NEW DELHI: Parliament on Thursday cleared a Constitution Amendment Bill that will facilitate setting up of a commission for appointment of judges, replacing the 20-year-old collegium system which has been under severe criticism.

A day after its passage in the Lok Sabha, the Constitution Amendment Bill was cleared by the Rajya Sabha with 179 votes in favour and the abstention of noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani.

The Bill will make way for the setting up of a National Judicial Appointments Commission which will appoint and transfer judges to the Supreme Court and the 24 High Courts.

The Bill will come into force after ratification by 50 per cent of the state legislatures.

The process could take up to eight months. After ratification, the government will send it to the President for his assent.

With the passage of the Bill, the collegium system of judges choosing judges is set to be changed in the coming months.

The Constitution Amendment Bill will grant Constitutional status to the NJAC and its composition.

Under the statute amendment Bill, the Chief Justice of India will head the NJAC. Besides the CJI, the judiciary would be represented by two senior judges of the Supreme Court. Two eminent personalities and the Law Minister will be the other members of the proposed body.

The prominent persons, one of whom will belong to either SC/ST, OBC, minorities or a woman, will be selected by a panel comprising the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha or the leader of the largest Opposition party in the lower House. — PTI

More than one million people affected by Ebola outbreak: WHO

UNITED NATIONS: With more than one million people affected by the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the WHO has warned that there is "no early end in sight" to the severe health crisis and called for "extraordinary measures" to stop the transmission of the disease.

According to the latest update issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO), 128 new cases of Ebola virus disease, as well as 56 deaths, were reported from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone between August 10 and 11, bringing the total number of cases to 1,975 and deaths to 1,069.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said more than one million people are affected by the disease and these people need daily material support, including food.

The infected people are in the "hot zone of disease transmission" on the borders of the three countries most impacted by the disease.

"There is no early end (to the outbreak) in sight. This is an extraordinary outbreak that requires extraordinary measures for containment. This is a severe health crisis, and it can rapidly become a humanitarian crisis if we do not do more to stop transmission," Chan said during a briefing in Geneva yesterday.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon chaired a UN system-wide coordination on Ebola and stressed the need for the entire UN system to support the WHO's efforts in combatting the outbreak.

Chan said the outbreak has placed every city with an international airport at risk of an imported case.

"Decisions to seal off the hot zone of disease transmission, that is, the area where the borders of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone intersect, are critical for stopping the reinfection of areas via the cross-border movement of people," she said.

Chan said that the isolation of the zone most affected by the outbreak has made it even more difficult for agencies, like MSF (Doctors without Borders), to bring in staff and supplies.

"The outbreak is unprecedented in its size, severity, and complexity. Cases are occurring in remote rural areas that are difficult to access, but also in capital cities," she said.

She also expressed concern over the "unprecedented" number of health-care workers who have been infected by the virus.

So far, nearly 170 health-care workers have been infected and more than 80 have died. The outbreak is also having serious economic consequences on the countries in the region, threatening to push these countries backwards as airlines are cancelling flights and companies are moving their staff out of the region.

"Six months into the outbreak, fear is proving to be the most difficult barrier to overcome... Fear, and the hostility it can provoke, have threatened the security of national and international response teams," Chan said.

Ban appointed David Nabarro as Senior United Nations System Coordinator for Ebola, in support of the work done by Chan and her team to counter the outbreak, which the agency has designated a "public health emergency of international concern." Nabarro would be responsible for ensuring that the UN system makes an effective and coordinated contribution to the global effort to control the outbreak.

Meanwhile, a 12-member ethics panel convened by WHO said it is ethical to treat Ebola patients with experimental drugs to counter the largest, most severe and most complex outbreak of the disease in history.

On the operational side, WHO said it is finalising its strategic operations response plan and expects to share it with countries and partners in the coming days.

The UN health agency said that standard measures, like early detection and isolation of cases, contact tracing and monitoring, and rigorous procedures for infection control, have stopped previous Ebola outbreaks including those in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as Gabon.

