N K Singh, a member of the One Nation One Election panel, and economist Prachi Mishra on Wednesday briefed a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the economic impact of synchronising elections, including their finding that it would boost economic growth by 1.5 percentage points. At the same time, however, Lok Sabha was taking up the resolution to extend President’s Rule in Manipur and Home Minister Amit Shah was speaking in Rajya Sabha. So, many BJP members were unable to stay for long and none of the Congress members attended. It is learnt that the committee, chaired by P P Chaudhary, may invite the former Finance Commission chairperson back for another meeting so that all members have a chance to pose questions. Contesting Congestion Even with virtual hearings in place, there seems to be no respite from crowding inside the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, soon after a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih finished hearing petitions in connection with alleged recovery of cash from the residence of High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, a lawyer who was to appear in the next matter pleaded virtually from outside the court to pass it over saying the courtroom is congested and he is unable to enter. “I’m just outside the court. The court is very congested. There is no way to come inside. Kindly pass it over,” the lawyer urged. The bench, however, said that it may not sit post-lunch and agreed to take up the case after 10 days. Without Pause Participating in the debate on extension of the President’s rule in Manipur on Wednesday, Congress MP from Inner Manipur Bimol Akoijam went on to accuse the Centre and the erstwhile state government of being in “collusion”. He even said that former Manipur CM Biren Singh was doing everything with the consent of PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This was immediately objected to by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey who cited parliamentary rules to suggest that the Governor rule could not be discussed in the House. Akoijam, however, chose not to engage on the issue citing paucity of time and continued speaking, making the same allegations.
