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Thursday,
May 8, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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No Pak response on wanted
ultras NORTH INDIA IN PARLIAMENT DEFERMENT OF WOMEN’S BILL No survey of Christians done in Gujarat George’s boycott continues in RS Delimitation Bill approved |
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HP hopes on recovery of power arrears get boost DDA scam accused
surrenders BSP gameplan with eye on Centre Tarlochan to meet
Tewari HC
stays arrest of Mulayam CPP office-bearers elected unanimously 157 top officers facing
cases Cong against repeal
of IMDT Act CDS results
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No Pak response on wanted
ultras New Delhi, May 7 Minister of State for Home Affairs I.D. Swamy, while replying to supplementaries in the Rajya Sabha, said that "India had not received a positive response so far on the list of 20 criminals and terrorists wanted here in connection with various crimes". He said while deportation of criminals and terrorists had taken place from the UAE, "India has not been able to get any criminal deported from Pakistan so far". The minister added that ‘Red- Corner’ notices had been sent by the CBI (Interpol Wing) against 234 wanted criminals and seven countries including the USA, Germany, Portugal, UAE, UK and France had responded in 2002 and 2003. The minister further informed that extradition requests for 16 criminals and terrorists were under various stages of process. In a written reply to another question the Minister of State for Home Affairs Harin Pathak said that nearly 1,400 terrorists were waiting in camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to cross over into India. The minister said, "As per available inputs 1,200 to 1,400 terrorists of various outfits are waiting at launching camps in Pakistan/PoK ready to be infiltrated into India". On a day when there were a number of Pakistan-related questions, the minister, in another written reply said that Pakistan sponsored cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir had, all along, been patronised by active involvement of foreign mercenaries. Out of the terrorists killed in the state during the current year, 103 were foreign mercenaries. He pointed out that in addition to diplomatic initiatives at various levels, the government had also taken a series of steps to contain cross border terrorism perpetrated by the pro-Pakistan terrorist outfits and the ISI of Pakistan. The steps included strengthening of border management, proactive action against terrorists and gearing up intelligence machinery, he said. As per the figures given in the reply during 2002, 508 foreign terrorists were killed, out of which, 447 were Pakistani/PoK nationals and the remaining were reported to be from other countries. Similarly, during the same period, nine terrorists were arrested, all of whom were Pak/PoK nationals. Mr Pathak said during the current year till end of March, 86 foreign terrorists were killed in various encounters, out of whom, 83 were from Pakistan or PoK. |
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NORTH INDIA IN PARLIAMENT New Delhi, May 7 In a written reply today, Minister of State of Power Jayawanti Mehta told the
House that an MoU was signed in July, 2000 between the Jammu and Kashmir government and the Centre, consequent upon which seven hydro-electric projects, with a total installed capacity of 2798 MW had been entrusted for execution to the National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) in the Central Sector. The minister said that in order to be able to achieve the objective of executing the feasible balance hydro power projects in the country, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had carried out ranking of hydro sites based on weightage criteria. Considering these aspects, the schemes had been graded in A, B and C categories in order of priority. In Jammu and Kashmir, 45 schemes with installed capacity of 9513 MW had been prioritised. Out of these 32 schemes with installed capacity of 6218 MW, were in B category and 13 schemes with installed capacity of 3295 MW were under C category. The CEA had taken up the work of preparation of pre-feasibility reports (PFRs) in association with various Central/state organisations. In Jammu and Kashmir, 13 schemes, with installed capacity of 2981 MW, had been selected for preparation of PFRs. Out of these seven schemes ( 1360 MW), had been entrusted to the NHPC and six schemes ( 1621 MW) to WAPCOS for preparation of PFRs, the minister said. The Minister of State of Road Transport and Highways, Mr B.C. Khanduri, told the Lok Sabha in a written reply that during 2002-03, four proposals for declaration of new National HIghways had been received from the state government of Jammu and Kashmir and these had been returned to the state government unapproved as there was at present a ban on declaration (construction) of new National Highways. As regard repair of old National Highways in the state, four proposals were received during 2002-03, out of which two were sanctioned. Remaining two proposals were returned to the state government, the minister said. |
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DEFERMENT OF WOMEN’S BILL New Delhi, May 7 In a statement, the CPM politburo blamed the
government for deferment of the Bill which had the support of most of the major parties in Parliament, including the Congress, the Left parties, the TDP and others. Though taken together with the BJP, their MPs constitute three fourth of the Lok Sabha, the government failed to ensure that the Bill was taken up for consideration and adoption, the statement pointed out. The passage of the Bill was
again obstructed in the Lok Sabha, the statement said. Reiterating its support for the legislation in its present form, the CPM said all parties should abide by the democratic process of decision-making in Parliament to decide the fate of the Bill. In another statement, the politburo Bureau said though the CPM was for limiting the size of the Council of Ministers, the Vajpayee government's proposal was "self-serving" as it did not conform to the spirit of the principle of limiting the size of the ministries. The CPM is of the firm opinion that the limitation in the size of ministries should be based on 10 per cent of the Lower House which is directly elected. The Union Cabinet has bypass the recommendation made by the Commission it set up for the review of the working of a constitution which has recommended that the size of the cabinet be limited to 10 per cent of the directly elected Lower House.
