Examine the clauses pertaining to the control of candidates and political parties in Indian elections. Talk about the procedures for party registration and recognition, the standards for assigning election emblems, and the steps taken to guarantee fairness for all political ...
Answer: The '2030 roadmap for India-UK future relations' is a joint framework for future relations adopted by both governments as part of a "common vision of a new and transformational comprehensive strategic partnership". The UK India Roadmap 2030 is set out over the following five areas, which wilRead more
Answer: The ‘2030 roadmap for India-UK future relations’ is a joint framework for future relations adopted by both governments as part of a “common vision of a new and transformational comprehensive strategic partnership”. The UK India Roadmap 2030 is set out over the following five areas, which will revitalize the relationship between the two countries:
- Connecting the two countries and their people: By upgrading institutional mechanisms to strengthen avenues for people-to-people connections in education, research and innovation, employment, and culture.
- Trade and prosperity: By creating shared prosperity delivering leadership in global economic governance and unlocking the potential for the dynamic private sectors of India and UK.
- Defense and security: By working together in a strategic partnership to tackle cyber, space, crime, and terrorist threats and develop a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region.
- Climate: By being committed to building a more environmentally sustainable future achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and mobilizing investment and climate finance.
- Health: By using their combined research and innovation strength to address the biggest global health challenges, save lives, and improve health and well-being. address
Major challenges in India- UK relations:
- Political turmoil in the U.K.: In the space of four months, the country saw three Prime Ministers creating one of the most dramatic and tumultuous years in modern British politics.
- Trade irritants: There has been a mini ‘tariff war’ underway between India and the UK. India proposed a retaliatory additional duty of 15 percent on 22 imported items from the UK, as a response to restrictions imposed by the UK on 15 Indian steel products.
- Not able to finalize the Free Trade Agreement: Issues like the mobility of skilled labor and entrepreneurs challenge the British immigration policy and domestic public opinion whereas reduced tariff on Scotch whiskey continues to haunt the negotiators on both sides.
- The complexities of diaspora politics: Non-aligned interests of British Indians, unlike British Pakistanis who regularly hold lawmakers to account on Pakistani causes. Thus, the immediate prize of British Pakistani votes outweighs the more distant benefits of a stronger partnership with India.
- Not committed to India’s candidature for UNSC: No British UN ambassador has made a statement in support of India on the floor of the UN.
- Extradition of fugitive offenders: The UK has been a go-to place for Indian fugitives and they enjoy their lavish lives evading justice. The reason behind such a brazen lifestyle is the UK investment visa (tier 1), which is commonly known as the “Golden Visa” and the international law principle of “Dual Criminality”.
- Differing views on terrorism and Kashmir: An unsubstantiated report on Kashmir was published by a London-based unit. India has rightly questioned the veracity of the report, calling it overtly prejudiced a way to build a false narrative, and an attempt to violate the sovereignty of India.
As India seeks to carve out a new role for itself in the evolving global order as a leading power’ and the U.K. recalibrates its strategic outlook post-Brexit, this is a unique moment in India-U.K. ties. In an increasingly unstable world threatened by autocratic states with contempt for the rules-based international system, it is more important than ever before that the UK and India support each other and our mutual allies.
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The Indian electoral system has a complex set of provisions for the regulation of political parties and candidates, aimed at ensuring the integrity and transparency of the electoral process. Here's an analysis of the key provisions: **Registration and Recognition of Parties:** 1. **Registration:** PRead more
The Indian electoral system has a complex set of provisions for the regulation of political parties and candidates, aimed at ensuring the integrity and transparency of the electoral process. Here’s an analysis of the key provisions:
**Registration and Recognition of Parties:**
1. **Registration:** Political parties must register with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to participate in elections.
2. **Criteria:** To register, parties must submit an application, provide their constitution, and satisfy the ECI that they are a political party with a defined ideology and a minimum number of members (10,000 in the case of national parties).
3. **Recognition:** Recognized parties enjoy special privileges, such as:
* Allocation of election symbols
* Inclusion in the general category for allocation of television time during elections
* Exemption from filing security deposits
**Allocation of Election Symbols:**
1. **Symbol allocation:** The ECI allocates symbols to recognized parties, ensuring that each party has a unique symbol.
2. **Criteria:** The ECI considers factors such as the party’s popularity, its representation in Parliament or State Legislatures, and its performance in previous elections.
3. **Reservation of symbols:** The ECI reserves certain symbols for recognized parties, ensuring that new parties do not use them.
**Measures to Ensure a Level Playing Field:**
1. **Funding:** The ECI regulates party funding through donations and spending limits to prevent large-scale corruption.
2. **Filing fees:** Candidates must pay a fee (Rs. 25,000 for Lok Sabha and Rs. 15,000 for Assembly seats) to contest elections.
3. **Spending limits:** Candidates have spending limits (Rs. 70 lakhs for Lok Sabha and Rs. 28 lakhs for Assembly seats) to prevent excessive spending.
4. **Code of Conduct:** The ECI enforces a code of conduct for all political parties and candidates, prohibiting certain activities like bribery, intimidation, and misuse of government resources.
5. **Election observers:** Domestic and international observers are deployed to monitor elections and report on any irregularities.
**Challenges and Limitations:**
1. **Parties’ financial resources:** Wealthy parties may still have an unfair advantage due to their financial resources.
2. **Inequitable media access:** Large parties may receive more media attention due to their existing popularity or connections.
3. **Voter education:** Effective voter education programs can help level the playing field by increasing awareness about party platforms and policies.
4. **Election Commission’s powers:** The ECI’s ability to enforce regulations can be limited by political interference or inadequate resources.
In conclusion, the provisions for regulating political parties and candidates in Indian elections aim to ensure a level playing field by promoting transparency, accountability, and equality. While these measures have improved the electoral process over time, there is still room for refinement to address ongoing challenges and limitations.
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