Archives for April 2018

Four-month-old Baby Vedika was successfully treated at Fortis Hospital in Gurgaon.

Bangalore, 9th April 2018: Fortis Foundation’s ‘Umeed-Smile’ initiative has recently supported the treatment of a four-month-old baby for her cleft lip surgery, making her the 100th child benefitting from the programme. The treatment was performed by a team of experts led by Dr. Gagan Sabharwal, Consultant – Dentistry and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Fortis Memorial Research Institute and Dr. Rashmi Taneja, Senior Consultant – Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital at Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI) in Gurgaon recently.

The patient, Vedika was first diagnosed with a cleft lip condition when her mother was in her seventh month of pregnancy. After her birth, she was unable to drink her mother’s milk and faced breathing difficulties. The family could not support her treatment with their monthly income of Rs.7500. After learning about Fortis Foundation’s Umeed-Smile initiative they reached out for possible support and treatment of Vedika.

Since its inception in 2018, the Umeed-Smile initiative has been working in collaboration with Mission Smile under Fortis Foundation’s Aanchal Programme to provide free surgeries for Cleft lip and palate to children from economically weaker sections of society. The Aanchal programme aims at providing medical treatment to children from economically weaker sections of the society.

Mr Jasbir Singh Grewal, Head, Fortis Foundation said, “The joy of bringing to smiles to children and their families is the greatest achievement for all of us at Fortis Foundation. These smiles give us the strength to go from child to child knowing that we are making a difference to their lives.

Speaking about the surgery, Dr. Gagan Sabharwal, Consultant – Dentistry and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon said, “Fortis is committed to ensuring access to quality healthcare for all. There is very little awareness among the public that conditions such as cleft lip and palate deformities can be treated successfully. We are trying to create awareness. These surgeries are indicative of our pledge as doctors to make the maximum effort and help patients recover and lead normal lives irrespective of their economic status.”

Cleft Lips are the second most common congenital defect and approximately 1 in 500 children in India are born with this deformity. Cleft lip and cleft palate are thought to be caused by a combination of genes and other factors. It is estimated that over 1 million children in India continue to suffer from this deformity. Over 35,000 cleft affected children have been screened and 25,000 safe corrective surgeries have been performed in India.

The contradictions between the buyer and suppliers of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in India have been laid bare in replies to right to information queries.

But even in year-wise details, replies given by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the two public sector suppliers — Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) Hyderabad and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Bengaluru — have thrown up inexplicable discrepancies.

According to Mumbai-based activist Manoranjan S. Roy, whose efforts through RTI queries have shown the serious mismatches, this points to a rot which may run deeper than expected.

On the overall figures from 1989-1990 till 2014-2015, the ECI says it had received 1,005,662 EVMs from BEL, but BEL said it has supplied 1,969,932 — a difference of 964,270 machines. In the year-wise breakdown of figures, the ECI and BEL end up contradicting each other, says Roy, who has now moved the Bombay High Court seeking a probe into the whole affair.

“For instance, in 2003-2004, BEL said it supplied 193,475 EVMs to EC, which said it received only 167,850 — a shortfall of 25,625. The following year, the ECI said it received 36,395 EVMs, but BEL supplied only 2070,” Roy said.

Just in one year — in 2008-2009 — the shortfall in supply to ECI from BEL was a 962,000 EVMs. In 2010-2011 the variation was 13,490 EVMs but in 2013-2014, ECI received an excess of 51,713 EVMs against the BEL’s supply of 139,725. One of the worst years of mismatch was 2014-2015, when BEL supplied 62,183 EVMs but ECI received none.

Ditto is the scenario with ECIL, which supplied 1,944,593 EVMs to ECI between 1989-1990 to 2016-2017 but ECI said it received 1,014,644 — a gaping shortfall of 929,949. A similar mismatch rules the year-wise numbers with ECIL.

