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with
general election 2014 only a few months away... Battle of ballot DELHI
seats 70
‘Floating votes’ disturb BJP
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N-capable Prithvi-II test-fired successfully
AFT functioning under HC scrutiny
Prez urges pvt sector to employ disabled
Ganguly ‘undecided’ on quitting as WBHRC chief
Ashok Kumar Ganguly
Arihant to be commissioned in a year
PM promises energy investors stable oil, gas policy
SC sets March 31 deadline for regulating acid sale
Boundary accord: Foreign Secretary on Dhaka visit
SC: No dismissals for non-payment or delay of court fee by the poor
Govt mulls adding 2 more districts to Telangana state
BJP to oppose Communal Violence Bill
BSNL pre-paid services hit for 8 hours
UP riot-hit to get Rs 400 pension
Militant lynched in Assam
Bengal Assembly adopts resolution on Aadhaar card
Rane’s son held for rioting
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with
general election 2014 only a few months away...
New Delhi, December 3 The entry of Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP has changed the dimension of the fight in the polls and it will be interesting to see whether the newbie will just be a “spoiler” or win some seats as predicted by opinion polls, riding on its anti-corruption plank. With participation of almost the entire top brass, BJP’s campaign looked impressive compared to the Congress. The Aam Admi Party mainly resorted to door-to-door campaigning while its leader Arvind Kejriwal addressed scores of road shows. Both the Congress and the BJP have dismissed the AAP as a serious contender but various pre-poll surveys predicted significant support for the newly formed party. Though Congress president Sonia Gandhi addressed one rally and vice-president Rahul two election meetings, the entire campaign of the ruling party was led by 75-year-old Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who sought people’s support for a fourth consecutive term to continue her “agenda of inclusive development”. In what is seen as her toughest electoral battle, Dikshit may face people’s wrath because of significant rise in prices of vegetables and fruits in the last two months besides the anti-incumbency factor which is visible in certain areas. Charges were also traded between the BJP and the Congress on a number of local issues like regularisation of unauthorised colonies, BRT corridor, demand for full statehood for Delhi and high water and power tariff. A total of 1.19 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise tomorrow. There are over 4.05 lakh first-time voters. A total of 810 candidates are in the fray for the 70-member assembly. The BJP has fielded candidates in 66 seats and the Congress and the AAP in all 70 constituencies. The BSP has fielded candidates in 69 seats, the NCP in nine and the Samajwadi Party has fielded candidates in 27 seats. A total of 224 independents are also in the fray. The stakes in this election are high for Dikshit, who mainly highlighted her achievements and development agenda while BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan promised to cut power tariff by 30 per cent and slash vegetable prices within 30 days of coming to power. The BJP has also promised to give 12 subsidised LPG cylinders in a year to each household instead of current nine besides ensuring full statehood. It has also promised to set up a dedicated Women Security Force to ensure safety of women. In its manifesto, the Congress has promised to set up a Single Command System to address the problems of multiplicity of authorities and a common economic zone for the entire National Capital Region to minimise load on Delhi’s infrastructure. It has also promised to construct double- decker flyovers to ease traffic congestion. The AAP said it will pass the Jan Lokpal Bill within 15 days of coming to power besides promising to cut power tariff by 50 per cent. It said 700 litres of water per day will be given free to each household. The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangement for the polling tomorrow. Over 64,000 Delhi police personnel and 107 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed to help conduct a free and fair election. Out of 11,753 polling booths, 630 polling stations have been declared critical and hyper-critical and central paramilitary forces will be deployed in all these stations, Delhi Chief Electoral officer Vijay Dev said. Besides, flying squads, static surveillance teams and video surveillance teams will also be keeping a close watch on the conduct of the poll. Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Dev said not only candidates or political parties attempting to bribe voters will face action but for the first time any person accepting such illegal gratification will also be booked under IPC. In a bid to boost voter turnout, nine ‘model’ polling stations with spruced-up infrastructure have been set up for the first time. — PTI
From the past
* In 1952, Delhi was a C class state whose first Chief Minister was Brahm Prakash of the Congress. It was Gurmukh Nihal who succeeded him in 1955. In 1956,
the assembly system was abolished and replaced by the Delhi Metropolitan Council in 1966 *
The BJP won the first Assembly elections in Delhi in 1993 after Delhi became a state. In 1993, the BJP swept the polls with 49 seats. Madan Lal Khurana became the chief minister. In its five-year tenure, the party saw three chief ministers, the other two being Sahib Singh Verma and Sushma Swaraj *
It was Congress’ turn in 1998 when it trounced the incumbent party by winning a whopping 52 seats in the 70-member assembly. The party chose Sheila Dikshit as Delhi’s Chief Minister *
In 2003, the BJP raised its tally to 20 from 15 seats but it was Congress which formed the government once again under the leadership of Dikshit, who became the Chief Minister again *
