Committees – Commissions, Mullaperiyar Dam Panel, Election Commission

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Mullaperiyar Dam Panel

  • Mullaperiyar Dam is constructed over the headwaters of the Periyar River in Kerala, India. It is operated by the Government of Tamil Nadu according to a 999-year lease agreement made during erstwhile British colonial rule.
  • The government of Tamil Nadu has proposed an increase in the storage level of the dam from the currently maintained 136 feet to 142 feet.
  • The Kerala government has opposed this move, citing safety concerns for the more than hundred year old bridge and especially for the thickly populated districts downstream.
  • A five member Empowered Committee headed by the former CJI, A S Anand, has been constituted to go into the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam.

Election Commission

  • The Election Commission of India is an autonomous, quasi-judiciary constitutional body of India. Its mission is to conduct free & fair elections in India. It was established on 25 January 1950 under Article 324 of the Constitution of India.
  • The commission presently consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners, appointed by the president.
  • Its recommendations and opinions are binding on the President of India. However, the decisions of the body are liable for independent judiciary reviews by courts acting on electoral petitions.

The following are the principal functions of the Election Commission of India:

  1. Demarcation of Constituencies
  2. Preparation of Electoral Rolls
  3. Recognition of Political parties and allotment of symbols
  4. Scrutiny of nomination papers
  5. Conduct of polls
  6. Scrutiny of election expenses of candidates

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC)

It is a statutory body under the Electricity Act 2003. Its main function is to regulate the electricity tariff and inter-state transmission of electricity.

Central Electricity Authority (CEA)

  • CEA is a statutory body created under the electricity supply act 1948 which has been superseded by the Electricity Act 2003.
  • The CEA advises the government on matters relating to the National Electricity Policy and formulates short-term and perspective plans for the development of electricity systems.
Illustration: Central Electricity Authority (CEA)

Administrative Reforms Commission

National Anti-Doping Agency

  • The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) is the national organization responsible for promoting, coordinating, and monitoring the doping control programme in sports in all its forms in the country. NADA works towards a vision of ‘dope free’ sport in India.

World Anti-Doping Agency

  • WADA is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the international Olympic committee and was set up in 1999 to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against drug in sport.
  • President: John Fahey

Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE)

CABE, the highest advisory body to advise the Central and State Governments in the field of education, was first established in 1920 and dissolved in 1923.

  • It was reconstituted in 1935 and existed till 1994 till the expiry of its extended tenure. It was reconstituted in 2004. The board consists of members from LS and ₹ , government representatives (Union, State and UT) .
  • It has an important role in participative decision making in education and plays a pivotal role in reviewing educational development.

Telecom Commission

  • Estd. 1989
  • Deals with various aspects of telecommunication. The Telecom Commission and the Department of Telecommunications are responsible for policy formulation, licensing, wireless spectrum management, administrative monitoring of PSUs, research and development and standardization/validation of equipment etc.

National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganized Sector

  • Ministry of Small Scale Industries, Government of India.
  • Established 2004.
  • To recommend measures for bringing about improvement in the productivity of these enterprises, generation of large scale employment opportunities on a sustainable basis, enhancing competitiveness, linkage of the sector with institutional framework and formulation of suitable arrangements for skills development.

Income Tax Settlement Commission

Illustration: Income Tax Settlement Commission
  • ITSC or Wealth Tax Settlement Commission was established in 1976 under the Wealth Tax Act, 1957. It is a quasi judicial body.
  • The objective is to provide a body of experts in problems relating to direct tax to settle tax liabilities in prolonged litigations and complicated cases.