Patna, September 12
The Patna High Court today dwelt on whether notice could be issued to the governor who enjoyed immunity from judicial proceedings for exercise of his powers.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice J.N. Bhatt and Mr Justice Shashank Kumar Singh made the observation while issuing notices to the Union Government and the Bihar Government in the matter of transfer of 17 IPS officers and Governor Buta Singh alleged letter to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad seeking favour for a railway officer.

The Bench also ordered issue of notices to the Adviser to the Bihar Governor Arun Pathak, Chief Secretary G S Kang and the then Home Secretary A.K. Biswas.

The bench was hearing two PILs. The judges observed that nobody was above law and the conduct of any person, however high a post he might occupy, could be scrutinised if he transgressed his jurisdiction.

Admitting that the court was not “powerless” in such matters, Advocate General Shashi Anugrah Narayan said in the two PILs, the Governor had not been made a party, hence, there was no question of issuing notice to him.

His contention was accepted by the court which then ordered issuing notices to the Union and Bihar government and the three top functionaries of the state.

Those served notices were to submit their replies by September 26.

The first PIL filed by suspended deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Ajay Verma complained about rules being flouted in the transfer of the 17 IPS officers, including the then Siwan Superintendent of Police Ratan Sanjay, in which the Chief Secretary was not consulted.

Alleging that the transfers appeared to have been effected in personal interest more than public interest, the petitioner prayed the court to direct the respondents to justify the entire proceeding.

Petitioner Kamta Singh, in a second PIL, filed through his counsel M Y Giryage, referred to the Governor writing a recommendatory letter to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad seeking the transfer of a railway officer Vijay P Meshram as Chief Controller of Stores of Western Railway.

It prayed the court to settle the law whether a Governor could write such a letter. — PTI

New Delhi, September 12
The BJP today revoked Delhi’s strongman Madan Lal Khurana’s expulsion from the party following his unconditional apology to party President L. K. Advani for his critical statement against the party chief.

Mr Khurana, who followed former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s advice, tendered an unconditional apology to Mr Advani which paved the way for his return to the party-fold and resulted in the resolution of the crisis triggered by the action against him.

Mr Khurana sent the apology letter to Mr Advani through party General Secretary Pramod Mahajan, the latter told mediapersons after a general secretaries’ meeting chaired by Mr Advani at his residence this evening.

Earlier, Mr Vajpayee advised Mr Khurana to apologise to Mr Advani to facilitate his return to the party fold when the later called on him. In his four line letter, Mr Khurana while apologising for making statements in public against the party President, said: “I should not have done so and that it had caused ‘damage’ to the party and mental agony to you.”

“I regret and take back my statements,” Mr Khurana said in his letter written in Hindi and urged the party President to give him a chance to serve the country through the party.

After he rooted the letter through Mr Mahajan to Mr Advani, the general secretaries’ meeting, chaired by Mr Advani, decided to revoke his expulsion and restore him once again the primary membership of the party.

“Mr Advani has asked general secretary (organisation) Sanjay Joshi to write a letter to Mr Khurana that in the light of the apology letter written by him, his expulsion is being revoked and he is being offered the primary membership of the party,” Mr Mahajan said.

Asked whether he will be given any party responsibility, Mr Mahajan said “he is being offered primary membership of the party.” The party is rather amazed at Mr Vajpayee’s stand which changed in the last few days.

The former Prime Minister, who made a somersault to change his stand that Mr Khurana should have been given a chance to explain his position before being expelled from the party, conveyed to the former Delhi Chief Minister during meeting here that there could not be any “compromise with discipline” and he would have to make amends before the party could reconsider the action against him, sources said.

New Delhi, September 12
The Supreme Court today restrained 28 allottees, including Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh and some other politicians and bureaucrats, who have been allotted plots by the Mulayam Singh government in prime locality in Gomti Nagar, from transferring them.

Directing the allottees to maintain status quo on land allotted to them, a Bench comprising Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, Justice C.K. Thakker and Justice R.V. Raveendran issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh Government, Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) and all allottees asking them to file their reply within two weeks.

A PIL relating to the Lucknow Development Authority land lease scam has alleged that Amar Singh was allotted a plot under the economically weaker section scheme at the behest of the Chief Minister.

