. The Democratic candidate for the year is Joe Biden, with his running mate as Kamala Harris. The incumbent Republican government, which is being led by President Donald Trump and Vice President Michael Pence are seeking another term.

What happens on election day?

Any US citizen who is at least 18 years of age, vote for the local representatives (electors) of their Presidential candidate belonging to the Democrat or Republican party. (The two states – Maine and Nebraska follow a different process). The party that gets the most number of votes grabs all the seats of the electoral college of the particular state. For example, if out of 10,000 votes, the Republican representative gets 5000 votes or more, then all the seats of the electoral college of that state goes to the Republicans.

While the Democrats and Republics have certain states locked in their favour, a handful of states decide the fate of the entire election process. These are called the ‘swing states’ as they have the potential to swing the favours. It is in these states that the Presidential candidates focus their campaigns.

The states of Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin are considered as “perennial” swing states that have regularly seen close contests over the last few presidential campaigns.

In the next few hours, Americans will be deciding who will be their next President for the next four years.

The post How does the USA elect its President? appeared first on The Commune.

After the Wuhan virus, another virus has emanated in China called the “Cat Que Virus (CQV)”, The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has warned of the danger posed by this virus.

The CQV, that comes under the category of Arthropod-borne viruses if contracted may cause febrile illnesses (fever), meningitis (inflammation of brain and spinal cord membranes), and pediatric encephalitis (brain swelling) among humans.

This virus can get transmitted when a person is bit by a culex mosquito infected by the CQV. Apart from mosquitoes and pigs, Jungle Myna can also act as a host. 

The ICMR has said that the virus has the potential to spread diseases across India. As per research, the virus has been spotted in culex mosquitoes and pigs across China and Vietnam.

India is also home to species of culex mosquitoes and hence there is the fear of spread of the virus through this vector.

So far researchers have found antibodies for the virus in two out of the 883 human serum samples according to the Pune based National Institute of Virology (NIV). These samples were taken from various Indian states. What this actually means is people have already been infected with the virus.

However, during the course of the study, the virus was not found in human or animal samples. The two samples that tested positive for CQV antibodies came from Karnataka – one from 2014 and the other from 2017. The findings have been published in the latest issue of the Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR).

According to a study conducted by the ICMR, Indian mosquitoes are susceptible to CQV and could potentially become a public health pathogen.

The post Another Chinese virus in the queue: The Cat Que virus appeared first on The Commune.

The drug menace surrounding celebrities in Bollywood and Sandalwood has taken up space across media for past 2 months. With the demise of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, NCB (Narcotics Control Board) has taken up active role in breaking the drug chain which is being used by celebrities.

Apart from the usual heroine and cocaine, another drug named ‘China White’ is said to be reaching India’s party circuits.

As the Bollywood and Sandalwood deals with a worsening substance abuse crisis, China White is said to have seen a surge among celebrities.

For those unfamiliar with China White, here’s what you should know about the designer opioid, its effects on a person, and what research is available so far.

‘China White’ is the street name for furanyl fentanyl and a few other known derivatives of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid painkiller found in most emergency rooms. ‘China White’ is similar to heroin and morphine, but is a hundred times more potent, if not more so. It is either snorted through the nose or injected directly into the bloodstream. The high lasts longer and is more difficult to treat if a person overdoses.

Dr. Wilfredo Lopez-Ojeda, a biomedical sciences professor at the University of Central Florida who co-authored the Universal Journal of Clinical Medicine editorial with Dr. Carlos Ramos-Matos notes “What gave rise to China White is a mixture of the original fentanyl with perhaps some residues of heroin and maybe some cocaine, then they started referring to it as a more pure product.”

Hence it is a pure product. It is mixed with heroine or cocaine to give the ‘higher than high’ effect.

China White is a fat-soluble painkiller that’s much stronger and lasts far longer than morphine, heroin or fentanyl itself. The designer drug has led to a rash of overdose-related deaths over the last five years. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attributed 14 deaths in Rhode Island and 50 deaths in Pennsylvania to acetyl-fentanyl.

What kills China White users are the designer drug’s side effects. People high on the drug who enter emergency room may seem like they’re overdosing on heroin or another opioid, but the symptoms are more complicated because fentanyl derivatives are far more powerful. “When they enter the emergency room, the symptoms are very confusing,” Lopez-Ojeda says. “If treatment is not followed through accordingly, people can end up dying.”

This designer drug is said to be reaching India through Myanmar. In October 2017, the Mizoram police caught a large quantities of the drug that was being smuggled from Myanmar which was meant for distribution in the north-east states.

