New Delhi, Mar 23: The Election Commission of India, under Section 39A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, has issued directions for allotment of broadcast and telecast time to National and State recognised political parties on Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) for the General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

The ECI said in a press note that digital time vouchers have been issued through the IT platform to all recognised National and State political parties across the five poll-bound States/UT for the Assembly elections.

The broadcast/telecast period will be scheduled between the date of publication of the list of contesting candidates in each phase and two days before the date of poll in the poll-bound States/UT. The actual broadcast/telecast will be scheduled in advance through a draw of lots at the State/UT level in the presence of authorised representatives of political parties and officials from the office of the respective State/UT Chief Electoral Officer.

Under the scheme, free broadcasting and telecasting facilities of a base time of 45 minutes have been allotted on both Doordarshan and All India Radio for each party, to be uniformly provided on the regional network within the State.

Additional time has been allotted to political parties based on their poll performance in the previous Assembly elections in the respective States/UT.

Political parties are required to submit transcripts and recordings in advance, strictly adhering to the relevant guidelines. Recordings may be made in studios meeting the technical standards prescribed by Prasar Bharati or at Doordarshan/AIR Kendras.

In addition to party broadcasts, Prasar Bharati Corporation will organise up to two panel discussions and/or debates on Doordarshan and All India Radio. Each eligible political party may nominate one representative for the programme, which will be moderated by an approved coordinator.

New Delhi, Mar 23: Supreme Court Judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has asserted that the goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 cannot be achieved through criminalisation of dissent, mindless arrests under the anti-terror law UAPA and “deep social fault lines”.

Speaking at the first national conference of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in Bengaluru on Sunday, Justice Bhuyan also lamented the poor representation of women in the higher judiciary. He contrasted it with the figure of more than 50 per cent women making it to the posts of judicial officers in district judiciary across the country.

“But has it been replicated in constitutional courts? That is the question. That is where the scrutiny of the collegium system comes in. Why is it that when the assessment becomes subjective, women do not make the grade? Out of 287 SC judges since 1950, we had a total of only 11 women judges. Why? Starting with Fathima Beevi and now Justice Nagarathna, it is some two per cent,” Justice Bhuyan said.

He said that as per the collegium’s subjective assessment criteria, only a minuscule get selected as judges of high courts and the Supreme Court.

Raising serious concerns over the application of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), he referred to the data from 2019 to 2023 and said a truly developed nation must prioritise constitutional values over political slogans.

“Low convictions under UAPA show overuse, if not misuse, of the law,” he said. Presenting data from 2019 till 2023 of the people arrested under the UAPA, he said thousands were arrested, but the conviction rate is around five per cent.

“It shows consistently low conviction. What does it indicate, overuse if not misuse, and its impact on the criminal justice system. How much burden does it put on courts? This shows the vast majority were arrested but could not be convicted. This indicates many arrests were premature and unsupported by sufficient evidence,” the judge said.

On the low representation of women in higher judiciary, he said they made up only 14 per cent of high court judges.

“In the 25 HCs, we have only two women chief justices (CJs) – Gujarat and Meghalaya. One more will become CJ in a month’s time. That is also highly inadequate, three out of 25 HCs,” he said.

“My research shows that whenever the recruitment process is objective, more women enter the judicial space. When India becomes a developed nation (Viksit Bharat by 2047), there should be more parity in gender representation in judiciary. SC must be a rainbow institution, truly reflecting the diversity of the nation,” he said.

“My model of Viksit Bharat is equal distribution of wealth and disappearance of acute disparity… which is also the goal set in directive principles of state policies in the Constitution,” he said, adding that in developed India the “judiciary must remain judiciary” and “it can’t be an eternal critic or a cheerleader”.

He said in developed countries, there should be more room for debate and dissent.

“Debate should not be criminalised. There should be more tolerance towards diverse views. Divergent views should be respected. There should be more tolerance towards diverse views and criticism,” he said.

On societal imbalances, he said, “Deep social fault lines are there. Viksit Bharat cannot countenance such fault lines.

“Parents cannot insist that their children will not have food prepared by a Dalit woman. That cannot be a Viksit Bharat model. We cannot have Viksit Bharat when Dalit people are made to stand in the corridor and people urinate on them. This can’t be the model of development. Respect for the individual must be protected,” he said.

Former CJI B R Gavai said there were many verdicts that said if the name of a person recommended for judgeship in a high court was returned for reconsideration by the government and reiterated by the collegium, the government had no option but to appoint them.

“But there are many instances where even after repeated reiterations, the persons have not been appointed,” he lamented.

Assam, Mar 22: The Leader of Opposition in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly and Co-Incharge of the Assam Assembly Elections, Sunil Sharma, chaired a series of focused meetings with party election committees in Assam, as part of the party’s intensified preparations for the forthcoming Assembly Elections.

Sunil Sharma presided over an important meeting with the Election Management Committee of the North Karimganj Assembly Segment in Assam, where comprehensive discussions were held on strengthening organizational machinery and ensuring seamless election preparedness at all levels. He also chaired separate meetings with the District Election Committee, Lakhipur, and the Election Management Committee of the Borkhola Assembly Segment, reviewing ground-level readiness and aligning strategic objectives for the upcoming polls.

The meetings were primarily aimed at reinforcing organizational preparedness, refining electoral strategies, and ensuring coordinated execution across constituencies. Detailed deliberations focused on booth-level management, systematic voter outreach programmes, and enhanced coordination among party workers to ensure efficient campaign execution. Special emphasis was laid on effective communication of the party’s vision, policies, and achievements to the grassroots, ensuring that the message resonates with every section of society.

During the interactions, Sunil Sharma underlined the importance of discipline, unity, and people-centric campaigning, stressing that these pillars are essential for building public trust and ensuring maximum participation in the democratic process. He urged party workers to remain connected with the people, address their concerns proactively, and work with sincerity and commitment to strengthen the party’s bond with the electorate.

Sunil Sharma appreciated the dedication, organizational discipline, and commitment demonstrated by committee members across districts. He encouraged them to work with renewed energy and unwavering determination to advance the party’s vision of inclusive development, good governance, and holistic progress for the people of North Karimganj, Lakhipur, Borkhola and the entire region. He further prompted them for a collective resolve to function in a structured, strategic, and transparent manner, ensuring a strong electoral performance in the forthcoming Assembly Elections.