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Helicopter crash video from 2018 is shared as Basketball player Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 28, 2020
A video is being widely shared on social media with a claim that it is that of Basketball player Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash. Let’s analyze the claim about the video.
Basketball player Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash video.
Fact: The video is that of a helicopter crash in 2018, wherein a rescue helicopter crashed hitting the world’s longest zip line in the United Arab Emirates. So, the claim is FALSE.
From the January 27, 2020 article of ‘BBC News’, it can be found that Basketball player Kobe Bryant, along with his daughter Gianna, had died in a helicopter crash in California.
When searched on YouTube with the keywords ‘Helicopter crash’, many search results were obtained. Among them, a search result had similar footage as in the Facebook post. The uploader of it initially seems to have said the video to be that of Kobe’s crash but has later on edited the title of the video. In the description, the uploader has written that the footage in the video is that of a rescue helicopter crash in UAE and also thanked the ones who corrected his mistake by commenting on the video. With this information, when googled, an article of ‘The National’ with similar footage was found. From the article, it was found that, on 30th December 2018, a rescue helicopter crashed hitting the world’s longest zip line in the United Arab Emirates and causing the death of four crew members who were present in the helicopter during the accident.
To conclude, the video in the post is not that of Basketball player Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash.
Did you watch our new video in the DECODE series?

created: January 28, 2020


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Don't Hesitate to help Road Accident Victims: Government stands by The Good Samaritan
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 13, 2015
Don’t hesitate to help the road accident victims. The government has now notified guidelines for the protection of the Good Samaritans. Spread the word.

source: news-factly

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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Helpline number- ‘7837018555’ is related to the ‘free ride’ facility launched by the Ludhiana (Punjab) Police - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 5, 2019
A message is being widely shared on social media and it is as follows- ‘Hyderabad Police launched free ride scheme where any woman who is alone & not able to find a vehicle to get home at night between 10pm-6am can call the police helpline numbers (1091 and 7837018555) & request for a vehicle. They will work 24×7. The control room vehicle or nearby PCR vehicle/SHO vehicle will come & drop her safely to her destination. This will be done FREE of cost. Pass this message to everyone you know’. Another post claims helpline number- ‘7837018555’ to be that of free ride service provided by the Nagpur Police for the women travelling in the city during nights. Let’s check to what extent the information is true.
Helpline number- ‘7837018555’ is related to the ‘free ride’ facility provided by the Hyderabad Police for the women travelling in the city during nights.
Fact: Helpline number- ‘7837018555’ is related to the ‘free ride’ facility provided by the Ludhiana (Punjab) Police for the women who aren’t able to get a vehicle to get home between 10 pm and 6 am. The Hyderabad Police also started a similar service as a pilot project but it is not related to the above helpline number. So, the claim is MISLEADING.
When searched ‘Helpline number 7837018555’, search results were obtained about the ‘free ride’ service launched by Ludhiana Police for the women travelling in the city during nights. From an article of ‘Hindustan times’, it was found that the Ludhiana Police have launched ‘free ride’ facility for women, wherein a woman who is alone and not able to find a vehicle to get home at night (10 pm-6 am) can call the police helpline numbers- ‘112’, ‘1091’ and ‘7837018555’ and request the facility.
When looked if such facility is also provided in Hyderabad, an article of ‘The New Indian Express’ was found. From the article, it was found that the Hyderabad police have also started providing the facility to women based on calls to ‘Dial 100’ and the teams called ‘Women on Wheels’ (WoW) that patrol the city on bikes would pick up and drop women when the facility is requested by them.
When searched for such a facility by Nagpur Police, a tweet by them was found. In the tweet, it was written that the Nagpur Police are providing “HOME-DROP” facility for the woman who is alone/stranded, with no means to go home during nights when contacted on ‘Dial 100’ or ‘1091’ or ‘07122561103’.
We are providing "HOME-DROP" facility for the Safety and Security of Women:
Any woman who is alone/stranded, with no means to go home, between 9pm – 5am, would be safely escorted by us till her home, FREE of Cost.
DIAL 100 or 1091 or 07122561103.#NagpurPolice#AlwaysThere4U
To conclude, the helpline number- ‘7837018555’ is related to the ‘free ride’ facility launched by the Ludhiana (Punjab) Police for the women travelling in the city during nights.
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created: December 5, 2019


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Here are some interesting Private Member bills introduced in the current Lok Sabha session
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 16, 2017
The current Lok Sabha session saw the introduction of many private member bills. Here is a compilation on some of the interesting ones.
A member of the Lok Sabha other than those part of the Union Council of Ministers is treated as a Private Member for introduction of any legislation. A private member desirous of introducing a legislation can do so on a day dedicated to such business. But any legislation seeking to amend the constitution has to be approved by the standing committee on Private Members bills. Here is a compilation of some interesting private member bills introduced in the current Lok Sabha session.
Prevention of Discrimination of all Kinds – Shashi Tharoor
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor introduced the Anti-Discrimination and Equality Bill, 2016 to ensure equality to every citizen of the country by providing protection against all forms of social discrimination. This is one of the most comprehensive private member bills introduced. The bill seeks to prevent any form of discrimination based on caste, race, ethnicity, descent, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, religion and belief, tribe, disability, linguistic identity, HIV status, nationality, marital status, food preference, skin tone, place of residence, place of birth or age etc. The bill defines direct & indirect discrimination apart from providing for Central & State Equality Commissions to deal with cases of discrimination.
Recall of elected representatives – Varun Gandhi
BJP MP Varun Gandhi introduced the bill seeking to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1951 that contains proposals for recall of elected representatives. The bill proposes that any voter of a particular constituency can file a recall petition with the speaker of the relevant house provided the petition is signed by at least 1/4th of the total number of voters in that constituency. It also proposes some conditions as to when this petition can be filed. Once the speaker is satisfied with the genuineness of the petition, he transfers it to the ECI to validate the signatures of the voters. Once the ECI carries out the due diligence process, it then proceeds to conduct the recall process. The recall petition is deemed to be successful if the recall petition receives at least 3/4th the number of votes received by that person in his election.
Population Controll Bill – Prahlad Patel
BJP MP Prahlad Patel introduced the ‘Population Control Bill, 2016’ that seeks to control population by way of limiting the number of children a family can have. The bill proposes a cap of two living children per person/family. If any person intends to procreate more than two living children for any medical reason, he has to apply to a board at the disrict level headed by the collector. If the District Board is satisfied that exceptional medical circumstances exist which require the applicant to opt for third child, then it shall grant necessary permission. Else it can reject the application after hearing the applicant.
Property of the guilty to be given to the Rape Victim – Parvesh Sahib
BJP MP Parvesh Sahib introduced a bill to amend the Indian Penal Code, 1860 that seeks to insert a new section 376F in the Indian Penal Code. The new section seeks to confiscate the movable and immovable property of the person who is convicted of rape and the same be given to the rape victim. The bill also mentions that if the rape convict is married and has children, then his property shall be distributed equally between the victim of rape and the wife and children of the convicted.
Public Urination, Defacation etc to be penalised – Maheish Girri
BJP MP Maheish Girri introduced the Maintenance of Cleanliness Bill, 2016 that seeks to prohibit littering, spitting and urinating in public places so as to ensure maintenance of clean, hygienic and healthy atmosphere in and around public places. The bill proposes that spitting, littering, urinating, defecating, defiling or defacement in any public place is to be prohibited. Anybody who violates the prohibition shall be punished with a fine of not less than one thousand rupees.  The bill puts the responsibility of implementation on the local authorities. It has to be noted that such legislations prohibiting defacement of public places already exist in some states.
Bhagavad Gita should be compulsorily taught in Educational Institutions as a moral education textbook – Ramesh Bidhuri
BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri introduced the Compulsory Teaching of Bhagavad Gita as a Moral Education Text Book in Educational Institutions Bill, 2016. The bill seeks to mandate every educational institution to compulsorily teach Bhagavad Gita as a moral education text book. It also puts the responsibility on the appropriate government to appoint teachers with necessary qualifications to teach Bhagavad Gita. The bill also provides for de-recognition of a school in case of violation.
Protecting the Whistle Blowers – Baijayant Panda
BJD MP Baijayant Panda introduced the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that seeks to amend the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2011. This bill provides for specific provisions to protect whistle-blowers & witnesses against physical attacks and any other reprisals.The bill seeks to expand the scope of ‘injury’ to a whistle blower by including disadvantages like dismissal of an employee, alteration of an employee’s position to his detriment or discrimination with an employee. It also defines a witness as any person, who possesses information or document about any crime with respect to this principal act. The bill also seeks to categorize witnesses into three groups based on threat perception and extend adequate protection to them.


