India, Maharashtra, vijay kumbhar, News, Governance, RTI, Transparency, Civic Issues, Real Estate: literary Genius
Showing posts with label literary Genius. Show all posts
Showing posts with label literary Genius. Show all posts

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Why is there so much Hue and cry over , Maharashtra Government’s guidelines on sedition charges ?

“Maharashtra curbs criticism ofpoliticians”, “Anti-democracy guidelines on Section 124 IPC by Maharashtra government”, “You risk sedition charges for criticising politicians”, “Criticisinggovernment can be sedition in Maharashtra now’ , “fresh guidelines on sedition; draws Opposition flak”, “Criticise government, face sedition charges in Maharashtra”, Thus were the headlines on Maharashtra government’s fresh guidelines on IPC 124 .

Photo Courtsey https://whennoodlesdream.files.wordpress.com
Reaction on this guidelines were very serious and with full of anger. I was also not exception for that. My first reaction on Facebook was also same. However careful reading of government resolution issued in this regard and High Court order shows that there is nothing much in that GR.  Actually with this GR government has asked police to take adequate precaution before applying sedition charges on anyone.

These guidelines on IPC 124-Ahave been issued with regard to the assurance given to the Bombay High Court in the cartoonist Aseem Trivedi for his cartoons during the India Against Corruption movement headed by Anna Hazare. Aseem Trivedi was arrested by Mumbai Police in 2012 for drawing cartoons that allegedly insulted the national emblem and Parliament. The assurance was given in the HC when sedition charges were dropped against him.

Reproduced here are points in GR

(i) The words, signs or representations must bring the  Central or State Government into hatred or contempt or must cause or attempt to cause disaffection, enmity or disloyalty to the Government and the words/signs/ representation must also be an incitement to violence or must be intended or tend to create public disorder or a reasonable apprehension of public disorder;

(ii) Words, signs or representations against politicians or public servants by themselves do not fall in this category unless the words/signs/representations show them as representative of the Government

Photo Courtsey truthdive.com
(iii) Comments expressing disapproval or criticism of the Government with a view to obtaining a change of government by lawful means without any of the above are not seditious under Section 124A;

(iv) Obscenity or vulgarity by itself should not be taken into account as a factor or consideration for deciding whether a case falls within the purview of Section 124A of
IPC,

(v) A legal opinion in writing which gives reasons addressing the aforesaid must be obtained from Law Officer of the District followed within two weeks by a legal opinion in writing from Public Prosecutor of the State.

Then why there is so much hue and cry about this GR?. Reason is simple. People strongly believe that literary genius in Mantralay i.e. bureaucrats issue circulars only to harass citizens or to protect their colleagues. It becomes a case of “you tell me the person and I shall tell you the circular”, thus putting into action only those circulars, which benefit the officers or their cronies. These circulars are always cleverly drafted. If some issue is to be evaded or to be framed, then the choice of words is so 'creative' as to abash even a litterateur. Perhaps these circulars would pass off as pieces of excellent literary talent.

Photo courtesy  http://www.binayaksen.net


There can be a debate on validity of section 124 (A) in democracy. British colonial government felt the need to include this provision to suppress the liberty of the citizen India. How this section can be valid in Government OF the People, BY the People, FOR the People. But that apart. What wrong government of Maharashtra has done in this case? It has just sent guidelines while invoking section 124 (a) of IPC. The government has also clarified that the GR is not a government order and is only an advisory, which can be accepted or not.

Actually these guidelines are sent to avoid application of IPC 124 (A) . However it is the drafting of these guidelines that has caused entire debacle. Literary geniuses in Mantralay have once again succeeded in spreading confusion and doubt in peoples mind.


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Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Dark past of ‘The Right to Service Act’ in Maharashtra

Recently the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Mr. Devendra Fadnavis announced introduction of the Right to Service Act. Actually such a law already exists in Maharashtra. The only problem is, literary geniuses of Maharashtra have successfully killed it even before its implementation. This law is called ‘The Maharashtra Government Servants Regulation and Transfers and Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act, 2005’. Popularly known in Maharashtra as PoDiDoODA. Provisions of Citizen Charter are almost same as “The Right to service Act’. Some people are now insisting that the current law should be implemented instead of enacting a new law. The babus in Mantralay will love to do so because they have already made it toothless by a weapon called circulars and amendments.

There are several laws in the state of Maharashtra, which if implemented would ensure good governance. However, these laws are not implemented in letter and spirit. For example the Lokayukta Act or the ordinances passed to take action against the corrupt, the law to regulate transfers of government employees and to prevent administrative-delays. There are some more laws and rules, which have been introduced in good faith and with a positive approach. But unfortunately the literary geniuses in Mantralay have killed these laws even before they were properly introduced.

Literary geniuses in Mantralay keep issuing numerous circulars, which are never implemented. It becomes a case of “you tell me the person and I shall tell you the circular”, thus putting into action only those circulars, which benefit the officers or their cronies. Other circulars are thrown in the waste paper basket and none feels bad or sad about it. These circulars are cleverly drafted. If some issue is to be evaded, then the choice of words is so 'creative' as to abash even a litterateur. Perhaps these circulars would pass off as pieces of excellent literary talent. Let us see how they silently killed PoDiDoODA.