“In 2003-2004, ECIL said it supplied 303,878 EVMs to EC, which said it received only 168,195. In 2008-2009, the ECI said it received 78,000 EVMs, but ECIL figures say it supplied 816,000 EVMs,” Roy said.

In 2013-2014, the ECI received 191,438 EVMs, but ECIL had supplied none. The situation, however, reversed in the next three years — 2014-2015 to 2016-2017 — when ECI said it received zero machines, but ECIL figures stated 173,962, 120,103 and 272 EVMs were supplied, respectively.

As mentioned in earlier reports, the ECI said it had incurred a total expenditure of Rs 536.02 crore on acquiring EVMs from BEL which says it received Rs 652.56 crore. The ECI expenditure on acquiring EVMs from ECIL are not available.

Curiously, ECIL said it had not supplied a single EVM to any state between 2006-2007 till 2013-2014.

Nevertheless, ECIL — through ECI — recovered an amount of Rs 50.64 crore from Maharashtra government between March-October 2012.

“The question is why such huge discrepancies in the EVMs figures received by ECI from the two companies? Where have the excess machines supplied by BEL and ECIL actually gone?” Roy asked. Same goes for the discrepancy in the money spent.

Even on the question of destroying old EVMs, there is lack of clarity. On July 21, 2017, the ECI said that it had not sold any EVMs as scrap. The EVMs procured in 1989-1990 were said to have been destroyed by the manufacturers themselves.

The ECI said that the process of destroying (old/outdated/irreparable) EVMs received by ECI between 2000-2005, “is still under consideration”, thus implying that all machines are still under its possession.

Political parties have multiple sources of funding and therefore accountability and transparency should be an
important aspect of their functioning. It is essential to have comprehensive and transparent accounting methods
and systems which should reveal the true financial position of the parties.
The National Parties include Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP),
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) and All
India Trinamool Congress (AITC).
Submission of audited reports by the National Parties
• The due date for submission of annual audited accounts for the parties was 30th Oct,’17.
• BSP, CPM and AITC submitted their audit reports on time while CPI submitted its audit report 22 days after
the due date for submission.
• NCP submitted its audited report on 19th January, 2018, more than two months after the due date for
submission.
• BJP submitted its audited report on 8th Feb, 2018 (99 days delayed) and INC submitted its audited report
on 19th March, 2018 (138 days delayed).
Total Income and Expenditure of National Political Parties for – FY-2016-2017
• 7 National Parties (BJP, INC, BSP, NCP, CPM, CPI and AITC) have declared a total income of Rs. 1,559.17 cr,
collected from all over India.
• The 7 National Parties declared a total expenditure of Rs 1,228.26 cr.
• BJP declared the maximum expenditure of Rs 710.057 cr during FY-2016-17 while INC incurred a total
expenditure of Rs 321.66 cr (Rs 96.30 cr more than its total income).
• 70% of total income of BSP, 31% of the total income of BJP & CPI and 6% of the total income of CPM during
FY 2016-17 was declared unspent.

Total Income of National Parties FY 2016-2017
• The total income of the National Parties has been compiled from the income from various sources pan India,
as submitted in their Income Tax Returns.
• BJP has shown the highest income amongst the National Parties with a total income of Rs 1,034.27 cr during
FY 2016-17. This forms 66.34% of the total income of National Parties added together during FY 2016-17.
• INC has shown the second highest income amongst the National Parties with a total income of Rs 225.36
cr during FY 2016-17. This forms 14.45% of the total income of National Parties added together during FY
2016-17.
• CPI declared the lowest income of Rs 2.079 cr which forms a mere 0.13% of the total income of the 7
National Parties during the FY 2016-17.