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Here are some of the important orders by RERAs in different states
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 15, 2021
The RERA act and the subsequent rules were made to bring relief to home buyers and more importantly bring in transparency & accountability in the real estate sector. Here is a review of some of the important orders made by RERAs in different states.
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (commonly known as the RERA Act) was passed in 2016 to bring in transparency and accountability in the real estate sector by creating a mechanism to address issues such as delay in project completion and delivery, full disclosure of all the details, and grievance redressal by safeguarding the interests of buyers as well as the developers. Factly had earlier published an explainer on the rights of homebuyers under the RERA Act. In this story, we look at some of the important rulings of the various state Real Estate Regulatory Authorities (RERA) across the country.
34 States/UTs have notified rules under RERA
According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, 34 States/UTs have notified rules under RERA as of 09 January 2021. Nagaland is under process to notify rules while West Bengal has enacted its own legislation which has been challenged before the Supreme Court. A total of 30 States/UTs have established the Real Estate Regulatory Authority.
More than 60,000 cases have been disposed since RERA was enacted
A total of 59,621 Real Estate Projects and 46,276 Real Estate Agents were registered under RERA across the country as on 09 January 2021, since RERA came into force. Compared to  11 January 2020, the number of registered projects and agents have both increased by over 21% in almost a year. Over 19,171 cases have been disposed of in the past year. At the same time, more than sixty thousand cases have been disposed of so far. Uttar Pradesh contributed to over 40% of these cases followed by Haryana contributing to more than 20%. Haryana has two Regulatory Authorities. One has been set up in Gurugram to deal with the issues there and the other is set up at Panchkula to cover the rest of Haryana.
Any aggrieved person can make a complaint to the State RERA in case of violations
Any aggrieved person, (a buyer, agent, or developer) may file a complaint with the respective State RERA if there is a violation of the provisions of the respective act or the rules.  In this story, some key issues such as possession delays, the jurisdiction of RERA, the constitutional validity of provisions, and others are discussed through relevant case laws.
Jurisdiction of RERA was clarified by Punjab RERA
In Bikramjit Singh Vs, M/s HP Singh, the Punjab RERA held that RERA does not extend to projects whose application has been rejected by the authority. Further, it was also stated that complaints against projects not registered with RERA will not be entertained by the authority. In this judgement, the authority also clarified the maintainability of a complaint in those cases where the violations occurred before the act was enforced. It was stated that such complaints would be entertained only if three conditions were fulfilled-
Cases pending or ongoing with other tribunals will not be entertained by RERA
The authority in Gurugram, Haryana in Sh. Sukhbir Singh Grewal Vs. M/s MVL Ltd, reiterated that it will not entertain any case which is already pending in another tribunal or court. In this particular case, the buyer had filed a case against the builder for delay in giving possession of property beyond the date mentioned in the agreement. The builder submitted that the delay was a result of the interim order passed by SEBI. The builder had moved the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) challenging SEBI’s decision. RERA stated that ‘As the matter is already with the SEBI/SAT, accordingly there is no case left for the present before this authority and to continue further proceedings in the matter. Let the issue be decided by the SEBI/SAT. Once the SAT set aside the order of the SEBI then the only allottee may come to us for proceedings under the RERA Act.’
Delay in possession involves refund of payment and interest
In Sukhbir Singh Vs MVL Ltd., the complaint was lodged against the builder due to delay in giving possession of the property. In that case, RERA also added that the remedy according to them would have been the refund of money paid by the complainant along with interest as per the prescribed rate. However, the matter was being dealt with by SEBI and SAT.
Delay in delivery of the project has also been addressed in Avinash Saraf Vs. Runwal Homes Pvt Ltd by the Maharashtra RERA. In Avinash Saraf Vs, Runwal Homes Pvt Ltd., the complainants asserted that they had paid 97% of the total consideration of the flat. The agreement stated that the flat would be handed over by August 2016. However, the builder had failed to do so even a year later, when the complaint was filed. The bank had also collected the loan EMIs with interest from the agreed date of handover. The complainants sought a refund of the amount paid along with an interest of 21% per annum in addition to compensation from the builder. In this case, Maharashtra’s RERA held that RERA has jurisdiction even for agreements executed before RERA was enacted since the cause of action has survived even after RERA came into force. Further, it held that possession without a certificate is illegal. The authority granted the complainant a full refund along with interest and the cost of the complaint.
Housing projects should be registered only if the area exceeds 500 square meters ‘or’ if the number of flats exceeds 8
As per the RERA Act, properties where the area of land proposed to be developed does not exceed five hundred square meters or the number of apartments proposed to be developed does not exceed eight need not register the project with RERA.
In Geetanjali Aman Constructions Vs Hrishikesh Ramesh Paranjpe, the construction company approached the Maharashtra Real Estate Appellate Tribunal against the orders passed by RERA when two homebuyers filed complaints that the developer had not registered the ongoing project with RERA. The state’s RERA ruled that the developer should pay a penalty of 3% of the project cost as per RERA provisions. Later, the developer sought a review of the order as there were errors in the area of the project and the number of flats. The RERA imposed an additional penalty until the project is registered as the number of flats exceeded eight. Upon approaching the Tribunal, it quashed both the orders ruling that if either of the two parameters is met, one need not register the housing project with RERA.
RERA is applicable to state run entities too
In September 2020, the Rajasthan RERA in a landmark decision held that the RERA Act is mandatory in nature. In Vinod Agarwal Vs. Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), the complainant said that he had participated in an auction organized by JDA and was allotted a plot in the project. He had also deposited 15% of the amount with JDA. However, JDA further issued a demand note of 35% of the amount and 15% interest in case of delay, without executing the agreement for sale.
As per RERA Act, the developer is not allowed to accept more than 10% of the cost without executing or getting an agreement of sale registered. The argument put forth by the respondent was that it is a statutory development authority, it is guided by Rajasthan Improvement Trust (Disposal of Urban Land) Rules, 1974. Further, it was added that the auction conditions did not stipulate any specific requirement for executing an agreement of sale. Also, the auction of the plot took place on an as-is-where-is basis. However, RERA ruled that the project was registered under it and thus, all rules and regulations under the Act would be applicable to the project as well and directed JDA to execute the sale agreement before demanding an additional amount. Section 13 of the Act mandates the execution of the sale agreement.
Constitutional validity of RERA Act was challenged in Bombay HC
Builders filed a case against the Union of India challenging the constitutional validity of various provisions of the RERA Act, the Maharashtra RERA rules such as provisions addressing delay in possession, arbitrary interests on builders, etc. While upholding certain sections of the Act and rules, the Bombay High Court struck down one of the qualifications for appointment of a Judicial Member prescribed in Section 46(1)(b) of the act.
Issue of insolvency in real estate projects was addressed
Sushil Ansal Vs. Ashok Tripathi case involved challenging a decree in NCLAT or National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, wherein it was necessary to file an insolvency petition by a company for paying Rs. 73 lakhs awarded to the complainants under UP RERA. NCLAT ruled that homebuyers could turn to civil law for enforcing their decree since an amendment in 2019 to the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) made it necessary that either 100 buyers or 10% of the allottees file the petition.
Only a few orders of various RERAs have been discussed in this story. One could go through the thousands of orders delivered by these authorities before filing a relevant complaint.
Featured Image: RERA Act

created: January 15, 2021


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Here are two Schemes for the Economically Backward Classes (EBCs)
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 16, 2015
The debate on reservations often brings up the issue of poorer sections of society from the General Category and what the government is doing for their welfare. Two schemes that are specifically designed for the poorer sections from the General Category are the Post-Matric Scholarship & Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for Overseas Studies.
The debate on reservations often brings up the issue of poorer sections of society from the General Category and what the government is doing for their welfare. Here are two central sector schemes, specifically designed for the Economically Backward Classes (EBCs). The extremely poor people having annual income less than Rs.1.00 lakh and who do not belong to any social category such as SC/ST/OBC, have been categorized as Economically Backward Classes (EBCs). The following schemes are being implemented by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for welfare of the EBCs;
This is a 100 % centrally sponsored scheme being implemented through the State Government and Union Territories. The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to the EBC students studying at post-matriculation or post-secondary stage. The income ceiling of parents/guardians for eligibility is Rs.1.00 lakh per annum.
The objective of the scheme is to award interest subsidy to meritorious EBC students to provide them better opportunities for higher education abroad and enhance their employability.
To be eligible under the scheme, a student should come under the income ceiling of Rs. 1.00 lakh per annum. 50 % of the outlay every year is earmarked for Girl students. The provisional list of selected students is regularly uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Social Justice.