In 2008, the BJP was whipped for the third time in a row by the Congress and Sheila Dikshit became the first three-time woman CM in India. The Congress bagged 43 seats while the BJP stood second with 23
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‘Floating votes’ disturb BJP
New Delhi, December 3 While in the past few days, the Congress left the campaigning to party chief ministers and union ministers, the BJP’s high-voltage poll blitzkrieg was led by its top leaders LK Advani, Narendra Modi, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari. They criss-crossed Delhi and aggressively reached out to voters. aBut a bigger concern for party’s managers is the “floating votes” in the sizable urban-middle class of Delhi. This is the section which generally follows the way wind blows based on factors like corruption and inflation. Though there is a perceptible anti-Congress wave but the gainer of this anti-incumbency may not entirely be the BJP, which might have been the case if the AAP was not there.
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N-capable Prithvi-II test-fired successfully
Balasore (Odisha), Dec 3 The surface-to-surface missile was test-fired at 10.05 am from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range, about 15 km from here, defence sources said. Describing the launch of the sophisticated missile as a complete success, ITR Director MVKV Prasad said all mission parameters were met during the trial. "The missile was randomly chosen from the production stock and the launch activities were carried out by the specially formed Strategic Force Command (SFC) and monitored by scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of training exercise," the sources said. "The missile trajectory was tracked by DRDO radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations located along the coast of Odisha," they said. "The downrange teams onboard a ship deployed near the designated impact point in Bay of Bengal monitored the terminal events and splashdown," they said. Inducted into India's Strategic Forces Command in 2003, Prithvi, the first missile developed by DRDO under India's prestigious IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Program), is now a proven technology, said a defence official. "The launch was part of a regular training exercise of SFC and was monitored by DRDO scientists," he said. Such training launches clearly indicate India's operational readiness to meet any eventuality and also establishes the reliability of this deterrent component of India's strategic arsenal, the official said. Prithvi is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvering trajectory. — PTI
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AFT functioning under HC scrutiny
Chandigarh, December 3 Terming the AFT’s order to be “wholly without jurisdiction, palpably illegal and in gross violation of the principals of natural justice,” a division bench comprising Justice LA Ansari and Justice PK Saikia has also castigated senior air force officers, including former AOC-in-C, Eastern Air Command (EAC), Air Marshal S Varthman, present commandant of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal KS Gill (earlier posted in EAC) and two Air Vice Marshals, for abuse and misuse of power and official machinery in their attempts to frame the officer. Pointing out that the AFT’s order was based on erroneously assumed facts, the HC said that the AFT could not have entertained a review application beyond a period of 30 days, nor could it have carried out rectifications without hearing the petitioner, Air Cmde Mrigendra Singh. He had been, according to the petition, accused of having improper relations with wives of junior officers after he had highlighted poor standards of construction at the Chabua airbase due to which four engines of SU-30 aircraft had been damaged, causing a loss of several hundred crore rupees, besides the squadron having to move out. Several decisions of different benches of the AFT have, in the past, come under the high court’s scanner after these were challenge by the petitioners. In a notable case where the promotions of major generals to lieutenant general were challenged, the Delhi High Court had recently observed that the same bench of the AFT had, on the same day and on the same issue, passed diametrically different orders on two different petitions. Many AFT judgements by different benches, specially those declining relief on pensionary and war injury benefits, have also been set aside by the high courts. In yet another case, a major who was sentenced to imprisonment by a general court martial was not granted bail by the AFT, but was granted relief by the Delhi High Court. In fact, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, had earlier this year, ordered that the AFT be shifted from the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence to the Ministry of Law after a petition had contended that all orders by the AFT were to be passed against the MoD and the same ministry had been made the parent controlling ministry of the tribunal, wielding all pervasive control over the AFT, including appointments, funding, rule-making and infrastructure, thereby making it seem more of an extension of the state rather than an independent judicial body. While the Supreme Court had declined to stay the high court’s order or to issue notices after the Central government challenged the order, a contempt petition for non-implementation of the order is pending. Another petition pending before the high court here had challenged composition of the AFT’s bench comprising a judicial member and an administrative member, contending that the administrative member, who is a senior retired defence officer, is not competent to write orders in regard to criminal appeals as he is not legally qualified.
