ENGLISH SHORTHAND DICTATION - 407

 

Mr. Chairman, Sir, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to participate in this discussion on the Budget. Sir, I personally believe that the economy is in deep crisis. I will demonstrate in my short time that it is so. I thought that when the first Budget for the next term of this Government was to be presented, it would give us a picture as to where we are and where we should be. Forgetting about allocations made to departments and sectors of the economy, what is important is the vision of the Government to get us out of¹⁰⁰ this economic morass. That really should have been the focus in this Budget. But I find that absent. Now, before¹²⁰ I say anything, let me tell you why the economy is in crisis. We are a population of 140 crores. I have a report of International Labour Organization. It is called the India Employment Paper, 2024, which says that 83 per cent of India's youth is unemployed. In 2000, the unemployment was 35 per cent. It increased in 2022 to 66 per cent and in 2024 to 83 per cent. This is not my data. This is the data of²⁰⁰ this report. This is the state of unemployment in our country. Now, how will you deal with that? Unemployment is not something that happens suddenly. It happens over a period of time. It happens because the economy is stagnant. Unemployment²⁴⁰ is related ultimately to several factors. It is related to education. It is, in turn, related to skill development, which, in turn, is related to industrial production, which, in turn, is related to GDP growth. Unless you deal with all these sections, you will not be able to increase our unemployment rate. So, this is where we are. Most of³⁰⁰ the unemployed people are in the unorganized sector. Only 10 per cent of people are in the organized sector. The CMIE data says that 79 per cent of our population belongs to the working age group of 111 crore people out of 140 crore, of which 83 per cent are unemployed. Now, you can imagine the crisis that this country³⁶⁰ is facing. We can talk of allocations. But, I think the Finance Minister should have given us a roadmap as to how to deal with this crisis. Unfortunately, they have not been able to provide this roadmap because they will⁴⁰⁰ have to generate employment for 7 to 8 million people on a yearly basis for the next 30 years. How will they do that? Where is the roadmap for that? Now, every Budget ultimately is a political statement. Whether we presented it this side or you presented it that side, it is a political statement. The fact of the matter is that you are strapped. The fact of the matter is that you know that unless you get two people⁴⁸⁰ on board, your Government will not survive. Therefore, your allocations have to be tailor made to the demands of those⁵⁰⁰ two people. There is nothing wrong with that. I am not criticising you for that because that is the only way you can survive. There is nothing wrong with that.

Sir, the India Skill Report which is prepared by India says that there will be 7 million job seekers every year and 12 million jobs will be needed every year. There is no roadmap for that. This is one aspect. I have given you the figures. Now I come to the second aspect. The second aspect is that the world is moving in one direction and we are moving in⁶⁰⁰ another direction. Why do I say so? Sir, as you know, in the rest of the world, there is a declining population, young people are few and aged people outnumber them. In order to ensure that their economy continues to grow, they have to go for artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence means that you produce the same thing not through manpower but through machines. Now that artificial intelligence is good for the European system or the United States of America or the developed world. But, in India, if you have 83 per cent of our people unemployed, you cannot use artificial⁷⁰⁰ intelligence. Some sectors like IT industry have to use artificial intelligence or they will start losing their jobs. Your Economic⁷²⁰ Survey says that 0.4 per cent job loss will take place in the IT sector. So, the sector which gives you the maximum employment is going to start losing jobs because they have to compete with the rest of the world. In fact, there will be no recruitment this year in the IT sector. Therefore, where the economy is actually productive you will lose jobs, and where the economy cannot afford artificial intelligence, you need jobs and there is no⁸⁰⁰ roadmap for jobs. This is a very serious issue that confronts this Government. This is the second issue. There is a report of the International Monetary Fund which says that 60 per cent of all jobs in the developed world⁸⁴⁰ will be lost and 40 per cent of all jobs in the rest of the world will be lost. So, if the 40 per cent of the jobs in our part of the world are lost, where are people going to get jobs? Where are they going to earn? Who is addressing this issue, Sir? This country needs minds to⁹⁰⁰ look at issues, not at politics. You and I are together for the country, not for BJP or Congress or some other party. The nation comes first, and if you don’t empower the youth of this country, where will our country go?

