Elections in
India
are grand and massive affairs
– they are in some ways like festivals.
This State which went to polls yesterday has only 4 Parliamentary
constituencies and 68 assembly segments of which BJP won 45 in the previous elections -. BJP's Prem Kumar Dhumal was sworn in as
Chief Minister on 30 December 2007.
In this hilly state, fruit cultivation has proved to be an economic boon. There are huge
tracts of land suitable only for growing fruits.. Apple farming produces the
maximum income. Fruit growing in the state is fetching over Rs.300 crore
annually. Though the state is deficient in food grains, it has gained a lot in
other spheres of agricultural production such as seed potato, ginger,
vegetables, vegetable seeds, mushrooms, chicory seeds, hops, olives and
fig. There is also cultivation of
mushrooms, flowers, pistachio nuts, sarda melon and saffron.
It is Himachal Pradesh,
spread over 21,495 sq mi (55,670 km2),bordered by
Jammu
and Kashmir
, Punjab, Haryana, Uttrakhand and
Tibet
. Himachal Pradesh is famous for its abundant
natural beauty. In 1950 Himachal became
a union territory but after the State of
Himachal
Pradesh Act
1971, Himachal emerged as the 18th state of the
Republic
of
India
. Hima means snow in Sanskrit, and
the literal meaning of the state's name is ‘in the lap of
Himalayas
’. The Economy of the Himachal Pradesh is
currently the third fastest growing economy in
India
. Hindus make up 95% of the state population,
making it the most Hindu state (proportionally), in
India
. It’s capital is Shimla, known for its scenic
locations – hills with snow capped peaks.
Elections to the Himachal Pradesh Assembly took place
peacefully on Sunday except for minor EVM snags at some places. About 75 per
cent of the voters exercised their franchise and there are reports of heavy
polling in rural areas. Whenever, there is higher % of voting, it generally has
indicated a shift in governance and that way it could be a worry for the ruling
BJP. Elections were held simultaneously
in all 68 constituencies.
Though it is not a big State like UP, MP, AP still as
many as 146 candidates contesting the
upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections are 'crorepatis', according to a
NGO report. The study conducted by
Himachal Pradesh Election Watch, an NGO generating awareness among voters, also
found that assets of 54 MLAs, re-contesting polls this year, grew on an average
by 172 per cent since the 2007 elections.
Leading the table is Brij Behari Lal Butail of Congress
from Palampur constituency with assets worth Rs 169 crore, followed by Balbir
Singh Verma (independent candidate from Chopal) with Rs 41 crore and Congress
candidate Ram Kumar (Doon constituency) with Rs 36 crore. In the World’s democracy, where there are
reports of IT authorities conducting raids frequently on traders, shops and
industrialists, there is little or at best targeted raids on politicians though
they are repeatedly in news for amassing wealth.
Firstpost reports that , while black money –
also known to be money that is not taxed – is a rampant ill in
India
, its
politicians often lead by bad example. Case in point being candidates
contesting in Himachal Pradesh’s Assembly Election on 4 November. According to
the Association for Democratic Reforms, an electoral and political reforms NGO,
the CPM’s candidate from Theog, Rakesh Singh, having total assets worth Rs 17.28
crore, leads the list of candidates having high assets but those who have never
filed IT returns. Singh is followed by Vijay Jayoti an independent from
Kasumpti with assets of Rs 7.23 crore and CPM’s candidate from Shimla Tikender
Panwar who has assets of Rs 3.05 crore.
The top 10 candidates in the list have assets ranging from almost Rs 99
lakh to Rs 17.28 crore – but have never filed income tax returns.
Of the total of 459 candidates contesting the
Assembly elections in the state, ADR analysed 445 of them for their IT
declarations. Of those analysed, the organisation found that 163 candidates had
never filed their income taxes. Of the defaulters, BSP had 40 out of 62
candidates, BJP had 11 out of 68 candidates, HLP had 13 out of 32 candidates,
AITC has 11 out of 26 candidates and Congress had 2 out of 68 candidates who
have not filed IT returns.
Ask any individual tax payer, they sure will
carry tale of woe of how difficult is to file returns and how difficult it is
to claim refund from the Income tax authorities. The news of candidates not even caring to
file Income tax returns but aspiring to become rulers makes a sad reading and
makes a mockery of the election system.
There is concern that systemic changes are required or else democracy
will be fractured by the moneybags
With regards –
S. Sampathkumar
.
