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Kashmir turns crimson with blood of Pandits

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Operation Sindoor: When Indian missiles rained on Pak terror parade

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<div class="itg-mosimage"><amp-img src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F1998December%2Fall-code1_080712024112.gif" alt="" height="425" width="650" class="" layout="responsive"></amp-img><p>Politicians talking about ethics may sound a bit like the devil quoting the scriptures. But 51 years after Independence, they seem determined to erase that image. A series of scams in recent years that hasn't spared even the office of the prime minister appears to have prompted the men and women in public life to indulge in some serious introspection.</p><p>The result is a set of voluminous reports by ethics committees of both Houses of Parliament. Last week, the Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee headed by former home minister S.B. Chavan submitted a 75-page preliminary report to the House, which is a sequel to the one presented before the 11th Lok Sabha by a panel comprising members of the Lower House in November 1997.<br><br>If the fate of the reports of similar parliamentary committees in the past are anything to go by, it will be tempting to conclude that these too will be consigned to the parliamentary library and forgotten. But Chavan feels a new beginning has been made. </p><p>"The committee has noted the general decline in moral and ethical standards in public life . . . and members of Parliament have expressed themselves in favour of an internal self-regulatory mechanism," he says, adding that the formation of the ethics committee in the Upper House, "one of the instruments to ensure value-based politics", is a step in that direction.<br><br>Laudable objectives no doubt. After-all, in democracies across the world, elected representatives are expected to adhere to certain standards of behaviour. Britain has a Committee on Standards in Public Life to ensure that the conduct of MPs is rigorously scrutinised. In the US too, the Senate has a Select Committee on Ethics while the House of Representatives has the Committee on Standards and Official Conduct. </p><table><tbody><tr><td><b>The Do's and Don'ts</b></td></tr><tr><td><ul><li>Members must not do anything that brings disrepute to Parliament and affects their own credibility.</li><li>In dealings, if there is a conflict between personal interest and the public trust they hold, they should resolve it in a way that private interest is subordinated to duty of public office.</li><li>Members should not expect or accept any fee, remuneration or benefit for a vote given or not given by them on the floor of the House.</li><li>If members possess confidential information, they should not disclose it for advancing personal interest.</li><li>Members should not support a cause of which they have no knowledge.</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>It's not as if our parliamentary system lacks such bodies to regulate the conduct of its MPs. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have extensive rules in place to tackle precisely these issues but the problem lies in their enforcement. </p><p>No wonder some MPs are already questioning the propriety of setting up a new ethics committee "How is it different from the privileges committees in both the Houses?" asks one of them. "Aren't there enough rules to regulate the conduct of MPs inside and outside the House?"<br><br>Evidently, the Chavan panel thinks otherwise. In fact, so convinced were the 10 members of the panel about the need for a new code of conduct that they lost no time in undertaking an extensive tour of the world's developed democracies to analyse the parliamentary practices, standards of public life and ethics prevalent there. </p><div class="itemcenter"><amp-iframe height="62" title="" width="320" sandbox="allow-forms allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-top-navigation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" allowfullscreen src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Findiatoday%2Fbanner%2Fpreferred-source-new.html%3Fv%3D1.014%5Cu0026native%3D1" class="mrBt15 preferred-source-banner"> </amp-iframe></div></p><p>The "study tour" saw them covering the UK, France, Italy and Finland in the first leg in May this year. The team was also scheduled to go to Denmark, Australia, Canada and the US but the visits had to be abandoned following last minute hitches. </p><p>The authorities in the US were blunt. They said that since the Congress hosted similar teams from India last year, there was little point in going through the exercise once again. They were referring to the eight-member Ethics Committee of the 11th Lok Sabha, headed by former minister P. Upendra, which also visited several countries, including the US, last June-July.<br><br>BY Chavan's own admission, most of the provisions in his report exist in various rules and statutes of both the Houses. Their implementation either hangs fire or is questionable. For instance, one of the clauses in the new code entails that all MPs, their spouses and immediate family members declare their assets and table it before the House. But this provision already exists under the Lok Pal Bill which has been gathering dust for years.<br><br>"Never expect or accept any fee, remuneration or benefit for vote . . ." goes another clause which is nothing more than a reworded extract from the Prevention of Corruption Act or the Anti-Defection Act. Similarly, the code exhorts MPs with confidential information not to disclose it for advancing their personal interest. </p><p>This is a stipulation that exists under the Official Secrets Act. Another recommendation relates to the voting in the state assemblies for the Rajya Sabha which the committee feels should be through open ballot instead of the secret ballot as at present. The panel perhaps was not aware that Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah made precisely the same suggestion at a conference two years ago. </p><p>"The new rules suggested by the committee are general in nature," agrees Chavan. But he is quick to add that specific, follow-up reports would follow soon. Presumably, that would entail another junket.<br></p><div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin"><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">AtMigration </div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Dec 21, 1998</div></div></div><div class="sendros">--- ENDS ---</div></div></div>

