New Delhi, May 11
The Chief Justice of India (CJI), Mr R.C. Lahoti, said today the government had provided “very little” financial support to the judiciary since independence as compared to other institutions in the country, which was one of the major reasons for the compilation of a huge burden of pending cases.

Speaking on the occasion of the presentation of a report on “Strategic Plan for Interpretation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Indian Judiciary”, Mr Justice Lahoti said “in post-Independence era a lot has been done in other fields, which have marched ahead but very little has been done for the judiciary.”

He said though during various seminars there had been much debate on the reasons for heavy burden of pending cases, the government had not taken any action on various reports of the Law Commission, other panels like Malimath Committee and the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, suggesting ways and means to improve the functioning of the courts.

The CJI said even the process of computerisation of courts under an integrated ITC scheme to make the functioning of the judiciary effective could be implemented with a lot of “persuasion” by him with the government.

The statement of the CJI assumes significance in the wake of recent advice of President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to Supreme Court jduges to work some extra hours to finish the burden of cases with it and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Chief Ministers and High Court Chief Justices’ conference last year expressing concern over the huge burden of pending cases.

The CJI also reminded the government about the resolution passed in the conference held in September last year.

He said under the total computerisation plan of the judiciary the ICT scheme would be put in action in three phases, which would provide video conferencing facility, creating a data base of information, transparent procedures, speedy disposal of cases by doing away with unnecessary paper work and creation of websites with total information about judgements and orders.

He said a total of Rs 670 crore would be spent on the complete computerisation of courts throughout the country in the next five years.

He said a committee of experts, set up under former Patna High Court Judge, Mr G.C. Bharuka had done tremendous work in a short span of time in this regard.

Mr Jutice Bharuka, detailing the progress, said complete computer data had been prepared about the pending cases in the Supreme Court, the high courts and lower judiciary to enable them to take effective steps.

As per the latest data cases pending in the Supreme Court were over 30,000, in high courts more than 33.79 lakh and in the lower judiciary 2.78 crore.

At present, 38,741,423 judicial officers were handling the cases in the lower courts and there was immediate need of appointing 10,000 additional judicial officers, he said. Of the pending cases, 70 per cent were criminal and 30 per cent civil, Mr Justice Bharuka said.

New Delhi, May 11
A petition was today moved before the Supreme Court seeking a clear definition of a person’s right to “dignified death” in case of a terminal illness where there is no hope of revival by any medical treatment, provided the affected person has executed a will that he should not be put on artificial support system to prolong his life.

Taking cognizance of a PIL petition filed by Common Cause, an NGO, a Bench of Mr Justice Y. K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice P. P. Naolekar issued a notice to the Union Government, although reluctantly, seeking its response.

The court was not impressed with the plea and asked how in the absence of any legislation could a direction be issued to the authorities for enforcing such a provision. When Common Cause counsel cited instances of the apex court’s interference in “very important” issues affecting the country’s social and political life, the Bench agreed to issue a notice.

The government was directed to file a reply if the matter was being “examined or will be examined” in view of the worldwide debate on the issue.

The counsel said when the executive failed to do its duty, there was a provision under the Constitution to seek mandamus from the court to ask it to take required measures.

He said the apex court had issued similar directions with regard to the constitution of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in the Jain-Hawala case, compulsory filing of affidavits on antecedents by candidates contesting elections and the protection of whistle-blowers in corruption cases in the absence of any legislative provision.

The petitioner said those who were suffering from chronic diseases or were at the end of their natural lifespan and likely to go into a state of terminal illness or permanent vegetable existence, “have a right to refuse cruel and unwanted medical treatment based on machine support system in order to prolong death which is eminent.”

The only condition not to provide any such machine-based support system to such a person was that he should have executed a will in his full senses that his life should not be prolonged artificially, the counsel said.

Prolonging the life of a terminally ill person artificially “leads to the extension of his pain and agony, both physical and mental, which he desperately seeks to end by making an informed choice and clearly expressing his wish in advance in the form of living will,” he contended.

The Union Government should, therefore, be directed to adopt suitable procedures in consultation with the state governments that a person placed in such an agonising situation be allowed to execute the “living will” and make it available to the hospital under the “authorisation of his attorney”.

New Delhi, May 11
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who has been buying time for tabling in Parliament the Nanavati Commission Report on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, today said the Action Taken Report (ATR) was almost ready and the Home Ministry had sought some more information from “outside” to finalise it.