created: December 16, 2015


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Here is a comparative review of the ASER & NAS, the Indians surveys on School Education & Learning
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 2, 2021
Multiple global surveys have highlighted the significant impact of COVID-19 on school going children & their learning levels. In India, two different school education related surveys provide insights into children’s education. The ASER is by a non-government organization, and the NAS is conducted by the government. Here is a comparative review of both.
Education is one of the major areas that was directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdown & other quarantine measures across the world resulted in the shutting down of schools, thereby creating challenges in access to education.
As per World Bank, based on a study across Europe and Central Asia, around 185 million students were affected due to the closure of schools during the peak of the pandemic. Studies show that while children from socioeconomically well-off families received more parental support and access to online resources, the learning loss for those from less-educated and less-privileged homes was alarmingly high.
UNICEF’s “Situation Analysis on the Effects of and Responses to COVID-19 on the Education Sector in South Asia” highlights the impact of COVID-19 on education in the region. Around 389 million students have been impacted by school closures.  It is estimated that around 24 million learners globally might not return to education and another 20 million secondary-school age girls might be out of school after the crisis.
India specific surveys – ASER & NAS
As per international studies, even the situation in India presents a gloomy picture like the world over. In this context, two surveys carried out regularly can provide deeper insights into the impact of COVID-19 on education.
While the purpose of both surveys is to reflect upon the status of education in the country, the parameters studied in these surveys vary.  Here is a look at both ASER-2021 and NAS -2021, and how they differ in terms of survey methodology & the parameters they study.
Scope of these Surveys
Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on the learning of children is the key goal of both the ASER-2021 and NAS-2021. However, the approach and methods used to ascertain the impact of learning varies.
ASER 2021: ASER-2021 explored the impact of COVID-19 on various factors influencing students learning. ASER is a citizen-led household survey that provides nationally representative estimates of children’s schooling status along with their foundational reading and arithmetic skills.
It was an annual survey during 2005 and 2014 and then conducted in alternate years until 2018. The survey is conducted for children in the age group of 3-16 years in nearly all the rural districts of the country.
With the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and schools shutting down in March’2020, there arose a need to capture the impact of the pandemic and school closures on children’s access to learning opportunities.  COVID-19 pandemic also made it impossible for a field-based survey. Hence ASER-2020 was redesigned as a phone survey and new additions were made to gather information on the impact of the pandemic on different aspects of children’s education. ASER -2021, retains the phone survey format and a few critical areas were emphasized.
Few of the critical areas covered in ASER-2021 include– children enrolment, tuition classes, smartphones, access to learning materials, learning support at home, etc.
Information relating to taking up private tuition classes, access to smartphones, learning support at home, etc. were introduced in ASER-2020 in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued even in 2021. Another important aspect for which the data was gathered in ASER-2021 is relating to the re-opening of the schools, which was not the case in 2020.
NAS- 2021: NAS-2021 is focused on measuring the learning levels and impact of COVID-19. NAS-2021 was conducted by the Central Government’s Ministry of Education on 12 November 2021.
The NAS was launched in 2001-02 and is a school-level survey. The earlier iteration of the survey was NAS-2017. NAS-2021 is a nationwide survey and conducted for Classes 3,5,8 & 10, with the help of the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). NAS attempts to assess grade-level competencies of children through the testing instruments prepared by NCERT for each of the classes. NAS 2021 was conducted in 22 languages for various subjects.
Apart from the assessment that would evaluate the learnings, there is also a questionnaire that to collect background information. The coverage includes:
It also includes questions relating to learning for children with special needs.
Unlike ASER-2021, which focused on areas related to COVID-19 like availability of mobile phones, access to private tuitions, etc., NAS-2021 does not have questions that might directly provide information on the other factors influenced by COVID-19.  However, the background information being collected as part of NAS-2021 could throw light on the diversity of the access to facilities for the students, especially during the pandemic.
NAS-2021 is considered as the most important of the NASs conducted so far, since it throws light on the impact on the learning gains made over the years, with schools being closed due to the pandemic.
Coverage of the Surveys & Participation
ASER -2021 covered nearly all the rural districts i.e., 581 districts across 25 states & 3 UTs. More than 75 thousand children aged 5-16 years and around 76.7 thousand households were part of the survey.
As per the available provisional data, around 33.42 lakh students participated in the NAS-2021 survey. The participation rate is estimated to be around 88%.
ASER- 2021 provided key insights on the impact of COVID-19 on learning
ASER-2021 provided some important insights which highlight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s learning.
ASER – 2021 also provided insights into major influencing factors on children’s learning and the impact of COVID-19.
The purpose and method followed for NAS-2021 might not throw similar results or insights but would provide critical information on the impact of COVID-19 on children’s learning. It also provides an opportunity to analyse the learning levels compared to earlier and measure the impact of COVID-19 and the closure of schools on learning.  It would also bring to light the differences among the students who had access to better resources and those who were dependent on schools being physically open for learning.
Featured Image: School Children

created: December 2, 2021


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Here is a list of important global events affected by COVID-19
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 1, 2020
COVID-19 has affected almost every sector and country. Many important events had to be either cancelled or rescheduled. Here is a list of important global events affected by COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic is considered the worst crisis since World War II, that has affected all continents except Antarctica. Tocombat the viral outbreak that has gripped nations, many countries have takenmeasures to halt social gatherings for an indefinite period, till the pandemicsubsides. Educational institutions are continuing courses online whilerestrictions have been imposed on the strength of crowd for weddings and funerals.Gymnasiums, parks, malls, tourist spots, religious places, and offices havealso been closed temporarily in most countries. From international to statelevel, governments have shut the borders to prevent the virus from spreading.Only essential services are allowed to cross borders. Many events includingconferences, summits, and sporting events scheduled to be held this year havebeen either cancelled, re-scheduled, or held online.
From international conferences like COP 26 and film festivals likeCannes to Olympics, have all been either re-scheduled, cancelled, or heldonline. Cancellation or re-scheduling of events due to COVID-19 come witheconomic loss and commercial concerns.
This story lists out some of the major events that have been re-scheduledamidst the pandemic. The events have been grouped into four categories-International conferences, Elections, Sports, and others.
International Conferences
ASEAN Summit, Las Vegas
US President Donald Trump had invited the members of Association
of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) for meeting in Las Vegas on 14 March 2020. ASEAN comprises of tenmember countries- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, thePhilippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
UNFCCC
COP 26, Glasgow
The 26 session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) tothe United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) scheduled to be held from 9 November to 19November 2020 at Glasgow in Scotland has been postponed to 2021. The decisionwas announced by President Designate of COP 26, Alok Sharma MP, on 02 April2020. Preparatory events such as Pre-COP, and Youth Event which were to be heldat Italy have also been postponed. The formal meeting of UNFCCC parties is heldannually to assess the progress made by countries to deal with climate change.
World Press Freedom Conference 2020, Hague
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Netherlands, on consultation with UNESCO,has postponed the annual World Press Freedom conference which was supposed tobe held from 22 to 24 April 2020. The conference has now been re-scheduled for18 to 20 October 2020 at the World Forum in Hague, Netherlands. The conferencehas been held annually since 1993, providing a platform for journalists,national authorities, civil society representatives, and academics to discusschallenges to press freedom and safety of journalists.
World Bank and IMF’s Spring Meetings
Usually, during the annual Spring Meetings, the World Bank- IMFDevelopment Committee and IMF’s International Monetary and Financial Committeehold meetings in which they discuss the progress of works undertaken by WorldBank and IMF. However, this year, meetings were held in virtual format as per schedule because of which related events suchas seminars, regional briefings, and press conferences on global economy anddevelopment were called off. Global recession and economic repercussions due to pandemic werediscussed.
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Kigali
The 26 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) wasscheduled to be held in Kigali, Rwanda from 22 to 27 June 2020. The meeting andassociated events have been postponed. The new dates are yet to be announced. This year’s theme is ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting,Innovating, Transforming.’ The biennial meeting of leaders from allcommonwealth nations was last held in London in 2018 on the same theme,‘Towards a common future’.
Elections
Bolivia
Bolivia’s Presidential election has been postponed. The presidential election was originally slated for 03 May 2020. The newdates are yet to be notified. The elections in Bolivia were held in October last year, causing widespread protests and violence and resulting inthe resignation of socialist leader, Evo Morales, who was one of the longestserving leaders of Latin America.
Serbia
The general elections in Serbia have been postponed and the fresh dateswill be announced after the state of emergency in the country ends. The Serbian government announced nationwide emergency with effect from  15 March 2020.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections were supposed to be held on 25 April 2020. TheElection Commission has notified that the elections will now be held on 20 June 2020. The deadline for postal voting applications has alsobeen extended.
Syria
Reports suggest that parliamentary elections in Syria have been pushed to 20 May 2020 from 13April 2020.
India
Rajya Sabha elections to 18 seats spread across Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand,Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Meghalaya have been delayedindefinitely as per the notice issued by the Election Commission of India on 03April 2020.
Sports
Olympics and Paralympics 2020, Tokyo
The International Olympic Committee and Japanese President, Shinzo Abe announced that the 32  Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo would berescheduled to a later date, not beyond Summer 2021, following WHO’sdeclaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic. In a later announcement, the IOC announced that the Olympics and Paralympicswill be held on the same dates in 2021- Olympics from 23 July to 08 August,2021 and Paralympics from 24 August to 05 September, 2021. Recently, Tokyo 2020President has been reported to have announced that the games will be either held in 2021 orcancelled. The Olympics torch-lighting ceremony was held behind closed doors on 12 March.
Football
The qualifiers for Asian countries to the football World Cup 2022, Qatarwas supposed to be held during 23 to 31 March and 1 to 9 June 2020. However, FIFA,the international federation for football, has announced that these matcheswill be postponed to future dates, which will be notified later.
English Premier League, EUFA’s Champions League and Europa League also stand postponed until furthernotice.
Cricket
Indian Premier League, India’s popular 20-over cricket tournament, heldevery year during summer has been suspended until further notice.  BCCI Secretary Jay Shah made the announcementon 16 April 2020. Other international matches and series have also beenaffected by the outbreak.
Tennis
The prestigious Wimbledon, also known as the Championships 2020, has been called-off this year.The 134 Championships have been scheduled to be organized between28 June and 11 July 2021, instead. Wimbledon, like the Olympics, has earlierbeen affected only by World Wars.
French Open, or Roland Garros, has been postponed and will now beheld from 20 September to 04 October 2020. It was originally scheduled for 18May 2020.
Indian Wells 2020, popularly known by the name, BNP Paribas Open, hasbeen cancelled this year.
In addition to the above-mentioned sports, several other championshipsand World Cups have been postponed including 2020 World Table Tennis Championship, U-17 Women’s Football World Cup, National Basketball Association’s Season etc.
Others
Mobile World Conference which is considered the greatest smartphoneexhibition has been cancelled.
Game Developers Conference and World’s biggest Gaming show E3 have also been cancelled.
Dalai Lama has also cancelled all his public engagements untilfurther notice.
The annual famous London Book Fair which attracts publishers from across the world hasbeen cancelled.
Japan’s cherry blossom festival, which is held during spring every year, is a topattraction of Japan that draws plenty of tourists. The festival standscancelled.
Corporate giants, Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft and Adobe, all cancelled their in-person development conferences and will hold these conferences online with a different format.
Featured Image: By Asao Tokolo


