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Centre backtracks, says SGPC poll on
n No proposal to rescind 2003 notification 
barring Sehajdhari Sikhs from voting
n Counsel was not authorised: Chidambaram
n Badal demands a CBI probe
New Delhi/Chandigarh, Sept 2
A day after Punjab was rocked by the Union Government’s purported ‘decision’ to allow ‘Sehajdhari Sikhs’ to participate in the election for the Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee ( SGPC), communicated by its counsel to the High Court, a visibly embarrassed Union Government on Friday

Chief Minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal with senior party leaders outside Parliament in New Delhi on Friday. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

Two minutes that shook Punjab
Chandigarh, September 2
CCTV cameras in the courtroom seem to hold the key now to a mysterious man and an even more mysterious caller and the conversation that shook Punjab for a day. It all happened during the hearing on Thursday of petitions challenging the notification, issued by the NDA government in 2003, which debarred ‘Sehajdhari Sikhs’ from exercising their franchise in the SGPC election.

Anand Marriage Act row
Will see how best issue can be resolved, says Khursheed
New Delhi, September 2
Conscious of the disquiet its decision to drop the proposal of amending the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 has caused among the Sikhs across India and abroad, the government today said it was aware of the community’s sentiments and would see how best to resolve the problem.

Gujarat Lokayukta
BJP, Cong slug it out 
New Delhi, September 2
Stalling the Rajya Sabha, the BJP leaders marched to the Rashtrapati Bhawan today, demanding the recall of Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal for appointing Justice RA Mehta the state Lokayukta, without consulting Chief Minister Narendra Modi. But President Pratibha Patil expressed her inability, reminding BJP leaders LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley that the mater was sub judice.

BJP double speak on ombudsman
New Delhi, September 2
There is a clear contradiction in the stand taken by the BJP on the selection process of the Lokpal at the Centre and the Lokayukta in Gujarat. Pointing out various shortcomings in the government's Lokpal Bill, the BJP had expressed serious misgivings about the dominance of government representatives on the selection committee which is to recommend names for the ombudsman's post.

Impeachment motion against Sen in LS not yet called off
New Delhi, September 2
Although Justice Soumitra Sen of the Calcutta High Court has resigned from his position, the impeachment motion which the Lok Sabha is to take up against him this Monday has not yet been cancelled. The suspense lingers, with the government today saying it was yet to receive the resignation of the judge which, to be accepted by the President, has to be properly worded.

Cash-for-vote Scam
SC closes case, asks police to find money source
New Delhi, September 2
The Supreme Court today expressed satisfaction over the investigations conducted by the Delhi Police into the alleged payment of money to some MPs for voting in favour of the July 2008 confidence vote in the Lok Sabha. “You have done a substantial work” and this was evident from the charge sheet filed in the case, known as the cash-for-votes scam, a Bench comprising Justices Aftab Alam and RM Lodha remarked.