New Delhi, May 8
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the three wings of democracy -- legislature, judiciary and executive -- should work “in harmony and in tandem” for maximising public good despite the fact that the Constitution had defined and demarcated their powers and roles.

“Even though their jurisdictions may be separated and demarcated, it is expected that all institutions would work in harmony and in tandem to maximise the public good,” Singh said in his inaugural address at a conference organised to mark the golden jubilee celebrations of the Bar Association of India (BAI).

This did not mean that any of the organs would have to exceed its powers provided under the Constitution, the PM clarified. The BAI is organising the two-day conference on the theme of law and governance.

Outgoing Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan had somewhat similar views. “Good governance calls for a shared sense of destiny and direction for human beings. In a sense, we need to be alert to the shortcomings in different models of governance.”

The Right to Information Act, 2005, and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, were the results of positive responses from the legislature and the executive to judiciary’s interventions, guidelines and directions, said CJI Balakrishnan, who demits office on May 12.

CJI-designate SH Kapadia said the Supreme Court and the high courts should understand the consequences of their judgments and that the fundamental rights of the citizens and responsibilities of the government would be meaningful only when “they become justiciable. Before declaring them to be justiciable, courts must take into account the economic costs of that exercise.”

Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said within a year every high court and district court would have an e-court. Addressing one of the sessions at the conference, BJP leader and former Law Minister Arun Jaitley said it was not proper for the judiciary to interfere in the functioning of the legislature.

The judiciary had the last say in every matter despite the fact that it was not accountable to anyone. Further the other two wings of democracy were not in a position to step into the territory of the judiciary, he added.

Muzaffarnagar (UP), May 8
A BBA student was killed allegedly by the brother of his girlfriend with whom he had eloped two months ago in another suspected honour killing case.

The body of Ajit Saini, who was in his early twenties, was found in New Mandi area here yesterday. His throat was found slit and legs cut off, the police said.

His girlfriend Anshu Tomar, also in her early twenties, is missing.

On the basis of a complaint filed by Ajit's family, the girl's father Narendra Tomar and brother Anuj were arrested, Superintendent of Police Rajiv Malhotra said.

During interrogation, Anuj confessed that he had killed Ajit for "tarnishing the family's image," the officer claimed.

According to Anuj, his sister had eloped several times with Ajit despite repeated warnings by the family. The couple had eloped two months back after the girl's family opposed their relationship. After assurances from the family that it would solemnise their marriage, the duo returned home on April 19. — PTI

New Delhi, May 8
Pribhanshu Ranjan, the boyfriend of alleged honour-killing victim Nirupama Pathak, is likely to move Ranchi High Court for the quashing of the FIR lodged against him by the Kodarma police on the directions of a local court.

Ranjan’s lawyer Ashish Rai told The Tribune that the court’s order was full of “loopholes” and he would challenge its legal tenability in the high court. “The police had registered a case of murder based on the autopsy report, which is a scientific evidence. In the same case, they have now registered an FIR charging Ranjan with abetment to suicide and rape. It is bizarre,” he said. Kodarma SP G Kranthi Kumar said they were probing the case and it would be premature to make any comment on the merits of both FIRs. Rai said he would not file an anticipatory bail plea and instead wants quashing of the FIR.

Ranjan, a journalist working with a news agency, has found support from woman groups as well apart from his friends and teachers. The friends and teachers of Pathak, also a journalist who worked with a business daily, from IIMC held a candle-light vigil at India Gate today evening, demanding swift justice.

New Delhi, May 8
The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is no longer the most preferred career choice for the high-ranking meritorious candidates selected through the Civil Services Examination. This has been revealed in the fourth report of the parliamentary standing committee on external affairs which was recently presented to the Lok Sabha.

The high-powered panel, led by former External Affairs Minister and BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, advised the ministry to undertake a holistic study to look into the reasons behind such a shift in priority of the younger generation and take remedial measures to attract more and more young and talented persons for joining the IFS.

It advised the ministry to become its own ambassador and project itself before the youth and students in a better and planned way while interacting with universities, academics and intellectuals through seminars and conferences.

