Thursday, March 18, 1999
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Expand UN Security Council: India NEW DELHI, March 17 — India today sought reform and expansion of the United Nations Security Council with greater representation to developing countries as permanent as well as non-permanent members. Talks held with Russia NEW DELHI, March 17— India has held preliminary talks with Russia for the phased indigenous manufacture of the Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft, the Rajya Sabha was informed today. Politicians forced to leave Protest against Irfan’s murder NEW DELHI, March 17 — Various political leaders, who came to express sympathy, were forced to leave by furious journalists at a rally held to condemn the murder of senior cartoonist, Irfan Hussain. |
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 NEW DELHI: Film stars Amrish Puri and Madhuri Dixit taking a lucky draw at a press meet on the occasion of the premiere of the "Arzoo," in New Delhi on Wednesday. — PTI photo
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Speaker accepts invitation to Pak NEW DELHI, March 17 — The Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, has accepted an invitation from the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Mr Illahi Bukhsh Soomro, to lead a parliamentary delegation to Pakistan. Naxals
attack cops, one killed New
taxes to mop up 261 cr in TN Budget LPG
cylinder explodes
AG
defends Centre's decision |
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Expand UN Security Council: India NEW DELHI, March 17 — India today sought reform and expansion of the United Nations Security Council with greater representation to developing countries as permanent as well as non-permanent members, saying this would give an added authority for peacekeeping operations and check unilateral actions. While financial reforms are important, it is important to reform and expand the U N Security Council which sets the mandate for peacekeeping operations", Minister of State for External Affairs Vasundhara Raje said in her inaugural address at an International Seminar on UN peacekeeping here. She said the trend towards unilateral action was a cause of concern and a departure from the spirit of universalism underlying the UN charter. "Unless checked in time, will erode the UN authority". Enhanced representation to developing countries as permanent and non-permanent members in the council would give it more political authority, she said, adding the developing nations should have a greater say in decision-making as peacekeeping operations were often undertaken in these regions. In his welcome address, Chief of the Army Staff Gen V.P. Malik, said discernible changes had taken place within the character of peacekeeping with an increasing use of force, coercion and intervention impinging on national sovereignty. The Assistant Secretary-General, UN department of peacekeeping operations, Mr Young Jin Choi, also spoke at the seminar organised by the External Affairs and Defence Ministries. Representatives from 62 countries are attending the three-day seminar. Referring to the "acute" financial crisis faced by the UN, Ms Vasundhara Raje said the crisis did not necessarily reflect any structural flaw but had been created by the reluctance of some to pay their assessed contribution. "India believes that
assessed contributions are a treaty obligation, and must
be paid in full, on time and without preconditions",
she added. |
Talks held with Russia on Sukhoi NEW DELHI, March 17— India has held preliminary talks with Russia for the phased indigenous manufacture of the Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft, the Rajya Sabha was informed today. In a written reply to a question, the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes said although preliminary talks had been held, "a final decision on the matter was yet to be taken." The government was also pursuing measures to sustain defence imports from other sources with a view to strengthening indigenous production facilities, especially in view of the disintegration of the Soviet Union. "Consequent upon the break-up of the erstwhile Soviet Union, there was a degree of dislocation in our defence transactions," he said, adding that to overcome this difficulty, the government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russia on a guaranteed supply of defence equipment, spare parts, product support and comprehensive services needed for maintenance, repairs, overhaul and modernisation. The government had also pursued a policy of establishing contacts with other successor states of the erstwhile Soviet Union for promotion of defence cooperation, he said. In an answer to another
question on St Petersburg misusing credit extended by
India to Russia for construction of frigates, Mr
Fernandes said the Federal State Unitary Enterprise, a
Russian Government enterprise, which had entered into a
contract with the Defence Ministry had confirmed to
unconditionally fulfil the commitments. |
PM rejects Oppn demand NEW DELHI, March 17 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today rejected the opposition demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the charges levelled by the former Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat. Addressing the parliamentary party meeting of the BJP on the eve of the three-week break of the Budget session of Parliament, the Prime Minister said the government was prepared for a debate on the issue. Briefing newspersons about the meeting, the party spokesman, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu, said Mr Vajpayee told the MPs that the core of issue is who would decide on matters concerning the armed forces. Mr Naidu said the BJP was of the view that "the Bhagwat issue is small but serious. While the elected representatives are accountable to the people, those who are in the services are accountable to the government". The BJP spokesman
criticised the former Admiral Bhagwat for distributing
copies of an affidavit in which he had "leaked many
things which were against the national interests".