The Ebola virus is highly contagious, but is not airborne.

Transmission requires close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, as can occur during health-care procedures, home care, or traditional burial practices, which involve the close contact of family members and friends with bodies. — PTI

LUCKNOW: All passengers from international destinations are being checked for the Ebola virus at the airport here, officials said Thursday.

Doctors and paramedic staff has been posted at the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Amausi here to screen passengers for the virus, an airport official told IANS.

Medical official S.N. Yadav said all necessary steps as per the union health ministry have been taken.

A separate six-bed ward to treat possible cases has been set up at the Lokbandhu hospital in the city. An ambulance service for the transport of a patient who shows symptoms has also been arranged, Yadav added.

However, a senior official assured that there was no need to panic as all precautions have been taken.

The Lucknow airport does not have any direct flight from the west African countries, where Ebola cases have been detected, but it has direct flights from the Gulf region. -IANS

NEW DELHI: Inflation dipped to a five-month low of 5.19% in July mainly on account of decline in prices of some food articles, vegetables and protein-rich items.

It was at 5.43% in June and 5.84 per cent in July 2013.

Inflation in the overall food articles basket, which account for 14% of the total Wholesale Price Index (WPI), stood at 8.43%. It was at 8.14% in June.

Inflation in vegetables declined 1.27%, and for onion it was (-)8.13% on an annual basis in July, as per the WPI data released on Thursday. However, potato prices shot up 46.41% and fruits 31.71% during the month. Rate of price rise in milk was at 10.46%.

Inflation in the egg, meat and fish category stood at 2.71% in July as against 10.27% in the previous month.

While the rate of price rise in pulses was 3.31%, it was at 4.46% for cereals. In rice it was 6.85% and wheat 1.02% in July.

Inflation in the manufactured products was at 3.67%, and non-food articles, which include fibre, oil seeds and minerals, at 3.32%.

Inflation in the fuel and power category, meanwhile, was down at 7.40% from the previous month.

The WPI inflation data was revised upwards for May to 6.18%, from 6.01% as per provisional estimates.

The Reserve Bank in its monetary policy review last week had cautioned that continued uncertainty over monsoon could stoke food inflation, but expressed the hope that government policies will improve supplies in the coming months.

Retail inflation data for July, released earlier this week, showed a marginal inch up to 7.96%. — PTI

SHIMLA: In relief to private technical institutions and universities of Himachal Pradesh, the state Cabinet has decided to lower their admission criteria to 50 per cent marks in qualifying examination with a relaxation of 5 per cent for reserved categories.

The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh gave relaxation and exemption in the prescribed criteria of AICTE (All India Council of Technical Education) and HP Private Technical and Vocational Educational Institutions (Regulation of admission and fixation of fee) Act, 2008.

The cabinet said it would be the final relaxation and from next year no relaxation or exemption in the prescribed criteria of AICTE and HP Act, 2008 will be allowed.

However, last year also the government had given similar relaxation in norms wide its letter of October 7, 2013 and made a similar plea that "it would be a final relaxation and no relaxation/exemption in the prescribed criteria would be given next year." The decision has come after the High Court had dismissed the petitions of Private Technical Institutions Association and Private Universities Management Association.

In other decisions, the cabinet also said that security amount given by students who have passed out should be refunded within stipulated time.

It also decided to grant time-bound promotions to faculty members of medical and dental colleges upon fulfillment of eligibility criteria.

The promotions would be subject to fitness and approval collegiums of senior faculty members in the two medical colleges and one dental college in the state.

The Cabinet further decided to give additional honorarium of Rs 1000 to 518 Special Police Officers (SPOs) rendering services in remote areas of district Chamba and Lahaul and Spiti, bordering Jammu and Kashmir.

This follows the announcement of the Chief Minister on his tour to Salooni in district Chamba in February this year.

The Cabinet also approved grant of forest land on lease to Om Energy Generation Private Limited for construction of 7-MW Holy–II Power Project in Chamba district at fixed lease amount for forty years.

