ISSUE OF NEW PLASTIC ELECTORAL CARDS

Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala has come out with a novel idea of issuing new plastic voter ID cards with color photos instead of the old laminated cards with black and white photos. 

As per the instructions contained in the advertisement released by CEO in this regard, I uploaded the data in respect of me and my wife in their site on the day the advertisement appeared itself and had received a confirmation that the aadhar had been successfully validated and we would be issued new cards within 60 days. At the time of validation the aadhar card, I was not asked to upload the color photos (as mentioned in the advertisement) and hence I was ready with copies of photograph to be handed over to the BLO when the official visited us for the purpose. ( I thought this was not insisted on as I had already submitted color photos last year while applying for transfer of the card from Trivandrum to the new address)

Yesterday the BLO visited us and asked us to submit copies of aadhar card as well as color photos for issuing the new cards. When I told her that my aadhar had been successfully validated, she informed that she had not received the validated input form from Taluk Office and hence I have to give both these documents.

While I appreciate the efforts taken by the CEO, I wonder whether proper home work had been done in connection with this. I fail to understand the need for the copy of the aadhar card when the validation of the same had already been done online. Also when the application for issuing the new card had been made online on the very first day itself, why the relative form has not been given to the BLO for further verification? Any amount of my arguments with BLO did not heed any positive response, with only a meek statement that she had not received the form from taluk Office. Whose fault is this? The officials at Taluk office who have taken the printouts and distributed to the BLOs or the BLO who has to sort the forms as per wards? Whoever is at fault the ultimate sufferer is the common man!!!!

I also remember, while issuing a new electoral card at our new address last year, the Deputy Tahsildar in charge of the work had refused to accept copy of the aadhar card as proof of residence of my wife. He had also refused to consider my proof of address applicable to her also and insisted on another document proving her residence proof and luckily we could manage with the gas connection voucher!!! And now the vary same aadhar card has become all the more important!!

A SUICIDE AND AFTER

A suicide committed by a "farmer" at the rally of a political party has created much hue and cry and it is seen that everybody is trying to twist the episode to his own benefit. First of all almost everybody blames Arvind Kejrival for not stopping the rally after the suicide and finally Arvind apologises for not doing so!!! 

While Kejriwal blames Delhi police for not preventing the suicide, the Police blames AAP workers in not allowing to do their duty. Congress and AAP blames BJP for the plight of farmers leading to the suicide while BJP (and the police) suspect some calculated move in "staging" the suicide!

In all this melee nobody is seen condemning the very act of committing suicide at all. All the so called responsible political parties and leaders try to make mileage out of a crime committed by an individual (Attempt to commit suicide is an offence under Indian Penal Code). I wonder why the act of suicide is being eulogised!

If you see the entire episode impartially, the following points arise.

Among the thousands of rallyists assembled on the ground one persons suddenly climbs a tree, puts a noose around his neck in public view and jumps from the tree in the full glare of all those assembled and the cameras. Mr Kumar Biswas, leader of AAP is even seen appealing to the man to climb down from the tree.Was this time not sufficient to prevent the man from committing the act? In view of this all those persons assembled there includi ng the party leaders and police personnel on duty should be held accountable for "perpetrating to commit suicide" which again is an offence under IPC!

I also wonder, in a country where the death of an independent candidate in an election does not result in countermanding the election, why a rally called by a political party should be called off if a "farmer" commits suicide at the venue? ( I am sure I will be condemned by most to be inhumane for this particular statement, but as we say, the truth is always bitter!)

NEW LIQUOR POLICY OF KERALA

It is, no doubt , a matter of great relief for the UDF government in Kerala that the Division Bench of the High Court has upheld the new liquor policy of the Government. However, it remains to be seen whether the matters will end here as the Bar Owners Association has declared that they would be approaching Supreme court in appeal.

While allowing the appeal by the State Government , the Division Bench has made certain pertinent observations, like drinking liquor is not the birthright of a person, liquor need not be necessary for promoting tourism etc. While these observations are welcome, it remains to be seen how the judge(s) in supreme court is going to view the entire issue. One may say that , of late, the judgments by the courts are becoming very subjective according to the personal view of the judges rather than viewing the issue through the law of the land and hence the doubt.

Even when Mr Sudheeran and company can boast of gaining a personal triumph in the matter, it only remains to be seen how the Government is going to implement the new policy and what are the rehabilitation measures going to be adopted in respect of the workers who lose their jobs. While almost all political parties talk about the rehabilitation of the workers losing their jobs, I wonder why nobody is talking about the rehabilitation of the Bar Owners who have spent crores of rupees in establishing the upto 4 star hotels and getting the bar licenses as per the existing policy of the government. (The three star and four star hotels are established only with the hope of minting money from the sale of liquor and not by the occupancy of the rooms and for getting the bar licenses they spend huge money also). Do they not deserve to be rehabilitated, if the workers who lose the jobs are rehabilitated, both because of the new policy of the Government?

The revised policy talks about closing down 10% of the Beverages Corporation outlets every year. The present government has only less than a year of life now and during this period they may close down 20% of the outlets. In the next election if LDF is coming to power (the chances for which are bleak as of now), what is the guarantee that they will not reverse the decision? Then what will happen to the expected total prohibition in the State? It is pertinent to note that no LDF leader has commented on this point so far.

And what will be the government's policy about the liquor being served at many posh clubs in the State and the liquor available from Defense Canteens? Will the clubs be classified under the five star category and be permitted to serve liquor? Will the Defense canteens established in the State also be asj\ked to close the shops in a phased manner in tune with the policy, one would like to know