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EC to hold talks
with Home Secy on Feb 19 PIL against
dissolution of Lok Sabha dismissed BJP trying to
scuttle tie-ups, says Cong Play Hindutva card,
RSS tells BJP Order on NCP
dispute reserved |
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DSP questions
clean chit to Ansari 2 Telgi aides
ready to spill the beans Task force on IIS
staff issue Indo-US joint air
exercise at Gwalior
US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca
comes out of South Block in New Delhi on Friday. — PTI
photo SC notice to
govt on Indian wheat patent
by US company Bumper crop
unlikely CBI gets 6 more
weeks to probe Taj Corridor case SAARC countries
to discuss bird flu
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EC to hold talks with Home Secy on Feb 19 New Delhi, February 13 Sources in the commission said the poll dates would be worked out only after a meeting with the Union Home Secretary. The EC has scheduled a meeting with all recognised political parties on February 20, where their views would also be taken. “It is only after this meeting that a final decision on the poll dates would be made,” they added. The sources indicated that the dates would be announced in the last week of this month. As the commission has favoured four-phase poll, the sources indicated that the Union Home Ministry had reportedly prepared a tentative poll timetable. The factors, which they have considered in preparing it, include the time taken for the movement of Central para-military forces from one region to another, number of sensitive seats in the region, festivals, school board exams and the setting in of monsoon and melting of snow. As per the tentative schedule, indications are that the poll would be held only after April 15 and would conclude by May 10. Another factor, which the EC would consider before finalising the poll date is the reconstitution of the Andhra Pradesh assembly before May 13. Along with the Lok Sabha poll, the commission will also hold simultaneous elections to several states. In a move to set the ball rolling on preparing the poll schedule, the commission on Tuesday began an exercise to review poll preparedness and security measures with state governments and the process would finish on February 17, with the commission spending a whole day discussing the issue with the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary and the DGP. The commission has asked the Chief Secretaries and the DGPs to enforce the model code of conduct, which comes into force as soon as the election dates are announced. The code would put an end to the government’s multi-crore “India Shining” campaign which has evoked the anger of political parties. |
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PIL against dissolution of Lok Sabha dismissed New Delhi, February 13 Dismissing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Viplav Sharma, a Bench of Chief Justice Mr V.N. Khare, Mr Justice Brijesh Kumar and Mr Justice S.H. Kapadia did not agree with him that there was no clear provision in the Constitution empowering the Prime Minister to recommend the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. The court said from various democratic reforms from the 1912 Act to 1935 Act, it was very clear that the Constitution is based on the British model and several court rulings on the dissolution of the Lower House in Britain, it had been clearly held that the Prime Minister had such powers. Holding that the petition has no merits, the court asked Sharma “can the House which has already been dissolved, be restored back?” When the court asked Sharma if he could place before the court any ruling of the British Supreme Court or the apex court in which Prime Minister's action had been held wrong, the petitioner failed to cite any such case. He contended that under Article 85 of the Constitution, which deals with the powers of the President, it had not been specifically laid down that he could order dissolution. The Cabinet's recommendation to the President, which is imported from Article 74, also did not have clear provision for the same, he argued. Under the Constitution, the President has dual role to play, the executive and legislative. Dissolution was a legislative power which he could not exercise without the approval of Parliament, he argued. But the court did not agree with his contention and said powers of all the authorities had been clearly defined in the Constitution. |
