An M.P. Minister’s disqualification underlines need to make paid news an electoral offence
The Election Commission’s order disqualifying Madhya Pradesh Minister Narottam Mishra for three years is an important step in curbing( को रोकने) ‘paid news’ in the electoral arena(अखाड़ा). It is not the first such order. An Uttar Pradesh MLA, Umlesh Yadav, was disqualified in 2011 on the same ground, of suppressing (दबा) expenditure incurred(किए गए) in the publication of paid news. The EC has called paid news, a term that refers to propaganda(प्रचार प्रसार) in favour of a candidate masquerading(मुखौटा धारण कर लिया) as news reports or articles, a “grave electoral malpractice (कदाचार)” on the part of candidates to circumvent(दरकिनार) expenditure limits. In a typical inquiry into the paid news phenomenon (घटना), the newspaper or publication concerned denies (से इनकार करते हैं) that it was paid for publishing the material and insists(इस बात पर जोर) that it was part of its normal election coverage. The candidate denies authorising the publication and takes the plea(दलील) that he or she could not possibly account for something that was not paid for. Mr. Mishra was no exception(अपवाद). He, in fact, argued that his rivals(प्रतिद्वंद्वियों) could be behind the 42 reports that the EC’s National Level Committee on Paid News found to be nothing but election advertisements, without any disclaimer(अस्वीकरण). However, the EC did not buy his arguments, mainly because it was difficult to believe that he had not seen reports that appeared in his Datia constituency(चुनाव क्षेत्र) during the campaign for the 2008 Assembly elections, often with his picture and the Bharatiya Janata Party’s symbol. Many of these reports carried identical words, and in some there was a direct appeal for votes on his behalf.
Paid news is not an electoral offence(अपमान) yet, but there is a case to make it one. The EC has recommended to the government that the Representation of the People Act, 1951, be amended(संशोधन) to make the publishing, or abetting(को बढ़ावा देने के) the publishing, of paid news to further a candidate’s prospects or prejudicially(प्रतिकूल) affect another’s an electoral offence. Until this is done, contestants who use paid news can only be hauled(घसीटा) up for failing to include the expenses involved in their campaign accounts. In Mr. Mishra’s case, the EC has taken the view that even if it were true that he made no payment, he ought to have included a notional amount in his accounts. Also, candidates cannot simply claim that these reports were not authorised by them. As long as the intention(इरादा) to boost someone’s prospects was clear, and there was no objection(आपत्ति) from the candidate, the EC can rule that there was ‘implied(अस्पष्ट) authorisation’. Mr. Mishra’s case pertains(संबद्ध होना) to the 2008 election, and by the time the Commission has given its verdict(निर्णय) he is into his next term, having been re-elected in 2013. It is difficult not to notice that the enormous(विशाल) delay in adjudicating(निर्णय करना) such questions is often created by candidates approaching the courts to stall inquiries. A legal framework in which electoral issues are expeditiously(शीघ्र) adjudicated (निर्णय करना) must also be put in place if election law is to be enforced(से लागू) in both letter and spirit.
- Curbing( को रोकने) verb : gerund or present participle: curbing restrain or keep in check.
- Sentence: She promised she would curb her temper, The army was rewarded for its overwhelming success in curbing terrorism
Synonyms: – restrain, repress, suppress, bridle, strangle
- Arena (अखाड़ा) noun: a level area surrounded by seating, in which sports, entertainments, and other public events are held.
Synonyms: – stadium, amphitheatre, theatre, ground, field, court, stage, platform
- suppressing (दबा)
Synonyms: – stamp out, overpower, put down, put out, crack down on
- incurred(किए गए) become subject to (something unwelcome or unpleasant) as a result of one’s own behaviour or actions.
Sentence: “I will pay any expenses incurred”, The company incurred a loss of two million pounds
Synonyms: suffer, sustain, experience, expose oneself to
- propaganda(प्रचार प्रसार) noun : information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.
Sentence: “he was charged with distributing enemy propaganda”
Synonyms: information, disinformation, advertisement, publicity
- masquerading(मुखौटा धारण कर लिया): pretend to be someone one is not.
Sentence: “a journalist masquerading as a man in distress”
Synonyms: pretend to be, impersonate, personate, pose as
7.malpractice (कदाचार) noun: improper, illegal, or negligent professional behaviour.
Sentence:“victims of medical malpractice”
Synonyms: wrongdoing, dereliction of duty, unprofessionalism, unethical behaviour
- circumvent(दरकिनार) verb : find a way around (an obstacle).
