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Hindu withdraws request for Central
security Five BJP rebels get SP
ticket Delhi Pradesh BJP
president Madan Lal Khurana shows the victory sign after filing his nomination papers in New Delhi on Wednesday for the forthcoming Assembly elections. — PTI
photo Sonia to begin campaign from
Mizoram TDP may decide on early poll Police remand for Madhumita’s ‘killer’ |
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Few takers for top defence post Diplomat’s rape: police zeroes in on suspect IAS officer chargesheeted in Taj project case Released before
conviction! State alone can choose medical college sites, says
SC Protest against raid on NGO
office India-EU summit on
November 29
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Hindu withdraws request for Central security Chennai, November 12 Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu N. Ram, who had shot off a letter to Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani yesterday, seeking protection by Central security forces for his office and residences of five of the daily’s staffers against whom arrest warrants were issued on the basis of a Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution, said in a statement today that “the acceptance (by the Chief Minister) of power of judicial review over matters of legislative privilege was institutionally important.” “This is perhaps the first time that the Chief Minister of a state, where the Legislative Assembly has punished anyone for breach of privilege, has publicly acknowledged the supremacy of the Constitution and the Supreme Court as the final interpreter and adjudicator of legislative privileges when they come into conflict with constitutional provisions, especially fundamental rights,” he said in a reference to Ms Jayalalithaa’s letter to Mr Advani last night. Describing the stand of the Chief Minister as “constitutionally significant one,” he said he would be writing to the Deputy Prime Minister, withdrawing his request for Central security. In her letter to Mr Advani, Ms Jayalalithaa had opposed the Centre’s decision to provide security to The Hindu and its journalists, especially when the state government were fully complying with and implementing the SC orders. Ram had yesterday sought Central security alleging “intimidatory” tactics used by the state police outside the office and residences of the five journalists. —
PTI Chennai, November 12 Mr Karunanidhi joined hands with other Opposition leaders in front of the Anna statue on the arterial Anna Road. —
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Five BJP rebels get SP
ticket Lucknow, November 12 “Five BJP legislators have been issued party ticket for the forthcoming council election,” said state general secretary of the Samajwadi Party Shiv Pal Singh Yadav. “Many more BJP legislators are in queue and are waiting for SP ticket.” Five legislators who have been given SP tickets are — Ajit Singh, Bharat Tripathi, Akshay Pratap Singh, Shivendra Pratap Singh, and Ganesh pandey. Of these Akshay Pratap Singh and Shailendra Pratap Singh were independent MLCs supported by the BJP. This time these MLCs have joined the Samajwadi Party and would contest the next election on the Samajwadi Party ticket, Mr Yadav, who is also the Agriculture Minister in the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led government told The Tribune here today. The local bodies will elect 36 members to the state council, the election to which will be held in a phased manner. “We are not surprised by this sudden change of stand by few BJP legislators. It was a expected move,” said senior BJP leader Kalraj Mishra, who is also in-charge of the UP Affairs. |
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Sonia to begin campaign from
Mizoram New Delhi, November 12 Ms Gandhi, who is the main campaigner for the party, will address rallies in Chhattisgarh on November 18. Chief Ministers of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal apart from some Congress Working Committee members will also be actively involved in campaigning in the states going to the polls. Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said Ms Gandhi was formally launching the election campaign from Mizoram as the state will go to the polls earlier than the four other states. To tackle with the problem of rebels and to coordinate the campaign of its candidates, the Congress is appointing observers for all Assembly seats in the four cow belt states. Party leaders said nearly 70 observers had already been appointed for Rajasthan and 65 for Madhya Pradesh. In Rajasthan, each observer has been assigned three constituencies and in Madhya Pradesh four. The observers, who include MLAs, ministers and PCC leaders from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, would keep the central leadership informed about the winning prospects of the Congress candidates. The Congress poll strategists have decided to intensively use the services of party Chief Ministers of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal. Apart from Delhi which has a sizeable Punjabi population, several
constituencies in Rajasthan have significant presence of Punjabis. The services of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, a Rajput, and Uttaranchal Chief Minister N D Tiwari, a Brahmin, are likely to be more used on seats in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh which have a delicate caste balance. |
