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Notice to Haryana on vacant SC
posts
Law ministry to review gender-related laws
Burglary in 2 MPs’ flats
Terror to figure in Indo-Malaysian talks
Third Front launched in Bihar
Govindacharya rules out rejoining
BJP
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Left criticises BJP’s remarks on Speaker
Bilkis case: CBI receives forensic test
report
Businessmen ‘fund’ ultras in
Nepal
MEA clarifies on PM-Natwar meeting
Centre asks states to amend APMC
Act
I am victim of a witch-hunt, says Chandraswami
2 seats reserved in IAS for disabled, Centre tells HC
No change in stand on UN Council
seat
2 lakh kids die of malnutrition in Maharashtra every
year
No probe against JAG:
Army
Marxists no more opposed to
globalisation: CM
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Notice to Haryana on vacant SC
posts
New Delhi, December 19 A Bench of Mr Justice N Santosh Hegde and Mr Justice S.B. Sinha issued the notice to the Haryana Government on a public interest litigation (PIL), raising the issue of unfilled reserved posts in police force across the country. The notice was at present issued only to the Haryana Government as only complete data about the state was placed on record by the petitioner. The PIL, filed by advocate B.L. Wadhera, alleged that the state government was ignoring the interests of SC candidates with respect to their legal claim of 20 per cent reserved posts in the state police force. The court, on October 15, directed the petitioner to place on record complete details of the vacant posts in all the states, including Haryana, which he had cited as a test case about the alleged denial of their right to SC candidates. As per the affidavit, filed on behalf of the petitioner by his counsel Arun Kumar, the total sanctioned strength of Haryana Civil and Armed Police was 44,161, of which 8,832 should have gone to the SC candidates as per the 20 per cent mandatory reserved provision. But as per the report of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), an agency of the Union Home Ministry, the actual representation to SC candidates given by the Haryana Government was only 5,224, which came to around 11.8 per cent, Mr Arun Kumar argued. By this standard, 3,608 (8.2 per cent) reserved posts had either been lying vacant or had been given to the candidates of non-reserved categories, he told the court. The vacant reserved posts existed at all levels, the constables (1866), head-constables (1231), assistant sub-inspectors (263), sub-inspectors (133) and inspectors (61), the petitioner said, placing on record the comparative table based on the BPRD report. Since no data about the reserved posts for the various ranks of officers right from ASP and DSP to Additional Directors General of Police was released by the BPRD, the figures of reservation for these ranks were not available, the PIL said. Regarding the reservation provided to Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates by the state government, the petitioner said though no data had been released by the BPRD, as per the information collected by him, their representation in the police was not more than 2 per cent. As per the BPRD report, Himachal Pradesh, with 20.3 per cent reservation for SC candidates, was leading the table, followed by Punjab (18.7), Uttaranchal (18.1) and Delhi (17.9). The states which were in the range of 15 per cent reservation included Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh while Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan and West Bengal had been able to fill only about 10 to 14 per cent SC posts in their police force. The all-India average of filling reserved posts was 11 per cent, which was identical to that of Haryana for which complete data was available. |
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Law ministry to review gender-related laws
New Delhi, December 19 Law Minister H.R. Bharadwaj said a
beginning in this direction has already been made with the Union Cabinet recently approving amendments to the Hindu Succession Act and the Child Marriage Act. “The Prime Minister wants laws to be more gender-sensitive. He has, therefore, asked us to study all relevant legislations and amend them suitably to remove any gender bias in them,” Mr Bharadwaj said. Consequently, he said he had instructed his ministry to “ferret out all such laws” so that the process of amending them could be initiated at the earliest. Not just the PM, he said, but UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was equally keen that women get all necessary legal protection. The Law Minister said the government would work closely with women activists and NGOs, adding that he had already been in touch with the National Commission for Women (NCW) in this regard. The long-pending amendments to the Hindu Succession Act 1956, he said, had finally been approved by the Cabinet. Considered a major step towards empowering women, the amended law had provided that daugthers would get equal rights as sons in their father’s ancestral property. Similarly, Mr Bharadwaj explained, the existing Child Marriage Act has been amended, making child marriage a cognisable offence. Under the new law, not just the parents of the minor children but the priest who solemnises the marriage of underage children will also be liable for punishment. Adults, who are “married” as children will be able to have this “marraige” dissolved in case they want to opt out of it. In order to ensure better implementation of this law, he said special officers would be appointed in areas where this practice was still rampant. These officers would not only create awareness against this practice but also be authorised to stop such
