The News Thread

[Bird Bird Bird]

removal of 2% extra is good, 0% EMI is still ambiguous

Heh. And people are defending the 2% charge.

[Nemo]

Route cleared for setting up of 7th Pay commission for Central government employees ! With recommendations to be in effect from Jan 1, 2016.

 

Hallelujah !

[Ne0]

just like RTI for political parties, - when something is against the political parties, the house functions perfectly and bills are passed, otherwise BJP will walk out and BSP will throw chairs and MM will get centi

 

 

It is remarkable the kind of unity shown across the political spectrum, in such specific matters

 

 

Apparently not this time .... BJP is not supporting it , and some cabinet ministers in congress are against it too .... now the ball is in president's court !

 

The government strongly supported the ordinance disregarding growing concern within its own ranks that the ordinance would boomerang on the Congress at a time when it's already facing heat over corruption, particularly in urban areas.

 

A BJP delegation led by L K Advani and comprising Leaders of Opposition in the two Houses, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely, earlier called on President to urge him to reject the Ordinance. "The Indian government is trying to dilute this (convicted lawmakers) decision of the Supreme Court. It should realize that the ordinance is against the Constitution," Advani told reporters after meeting the President.

 

 

[Right]

Right to reject.

 

Judiciary wins again.

[avkash]

and now the U-turn

 

Ordinance to shield convicted leaders is complete nonsense, tear it up: Rahul

 

 

 

New Delhi: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi openly opposed the ordinance on convicted legislators and said it was a complete nonsense. He said, "The ordinance is a complete nonsense, should be torn and thrown away." Rahul said, "All parties do this because of political considerations and we must stop making compromises." The remarks came as an embarrassment for the Congress as the Union Cabinet had passed the ordinance on Tuesday over-ruling Supreme Court's judgement.

Read more at: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ordinance-to-shield-convicted-leaders-is-complete-nonsense-tear-it-up-rahul/424894-37-64.html?utm_source=ref_article

 

[ALPHA17]

Voters have the right to reject all candidates in polls, says Supreme Court

 

In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court on Friday held that citizens have right to cast negative vote rejecting all candidates contesting polls, a decision which would encourage people not satisfied with contestants to turn up for voting.

 

The apex court directed the Election Commission to provide 'none of the above options' at the end of the list of candidates in electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballot papers to allow voters to reject those contesting polls.

 

The court said right to reject candidates in elections is part of fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression given by the Constitution to Indian citizens. It said that democracy is all about choice and significance of right of citizens to cast negative voting is massive.

 

Source: The Indian Express

[avkash]

interesting, what if majority of people do that ?

would love to read the whole report, but a little short on time right now

[ALPHA17]

interesting, what if majority of people do that ?

 

There are three proposals in-case majority put in null vote(s),

• The current proposal from the Election Commission is a revised and updated form of Rule #49 from the Conduct of Election(s) rule-set followed in India

 

Under this, voters can choose to have their abstention registered. Under current procedures, this abstention is not secret. The idea is simply to give voters a "none of the above" option. This has expressive value and is least disruptive. But it will not have any bearing on the outcome of an election.

• There are two more proposals to give null-vote teeth, these are

 

If majority votes are null-void exceed more than 50% of the vote-base then the elections are re-held with a new roster of candidates unless a suitable candidate is reached.

 

If the number of null-void votes is more than the votes held by the leading candidate the elections are held again minus the need to change the candidate roster.

 

Apart from these amendments being proposed for the Rule, minor prohibitions will be placed on the participating candidate(s) if a null-vote garners sufficient heft in their constituency.

 

Hope this helps, Cheerio!

[avkash]

Thanks. This seems awesome then.

[ALPHA17]

Thanks. This seems awesome then.

 

Yes, I can vote in Binary now. =P

[Nemo]

Good intention but far too convoluted a surrounding(s) for it to become success.

Conducting Elections in a country (population, size) is not a joke. Imagine the cost and manpower for rapid re-elections.