Tribunal’s order ‘without jurisdiction’
Terming the AFT’s order to be “wholly without jurisdiction, palpably illegal and in gross violation of the principals of natural justice”, a division bench also castigated senior IAF officers for abuse and misuse of power and official machinery in their attempts to frame the officer.
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10-day jail for actor Rajpal Yadav
New Delhi, December 3 Yadav's wife got away with lighter punishment as the court noted that she had an infant to take care of and ordered her to be in custody for one day till its rising. The actor and his wife, facing contempt proceedings in the suit filed by a Delhi-based MG Agarwal against them for recovery of Rs five crore, were held guilty of misleading the court and avoiding appearance. Justice S Muralidhar termed the sequence of incident in the case as "shocking state of affairs". It said the couple, who had been held guilty of contempt earlier also, were avoiding appearance before it to present their views on quantum of sentence. “This case presents a shocking state of affairs. Rajpal and his wife have already been punished for contempt of court and the case has been kept pending only on the question of sentence. “Instead of mitigating the contempt committed, defendants (Yadavs) have systematically aggravated the contempt by making misleading statements in court and acting in defiance of the court's order. Added to this unfortunate state of affairs is the untruths spoken by their counsel in the court,” it said. The court also issued contempt notices to the lawyer of Yadav's wife for allegedly lying about her whereabouts and the Oath Commissioner who had attested the affidavit. — PTI
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Prez urges pvt sector to employ disabled
New Delhi, December 3 "Economic empowerment of persons with disabilities is the key to their well-being and can enable them to lead a life of dignity," the President said on the occasion adding that concerted efforts were required to fill up the backlog of the reserved vacancies in the government sector. He, however, reminded the private sector of its responsibility in the field. "The private sector is also a large employer and can play a commendable role in providing opportunities to differently abled persons to prove their capabilities. The private sector should come forward to meet their social responsibility obligations and take pro-active steps to provide placements for Persons with Disabilities in their establishments and industries," he said.
Regional awardees
* Best creative child with disability: Aishna Vashisht, Chandigarh * Outstanding creative adult with disability: Ved Prakash Verma, Zirakpur *
Best accessible website for disabled: National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation, Faridabad *
Best organisation promoting inclusive education: National Institute of technical Teachers Training and Research, Chandigarh *
Best Placement agency (autonomous PSU): Dr Sharma, Indian Red Cross Society, Faridabad
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Ganguly ‘undecided’ on quitting as WBHRC chief
Kolkata/New Delhi, Dec 3 "I have not decided. I am undecided," Justice (retd) Ganguly told PTI in Kolkata. "Time has not come to think about it," he said when asked about his future course of action in the wake of demands for his resignation as the Chairman of WBHRC. Ganguly, who has been accused by a young law intern of sexually harassing her, at the same time received support like from eminent lawyer Soli Sorabjee and former Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir amid a raging debate whether or not he should step down. He has strongly denied the charge. BJP leader Sushma Swaraj joined the chorus of demands for the resignation of Ganguly, saying "not only Caesar's wife but Caesar too must be above suspicion". "I strongly feel that Justice A K Ganguly should resign as Chairperson of West Bengal Human Rights Commission", the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said in a Twitter post. Defending Sushma's demand, BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain said a lot of questions has been raised in the sexual assault allegation which was a challenge to the credibility of the judiciary. West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress has already demanded that Ganguly quit office. "This is the first time such an allegation has been made against a former Supreme Court judge who is at present holding the post of WBHRC chairman. He should resign immediately," said TMC MP Kalyan Bandopadhyay. Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising was also of the view that Ganguly should resign. "In fact after his name was disclosed in public he should resign from the position he is holding," she said. Former Delhi High Court judge RS Sodhi said the allegation is a cognisable offence and should have been probed by the police in the same manner as any ordinary man facing a similar charge is investigated. — PTI
Direct Ganguly to quit, CJI urged
New Delhi, December 3 Maintaining that the retired SC Judge had no right to continue as head of the rights body, they said in a letter to the CJI: “We solicit your kind indulgence to direct the Governor of West Bengal to ask Ganguly to demit his office to facilitate a fair and impartial investigation in the whole matter.”