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TDP may decide on early poll Hyderabad, November 12 The meeting is expected to pass a resolution on seeking a fresh mandate from the people, which would then be ratified by an extended general body meeting of the party. About 7,000 members would participate in the general body meeting to discuss various issues, including the current political situation and also to adopt the resolution. —
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Police remand for Madhumita’s ‘killer’ Lucknow November 12 Pandey was arrested and was in judicial custody of the CBI Deshraj, domestic help of the slain poetess, yesterday identified Pandey as one of the “killers”, who came to meet Madhumita Shukla on May 9 — the day she was shot dead at her Paper Mill Colony residence. CBI sources claim that Pandey was accompanied by Santosh Rai, who gave his name as Satya Prakash. Pandey had pulled the trigger at the insistence of Rai, the CBI sources said. The CBI today sought police remand for Pandey, saying that after identification of Pandey as the killer, it was of paramount importance that he be sent in police custody so that the weapon used in the crime could be recovered. Special Judge R.M. Yadav sent Pandey in police custody till November 22. In another related development, the High Court deferred the hearing in former minister Amarmani Tripathi’s case till November 17. The CBI had challenged the lower court order allowing Tripathi to attend the on-going Budget session of the state Assembly. Tripathi is at present in police custody and is housed in a Lucknow jail. |
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Few takers for top defence post New Delhi, November 12 While the government has of late shown its inclination to appoint the CDS, the process for which has been stalled for almost three years due to various reasons, including political, highly placed sources here said that Ministry of Defence (MoD) may find it difficult to persuade the front runners to take up the position. Apparently, those in line for the appointment have orally expressed their unwillingness to assume the new office. There are reservations as there is no clarity about the functions of the CDS. It is not even clear how the highest ranked armed forces officer of the country will function. Whoever is promoted to the post of the CDS will not only have all three armed forces under him but also the strategic command forces which control the nuclear arsenal of the country. Another aspect which may prove to be a restraining factor is that the CDS may not be promoted as a ‘five star’ officer. Although the process of integration of the armed forces has been completed and there is also an independent Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, the CDS needs not only a separate secretariat but also separate staff. Sources here said that there were also reservations as whoever took over as the CDS would have to leave his position of strength of commanding his entire force and go about controlling all three armed forces without actually having direct control over them. On paper, the Chief of Defence Staff is expected to be the main coordinator between the political and military establishments, be the head of the strategic forces, regulate the military command and be in charge of the Defence Intelligence Agency. This will mean more of paperwork than actual commanding of the forces. The BJP-led NDA government at the Centre has been thinking of appointing the CDS as the differences prevailing within the three services over the issue have been settled. Also there is less opposition from the political quarters, especially the Opposition parties. The Opposition parties were of the view that putting all resources, including the nuclear arsenal, under a single head could have a bearing on the strong democratic set-up of the country. Defence Minister George Fernandes, in a recent interview, had said that he intended moving papers on the appointment of the CDS soon. The CDS could be in place in two months, he said. As of now, the Chief of Army Staff, Gen N.C. Vij, is said to be the front runner for the post. Mr Fernandes can also consider the other two chiefs of staff, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy and Admiral Madhvendra Singh, before taking the final decision. The pronouncement from the Defence Minister has also sparked off a power game of sorts in the Army. If General Vij is made the CDS, he may be replaced by Lt-Gen S.S. Mehta as the next Chief of Army Staff. He is presently the GOC-in-C, Western Command, and is due to retire later this year. But if he is elevated, he gets more years in service. On the other hand, if someone else gets the nod for the CDS, then Lt-Gen Mehta loses this chance. In such a situation, Lt-Gen J.J. Singh could be in line to be the next Chief of Army Staff. |
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Diplomat’s rape: police zeroes in on suspect New Delhi, November 12 The Delhi police , following the clues provided by the Swiss diplomat ended up picking the 24-year-old Randhawa . Though the police have managed to nail him for the robbery at the Swiss Air Office at the World Trade Towers on August 27, they are now on the look -out for evidence that Randhawa is the man who committed the crime outside the Siri Fort auditorium. Police sources said Randhawa had admitted that he was present at a restaurant near the Siri Fort auditorium on October 14 , the day the diplomat was raped. He , however , denied his involvement in the crime. Randhawa’s presence near the spot of crime and his resemblance to the description of the assailant as provided by the diplomat have led the police to carry out further investigation. The police has decided to send photographs of the accused to the diplomat in Switzerland and also conduct a DNA examination if the need arises. A scion of the royal family of Yamuna Nagar ,Randhawa ,the police claim, acquired bad habits and took to breaking the law to meet the demands of his extravagant lifestyle. Randhawa reportedly admitted to have committed the robbery at the Swiss Airline Office after he failed to get financial assistance from home. |