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BJP trying to scuttle tie-ups, says Cong New Delhi, February 13 In her informal interaction with presspersons last Saturday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi had publicly stated that their potential allies were under pressure on not allying with the Congress. Though she did not name any particular political party, the inference was obvious as the remarks were made in the context of the Congress party’s ongoing dialogue with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati. The Congress party’s proposed pact with the BSP, it is learnt, fell through just as it was about to fructify with the BJP reportedly exerting pressure on Ms. Mayawati in the Taj corridor case. The dialogue with the Telengana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) in Andhra Pradesh has got bogged down over seat sharing. While the two sides are busy haggling (the TRS wants 50 Assembly seats while the Congress has promised 30), the BJP has engaged the TRS in a dialogue with the express purpose of stalling a Congress-TRS tie-up. The same story has been repeated in Jharkhand where the BJP was talking to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) but it is no coincidence that JMM chief Shibu Soren was chargesheeted by the CBI in an old case just as the JMM showed its preference for the Congress. Reports are also coming in that the BJP has not given up on Nationalist Congress Party, (NCP) Sharad Pawar although he has declared his intention to go with the Congress. “The BJP is using the carrot and stick policy...On one hand, it is promising the regional parties funds to contest the coming elections and, on the other, it is playing on their vulnerabilities,” remarked a senior Congress leader. Congress sources maintained that the BJP is making a concerted effort to ensure that an alternative alliance does not materialise which would make the coming Lok Sabha elections an equal battle between two alliances. Its attempt is to “persuade” the Congress party’s potential allies to fight it out alone so that the anti-NDA vote remains fragmented. It has already succeeded with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and, from all accounts, the BSP also plans to travel the same route. In such a case, Uttar Pradesh will witness a four- cornered contest which suits the BJP. At the same time, the BJP has initiated a dialogue with the TRS, not because it wants an alliance with it, but to see that it contests the elections on its own. “The TRS is fairly amenable to this persuasion,” remarked a senior Andhra Pradesh leader. Having been cornered by its rival, the Congress today hit out at the BJP for the brazen use of the “CBI and other instruments of state to bamboozle and blackmail political rivals.” Referring to the CBI chargesheet filed against JMM leader Shibu Soren, Congress spokesperson S.Jaipal Reddy said the BJP had actually tried to
co-opt him as a political partner but when it failed, the CBI moved in. Condemning the “politically motivated chargesheet”, Mr. Reddy said it only showed how the BJP was using all instruments of state either to win over or subdue political personalities. |
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Play Hindutva card, RSS tells BJP New Delhi, February 13 “Ideally, the Vision Document (which will be BJP’s Election Manifesto) should reflect all those issues which have been their main issues on the agenda since it came into being and also during the Jana Sangh days,” RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav told newspersons here. The Ayodhya issue, Article 370 and Uniform Civil Code had been the basic ideology with which BJP was identified eversince it came into being in 1980, he said. Asked why the RSS and the BJP played the Hindutva card ahead of polls to garner votes, Mr Madhav shot back saying the BJP had already made it clear that Ayodhya or other “contentious” issues like Article 370 and Uniform Civil Code would not be their poll plank. Asserting that the RSS favoured a negotiated settlement of the Ayodhya issue, Mr Madhav claimed that the Sangh had held informal discussions with some Muslim groups who were veering towards the construction of the Ram temple respecting Hindu sentiments. He said once the Ayodhya issue is settled through negotiations, the issues of Kashi and Mathura could also be resolved through dialogue. |
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BJP women wing seeks
25 pc LS seats New Delhi, February 13 Mahila Morcha President Kanta Nalwade appealed to BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani to allocate more seats to women candidates. Declaring that late Vijay Raje Scindia would be the role model for the BJP Mahila Morcha, the party’s women’s wing vowed to enroll 1,00,000 women ‘sahyog members’ throughout the country. |
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Order on