Let me come to the third issue which is Education. Sir, actually there has been a slight increase⁹⁶⁰ in the Education Budget. But, it is still less than 6 per cent which is what the promise was for a long period of time.⁹⁸⁵

ENGLISH SHORTHAND DICTATION-406

 

The learned counsel appearing for the City Montessori School has taken us through the relevant documents. He also pointed out that the plot in dispute is a garden plot, which is adjacent to the land held by the school. He pointed out that the High Court has not accepted that the bid offered by the school could have been cancelled on the ground that the school purchased the tender document on the last date. The learned counsel submitted that the order dated 6th December 2000 passed by the Allahabad High Court in the appeal filed by the alleged lessee against¹⁰⁰ dismissal of his suit is a collusive order.

He submitted that the Trial Court decided all issues framed against the¹²⁰ alleged lessee except the issue of his possession. The learned counsel urged that the lease claimed by the alleged lessee is not in subsistence. He pointed out that the alleged lessee is a defaulter who has not paid rent for a long time. He submitted that, in any case, the original lessee could not have transferred the leasehold rights regarding the plot to the alleged lessee.

The learned counsel, therefore, submitted that, firstly, the order of cancellation of the highest²⁰⁰ bid offered by the school was bad in law. Secondly, during the pendency of the Writ Petition, the authority had no right to consider the prayer made by the alleged lessee for conversion. He submitted that the conversion order and²⁴⁰ consequent deed executed in favour of the alleged lessee are entirely illegal. He would, therefore, submit that the order of acceptance of the bid offered by the school be passed.

The learned counsel representing the alleged lessee and his sons, submitted that the order of conversion was passed in favour of the alleged lessee in terms of the prevailing policy³⁰⁰ of the State Government and there is nothing illegal about the same. He submitted that the deed executed based on the order of conversion is legal and valid. He submitted that the school belatedly made the application for amendment of the Writ Petition for challenging the conversion and for the sale deed, which was never allowed. Therefore, the High Court³⁶⁰ committed gross illegality by setting aside the order of conversion and the sale deed executed by the authority in favour of the alleged lessee. He submitted that there was a delay on the part of the school in purchasing the⁴⁰⁰ tender document, and as the same was purchased after the expiry of the outer limit provided in the tender notice, the school's bid could not have been accepted. He urged that, as the alleged lessee has been in possession for decades, the conversion order cannot be faulted. The learned counsel representing the State Government, stated that the present legal position is that such leasehold plots cannot be converted to freehold and cannot be auctioned.

In the facts of the case,⁴⁸⁰ there is no dispute that the plot vests in the State. Even assuming that the alleged lessee has leasehold rights⁵⁰⁰ concerning the plot, the rights of the State as the owner and lessor can be transferred only by adopting a fair and transparent process by which the State fetches the best possible price. In case of sale of a leasehold plot by the lessor, the rights of the lawful lessees do not get affected, as their tenancy will be attorned to the purchaser in view of Section 109 of the Transfer of Property Act,1882. Therefore, the rights of the State as the lessor can only be sold by a public auction or by any other transparent method by which, apart⁶⁰⁰ from the lessee, others too get a right to submit their offer. Selling the plot to its alleged lessee at a nominal price will not be a fair and transparent method at all. It will be arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

There is a controversy raised by the alleged lessee about whether the application to amend the Writ Petition made by the school to incorporate the challenge to the conversion and the deed was allowed. However, on page 12 of the impugned judgment, the High Court recorded the submission of the learned counsel for⁷⁰⁰ the alleged lessee that there was a delay on the part of the school in challenging the order of conversion. ⁷²⁰

The submissions recorded in the impugned judgment show that the parties proceeded on the footing that there was a challenge to the conversion order. The counter filed by the alleged lessee before the High Court shows that it refers to the amended Writ Petition and paragraph 45 of the counter raises a contention of the delay in challenging the conversion deed. Therefore, the argument that the amendment was not allowed need not detain us.

Coming back to the facts of⁸⁰⁰ the case, the plot was put to auction in 1995. The Special Nazul Officer accepted the highest bid offered by the school of Rs. 8,50,000, out of which a sum of Rs. 85,000 was paid along with the tender. We⁸⁴⁰ have already stated the facts leading to the cancellation of the highest bid of the school and acceptance of the second highest bid of the sons of the alleged lessee.

It is important to note that the Special Nazul Officer passed an order on 26th November 2001, by which the consideration for converting leasehold rights into freehold rights was fixed⁹⁰⁰ at Rs.67,000. This amount was less than 10 per cent of the bid offered by the school about 16 years before the order dated 26th November 2001. On the face of it, this cannot be a fair and transparent process of transferring the State's ownership rights.

