The Indian Panorama

Tag: Hemant Soren

  • Surprises galore in Assembly elections and by polls

    Surprises galore in Assembly elections and by polls

    BJP-led Mahayuti to retain power in Maharashtra; Hemant Soren-led alliance all set to retain power in Jharkhand

    • I.S. Saluja

    November 23, 2024 updated at 5 AM (ET)

    NEW YORK (TIP): Even though the election results are many hours away yet,  the trends  do give an indication of the  possible outcome. The  Assembly elections, in particular, in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, attracted keen contests. In both the States , political parties fought the elections  as the battle for survival.

    At the time of writing this report (5 AM ET) , the reports coming in are placing the BJP-led Mahayuti in a comfortable position to retain power in Maharashtra. Hemant Soren-led alliance is all set to retain power in Jharkhand. Interestingly, in both the states the incumbency factor did not work. The news reports coming in suggest that the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is on course to retain power in Maharashtra, and winning nine seats so far and was leading in 217 of the 288 Assembly seats, as per the latest figures of the counting process in the November 20 elections.

    After the certainty of the poll outcome, the focus has now shifted to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, the architect of his party’s stunning victory. Political circles are abuzz with reports that the state’s second Brahmin to become the CM will don the post for the third time.

    As per the latest figures from the Election Commission, the BJP has so far won nine seats and is leading in 125, the Shiv Sena has won three and is ahead in 53 seats, while the NCP has won two and is leading in 37 seats.

    In the MVA, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates were leading in 11 seats, Congress in 20 and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) in 19 seats.

    The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has suffered a crushing defeat, with its candidates leading in just 50 seats, a far cry from the boasts – till this morning – by many of its senior leaders that the combine will trounce the Mahayuti.

    JHARKHAND ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

    Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren during a public meeting. (File photo : PTI)

    In Jharkhand, Hemant Soren’s JMM-led alliance was all set to retain Jharkhand as it was leading in at least 50 seats in the 81-member state Assembly on Saturday, as per the Election Commission data.

    The performance of the BJP-led NDA, which was seen as confident about its prospects in the state after an aggressive campaign, was poorer than its expectations. It was leading in only 29 seats.

    The BJP’s poll plank was driving out “infiltrators” from the Santhal Parganas region, but it seemed to have fallen flat in front of the ‘Adivasi’ card played by the JMM, which also sought  people’s sympathy over the arrest of Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

    BENGAL BYPOLLS

    Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee

    In  Bengal Bypolls, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s TMC has taken a massive lead, and the party  eyes a clean sweep.

    Ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidates have taken an unassailable lead in the bypolls held in the six Assembly constituencies in West Bengal, with counting underway since 8 am on Saturday.

    These results are drawing significant attention, especially in light of the ongoing protests related to the RG Kar Medical College incident, which has sparked public outcry in the state.

    The bypolls were held in Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai (SC), and Madarihat (ST), following the resignation of sitting MLAs who had secured victories in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, thus vacating their assembly seats.

    These elections are seen as an important political test for the state’s ruling party.

    DEVELOPING STORY

  • No Supreme Court reprieve for Hemant Soren on his arrest by ED

    No Supreme Court reprieve for Hemant Soren on his arrest by ED

    New Delhi (TIP)-The Supreme Court on Friday, February 2, refused to entertain a plea filed by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Hemant Soren, challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on money laundering allegations minutes after he resigned as chief minister of the state on January 31.
    Asking Soren to rather approach the high court concerned, the top court also declined to set down a deadline for the Jharkhand high court to hear and decide his petition that seeks his arrest be declared unconstitutional.
    “Why haven’t you gone to the high court? Why have you come here directly? If we permit in one case for somebody to come here directly, we will have to permit everyone. After all, a high court is also a constitutional court,” a bench, led by justice Sanjiv Khanna asked the lawyers representing Soren. Senior counsel Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the JMM leader, pressed that the facts of the matter required the top court to step in.
    “We are dealing with a chief minister who has been arrested in such a manner. Please, see the evidence. This is not fair,” submitted Sibal, adding it was an appropriate case for the Supreme Court to exercise its discretion.
    But the bench, which also comprised justices MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi, replied that all courts are open to everybody and that the high court is equally competent to grant the relief Soren wanted.
    “There is an earlier order of this court by a bench of which my sister (justice Trivedi) was a part, asking you to go to the high court. Move the high court… From your amendment application, it appears that he has been arrested… Move the high court because the issue is different now. You came here challenging the summons (by ED) but now you are challenging your arrest,” it said.
    Responding, Sibal tried to distinguish between the two cases.
    “In the other case, constitutionality of the PMLA provision was challenged. Here, it is not. Look at the order of arrest in this case. Such an order cannot be passed by any reasonable person,” he argued.
    But the bench remained indisposed.
    “The fact of the matter is that the high court is also a constitutional court. Please, go to the high court. We will have to follow it consistently. I have been following it consistently and my brother and sister have been following it consistently,” it emphasised.
    At this point, Singhvi came in to persuade the bench that the Supreme Court has concurrent jurisdiction in these cases and that there was no legal necessity for his client to move the high court at first instance if the apex court deemed it a suitable case to exercise its discretion.
    “Further, this case has laid down the law that there is a difference between power to arrest and necessity to do so. There has to be some concrete reasons to make arrest,” added the senior counsel.
    The bench, however, said that Soren must approach the high court first. “We are not inclined to entertain this petition under Article 32 (writ jurisdiction of the Supreme Court) and leave it open to the petitioner to move the high court under Article 226 (writ jurisdiction of a high court. We have been informed that the petitioner has already preferred a writ petition before the Jharkhand high court where it is still pending,” the court recorded in its order.
    The order further noted that an older petition by Soren was disposed off by the top court while granting him the same liberty of moving the high court.
    “It will also be open to him to ask the high court for expeditious listing and disposal of the case,” recorded the bench. Source: HT