NCP dispute reserved New Delhi, February 13 The three-member commission, presided over by the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr T.S. Krishna Murthy, gave time till Thursday to the Sangma faction to file additional documents in support of their claims, if they wished to do so. Speaking to mediapersons after the hearing, Mr Praful Patel, a leader of the Pawar faction, said the commission had told both the sides that there would be no more hearing and the commission would pronounce its order later. The Sangma group contended that it be allotted the party flag and “clock” symbol as it was the only true follower of the party ideology which calls for opposition to any naturalised citizen occupying high office. “Ideology is the foundation of the NCP and this cutting edge which resulted in parting company with the Congress”, Mr Parag Tripathi, a senior Supreme Court lawyer representing the Sangma faction, told the poll panel. Senior Supreme Court lawyer Ashok Desai, pleading the case of the Pawar group, said ideology played a “smaller role” and insisted that the party was floated on the issue of secularism. “In the party constitution, there is no whisper about foreign born. There is nothing about citizenship”, he argued. |
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DSP questions clean chit to Ansari
Lucknow, February 13 Talking to UNI here, Mr Shailendra Kumar Singh, who had faxed his resignation letter to the Governor on Wednesday night following interference into his work said: “How can the government say that POTA will not be slapped on any politician even before the investigation was completed.” “Can the government clarify whether POTA was only for the common people. I feel law is equal for all,” he said adding that he had never recommended invoking POTA against the Independent MLA. “It was unfortunate that the government had stopped the investigation into the alleged purchase effort of an Army LMG by the MLA even as the police have enough telephonic evidences,” he added. He also questioned why the government had wrapped up the STF office at Varanasi which was dealing with the Ansari case. Refuting the charges that he had any grievances against any of his senior officials, the DSP maintained that he was forced to send his resignation letter to Governor Vishnukant Shastri as he was the appointing authority and denied that he had violated the service rule. “Sending the resignation directly to the Governor was an effort by me to get justice,” he said. Commenting on the government’s version of his suspension by the previous Kalyan Singh government, the DSP said the government had made an incomplete statement as the suspension was revoked within a week after the main conspirator disclosed that he had planted a bomb in the guest house where the Chief Minister was to stay at Varanasi. “The government did not disclose that I was publicly honoured in Varanasi after my suspension was revoked,” he added. However, thanking the police officials and the Provincial Police Services Association for lending support, the DSP said he had decided to leave the job as political interference was the main hurdle for working in a conducive environment. |
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2 Telgi aides ready
to spill the beans
Bangalore, February 13 Badruddin and Byroji, said to be intimately associated with Telgi, today moved an application along with nine other accused before Special Judge
A.T. Manoli stating their willingness to spill the beans. Meanwhile, the special court, after hearing arguments, said it would pronounce orders on February 20 on a request by Stamp IT to conduct the
narco-analysis test on Telgi. An order will also be pronounced on February 19 on an application by Telgi’s counsel
M.T. Nanaiah asking that the security around the main accused should be relaxed.
— UNI |
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Task
force on IIS staff issue New Delhi, February 13 Following
strong protests by IIS officers, who are up in arms against “discrimination”
against their cadre by the government, specially keeping in mind the
appointments in the state-run Doordarshan, the ministry has decided to
look into the recommendations. The task force headed by I and B Secretary Pavan Chopra will be asked to give its report within two months, a spokesman for the IIS officers said here. Reports here said I&B Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had given an assurance to the officers who called on him yesterday to set up the task force. The officers had urged him to ensure that the approximately 200 posts so far held by their cadre in Prasar Bharati should not be abolished. Mr Prasad said he was unable to give any assurance on behalf of Prasar Bharati which was now autonomous, but said officers would be deputed in All India Radio and Doordarshan as and when there was a demand from the broadcaster. The
IIS officers are expected to wait for a week to see if the minister
takes action as promised and will resort to stronger action if nothing
happens. |
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Indo-US joint air exercise at Gwalior New Delhi, February 13 The two air forces will conduct “Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT)”, which will involve US Air Force F-15C air superiority fighters flying with a variety of Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft. The IAF will field its frontline