BJP
leader quits over Women's bill Dehra
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No survey of Christians done in Gujarat New Delhi, May 7 Replying to questions during the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs I.D. Swamy said the state government had issued a circular for the conduct of a census of Christians in February 1999. However, since the Gujarat High Court took a suo-motu cognisance of the matter, the circular was later withdrawn. He added that now the All-India Christian Council had filed a special civil application on the issue which was pending in the high court and the case was due to come up for hearing on June 6. He denied that the Intelligence Bureau had recently sent a proforma to the state government to carry out a survey on the similar lines. |
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George’s boycott continues in RS New Delhi, May 7 As Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat called for the question listed to be answered by the Defence Minister, the Congress’ Mr Abrar Ahmed, who had asked the question, refused to put it to Mr Fernandes. “We do not recognise George Fernandes as the Defence Minister. So, we are not putting the question,” Mr Ahmed said. Joining the protest, another Congress member, Mr Suresh Pachauri, suggested that the Prime Minister should appoint somebody else as the Defence Minister so that defence-related questions could be put in the House. The Chairman then intervened and observed that efforts were under way to resolve the issue. |
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Delimitation Bill approved New Delhi, May 7 Replying to a discussion on the Constitution
(ninetysixth Amendment) Bill, he said sufficient time would be given to candidates and sitting members to know about redefined constituencies and to file objections, if any.
PTI |
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HP hopes on recovery of power arrears get boost New Delhi, May 7 Allowing the Himachal Pradesh Government’s application for the completion of the procedural formality in the suit, in which hearing has been delayed because of this reason, a Bench comprising Mr Chief Justice V. N. Khare and Mr Justice S. B. Sinha asked the Registrar Judicial to fix an early date with the contesting parties for marking of the voluminous documents. Senior advocate M. N. Rao and state’s Additional Advocate-General J. S. Attri, pleaded the court for a direction in this regard to ensure commencement of final arguments on the suit, filed in 1996. The state government in the suit has sought its full partnership share of 7.19 per cent of power in the Bhakra and Beas projects as per the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966. The state has also sought 12 per cent share of free power from these projects under the 1990 decision of the Centre as the “right of the mother state” in any power project located in its territory. According to Himachal’s claim, the Centre, Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh jointly owed it Rs 841.78 crore as accumulated arrears uptill the filing of the suit as they had been using about 5 per cent of its 7.19 per cent ligitimate share of power since 1966. The state was only being given 2.5 per cent power as against its share fixed under the Act, the suit said. The state has sought a decree of Rs 2199.77 crore
against these states jointly or separately as they had been using its share of power. Mr Attri later told TNS that Himachal Pradesh Government wanted the case to be expedited within this year and had engaged senior advocate K. Prasaran to argue the matter. |
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DDA scam accused surrenders New Delhi, May 7 Khatri, owner of Sahara Restaurant and Hotels in the Capital, who enjoys major political clout, went missing after the CBI named him in an FIR filed by the CBI against former Delhi High Court Judge Shameet Mukherjee; suspended DDA Vice-Chairman Subhash Sharma; DDA middleman Dharam Vir Khattar; and private secretary to a former DDA Vice-Chairman Ashok Kapoor on April 29. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court today rejected its plea for staying the Delhi High Court order granting interim bail to former Judge Shameet Mukherjee, arrested in connection with the DDA land scam case. Dismissing the Special Leave Petition filed by the CBI, a Division Bench refused to interfere with the high court order after recording the contentions of various parties.