“The ATR on the report is almost ready and we have sought some more information from outside,” Mr Patil told newspersons here when asked about the tabling of the report in Parliament.

The Home Minister preferred to remain silent on being asked when the report would be tabled in Parliament.

Subsequently, after the press conference, when this correspondent asked the Home Minister to clarify on what he meant by saying “some more information has been sought from outside”, Mr Patil said, “The Commission, referring to certain affidavits, has, in its report, submitted to the government recommended further probe... . We have sought information about those affidavits to verify the facts and finalise the ATR”.

“To get this information, it will take some time and then the ATR would be completed,” he said without giving any time frame for tabling of the report.

The BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have been demanding immediate tabling of the report and have been accusing the Congress-led UPA government of delaying its tabling as “the report could be embarrassing to the ruling Congress”.

The SAD members led by Mr Sukhbir Badal had also forced adjournment of the Lok Sabha a couple of days before the NDA decided to boycott Parliament against the “attitude” of the government towards the Opposition to register their protest over the “dilly-dallying attitude of the government on tabling the report”.

Meanwhile, the All India Riot Victims Relief Committee in a memorandum to the Union Home Minister today urged him to place the report before Parliament without further delay to show the government’s sincerity to the Sikh cause.

“The government says a detailed action note has been finalised and it would be soon sent to the agencies concerned like the Delhi police for follow-up action. Once action is taken, the Home Ministry would prepare an action taken report that would be placed before Parliament during the monsoon session,” committee president K.S. Bhogal said in a memorandum to the Home Minister.

Stating that the “dilly-dallying attitude” of the government was creating doubt among the Sikhs about its (UPA government’s) credibility, Mr Bhogal regretted that justice continued to elude the victims of the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots. 

New Delhi, May 11
With the passage of the right to information Bill in the Lok Sabha today, India is going to join soon a select league of countries that have empowered their citizens to seek information from the government and government-aided agencies.

Supporting the Bill in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said legislation on right to information would bring in a new era in the processes of governance, besides eliminating corruption.

‘’The Bill is part of the UPA’s efforts to strengthen the role of the citizen as arbiter of our destiny,’’ he said, while intervening in the debate on the new Bill, 2004, which seeks to replace the existing Freedom of Information Act.

Dr Singh said the legislation would confer critical rights on the common man for enforcing his other rights. ‘’The legislation will fill the wide gap in the citizens right to information.’’

He said easy flow of information was necessary for the citizen to make his own judgement about the government. ‘’This was key to successful functioning of democracy. The success of democracy depends on the ability of the citizen to assess how far the government had discharged its responsibility.’’

Appealing to civil servants to take the Bill in a positive spirit, Dr Singh asked them not to consider it a draconian law but adopt a positive approach towards it. ‘’It is only an instrument to improve the citizen’s interface with the government for the good of the people and the country.’’

‘’Please see the Bill in the right spirit,’’ he repeatedly told the civil servants, and urged the state governments to take the initiative to constitute state-level information commission proposed in the bill whose provisions were simple and its implementation easy and time-bound.

The Bill provides for the constitution of a Central information commission and a state-level information commission.

The government moved 149 amendments to the Bill. All amendments were adopted by the House. However, TDP leader K Yerran Naidu suggested that the government should ensure that such a large number of amendments should be brought at the time of passage of the the Bill.

Replying on the issues raised by MPs, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Pachouri said: “All the provision of the Bill will be implemented within 120 days after the approval of President.

The state Bills in this regard would continue to co-exist, but the people will have an option to seek information under any law.”

Lucknow, May 11
The Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) may rethink on its decision to extend outside support to the Congress-led UPA government in Delhi if the CBI continued to apply “double standards” in the Taj corridor case. This was stated by BSP supremo Mayawati today.

Disclosing her party’s plans of keeping an eye on the Congress response to her charges against the CBI, the BSP chief warned that if the Congress did not take any action then her party would take up the matter in Parliament and not hesitate to take it to the streets.

In a letter to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam she plans to ask him why the CBI was not applying the same standards and lodging cases of disproportionate assets against the presidents of other national party presidents by clubbing their income with that of their parents, siblings and relatives, stated a seemingly angry Mayawati.

The former Chief Minister claimed her case to be substantiating evidence. While the other co-accused in the case were facing just one FIR, she being a Dalit had an additional case of disproportionate assets as well.

