Tag: Kerala

Antony vs Antony: Son, father in war of words as poll heat intensifies

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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“Very unfortunate to see a former defence minister supporting a party which has an anti-India stand,” BJP leader Anil Antony told Moneycontrol on April 9 after his comments were sought on his father and veteran Congress leader AK Antony’s statement earlier in the day.

Speaking to media persons in Thiruvananthapuram, former defence minister AK Antony said Anil, the BJP’s candidate from Pathanamthitta parliamentary seat, should lose.

The 38-year-old, who joined the BJP on April 6, 2023, is up against sitting MP and Congress leader Anto Antony.

“I have immense respect for my father, but I don’t appreciate his statement. He is standing with a party (Congress) whose leaders have insulted the sacrifice of our jawans,” Anil told Moneycontrol over the phone from Pathanamthitta, where he was canvassing.

“Instead of standing for national security and nation building, Congress leaders are always seen criticising our forces. And it’s unfortunate to see a former defence minister (my father) supporting that party.”

The former defence minister said the Congress and Rahul Gandhi were continuously fighting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP, and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

The Congress has always stood for vested interests, and its leaders supported only one family, Anil said.

The Congress has been supporting radical elements and it was for everyone to see in Pathanamthitta where the sitting MP levelled serious allegations against the BJP, claiming the party secured victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by exploiting the sacrifices of jawans killed in the Pulwama attacks.

“My father needs to understand the gravity here. His party is giving clean chit to Pakistan with such statements,” Anil added.

He claimed that the sentiment in Kerala, where electoral success in the assembly, as well as the Lok Sabha, has eluded the party, is turning in favour of the BJP.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Eid al-Fitr 2024 in India on April 10 or 11? Know the role of crescent moon sighting in Saudi Arabia today

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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As the day of Eid al-Fitr draws near, the nation is preparing for festivities to commemorate the completion of Ramadan, the holy month during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. The Islamic festival is celebrated annually on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Muslim (lunar) calendar.

However, the date of the celebration depends on the visibility of the new moon. This leads Muslims in different parts of the world to celebrate the festival at different times. India, meanwhile, is all geared up to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on April 10 or 11 this year. However, the exact date is yet to be known.

It needs to be noted that the date to celebrate Eid al-Fitr might change by one or two days depending on the location as well. Therefore, the exact day will be revealed closer to the day of the festival. Meanwhile, Kerala is the only Indian state that celebrates the festival based on a sighting of the moon in Saudi Arabia.

Eid Al-Fitr 2024: Moon Sighting Date in Saudi Arabia, India

Additionally, Indian Muslims, along with those residing in South Asian countries, will gear up for the sighting of the Crescent moon on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. This year, the month of Ramadan commenced on March 11, 2024, in many countries, including those in the Middle East, North America, and the UK.

Ahead of the Islamic festival, the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia made an announcement asking Muslims to see the crescent moon for the month of Shawwal on the evening of April 8. This sighting of the moon on this particular day marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr.

As far as astronomical calculations are considered, Eid al-Fitr is expected to be observed on Wednesday, hinting at a 30-day fast in Ramadan instead of 29 days for Muslims this year.

If the crescent moon is not sighted in Saudi Arabia on April 8, Eid al-Fitr will be observed on April 11 and the night before Eid (Chand Raat) will be observed on April 10.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha elections 2024: CAA to human-animal conflict, a look at key poll issues in Kerala

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Weeks ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the political scenario in Kerala is buzzing with debates over several key political issues, including the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) and electoral bonds, which could sway voter sentiments significantly.

Kerala has been traditionally dominated by the Left parties and Congress. The Bharatiya Janata Party is making all possible efforts to make a mark in the 2024 general elections.

The Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be held in seven phases across the country from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

In the southern state, voting will take place on April 26 for all the 20 parliamentary constituencies.

During the 2019 elections, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 19 of the 20 seats in Kerala. Out of these, 15 seats were secured by the grand old party, while the rest were bagged by its allies IUML (2), Kerala Congress(M) (1) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (1). On the other hand, the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the CPI(M), registered victory in only one seat, while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) could not open its account in the state.

Here’s a look at some of the major poll issues in Kerala in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections:

1. CAA

While the BJP is expected to go all out on its promise of granting citizenship to migrants from other countries, the Opposition parties are challenging the move, calling the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, as ‘unconstitutional’. CAA has been a hot political issue in Kerala. During the discussion on the Bill after its introduction in the Lok Sabha on December 19, 2019, several MPs from the state opposed the bill while participating in the debate.