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BSP gameplan with eye on Centre New Delhi, May 7 While the BJP is maintaining silence over its exact plans of the next Lok Sabha poll, sources said the BSP supremo had his plans ready. When the BJP and the BSP would start talks for sharing of the Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the lower House, Mr Kanshiram and Ms Mayawati are going to tell the BJP leaders that the basis of seat understanding is going to be the electoral performance of the party in the 2002 Assembly elections and not the 1999 Lok Sabha poll, a source said. The BJP had won 25 Lok Sabha seats in 1999 general elections and its performance in the Assembly elections was much worse. One of the major factors that had clinched the BSP-BJP coalition government in Lucknow last year was that the transferable Dalit votes which would make the BJP candidates win. Though there was considerable opposition to the coalition government among the BJP state leaders, the central leadership gave its consent to make Ms Mayawati the state Chief Minister third time as the party was convinced that the Dalit votes was the only recourse through which the party could remain in power at the Centre. While the BSP would leave 30-odd seats for the BJP, it would field candidates for the rest of the 50 seats, the sources pointed out. The BSP supremo is very optimistic that party’s tally in the next Lok Sabha elections would cross the figure of 25 which would be enough to strike a hard bargain for the post of Prime Minister thus paving the way for the first Dalit executive head of the country. |
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Tarlochan to meet
Tewari New Delhi, May 7 He will also appraise him of issues of Sikh farmers in Udham Singh Nagar, which is now part of the new state, a note said here today. The construction of an historic Gurdwara in memory of Guru Nanak, who visited Hardwar, will also figure in the discussion along with the facilities required for thousands of Sikh pilgrims who go annually to Hemkunt, it added. |
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HC
stays arrest of Mulayam Lucknow, May 7 The division Bench also directed that no probe should be initiated against Mr Yadav till the aforesaid period.
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CPP office-bearers elected unanimously New Delhi, May 7 The election was announced today by Mr Ram Niwas Mirdha, returning officer, after considering withdrawals for various posts. Mr Mirdha yesterday extended by a day the last date of withdrawal. For the 12 posts of the executive committee in the Lok Sabha, the unanimously elected members were Mr Ram Raghunath Choudhury, Ms Ranee Narah, Col Sona Ram Choudhry, Mr Mainkrao H Gavit, Mr Ramesh Cheninthala, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, Mr Kolar Basavangoud, Mr Uttamrao Patil, Mr Saiduzamman, Mr E.M.S. Natchiyappan, Mr Charan Das Mahant and Mr R.S. Patil. For the seven executive committee posts in the Rajya Sabha, the unanimously elected members were Mr Santosh Bagrodia, Dr Abrar Ahmed, Mr Prithviraj Chavan, Mr Dwijendra Nath Sharmah, Mr Balkavi Bairagi, Mr Raju Parmar and Ms Prema
Cariappa. |
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157 top officers facing cases
New Delhi, May 7 Out of these a very small percentage of officers faced charges like murder and most of them had corruption cases against them, Mr Advani said during question hour. Earlier replying to supplementaries, Minister of State for Home Harin Pathak said three IAS officers and two IPS officers who served in the purview of the Central Government were in jail while for others the details had been sought from the states. He said as per service rules, any officer who was in police or judicial custody for more than 48 hours, would be deemed to be suspended.
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Cong against repeal
of IMDT Act New Delhi, May 7 Reacting to the decisions of the Union Cabinet taken yesterday, Congress chief spokesperson Jaipal Reddy said the party was opposed to the concept of National Judicial Commission with regard to appointment and transfer of judges. He said the party was against tampering with the present system. Opposing the cabinet decision in favour of repeal of the IMDT Act, Mr Reddy said: “We believe the Act has an intense validity in special conditions in Assam. We will oppose the relevant Bill,” he said. On the decision approving the enactment of a central legislation to prohibit cow slaughter, Mr Reddy said: “We think it is the exclusive responsibility of states. There is no need to tamper with the division of responsibilities.” |
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CDS results New Delhi, May 7 |
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