Month: February 2007

Polls and Phases

India
Comments

Election Commission has announced polls for UP in seven phases. This is a record.

For al long time elections for a Legislative Assembly were held on a single day.
Polls for Lok Sabha used to be in two phases. In 1989 it was in three phases.

In 2004 Lok Sabha polls were held in four phases.

For Lok Sabha elections there should not be more than two phases and the gap between them should not be more than three days. One day polling is best.

Polling in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur could have been held on a single day. Three phase poll for Manipur was stretching things too far.

Polling in two or more phases causes additional expenses. Police have to be deployed to guard EVMs. The more the phases, the higher the number of days required to guard. That needs to neglect regular duties of police.

Some Chief Election Commissioners had illusions of grandeur and acted unconstitutionally. Legitimate activities like presentation of budget in Legislative Assemblies were not allowed in the name of Code of Conduct. One Chief Election Commissioner compared himself to a Field Marshal.

Fall of Australia

Cricket
Comments

Australia lost five out of his last six ODIs, four of them against succession. It lost two against England in the final and two against New Zealand and lost both the series. As a consequence it slipped in rank from 1 to 2. S. Africa is no. 1.

Victories and defeats are part of the game. Australia was no. 1 for five years and nobody expected such fall. Ten wickets loss to New Zealand was its worst in history.

Some top players were not in the team due to injuries Such things happen to all teams. Other players take their places. There are ups and downs. Dropping catches and fielding lapses had a role in the fall of Australia.

Australia has done well to be one the top for five years. They can be on the top again. Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties. At one time West Indies dominated world cricket. They won the World Cup in 1975 and 1969. Later India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1983, 1992 and 1996 respectively. Australia won the World Cup in 1987, 1999 and 2003. England reached the finals in 1979, 1987 and 1992 and did not win.

Australia’s fall makes World Cup 2007 interesting. Any team can beat any other team. So far no host country has won the World Cup. Sri Lanka won the Cup in Pakistan. England, S. Africa, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and New Zealand have not won the World Cup. There are teams from non-Test playing nations taking part in the World Cup. It is unlikely that a team from a non-Test playing nation will win the World Cup.

Power Cuts and Problems

India
Comments

In 2003, in Evershine City, power cuts used to be twice during the week for three hours each. Over the years the situation has become worse. Now there are power cuts twice or more times during the day and the total duration is six hours or more. Timings of power cuts change.

Power cuts are erratic. Timings change. Plans go awry. Besides other things, this affects payment of electricity bills. Timings for payment of electricity bills are 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. Fridays closed. I have to make payments on Sundays.

Till some time back power cuts on Sundays used to be from 7.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. I have to attend mass on Sunday Yesterday (11/2/2007) power cut began at 9.30 a.m. I expected it to resume at 12.00 noon at went to pay electricity bill. Till 12.10 p.m. power supply did not resume. There was no hope of resuming at 12.30 p.m. I had to attend a wedding and I left. I could not be back by 3.00 p.m. and hence I will have to go again to pay the bill.

Some months back receipts were prepared manually. Now the receipts are computerized. When there is no electricity payments are not received. Sometimes there is electricity and computer is out of order.

Sometimes there is power cut at night. It becomes difficult to do many things.

What happened to power supply from Dabhol plant and Tarapore 3?

Maharashtra Government should take steps for regular power supply. If other states are drawing Maharashtra’s power it should do islanding. Free power supply to farmers should stop. Farmers do not pay Income Tax and many have better incomes than city dwellers. It is difficult to provide anything free to a large number of people for a long time. Farmers also have power cuts. It is good if farmers pay for the power supply and get power at all times.