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Armed merchant vessels near coast
New Delhi, December 3 New Delhi has asked the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to intervene and realign the limits of the designated high-risk area (HRA) at sea westwards enabling ships to operate further away from India’s western coast. It has told the IMO that there was a need to regulate ships which carry armed guards and weapons to provide security from piracy. The HRA is a limit set by the IMO to define piracy infested waters of the Arabian Sea. It has been aligned more towards India after piracy started sprouting in 2007 along the west coast of Africa. Indian Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi, while addressing a press conference today, expressed fear from merchant ships that operate very close to the Indian coast. “Ships are hugging our coast line. This affects our picture and is a major worry,” the Admiral said while terming the floating armouries as “dangerous”. “Over a period, it has become loose-knit structure and could be used for infiltration by terrorists.” He explained the risk saying, “We have reports that these ships often have regular combatants, who on a temporary basis, take up employment as private guards.” The Navy Chief said that the unregulated manner in which these matters were progressing, we have no records and no regulation. “This needs to be brought under international regulation -- each ship carrying private guards needs an IMO number and we need a common database. Also, they need to specify the arms, ammunition they are carrying.” These kept floating in international waters and nobody knows how many are they and if they can be misused by terrorists. In the past two years, there has been no incident of piracy up to a distance of 450 nautical miles from the Indian coast, but such ships come close to the Indian Coast as there is a mindset that it is a high-risk area. Admiral Joshi explained, “There is no reason for sea traffic to hug our coast. We have told the IMO to reset the limits of the HRA and restore it to its west-west limits. We have also raised the matter with Sri Lanka as it is also affected party.” On being asked specifically if he feared a 26/11-type threat from these “floating armouries” coming too close to the coast or terrorists using a merchant ship, Admiral Joshi said, “If ships are carrying arms and ammunition, this could lead to that.” He said, “When such ships close in on our coast, we need to know who owns the ship, who are the armed guards and how many, what weapons they have. “They are most welcome to have armed guards. But the need is to regulate it. All coastal countries need to know their antecedents. At present, no country has information on these (floating armouries),” he said. In October, a US-registered vessel was nabbed carrying weapons. It was trawling in the high seas and entered Indian waters (the limit is 12 nautical miles). It was asked to port at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu and the crew, that included Indians, was arrested.
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Arihant to be commissioned in a year
New Delhi, December 3 The submarine will carry nuclear-tipped warheads giving India the ability to inflict a second-strike at an enemy in case of a nuclear-war scenario. Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi, while addressing a press conference today, recounted Arihant’s progress. Its nuclear-power plant went critical on August 10. The nuclear plant will be loaded gradually in stages before finally embarking on a series of experiments that are related to emergencies like cooling of propulsion plant in an exigency. “We hope these would be completed in the next couple of weeks and the boat will be put on sea trials,” said Admiral Joshi. He said that all the harbour trials were over.
