Kaun Banega Rashtrapati? Pranab is too intelligent to be wasted there!
“THERE shall be a council of ministers with the Prime minister at the head to aid and advice the president who shall, in the exercise of his functions, act in accordance with such advice.”
Article 74 of the constitution stipulates this role for the President of India. Why then all this cacophony about who should be the next occupant of Rashtrapati Bhavan?
Pranab Da is too intelligent to be wasted in the Rashtrapati Bhavan! Says who? None other than another Presidential aspirant PA Sangma!
The most active cabinet minister, the trouble-shooter for the UPA and a seasoned politician - are we going to lock him up in the Rashtrapati Bhavan? Why should a man who virtually runs the Government of India be kicked upstairs to sign a few papers and attend ceremonial functions? Cartoonist Abu had caricatured President FA Ahmad signing an ordinance in his bathtub! The only decision that the President takes is inviting the leader of the majority group to become Prime Minister. Do we need a top political master for that job?
Pranab Da will be leaving the North Block with many unfinished jobs like DTC, GST, cadre review for his officers. The successor will be inheriting an economy in shambles and a babudom that has only contempt for legislature and judiciary and perhaps the Minister.
For Dada, it is certainly an elevation - at least technically, he will be higher in rank to Dr. Manmohan Singh, whose boss he was thirty years ago! But for the UPA, it's a great loss - loss of their most capable minister!
Promotion of Additional Commissioners: The jinxed file of the promotion of Additional Commissioners to Commissioners in CBEC has been at last cleared by the PM. Now, it is doubtful if the present FM, who is all set to resign any moment, will be able to clear the posting orders. And if the new FM has to clear it, there may be further delay.
Service Tax Amendment of Section 68 on a hurry: There is perhaps logic in why the CBEC was frantic in issuing the order amending Section 68 of the Finance Act, 1994. It would have been difficult to convince a new Finance Minister that there was a difficulty, because they forgot to ask the Parliament to amend Section 68 and so they were issuing the order to remove the difficulty.