M A I N   N E W S

HC rejects plea in Ayodhya case

Lucknow, May 21
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court today rejected a writ petition requesting the court to direct the state government to issue a fresh notification in the Ayodhya case to try several accused, including three Union Ministers, L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice S.K. Sen and Mr Justice A.N. Trivedi, while rejecting the petition filed by veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar and others, ruled that the court could not give any direction to the state government with regard to the issuance of a notification at this stage.

The court observed that the CBI was the appropriate forum to decide the issue and proceed according to tenets of law. The writ had prayed for a directive to the state government to take steps to issue a notification after consultations, amending the notification of September 9, 1993.

It had otherwise sought the issuance of a fresh notification conferring jurisdiction on the special court to try the case relating to crime number 198 of 1992 registered at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station soon after the demolition of the disputed structure.

Eight persons, including the three Union Ministers, were specifically named in the case.

The high court had on February 12 last, quashed the government notification issued on September 9, 1993, constituting the special court to try the case citing that prior sanction of the high court was not obtained.

The court had, however, observed that the defect was curable and the state government, if it so desired, could issue a fresh notification after consultation with the high court in accordance with law.

Later the special court trying the Ayodhya demolition case had dropped proceedings against all persons named in the case, and some others, until the legal defect as pointed out by the high court was rectified. PTI

Panja removed from party posts

Kolkata, May 21
The Trinamool Congress today stripped dissident party leader Ajit Panja of all party posts, including chairmanship of its West Bengal unit for “anti-party activities”, even as a defiant Panja described the decision as 'illegal and self-destructive.'

“Mr Panja has been removed from all posts of the Trinamool since his activities have been harming the interests of the party,” party spokesman Sudip Bandopadhyay told mediapersons here. The decision was taken at the party’s working committee meeting held at the residence of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee here. Mr Panja did not attend the meeting. PTI