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Here is all that you need to know about the MUDRA Loans - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 26, 2015
Taking ahead the work of the previous governments in the area of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, the NDA government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana under the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) scheme for smoother credit flow to small entrepreneurs.
Taking ahead the work of the previous governments in the area of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, the NDA government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana under the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA). This is a new institution being set up by Government of India for development and refinancing activities relating to micro units. It was announced by the Finance Minister while presenting the Union Budget for 2015-16. The purpose of MUDRA is to provide funding to the non corporate small business sector. The government has identified the lack of financial support as the biggest bottleneck to the growth of small business in the country.
What does it offer?
Under the MUDRA Yojana, the following interventions will be funded namely ‘Shishu’, ‘Kishor’ and ‘Tarun’ to signify the stage of growth/development and funding needs of the beneficiary micro unit/entrepreneur and also provide a reference point for the next phase of graduation/ growth to look forward to .
Eligibility of the borrower
Loans given to all non-farm income generating enterprises in manufacturing, trading and services whose credit needs are below Rs.10 lakh by all the Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks, State Cooperative Banks and Urban Co-operative Banks will be known as MUDRA loans under the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY). Essentially, all those who wish to avail loans below Rs 10 lakh for their micro units are eligible for the loan.
What about the Business Plan?
About 27 basic project profiles for micro-units are prepared by the National Institute of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (NIMSME). These project profiles help the prospective entrepreneurs come up with a basic business plan. While this is not a comprehensive listing, it does provide a good idea of how to come up with a business plan. These include ideas like bakery products, tomato sauce manufacturing unit, computer assembling, paper napkins, dairy products, beauty parlor etc.
What is the Process?
Once the beneficiary identifies an idea and comes up with a business plan, he is supposed to select the business category under which he wishes to avail the loan (Shishu, Kishor or Tarun).
The beneficiary can contact the nearest Public/ Private sector bank where he/ she can apply for business loan under PMMY. The list of institutions partnering in the MUDRA initiative is available on the MUDRA portal. As on date, the following are partners in the MUDRA initiative.
An application form under this scheme will be available with each of the above listed institutions. This application form has to be submitted along with the following documents for the approval of the loan,
Apart from the above mentioned documents, individual banks could ask for other documents as needed. The Banks are not supposed to take any processing fee and are not supposed to ask for any collateral. The repayment period is also extended to 5 years. But it is also made clear that the applicant should not be a defaulter to any Bank or financial institution.
MUDRA is not a bank
MUDRA Bank is not a separate bank (like SBI etc). It is a government financing scheme to provide business loan to new small businesses in India. To get business loan under PPMY the candidate has to contact the nearest Public/ Private sector bank. MUDRA will be operating as a refinancing institution through State / Regional level intermediaries. MUDRA’s delivery channel is conceived to be through the route of refinance primarily to NBFCs / MFIs, besides other intermediaries including Banks, Primary Lending Institutions etc. The rate of interest will be fixed by the institutions time to time based on guidelines from the RBI.
MUDRA Card
After the loan has been sanctioned under MUDRA Yojana, the candidate will get a MUDRA Card, a card like the credit card which the candidate can use to buy business raw material, etc. Mudra Card will have a limit of 10% of the business loan (subject to Rs. 10000 maximum).
For any further details, get in touch with MUDRA officials or the designated nodal officers.

created: October 26, 2015


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Here is all you need to know about the Republic Day Parade & Celebrations
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 25, 2021
The annual Republic Day Parade is one of the most awaited events in the country. The parade displays India’s rich cultural heritage & its military prowess. But what exactly happens at the Republic Day parade? Here is a detailed explainer.
26 January is celebrated with great patriotic fervour across the country with flag hoisting ceremonies, parades by armed forces, and children. The celebrations are the most magnificent in Rajpath in the national capital, Delhi. India’s rich cultural diversity and military prowess are displayed with grandeur on this day. As India gears up to celebrate the 72 Republic Day, we take a look at the history and significance of the day & also understand how this is traditionally celebrated in the national capital.
India became an independent nation on 15 August 1947. Two weeks later, the Constituent Assembly set up a Drafting Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. B R Ambedkar for drafting a permanent Constitution for Independent India. Finally, after almost three years, the Constituent Assembly completed drafting the Constitution.
Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950
The Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950 with Dr. Rajendra Prasad unfurling the National Flag after a salute of 21 guns declaring India a Sovereign, Democratic and Republic state.
It was on the same day, 26 January, in 1930 that the Indian Tricolour Flag was first unfurled in Lahore by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, and the declaration of an independent (Purna Swaraj) Indian National Congress was made. Hindi was declared an official language of the Union Government on 26 January 1965.
21 gun salute is presented, and the President of India unfurls the National Flag
To commemorate this day, on 26 January every year, a series of events are conducted in the national capital, New Delhi. First, the Prime Minister of India lays a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyothi at the India Gate to pay tribute to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country. Following this, the dignitaries arrive at the venue in Rajpath.
The event begins with a 21 gun salute and the President of India unfurls the National Flag, and the National Anthem is played by. For Independence Day, it is the Prime Minister who unfurls the National Flag at Red Fort.
Awards are presented for bravery
The President then distributes the Ashok Chakra series of awards. The Ashok Chakra is India’s highest peacetime military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action, or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. The awardees are decided by a committee under the Ministry of Defence based on the recommendations received from State Governments/Union territory.
Administrations and Ministries/Departments of the Central Government. Civilian awards such as Bharat Ratna & Padma Awards and gallantry awards such as Shaurya Chakra and Sena Medals are announced on 25 January, on the eve of Republic Day.
Parade begins with helicopters showering rose petals on audience
After the awards distribution, helicopters from the armed forces fly past the parade area showering rose petals on the audience marking the start of the parade presided over by the President. It is held from Raisina Hill (near the President’s residence- Rashtrapati Bhavan), along Rajpath, past India Gate, and on the Red Fort. It begins with gallantry award winners passing the President of India who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces. The winners in open military jeeps salute the President. Then, the Indian Military displays its latest acquisitions & prowess such as missiles, tanks, etc.
Cultural parade follows the military parade
The military parade is followed by a cultural parade which involves tableaus and cultural performances from various states. These tableaus can depict state festivals, art, historical locations, flora and fauna, development works, personalities, culture, and more. States/UTs and departments send in tableau proposals which are evaluated by an expert committee constituting eminent persons constituted by the Defence Ministry. The committee examines the proposals on the basis of theme, concept, design, and visual impact and makes recommendations. Government departments and ministries also send in tableau proposals demonstrating their contribution towards the nation’s development. For instance, this year’s tableau of Ministry of Labour and Employment will be depicting the labour reforms brought in by the government in the recent past.
Children who are recipients of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar award ride past the dais in decorated elephants. The award is presented by the Indian Council for Child Welfare to children who have displayed exceptional bravery.
Rafale jets to participate in this year’s parade
The function comes to an end with daredevil motorcycle riding and a flypast by Indian Air Force fighter jets over Rajpath. This year, the Rafale jet will be featured in the ‘Vertical Charlie’ manoeuvre in the flypast by the Indian Air Force for the first time, as per news reports.
No chief guest on Republic Day for the first time in 50 years
Traditionally, the President of India is accompanied by a foreign Head of State on the Republic Day who is invited as Chief Guest. This year, UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson was invited to attend the Republic Day parade. However, he had to cancel his visit due to the changed COVID-19 situation in the UK even though he accepted the invitation. This is the first time in about 50 years that the celebration will be taking place without a chief guest. Prior to this, there were ten occasions when Republic Day was celebrated without a chief guest. A detailed story by Factly on Republic Day chief guests is available here.
Days of events come to a conclusion on 29 January
Other events associated with Republic Day celebrations include the Prime Minister’s rally held on 27 January with performances by NCC cadets and Lok Tarang (National Folk Dance Festival) held between 24 and 29 January. Besides, state governments also hold Republic Day celebrations.
The official conclusion of Republic Day festivities is marked by the Beating the Retreat ceremony conducted on 29 January evening. The ceremony begins with the massed bands of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Drummers give solo performances and play ‘Abide with Me’ which is said to be Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite. A bugle call for Retreat follows the performance, and the bandmaster marches towards the President requesting to take bands away and announcing the conclusion of the closing ceremony. ‘Saare Jahan Se Achcha’ is then played while the bands march back. The National Flag is then lowered, and National Anthem was sung.
Changes have been brought to the celebration this year due to COVID-19
The pandemic has resulted in modifications to the traditional ceremony this year. As already mentioned, there will be no Chief Guest this year. The parade will end at the National Stadium and not at Red Fort. Further, the contingent strength has been reduced from 144 to 96. There will be no veteran marching contingent. No children aged below 15 years will participate in the parade. The number of participating children and folk artists has been cut down to 400 from 600.
Bangladesh’s military contingent will be participating in parade
Also, this year marks the 50 years of Bangladesh’s independence and establishment of diplomatic relationships with India. A contingent of 122 members from Bangladesh armed forces comprising of soldiers of the Bangladesh Army, sailors of the Bangladesh Navy and Air Warriors of the Bangladesh Air Force, and East Bengal Regiments and Field Artillery Regiments, which fought in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war will be participating in the national parade. This is only the third time that a foreign military contingent has been invited to participate in the parade.
Featured Image: Republic Day Parade