During the hearing, senior advocate Ashok Desai, appearing for the state government, submitted that a committee was looking into the allotment of land for the past 30 years.

This, however, did not impressed the Bench which said it was concerned with the allotment of the plot made in 2005 by the present government and at the moment averments made in the petition calls for answer.

Senior advocate Fali S. Nariman, appearing for the LDA, prayed the court not to pass any interim order at this stage.

The petition filed by Allahabad-based advocate Vishwanath Chaturvedi has sought cancellation of 28 plots allegedly allotted to them at prime locality Vipul Khand in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, by the LDA alleging that they have been allotted illegally, arbitrarily and in corrupt manner at the instructions of the Chief Minister and his close aide.

The petitioner claimed that the plots were allotted to the near and dear ones of politicians and bureaucrats at the price below the prevailing market rate.

The PIL has sought constitution of a committee consisting of a retired judge of the apex court to go into the veracity of the allotment of plots or a probe by the CBI to fix the responsibility of individuals responsible for allotment illegally.

Prominent persons who have been allotted land are R.C.S. Rawat, father-in-law of Mulayam’s son Akhilesh, Anita Singh, Special Secretary to Chief Minister. — PTI

Mumbai, September 12
Life in Mumbai continued to be derailed by the downpour. Parts of the city were flooded and the local train services remained disrupted in many parts of the city.

The plight of the Mumbai’s commuters was worsened as the devotees began to immerse idols of Ganesh. The traffic police ordered several roads leading to Mumbai’s beaches to be closed to allow the devotees to immerse the idols.

The traffic had slowed down to a crawl along the Western Express Highway and S.V. Road. Eighteen roads were closed to vehicular traffic and were open only for the processionists. Some 43 roads had been made one-way.

Railway officials said trains were running behind schedule due to the waterlogging along the tracks. The state government ordered the city’s civic bodies to stay on a high alert.

The weather bureau recorded 68 mm rainfall at Colaba and 90.4 mm at Santacruz in the past 24 hours, ending at 8.30 am today.

The Met officials warned of thunder showers with strong south westerly wind .The Fishermen have been warned from venturing into the sea for the next 24 hours.

New Delhi, September 12
The two-month-long boycott of the UPA-Left Coordination Committee could end tomorrow amidst indications that the Communists would receive a letter from the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi stating the Congress-led coalition government’s intentions not to divest stakes in the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and other profit-making state-owned companies.

Left leaders appeared to be restless in returning to the UPA-Left Coordination Committee meet as through these meetings, the Left can influence the government on policy matters and prevent the Congress-led coalition from taking anti-people policies, sources said.

The leader of the four major Left parties are meeting here tomorrow to finalise their strategy on the issues to be taken up at the UPA-Left Coordination Committee meet with growing signs of discontentment among the small Communist parties like the Revolutionary Socialist Party and the All-India Forward Bloc resenting that they are being ignored by the Left allies and the government.

While the government consulted the CPM and the CPI on the oil price hike issue, the leaders of the RSP and the AIFB were not called for consultation. Similar was the case, when the disinvestment of PSUs was discussed with the two main Communist parties.

The need for coordinated approach amongst the Left parties would figure prominently at the meeting tomorrow.

The Left parties have already prepared notes opposing foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail trade. ‘We would be expressing our concerns and fears about the FDI in retail trade, especially its impact on the employments in the sector,’ a CPM leader said.

Although Left leaders maintained that there is no question of our resuming the UPA-Left Coordination Committee meetings till a formal letter from the government indicating that stalling of the disinvestment of Navratnas, sources indicated that the letter from the UPA Chairperson is likely to be received by them by tomorrow.

Sources indicated that an official announcement could be made tomorrow.

The CPM Central Committee observed that following the boycott of the UPA Coordination Committee meet, the UPA leadership offered to reduce the percentage of shares to be disinvested to 5 per cent and no further disinvestment in Navaratna companies. The Left parties did not agree with this proposal, as the issue was not the quantum of disinvestment but the very sale of shares of Navaratna companies.

In the recent period there are indications that the government will not proceed with the sale of the 10 per cent BHEL shares. When this is communicated to us officially, we can resume our participation in the coordination committee, it added.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had told CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat on the sidelines of the recent National Integration Council (NIC) meeting that the government had decided not to divest stakes in the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and other profit-making state-owned companies.

