SC extends order of no coercive action against employers for non-payment of full wages

Agencies
June 4, 2020

New Delhi, Jan 4: The Supreme Court on Thursday extended till June 12 its earlier order of May 15 asking the government not to take any coercive action against companies and employers for violation of Centre's March 29 circular for payment of full wages to employees for the lockdown period.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, S K Kaul and M R Shah reserved the verdict on a batch of petitions filed by various companies challenging the circular of the Ministry of Home Affairs issued on March 29 asking the employers to pay full wages to the employees during the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In the proceedings conducted through video conferencing, the top court said there was a concern that workmen should not be left without pay, but there may be a situation where the industry may not have money to pay and hence, the balancing has to be done.

Meanwhile, the apex court asked the parties to file their written submissions in support of their claims.

The top court on May 15 had asked the government not to take any coercive action against the companies and employers who are unable to pay full wages to their employees during the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Centre also filed an affidavit justifying its March 29 direction saying that the employers claiming incapacity in paying salaries must be directed to furnish their audited balance sheets and accounts in the court.

The government has said that the March 29 directive was a "temporary measure to mitigate the financial hardship" of employees and workers, specially contractual and casual, during the lockdown period and the directions have been revoked by the authority with effect from May 18.

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News Network
March 8,2024

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President Droupadi Murmu has nominated Sudha Murty to the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a social media post on March 8.

“I am delighted that the President of India has nominated Sudha Murty Ji to the Rajya Sabha. Sudha Ji’s contributions to diverse fields including social work, philanthropy and education have been immense and inspiring,” PM Modi wrote on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter) while sharing the news.

Describing the author, philanthropist, and former chairperson of the Infosys Foundation as “a powerful testament to Nari Shakti”, PM Modi wrote, “Her presence in the Rajya Sabha is a powerful testament to our ‘Nari Shakti’, exemplifying the strength and potential of women in shaping our nation’s destiny. Wishing her a fruitful Parliamentary tenure.”

Murty, who is travelling at the moment, thanked PM Modi for the nomination and said, “It’s a big Women’s Day gift to me. It’s a new responsibility to work for the country.”

Replying to PM Modi’s social media post, Sudha Murty wrote, “Thank you, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. It is my privilege and honour to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha by our Hon’ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji. I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve our nation.”

Born on August 19, 1950, in Karnataka’s Shiggaon, Sudha Murty began her career as a computer scientist and engineer, going on to become the first female engineer hired at Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (Telco).

Murty, wife of Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy, is also the chairperson of the Murty Trust and has authored several books. Her son-in-law is the Prime Minister of the UK and her daughter Akshata Murty is a businesswoman, fashion designer, and venture capitalist.

The 73-year-old’s nomination coincides with International Women’s Day. She received the Padma Shri award in 2006 and the Padma Bhushan in 2023.

Responding to the development BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, “Today, Sudha Murthy ji has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by honourable President Smt Droupadi Murmu. What other Sandesh (message) could have been more beautiful than this on International Women’s Day?”

The President of India nominates 12 members to the Upper House of the Parliament for their contributions towards arts, literature, sciences, and social services. Earlier this year, President Murmu had nominated founder-Chancellor of Chandigarh University and educationist Satnam Singh Sandhu to the Rajya Sabha.

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News Network
March 14,2024

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The high-level committee on simultaneous elections, chaired by Ram Nath Kovind, on Thursday met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan and submitted its report on 'One Nation, One Election'. The report comprises 18,626 pages.

Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at Rashtrapati Bhawan when Kovind led panel submitted the report.

"Simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies can be held in first step, followed by local body polls within 100 days in second step," reported PTI quoting the panel.

"Synchronised polls for all three tiers of government to improve governance architecture, in line with quest of aspirational India," it added.

The report has been submitted 191 days after the constitution of the panel on September 2, 2023.

It's further reported that the proposal also puts focus on having a singular electoral roll for holding Lok Sabha, state assembly and local body polls.

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News Network
March 18,2024

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New Delhi, Mar 18: The Election Commission on Monday afternoon issued orders for the removal of six Home Secretaries - including the top bureaucrats from Gujarat, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.

The poll panel also directed the transfer of West Bengal's Director-General of Police, the top cop of a state that has seen several instances of poll-related violence in recent years. The poll panel further said a shortlist of three potential replacements had to be prepared and submitted by 5 pm.

The re-shuffle, not an uncommon move by the Election Commission before major polls, also includes the transfer of the Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand Home Secretaries, as well as senior officials attached to the offices of the Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh Chief Ministers.

In addition, Iqbal Singh Chahal, who is Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and other officials in municipalities across Maharashtra, have been removed too.

All of this comes less than a month before the 2024 Lok Sabha poll; the ECI on Saturday said voting will begin on April 19 and run over seven phases till June 1.

This is, in fact, the first bureaucratic re-jig by the ECI since it announced polling dates.

The ECI's move comes after a meeting of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and his two associates, the newly-appointed Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. This step comes as part of the poll panel's commitment to ensure a level playing field for all political parties in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, as well as by-polls for 26 seats in 13 states.

Sources said the personnel removed were found to be holding dual charge in the offices of the respective chief ministers of each state, and this could compromise, or be seen to be compromising, required neutrality, particularly in relation to law-and-order before, during and after polling.

Bengal's ruling Trinamool has not yet reacted to the removal of DGP Rajiv Malik, who is seen by some to be close to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party. In the past, the state government has questioned the last-minute re-shuffle of senior civil service and police officials so close to an election, arguing it actually hampers prep work since the new faces need time to adjust to the post.

Bengal has frequently witnessed violence during polling season; in June last year over a dozen people were killed across the state as voting for a panchayat election was underway.

The Trinamool accused the opposition of instigating violence and criticised central forces for their failure to protect voters, while the Congress claimed the state had let thugs loose on the people.

While announcing the dates on Saturday, the Chief Election Commissioner said the poll panel would take a very dim view of any violence during the election. Mr Kumar said the ECI is prepared to come down hard on any such incident. "We're putting political parties on notice," he declared.

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