The Chief Minister has been quite vocal against the central law calling it ‘discriminatory against Muslims’ in the past. He also lashed out at Congress for not mentioning the CAA in its manifesto for Lok Sabha elections, released on April 5.

2. Human-animal conflicts

Last month, the state government declared man-animal conflict as a state-specific disaster, making Kerala the first state in the country to do so. In recent months, multiple people have lost their lives while numerous others have been injured in wildlife attacks, particularly by elephants, wild boars and tigers.

The LDF and UDF have been batting for amendments to the Wildlife Act of 1972, arguing that it is necessary to address the increasing incidents of human-animal conflicts. However, the BJP-led Central government reportedly contends that the existing provisions of the Wildlife Act are sufficient to handle the situation.

3. Electoral bonds

The Opposition parties have been targeting the BJP-led central government over the electoral bonds scheme, which was struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this year.

Much like other states, the Congress, CPI(M) and other regional parties have been raking up the issue during their poll campaigning in Kerala as well.

4. Left Front vs Congress

The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) are two main rivals in the state, despite both belonging to the opposition alliance INDIA bloc. The ruling LDF, under the leadership of CM Pinarayi Vijayan, aims to sail through the Lok Sabha elections with its opposition to the CAA, fight against the BJP ‘communal agenda’ in the state and the development work done by the government. On the other hand, Congress is going to people as a viable alternative to the BJP at the national level. Both parties are eyeing minority votes, which could be decisive in several seats.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Kerala Lok Sabha elections 2024: Complete list of Congress candidates

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Congress party, which is a dominant force in Kerala, is eyeing to secure the maximum number of seats in the state in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to be held in seven phases in the country from April 19 to June 1.

Kerala is among the few states where the grand old party is still quite popular, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to gain ground.

Voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Kerala will be conducted on April 26 across all 20 parliamentary constituencies. The counting will take place on June 4.

During the 2019 polls, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) registered a massive victory in the state, winning 19 of the 20 seats. While the Congress bagged 15 seats, the rest of the four seats were taken by its allies — IUML (2), Kerala Congress(M) (1) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (1).

The Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the CPI(M), was restricted to just one seat, while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) failed to open its account in the state.

Given that Rahul Gandhi is a Lok Sabha MP representing Kerala‘s Wayanad constituency, the Congress will make a major effort during the 2024 elections to retain its dominant position.

Kerala is again up for a three-way contest, with the BJP-led NDA making all possible efforts to make its presence felt. On the other hand, the LDF is also leaving no stone unturned to improve its tally this time.

Kerala Lok Sabha elections: Voting dates

In Kerala, polling for the 2024 general elections will be held in the second phase on April 26. Voting in the state will take place in a single phase across all the seats. In 2019, Kerala had registered a total voter turnout of 77.84%.

Kerala Lok Sabha elections: Total seats

Kerala has a total of 20 parliamentary constituencies. Of these, two are reserved for SC candidates, while the rest, 18, are unreserved.

Kerala Lok Sabha elections: Congress candidates

The Congress will contest 16 seats and alliance partner Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) will contest two seats and one each for RSP and Kerala Congress (J).

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Kerala Lok Sabha elections 2024: Schedule, total seats and BJP candidates

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Kerala, one of the few states where the Congress still has a strong presence, sends 20 parliamentarians to the Lok Sabha. Compared to other states, Kerala often registers higher voter turnout.

Voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the South Indian state across all 20 seats is scheduled for April 26, while the counting of votes will take place on June 4.

During the 2019 general elections, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) registered a landslide victory, winning 19 of the 20 seats. Of these, 15 seats were taken by the Congress, while the rest were won by other UDF members IUML (2), Kerala Congress(M) (1) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (1).

The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) was limited to just one seat and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) drew a blank in the state.

Once again, Kerala is expected to be on the priority list for the Congress. Rahul Gandhi, the former president of the grand old party, is a Lok Sabha MP from the Wayanad constituency of the state.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leaving no stone unturned to establish its complete dominance in the 2024 elections.

This time, too, Kerala is witnessing a three-way contest between the BJP-led NDA, Congress-led UDF and the LDF.