This was despite the fact that the CBI had admitted before the Supreme Court that there was no link between the money released for the construction activities in the Taj corridor and her assets, asserted Mayawati.

Complaining that the agency was harassing her old parents and other relatives, the BSP chief wondered why the agency did not contact the Income Tax Department with whom she has already furnished all details of her income and assets.

Speaking to the a press at her residence, Ms Mayawati said she arrived last evening to attend her party MP from Mishrikh Ashok Rawat’s wedding.

New Delhi, May 11
The Union Cabinet tonight approved the merger of DA equal to 50 per cent of the existing basic pay to the employees of profit-making central public sector employees (CPSEs) with effect from April 1, 2004.

Allowing the above benefit of the merger of DA to those CPSEs that were not loss making and were in a position to absorb the additional expenditure on account of the said merger of DA without any budgetary support from the government, Information and Broadcasting Minister S Jaipal Reddy told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

The merger would be applicable to PSEs following the central DA pattern and would be shown distinctly as dearness pay (DP) which could be counted for purposes like payment of allowances, transfer grant, retirement benefits, contribution to GPF/CPF, licence fee and various advances, he said.

The extension of merger of DA equal to 50 per cent of the existing basic pay to the CDA pattern employees of Food Corporation of India.

He said the determination of the entitlements for LTC, TA/DA while on tour and transfer and accommodation on the basic pay alone without taking into account dearness pay; and deducting the DA converted into DA from the existing rate of DA while computing quantum of dearness allowance.

The Cabinet also approved the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to amend the Labour Laws (Exemption from furnishing Returns and Maintaining of Registers by Certain Establishments) Act, 1988 for simplifying the forms of returns and registers prescribed under certain labour laws.

The Cabinet also gave its approval to make amendments in the Scheduled Acts to prescribe penalty, on uniform basis, for obstructions and non-maintenance of records, he said.

Under this, employers would send one annual return in Form-1 instead of numerous reports at present. Similarly, in place of numerous registers, the employers will maintain two registers in Form-11 and Form - 111 at work place.

The Cabinet also cleared a legislation to revive the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council that was scrapped 20 years ago, Mr Reddy said.

The AP Legislative Council Bill, which was introduced in Parliament in December last, was referred to the Standing Committee.

The Cabinet also extended a six month period beyond May 14 to Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry.

New Delhi, May 11
The BJP yesterday decided not to field candidates in Hisar and Tosham Assembly constituencies in Haryana, while fielding Rambhaj Hudda from the Kiloi Assembly seat in the state.

Tosham and Hisar seats have fallen vacant following the death of former Chief Minister Bansi Lal’s son Surender Singh and industrialist O. P. Jindal in a chopper crash.

The BJP maintained that the decision not to field candidates in Tosham and Hisar was taken mainly due to high regards the party had for the former ministers and their families.

For the Shimoga Lok Sabha byelection, the BJP has decided to field a relatively unknown face Bhanu Prakash against former Karnataka Chief Minister S Bangarappa.

The Shimoga byelection is being held due to the resignation of Bangarappa, who quit as the BJP MP to contest on the Samajwadi Party ticket.

The BJP has decided to field former BJP MLA Pramila Nesargi from the Chamarajapet Assembly seat in Karnataka, the seat held by another Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna, who resigned the seat to take over as Maharashtra Governor.

The BJP also finalised the names for three of the five Assembly constituencies in Goa where the five former BJP MLAs are recon testing the elections on Congress tickets after renouncing their BJP membership.

The candidates are Pradeep K Nagvenkar (Taligoan), Krishna Kuttikar (Kumbargua) and Ramesh Tawadkar (Ponginim). The BJP’s Central Election Committee meeting, chaired by party chief L K Advani, also finalised names for byelections in Uttar Pradesh. They are Ram Milan (Haisar Bazar-SC), Ravindra Jaiswal (Varanasi-north), Lakshmi Shankar Ojha (Allahabad-west) and Haridwar Dubey (Khera Garh).

New Delhi, May 11
The public health threat posed by meningococcemia has not stopped

Union Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss from leading a delegation to the World Health Assembly beginning in Geneva on May 16.

The delegation to the 58th World Health Assembly at the Palais de Nations comprises Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Panabaka Lakshmi, Health Secretary, P.K. Hota, Director- General Health Services, Dr S.P. Aggarwal and Joint Secretary, B.P. Sharma.