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PM promises energy investors stable oil, gas policy
New Delhi, December 3 Speaking at the 8th Asia Gas Partnership Summit here, the Prime Minister said the country would need to increase its energy supply by three to four times in the next two decades. India is currently the world’s seventh-largest energy producer, the fourth-largest energy consumer but accounts for just about 2.5 per cent of the world’s total annual energy production. With oil and gas constituting around 41 per cent of the country’s primary energy consumption, India is expected to be the third-largest energy consumer by 2020. To bridge the gap between supply and demand, the government is encouraging domestic and global companies to explore onshore and offshore regions, he said. He assured investors of a stable policy environment for such activities. The PM cited the example of US shale gas activity where technology and market-based pricing helped exploit the unconventional gas resource and turned the country into energy surplus. “This (technology and market based pricing) is a combination that is essential to provide rapidly growing economies like ours with energy solutions commensurate with our needs,” the PM said. Speaking on the changing energy scenario in the world, Manmohan Singh said the discovery of shale gas had brought about a “sea change” in this context and India was hopeful of discovering shale gas reserves. India is also progressively pursuing other options to achieve energy security, he said, adding one of these is the acquisition of energy assets in other countries. The PM also dedicated to the nation GAIL (India) Limited’s 1,000-km natural gas pipeline from Dabhol in Maharashtra to Bengaluru in Karnataka. Built at an investment of Rs 4,500 crore, the pipeline has connected South India to the national gas grid for the first time. Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily said emerging markets in Asia, including India, were witnessing double digit growth of natural gas usage while developed markets were growing at only about 5 per cent.
TAPI gas pipeline by 2017-18
Billed as the 'Peace Pipeline' for the troubled South-Asia region, the US-backed $9 billion Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline is likely to be completed by 2017-18.
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SC sets March 31 deadline for regulating acid sale
New Delhi, December 3 A three-member Bench headed by Justice RM Lodha asked the Chief Secretaries to give their views on the draft rules framed by the Centre, Haryana and three other states providing for payment of compensation and free medical aid to such victims, including plastic surgery and psychological treatment. The Bench also asked Haryana to submit a fresh status report as it had filed its last affidavit on the issue three years ago. The apex court made it clear that the SDM of the area concerned would hold an inquiry into the procurement of acid by assailants following registration of every FIR relating to acid attacks. On July 18, 2013, the SC had banned the unrestricted retail sale of acids, hiked the compensation to acid attack victims to Rs 3 lakh and directed the Centre and the states to make the offence non-bailable as part of the steps to sternly deal with the rising trend of acid attacks.
Preventing misuse
* The SC has asked states to frame rules to regulate the sale of acid and other corrosive substances to prevent its misuse *
The Bench has told Chief Secretaries to give their views on the draft rules framed by the Centre, Haryana and three other states *
The rules provide for payment of compensation and free medical aid to victims
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Boundary accord: Foreign Secretary on Dhaka visit
New Delhi, December 3 During her two-day visit, Sujatha will hold extensive talks with her Bangladeshi counterpart Mohammed Shahidul Haque apart from paying courtesy calls on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Abdul Hasan Mahmood Ali, official sources said. As the visit is taking place ahead of the General Election in Bangladesh, Sujatha will also meet Leader of Opposition and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and Jatiya Party chairman Gen Hussain Muhammed Ershad (retd). Her visit comes at a time when political uncertainty has gripped Bangladesh with the BNP and its allies organising a series of blockades and strikes in support of their demand for the postponement of the January 5 poll. India, which has high stakes in peace and stability in Bangladesh, is keeping a close eye on the developments in the neighbouring country. India’s failure to ratify the LBA, which was signed in September 2011 during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Dhaka, has become a major issue in Bangladesh with the Opposition seeking to draw political mileage out of it. New Delhi says it is committed to introducing in the coming winter session of Parliament the constitutional amendment Bill to ratify the LBA. It is trying to bring the BJP on board to secure the passage of the legislation. The Sheikh Hasina government is upset with New Delhi for having not been able to ratify the LBA, pointing out that Dhaka has gone out of its way to address India’s major concerns, particularly on the security front. Apart from its failure to get the LBA ratified in Parliament, the UPA government has also not been able to ensure the signing of the Teesta water sharing accord due to vehement opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Mustering support
New Delhi says it is committed to introducing the constitutional amendment Bill to ratify the Land Boundary Agreement in the coming winter session of Parliament. It is trying to bring the BJP on board to secure the passage of the legislation.