Kerala Lok Sabha elections: Voting dates

Voting for the 2024 general elections across all the seats in Kerala will take place in the second phase on April 26. In 2019, the state registered a total voter turnout of 77.84%.

Kerala Lok Sabha elections: Total seats

Kerala ranks 12th in the list of states with the number of Lok Sabha seats. The state has 20 parliamentary constituencies, of which two seats are reserved for SC candidates. The rest, 18, are unreserved.

Kerala Lok Sabha elections: BJP candidates

The BJP couldn’t open its account in Kerala but managed a 13% vote share in the 2019 polls. This time, the saffron party has fielded a few heavyweights from Kerala to improve its performance in the state.

Here’s a list of candidates announced by the BJP in Kerala:

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Palakkad to Wayanad, key seats in Kerala

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will take place in seven phases, starting on April 19 and concluding on June 1. The Election Commission of India said that the votes will be counted on June 4. Polling for Kerala’s 20 Lok Sabha seats will be held on April 26, per the schedule released on March 16. The voting in Kerala, like the previous general elections, will take place on a single day to avoid conflicts with Vishu, Thrissur Pooram and Eid-ul-Fitr.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has struggled to win any seats in the southern state, hopes for a breakthrough in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The state is one of the few that consistently supports Congress and is well-known for its strong left-leaning politics.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA), led by the Congress, won 19 of Kerala’s 20 seats by a wide margin in 2019. The National Democratic Alliance, led by the BJP, formed a government in the Centre but was unable to win any seats there. Nonetheless, the saffron party secured almost 15% of the vote. It’s interesting to note that the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which had been in power, suffered a severe setback and only won one seat in the elections.

Here are the key seats to watch out for in Kerala:

1. Palakkad

Palakkad is a high-priority constituency for the BJP in Kerala since it is the only municipality where the BJP holds a clear majority. In 2019, Congress candidate VK Sreekandan won the seat against all odds by over 11,000 votes against the sitting Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP MB Rajesh.

Sreekantan is once again in the fray. Challenging him is A Vijayaraghavan, a member of the CPI(M) Politburo, who is married to the state’s minister of higher education, R Bindu, for the LDF. Krishnakumar, the BJP’s state general secretary, is running for Lok Sabha from Palakkad for the second time.

2. Thrissur

Actor-politician Suresh Gopi, who ran an unsuccessful campaign from Thrissur in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, is once again fighting on a BJP ticket. He will face Congress candidate K Muraleedharan, the sitting MP from Vadakara and son of the late chief minister K Karunakaran.

Muraleedharan, the four-time MP and two-time MLA, is known for winning tough contests, including the Vattiyoorkavu Assembly constituency in Thiruvananthapuram and the Vadakara Lok Sabha seat.

The majority of Christian voters in the constituency — over 30% — will be crucial in determining the outcome in this constituency.

3. Thiruvananthapuram

One of the most high-profile seats in not just Kerala but across the country, Thiruvananthapuram will see a three-cornered battle between three-time MP Shashi Tharoor, former CPI MP Pannyan Raveendran and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar.

Kerala’s capital city has either supported the Congress or the Communist Party of India (CPI). The closest the BJP got to winning the seat was in 2014 when Olanchery Rajagopal lost to Shashi Tharoor by a vote count of 15,470.

Shashi Tharoor ran in the 2019 elections against Kummanam Rajasekharan of the BJP. Rajasekharan lost to him by a total of 99,989 votes. Tharoor received 41.19% of the vote, compared to 31.30% for the BJP candidate.

CPI’s C Divakaran garnered 2,58,556 votes, or 25.60% of the total.

4. Pathanamthitta

The Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency is also expected to see a three-way contest in the 2024 general elections, with the BJP fielding veteran Congress leader AK Antony’s son Anil Antony. The Congress party is sticking with Anto Antony, the sitting MP. The CPI-M has fielded former state finance minister Thomas Isaac.

Since the 2009 general elections, voters in the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha seat have shown steady and continuous support for Congress candidate Anto Antony.

In 2019, Anto Antony defeated BJP’s K Surendran and CPM’s Veena George by 380,927 votes.

5. Kasargod

From Kasargod, the BJP has fielded ML Ashwini, a Manjeshwar block panchayat member, in place of BJP national office bearer PK Krishnadas and state president K Surendran. Rajmohan Unnithan, the sitting Congress MP, is seeking re-election from the seat. M V Balakrishnan, district secretary of the CPI(M), has been put out by the LDF as their candidate.

