A Landmark Verdict

The Supreme Court verdict in a public interest litigation on candidates with a criminal background contesting in elections is as unique, decisive and epoch making as it is a long overdue one. The apex court has directed political parties to display the pending criminal cases of their candidates who contest on their ticket on their official websites. The court has also urged the Parliament to enact a strong legislation that makes it obligatory for political parties to remove leaders charged with “heinous and grievous” crimes, such as rape, murder and kidnapping, to name only a few, and refuse ticket to offenders in both parliamentary and Assembly polls so as to cleanse political parties of leaders facing trial for serious crimes.

The court directions that both the candidate and the political party should declare the criminal antecedents of the former in widely-circulated newspapers and that both the candidate and the political party should give “wide publicity” to the criminal record of the former by airing it on TV channels at least thrice after the filing of nomination papers, are most welcome and reflect the years old aspirations of the enlightened masses. (Newspapers may perhaps have to publish directories or special editions to accommodate all names!)

The nation hopes that the verdict is the first step in the process of breaking the crime-politics nexus which has its strong roots traversing deep down the entire society. There are however two concerns surrounding the implementation of the verdict. First, in what manner the political parties try to circumvent these directions remains to be seen. Secondly, we have many instances of voters with full knowledge of the colossal notoriety or proven criminal antecedents of candidates repeatedly electing them. This could undoubtedly be the outcome of the wily power and dazzle of money, which the candidate might be splashing in the election campaign.

At the same time, there are instances where the voters regret their choice and election of representative after seeing their third rate character and behavior in the public, post election. No doubt, many such faces with their bafoonery, gestures and expressions might be parading in the minds of the reader of this write-up while reading this. There should also be a new constitutional provision which gives the right to the voters to recall such elected representatives, who are sheer accidental wrong choices and are a mockery of democracy. It is sincerely hoped that this may also become a reality in the near future.

Promote Indian Brands, Not Foreign Brands

There was a time when we Indians had to depend on many things manufactured in foreign countries. The main reasons for the attachment of Indians to items produced abroad were the perception of quality attached to those things and the fact that India had not made the technological advancements made by a few other countries those days.

But times have drastically changed. India is now a technologically highly advanced country, more or less on par with many so called developed nations. Whether it is electronic gadgets or automobiles or televisions or refrigerators or mobile phones or home theatres, or air conditioners, India indigenously produces high quality items matching the perceived quality of those foreign manufactured things. Still, the craze for ‘foreign’ goods is strongly lingering in the minds of many Indians, who even try to create a wrong impression that India does not have the technological capability to match the quality standards of gadgets/devices/automobiles/other consumer goods manufactured in other countries and hence Indian goods are all of inferior or sub-standard quality. This is as much a hollow myth as it is sheer non sense.

India is no more in such a desperate situation as to depend on commodities produced abroad. India’s technological advancement is envious. Quality of goods indigenously produced in India more than matches the quality  of goods manufactured in any foreign country.  Indians are not duty bound to promote the products manufactured abroad or by foreign based MNCs functioning in India. Indians do not have any responsibility to promote any foreign brand.

India’s dependence on foreign currency depends on the extent of foreign goods consumed by the Indians. The more and more we go for commodities or services for which India has to pay the manufacturers or service providers in US dollars (the most traded currency internationally), the more and more powerful does US dollar become and Indian Rupee becomes weaker and weaker. However, India’s dependence on OPEC countries for crude is bound to continue, more on account of geographical factors rather than economic factors.

We Indians should try to encourage gadgets/devices/ automobiles etc. manufactured in India instead of promoting foreign brands. Dollar should not be allowed to gain supremacy to the extent being witnessed now. This is the only way to protect Indian economy. Foreign craze still lingering in the minds of some sections of Indians should become a thing of the past.

Petrol, diesel prices would come down by Rs 27, Rs 15 per litre if government includes fuel under highest GST slab.

Petrol and diesel prices are skyrocketing and touching new highs. Several solutions are being presented to the government by economists and industry experts on ways to bring down the fuel price. Reluctant to cut losses, the government is weighing on options before taking a step that could either provide a relief to the consumers or hamper its revenue prospects. The government can reduce petrol and diesel prices by Rs 26 and Rs 15, respectively, provided it includes the fuel under the GST, even under the highest slab of 28%.

There is wide spread criticism on levying over 100% taxes on petrol and over 68% taxes on diesel, at a time when people across the country are crying for some relief measures.

Let's assume that the government includes transportation fuel under the highest tax slab of 28 per cent. The basic cost of fuel after it comes out of refinery is Rs.36.93. Add  28% (14% CGST and 14% SGST) of GST in it and also the dealer commissioner of Rs 3.60, the price comes out to be around Rs 50.87. On diesel, the basic cost of fuel after it comes out of the refinery is Rs 39.78 per litre. Add 28% GST, combining both CGST and SGST, to it plus Rs 2.5 per litre as dealer commission, the price comes out to be around Rs 53.30. As per the Indian Oil Corporation's revised fuel pricing for Delhi, the current price of petrol is Rs 77.83 per litre while diesel is Rs 68.75 per litre.

If the government includes transportation fuel under the GST, and applies the highest tax slab of 28%, the petrol and diesel price would be reduced by Rs 26.90 and Rs 15.40, respectively.

So if not for collecting more revenue on transportation fuel, industry experts feel that the government has no reason not to include petrol and diesel under the GST. Any attempt to replace the multi-layered tax levied on fuel with a uniform tax regime of GST would affect its revenue. Though external factors have affected fuel prices in the country, the taxes levied by the Centre and state governments have also contributed significantly to the overall retail fuel prices.