Setting a precedent

Heaven forbid, but if we are faced with a mid term poll that coincides with the Commonwealth Games of 2010, what will the Government of India do?

If precedents are anything to go by, the Government will probably throw its hands up and state that it cannot provide adequate security to cover for both events.

So, where does that leave tax payer money spent on getting Delhi ready?

I firmly believe that the Government overestimated its position vis a vis the IPL. And not because the IPL is a "shrewd combination of sport and business" but because the IPL presented an opportunity to showcase the fact that India was capable of providing adequate security to all.

Dates could have been juggled, and they were. Venues could have been juggled, and they were too. And yet, the IPL is now going to be played outside the land.

What then, the prospects for the 2010 Commonwealth Games? Another terrorist attack anywhere in India or its neighbourhood and all of the tax payer money pumped into Delhi will come to nought.

And what about the elections themselves? Does the Government's inability to provide security for the IPL then translate into an incident free elections? No pre-poll and post-poll violence? No rigging? No booth capturing?

And what will be the Governments position if any of the above happen?

PS - This survey, if accurate, is illuminating.

PPS =

Exhibit A

The Nano has been launched

The bookings will commence on April 9 and will go on till April 25.

Just ahead of the Nano launch on Monday, Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata told editors that the car, which would have the smallest footprint on the road, will be sold to the first 100,000 buyers at a price to be announced later.

The promise that has been made to sell the car at around Rs 1-lakh would be kept despite the fact that commodity prices had shot up, Tata said, adding that the fall in commodity prices now may provide some cushion.

The delivery of the first lot of Nano cars will begin in early-July, he said, adding that applications for booking of the car would be available in 30,000 locations in 1,000 cities across India.

Exhibit B

India will hold general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha in 5 phases on April 16, April 22, April 23, April 30, May 7 and May 13, 2009. The results of the election will be announced in single phase on May 16, 2009. ^[1]

Given the buzz, and the hype, and the interest, in the Nano, 30,000 locations in 1,000 cities represent both a logistical and security nightmare. And funnily enough, the booking overlap the first 3 phases of the general elections.

Whither security concerns then?

PPPS -

The termination of the Indian Premier League’s Sony contract has meant that Indian government may lose Rs 1,000 crore in tax through a scheme of complex tax structures using tax havens

Other modes of revenues include sponsorships, entertainment tax, stadium collections and on-ground advertisements. The government stands to lose nearly Rs 1,300 crore on account of service tax alone.

On advertising and other contracts deliverable abroad, transfer pricing and transactions at arms-length pricing basis will keep a significant chunk of revenues away from India. Thus, states are expected to lose out Rs 1,000 crore in tax.

PPPPS:-

Aussies want Davis Cup tie pulled out of India

Citing IPL’s flight, UK pulls shuttlers out of Indian Open