With 474,961 votes, Unnithan was victorious from the Kasaragod seat in the 2019 elections. With 434,523 votes, CPM’s KP Satishchandran finished in second.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a Congress alliance partner, is an essential player in the constituency where religious and linguistic minorities typically determine election outcomes.

6. Wayanad

The Wayanad Lok Sabha seat will be one of the most closely monitored seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The seat is supposedly safe for Congress because sitting MP Rahul Gandhi is seeking re-election from here.

In the 2019 general elections, Congress won a record 64.9% of the votes, while the CPI(M) received just 25.2%.

The wife of CPI(M) General Secretary D Raja, Annie Raja, will square up against Rahul Gandhi. The Congress and the CPI(M) have decided to go solo in the Kerala Lok Sabha elections, despite the two parties being part of the INDIA alliance.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Finance Ministry makes one time offer of ₹5000 crore as additional borrowing to Kerala but conditions apply

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Centre has offered a conditional arrangement that will enable Kerala to borrow ₹5000 crore additionally in the current financial year, sources told CNBC-TV18 on March 14.

As per the terms and conditions set by the Centre, Kerala will adjust ₹5000 crore of additional borrowing against its first nine months of FY25 borrowing, sources explained.

Moreover, the state will also not be granted any further additional borrowing in the 2024-25 fiscal. The consent for its borrowing programme will be issued only on receipt of prescribed information and documents.

Also, Centre’s consent to the first nine months of borrowing by Kerala will be issued on a quarterly basis , meaning every three months against the current practice of a one shot nod for nine months of borrowing by any state.

Kerala will also need to submit a Plan-B for raising financial resources that it announced in its FY25 budget. The state needs to put this plan in action before seeking the Centre’s nod for FY25 fourth quarter borrowing, sources said.

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Kerala had been seeking the Centre’s consent for borrowing ₹15,000 crore in advance in March 2024 against its FY25 borrowing limit, which the Centre refused on grounds of fiscal prudence. Following this, Kerala appealed to the Supreme Court but the plea was rejected by the apex court on March 13. However, the top court requested the Centre to re-examine the case and thereafter, the Centre made the conditional offer to Kerala, which is essentially based on state adhering to some fiscal discipline.

Sources explain that had the Centre agreed to Kerala’s plea for a ₹15,000 crore advance borrowing window, its borrowing limit for the next fiscal would have been severely squeezed, leaving the state in a worse fiscal situation than what it currently is.

For instance, the first nine months of Kerala’s FY25 entitled borrowing works out to ₹21,664 crore. A ₹15,000 crore advance against this would have curtailed Kerala’s borrowing to ₹6664 crore in which it would have to manage nine months of expenditure, translating into a fiscal headroom of just ₹740 crore a month.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha Elections Opinion Poll: Southern states skew BJP — 71% ‘very satisfied’ with Modi government

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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With the Lok Sabha elections just around the corner, the mood in the Southern states seems decidedly favourable towards the BJP, according to a News18 Opinion Poll.

The poll surveyed 20,346 votes across the four southern states — 5,751 in Andhra Pradesh, 6,605 in Karnataka, 4,366 in Kerala, and 3,624 in Telangana.

PM & Centre’s Performance

Of those surveyed, 71% said they were very satisfied with the performance of the central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the past five years — a whopping 89% in AP, 77% in BJP stronghold Karnataka, 86% in Telangana, and just 35% in Kerala.

Economic situation

Overall, 54% of all southern voters polled said they are in a better economic condition now as compared with five years ago — 68% in AP, 56% in Karnataka, 41% in Kerala, and 64% in Telangana. Along the same lines, a majority of those polled, 61%, hold an optimistic outlook for the next five years, believing that their economic condition will improve. They include 72% from AP, 62% from Karnataka, 61% in Kerala, and 65% in Kerala.

Past five years

Next five years

Voters also expressed optimism about their family’s future, with 62% stating that they expect the situation to improve in the next five years. Of these, 58% were from AP, as many from Karnataka, 71% from Kerala (the highest among southern states), and 62% from Telangana.

