Controversy again on appointment of SC judges
It refers to the media-reports about fresh controversy erupted in appointment of judges at the Supreme Court where new collegiums formed with induction of Justice Arun Mishra subsequent to retirement of Justice Madan Lokur from Supreme Court on December 30, 2018, is said to have changed earlier recommendation for elevating Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Rajendra Menon now for elevating Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Sanjeev Khanna to Supreme Court Report further suggests about now-retired Justice J Chalmeshwar having written on March 21, 2018, some letter to the then Chief Justice Deepak Mishra and other judges about alleged impropriety of Justice Dinesh Maheshwari having made direct communication with the central government.
All such happenings tend to create wrong image amongst members of public about happenings at the Supreme Court, which can and should be effectively checked by inducing transparency in appointment of judges of higher courts and about correspondence made involving Chief Justice of India and other judges which are subject-matters of long-pending stay-orders by Supreme Court on CIC-verdicts in WPC 32855 and 32856 of the year 2009. The Chief Justice of India should in larger interest of all concerned ensure finality on these two long-pending matters.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal
The win of Congress in three big states has increased the reputation and significance of Congress is also big, that even in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the BSP alliance is formed with the Congress in the two states If there is unity in Congress in Uttar Pradesh, even political analyst says that if Congress is successful in the states, Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav will not be able to ignore the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, which became the fourth largest power in the Uttar Pradesh, they can become a factor and in Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati and Akhilesh can force the Congress to join this alliance for the kind of union that Congress and Rahul Gandhi played an important role in Bihar; this alliance was defeated by Modi and Amit Shah’s pair and now in the same year in Uttar Pradesh in 2019. Now only we can say that unity We stand divided We fall.
Hafiz Muhammad Ilyas
Mid-term Parliamentary polls in 2020?
The 2019 looks dicey for Indian politics with no single party heading towards a majority in the upcoming Parliamentary elections. The UP gathbandhan between SP-BSP has spoilt all maths and similar alliances minus Congress-BJP cannot be ruled out in other States as well. The NDA led by BJP could still emerge as the single largest alliance but will still be way short of the majority to form a govt. The UPA led by Congress could be close second after decisive wins in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh but would still struggle to cross 200 which means the 3rd front named as ‘Mahagathbandhan’ would call the shots that would be a disaster.
A coalition alliance between Mamta, Mayawatti, Mulayam, Lalu, and their tribe would be a disaster for not just Indian politics but economy as well. A hung Parliament cannot be ruled out and I would go to the extent of predicting a mid-term parliamentary poll in 2020 as well which would be harakari on the nation. Looks impossible but Congress should give outside support to the NDA led by BJP to dissuade Mahagathbandhan from forming the government if the need arises!
S.N.Kabra
Flight delays
The Kempegowda International Airport at Bengaluru is witnessing consistent early morning flight delays owing to prevailing weather conditions. Fog has played havoc causing unscheduled delays, disruptions in runways and thus leading to cascading delays across the check-in counters and at the airport. At a time when the airport is rejoicing with many milestones related to notable infrastructural improvements and passenger traffic achievements, it is high time that the present runway be equipped with advanced technology to enable landing and take offs during the early morning fog.
Many passengers get affected owing to unscheduled delays daily. Also most of people use the airport mainly for the purpose of business and official travel visits, which happens normally in the mornings after 10 am upon landing at the destination from Bengaluru and hence catching an early morning flight is highly essential. The otherwise ‘safety’ trade-off factor owing to fog delayed flights will cost the passengers time and money spent who invest heavily on flight travel to cut travel time.
As also it is known that the upcoming Runway 2 at KIA will be equipped with the advanced CAT IIIB ILS technology that will enable seamless landing during the foggy conditions, it is also high time to look into upgrading the existing runway infrastructure with necessary advanced technology. Further the Hon’ble Ministry of Civil Aviation and AAI should also look into formulating a strategy to equip all the important domestic and international airports with advanced technology to enable smooth landing. Such a move will avoid disruption in flight operations owing to the rapidly changing climate change conditions as witnessed over past few years across India.
Varun S D
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