With NCB questioning lot of celebrities, talent managers across Bollywood, more details about drug usages will be thrown up. Many youths across India with nature of being seen cool towards their peers, consumes these drugs at miniscule level and in the end get struck in the vicious cycle of substance abuse. There are lot of reports emerging which states that youths in Punjab are severely addicted to drugs and drugs are being trafficked through the borders via Pakistan. It is high time the elders of the family guide the youth towards healthy habits and make sure they don’t lose their valuable years in drug addiction.

The post All you need to know about China White, the drug hitting party circuits in India appeared first on The Commune.

After receiving the assent of the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha on September 20 passed The  Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.

The two bills are aimed at transforming agriculture in the country and raising farmers’ incomes.

However, a lot of rumours have been going around about the bill saying that it is anti-farmer with the usual rhetoric of that the bill is an attempt to make Ambani and Adani rich.

In this article, we bust some of the rumours and false rhetorics floating around:

Rumour 1:  MSP will be scrapped

Truth: The government has clarified that procurement through Minimum Support Price (MSP) will continue and  farmers can sell their produce at MSP rate. Mandis will continue to function and trading will continue as before. Under the new system, farmers will have the option to sell their produce at other places in addition to the mandis. Since the coming of Modi government in 2014, the MSP for paddy, wheat and pulses have been increased 24, 177 and 75 times respectively.

Rumour 2: State APMC acts will be diluted

Truth: The two bills that have been passed will not lay a finger on the State Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Acts as they are state Acts. The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 seeks to create more avenues for farmers to sell their produce. It will promote barrier-free inter-state and intra-state trade and commerce outside the physical premises of markets notified under State Agricultural Produce Marketing legislations.

In simple words, it empowers the farmers by giving them the choice to sell their produce where they get a better price.

Rumour 3: Government is conspiring to sell the lands to rich capitalists and industrialists

Truth: The bill provides for contract farming between a buyer and farmers. A contract farming agreement between the farmer and the buyer must provide for a conciliation board as well as a conciliation process for settlement of disputes. The board should have a fair representation of the parties to the agreement.  The bill proposes to create a three-level dispute settlement mechanism: the conciliation board, Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Appellate Authority. At first, all disputes must be referred to the board for resolution. If it remains unresolved for more than 30 days, parties may approach the Sub-divisional Magistrate for resolution. If the parties are not satisfied with the decision of the sub-divisional magistrate, they will have a right to appeal to an Appellate Authority which will be presided by collector or additional collector. Penalty can be levied by the Magistrate or the Appellate Authority on the party contravening the agreement.

However, sale, lease or mortgage of farmers’ land is totally prohibited and farmers’ land is also protected against any recovery.

Rumour 4: Farmers will be disadvantaged in terms of fixing the price

Truth: The farmer will have full power in the contract to fix a sale price of his choice for the produce. They will receive payment within maximum 3 days.

Rumour 5: Buyers will exploits farmers

Truth: The price of farming produce should be mentioned in the agreement.  For items where prices are subjected to fluctuations, a guaranteed price for the produce and a clear reference for any additional amount above the guaranteed price must be specified in the agreement. The process of price determination must also be mentioned in the agreement. Thus, this bill will encourage farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, aggregators, large retailers, exporters etc., on a level playing field.

Rumour 6: Farmer will be severely hit if there are market fluctuations

Truth: Price will be assured to farmers even before sowing of crops. In case of higher market price, farmers will be entitled to this price over and above the minimum price. It will transfer the risk of market unpredictability from the farmer to the sponsor. Due to prior price determination, farmers will be shielded from the rise and fall of market prices.

If the bills are said to be of benefit to the farmers, why is there opposition to it?

Agricultural produce selling has 3 major stakeholders at play apart from the farmers: commission agents, state mandis and bureaucracy. The local APMC mandis are heavily politicised with the commission agents and middlemen having political influence gulping a major portion of the profit. The existing system leaves the farmer parched with less money. Once these reforms are implemented, those who have been making money at the cost of farmers will stand to lose. The middlemen commission and patronage structure will disappear. It is these middlemen who stand to lose who are against the bill.

Why are these reforms needed?

Agriculture sector though being the biggest employer, does not contribute much in terms of Gross Value Added. This is because the archaic laws and regulations does not provide any incentives for investments in agriculture. Only if there are private investments, farmers will get access to high quality farm inputs. These investments will help the farmer to put use better technology on the farm and increase the productivity. Better productivity will benefit both the businesses and farmer thereby unleashing the potential of the agriculture sector.

The post Farm Bills: Rumours Vs. Truth appeared first on The Commune.