Secretary Health, P.K. Hota told The Tribune that his priority was meningococcemia and his visit to Geneva would depend on how the disease tapers off. ``Instead of attending the Assembly till the concluding day on May 25, we will cut- short our visit to the minimum while ensuring that we succeed in arranging budget and technical support for the country. While we are away, we will monitor the situation and direct the course of remedial measures. If needed, we will rush back even earlier.’’

Hota said it was important for the Indian delegation to negotiate with donor agencies at the World Heath Assembly as India is in need of funds. ``About 25 per cent of our Health Budget is raised from external agencies. Besides, many policy decisions that take place at the World Health Assembly affect our country. This time, there is likely to be a resolution against alcohol.’’

Sources in the South-East Asia regional office of the WHO told TNS that the WHO Regional Director, Dr Sam Lee Langbangcham, Deputy Regional Director, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh and Director Programme Management, Dr Bgorn Melgard, would be attending the World Health Assembly. The Assembly is a meeting point for delegates from 192 member countries of the WHO and non-government organisations recognised by the WHO.

New Delhi, May 11
The Punjab government has urged the Centre to provide a special package of Rs 640 crore for the loss of more than 10 lakh tonnes of wheat this season due to heavy rains in the winter season, resulting in a loss over Rs 640 lakh to the farmers.

Raising the matter as a matter of public importance in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP from Jalandhar Rana Gurjeet Singh said, “The recent survey conducted in Punjab shows that the production of wheat has gone down by 10 lakh metric tonnnes owing to adverse climatic condition during winter season. It has resulted in a loss of around Rs 640 crore to the farmers.”

Keeping in view the problem, he said, the central government should give a special package of Rs 640 crore to compensate the farmers for loss in production. Apart from this, he said, special concessions such as seeds and fertilisers at subsidised rates and loans from banks at cheaper rates for purchase of tractors and other inputs should be made available.

He urged the government to instruct the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct a survey in the state to assess the magnitude of the losses and disburse the relief as early as possible.

Referring to the recent reports on farmers’ debt, Rana Gurjeet Singh said the farmers in the state were facing highest debt in the country. “The fall in crop yield has affected their profit margins, especially that of small and marginal farmers. They cannot tackle the problem with their own resources so the Centre should come forward to help them”.

New Delhi, May 11
Dithering over a spate of resignations in the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) against the ‘’autocratic’’ functioning of its chairperson Sonal Mansingh, the Union Culture Ministry has now decided to postpone indefinitely the Akademi’s annual awards and fellowships presentation function slated for May 13 at the resplendent Vigyan Bhavan.

Ministry sources today confirmed that the Culture Ministry had written a letter to the Akademi to postpone the function even though it had not assigned any reason for it.

The sources declined to give any reasons for the postponement, and added that no new date had been fixed for the awards function.

Ostensibly, the postponement has been caused by Culture Minister S. Jaipal Reddy who is leaving for France to attend the Cannes Film Festival. — UNI

Mumbai, May 11
With Maharashtra facing a major power crisis, politicians cutting across party lines are pressing for a quick revival of the 2184-MW plant of Dabhol Power Company (DPC).

The plant has been mothballed since 2001 after the Maharashtra State Electricity Board refused to buy power from the plant citing high costs.

Indian lenders to the project led by a consortium of banks, including the IDBI, Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL) and the NTPC, are now in the process of floating a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for buying out foreign lenders like General Electric and Bechtel who own a majority stake in the DPC.

The debts of the foreign lenders are estimated to be around Rs 3,200 crore.

State government sources say the deal is stuck with Indian parties and that foreign stakeholders have been unable to arrive at mutually agreeable figure.

The project is now stuck with a Cabinet sub-committee set up by the Central Government.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today said the plant would become operational by June next year if the revival package is finalised in the coming weeks.

However, he reiterated that the pricing of DPC’s power was of serious concern to the state government. The DPC had priced its power between Rs 4 and Rs 7 per unit depending on the MSEB’s offtake. The state government is still insisting that it can buy power only around Rs 3 per unit.

Independent observers here say power from the DPC’s naphtha-based plant would be even more expensive than before considering the spiraling oil prices internationally.

In comparison, depreciated thermal power plants generate electricity around Rs 2.80 per unit, while power from nuclear plants is priced around Rs 1.80 per unit.