marriages. Welcoming the UPA government’s decision on these two laws, NCW chairperson Poornima Advani said the commission had, over the years recommended amendments to 42 gender-related laws. For instance, she said labour laws require urgent attention because women in the work force were badly exploited. There are a host of other laws relating to adoption, bigamy and adultery, which are heavily biased against women, and need rectification, she said. There are also serious lacunae in the Indian Penal Code which, Ms. Advani described as “victorian” considering it has been amended only twice since it was drafted in the late 19th century. Since the legislative process is time-consuming (the domestic violence and the sexual harassment Bills are still pending), Ms Advani has suggested that all ministries be instructed to ensure better implementation of existing laws and hold officers accountable to this task. |
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Burglary in 2 MPs’ flats
New Delhi, December 19 However, the police claimed that the burglars could have come on a ‘dry run’ this morning so as to commit something major in the future. Following the incident, the police tightened the security in and around the South Avenue area and questioned a number of servants in the locality to ascertain about the incident. The police said cash and mobile phones were stolen from flats 179 and 181 in South Avenue, allotted to Rajya Sabha MPs K. Nachiappan (Tamil Nadu) and Dinesh Trivedi (West Bengal). Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Anita Roy said the thieves also made unsuccessful bids to break into three other flats. Even in the houses they could enter, only minor things were found missing. She said the thieves fled from the area while some people raised the alarm after spotting them trying to break into MP Vijay Shankar’s flat. Ms Roy said they had spoken to some eyewitnesses, who would be able to identify them as they had seen their faces. |
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Terror to figure in Indo-Malaysian talks
New Delhi, December 19 Threats posed by terrorism, UN reforms and situation in Iraq are among the issues expected to figure during the parleys between the leaders. This is Mr Badawi’s first visit to India after he assumed office in October last year. He is accompanied by a high-level official and business delegation. Mr Badawi will call on President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and hold meetings with Ministers for External Affairs, Home, Finance and Petroleum during his stay here. Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani will also meet the Malaysian India attaches great significance to its relations with Malaysia, the current Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement and the OIC. Malaysia will assume chairmanship of ASEAN next year. Mr Badawi will be conferred an honorary doctorate by Jamia Millia Islamia. He will deliver an address on civilisational Islam. |
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Third Front launched in Bihar
Patna, December 19 CPI(ML) leader K.D. Yadav announced at a press conference that all the parties would approach the electorate with a common minimum programme promising a bright future for the people. Constituent parties of the Third Front would, however, maintain their separate identity and election symbol and publish separate manifestoes, Mr Yadav said. A final shape would be given to the pre-poll arrangements among the Third Front partners at a meeting on December 24 and the common minimum programme would also be released that day, he added. Leaders of the constituent parties present in the press conference said the Front would appeal to the Left parties to part company with the RJD and the Congress, while the Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) would be acceptable to them provided it severed ties with the Congress. Constituents of the Third Front were the
CPI(ML), Samajwadi Party, Samata Party, Krantikari Samyawadi Party, Samajwadi Janata Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Shoshit Samaj Dal and Bharatiya Momin Front. —
UNI |
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Govindacharya rules out rejoining BJP
New Delhi, December 19 “I don’t have any plan to go back to the BJP. There is no re-think or re-evaluation on my part on the decision to quit active politics,’’ Mr Govindacharya said. The former ideologue, who was expelled from the BJP for calling former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as “the BJP’s mukhota (mask)’’, said he did not nurture any idea of taking membership of any political party, including the BJP. “I don’t want to go back to the BJP, and there is no substance in reports that I am doing a rethink on rejoining it,’’ he asserted. Mr Govindacharya, a firm advocate of swadeshi ideology, said in April last year that he had taken a conscious decision that he would remain a Swayamsevak (RSS volunteer). The report about the possible re-induction of Mr Govindacharya was triggered by BJP President L.K. Advani telling a leading fortnightly that the expelled leader might be brought back as there was no case against him. Mr Govindacharya said Mr Advani’s interview had been “distorted’’ and the latter had also clarified yesterday in Coimbatore that he (Advani) had not said anything about ‘’the admission or readmission’’ of the expelled party ideologue. —
UNI |
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Left criticises BJP’s remarks on Speaker