 

Maybe slight alteration in (current present) "First past the post" voting system that we have? why not have a thought towards that.

[ALPHA17]

^^ Let null-vote get implemented nation wide, first, for one election.

 

Rapid re-elections with new candidates is the bigger catch in my opinion. Smarting parties will shift all South Indian MP's North and everyone from North is sent South.

[Nemo]

In FPTP a candidate or party doesnt need a simple majority (51% or more) to win, all one needs is to have more votes than second placed competitor. So if (hypocritical example) xyz party's candidate gets 30 % votes, abc gets 28 %, qpr gets 22 %, mno gets 20 %, we'd have a unanimously declared winner who has less than a third of popular support.

 

This has potential for a lot of discontent when the actual regime starts.

[ALPHA17]

In FPTP a candidate or party doesnt need a simple majority (51% or more) to win, all one needs is to have more votes than second placed competitor. So if (hypocritical example) xyz party's candidate gets 30 % votes, abc gets 28 %, qpr gets 22 %, mno gets 20 %, we'd have a unanimously declared winner who has less than a third of popular support.

 

I know the 2/3 rule in elections.

 

But that is the point, if null-vote exceeds ~50% due to any reason, in the next two more stringent clauses the victory loss gets dissolved and everyone goes for a re-run.

 

Let our EVM's have the option of a null-vote, I doubt many of the plebs will use it in the first place but let the basic step be taken. Afterwards head-ache should be dealt with if it is there.

 

P.S. -- Is that Fabius Maximus in your DP?

[Nemo]

No, It is machiavelli.

 

What is the 2/3 rule ?

[ALPHA17]

What is the 2/3 rule ?

 

The 2/3 majority in the Parliament to form a government.

 

To prevent things from going awry, a similar clause can be enacted to prevent paralysis and bypassing of the null-votes cast.

 

Even if 1/3 of the total votes cast in a constituency are null-void the candidates must win by outright majority or by forming a feasible coalition. If the inverse happens the public has got its point across and candidates have to go it again.

 

P.S. -- Thanks for answering OT as well.

[dylanjosh]

 

Judge to Sikh Man: Remove “That Rag” or Go to Jail

 

[ALPHA17]

New form of matter discovered, behaves like lightsabers

 

Physicists from Harvard and MIT say they've created a new form of matter by binding together photons -- and you'll never guess what they're comparing it to.

 

"It's not an in-apt analogy to compare this to light sabers," Dr. Mikhail Lukin, a professor of physics at Harvard and one of the scientists behind the new discovery, said in a written statement. "When these photons interact with each other, they're pushing against and deflect each other. The physics of what's happening in these molecules is similar to what we see in the movies."

 

The researchers made the new matter by pumping a cloud of atoms from the highly reactive metal rubidium into a vacuum chamber, cooling the atoms, and then using a weak laser to fire two photons into the atom cloud.

 

While the discovery has sci-fi geeks all abuzz, scientists are more focused on the matter's practical applications. The new matter may help scientists build quantum computers and complex crystals made of light.

 

Customary intensive lightsaber duel demo,

http://youtu.be/tvGw7kB783I

 

Source: Huffington Post

Judge to Sikh Man: Remove “That Rag” or Go to Jail

 

Depressing.

[Sa1nT_SoLd1eR]

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/8-former-army-chiefs-counter-v-k-singh-say-no-money-was-paid-to-politicians/1175462/

 

Former Army Chief General V K Singh, facing criminal defamation charges, was on Wednesday termed as a "nuisance" by a Delhi court which said his presence creates a "ruckus" in the court room.

The court made the remarks while granting him exemption from personal appearance for the day for the "last time" in the case.

Metropolitan Magistrate Jay Thareja said whenever he comes to the court, he brings a crowd with him and due to this "ruckus" is created and proceedings are hampered.

 

 

Thank god for the former army chiefs taking cognizance of the damage this guy is doing to one of the most respected branch of state machinery, and have decided to do some damage control.

[Right]

Hmmm... This was one very sensitive issue brought up by VK

Hope he has proofs to back his claims up.