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SC: No dismissals for non-payment or delay of court fee by the poor
New Delhi, December 3 Manoharan had entered into an agreement with moneylender Sivarajan under which the land was to be returned upon repayment of the loan, but Sivarajan sold the property to two persons after rejecting the repayment. Manoharan filed a suit in the court of a sub-judge by paying Rs 2,880, representing one-tenth of the court fee. Later, the sub-judge rejected his plea for extension of time for paying the remaining court fee and dismissed the suit. Aggrieved by the order, he approached the Kerala High Court only to have his appeal dismissed on account of delay in filing it. An apex court Bench comprising Justices SJ Mukhopadhaya and V Gopala Gowda pointed out that Section 149 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) had vested discretionary power in the court to allow time for payment of court fee. Whenever time was sought citing financial difficulties, the usual practice was to use this discretion in favour of the litigating parties unless there were manifest grounds of mala fide. Pointing out that no such opportunity was given to Manoharan, the SC set aside the verdict of the sub-judge as well as the HC. Any litigant faced with a “situation like this, did not deserve the dismissal of the original suit by the court for non-payment of court fee. He rather deserved a more compassionate attention in the light of the directive principle laid down in Article 39A of the Constitution (right to livelihood) which is equally applicable to district judiciary,” the SC ruled. “It is the duty of the courts to see that justice is meted out to people irrespective of their socio-economic and cultural rights or gender identity,” the SC held. Manoharan’s court fee could have been waived or provided by the District Legal Services Authority, instead of rejection of the suit, the Bench said in the verdict delivered on November 25. Article 39A also provided for a holistic approach in imparting justice to the litigating parties. “It not only includes providing free legal aid via appointment of counsel for the litigants, but also includes ensuring that justice is not denied due to financial difficulties,” it pointed out.
The case
* Manoharan, a poor farmer from Kerala, raised a loan of Rs 2.2 lakh by mortgaging his 0.03 acre land *
The moneylender sold the property to two persons after rejecting the repayment *
Aggrieved Manoharan filed a suit in the court of a sub-judge, but it was dismissed as he could not pay the full court fee *
He then approached the Kerala High Court, which dismissed his appeal on account of delay in filing it.
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Govt mulls adding 2 more districts to Telangana state
New Delhi, December 3 Although there is no official word that an alteration is being considered, the move to modify the decision by adding Anantpur and Kurnool to the 10 districts to form the new state has once again triggered a fresh round of protests. The political calculation of the Congress behind the proposal is to work a way out to reduce the impact of all political opponents, including the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress and also to dilute the political clout of the dominant Reddy community in Seemandhra. It will also split the existing 42 Lok Sabha constituencies into half with 21 seats each in Rayala-Telangana and Seemandhra and give 147 Assembly seats in each state. The Reddy community is not only politically influential, but also has the resources and the merger of two regions of the four districts with Telangana could result in disadvantage for the TRS that has little base in Rayalaseema. TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao today gave a bandh call for Thursday in protest against the proposal. BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu has also conveyed party's opposition to the Cabinet and the Congress Working Committee decision of carving out Telangana with 10 districts.