We have perused the judgment of the Civil Court dated 24th July 2000 which dismissed the⁹⁶⁰ suit filed by the alleged lessee. The Trial Court held that the alleged lessee was not entitled to the benefits of Government Orders dated 17th February 1996 and 1^st December 1998. In the suit, the alleged lessee sought conversion from¹⁰⁰⁰ leasehold to freehold based on these two Government Orders. All findings were recorded against the alleged lessee except the finding that he was in possession of the plot. Being aggrieved by the decree of dismissal of the suit, the alleged lessee preferred First Appeal No.81 of 2000. The appeal was disposed of by the order dated 6^th December 2000. The High Court heard the counsel for the alleged lessee, the authority, and the State Government. The first paragraph refers to the appearances of the learned counsel. ¹⁰⁸⁶ The second paragraph gives the facts in brief. The same paragraph also notes that¹¹⁰⁰ the alleged lessee sought the relief of mandatory injunction for the grant of conversion in terms of the Government Orders dated 17^th February 1996 and 1^st December 1998 and that the Trial Court declined to grant the said relief. 

Thus, only the statements of the parties were recorded, and it was observed that the authority would have to consider the application made by the alleged lessee for the conversion of leasehold rights into freehold rights and to pass appropriate orders expeditiously. It is important to note that the High Court specifically recorded that it did not interfere with the findings¹²⁰⁰ recorded by the Trial Court.

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ENGLISH SHORTHAND LEGAL DICTATIONS

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DICTATION EXERCISE-70

          Media is the plural form of the word ‘medium’ and it refers to the different ways in which we can communicate in the society. Everything ranging from a public meeting to the programmes you watch on television is termed as media. While letters and emails are means of personal communication, newspapers, magazines, television, radio and films are means of mass communication as they reach a large audience. The term ‘mass media’ is used for these means of public communication. Various types of plays in different cultures were probably the first form of mass media. This was followed by transmittal of information and knowledge via written content on paper. The invention of the printing press in 1453 brought a revolution in the way information was transmitted. It led to the development of print media that communicates through printed content on paper.¹⁴⁰ For example, newspapers, books, magazines, etc. However, printing books was¹⁵⁰ quite expensive; hence printed material could not be used as¹⁶⁰ a mass media for a couple of centuries. Newspapers were also introduced as early as the 15^th century but they became easily available to the masses only in the 19^th century. During the 20^th century, the growth of mass media was driven by technology that allowed massive duplication of material. Technologies such as printing, record pressing and film duplication led to the duplication of books, newspapers and films at low prices for a large number of people. Radio and television entered the field of mass media as electronic media which could duplicate and transmit information electronically. Thus, on the basis of the technology used, mass media came to be classified as print media and electronic media. All India Radio, now²⁸⁰ known as Akashvani, is the radio broadcaster of the Government of India and Doordarshan is the government-funded television service broadcaster. ³⁰⁰

          Electronic media communicates or transmits news, information or content through electronic technology. In recent years, we have seen further³²⁰ technological growth in electronic media. The internet and the cable television are the new buzz words which have reached a large number of people and are still growing. With each advancement in electronic media, there is an immense improvement in the quality of images and sounds that are transmitted. At the same time, the reach of the electronic as well as print media keeps on expanding more than ever before. Technology not only improves the quality but also brings about a change in our thinking. Today, we cannot imagine life without television, smartphones and the internet. These enable us to think⁴²⁰ of ourselves as members of the global world. Internet, mobile phones and telephones have made it possible for people to communicate with each other across the world instantly. The use⁴⁵⁰ of satellites and cables for communication has made it possible for us to view news and entertainment channels from around the world. Further advancement in technology and use of⁴⁸⁰ computers has led to the rise of new mediums of communication popularly known as the social media. Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube are the most popular forms of social media. They allow people to share information, images, videos, opinions instantly and in real time. As a result, it is not only being used as a means of personal communication but also as a popular means of mass communication. Social media has made inroads into our lives and is silently revolutionizing⁵⁶⁰ mass media.  The technology that the mass media uses keeps on changing continuously as more advanced machines are developed. To keep abreast of their competitors, media houses and companies have to deploy the latest technologies which requires a great deal⁶⁰⁰ of money. Moreover, in bringing news or a favourite programme to your homes, many people from different fields are involved. For example, to create and broadcast a programme on television, an entire film crew comprising of the director, producer, ⁶⁴⁰ cinematographer, camera operators, lighting, technicians, film editors, etc. and several artists work together. This is like any other profession in which people have to be paid for services rendered. Therefore, mass media requires a lot of money to run its operations.