It was unbecoming on the part of a former Naval Chief, Mr
Naidu said adding that his action had vindicated the
government’s stand that he should not have been in
that position. |
Politicians forced to leave rally NEW DELHI, March 17 — Various political leaders, who came to express sympathy, were forced to leave by furious journalists at a rally held to condemn the murder of senior cartoonist, Irfan Hussain. The decomposed body of Irfan was found dumped in a secluded area in East Delhi five days after he disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Carrying Irfan’s portraits and placards and raising anti-government slogans, about 300 journalists, cartoonists and photographers representing various news organisations turned away Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, BJP MP from Chandni Chowk, Vijay Goel and CPM leader, Sitaram Yechuri. The journalists marched from the Press Club to Rail Bhavan where they were stopped from proceeding further. Later a 13-member delegation of newspersons led by the Press Club president, Mr A.R. Wig, presented a memorandum to the President to advise the government to initiate action. Mr Wig, who is on fast, and senior journalists reportedly apprised the President’s Press Secretary of the deteriorating law and order situation and the lackadaisical attitude of the police. They were reportedly assured that the matter would be taken up as soon as the President returned from Chennai. “Mamata Banerjee, go back. It is our protest and we don’t want any political figure to be part of our protest,’’ the journalists screamed their lungs out. Ms Banerjee’s clarification that she had come to attend the rally at the invitation of the Press Club did not pacify them. Mr Yechuri denied that he was howled down. He said that he had come to condemn Irfan’s murder and that his party had already given the Speaker a notice on raising the issue in Parliament. Minister of State for
Information and Broadcasting, S. Abbas Naqvi was also
advised to go back as soon as he arrived. |
Speaker accepts invitation to Pak NEW DELHI, March 17 — The Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, has accepted an invitation from the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Mr Illahi Bukhsh Soomro, to lead a parliamentary delegation to Pakistan. The invitation was delivered by the Secretary General of the Pakistan Legislative Assembly, Mr Khan Ahmed Goraya, when he called on Mr Balayogi today. The exact dates will be
finalised after a meeting between Mr Balayogi and Mr
Soomro in Dhaka, according to a release of the Lok Sabha
Secretariat. Mr Balayogi is leading an Indian
parliamentary delegation to attend the SAARC
Speakers’ conference being held in Dhaka from March
18 to 22. |
Naxals attack cops, one killed HYDERABAD, March 17 (PTI) — Naxalites of the outlawed Peoples War Group (PWG) attacked the railway police at Bellampalli in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh and snatched weapons from police personnel late last night, the police said today. A Sub-Inspector received injuries in the indiscriminate firing by the ultras. About 30 armed Naxalites took shelter behind a stationary goods train and opened fire at the Railway Protection Force (RPF) outpost and railway police station, both housed in the premises of Bellampalli Railway station. The ultras fled with three 303 rifles, two revolvers and two walkie-talkies, the police added. A blast occurred in Kallur
railway station building on the gooty-dharmavaram section
of guntakal division while a policeman was killed in two
incidents of Naxalite violence reported in Mahbubnagar
and Warangal districts of Andhra Pradesh, respectively,
today. Head Constable Mohammed Ghoud was killed and two,
including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, were injured when
about 30 Naxalites belonging to outlawed People’s
War Group (PWG) opened fire at a police party near
Lingampally village in Warangal district, the police
said. |
New taxes to mop up 261 cr in TN Budget CHENNAI, March 17 (PTI) —New tax proposals to mop up an additional revenue of Rs 261 crore have been proposed in the Rs 529.13 crore deficit Budget presented by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi, in the state Assembly today. The 1999-2000 Budget also contains sales tax concessions on uninterrupted power supply system (UPS), several electronic equipment and cellular telephones, but the tax on television sets have been increased. Earlier, three AIADMK members and an Independent were today evicted from the Tamil Nadu Assembly when they attempted to raise the auditor assault issue just before the presentation of the Budget. As the Chief Minister rose to present the Budget, the AIADMK Legislature Party leader Mr R. Tamaraikani, got up and said something, which was not audible. Soon, two other AIADMK members — Mr P.R. Sundaram and Mr S. Karuppasamy — also rose to their feet and all three shouted, “Do not foist cases against our leaders” and demanded resignation of the Chief Minister. When they refused to obey the Speaker, Mr P.T.R. Palanivelrajan’s order asking them to resume seats, the Speaker directed the watch and ward staff to evict them. While they were being
evicted, Mr Sundaram tore the copies of the Budget papers
and was seen waving a black kerchief. |
LPG cylinder explodes NEW DELHI, March 17 — An LPG cylinder exploded in a flat in Mavila Apartments in Mayur Vihar in East Delhi this morning. No one was hurt in the blast, the police said. The flat belongs to a businessman of Sahibabad, Mr Naresh Aggarwal. The incident occurred at 3.30 a.m. when the family members were sleeping. No one was hurt, an official of the Delhi Fire Service said. Forensic Science