nation

Nation

<div class="itg-mosimage"><div class="itgimage"><img  title=""  class="" alt="" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F1998December%2Fall-code1_080712024112.gif" loading="lazy" /></div><p>Politicians talking about ethics may sound a bit like the devil quoting the scriptures. But 51 years after Independence, they seem determined to erase that image. A series of scams in recent years that hasn't spared even the office of the prime minister appears to have prompted the men and women in public life to indulge in some serious introspection.</p><p>The result is a set of voluminous reports by ethics committees of both Houses of Parliament. Last week, the Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee headed by former home minister S.B. Chavan submitted a 75-page preliminary report to the House, which is a sequel to the one presented before the 11th Lok Sabha by a panel comprising members of the Lower House in November 1997.<br><br>If the fate of the reports of similar parliamentary committees in the past are anything to go by, it will be tempting to conclude that these too will be consigned to the parliamentary library and forgotten. But Chavan feels a new beginning has been made. </p><p>"The committee has noted the general decline in moral and ethical standards in public life . . . and members of Parliament have expressed themselves in favour of an internal self-regulatory mechanism," he says, adding that the formation of the ethics committee in the Upper House, "one of the instruments to ensure value-based politics", is a step in that direction.<br><br>Laudable objectives no doubt. After-all, in democracies across the world, elected representatives are expected to adhere to certain standards of behaviour. Britain has a Committee on Standards in Public Life to ensure that the conduct of MPs is rigorously scrutinised. In the US too, the Senate has a Select Committee on Ethics while the House of Representatives has the Committee on Standards and Official Conduct. </p><table style="margin-left: 8px; background-color: rgb(229, 229, 229);" align="right" border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3" height="150" width="299"><tbody><tr><td><b style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">The Do's and Don'ts</b></td></tr><tr><td><ul><li>Members must not do anything that brings disrepute to Parliament and affects their own credibility.</li><li>In dealings, if there is a conflict between personal interest and the public trust they hold, they should resolve it in a way that private interest is subordinated to duty of public office.</li><li>Members should not expect or accept any fee, remuneration or benefit for a vote given or not given by them on the floor of the House.</li><li>If members possess confidential information, they should not disclose it for advancing personal interest.</li><li>Members should not support a cause of which they have no knowledge.</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>It's not as if our parliamentary system lacks such bodies to regulate the conduct of its MPs. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have extensive rules in place to tackle precisely these issues but the problem lies in their enforcement. </p><p>No wonder some MPs are already questioning the propriety of setting up a new ethics committee "How is it different from the privileges committees in both the Houses?" asks one of them. "Aren't there enough rules to regulate the conduct of MPs inside and outside the House?"<br><br>Evidently, the Chavan panel thinks otherwise. In fact, so convinced were the 10 members of the panel about the need for a new code of conduct that they lost no time in undertaking an extensive tour of the world's developed democracies to analyse the parliamentary practices, standards of public life and ethics prevalent there. </p><div class="itemcenter"><iframe scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="62" awidth="320" aheight="62" amplayout="fixed" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Findiatoday%2Fbanner%2Fpreferred-source-new.html%3Fv%3D1.014" class="preferred-source-banner" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><style>.preferred-source-banner{  margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}</style></p><p>The "study tour" saw them covering the UK, France, Italy and Finland in the first leg in May this year. The team was also scheduled to go to Denmark, Australia, Canada and the US but the visits had to be abandoned following last minute hitches. </p><p>The authorities in the US were blunt. They said that since the Congress hosted similar teams from India last year, there was little point in going through the exercise once again. They were referring to the eight-member Ethics Committee of the 11th Lok Sabha, headed by former minister P. Upendra, which also visited several countries, including the US, last June-July.<br><br>BY Chavan's own admission, most of the provisions in his report exist in various rules and statutes of both the Houses. Their implementation either hangs fire or is questionable. For instance, one of the clauses in the new code entails that all MPs, their spouses and immediate family members declare their assets and table it before the House. But this provision already exists under the Lok Pal Bill which has been gathering dust for years.<br><br>"Never expect or accept any fee, remuneration or benefit for vote . . ." goes another clause which is nothing more than a reworded extract from the Prevention of Corruption Act or the Anti-Defection Act. Similarly, the code exhorts MPs with confidential information not to disclose it for advancing their personal interest. </p><p>This is a stipulation that exists under the Official Secrets Act. Another recommendation relates to the voting in the state assemblies for the Rajya Sabha which the committee feels should be through open ballot instead of the secret ballot as at present. The panel perhaps was not aware that Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah made precisely the same suggestion at a conference two years ago. </p><p>"The new rules suggested by the committee are general in nature," agrees Chavan. But he is quick to add that specific, follow-up reports would follow soon. Presumably, that would entail another junket.<br></p><div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin"><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">AtMigration </div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Dec 21, 1998</div></div></div><div class="sendros">--- ENDS ---</div></div></div>

Two parliamentary panels come up with recommendations that already feature in existing statutes that have made little difference to the conduct of MPs.

