Thursday, May 11, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Maharashtra minister gets 1-month jail
New Delhi, May 10
The Supreme Court today sentenced Maharashtra Transport Minister Swaroop Singh Nayak and state Additional Chief Secretary Ashok Khot to one-month simple imprisonment for violation of court orders. Nayak was the state Forest Minister and Khot was Principal Forest Secretary in 2004, when they permitted six veneer and plywood mills to operate from the reserve forest area in the state.

Plot to blow up Ellora caves
Mumbai, May 10
Acting on information from the Centre, the anti-terrorist squad of the Mumbai police has foiled a plan to blow up the Ellora caves at Aurangabad. During the operation, which was completed last night, more than 10 places in Aurangabad were searched by police personnel from Mumbai and Delhi.

Oil price to go up, Left unconvinced
New Delhi, May 10
The government today seemed to be failing in its efforts to convince the Left parties over the proposed hike in oil prices, though hinting that it would have no option but to increase the price after the spurt in global crude oil prices, now crossing $70 a barrel.
In video: Petroleum Minister to meet Left leaders today.
(28k, 56k)

HP to give 500 mw power
Palampur, May 10
Ms Vidya Stokes, Power Minister, Himachal Pradesh, announced here today that the state would soon supply 500 mw of additional power to Delhi, Punjab and Haryana to meet their power requirements.

Ropar units operational
Punjab page: No power tariff hike
PSEB slammed for line losses
Himachal page: Cabinet approves power policy

Govt may restructure NAC
New Delhi, May 10
The UPA Government is toying with the idea of restructuring the high-profile National Advisory Council (NAC) to facilitate Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s return as its chairperson and to ensure that this post does not qualify as an office of profit.

HIV/AIDS patients and members under the banner of the Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS shout slogans during a march in New Delhi on Wednesday. Hundreds of people protested against the law prohibiting the copy of patented drugs despite strong criticism that the legislation would prohibit the manufacture of low-cost generic drugs. — AFP

Sex scandal: court summons DGP, Chief Secretary
Srinagar, May 10
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today ordered personal appearances of the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police on May 12 while looking into a sex scandal even as lawyers protested against their petition coming up before a particular judge.

Bail plea put off in Shivani case
New Delhi, May 10
The Delhi High Court today refrained from granting bail and posted the plea till July 27 to suspended IPS officer R.K. Sharma, prime accused in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case, as the trial proceedings were expected to be completed by July end. Earlier, the Delhi Police opposed Sharma’s bail petition as about a dozen other witnesses were to be examined.

Major relief for PTU students Chandigarh, May 10 In a major relief to hundreds of students, enrolled for various distance education courses being run by Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, whose future was in the doldrums due to an order issued by Indira Gandhi National Open University, the Supreme Court of India has refused to interfere in the proceedings that are on in the Himachal Pradesh High Court.