fighter planes, which include the SU-30MKIs, Mirage 2000s, Jaguars and Mig-21s. A statement given by the US Embassy said Cope India’04 strengthened and broadened the bonds between the USAF and IAF that were developed during the first Cope India in 2002, which involved airlife operations. These bonds were further strengthened with IAF IL-76 participating in the multilateral exercise, Cooperative Cope Thunder 03-03, in June last year in Alaska, the US Embassy said. |
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Rocca meets Indian officials, Nancy Powell New Delhi, February 13 “The visit (of Rocca) was planned for sometime. This has nothing to do with the composite dialogue scheduled between India and Pakistan beginning February 16”, a spokesperson for the American Embassy said. Nancy Powell had a stopover on her way for a vacation. US Ambassador-designate to India Robet Mulford was also present during the meetings. |
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SC notice to govt on Indian wheat patent New Delhi, February 13 Taking cognizance of the RFSTE’s plea, a Bench of Chief Justice Mr V.N. Khare, Mr Justice Brijesh Kumar and Mr Justic
S.H. Kapadia issued notices to Union Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce, Law, Industry and Environment and directed them to submit their replies by Monday. The RFSTE alleged that the government had failed to take any steps to prevent or oppose the move by US Agro-company to get the European patent for the famous Indian wheat, which was introduced in Europe in early twenties when it won several prizes in international exhibitions there. Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Pinky Anand argued that the Indian wheat, which had won prizes in several international grain exhibitions between 1916-1920, was a result of a sustained 25 years’ research. The petitioner said that a European company, known as
Unilever, had applied for the patent of wheat derived from traditional Indian veriety “Nap Hal” before the European Patent Office
(EPO) in 1990, but its wheat division was subsequently acquired by Monsanto. Monsanto was thus granted the patent right by the EPO five years later, the petitioner said. Though the last date for filing objections by India on wheat in favour of Monsanto is February 21, the government did not appear to be serious to contest the issue. The RFSTE said it had filed the objections before the EPO but it did not have the technical support to file detailed report to contest the matter. |
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Bumper crop unlikely New Delhi, February 13 The estimates have been prepared on the basis of the
inputs received from the states, remote sensing data and field visits of central agri-teams. The estimates show that the country’s agriculture has not fully recovered from the last year’s devastating drought and the bumper crops expected this season have not come through. However, the overall production, including 73.39 million tonnes wheat against the 65.1 million tonnes last year, has fallen not only way below the targeted 220 million tonnes, but is also lower than the all-time record of 212.02 million tonnes in 2001-02. The rabi foodgrain output at 99.46 million tonnes has just failed to touch the 100-million mark and is lower than the targeted 108.32 million tonnes though higher than last year’s 86.7 million tonnes. The kharif output is pegged to rise to 108.62 million tonnes from 87.93 million tonnes. The total rice production is expected to be 86.11 million tonnes though higher than the last year’s 72.66 million tonnes. The kharif rice output is estimated to rise to 76 million tonnes against the 63.66 million tonnes last year and the corresponding rise in the rabi rice output is to 10.11 million tonnes from 9 million tonnes. |
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CBI gets 6 more weeks to probe
Taj Corridor case New Delhi, February 13 While allowing further time to the CBI, a three-judge Bench, headed by the Chief Justice Mr V N Khare also issued notice to the Union Culture and Tourism Ministry, seeking its reply on the allegation of threat posed to the Taj Mahal foundation due to the reclamation of land from the Yamuna bed for the project. Since no report regarding the impact on the flow of Yamuna due to the reclamation of the land had been placed before the court, it issued notice to the ministry for filing a detailed affidavit. When advocate Krishan Mahajan, appointed amicus curiae by the court to help it in adjudicating the case, pointed out that the Allahabad High Court by staying the arrest of the accused persons had set a bad precedent, the Bench having Mr Justice Brijesh Kumar and Mr Justice S H Kapadia as other judges, said the issue would be considered along with the further report by the CBI. |
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SAARC countries to discuss bird flu New Delhi, February 13 The one-day meeting will be held in New Delhi. An External Affairs Ministry statement said the meeting would be attended by senior officials of the health, agriculture and livestock ministries of the SAARC countries. |
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