Notes-for-Vote scandal

Notes-for-vote or cash-for-votes scandal is an alleged scandal in which the United Progressive Alliance, the majority-holding parliamentary-party alliance of India, openly bribed Indian MPs in cash or currency-notes to the tune of multi-millions to survive its very first confidence vote on 22 July 2008 in the Lok Sabha after the Communist Party of India (Marxist) led Left Front withdraw support from the government over India approaching the IAEA for Indo-US nuclear deal.

BJP allegations

The historic win was marred when 3 BJP lawmakers waved bundles of cash, 30 million rupees (715,000 dollars) amid accusations of vote-buying. Speaker Somnath Chatterjee asked New Delhi's police chief to investigate the bribery issues. [ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ipIyoGI9ajOiSEfU3B53Xnp0bkUw afp.google.com, Indian PM celebrates vote win, says millions will benefit] ]

BJP also demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over allegations the government was bribing MPs to survive a vote of confidence in Parliament [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/BJP_demands_PMs_resignation_over_cash-for-vote_/articleshow/3265302.cms] . However, still no resignation or strong response has come from the prime-minister.

Evidence

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also offered fresh "documentary evidence" or video-tapes to back up its charge that three of its MPS were bribed to save the Manmohan Singh government during the trust vote [http://www.gulfnews.com/world/India/10234177.html] .

BJP also criticised the TV channel CNN-IBN for not telecasting an undercover operation that videotaped alleged bribery [http://www.gulfnews.com/world/India/10234177.html] .

The unedited tapes are now with Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, and a seven-member committee is investigating the cash-for-votes scandal [http://www.livemint.com/2008/08/04231542/Cashforvotes-scandal-tapes-m.html?d=1] . However, they have not been aired yet despite repeated attempts and requests by media and others. The reason for not airing them has not been given.

Anil Ambani's involvement

Prominent British think-tank Oxford Analytica quotes [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Rivalry_between_Ambani_siblings_affecting_economy/articleshow/3455058.cms] :cquote
"When four Marxist parties forced a confidence vote (held on July 22) by withdrawing their support over the issue of a nuclear energy deal with the US, Anil played an important role in securing the requisite backing to keep the government intact -- at a cost estimated at some three million dollars per vote," it added.

"Where the SP's rapprochement with the ruling Congress Party will leave Mukesh and the older Reliance Industries is now a matter of open conjecture."

Economic Times noted [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Anil_Ambani_becomes_richer_by_Rs_27000_cr_after_SP-UPA_realignment/articleshow/3278535.cms] :cquote
Since July 7, when it became clear that Amar Singh, who is considered to be close to Anil Ambani, and his Samajwadi Party (SP) would support the government, the market capitalisation of Anil's holdings in six companies increased by 24% to Rs 1,41,415 crore. That means, he became richer by almost Rs 27,000 crore [~ USD 7 billion] .

Parliamentary-probe

A probe into the scandal has been ordered and the committee of Lok Sabha on 30 July 2008 began its investigation into the cash-for-vote scam [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Probe_into_cash-for-vote_scandal_begins/rssarticleshow/3308054.cms] . The LS panel also recorded oral evidence but its resluts seem to have been influence by the ruling Indian National Congress and UPA [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Cash-for-vote_LS_panel_records_oral_evidence/articleshow/3339570.cms]

Results

Keeping in with the tradition of the Indian bureaucracy, after more than two months, no concrete results have yet been announced and it seems as if the will of the committee and government is to prolong the investigations as long as possible because the Indian general elections are to be held in 2009. Moreover, barring a few initial reports, mainstream media has also maintained a silence on this issue for no apparent reason. Consequently, people are also not paying more attention to this scandal when it is most needed so as to bring the law-offenders to justice.

ee also

*2008 Lok Sabha Vote of Confidence
*Indo-US nuclear deal
*Manmohan Singh
*Sonia Gandhi
*Bofors Scandal
*Anil Ambani
*United Progressive Alliance
*BJP
*Communist Party of India (Marxist)

References