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Will economic policies translate into votes?
Chandigarh, February 12
When the Akalis decided to give ‘‘free’’ power and water to the agriculture sector, the decision drew flak from policy-makers, economists and various chambers of commerce, including PHDCCI and CII. It even created ripples in the relationship between the SAD and the BJP.
CBI closes FCI wheat sale probe
Chandigarh, February 12
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has finalised its inquiry into the operation of the Open Market Sale Scheme in Punjab, known as the OMSS(D), ordered by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in pursuance of a suo motu public interest civil writ petition No 915 of 1997, giving a clean chit to Mr Sarvesh Kaushal, Special Principal Secretary to the Punjab Chief Minister, who was earlier posted as the Senior Regional Manager of the Food Corporation of India.
Discounting reports of opinion polls, Shastri says no wave
Chandigarh, February 12
Mr Sunil Shastri, All-India General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, today discounted reports about a possible Congress victory in the Punjab Assembly elections slated for tomorrow and asserted that the
SAD-BJP alliance would again form the government in the border state for another five years.
Tension on poll eve
Dera Bassi, February 12
Though the local administration is all set to conduct polling in all 159 stations, including 34 hypersensitive ones, in the Banur constituency peacefully tomorrow, yet, being a key constituency, tension has gripped the area.
POLL BRIEFS
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AICC observers
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Cong support
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Jobless back
cong
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Appeal issued
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Section 144
imposed
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Poll arrangements
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Fake I-Cards
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Encroachments galore, courtesy elections
Bathinda, February 12
Even as the district administration and other civil officials of the Punjab Government are busy making arrangements to conduct the February 13 poll in a free-and-fair manner, a number of incidents relating to unauthorised construction and encroachments have been taking place since the past one month after the election process started in the state.
3,000 cops to ensure safe poll in Ropar
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SAS Nagar, February 12
In view of fears of election violence in sensitive constituencies of Ropar district, at least 3,000 personnel of the police, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Central Industrial Security Force
(CISF) have been deployed to ensure free and fair elections.
Tight security outside Shivalik Public School, Phase VI, SAS Nagar, a polling station of the Kharar Assembly constituency, on Tuesday.
— Photo Pankaj Sharma
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Centre blamed for slowdown
Bathinda, February 12
A former Union Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre had failed to develop confidence amongst investors, which had led to the slowdown of the Indian economy.
Harika’s wife, kin refused bail
Mansa, February 12
Mr Sukhdev Singh, Additional District and Sessions Judge, here today dismissed the bail applications of Ms Sukhwant Kaur Harika and Ms Dalip Kaur, wife and mother-in-law, respectively, of Mr Naginder Singh Harika, Managing Director, Khalsa Dental Hospital and College, both Directors of Khalsa Rural Hospital and Nursing Training Institute of Nangal Kalan village in the district.
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Women become more poll savvy
Amritsar, February 12
It’s an awakening that men in villages of Punjab are gradually learning to deal with and take in their stride. The cities, too, present a similar picture where the men wait in the wings while their women canvass for women candidates in the fray in the Assembly elections.
A BJP supporter uses the party logo as hairpin in Amritsar on Tuesday.
— PTI
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Where ‘nukkad’ meetings dominated
Jalandhar, February 12
Unlike Malwa and Majha, the election scene in Doaba has been without the posterbanner-cutout war or big rallies. In Doaba, “nukkad” meetings have remained the mainstay of candidates of almost all parties.
Inquiry sought into alleged harassment of girl
Patiala, February 12
“Girl students are unsafe in Punjabi University,” said the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Capt Amarinder Singh at a rally recently, even as a section of Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA) appealed to the Chancellor of the University, Mr J.F.R. Jacob, to look into the matter of alleged harassment of Ms Saru Rana, a student of Fine Arts Department in the University.
Falling tree injures five
Patiala, February 12
As many as five persons were injured and two vehicles damaged when an old neem tree came crashing down close to a ditch which had been dug up to lay sewerage at the Purani Tehsil complex, which has been taken over by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) to build a commercial complex in the city.
Rain brings cheer to farmers
Chandigarh, February 12
A bumper crop of wheat will be ready for harvesting in a few weeks from now and it may well prove to be the first major test of the next government in Punjab. The issue at hand will be the minimum support price of wheat and its procurement.
Poll leave for Haryana staff
Chandigarh, February 12
The Haryana Government will allow special leave on February 13 to employees who are residents of Punjab and registered as voters there, to enable them to cast their votes for the Assembly elections.
SHO, market panel employee
suspended
Bathinda, February 12
Mr Dhian Singh, Station House Officer (SHO), City police station, was suspended by the district police chief, Mr Kapil Dev, allegedly for not performing his duty rightly.
Liquor, opium seized in Patiala
Patiala, February 12
A truckload of liquor and 5 kg of opium which had been concealed in the tyres of a Maruti car were seized in the city yesterday.
The police also raided a rice sheller on the outskirts of the city which was used to distribute liquor to voters of the Dakala constituency.
4 get 7-yr term for
attacking cops
Ludhiana, February 12
Four persons involved in snatching a carbine from a policeman and attempting to murder the police personnel have been convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment of seven years each. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 each on the guilty. Convicted persons are Darshan Singh of Bajra village, Baljinder Singh of Bhattian village and Jaswinder Singh, Gurdeep Singh of Nandpur village.
Sunday
is no holiday for them
Abohar
Sunday is no more a holiday for students of local educational institutions who have chosen NCC as an optional subject. Cadets in other towns of the state are generally seen doing rehearsals for Independence Day or Republic Day parades but here hundreds of students, dressed nicely in uniform, can be seen not only participating in parade but also busy in honing their skills at the firing range somewhere in the subdivision.
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NCC cadets busy in target practice at a firing range in Abohar. |
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