New Delhi, December 19 The CPI(M) leader Basudev Acharya and CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta in an interview said the BJP had no “genuine issue” in hand and was, therefore, trying to generate controversies. Noting that the BJP had accused the Speaker of ‘Tanashahi (dictatorship)’, Mr Dasgupta said, “as far I know, no political party or any member has ever accused the presiding officer of behaving in such a manner.” —
UNI |
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Bilkis case: CBI receives forensic test
report
New Delhi, December 19 The forensic examination was carried out at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The DNA test could not, however, be done as the bones were badly decomposed because of the salt buried along with the bodies allegedly by the Gujarat Police. Highly placed CBI sources said the report had been received by the agency from AIIMS and it would be submitted before the special court trying the case in Mumbai. Asked whether non-establishment of the DNA could give a blow to the prosecution in the case, the sources said the gender and age tests of the bones had matched with the seven persons who had been missing in the case. “The agency can use this as an effective corroborative evidence,” they said. The CBI and forensic experts had recovered some bones without any skull from a rivulet in Panivela village in Gujarat in March this year where the massacre had taken place on March 3, 2002. The doctors carried out tests based on measurement of the bones and later identified them with photographs of the deceased who were accompanying Bilkis while fleeing from rioters on the ill-fated day. Bilkis was among the three persons who survived. The AIIMS doctors also substantiated the CBI claims that salt had been used by the Gujarat police for early decomposition of the skeletal remains, the sources said. The case was handed over to the CBI on the direction of the Supreme Court in December last year after which the agency registered the case in January this year and arrested 12 persons, including Jaswant Nai, Govind Nai and Naresh Moriya. According to the chargesheet, Bilkis Yakub and her 17 other relatives, including her three-and-a-half year old daughter, were fleeing from their residence when they were attacked by a mob allegedly led by Nais around Panivela in March, 2002. The riots had started after the burning of a bogie of a train at Godhra. Besides the two Nais and Maurya, the CBI has named Pradeep Maurya, Lal Vakil, Baku Bhai, Kesar Bhai, Raju Soni, Ramesh Chandana (PS to local BJP MLA), Sailesh Bhat (Dhaod district President of BJP), Nitesh Bhat and Lala, all of whom were in judicial custody. The chargesheeted cops included a Deputy Superintendent of Police, two Inspectors (including a retired one) and a head constable, besides Sub Inspector I. A. Syed and Head Constable Narpatsinh Patel who had buried salt along with the bodies. Bilkis Yakub identified Nais and Moriya as those who allegedly raped her, the sources said. —
PTI |
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Businessmen ‘fund’ ultras in
Nepal
Dehra Dun, December 19 Bhatt has told the police that the posters put up recently in the border districts of Uttaranchal were printed in Pithoragarh. He has also revealed vital facts about the functioning of various Maoist outfits in Nepal. All employees and businesspersons in Nepal fund the outfits with 10 per cent of their total income, Bhatt told the police. Bhatt has been taken to Tanakpur where top police officials will carry on his interrogations. Officials from the border districts of both countries would meet at Banbasa to discuss the law and order situation in the light of stepped up Maoist activities in the region. However, Bhatt cannot be booked on any charges in the country, said the police. After interrogation, Bhatt would be handed over to the Government of Nepal through the Ministry of External Affairs, officials said. Bhatt (17) had been staying in the country at various places, including Dehra Dun, Delhi and Panipat, for the past two months. The SSB has handed him over to the Lohaghat police, officials said. Bhatt had entered the country in the last week of October from Pancheshwar along the Indo-Nepal border. He was reportedly on his way to Nepal to surrender. He was allegedly involved in a landmine explosion in Salina Bhagot, last year in which, a Nepalese soldier was killed and three were injured. |
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MEA clarifies on PM-Natwar meeting
New Delhi, December 19 The impression conveyed by certain news reports that Mr Natwar Singh met the Prime Minister immediately after arrival from his visit to Seoul was “factually incorrect”, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman clarified today. He said the minister returned on the night of December 17 and met the Prime Minister the next day in connection with Mr Badawi’s visit. —
PTI |
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Centre asks states to amend APMC
Act