What is the PM KISAN scheme?

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN) is a Central Sector Scheme through which an income support of ₹6000 per year is given to small and marginal farmers in 3 equal instalments.

The PM KISAN scheme is a Central Sector Scheme i.e., the complete expenditure for the scheme is borne by the Government of India.

Who are eligible?

Small and marginal farmer family having a combined land holding or ownership upto 2 hectares are eligible for the scheme. The beneficiaries are identified by the respective State and Union Territory governments.

While a family may have four individual adults each of them owning a separate farm land, only one member will be eligible to get enrolled under the scheme.

Who are not eligible?

Farmer families with professionals like doctors, engineers, lawyers, chartered accountants and architects, registered with professional bodies and carrying out profession by undertaking practices, income tax payers, present and retired employees of State or Central government, institutional landholders, farmer families with former or present constitutional post holders, retired pensioners with monthly pensions of ₹10,000 and above

What is the issue?

About 5 lakh ineligible people from Tamil Nadu have been enrolled under the scheme leading to the siphoning off of around ₹110 crore from the exchequer.

Many of these ineligible people were reportedly enrolled as beneficiaries during the lockdown period.

Chengalpet, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Kallakurichi, Krishnagiri, Ranipet, Salem, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, and Villupuram, were the districts where most of these ineligible people were added from.

The scam was first detected when the District Collector of Cuddalore found more than 100 people who are not farmers receiving the PM KISAN aid. These people were not aware of them being added to the scheme. The alarm bells were sounded when the total beneficiaries saw a dramatic increase from 39 lakh to 45 lakh by August.

How did it happen?

The Centre had introduced an online provision for self-registration where prospective beneficiaries can register for the scheme by furnishing the necessary proofs. This provision was used by the scamsters comprising of few Agriculture Department officials and private computer centres.

The reason for the scam is said to be fulfilment of targets. It was reported that the officials had on-boarded temporary contractual staff to fill unsuspecting people as beneficiaries.

These department officials are said to be not tech-savvy and had to rely on data entry operators in the computer centres. The computer centres had used the Aadhar details of the people in the locality that was collected during earlier occasions. Soon, agents started showing up in villages collecting the Aadhar card details.

Every district has a unique password which is given to the joint director, deputy directors and assistant directors in the agriculture department which cannot be changed. Either the passwords must have been stolen or the officials must have colluded.

The officials supposedly shared the login id and password with these computer centres who added the new beneficiaries and received about ₹2000 as commission per beneficiary.

One of the agents from Salem reportedly added 160 people another one added while another one added 50. Salem, the native district of CM Palaniswami, alone had more than 10,000 fake entries.

As the field officers of the department were occupied with providing other immediate requirement of farmers, there was laxity in verification exercises.

The discrepancy in land data is also considered as one of the factor. According to the Agricultural Census 2015-16, there are 79.38 lakh farm holdings, regarded as farmers. However, the State Agriculture Department notes the total number of farmer-beneficiaries are at an estimated at 41 lakh.

What has been done so far?

Principal Secretary and Agricultural Production Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi had said that 80 contractual employees were dismissed and 34 officials of the department suspended. 18 people identified as brokers who are mostly internet café owners have been arrested.

A CB-CID probe has been launched into the matter owing to the magnitude of the fraud. While action has been taken against the government officials for dereliction of duty, Mr. Bedi has assured that if anyone was found to have connived with the brokers, criminal action would be initiated against them which would be known as the probe progresses.

The government has reportedly retrieved ₹32 crores of the ₹110 crores. District Collectors have issued orders to banks to freeze the accounts of the ineligible beneficiaries and create a conduit to recover the balance money when it gets deposited to their accounts.

Mr. Bedi has spoken to Chairman of SBI and other public sector banks to speed up the recovery process.

The politics

As the scam came to light senior leaders of BJP Tamil Nadu submitted a petition to the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu K Shanmugam. The BJP Tamil Nadu’s IT Wing president CTR Nirmal Kumar alleged that a scam of such magnitude would not have been possible without the involvement of top politicians.

While at present there are no prima facie involvement of top politicians in the scam, role of local politicians are not being ruled out.

The DMK President MK Stalin grabbed the opportunity to blame both the Centre and State alleging that both the governments were hand-in-glove.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami under whose watch the scam has surfaced though admitted about the irregularities, sought to blame the Centre’s self-registration process while staying silent on failure of state officials to verify the beneficiaries.

The CM has assured that the CB-CID probe would take its course and all perpetrators would be brought to books.

The post The Tamil Nadu PM KISAN scam explained appeared first on The Commune.