While appreciating the fact that there was a change in the educational and socio-economic profile of the new entrants to the IFS, the committee noted that simultaneously the framework of international relations had also undergone a tremendous change over the past few years with diverse and increased arenas of engagement. “Due to these factors, the freshers are under a lot of stress.”

The panel suggested that the ministry should modify the training process in such a manner that it acted as a facilitator in reorienting the freshers and familiarising them with their current environment. More innovative and diversified training should be provided to empower them to face the new and growing challenges in the conduct of India’s foreign policy.

The committee was also sorry to learn that the government was facing an acute shortage of IFS officers. Though the ministry had made efforts in this direction and 62 posts of IFS officers and 41 of IFS-B had been created under the expansion plan, incremental approach was being followed in filling the direct recruitment posts due to difficulty in cadre management.

The panel noted with concern that the ministry has temporarily got engaged some outsourced staff to deal with the shortage of staff at the headquarters. It said it was not in favour of such a move to outsource staff in a ministry of such sensitive nature and suggested that the move for outsourcing of work of sensitive nature should be avoided.

The committee recommended that instead of outsourcing the staff, the ministry should take steps to call staff on deputation basis from other ministries and departments for the time being. It also asked the government to take all initiatives to persuade the Staff Selection Commission for filling vacancies at the earliest.

Lucknow, May 8
Former Samajwadi party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh is planning to make a Bhojpuri film called ‘Dhoka (betrayal) which has a central character called Chalu Prasad. It is to be released before the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2012.

Writing in his blog the one-time mascot of the Samajwadi Party said that work on scripting of the film would start soon. Bhojpuri singer-actor turned politician Manoj Tiwari, Lok Sabha MP from Rampur Jaya Prada and Amar Singh are to play important characters in the film. “Now I don’t say anything to Jaya Bachchan ji. Else I would have requested her to play the role of a female ruling party leader”, writes Singh.

Currently he is shooting in Kerala for a Malyalam film “Mumbai Mitti”, in which he plays the musician-husband of cine star Dimple Kapadia. “I would remain grateful to Dimple till the very end for becoming my wife, even if only on the silver screen. I know many would feel extremely jealous”.

Singh describes the decision to work for a Malyalam film as his tribute to his Malyalam-speaking Christian driver, “Who willing donated his kidney in the prime of youth to give me a new lease of life. This once again sent out a message that religion and regional boundaries are man-made. My poor Christian Malyalam-speaking driver’s kidney is working just fine in the body of Hindu Amar Singh”.

After remaining the national general secretary, spokesperson and most visible and audible person in the Samajwadi party for more than a decade Singh was forced into political oblivion after he resigned and was subsequently expelled along with Jaya Prada and four SP MLAs in January 2010 for anti party activities.

Hyderabad, May 8
The Supreme Court’s ruling declaring narco-analysis and polygraph-tests as illegal has come as a major relief for some of the high-profile suspects in Andhra Pradesh, including former chairman of Satyam Computers B Ramalinga Raju who scripted the biggest scam in the country’s corporate history.

Raju, who had confessed to a massive accounting fraud in the software company, has been dodging trial on the grounds of ill-health. The CBI, probing the Rs 7,800-crore scandal, has been pleading for the court’s permission to conduct polygraph and brain-mapping tests on Raju and former chief financial officer of Satyam V Srinivas.

The fallen IT czar has not been cooperating with the investigators on fudging of balance sheets and diversion of funds to other businesses. A two-member bench of the state High Court had last month delivered a split verdict on a CBI petition seeking permission for polygraph tests on him.

While Justice Gopal Reddy declined permission for the tests, another judge in the Bench, Justice Govindarajulu, said the CBI might be allowed to conduct the test if it was required. In view of the divided opinion, the matter was referred to a third judge as per the established judicial procedure. The apex court’s verdict has provided a reprieve for Raju, who is in judicial custody and undergoing treatment at a multi-speciality hospital here. He has not given his consent for the scientific tests.

At present, there are at least 50 cases pending in the courts where the police sought narco tests on the accused. Among them is K Venkateswara Rao, the prime accused in the Rs 32 crore scam in Krushi Bank. After spending more over three years in jail, he was released on bail in September last year. He had approached the Supreme Court challenging the investigators’ move to conduct polygraph tests on him.