laboratory experts, who were called to examine the
explosion, ruled out a bomb blast. The blast occurred due
to some gaseous reaction, the police said. |
SC strikes down Bar
council’s rules NEW DELHI, March 17 — The Supreme Court has struck down the Bar Council of India Rules, 1995, which had created a new class of "truncated trainee advocates", on the ground that the same were beyond the rule-making powers of the Bar Council of India. Mr Justice S.B. Majmudar delivering the judgement of the Bench which included Mr Justice S N Phukan observed that the rule making power under Section 49 (I) (Ag) was ancillary to the statutory functions entrusted to the Bar Council of India by Section 24 (3) (d) of the Advocates Act and it could not travel beyond the said statutory sphere. The rule having not been made for discharging any of the statutory function of the Bar Council of India in this connection must necessarily fail and it would be ultra virus the statutory function of the Bar Council of India, the Court held. Under the rules, fresh law graduates or those who wanted to get enrolled as advocates having passed their LL.B course long back, were required to undergo one year's training under an advocate with 10 to 15 years standing at the Bar as advocate, and only after completion of training successfully, could be enrolled as advocates. The rules were challenged on various grounds including as unreasonable and arbitrary violating Article 14 of the Constitution of India. However, the court clarified that the judgement would have no retrospective effect and would not apply to those who had applied for enrolment and completed their pre-enrolment training under the rules. Those who apply for enrolment after this judgement would not have to undergo pre-enrolment training. "This will be irrespective of the fact whether they had earlier applied for enrolment and have not completed their pre-enrolment training under the impugned rules till the date of this judgement or whether they had not either applied for enrolment despite getting their law degree prior to the date of the judgement" (March 15, 1999), the court clarified. The writ petition filed by
Mr V. Sunder and the special leave petition filed by the
Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, challenging the rules
were allowed by the court, but the special leave petition
filed by the Bar Council of India against the Punjab and
Haryana High Court, which had held that the rules did not
apply to the petitioner who had obtained his law degree
in 1981, since the rules were prospective in character. |
AG defends Centre's decision NEW DELHI, March 17 (PTI) — The Centre today submitted in the Supreme Court that its notification transferring corruption cases against AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha from the three special judges did not sacrifice provision for speedy trial. Attorney General (AG) Soli Sorabjee submitted before a Division Bench comprising Justice G.T. Nanavati and Justice S.P. Kurdukar that the allegation that the Centre had chosen judges for the cases was baseless as these cases would be tried by the judges who were appointed by the Tamil Nadu Government in 1997. He said the Centre by its notification only reallocated the cases pending before the three special judges to other judges who were appointed by the April 16, 1997 notification issued by the state government. The AG said, "If there is any apprehension of delay in trial, let the Supreme Court give a direction to accord top priority to the trial of these cases" and added that "the object of conducting a speedy trial is not thwarted by the Centre’s February 5 notification." The Tamil Nadu Government on April 30 had appointed three special judges to exclusively try 46 corruption cases against Ms Jayalalitha, some of her erstwhile Cabinet colleagues and certain bureaucrats. Challenging the notification, counsel for voice, a consumer activist organisation, Mr Anil Diwan said the notification was issued by the Centre to delay the trial as it was dependant on the support of Ms Jayalalitha’s party. The Tamil Nadu Advocate General today moved an application seeking permission of the court to make suitable amendments to his petition. The Centre and Ms Jayalalitha had raised serious objections regarding maintainability of the petition filed in the official capacity of the Advocate General. The counsel for Advocate General, senior advocate Shanti Bhusan yesterday had almost conceded that the Advocate General did not have the locus standi to challenge the central notification and had sought permission to make amendments. The Centre had contended
that under Section 4(2) of the Prevention of Corruption
Act, it alone had the power to transfer and allocate
cases to judges and the state government had assumed the
powers given to the Centre under the Act, while issuing
the April 30 notification. |
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| Shankaracharya defends
N-policy CHENNAI: The Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti mutt, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, on Tuesday defended India becoming a nuclear power. We have to show our strength in the nuclear field. Only those countries which are already strong in the nuclear field are crying hoarse about India’s nuclear capability” he said here. The Shankaracharya, however, clarified that he was not suggesting that nuclear power should be used against others. — PTI Bar Council elections
cancelled Bihar JD seeks PAC
meet Pilot killed in
MiG crash A novel protest Suspects detained Karnataka Budget Father kills boy |
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