created: January 25, 2021


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Here is how archaic Tax rule negatively affects salaried employees in cities like Bengaluru & Hyderabad
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 11, 2021
Exemptions provided in the income tax act & rules are availed by most salaried employees. The HRA is one such common exemption used by many of them. However, the difference in the exemption based on an archaic rule is negatively affecting salaried employees residing in cities like Bengaluru & Hyderabad. Here is how.
The Union Budget for 2021-22 was presented in the Parliament on 01 February 2020. Among other things, one of the important aspects that most people look forward to during the budget is changes to income tax slabs, relevant deductions & rules.
In the budget for 2021-22, the finance minister has not proposed any major changes to the income tax slabs, rates, deductions and exemptions. This is in contrast to a major change introduced in the 2020-21 budget. Effective from the beginning of 2020-21, an individual was required to make a choice between the new and old tax regime. The new tax regime introduced in the 2020-21 budget had reduced tax rates for those who are willing to forego various tax exemptions and deductions.
House Rent Allowance (HRA), Leave Travel Allowance (LTA), Standard Deductions, Deductions under Section 80C & 80D are among the exemptions & deductions that are commonly availed under the older tax regime.
Both the regimes were allowed to co-exist with the taxpayer given the choice to opt for one of them.
The extent of taxpayers who have opted for the new tax regime foregoing the exemptions/deductions will be only be known once the returns for 2020-21 are filed. However, exemptions & deductions have been a staple in providing tax relief to the taxpayers.
Over the years, changes have been made to the rules governing few of these exemptions, while there are others which have not been changed in a long time. One such tax exemption is House Rent Allowance (HRA).
The provisions relating to HRA date back to Income Tax Act, 1961
The income tax Act -1961 came into force from 01 April 1962. Section 10 (13A) of the Income Tax Act-1961 lays down the provision for HRA and was introduced in 1964.
It refers to the allowance that is granted by the employer to the employee to meet the expenditure incurred towards the rent of a residential accommodation.
Rule 2A of Income Tax rules, further lays down the criteria to determine the extent of the amount not to be included in the taxable income i.e., exemption. Three criteria are laid down for the purpose of this calculation.
The least value among the three criteria is considered for HRA exemption.  For the location of the residential accommodation, there is a classification made as following.
As per tax experts, the rationale for this classification is based on the cost-of-living expenditure when this provision was introduced. The four cities were the largest cities in India during 1960s.  Although not highlighted in any official document, these four cities are referred to as ‘Metro’ cities in common parlance and the other cities are referred to as ‘Non-Metro’.
Residents staying in other cities losing out on additional HRA exemption
As per the 2011 Census, two of these four cities are not among the largest 4 cities in terms of population if the population within the municipal corporations is considered. While Mumbai and Delhi have the highest population in the country, they are followed by Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Chennai and Kolkata take up 6 and 7 places respectively following Ahmedabad at 5 place in terms of the population within the municipal corporation limits. If the population within the ‘Urban Agglomeration’ (UA) is considered, then the four metros occupy the first four positions followed by Bengaluru & Hyderabad.  What is clear from this data is that India now has cities other than the four metros, which are similar to them in terms of the size of the population as well as economy.
If the size of population in a city was considered as the basis for categorization when these rules were made, questions do raise on the rationale of continuing with the same cities as a different category even after 2011 census when many more cities have comparable population.
The difference in HRA exemption (10% of the salary) between these two categories of cities makes a strong case for inclusion of other cities also in the 50 % HRA exemption category. The benefits accruing from HRA exemption are more visible for higher salaried employees, who might be living in a rental accommodation with higher rent.
Example:
Let’s consider a hypothetical situation, of two employees – Employee A residing in Mumbai & Employee B Residing in Bengaluru. For sake of comparison, the compensation Package and Rent is same for both. The details are as given below.
Salary (Basic + DA) – Rs.1,20,000 per month
HRA paid by employer – Rs. 55,000 per month
Actual Rent Paid – Rs. 65,000 per month
Scenario 1 – Employee A in Mumbai
The least of the three i.e. (Actual rent paid – 10 % of Salary) is considered for HRA exemption
Scenario 2 – Employee B in Bengaluru
The least of the three i.e., 40% of Basic Salary is considered.
As we can see, ‘Employee B’ based in Bengaluru is eligible for a lesser exemption amount under HRA, which means he ends up paying more tax. He ends up paying more despite receiving the same salary only because he is not residing in one of the four metro cities.
Need to revisit the exemption criteria in line with current size of the cities
While a case could be made that higher salaried employees usually own a house, there could be instances where such persons migrate because of jobs and not necessarily own accommodation in the city of work.
This is truer of employees in cities like Bengaluru & Hyderabad, which have a large influx of the population over the past two decades owing to their place as the major centres for the IT & ITES industry.
One of the tax experts that we spoke to highlighted that the four cities considered as metros in the 1960s were the hubs of employment for – government jobs, banking sector, manufacturing sector, etc. These were among the higher-paying jobs in those times and a 50% of salary as HRA exemption benefited them.
However, over the last two decades, the profile of high salary employees has changed and many of them are IT & ITES sector employees. They are mostly concentrated in & around IT hubs like – Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Noida, Gurgaon etc.
A starker case can be made while comparing Delhi & Noida/Gurgaon. Although the three places are geographically close to each other, and many of the employees commute between the three cities i.e., there could be scenarios where two employees working for the same organization, one resides within the limits of Delhi and another in Noida (NCR).  The employee residing in Delhi is eligible for 50% of salary as HRA exemption, while the one in Noida isn’t.
These anomalies have been highlighted by civil society on various forums. We were able to identify petitions on Change.org to this effect.
Tax experts that we spoke to felt that HRA is one of the aspects that need to be looked at in line with the current size of the cities & their economies. This is one of the many aspects of direct tax reforms required in the country.
Featured Image: Income tax act effect on effects salaried employees in cities