It all started in 2000 when Anna Hazare’s agitations were at their peak and the government was worried about his fast. So they introduced several laws and circulars for Good Governance. And later on, tactfully took the soul out of them. On 8th march 2000, the government of Maharashtra issued first circular on this topic. It said “The citizens have minimum expectations from the government; they expect government to provide the services in minimum time and of proper standard. Hence, the Government has issued guidelines on ‘transparency, accountability towards Citizens, to make laws simple and citizen charter.’
And as a part of this initiative, the Government issued instructions that every department should prepare a citizen charter mentioning:
1) The period within which specific services will be provided from various departments,
2) The type services that will be provided,
3) The documents that will be necessary to provide such services,
4) The person to be contacted if the service is not provided in specified time.

A committee was also formed to prepare such a citizen charter. Documentation was to be kept to the minimum. It was to be publicized widely. The persons posted on the counters opened to provide such services were to be polite. The Citizen was to be informed on the spot if there was any flaw in his or her application and also to be informed in writing of the date that the concerned service will be provided. There was to be a penalty if the service was not provided in time and an incentive for prompt service. An appropriate place with arrangements for drinking water was to be provided to the citizens asking for such services.

Sounds interesting, isn’t it? However, in time to come, the Babus hand in gloves with the politicians (the Neta-Babu nexus) kept introducing circulars after circulars for so-called “proper” implementation of the Citizens Charter. Finally, after five years from first circular, the Government of Maharashtra enacted the law, Maharashtra Government Servants Regulation and Transfers and Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act, 2005. This Act has two parts, one for regulation of transfers of government employees and another to prevent administrative delays. The first part was implemented and later on manipulated for the convenience of government employees. But the second one was not implemented immediately as it was in the interest of the common citizens but would have ensured discipline amongst government employees.

Meanwhile, the Babus issued so many circulars so that the Act became defunct. This Act came into force on 1st July 2006 and within three months; the babus came out with a circular on 30th October 2006 explaining the meaning of some of the provisions of the act. This was actually the death warrant for the Act. The circular said:

1) Municipal corporations, municipalities and panchayats were out of the ambit of this Act under the pretext that these institutions have their own rules and regulations.

2) The time taken for a report from an authority not covered under this act was allowed to be deducted from the total time required to provide the specified service (E.g. if a certificate from the collector’s office involved a report on the date of birth from a Municipality).

3) If the public servant concerned is on leave or is on another duty, then such matters are to be considered before initiating action against him. This, in effect, releases all public servants from their responsibilities of the Citizens Charter.

4) If the case has not been decided in the specified time, then the servant concerned will have to state reasons for it and after consideration, his senior may grant him/her more time. This made the provision of timely service meaningless.

5) If specified service has not been provided in time and if it is proved that it has not been done because of the act of the difficulties of the public servant concerned, then (s)he will not be penalized.

There are several other things that provide security to the public servant but in no way helps common citizen to receive services (s)he requires. Hence, this Act has become almost null and void. It is, therefore, pointless to insist for PoDiDoODA because it will meet the same fate as the babus are entrenched and the same babus with changed loyalties will now be in action.

PoDiDoODA applies to Mantralay and its departments. The government has introduced a separate law for municipal corporations, municipalities and panchayats. This act is known as “Maharashtra MunicipalCorporations and Municipal Councils (second amendment ) Act, 2010. With this amendment to Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949, Nagpur City Corporation Act 1948 and the Maharashtra Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act 1965 came into force on 16th august 2011.The provisions of this Act are similar to PoDiDoODA and almost all the establishments covered under this Act have been tasked to prepare citizen charters but service has not been provided as per the Act anywhere.

The funniest part is that the rules for PoDiDoODA came in to force in November 2013 i.e. after seven years of its promulgation. Hence, citizen’s charter was not implemented in many departments. Even then,the then Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Ratnakar Gaikwad in 2011 , tried to assess the impact of the penal provisions of Section10 (2) and (3) of the Act. As per these sections if service is not provided within specified time the public servant concerned is liable for action as per civil services rules. Not surprisingly, nobody replied as they knew it was just a formality to show what government was doing for so-called Good Governance.

So there is no point in insisting for implementation of PoDiDoODA. Instead the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis should promulgate the “Right to Public Services Act” ( ‘लोकसेवा हमी कायदा’) in Maharashtra as instructed to the Chief secretary. It will be great if citizens of Maharashtra also help Government in this regard.

As on date, Right to Public Services Act is in force or in process in many states. The people of Maharashtra have an opportunity to participate in the process of drafting a good law, taking in to consideration the experience in other states. So they should go through the acts-bills reproduced below also ask their friends and relatives in respective states their experience in this regard and give suggestions, so that citizens of Maharashtra will be able give ‘citizens draft’ on “ Right to services Act’ to government.

Central Government Bill - http://goo.gl/6vxFaY
Uttarakhand - http://goo.gl/CMwQy9
Madhya Pradesh - http://goo.gl/xBU2LF
Jharkhand - http://goo.gl/1M0e1H
Himachal Pradesh - http://goo.gl/yACbc3
Rajasthan - http://goo.gl/voZfGL
Uttar Pradesh - http://goo.gl/pQ7ogp
Karnataka - http://goo.gl/6jNeqE
Chattisgarh -http://goo.gl/5vbK4v
Jammu and Kashmir - http://goo.gl/YAswfE
West Bengal - http://goo.gl/jsjSAq
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