Sentence :“if you come to an obstruction in a road you can seek to circumvent it”
Synonyms: overcome, avoid, outwit,end-run; informal duck
- phenomenon (घटना) noun: a fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen, especially one whose cause or explanation is in question.
Sentence: “glaciers are interesting natural phenomena”
Synonyms: occurrence, event, happening, fact, situation, circumstance, experience
- denies (से इनकार करते हैं) state that one refuses to admit the truth or existence of.
Sentence: “both firms deny any responsibility for the tragedy”
Synonyms: repudiate, dissent from, disagree with, refute
- insists(इस बात पर जोर) demand something forcefully, not accepting refusal.
Sentence: demand something forcefully, not accepting refusal,“he insisted on answers to his allegations”
Synonyms: show determination, persevere, stand up for oneself, be resolute
- plea(दलील)noun: a request made in an urgent and emotional manner.
Sentence: he made a dramatic plea for disarmament”
Synonyms: appeal, entreaty, supplication, petition, prayer
- exception(अपवाद)noun: a person or thing that is excluded from a general statement or does not follow a rule.
Sentence: “he always plays top tunes, and tonight was no exception”
Synonyms: anomaly, irregularity, deviation, special case, departure,
14.rivals(प्रतिद्वंद्वियों)a person or thing competing with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field of activity.
Sentence: “he has no serious rival for the job”
Synonyms: competitor,opponent,contestant, contender,challenger;
- disclaimer(अस्वीकरण).noun: a statement that denies something, especially responsibility.
Sentence: “the novel carries a disclaimer about the characters bearing no relation to living persons”
Synonyms: denial, refusal, rejection
16.constituency(चुनाव क्षेत्र)noun: a group of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body.
Sentence: “most politicians are more interested in the voice of their constituency”
Synonyms: peoples, state, county, district, riding, electoral district
- offence (अपमान) noun: a breach of a law or rule; an illegal act.
Sentence: “the new offence of obtaining property by deception”
Synonyms: crime, illegal/unlawful act,misdemeanour,breach/violation/infraction of the law
- amended(संशोधन)verb past tense: amended; past participle: amended make minor changes to (a text, piece of legislation, etc.) in order to make it fairer or more accurate, or to reflect changing circumstances.
Sentence: “the rule was amended to apply only to non-members”
Synonyms: revise, alter, change, modify, qualify, adapt, adjust
- prejudicially(प्रतिकूल) Causing or tending to cause harm, especially to a legal case: a prejudicial error, Showing or full of prejudice; biased: a prejudicial opinion.
Synonyms: unfairly, unjustifiably, unlawfully, wrongfully
20.hauled(घसीटा) (of a person) pull or drag with effort or force.
Synonyms: drag, pull, tug, heave, hump, trail, draw, tow, manhandle
21.intention(इरादा) noun: a thing intended; an aim or plan.
Sentence: she was full of good intentions”
Synonyms: aim, purpose, intent, objective, object, goal, target
- objection(आपत्ति) noun: an expression or feeling of disapproval or opposition; a reason for disagreeing
Sentence: “they have raised no objections to the latest plans”
Synonyms: protest, protestation, demur, demurrer, remonstrance
23.implied(अस्पष्ट) indicate the truth or existence of (something) by suggestion rather than explicit reference.
Sentence: “she was aware of his implied criticism”
Synonyms: implicit, indirect, hinted, suggested, insinuated, deducible, inferred
24.pertains(संबद्ध होना) be appropriate, related, or applicable to.
Sentence: “matters pertaining to the organization of government”
Synonyms: concern, relate to, be related to, be connected with, be relevant to, have relevance to
- verdict(निर्णय) a decision on an issue of fact in a civil or criminal case or an inquest.
Sentence: the jury returned a verdict of not guilty”
Synonyms: judgement, adjudication, adjudgement, decision, finding, ruling, resolution
- enormous(विशाल) very large in size, quantity, or extent.
Sentence: “enormous sums of money”
Synonyms: huge, vast, extensive, expansive, broad, wide
27.adjudicating(निर्णय करना) make a formal judgement on a disputed matter.
Sentence: “the Committee adjudicates on all betting disputes”
Synonyms: judge, adjudge, try, hear, examine, arbitrate,
- expeditiously(शीघ्र) with speed and efficiency.
Sentence: “the directors will move expeditiously to reach a conclusion”
Synonyms: speedy, swift, quick, rapid, fast;
- enforced(से लागू)compel observance of or compliance with (a law, rule, or obligation).
Sentence:“the role of the police is to enforce the law”
Synonyms: impose, apply, carry out, administer, implement
Credit: To THE HINDU News Paper
Thank’s (All Govt Jobs India Team )