created: February 11, 2021


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Here is how the members of the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) in states are elected
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 1, 2016
Legislative Councils in states are very different from the Legislative Assemblies. The Councils are meant to play the role of the Rajya Sabha in the states and hence the composition, process of election is quite different from that of the state assembly. The councils consist of members elected through five different constituencies through a process of single transferable vote (STV) system.
The Legislative Councils in states are like the Rajya Sabha, a house of members who are not directly elected by people. The Legislative Council is a permanent house with almost 1/3 of the members retiring every two years. Not every state has a council. Article 169 of the constitution authorizes the parliament to create or abolish councils in states. Currently, there are about seven states with functional councils.
The Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad)
Article 171 of the constitution of India defines the composition of the councils. The strength of any council shall not exceed 1/3 of the strength of the state assembly. But for smaller states, the minimum strength of the council can be forty (40). The members of the Legislative Councils comprise of people elected through five different constituencies.
The Election Process
The Election process for the council follows a system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (STV) as mentioned in Article 171 of the constitution. This system is different from that of the normal election process to the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies.
In STV, each voter ranks the list of candidates in order of preference. In the ballot paper, they place a ‘1’ beside their most preferred candidate, a ‘2’ beside their second most preferred, and so on. The completed ballot paper therefore contains the candidates in the order of preference as marked by the voter.
In an STV election, a candidate requires a minimum number of first preference votes (or quota) to be elected. The quota for a single seat to be filled is determined as follows
If none of the candidates get the required quota of first preference votes, then a process of vote transfer takes place, successively eliminating those who get the least number of first preferential votes. The process is explained in detail below.
The Process of Counting
Once the voting is over, the counting happens in various rounds after determining the quota required for the winner. Let us take an example.
For instance, in an election to fill one vacancy, there are four candidates in the fray and the total number of valid votes is 1235. According to the STV formula, the quota of first preference votes required for victory is 618 as per the formula.
In the first round, any candidate securing a minimum of 618 first preferential votes gets elected.  In this example, none of the four candidates secures the quota. Hence there is no winner after the first round and the process of vote transfer takes place. At the same time, the candidate with the least number of first preference votes is eliminated.
Since Wesley is the candidate with the least first preference votes, he is eliminated. When he is eliminated, his votes are transferred to the other three candidates. The transfer takes place in proportion of the 2 preference votes received by the other three candidates in those ballots with a first preference vote to Wesley. In this example, out of the 235 ballots with a first preference votes to Wesley, 170 of them had Swarajyam as 2 preference, 35 of them had Babu Rao as the 2 preference and the remaining 30 had Ramesh Naidu as the 2 Preference. Hence the transfer takes place in that proportion.
After round two (after transfer of votes), Swarajyam has 620 votes, which is two more than the required quota. Hence she is declared elected and the remaining three are eliminated. This process of transfer continues until a clear winner is found. Sometimes, the process can run into multiple rounds to find the winner.
What about Multiple Vacancies?
Similar process is followed for multiple vacancies also. The STV formula for multiple vacancies will be the same with the only change being the number of vacancies to fill. Even there, the quota of first preferential votes is obtained and the candidates who reach the quota first will get elected. If clear winners are not found, then the transfer of votes takes place till winners are found. The process can get quite complex sometimes depending on the number of contestants.
Featured Image:By Adam Raoof from London, UK (P4020422) [CC BY 2.0 or CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

created: January 1, 2016


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Here is how the Counting of Votes takes place - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 20, 2019
The counting of votes for the 17th Lok Sabha elections is just days away. But how does such a mammoth counting exercise take place? Here is a guide.
Preparations for the Counting Day
The Returning Officer (RO) fixes the time & place of counting at least one week before the date of polling. The place is decided in consultation with the police. The selected place should be spacious enough with adequate lighting and other facilities to accommodate the officials and agents. A permanent structure like a college or a university is  usually selected for the purpose of counting.
The same is informed to the candidates through a notice. The candidates are expected to appoint counting agents not exceeding 16 agents for any place of counting.
The counting usually starts at 8am on the designated day except in special cases. A district head quarters is usually preferred to be the place of counting. The relevant legal provisions for counting of votes are derived from the Representation of People Act 1951 and The Conduct of Elections Rules 1961.
The Counting Arrangements
Since each Parliamentary constituency is made up of multiple assembly segments, each assembly segment should be counted in a separate hall. The rules laid down by the ECI do not allow the counting of more than one assembly segment in the same hall. In cases where adequate halls are not available, then counting is to be done in  sequence i.e. one assembly segment followed by the other and so on.
In case of simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha (LS) and Legislative Assembly (LA),  both have to be counted in the same hall. Half of the tables  for LS and other half for LA.
Number of Rounds & TablesThe counting of votes is taken up in rounds. The number of rounds depends on the number of polling stations (the number of EVM control units to be counted). Tables are arranged in the counting hall and the number of tables depends on the number of polling stations and the space available, among other factors. In most cases, there will be 7+1 or 14+1 table arrangement for counting, 7 tables plus one for the RO/ARO or 14 plus one for RO/ARO.
In a single hall, counting tables should not exceed 14. The number of tables can be increased only with the prior approval of the ECI provided the hall is big enough. For instance, for the counting in Telangana on the 23rd May, there would be 19 tables & 29 tables in some places because of the high number of candidates & polling stations. In addition to these, there would be a table for the RO and observer. The candidate and his election agents can sit near this table.
Process of Counting
As per the existing rules,  postal ballot papers are to be counted first and hence the 1 round shall be postal ballots. However, the counting of these ballots has to be completed before start of penultimate round of EVM counting. This particular rule has been modified for the upcoming 2019 LS counting because of the large number of postal ballots. The EVM counting can start 30 minutes after the beginning of the postal ballot counting.
The EVMs are counted in the following manner.
When are VVPAT slips counted?
As per the recent Supreme Court order, VVPAT slips from five (5) randomly chosen polling stations per assembly segment have to be counted mandatorily. Once the EVM counting is over, the VVPAT slips are counted in special mesh like enclosures so that outsiders do not have access to these slips. In addition to the mandatory 5 polling stations, VVPAT counting will also take place in case a candidate requests such count and the RO agrees. The discretion of accepting such a request is with the RO and he has to take a decision based on the existing rules.
VVPAT slips are also counted when the CU of a particular polling station does not display results because of technical issues.  The VVPAT slips are counted using special boxes made in the form of pigeon holes.
What happens if there is a discrepancy in the VVPAT slip count & EVM count?
As per Rule 56D(b) of the Conduct of Elections Rules 1961, if there is any discrepancy between EVM count and VVPAT slip count, the paper slip count shall prevail. Hence, if there is discrepancy between the count of votes displayed on the Control Unit and the count of printed paper slips, the result sheet will be amended accordingly.
Declaration of Result
After  all rounds are completed and final result sheet in FORM-20 is ready, the RO pauses giving time for candidates to ask for recount. If no such request is made, the result is announced after no objection from the observer. The approval of ECI is requested in certain cases before the result is announced. The result is announced on the loud speaker and also declared in FORM-21C. The copies of this form are sent to the ECI, the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), the Ministry of Law & Justice, the State Government, the Secretary to the state legislative assembly or the secretary general of the Lok Sabha.
The candidates are given the certificate of election in Form-22. This certificate is official proof that a particular candidate has won. The EVMs are again sealed after this process and sent to strong rooms.


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Here is how you can claim a full refund of a 'Mutilated Currency Note' - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 8, 2018
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has detailed rules that lay down conditions for exchange of  mutilated notes. One can get a full or half refund of the value of the mutilated note based on the condition of the note. Here is a detailed guide of the rules.
Most of us have mutilated currency notes which cannot be used for transactions since businesses wouldn’t accept mutilated notes. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has detailed rules in this regard that lay down conditions for exchange of such mutilated notes. One can get a full or half refund of the value of the mutilated note based on the condition of the note. Here is a detailed guide of the rules.
What type of notes will be accepted?
As per Reserve Bank of India (Note Refund) Rules, 2009, the following type of notes will be considered for refund.
No refund claim shall be accepted in the case of notes where it
What is the process of refund?
Such notes will be accepted only at the issue offices of RBI and at all the currency chest branches of various banks. The list of currency chest branches of various banks can be accessed from the RBI website. In all these branches, the mutilated notes will be accepted over the counter and a paper token in form DN-1 will be issued to the person submitting the notes. The refund value & criteria is different for different denominations.
For Currency notes of denomination less than Rs 50: In the case of currency notes of less than Rs 50 denomination, full refund will be made only if the area of the single largest undivided piece of the note presented is more than 50% of the area of the respective denomination, rounded off to the next complete square centimetre. If the area of the largest undivided piece of the note presented is less than or equal to 50% of the area of the note, the claim will be rejected and no refund is made. The detailed denomination wise size of the note and the area required for full refund is defined in the rules and the relevant table is given below.
For Currency notes of denomination more than Rs 50: In the case of notes of higher denomination (Rs 50 & above), there are multiple criteria as listed below. The RBI has recently amended the rules to increase the area of the undivided piece required for full refund from more than 65% to more than 80%.
The dimensions of the new notes and the respective area required for full & half refund are given in the table below.
What about Mismatched & Imperfect notes?
The value of an imperfect note will be refunded in full or half value based on the dimensions mentioned in the tables above only if
In the case of a  mismatched note and denomination of up to Rs 20, the area of the larger of the two pieces presented may be measured and adjudicated as per the tables above ignoring the smaller piece. If none of the two pieces presented meets the minimum area stipulated, then no refund will be made. In case of Rs 50 and above denominations, the two pieces may be treated as two separate claims and the area is calculated accordingly.
When will the refund be made?
As per the rules, the process is to be completed in minimum possible time and in any case on the same day. In addition, the value of such notes should be credited to the account through ECS or paid by way of Banker Cheque or Demand Drafts.
The prescribed officer in charge of verifying such mutilated notes should be equipped with the following
The message ‘Mutilated notes are accepted and exchanged here’ should be prominently displayed outside the bank. Inside the banking hall and above the counter where mutilated notes will be accepted, the following board should be displayed.
What about Soiled notes?
In the case of soiled notes, all bank branches should accept such notes and pay full value.

