H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

BJP resents CEC’s statement on hoardings
Shimla, January 9
The Himachal BJP has taken a serious note of the statement of Mr J.M. Lyngdoh, Chief Election Commissioner, in which he said that hoardings highlighting developmental activities of the government should be removed.

Revision of poll rolls carried out
Shimla, January 9
Mrs Manisha Nanda, Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary (Election), said today that special summary revision of electoral rolls, with January 1, 2003, as the cut-off date for enrolment in the voter list, had been carried out in the state as per directions of the Election Commission of India.

Sofat to contest elections
Solan, January 9
Former Transport Minister and suspended BJP leader M.N. Sofat while addressing a gathering comprising mostly rural masses at the Mitra Mela held today announced his decision to contest the Assembly poll.

‘Vishwas yatra’ to continue, says Dhumal
Nahan, January 9
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has rejected the Congress demand to stop “Vishwas yatra” and said it would conclude as a “vijay yatra” for the BJP in the coming Assembly elections.

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80 lakh recovered in raid on hotel
Dharamsala, January 9
Income Tax Department sleuths, raided a posh hotel at McLeodganj, 14 km from here last night, and recovered unaccounted money amounting Rs 80 lakh, department sources said.

Students lend hand to traffic cops
Hamirpur, January 9
Students of various local schools today helped the traffic police in managing road traffic at four points of the town and distributed literature on road safety among people.

2 die as tipper falls into gorge
Dharamsala, January 9
Two persons were killed on the spot when a tipper of a stone crusher rolled 70 ft into a gorge at Indpur in Nurpur area of Kangra district, 90 km from here today.

BJP resents CEC’s statement on hoardings
Our Correspondent

Shimla, January 9
The Himachal BJP has taken a serious note of the statement of Mr J.M. Lyngdoh, Chief Election Commissioner, in which he said that hoardings highlighting developmental activities of the government should be removed.

Mr Ganesh Dutt, BJP spokesperson, said today that the hoardings had been put up by private companies and no expenditure was incurred by the state government on them. He said it was the duty of the state government to spread the message of development to the people of the state.

The spokesperson described the Congress demand of removing hoardings and stopping the “vishwas yatra” as ridiculous, saying that the Congress was sensing an electoral defeat and making baseless allegations. Mr Ganesh Dutt claimed that the Congress was bereft of poll issues and trying to mislead the people.

He asserted that Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, would form the next government with a thumping majority.

He stated that “vishwas yatra” was getting a tremendous response, adding that the Congress allegation of misuse of official machinery was baseless.

Revision of poll rolls carried out
Our Correspondent

Shimla, January 9
Mrs Manisha Nanda, Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary (Election), said today that special summary revision of electoral rolls, with January 1, 2003, as the cut-off date for enrolment in the voter list, had been carried out in the state as per directions of the Election Commission of India. She said electoral rolls for all 68 Assembly constituencies were available at various district election offices, besides offices of returning officers.

She informed that there had been an increase of 1,00,591 voters during the special summary revision, an increase of 2.52 per cent over the number of voters as on January 31,2002. Mrs Nanda said the districtwise number of voters in Kinnaur were 48,250, Shimla 4,84,226, Solan 2,95,876, Sirmaur 2,72,259, Bilaspur 2,39,814, Hamirpur 3,04,812, Una 3,20,197, Kangra 9,34,977, Chamba 2,82,636, Lahaul-Spiti 21,254, Kulu 2,38,583 and Mandi 6,16,152.

Sofat to contest elections
Our Correspondent

Solan, January 9
Former Transport Minister and suspended BJP leader M.N. Sofat while addressing a gathering comprising mostly rural masses at the Mitra Mela held today announced his decision to contest the Assembly poll.

He said the decision was a result of the wide support shown by a large number of people of the Solan constituency. Lamenting that the politicians whom he had supported had stabbed him in the back, he said it was unfortunate that the party had meted “injustice to a faithful worker” who had spent 30 years in politics.

Urging the voters to support him, he said Solan was the most underdeveloped constituency as far as political development was concerned. Except for two tribal districts, Solan had the least number of educated youth in government jobs.

Lending support to the transporters’ cause, he said this sector had virtually become sick and the wrong policies of the present government had given rise to an unhealthy competition. Earlier, the private buses’ union weighed Mr Sofat against coins and extended support to him.

‘Vishwas yatra’ to continue, says Dhumal
Our Correspondent

Nahan, January 9
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has rejected the Congress demand to stop “Vishwas yatra” and said it would conclude as a “vijay yatra” for the BJP in the coming Assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference at Circuit House here today, Mr Dhumal criticised, the Congress for its “anti-people” policies and propaganda by its leaders. He said during the “yatra”, he had covered more than 25 Assembly constituencies till today. It has received overwhelming support from the people of the state, he claimed.

80 lakh recovered in raid on hotel

Dharamsala, January 9
Income Tax Department sleuths, raided a posh hotel at McLeodganj, 14 km from here last night, and recovered unaccounted money amounting Rs 80 lakh, department sources said.

Refusing to disclose the name of the hotel, the sources said the penalty for keeping the undisclosed money was calculated around Rs 25 lakh.

The department was collecting information about the people having undisclosed money and more raids were likely. PTI

Students lend hand to traffic cops
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, January 9
Students of various local schools today helped the traffic police in managing road traffic at four points of the town and distributed literature on road safety among people.

The programme was organised by the district police with the cooperation of the local Rotary Club and various schools. Mr Abhishek Trivedi, district police chief, said today that the programme would continue till January 11.

He said a debate competition was also organised at the local Bachat Bhavan by the police in connection with Road Safety Week.

2 die as tipper falls into gorge

Dharamsala, January 9
Two persons were killed on the spot when a tipper of a stone crusher rolled 70 ft into a gorge at Indpur in Nurpur area of Kangra district, 90 km from here today.

The tipper was on its way from Nurpur to Jassur. The victims were identified as Mulkh Raj (70) and Lekh Raj, police sources said.

Meanwhile, the death toll in yesterday’s jeep accident near Nankhari in Rampur area of Shimla district rose to nine with the recovery of bodies of two more persons. Police sources said. PTI