New Delhi, July 25
The Centre has rejected Haryana’s proposal for setting up a separate high court for the state by bifurcating the existing building and staff of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Law Ministry has taken the decision in the light of views expressed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice.

“Keeping in mind the layout and structure of the building and the pattern of establishment, the bifurcation of the existing (HC) building, ministerial staff and administrative offices will not be feasible,” according to the Chief Justice.

The Judge has, however, clarified that a separate HC for Haryana may be formed, if so desired, only after setting up the entire infrastructure for running the HC at any other place that may be chosen by the state.

The Judge expressed his views in response to Haryana’s proposal that had been referred to him by the Centre. Law Minister M Veerappa Moily gave this information in Parliament on Thursday.

“The Government of Haryana was intimated that the suggestion for bifurcation of the existing building and staff was not practicable in view of the existence of the Chandigarh Administration,” he said in a written reply. The minister did not explain what he meant by the “existence of the Chandigarh Administration”.

The Haryana Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution in 2005, demanding a separate HC for the state. The state government had suggested that, to begin with, the present HC complex in Chandigarh should be bifurcated into two separate HCs, one for Punjab and the other for Haryana.

The state had sought 40 per cent of the building, ministerial staff and administrative functionaries along with the judges appointed from the Haryana quota.

Moily’s statement has come just a week after Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had expressed the hope that Haryana would soon have its own HC in Chandigarh. At a meet-the-press programme organised on the 29th foundation day of the Chandigarh Press Club on July 15, Hooda also said that his state had a legitimate right to have its own HC.

The Chief Minister said he had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Moily in this regard .

Sarai Khwaja (Faridabad), July 25
The Haryana government will regularise unauthorised colonies in the state after it receives survey reports from all cities and towns.

Addressing a public meeting here today, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said his government had ordered a survey on the status of colonies. The government had already received reports from some cities.

Hooda made the announcement in response to a demand from the public here on the issue. He said his government had already made up its mind to regularise the colonies so that the residents could avail of the benefits of civic amenities.

However, the issue could not be resolved because of court’s intervention.

Hence, his government had decided to make an amendment to the rule to find a way to regularise the colonies in public interest.

He said his government was setting up major power plants of which the one at Yamunanagar had already become operational.

The Chief Minister also addressed public meetings at Tigaon, Dhoj, Palli and Lakarpur.

The Chief Minister chose the occasion to urge the people to support Congress nominees in the coming Assembly elections and ensure the return of the Congress to power.

He laid the foundation stones for four-laning of the Faridabad-Gurgaon road and for widening and strengthening the Ballabgarh-Palli road. The two projects would be executed on a BOT basis at an estimated cost of Rs 180 crore.

Karnal, July 25
US-based NGO - The Smile Train - having a tie up with local Balaji Hospital for operations of children with cleft palate or cleft lips, especially those hailing from poor families, has further strengthened its collaboration by helping the local promoters to have a permanent wing in the hospital. An additional wing - The Smile Train Centre and Advance Eye Hospital - was inaugurated by Haryana Child Welfare Council vice-chairperson Asha Hooda here today.

Earlier, the hospital had only a “plastic surgery and burn centre”, where the children with cleft lips and palate were operated and provided free medicine by NGDr Rakesh Jindal, Surgeon at Balaji Hospital, said the mission of The Smile Train was to get all patients of cleft lip or cleft palate treated and helped them lead a normal life.

The cost of one operation was about Rs 15,000. It was a huge amount for poor families to spare and as such most of the patients had no access to treatment and continue to suffer.

Ambala, July 25
The proceedings in the Ranjit Singh murder case were conducted through video-conferencing in the court of Special Judge, CBI, AS Narang here today.

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been made an accused in this case under Section 120-B (conspiracy) while the other accused - Kishan Lal, Jasbir, Sadil, Avtar Singh and Inder Sain - have been booked under Section 302 (murder).

The dera chief appeared in the district courts in Sirsa. Defence counsel SK Garg cross-examined CBI witness Paramjeet Singh, who is stated to be a close relative of the deceased, Ranjit Singh. CBI counsel HPS Verma was also present in the Ambala court. The judge adjourned the hearing till August 1.

Ranjit Singh, a senior functionary of the dera, was shot dead in his native village Khanpur Kolian in Kurukshetra district in July 2002. 

Panipat, July 25
A man, who had reportedly been rounded up by the Samalkha police in connection with a reported theft of a gas cylinder, allegedly committed suicide by consuming a poisonous substance on the premises of the city police station at Samalkha last night.

The police had rounded up Dilbagh Singh of Kaavali village in Sonepat after it was suspected that he had stolen a gas cylinder from a gas agency. His mobile phone had been found at the crime scene. It is learnt that Dilbagh Singh had gone to visit some relatives in Siwana village from where he was rounded up.

His relatives said Dilbagh had recently lost his mobile phone, which perhaps was in the possession of some miscreants who had stolen the gas cylinder from the agency. They maintained that he had nothing to do with the theft.

It was alleged that after Dilbagh was taken to the police station, the police tried to book him on charges of having committed a number of thefts. This perhaps compelled him to take the extreme step, alleged his relatives. Dilbagh had allegedly consumed poison just two hours after he arrived at the police station.