created: September 8, 2018


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A Dummy's guide to understanding the working of Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 13, 2021
Parliamentary Proceedings are the most important part of any democracy. It is essential for  citizenry to keep a tab on these proceedings to understand the functioning of their representatives. Here is a short guide on how one can follow the proceedings in Parliament.
The Proceedings of Parliament are the most important part of any democracy. The proceedings include Legislation, Debates on the pressing issues, Questions by Members of Parliament (MPs) and answers by the Government of the day among other things. While the proceedings are telecast live on both the Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV, it is not possible for most people to watch them through the day. The Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha websites are updated everyday (when the parliament is in session) with all the information that a citizen needs to understand their functioning.
Here is a dummy’s guide on how a common citizen can follow the proceedings of the Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha.
Step 1: Start with the Provisional Calendar
Before every session of Parliament, the provisional calendar of both the Lok Sabha (LS) & Rajya Sabha (RS) is uploaded onto the respective websites. The provisional Calendar lists down the broad business planned for the entire session. This list is subject to changes, but it does give a basic idea of what is planned.
Step 2: Check the List of Business planned for each day
The list of business (the proposed plan) for every single day when the parliament is in session, is uploaded on the  Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha websites. The List of Business contains the main agenda items to be taken up on that particular day and is generally issued daily during the session period, two days prior to the sitting date. The final agenda is contained in the Revised List of Business and is issued the preceding working day of the sitting. A Supplementary List of Business is issued to cover any additional items being taken up at short notice, on the same day. Sometimes, a second Supplementary List of Business is also issued the same day.
Step 3: Read the Bulletins issued at the end of the day
At the end of each day of sitting, the Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha secretariats come up with two bulletins. The first bulletin is more like a summary of the day’s proceedings. The second bulletin is about important announcements or information provided during the day. For those who have very little time to spare, the bulletins are a great way to keep up to date with the proceedings. For e.g., the details of the debate on ‘The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018’ are part of the Lok Sabha bulletin for 06th August 2018. The bulletin lists down the total time taken for the debate and the names of the members who participated in the debate.
If any particular bill was introduced, discussed, or passed by the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha on any given day, those will be available on both websites. You can search for a specific bill and download the text of the bill.
Step 4: Search for the Questions & Answers
The question hour is slated for 11 am every day (for an hour) in both houses. This is a very important part of the proceedings where MPs ask questions on important subjects and the respective ministers respond with data, information & other details. These are also a very important source of information since a lot of the latest up to date information/data is provided in the form of answers which are not usually available elsewhere. The day-wise list of questions asked by the MPs is available on the websites of Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha.  You could keep a tab on the questions and the answers given by searching the question database on both Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha websites. You can also download a pdf version of the question & answer once you go to a specific question.
Step 5: Read the verbatim debates
For those who are interested to read through the detailed proceedings, the Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha websites have uncorrected verbatim debates hour by hour. The uncorrected debates might also contain text that is directed to be removed from records by the Speaker/Chairman. Both the websites also have a synopsis document capturing summary of the debate.
Other information available on the LS & RS Websites
Wit & Humour: Apart from the serious discussion, there is also a bit of Wit & Humour in these debates. These details are also available on the Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha websites.
Special Mentions: Apart from the regular questions & debates, MPs can raise pressing issues as special mentions with prior approval of the speaker. This list is also available on both the websites.
Resume of Work: At the end of every session, the resume of work is prepared & uploaded on both the websites. This document has detailed information on the important business that took place during that session.
Statement of Work:  The statement of work document has detailed statistical information on each session like number of sittings, time of sittings, time lost due to disruptions etc.
Have you found this useful? Let us know what you found on the Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha websites by writing in to hi@factly.in

created: February 13, 2021


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Here is the list of documents to be submitted by Candidates contesting in Assembly or Parliament Elections
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 22, 2019
Every candidate willing to contest the election to the Parliament or a State Legislature has to submit certain documents to the returning officer. Here is look at the various documents to be submitted. (The story is updated with all the relevant changes in the documents to be submitted as of March 2019)
Candidates planning to contest the elections for Legislative Assembly of the states or Lok Sabha have to fulfill certain criteria. They also have to submit a list of documents without which their nomination will be rejected.
Eligibility Criteria
The person wishing to contest the election has to be a citizen of India and has to satisfy the following age criteria
A person must be enrolled in the current electoral roll of any of the Parliamentary Constituencies for contesting elections from a Parliamentary Constituency. For contesting elections to State Legislature, the person must be enrolled in the current electoral roll of any of the assembly constituencies within that State. There are other disqualification criteria as listed in various electoral laws.
Check List of documents to be submitted
The following check list of documents must be submitted by every contesting candidate.
Nomination Paper
The nomination paper consists of the basic details of the candidates including a photograph. It also has details of the candidate’s name in the relevant electoral roll.
The form should also have details of the proposers in that constituency
Affidavit in Form 26
The affidavit in form 26 has to be filed along with the nomination papers. The affidavit contains the following information of the candidates
The candidates are required to fill up all columns in the affidavit and no column can be left blank. If there is no information to be furnished against any item, appropriate remarks such as ‘NIL’ or ‘Not Applicable’ or ‘Not Known’ as applicable should be indicated in such column. The candidate should not leave any column blank. The Affidavit should be sworn by the candidate before an Oath Commissioner or Magistrate of first class or before a Notary Public.  Each page of the affidavit should be signed by the candidate and the affidavit should bear on each page the stamp of the Notary or Oath Commissioner or Magistrate before whom the affidavit is sworn.
In 2017, the government notified new rules that made disclosure of sources of income mandatory. In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court has issued certain guidelines for those candidates with pending criminal cases. The following are now mandatory for all contesting candidates with pending criminal cases
Every candidate at the time of filing nomination paper, should also provide details of all the liabilities to public financial institutions & the government. Earlier, an additional affidavit  also had to be filed with the ‘No Dues Certificate’ from the agencies providing electricity, water and telephone. He/she is also required to give details of rent, in case he had been in occupation of any government accommodation during the last 10 years. Now those details are included in Form 26. Hence the candidate is not required to file any additional affidavit.
Certified extract of electoral roll
In case the candidate is registered as an elector/voter in the electoral roll of a constituency different from the constituency from which he/she stands as a candidate, then a copy of electoral roll of that constituency where the name of the candidate is entered must be attached with the Nomination paper.
Form A and Form B (applicable in the case of candidates set up by political parties)
In case a candidate is put up by any political party (whether recognised or not) then the prescribed notice from the concerned Political Party  about his sponsorship in Form A and Form B, has to be submitted along with the Nomination paper. Know more about the Form B or popularly known as B-Form here.
Copy of Caste certificates (if the candidate claims to belong to SC/ST)
Candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes are required to submit documentary proof of being a SC/ST.
Security Deposit
The security deposit amount based on the election being contested should be deposited either in cash with the Returning Officer or by filing a challan in the Reserve Bank of India or a Government Treasury. The following is the amount of security deposit for various elections. A defeated candidate who fails to secure more than one sixth of the valid votes polled in the constituency will lose his security deposit and the amount would not be refunded to him.
Oath and affirmation
The candidate has to make an oath in the prescribed format as given in the 3rd Schedule of the Constitution, before the Returning Officer/Assistant Returning officer.
Featured Image: Checklist of documents


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Here is what Ram Nath Kovind did as a Rajya Sabha Member
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 20, 2017
Shri Ram Nath Kovind, the governor of Bihar will be the NDA’s candidate for the Presidential elections. What did he do during his two terms as a Rajya Sabha MP?
BJP President Amit Shah announced the name of Shri Ram Nath Kovind, the Governor of Bihar as NDA’s Presidential Candidate for the upcoming election in July. Shri Ram Nath Kovind was a two-time Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh, between 1994-2000 and between 2000-2006. Here is a snapshot of what he did as a Rajya Sabha member.
Attendance
During this 12-year term, his overall attendance was 87%. It was 89% during his first term and 85% during his second term. He attended a total of 44 sessions during this two terms. In 14 sessions, his attendance was 100% and his attendance was more than 90% in 28 sessions.
283 Questions in 12 years
In his 12-year term as a MP of the Rajya Sabha, Shri Kovind asked a total of 283 questions to 34 different Ministries. Most of his questions were to the Ministry of Finance followed by the Ministry of Railways. He asked 10 or more questions to 12 different Ministries.
His questions to the Finance Ministry included the following
Most of his questions to the Ministry of Railways were about stations etc. in his home state of Uttar Pradesh. His questions to the MHRD were about various issues including alleged misappropriation of funds in a college in Muzzaffarnagar. His questions to the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment were about the welfare of SCs/STs and inclusion of various castes in the list of SCs/STs. A large number of his questions were about the SC/ST welfare.
Special Mentions & Assurances
He made five (5) special mentions in his 12-year tenure. These were on various issues such as the inclusion of Tanti caste of Bihar in the list of SCs, Firing in Tinsukia by paramilitary forces, Atrocities on Dalits in Bihar, Misbehavior with prisoners in Bihar and problems of weavers in Gaya of Bihar.
He was given seven (7) assurances by the government, two during the first NDA government and the rest by the other governments. Six (6) of these assurances were fully implemented while one was dropped.
Debates
He had participated in 89 debates as per the Rajya Sabha website. On 16 occasions, he was part of the debate on the reports of various committees. On 15 occasions, he was part of the debate on special mentions, out of which he made 5 special mentions. On 14 occasions, he was part of the debate on various bills. He participated in budget related debates only twice. On 5 occasions, he was part of the debate on private member resolutions and on 2 other occasions, he was part of the debate on private member bills.
MPLAD Spending
In his 12 years as a RS MP, he was entitled to MPLAD fund of Rs 20 crore. Along with interest, the amount available to spend was Rs 20.36 crore. He sanctioned works amounting to Rs 19.19 crore while the total expenditure was Rs 20.36 crore. In other words, he was able to spend all of his entitlement under MPLADS.
Member of various Committees
He was also a member of following standing committees during his 12-year tenure