New Delhi, December 19 Under the present Act, the processing industry cannot buy directly from farmers. The farmer is also restricted from entering into direct contract with any manufacturer because the produce is required to be canalised through regulated markets. These restrictions are acting as a disincentive to farmers, trade and industries. The government has recently approved a central sector scheme titled “Development/strengthening of agricultural marketing infrastructure, grading and standardisation.” Under the scheme, credit linked investment subsidy shall be provided on the capital cost of general or commodity specific infrastructure for marketing of agricultural commodities and for strengthening and modernisation of existing agricultural markets, wholesale, rural periodic or in tribal areas. The scheme is linked to reforms in state law dealing with agricultural markets (APMC Act). Assistance under the new scheme will be provided in those states that amend the APMC Act. The Centre has asked the state governments to inform as to whether necessary amendments to the APMC Act have been carried out, in order to notify the reforming states for applicability of the scheme. Along with the Centre, the industry is also interested in the amendment to the APMC Act as it restricts the growth of trade in agricultural commodities. “The policy regime pertaining to internal trade is particularly restrictive. The agricultural sector continues to be hamstrung by a plethora of controls, which were introduced during the era of shortages,” said the PHDCCI. Meanwhile, a decentralised system of procuring wheat and rice would make the Public Distribution System more cost effective, the government has said. |
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I am victim of a witch-hunt, says Chandraswami
New Delhi, December 19 Chandraswami’s advocate Santosh Kumar Chauriha, in a statement, said the godman had attended every court proceeding for the past nine years either himself or through his counsel which proved his “utmost faith in the judiciary and regards for the rule of the law.” Meanwhile, Justice Milap Chand Jain, who enquired into the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, has said statements of some witnesses who deposed before him pointed to the involvement of godman Chandraswami in the conspiracy to kill the former Prime Minister.
— PTI, UNI |
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2 seats reserved in IAS for disabled, Centre tells HC
New Delhi, December 19 The decision is part of the steps being taken to implement three per cent reservation for disabled people in government services as required under the Persons With Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. Two disabled persons - Rigzian Samphel and Lokesh Kumar, who had secured 120th and 132nd rank, respectively, among the 286 successful candidates of last year’s civil service examination, got IAS after the court took suo motu cognizance of newspaper reports and intervened in the matter. Rigzian had come 2nd among the ST candidates while Lokesh stood 9th among successful SC candidates. According to the normal procedure, they should have been given IAS, but they were put into Indian Information Services (IIS). It was only when the court pulled up the government on the issue that the two candidates were put into IAS category. —
ANI |
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No change in stand on UN Council
seat
New Delhi, December 19 The Foreign Minister had recently made it clear in Parliament that India would not accept a seat on the Security Council without the veto power. Asked to comment on reports which quoted informed government sources as saying that India would accept a berth in the Security Council without the veto power, Mr Saran wondered where these reports had originated from. —
UNI |
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2 lakh kids die of malnutrition in
Mumbai, December 19 The committee headed by Dr Abhay Bang, a well-known social activist working to eradicate malnutrition, said in his report that 38 lakh more children would die in next two decades. He noted that between 1.40 lakh and 2.40 lakh children die due to malnutrition every year. Maharashtra’s Health Minister Vimal Mundada tabled the Abhay Bang Committee report in the state Legislative Council today. According to reports from Nagpur, the 55-page-report lashed out at the “insensitivity” of the bureaucracy on several counts. It noted that nearly 8 lakh children in various parts of the state were in the critical 4th grade of malnutrition because of the “failure” of those
responsible for taking effective steps to check malnutrition deaths. The committee noted that there was little improvement in past 14 years with the percentage of children in critical grade 4 coming down by a miniscule 0.6 per cent from 1988 to 2002. According to the study conducted by the committee, more than 40 lakh children were found in various grades of malnutrition. It found that 82,000 children die every year in rural areas of the state, 23,500 in tribal areas and 56,000 in urban slums. In addition, still births ranging between 22,000 and 66,000 are reported annually from various parts of the state. |
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No probe against JAG:
Army
New Delhi, December 19 “These reports are factually incorrect,” an Army spokesperson said in a press note here. He said, “The Army Headquarters had in the past received several complaints filed by Maj A.K. Chandra against senior officers in the matter of study leave not being granted to him. The officer had also taken up the issue using third party approach to gain leverage on the issue. These complaints had been examined and found baseless.” The press note said the Army had a well-laid out qualification verification system for all appointments and the same was being followed in all cases without any exception. It said Maj-Gen Nilendra Kumar had been serving with the JAG branch for the past 23 years. |
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Marxists no more opposed to
globalisation: CM
Kolkata, December 19 The Chief Minister requested the PRSI to help the government project the true image of Bengal in other parts of the world. |
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