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IAS officer chargesheeted in Taj project case New Delhi, November 12 A 1967 batch IAS officer, Mr Mishra will appear on November 20 before Mr Vaish, who is a year senior to him in the civil services, the sources said. —
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Released before conviction! New Delhi, November 12 And there was more confusion to follow. The trial court verdict convicting them came on November 7. But the Delhi High Court on November 5 had granted bail to them, directing the Tihar Jail authorities to release them forthwith. Thus, despite the conviction order, one of the convicts was released on November 10. Now, the case is before a new judge who has posted it for tomorrow to hear arguments on the quantum of sentence for the duo. Acting on an application by the accused, saying that they did not have faith in ASJ Bimla Makin, District Judge J.P. Singh had transferred the matter to ASJ Swaran Kanta’s court. Ms Kanta then summoned Additional Jail Superintendent Sabharwal to explain as to how the convict was released from jail. Sabharwal told the court that she would reply to the query tomorrow. On May 10, 2001, acting on a tip-off that girls were being forced into flesh trade, the police had rescued a Nepalese girl from a brothel at G.B. Road in Kamala Market and arrested the brothel owners. The girl, who was brought to Delhi on the promise of a job, was instead sold to brothel owners Farida and Mohan for Rs 7,000. Perusing an application that Farida’s father and Mohan’s mother were unwell and therefore, the duo needed to visit them, the High Court released the two, saying that Ms Makin on rejecting the same application, had “tried to overstep the jurisdiction”. “The order of Ms Makin is the most unusual and in complete violation of the provision of law. ... it is wholly unsound, illegal and an affront to liberty of a person,” High Court Judge Justice J.D. Kapoor said. Ms Makin had turned down the bail plea of Farida and Mohan as “the case is at the final stage and I apprehend that the accused may jump bail and escape”. —
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State alone can choose medical college sites, says
SC New Delhi, November 12 The state has the jurisdiction regarding issuing essential certificate for selection of the site and can refuse it to any institution, a Bench comprising Chief Justice V.N. Khare and Mr Justice S.B. Sinha said in a judgement said. The ruling came on an appeal by the Andhra Pradesh Government, seeking correct interpretation of the provisions of the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Dental Council of India (DCI) in this regard. The AP Government has sought the apex court’s ruling on the issue in an appeal against the Andhra Pradesh High Court Division Bench order that the power to grant the essential certificate vests with the MCI and DCI. The Bench had reversed a single judge’s order holding that the state had the sole power to decide the matter. Upholding the single’ judge’s order, the Supreme Court at the same time cautioned the state governments about using their power and said “it has to be exercised in a reasonable manner”. “The factors which are relevant for the determination of such issues will be the local needs and public interest,” the Court said, adding that if the colleges were being set up by a minority or a non-minority institution, the authorities must consider their requirements keeping in view the guidelines laid by it in the T.M.A. Pai and the Islamic Academy of Education cases. |
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Protest against raid on NGO office Madurai, November 12 The stir was also to protest the arrest warrant issued against the scribes of The Hindu and Murasoli. The participants, besides raising slogans, carried placards and condemned the state government for “throttling the freedom of the Press and intimidating rights activists”. Addressing the gathering, CPI(M) legislator N. Nanmaran demanded that DMK MLA Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, arrested on the orders of the Speaker, be released without any delay. Leaders of the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, the Congress and the Dalit Panthers of India, besides members of the Centre for Dalit Solidarity, the Human Rights for Dalit Liberation and other NGOs criticised the police action. —
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India-EU summit on
November 29 New Delhi, November 12 A joint declaration on terrorism would also be signed at the end of the summit. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, current President of the European Union, will be coming here to attend the summit, Italian Ambassador Benedetto Amari told reporters today. European Commission President Romano Prodi and High Representative for EU Common Foreign Policy and Security Policy Javier Solana would also be attending the summit. |
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Lucknow, November 12
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