TRS to launch protest; bandh on Dec 5
HYDERABAD: Strongly opposing the UPA leadership's new proposal on the formation of Rayala-Telangana state, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Tuesday warned of a "massive agitation" if the Centre went back on its original promise to carve out Telangana state. Terming as "totally unacceptable" the move to create Rayala-Telangana, by clubbing two districts of Rayalaseema region with the Telangana, the TRS founder-president and MP K Chandrasekhar Rao called for "Telangana bandh" on December 5 in protest against the proposal. The Bandh coincides with the meeting of the Union Cabinet where a final decision is expected to be taken. The seven-member Group of Ministers (GoM), constituted by the UPA government to work out modalities of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, is said to have favoured creation of Rayala-Telangana to overcome the possible disputes over sharing of river waters and irrigation projects. — TNS
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BJP to oppose Communal Violence Bill
New Delhi, December 3 The main opposition charged the intent of the Congress behind bringing this Bill in Parliament when elections are just a few months away "smacks of communal and polarizing politics". The ‘Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill is with the Standing Committee. Though it is not on the government's agenda in the coming winter session of parliament, sources said it may be taken up if the panel sends it to the House. “Even earlier, the BJP had voiced its opposition to the Communal Violence Bill. We shall unequivocally oppose this Bill as it is a threat to the communal harmony of India,” party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said. She alleged the new amended Bill proposes to impose duties on the Central and state governments so that they prevent and control targeted violence, while exercising their powers. “The earlier version was highly discriminatory in that based on one’s birth in a particular religious community one was pre-slotted as an accused, or as a victim. Its typical feature was prejudice and not equality before law,” Sitharaman said. — PTI
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BSNL pre-paid services hit for 8 hours
Chandigarh, December 3 "Pre-paid customers in northern zone were not able to connect their calls as there was some problem in our intelligence network at Bangalore, which updates the customers' balance," BSNL principal general manager (Ludhiana) CS Bhanot told PTI. The problem was restricted only to pre-paid customers, as postpaid customers and Closed User Group could make calls. He said the affected customers could receive their calls from any network and also send and receive SMS. "The services of pre-paid customers were adversely affected in Punjab, UT Chandigarh, UP, Himachal Pradesh, Rajashthan and Haryana," he said. — PTI
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UP riot-hit to get Rs 400 pension
Lucknow, December 3 This was one of the decisions taken at a Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav here today. The pension to be given under the Rani Lakshmi Bai pension scheme would be offered with retrospective effect from September to the 74 persons from Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Saharanpur, Baghpat and Meerut districts. The state government has decided to increase the postgraduate seats in medicine in the state by 100. This will improve access of health services in the state and strengthen the availability of specialists doctors especially in newly constructed super-specialty Shatabdi hospital attached to King George Medical University. The state government also reiterated its decision to build an international-level cricket stadium in Lucknow along with a multipurpose sports complex and cricket academy on the PPP model. The Mayawati government had demolished the sports stadium, academy and residential hostels in Gomti Nagar during its previous regime to expand the Ambedkar Sthal. Despite several attempts to start the project, no serious partner had agreed to collaborate on the project either during the then BSP regime or now.
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Militant lynched in Assam
Guwahati, December 3 The police said two militants had come to extort money from a local resident in the Singimari area of Goalpara district. But agitated locals caught hold of them and beat them up. One of the militants died on the spot, while the other was seriously injured and later rescued by the police. The locals also tried to torch the motorbike of the militants. Meanwhile, three persons were injured, one of them seriously, when the police opened fire on a group of people who had clashed with a group of NDFB militants who had come to disrupt a public rally organised by non-Bodo and minority organisations in Parbatjhora sub-division of Kokrajhar district. The rally was organised to register protest against the alleged harassment of non-Bodos in the BTC areas by Bodo tribe militants.
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Bengal Assembly adopts resolution on Aadhaar card
Kolkata, December 3 The system is cumbersome and will prevent genuine LPG cardholders from getting subsidised cylinders, said the resolution, which was moved in the Assembly by Leader of the Opposition Surya Kanto Mishra (CPM). The ruling TMC, the Congress and other Opposition members supported the resolution.
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29 foreign delegates to witness Delhi poll BJP asks EC to keep watch on liquor, cash
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that saw the BJP aggressively campaigning to wrest power after 15 years in wilderness and the Congress led by Sheila Dikshit hardselling its development agenda for an unprecedented fourth successive win.
As pressure mounted on him to quit as the chief of West Bengal Human Rights Commission over a sexual assault allegation, former Supreme Court judge Ashok Kumar Ganguly today said he was "undecided" on his future course of action.
"I have not decided. I am undecided," Justice (retd) Ganguly told PTI in Kolkata. "Time has not come to think about it," he said when asked about his future course of action in the wake of demands for his resignation as the Chairman of
WBHRC.