Comparison of total income of National Parties between FY 2015-16 and 2016-17
• Between FY 2015-16 and 2016-17, the income of BJP increased by 81.18% (Rs 463.41 cr) from Rs 570.86 cr
during FY 2015-16 to Rs 1,034.27 cr during FY 2016-17 while the income of INC decreased by 14% (Rs 36.20
cr) from Rs 261.56 cr during FY 2015-16 to Rs 225.36 cr during FY 2016-17.
• Income of BSP increased by 266.32% (Rs 126.195 cr) from Rs 47.385 cr during FY 2015-16 to Rs 173.58 cr
during FY 2016-17 while the income of NCP increased by 88.63% (Rs 8.098 cr) from Rs 9.137 cr during FY
2015-16 to Rs 17.235 cr during FY 2016-17.
• It is to be noted that between FY 2015-16 and 2016-17, the income of AITC decreased by 81.52% (Rs 28.188
cr), CPM decreased by 6.72% (Rs 7.224 cr)

Top 3 sources of income of BJP and INC for FY-2016-2017
• BJP and INC have declared donations/contributions as one of their 3 main sources of income. BJP- Rs 997.12
cr and INC- Rs 50.626 cr.
• Grant/ donations/ contributions of Rs 997.12 cr declared by BJP forms 96.41% of the total income of the
party during FY 2016-17. Declaration of Rs 115.644 cr under Revenue from issuance of Coupons by INC
forms the top most income of the party, contributing 51.32% of the total income of the party during FY
2016-17.

Top 3 items of expenditure of BJP and INC Parties for FY 2016-2017
● The maximum expenditure for BJP during FY 2016-17 was towards Election/ General Propaganda, which
amounted to Rs 606.64 cr followed by expenses towards Administrative Cost, Rs 69.78 cr.
● INC spent the maximum of Rs 149.65 cr on Election Expenditure followed by expenditure of Rs 115.65 cr
on Administrative and General Expenses.

All sources of income declared by National Parties: FY 2016-17
• 7 National parties have collected maximum 74.98% (Rs 1,169.07 cr) income from Voluntary contributions
for FY- 2016-17.
• During FY- 2016-17, National Parties have received Rs 128.60 cr income from Interest from Banks & FD.
• 7.98% or Rs 124.46 cr was income generated through Revenue from Issuance of coupons by National
parties during FY- 2016-17.

Observations

· 4 out of 7 National Parties (BJP, INC, NCP and CPI) have consistently delayed submitting their audit reports for the past five years. The top major parties, BJP and INC, have delayed submitting their audit reports by an average of almost 6 months.

· It is observed that the 7 National Parties’ total income has increased by 51%, in other words by Rs 525.99 cr. The total income of the 7 National Parties increasing from Rs 1,033.18 cr during FY- 2015-16 to Rs 1,559.17 cr during FY- 2016-17.

· 7 National parties have collected maximum 74.98% (Rs 1,169.07 cr) income from voluntary contributions for FY- 2016-17. In contrast, the parties had have received 60% (Rs 616.05 cr) of their income from voluntary contributions during FY- 2015-16.

Recommendations

· The Supreme Court gave a judgment on September 13, 2013 declaring that no part of a candidate’s affidavit should be left blank. Along the same lines, we recommend that the Election Commission India impose rules that no part of the Form 24A submitted by political parties providing details of donations above Rs 20,000 should be left blank.

· Full details of all donors should be made available for public scrutiny under the RTI. Some countries where this is done include Bhutan, Nepal, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, Bulgaria, the US and Japan. In none of these countries is it possible for 75% of the source of funds to be unknown.

· According to the Finance Bill, 2017, Section 13A of the IT Act was amended to state that tax exemption will be given to registered political parties “Provided also that such political party furnishes a return of income for the previous year in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (4B) of section 139 on or before the due date under that section.” Thus, any party which does not submit its IT returns on or before the due date, their income should not be tax-exempted and defaulting parties should be derecognized.

· Those parties not following the ICAI guidelines for auditing of reports should be scrutinized by the IT department.

· The National political parties must provide all information on their finances under the Right to Information Act. This will only strengthen political parties, elections and democracy.