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Hezbollah's Anti-ship missiles video from 2019 is misattributed to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 8, 2023
A video purportedly showing Hezbollah’s anti-ship missiles has surfaced on various social media platforms. The claim accompanying this video asserts that the Lebanese group Hezbollah has showcased these missiles in response to the recent deployment of US warships in the Eastern Mediterranean. In this article, we will fact-check the claim.
Claim: The viral video shows Hezbollah’s anti-ship missiles displayed in response to the recent deployment of US warships in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Fact: Although the video does show Hezbollah’s anti-ship missiles, it originally dates back to 2019 and is not related to the recent movement of US warships. This makes the claim being circulated with the video Misleading.
To get a comprehensive understanding of the viral video, we carried out a reverse image search using a few of its keyframes. This search led us to a news report from 2019 that carried similar screenshots/visulas as in the viral video. The news report’s headline read, “Hezbollah shows anti-ship missiles used against Israel,” indicating that the video is, in fact, older than claimed in the misleading post.
We then conducted additional searches on the internet to uncover more details about the 2019 news reports. Multiple news articles (here, here, and here) echoed the same information – Hezbollah had unveiled anti-ship missiles, C-802, which were showcased in the video. A report by IsraelDefense.co.il mentioned that the missiles were of the same type that hit IDF Navy missile frigate Hanit during the Second Lebanon War.
Another report from August 2019 by Iranpress.com also featured the same video, stating, “Video footage depicting C-802 anti-ship cruise missiles has been released for the first time. They belonged to the Lebanese Hezbollah.”
Comparing the viral video to the original one from these reports, it is clear that they are indeed the same.
To sum up, the video circulating on social media is indeed showcasing Hezbollah’s anti-ship missiles. However, this is an old video from 2019 and not related to the recent deployment of US warships in the Eastern Mediterranean.

created: November 8, 2023


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What is the highest ever vote share of the Winner in the Presidential Election?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 23, 2022
Droupadi Murmu will swear in as the 15th President of India after she won the elections with a vote share of 64.03%. This incidentally is the lowest vote share for a winner since 1969. The highest ever vote share for a winner was 98.99%, secured by Dr. Rajendra Prasad in 1957.
As expected, Droupadi Murmu, the candidate proposed by the BJP led NDA has won the election to the President of India. She polled a total of 6,76,803 worth of votes while her opponent Yashwant Sinha polled 3,80,177 worth of votes. Though she had an easy win, Droupadi Murmu’s vote share of 64.03% was the lowest for a winner since the 1969, even lower than the vote share of Ram Nath Kovind.  But what is the highest ever vote share in the presidential election and when?
Best ever voter turnout in 2017
The 2017 election saw a total of 1069358 votes being polled in terms of value. Incidentally, this is the best ever in the history of the election to the President though the composition of the electoral college has remained unchanged since 2002. The election was unanimous in 1977 when only one candidate Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was in fray after the rejection of invalid nominations. In terms of value, over 10 lakh votes were polled in eight (8) different elections starting with the 8th Presidential election in 1982. The number of votes was more than 10 lakh in every subsequent election except 2007 when Prathiba Patil was elected as the President. The number of votes polled was lowest in 1957 since the electoral college had fewer members and also the value of the vote was far lesser than the current value.
Droupadi Murmu’s vote share lowest in more than 40 years
Out of the 15 elections to the President of India (barring the unanimous election in 1977), the winner’s vote share was more than 90% on only 3 occasions. The highest ever vote share was for Dr. Rajendra Prasad in 1957 where he secured 98.99% of the total votes polled. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s vote share in 1962 was 98.25%, the second highest of all time. After these two, the only person who secured more than 90% was K.R.Narayanan in 1997 with a 94.97% vote share. Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam also secured close to 90% vote share, 89.58% to be precise, in 2002. These high vote shares were possible because of support to a candidate from across the political spectrum. The closer contests were because of the presence of candidates supported by multiple political parties.
The lowest ever vote share of first preferential votes for a winner was in 1969 when V.V.Giri could secure only 48.01% of the first preferential vote. This is the only election when the second preferential votes had to be counted.
Droupadi Murmu’s  vote share of 64.03% in 2022 is the lowest for a winner since 1969. Her vote share is slightly less than that of Ram Nath Kovind’s in 2017 when he secured a vote share of 65.65%. Only two other Presidents secured a lower vote share than Murmu.  Dr. Zakir Hussain in 1967, and V.V.Giri in 1969. These were the only two occasions when the winner secured less than 60% of the first preferential vote. Yashwant Sinha secured a vote share of 35.97% in 2022 which is the 3rd highest in the history for a second place candidate.
Featured Image: Presidential Election vote share


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The Himachal High Court awards a compensation of 20 Lakh rupees to Parents of Students who were washed away in the Beas River
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 4, 2016
24 students from the VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology were washed away at the beas river while on a study tour. The incident took place due to sudden surge of river water released from a hydro electric project. The Himachal High Court had taken suo motu cognizance of the issue and has now awarded 20 lakh compensation to the parents of the deceased while holding the Electricity Board, the College & the State Government responsible for the incident.
In June 2014, twenty four (24) young students from the Hyderabad based VNR   Vignana   Jyothi   Institute   of   Engineering and Technology were washed away in a fatal accident at the Beas River in Himachal Pradesh. The accident took place due to sudden surge of river water released upstream from Larji hydro electric project. The Students had gone to Himachal Pradesh on a study tour.
The Suo Motu Case in the Himachal High Court
The Himachal Pradesh high court took suo motu cognizance of the incident based on a news item. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was taken up by the high court in June 2014.
Based on the directions from the court, a FIR was filed under Sections 336 & 304-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Both these sections relate to causing death by negligence.
During the course of the hearing, an interim compensation of 5 lakh rupees per deceased student was awarded to the Parents in 2014. The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board & the College were directed to bear the compensation amount equally.
The Parents plea to the Court
The parents of the deceased students submitted the records relating to placement, remuneration, fees and other  emoluments extended to the students by the companies at the time of their placement. The court observed that the bright future of the students was snatched away and the parents stand deprived of the source/income, hope and help in old age.
The Court’s authority to award compensation
The high court relied on a number of case laws to come to the conclusion that the Courts may award compensation under Article 226 of the Constitution of India and the award of   compensation   against   the   State   is   an appropriate and effective remedy.  In Sube Singh Vs State of Haryana, the Supreme Court observed the following.
The Himachal Electricity Board, the College & the State to blame
The court observed that the negligence,   carelessness   and recklessness of the electricity board authorities had led to the incident. It also said that the authorities failed to take due care. The court further observed that the place of the incident was unknown to the students who were on a tour and the incident would not have occurred if the authorities had put boards, hoardings, sirens, signals and taken precautions at the relevant time, while discharging the water from the barrage/reservoir.
The court also found fault with the college authorities that they should have anticipated where the students were going and the result of the same. The court also found fault with the Himachal Pradesh state government that it failed to ensure that the board was discharging its duty properly.
The court felt that the parents have lost a source of dependency and that just compensation must be awarded to them since the state was primarily responsible for the loss of young lives. It went onto note that the students would have earned handsome salaries after their studies given the reputation of the college. The court observed that the minimum amount they would have earned is Rs 25,000 per month.
The Amount of Compensation
The court relied on various case laws and the multiplier used in the case of motor vehicle accidents to decide on the amount of compensation. The court directed that a compensation of 20 lakh rupees per student be awarded to the parents with an interest of 7.5% per annum from the date of accident to the date of final payment. The 20 lakh rupees include the interim compensation of 5 lakh rupees.
The 20 lakh rupees will be shared in the ratio 60:30:10 by the Electricity Board, the College & the State of Himachal Pradesh.
Apart from the compensation granted by the court, the parents received ex-gratia from various state governments and insurance amount.
While no amount of compensation can bring back young lives, the compensation will at least help the parents lead a decent life.

created: January 4, 2016