The suspects in the sensational killing of seven-year-old Vijayawada girl Naga Vaishnavi also got a reprieve following the Supreme Court’s ruling. A police team from Vijayawada is already in Ahmedabad to conduct narco tests on Vaishnavi’s alleged killers.

Meanwhile, former director of AP Forensic Science Laboratories Dr KPC Gandhi welcomed the apex court’s judgment and said narco and brain-mapping tests were “unscientific, inhuman, illegal and unethical”.

Ahmedabad, May 8
The tainted Medical Council of India (MCI) president Ketan Desai has tendered his resignation from the post of head of Urology Department at government-run B J Medical college here.

A copy of the resignation letter sent by Desai which was received at the B J Medical college by post has also been forwarded to the Health and Family Welfare Department of the state government.

"We have received the copy of resignation submitted by Ketan Desai to the B J Medical College administration," a senior state government official told PTI today.

Desai, initially worked as a professor at B J Medical college and was later elevated as head of the department Urology at the medical college, a college official said.

Ketan Desai and three others were arrested by the CBI last month in connection with a Rs two crore bribe for permitting a medical college in Punjab to admit students despite lack of infrastructure.

The four accused were booked by the CBI under various provisions of Prevention of Corruption of Act, dealing with inducing a public servant to accept bribe, criminal misconduct and payment of money.

As per the government rules, if its employee is arrested and spends 48 hours in police custody he stands suspended.

However, the government of Gujarat has not suspended Desai so far, but with his resignation the matter came to end, sources in the medical college said. — PTI

Chandigarh, May 8
To give a fillip to adventure activities, the National Cadet Corps (NCC) is procuring 110 micro-light aircraft. These would be inducted in its air squadrons across the country.

NCC, the world’s largest youth organisation engaged in grooming students in leadership and discipline, has over 55 air squadrons. Many of them already posses a Zen micro-light aircraft.

These aircraft, which are basically twin-seaters weighing less than 500 kgs, are meant to give air wing cadets exposure to flying and experience in handling aircraft. Additional aircraft would enable more cadets to fly.

“Micro-lights have replaced gliders that were earlier being used for training,” Additional Director General NCC, Major General MS Virk said. “Every air squadron has been authorised two micro-lights and most of them now have one such aircraft in their inventory,” he added.

Under the current training syllabus, each squadron has been allocated 200 flying hours on the micro-light. In the past few years, on an average around 8,000 flying hours have been logged each year by NCC squadrons. Earlier, the NCC also had a few indigenously designed Pushpak two-seat trainers, but these have been phased out.

The NCC has already initiated the tendering process for acquisition of the aircraft and these would be inducted in phases over the next three to four years. Around 30 aircraft, wearing the NCC’s special colour scheme, are expected to be added to the fleet every six months once deliveries commence.

Given their lightweight, these aircraft would be able to operate from grassy surface, advance landing grounds as well as disused airfields where runway length available is as less as 1,000 meters.

The Karnataka Air Squadron has been made the nodal unit to train pilots and technical personnel for the micro-lights. Initially pilots and technicians would be trained by the aircraft manufacturer and later teams from the Karnataka unit would train subsequent batches at user units’ respective locations.

New Delhi, May 8
With Parliament adjourned sine die yesterday, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar today embarked on a six-day official visit to the Kingdom of Swaziland in southern Africa to attend the executive committee meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

The Swaziland parliament is hosting this year’s mid-year meeting of the CPA Executive Committee, with 35 CPA officers and regional representatives expected to meet and carry out their constitutional duties of control and management of the activities and finances of the CPA. The committee consists of 35 members, comprising the officers of the association, chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and three regional representatives from each region except Africa, which, as a large region, has six representatives.

Meira Kumar for her part is the first Indian leader to ever head a delegation to the landlocked African country bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa and to the east by Mozambique.

The Lok Sabha Speaker’s agenda during the visit would include actively canvassing for India’s claim for non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Sources in the Speaker’s office told The Tribune that the matter would form part of the high-level meeting scheduled to be held between Meira Kumar and King Mswati III, the independent monarch of the nation. The Swazi monarchy is one of the most influential in southern Africa. Accompanying Meira Kumar on the visit are the Speakers of state legislative assemblies of Bihar, Assam and West Bengal.