A decision was taken to relocate the HP Public Works Department, Shimla Rural Division, from Dhami to Totu and open a new PWD Sub-Division at Dhami.

It was also decided to raise one additional company of Home Guard Volunteers at sub-division Chopal in Home Guard and Civil Defence Department as per the announcement of the CM.

A decision was also taken to amend Rule 26 and 28 of HP Stamp Rules, 1973 wherein the limit to sell the judicial and non-judicial stamp papers has been enhanced from Rs 2000 to Rs 20,000.

The Cabinet gave its approval to allot land on lease to DAV College Trust and Management Society, New Delhi, for construction of a school building and play ground at Rehan in district Kangra.

It approved brochure guidelines for inviting applications for allotment of small hydroelectric projects up to 5 MW capacity under identified and self identified basis as proposed by HIMURJA.

It was also decided to engage teachers through school management committees (SMC) on period basis in elementary and higher education departments in all the newly upgraded schools and extend the SMC policy to the schools where any sanctioned post was remaining vacant for over two years.

The Cabinet also approved revision of pension for pre-2006 pensioners of UGC pay scales to HP Government College Cadre Teachers. — PTI

NEW DELHI: In another instance of suspected black money stashed by Indians abroad, investigative agencies are probing a set of 600 new names and identities which have been provided to India by a “source” during the last financial year.

The information of these suspect accounts were obtained by the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB), a department under the Union Finance Ministry, during the just concluded fiscal through a multi-layered sequence of information exchange on tax related issues and as part of the mandate to unearth black money hidden abroad by Indians.

The CEIB has “disseminated” the data of these 600 cases to the Income Tax department, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Financial Intelligence Unit and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence for further investigation under their respective laws which check tax evasion, money laundering and violations of the foreign exchange Act.

The note said the CEIB obtained the data through “source” and the list contains names and addresses of individuals and entities of “Indian origin who may have stashed funds abroad in tax havens”.

This is the first time that this important nodal national agency for economic intelligence has obtained data on suspected offshore stash of Indians as, till now, such information was only received by the exclusive wing of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

Sources privy to the development said the list contains the bank accounts of suspected Indians in four tax haven nations and six jurisdictions which are yet to ratify the international treaties of automatic tax exchange which is aimed to check black money and curb instances of tax evasion.

Officials in the Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money said all the agencies with whom the list was shared have begun their probes and some “aberrations” vis-a-vis tax laws have been detected.

The names on the list and the subsequent probes have been shared with the SIT also.

Officials, citing secrecy clauses of international tax information exchange treaties, refused to disclose the “source” of the classified information which is understood to have been obtained by the CEIB through its existing mechanisms of economic intelligence.

India, during the last fiscal, had separately received data on over 24,000 instances of alleged tax evasion and dubious funds which has been detected in foreign shores during the same time.

These cases are now under investigation by the taxman even as the SIT on black money has set its eye on tracking the outcome of this classified information which has been received from over a dozen countries during the 2013-14 fiscal. — PTI

Phoolan murder: Court awards life term to Sher Singh Rana

NEW DELHI:: Sher Singh Rana, the lone convict in the sensational murder of bandit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi here in 2001, was today awarded life imprisonment by a Delhi court which also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him.

Additional Sessions Judge Bharat Parashar pronounced the order on sentence in a jam-packed courtroom, where some of the family members and supporters of Rana were also present.

"For offence under Section 302/34 IPC, I award you life term and Rs 50,000 fine... For offence under Section 307, I award you life term with a fine of Rs 50,000," the judge said, adding that if Rana failed to deposit the penalty imposed on him, he will have to undergo six months imprisonment each in default.

As soon as the judge pronounced the verdict, some family members of Rana and his supporters were in tears.

The court had on August 8 convicted Rana while it acquitted 10 other co-accused in the sensational murder of Phoolan who was then a Lok Sabha member.

Rana was held guilty of offences under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (common intention) under the IPC in the case.