          We find that a number of television channels and newspapers are part of big business houses because of the high⁷⁰⁰ costs involved. The most popular method used to earn money by mass media for running its operations is in the form of advertisements. These are paid messages that promote a product or service. Their purpose is to influence the people to buy those products or services. Every time you watch a programme⁷⁵⁰ on television, there are several advertisements that are shown during intervals. In return, those companies that benefit from advertisements pay revenue to the channels. The radio also earns money through its audio advertisements. The media plays an important role in a democracy.  It has the capacity to⁸⁰⁰ create an informed opinion. It enlightens and empowers the people. Access to information is essential for the health of a democracy for two reasons. Firstly, it ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation. ⁸⁴⁰ Secondly, information serves as a check by ensuring that elected representatives uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of those who elect them. It is in providing this information that the media plays an important role. Based on this information, the citizens can learn about the functioning of the government and can voice their opinions against the government⁹⁰⁰ through the media. The media can further promote democracy by educating voters, protecting human rights, promoting tolerance among various social groups and ensuring that governments are transparent and accountable. Therefore, it becomes necessary that the media provides a balanced report. By a balanced report, we mean that when a story is covered by the media, it should⁹⁶⁰ discuss all points of that particular story and should leave it up to the readers to form their own opinions. The media⁹⁸⁰ can present a balanced report only when the media channel is independent. It should not be under the control and influence of anybody in the coverage of its news. In most democracies, laws have been enacted to give ample freedom to the journalists and ordinary citizens to access information on government policies.

          Usually, the same news event is covered differently in various newspapers. It is possible that each newspaper presents a¹⁰⁵⁰ different angle of the same story. This would mean that the media is independent and can cover a news event in any way that it feels is appropriate. But, in reality, media is not completely independent. Two reasons can be attributed to this. One is the control that the government has on the media and second is the influence of the people who own the media. The government on¹¹²⁰ its part can prevent either a news item or scenes from movies, shows, lyrics of a song from being shared with the people. This is called censorship. There have been instances in the history of India where the government has taken steps to censor the media. In general, however, the government confines itself to the censorship of films. The media’s coverage of news is not really censored by the government. Despite the absence of censorship, the media sometimes fails to present¹²⁰⁰ a balanced story. This can be because it does not consider all the facts. Also, the media can sometimes fall under the influence of one dominant views or the other and therefore, their findings and reports can be biased or inclined to certain opinions and perspectives, thereby influencing public opinion. We must remember that media plays an important role¹²⁶⁰ in setting the agenda that decides which news items are worthy of attention and which are not. They help in¹²⁸⁰ shaping our opinions and thoughts. It is the media which brings to light issues that require our attention. For example, the media very recently drew our attention towards global warming. Most of the newspapers and magazines highlight reports or present data on the rising levels of seas and the melting of the glaciers at a rapid rate. The areas that are most prone to such changes have been covered in the¹³⁵⁰ reports. This information has helped us in focusing on an issue that affects our lives. We may have failed to take notice of it had it not been for the media reporting in a big way.

          However, at a number of places the media has failed to fulfill its¹⁴⁰⁰ responsibilities. It is increasingly reporting instances that are of trivial importance while ignoring the greater issues at hand. In their quest to present the most attention-grabbing and groundbreaking news, the media sometimes loses its way and succumbs to the global¹⁴⁴⁰ trend of glorifying the news. This is especially the case in television, where reports on crime and entertainment drown out the more important news of the day. The stress on glitzy effects and bite-size news reports leaves no time for serious and in-depth discussions on the issues that actually matter. The result is that a healthy public discourse does not take¹⁵⁰⁰ place due to the lack of availability of the real facts and different aspects of a particular news. Less than 25 per cent of national news bulletins cover news related to health, education, development, welfare, environment, etc. Ideally in a democracy, the media acts as a watchdog reporting on corruption, human rights violation and other forms of wrongdoings which would help build a culture of accountability in the government. Newspapers and public affairs programmes on the radio and television inform, educate and engage the public and prompt them to take action. At times, the media helps in peace-building¹⁶⁰⁰ efforts.