India Today

All code and no ethics - India Today

Parliamentary panels' recommendations make little difference to conduct of MPs

All code and no ethics

Bipasha Basu has posted videos on her social media, offering fans a look at her daughter Devi’s celebrations and bedtime routine, including a recent clip of Devi saying a short prayer before sleeping.

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Bipasha Basu’s daughter Devi melts hearts with bedtime prayer. Watch

Ishaan Tharoor’s layoff from The Washington Post has exposed a harsh truth about modern media careers. If a globally respected journalist with half a million subscribers can be cut at 41, what does that say about job security, age, and the future of newsroom work?

Ishaan Tharoor WaPo layoff highlights 40s layoffs in journalism

41 and vulnerable: What Ishaan Tharoor’s WaPo layoff says about media careers

The UNICEF Internship Programme 2026 is now open, offering students and recent graduates a paid opportunity to gain hands-on global experience while working with one of the world’s leading humanitarian organisations dedicated to child welfare and development.


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Eating the right fruit on an empty stomach impacts digestion and energy levels. Dates are generally healthier than bananas due to their gentle effect and sustained energy release.

Banana vs dates: Which is healthier to eat on an empty stomach?

Opposition walks out as PM Modi continues Rajya Sabha speech amid 'Let LoP speak' slogans

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Opposition walks out as PM speaks in Rajya Sabha amid 'Let LoP speak' slogans

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Here's the drone visuals of the massive traffic jam on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which has hit vehicular movement for over 24 hours after a gas tanker overturned in the hilly Khandala Ghat section.

drone

Watch: Drone visuals of massive 22-km traffic jam on Mumbai-Pune Expressway

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the government has successfully safeguarded sensitive sectors in US trade deal.  

Piyush Goyal: No Compromise On Farmers Interests In US Deal

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In this Special Report, India Today’s Mir Fareed provides exclusive details on a major counter-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur. Security forces, including the Army, Jammu Kashmir Police, and CRPF, successfully eliminated two Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists who were hiding in a natural cave within a dense forested terrain. Mir Fareed noted, ‘Finally, their luck ran out as security forces used IEDs to blow up the entrance. And with that, they were eliminated.’ One of the deceased has been identified as a top commander, Abu Mavia. The operation involved sophisticated drone surveillance and sharpshooters to pin down the terrorists who had previously evaded capture. The report highlights the evolving tactics of security agencies in tackling infiltrators using the treacherous forest reaches of Jammu. The area is currently being sanitised as per standard operating procedures following the recovery of weapons.

Mir Fareed: Two Jaish Terrorists Killed In Udhampur Cave

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This news report covers the intense political confrontation in Parliament where Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi reportedly called BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu a 'traitor'. The incident occurred near the Makar Dwar as suspended MPs were protesting. The transcript highlights that Bittu, once a close associate of Gandhi, was heckled by Congress members following the remark. Additionally, the bulletin features a statement regarding the suspension of eight Congress MPs for the remainder of the session due to 'unruly behaviour'. Dilip Saikia, who was in the chair during the ruckus, stated that the members violated parliamentary decorum and rules. The report notes that the Congress party views those who defect to the other side through a specific 'prism', leading to the sharp exchange. The drama unfolded as Priyanka Gandhi also met with the suspended legislators to discuss the adjournment of the House.

Rahul Gandhi Calls Bittu a Traitor in Parliament

Rahul Gandhi Calls Ravneet Singh Bittu a 'Traitor' outside Parliament

On this Special Report, the focus is on a tragic incident in Ghaziabad where three minor sisters, aged 12, 14, and 16, allegedly died by suicide by jumping from the ninth floor of a high-rise building. ACP Atul Kumar stated, 'Three girls jumped from the balcony of the ninth floor of flat number 907 in Bharat City and were declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.' A suicide note recovered from the scene read, 'Mummy Papa, we are sorry.' Police have seized mobile phones and gadgets for forensic examination to determine if specific gaming tasks triggered the extreme step. The incident occurred around 2:30 AM, and authorities are recording statements from family and neighbors to uncover the exact cause behind this triple suicide horror.

Atul Kumar: 3 Sisters Jump To Death In Ghaziabad

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Parliamentary panels' recommendations make little difference to conduct of MPs

Two parliamentary panels come up with recommendations that already feature in existing statutes that have made little difference to the conduct of MPs.

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