Karat reportedly told the Prime Minister that they would wait for a formal communication from UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on the government’s new position on disinvestments.

The Left parties have been boycotting the coordination meetings since June following the government’s decision to sell off 10 per cent of its stake in BHEL. Under pressure, the government had then decided to put off the sale.

Veteran Communist leader Jyoti Basu has repeatedly called for resuming the interface with the UPA after the government was seen to clear many pro-people legislations, including the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which ensures 100 days of employment to one able bodied person in every rural household.

New Delhi, September 12
There is a bad news for IIT aspirants who score less than 60 per cent in their Class XII exams as also for those who despite getting into the IIT take the entrance test a second time. Spelling reforms, in the examination system, the HRD Ministry has announced that only those who secure a first division in the Class XII examination would be eligible for admission to the IITs from 2006.

There will, however, be a relaxation of 5 per cent for the students of the reserved categories. The JEE conducted for admission to IITs would continue to be the sole criteria for admission in IITs and other participating institutes, an official release said here today.

Taking serious note of the tendency to take the JEE for a second time by those wishing to opt for the IIT or branch of their choice, the Ministry has proposed that those who have already joined any of the IITs would not be allowed to sit for the JEE again.

It was pointed out that the procedure would be reviewed after the JEE-2006. These proposals are the outcome of a meeting of eminent educationists on March 24, convened by the Union Minister for HRD, Mr Arjun Singh.

The meeting initiated a dialogue for building a national consensus on issues related to reducing the high stress level among students appearing for board and entrance examinations. A Special Task Force was constituted by the Directors of the IITs to evaluate the process of the IIT-JEE.

The recommendations of the Task Force were deliberated upon by the Standing Committee of the IIT Council, chaired by Prof C.N.R. Rao. After due deliberations the Standing Committee recommended certain reforms in JEE for IITs from 2006.

It was put forth that JEE would be a single objective type examination which could include short write-ups on various topics followed by objective questions based on the write up. This would test the comprehension as well as the analytical ability of the students, the release said adding that students would be allowed to write the JEE in the year in which he/she passes the 12th standard examination and/or in the following year.

These reforms are aimed primarily at reducing the stress of examinations on the students and also to give due credit to their performance in the board examinations.

The recommendation of the Standing Committee has been approved by the Minister as Chairman of the IIT Council.

From the JEE-2006 onwards, the screening test would be done away with and the results of the Class XII board examination would be factored in the admission process of the IITs. This would also restore the sanctity of school system and reduce the influence of the coaching classes, the release said.

Mumbai, September 12
After years of drought, the shipbuilding facilities at Mazgaon Docks Ltd (MDL) is all set to buzz again following the Indian Government’s decision to build six Scorpene submarines here. The deal signed between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Jacques Chirac of France will see India purchase six Scorpene submarines for euro 2.4 billion and build another six indigenously using the transfer of technology route.

According to sources, the Navy’s fresh orders to manufacture the submarines indigenously will help MDL to maximise its manufacturing capacity after nearly a decade. MDL, which has India’s only submarine production line hasn’t built a single submarine for more than a decade now, sources say. The facility was so far used for the maintenance of the Navy’s existing fleet.

Worse still, the past few years have seen nearly 4,000 of MDL’s employees sitting idle as the Indian Navy did not place sufficient orders. Though the facility has a capacity to build as many as 12 surface ships and submarines, the Navy’s cash crunch through the last decade saw most MDL workers sitting idle. Things began to look up in the past few years with the Navy ordering the Shivalik and Satpura class frigates from this defence facility.

The lean years also forced MDL to cut back on its workforce. From more than 16,000 workers at the peak in 1980s, it fell to less than around half the number in the present decade. However, with the Indian Government planning to improve defence upgradation, the order books of facilities like MDL are going to look healthier.

Admiral Prakash said at a function a few months ago that the Indian Navy planned a major fleet expansion in the 10th five-year plan. The Naval headquarters is pressing for six to seven ships to be inducted per year as against the two to three ships being made available to it at present.

The Indian Navy is beset by an ageing fleet that threatens to impede its preparedness. Of the 16 submarines in its fleet, the youngest is 15 years old. Two have reached the end of their life and the rest will be decommissioned in phases from 2010.