Weed out graft from judiciary
Manmohan Singh for cut in holidays in courts
New Delhi, September 18
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today urged the judiciary to weed out corruption existing within its system and suggested cut in vacations in courts to reduce backlog of over 20 million cases.

In video  (28k, 56k) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts in New Delhi on Saturday.  — Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal

Amarinder for special courts
New Delhi, September 18
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has sought Centre’s intervention in setting up special courts in Patiala and Jalandhar to try influential persons involved in cases of corruption.

PM allays Left’s concern on FDI and other issues
New Delhi, September 18
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, today assured the CPM leaders that they would be taken into confidence before any policy decisions were taken and contentious issues, including the FDI hike would be discussed in the UPA-Left parties Coordination Committee meeting slated later this month.

Business page: Government to establish National Tax Tribunals

Haryana wants separate HC
New Delhi, September 18
Haryana today urged the Centre to set up a separate High Court for the state with territorial jurisdiction over the Union Territory of Chandigarh, in the existing premises of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and also take steps to fill up vacancies of the judges.

India eases visa rules for Pak nationals
New Delhi, September 18
In yet another unilateral initiative, India today liberalised the visa regime further with Pakistan by bringing in its ambit accredited journalists, academicians, professors and Vice Chancellors, medical doctors and nationals of the neighbouring country above the age of 65.

Threat to kill hostages
Dubai, September 18
Iraqi militants have threatened to kill a British and two U.S. hostages unless U.S. forces release women prisoners from two jails within 48 hours, Al-Jazeera television said today.

Cong names candidates for Punjab byelections
New Delhi, September 18
The Congress today clinched seat-sharing agreement with the NCP in Maharashtra for next month’s Assembly elections and announced its candidates for byelections to 13 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats.

Punjab page: Kapurthala voters rarely re-elect leaders

Indicted SGPC member arrested Amritsar, September 18 In a major setback to the SAD, the Amritsar Police today arrested Mr Baldev Singh, an SGPC member who was indicted for molesting the wife of a visually-challenged raagi, here today.                                                    Baldev Singh