Phoolan, 37, then a Samajwadi Party MP from Mirzapur constituency in Uttar Pradesh, was shot dead from close range by three masked gunmen in front of her Ashoka Road residence here in the heart of the Capital's VIP area as she returned home for lunch after attending the Lok Sabha on July 25, 2001. — PTI

Sharif rakes up Kashmir issue

ISLAMABAD: Raking up the Kashmir issue, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said it is the “main source of tension” in Indo-Pak relations and sought its peaceful resolution to explore new ways to bolster bilateral ties.

“We want peaceful resolution of Kashmir with our full sincerity so that by removing this main source of tension, Pakistan and India could find new ways for promoting their relations,” he said while addressing the Independence Day parade after midnight in Islamabad.

Sharif’s remarks come close on the heels of a spat between the two countries over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech accusing Pakistan of continuing to engage in a proxy war of terrorism against India.

Pakistan and India have been involved in a war of words, with New Delhi saying terrorism was a “core concern” in bilateral ties and its “tool kit” is not restricted in any manner to combat it effectively.

Pakistan had dubbed Modi’s comments as “baseless rhetoric” and “unfortunate”.

India has also voiced serious concerns over ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control in recent weeks.

In his address, Sharif said promotion of peaceful relations with neighbours is the cardinal principle of his foreign policy.

“We are a peaceful country. We are striving for peace within the country and also want durable peace on our borders,” he said.

Sharif also called for durable and permanent peace in Afghanistan so that the entire region could touch heights of progress of development.

The three services chiefs, ministers, diplomats, senior officials and business leaders were present at the ceremony held on the Parliament premises.

Sharif has stated that he wants better ties with all neighbours and recently regretted not having good relations with India. — PTI

Pak violates ceasefire again

JAMMU: In the sixth ceasefire violation in the past five days, Pakistani troops fired at forward Indian posts along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

"Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked small arms and automatic weapons firing on Indian posts along LoC in Hamirpur sector of Poonch district around 2100 hours last night", PRO, Defence Lt Col Manish Mehta said here on Thursday.

Army troops retaliated with equal calibre weapons and the exchanges were continuing till last reports came from the spot, he said, adding there was no loss of life or injuries to anyone in the firing.

This is the 6th ceasefire violation in the past five days.

On August 13, Pakistani troops resorted to firing by small arms and automatic weapons on forward posts along LoC in Bhimbher Gali (BG) sector of Poonch district, in which one jawan was injured.

On August 12, Pakistani Rangers resorted to heavy firing with mortar shells, small arms and automatic weapons on five BoPs and civilian areas along the IB in Arnia-R S Pura areas in Jammu district.

BSF and Pakistan Rangers had on Friday last made a commitment to uphold peace and tranquillity on the border and extend all cooperation to each other in dealing with emergent incidents in a proactive and positive manner.
However, the ceasefire violations have continued.

On August 11, two BSF jawans were among four persons injured when Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by firing with small arms, automatic weapons and mortar shells on 10 border out posts and civilian areas along the International Border in Arnia and R S Pura belts of Jammu district.

On August 10, Pakistani troops had violated ceasefire by targeting Indian forward posts with small arms and automatic weapons along the Line of Control in Mendhar sector of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting Indian forces to retaliate.
Pakistani troops violated had violated the ceasefire on August 8 by resorting to firing on Indian Posts along LoC in Bhimbher Gali (BG) sector of Poonch district.

Security officials feel the heavy firing and shelling in LoC and IB areas in Poonch and Jammu sectors is aimed to infiltrate armed militants into Jammu and Kashmir to target Independence Day programmes. — PTI

NEW DELHI: An 18-year-old girl and her minor brother were found murdered at their home here, the police said on Thursday.

The bodies were spotted around 6.30 am on Thursday by their aunt. The bodies were found at the first floor of the house located at Karawal Nagar area in east Delhi.

There were several stab wounds on their bodies.

Police suspect the involvement of someone known to the siblings. — IANS