Views about the sitting MP

Surprisingly, a very low percentage of voters (19.5%) are unhappy with the MPs from their constituencies. Tamil Nadu sends 39 MPs to the Lok Sabha, Kerala 20, Andhra Pradesh 25, and Telangana 17, for a total of 101 from the four states. About 18% of respondents from Andhra Pradesh are somewhat to very dissatisfied with their MP, 18% from Karnataka, 29% from Kerala (the highest), and 13% from Telangana.

MPs’ performance report 

Is the Modi wave strong?

The News18 poll also surveyed 7,163 BJP voters in the four states, a majority of whom said they would press the Lotus symbol regardless of the candidate, purely because of PM Narendra Modi. BJP stronghold Karnataka polled the highest, with 80% saying they will vote for Modi/BJP regardless of whom the party fields, closely followed by Kerala at 75%. Andhra Pradesh recorded 49% and Telangana 67%, clearly demonstrating that the Modi wave, which started in 2014, has yet to ebb.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Kerala Mumps outbreak: Know its symptoms, treatment and more

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Kerala is witnessing a mumps outbreak with at least 190 cases reported in a single day on Sunday, March 10. As per the data shared by the state health department, Kerala has so far registered a total of 2,505 cases of the viral infection this month and 11,467 cases in over two months this year.

Of the 2,505 cases reported in March, 1,649 are children. The maximum number of cases in Kerala are being reported from Malappuram district and other parts of north Kerala, officials said.

Confirming the outbreak, officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that the National Centre for Disease Control in Kerala has been alerted, the Indian Express reported.

What Are Mumps?

The viral infection is caused by the paramyxovirus, which spreads through direct contact or airborne droplets from an infected person’s upper respiratory tract.

If a person is infected, it usually takes two to four weeks for the symptoms to manifest. The disease primarily affects the salivary glands, causing pain and swelling.

The disease usually affects children, but adolescents and adults can also get infected by it.

Symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms of mumps include:

1. Swelling of the salivary glands, mainly near the jawline and ears.
   2. High fever.
   3. Mild to severe headache.
   4. Body ache
   5. Muscle pain and fatigue.
   6. Loss of appetite.

Treatment

As of now, there is no specific treatment for mumps as most patients recover naturally over a few weeks or more.

Children are given a vaccine against mumps, measles and rubella (MMR). They can receive the MMR vaccine against all three diseases at private centres.

Here are a few steps that can help you manage the symptoms of mumps: gargling with warm salt water, drinking plenty of fluids and including non-acidic easy-to-chew foods in the meal.

In most cases, mumps is considered a self-limiting disease. However, in a few rare cases, there are chances of swelling in the brain area, hearing loss, and painful inflammation of the testis in adult males.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

SC asks Centre to consider giving one-time package to Kerala by March 31

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday, March 12, asked the Centre to consider providing a one-time package to the Kerala government by March 31 to deal with financial issues facing the state.

The Kerala government, represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, mentioned its pending lawsuit against the central government for urgent hearing before a bench comprising justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan, saying that the Union was not releasing necessary funds.

Agreeing to list the plea of the state government for hearing on Wednesday, the bench said the Centre can be “slightly liberal and give a one-time package as a special case” to Kerala.

The bench said more rigid conditions may be put in future budgets and, in the meantime, a special package be given to the state before March 31. Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman, appearing for the Centre, said the offsetting balance is having a cumulative effect on Kerala’s finances and the state deferred fiscal consolidation twice. Offsetting balance is a minimum credit balance that a bank may require a borrower to keep in deposit as a condition for granting a loan.

“We are really constrained and our hands are tied,” the ASG said.

“We are not experts, cannot tell you the way out,” the bench told the central government’s law officer.

The bench had said on March 6 that fiscal mismanagement by states is an issue the Union government has to be concerned about as it impacts the nation’s economy.

It had advised the Centre and the Kerala government to iron out their differences on a cap on net borrowing by the southern state.

The apex court had made the observation while it was hearing a suit filed by the Kerala government accusing the Union of India of interfering in the exercise of its “exclusive, autonomous and plenary powers” to regulate the state’s finances by imposing a ceiling on borrowing.

In an original suit filed under Article 131, the Kerala government has said the Constitution bestows fiscal autonomy upon states to regulate their finances under various articles, and the borrowing limits are regulated by a state legislation.

In a note submitted before the top court, the Centre had said uncontrolled borrowing by states would affect the credit rating of the whole country and that the fiscal edifice of Kerala has been diagnosed with “several racks”.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow