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Game Plan to Cling to Power
Furnish expenditure details, EC to candidates
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Virbhadra terms exit poll a farce
Sat Mahajan disputes exit poll
Shimla records lowest turnout
Poll over, residents back to grappling with panthers
Congress leader expelled
Cong leader’s car stoned
State highway damaged within one month
BRO hands over highway maintenance to govt
Six-month jail in cheque-bounce case
Korfball being ignored, says
Lakhanpal
Marathon run
Tibetan film festival in Delhi from Dec 22
Pangi health centre sans docs
Doc commits suicide
48 houses gutted
2 killed in accident
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Game Plan to Cling to Power
Shimla, December 20 Sat Mahajan, who did not contest the Assembly elections this time, has taken the plea that since the government has constitutionally sanctioned mandate to govern for a period of five years, the Election Commission should be directed that the counting scheduled for December 28 be held towards the expiry of the term of the present Assembly. With Mahajan, who is known as ‘field marshall’ of Himachal politics, moving court, the worst fears of the BJP of a constitutional crisis in the state seem to be coming true. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has time and again said that his government will complete its full tenure till March 9. The petition mentions that the constitutional sanction of five years to the present Assembly has been compromised by the extra-constitutional and illegal exercise of jurisdiction by the Election Commission of India. The previous elections in the state took place on February 26, 2003, while the counting of votes took place on March 1, 2003. Even chief election commissioner N. Gopalaswamy on his visit to the state capital here before the elections had observed that the new Assembly would be formed only after the tenure of the present Assembly got over. He had said that there would be no constitutional crisis as the present Assembly could continue till the expiry of its term. Apprehending that the Congress could seek stalling of voting, national convener of the BJP Satya Pal Jain, who is also the in charge of BJP affairs in the state, has said that the BJP will oppose any such move legally and politically. Three Congress MLAs from the tribal constituencies of Bharmour, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti had moved the high court before the elections were announced seeking holding of early elections. Their plea was that the outcome of elections in their areas would be affected if the formation of new government had already taken place. The Chief Minister has time and again criticised the commission for announcing early elections and curtailing the tenure of the present government. |
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Furnish expenditure details, EC to candidates
Dharamsala, December 20 Confirming this Lucas Peter IAS officer deployed as an election observer (expenditure) in the district said any news items (advertorials) or advertisements of the candidates published in the newspapers on payment basis would be included into the expenditure of the individual candidate. On the instructions of the EC, the district administration had also served notices to all 83 candidates, who had contested the elections in the 16 Assembly constituencies of the district to furnish the details of the expenditure, including costs of the advertisements and paid news items within one month, Kangra ADC K.D. Lakhanpal said. Notices have also been issued to all vernacular newspapers to give the details of the advertisement rates of their newspapers and the billing done in these particular paid news items, advertisements, photographs and features. Further, the EC has asked the district public relations officer to compile a detailed file of such paid news items, advertisements, photographs and features so that these may be cross-checked with the details furnished by the candidates themselves and the newspapers concerned. Another senior IAS officer deployed as an election observer on poll duty was of the view that not only the expenditure on these paid news items, photographs and features would be included into the expenditure of the candidates but also the undue influence created on the voters through print media by this wrong practice would be seriously viewed as a violation of the poll code. The rates of advertisements approved by the Department of Public Relations would also be compared with the actual billing done by the newspapers, the officer added. The election observers (expenditure) would send the detailed reports of these paid news items, photographs, features and the undue influence created on the voters to the EC through the chief electoral officer for necessary action. It is a serious issue and may even lead to the cancellation of the election of a particular candidate, besides, stern action against the political parties even after the declaration of results, if found guilty of creating undue influence on the voters, commented a senior official posted on poll duty. This was for the first time in the state that such paid news items were carried in the vernacular newspapers on a large scale by negotiating with the actual advertisement rates of the newspapers. |
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Virbhadra for photo identity cards to foreign nationals
Shimla, December 20 Speaking at the Chief Minister’s Conference on Internal Security at New Delhi today, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said at present there were about 23,000 Tibetan refugees and 15,000 Nepalese who were living permanently in the state. “Though the state police and various intelligence agencies are keeping a close vigil on the activities of all foreign nationals the Ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs should take steps to introducing photo identity cards for these persons,” he said. He said Himachal had deployed eight companies of the police and one battalion of the ITBP on 35 border checkposts in Chamba district to check infiltration of militants from the neighbouring state of Jammu and Kashmir. He added that 159 village defence committees had been established in the area and provided with arms and ammunition. While the state was spending Rs 10 crore annually on the deployment of the security forces in sensitive areas the Centre was giving only Rs 2 crore. He requested that the entire amount should be reimbursed by the Centre along with the sanction of another IRB for security. He said Himachal would soon become the first state to implement common integrated police application (CIPA) in all police stations by March 31, 2008. He said 2,400 vacancies of police constable would be filled during the next financial year. The Chief Minister said effective disaster management, specialised training programmes and mock drills were being organised regularly for the police force to meet any eventuality. |
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Virbhadra terms exit poll a farce
Shimla December 20 “Misleading claims of Dhumal is based only on the so called exit poll conducted by some agency which does not hold much truth,” Virbhadra said in a press note issued here. “There were 5,946 polling stations spread in 10 districts, polling was held for 65 seats yesterday,” he said and wondered how many of these booths were actually covered by the exit poll. Virbhadra described the exit poll as a ‘farce and propaganda’ aimed at misleading the people. The exit poll conducted by a national TV channel had given 40 seats to the BJP, 19 to the Congress and nine others in 68-member HP House. Virbhadra said reports from all corners of the state have indicated that the Congress is in a sound position and will get absolute majority to form a stable government in the state again. He expressed satisfaction over voters turn out which was recorded at 72.65 despite the winter chill.
— PTI |
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Sat Mahajan disputes exit poll
Shimla, December 20 While Virbhadra is away to attend the Chief Ministers’ conference on internal security, BJP chief ministerial candidate P. K. Dhumal was at his native place in Samirpur, relaxing with the family. Majority of the Congress and BJP MLAs are yet to arrive in the state capital. The lone minister who arrived here in the secretariat was revenue minister Sat Mahajan, who retired from politics after making the electoral debut of his son, Ajay, from his traditional seat of Nurpur. “I am here to clear my files and will leave for Nurpur tomorrow,” he said. Mahajan, known as the field marshall in Himachal politics for his political acumen said he disagreed with the exit polls which indicated that the BJP was all set to form the government. Even though the secretariat bore a deserted look but a majority of the bureaucrats were busy assessing the post-election scenario as they sat together discussing the outcome of the polls. State BJP chief Jai Ram Thakur was in his assembly segment of Chachiot as he was completing all formalities regarding the poll expenditure. “I will be in Shimla on December 23 to attend the meeting of state BJP leaders,” he said. |
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Shimla records lowest turnout
Shimla, December 20 Barring the three districts of Kullu, Una and Chamba where the poll percentage went up, the remaining seven districts recorded a lower voter turnout than that in the previous elections. The lowest voting percentage has been recorded in Shimla district at 66.56. This figure is lower than the last elections in 2003 when the percentage was 67.99. The Shimla assembly segment, which has recorded the lowest polling percentage in the state at 47.18, has improved as compared to the last elections. In 2003, the polling percentage in the Shimla segment was 46.14. The second lowest voting in the state took place in the adjoining segment of Kasumpti, which recorded 53.10 per cent turnout as compared to 56.09 per cent in the last elections. Sirmaur district recorded the highest turnout at 77.92 per cent. However, this figure is lower than that in the previous elections when the percentage was 79.56. Mandi is the district with the second highest polling at 74.90 per cent. The district where the polling percentage has come down the maximum is Hamirpur. The percentage here fell from 73 in the last elections to 67.70. The Nadaunta segment in Hamirpur district recorded 65.06 per cent polling, Mewa 66.03 per cent and Hamirpur 66.85 per cent. |
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Poll over, residents back to grappling with panthers
Shillai, December 20 The entire lower Himachal is in fact reeling under the threat of the big cat, whose population in the area has seen over 20 per cent rise in the past decade. This is because the ban on hunting was imposed in 1993 and the mounting pressure on forests where herbivores - the traditional prey base of the panther -has been vanishing. Deputy conservator of forests (wildlife), Shimla, N.K. Guleria, said today domestic animals now comprised 90 per cent of the panthers’ prey base. “Wild animals form only 10 per cent of the panther’s kill now, considering the forests are under pressure.” The estimation of increase in panthers’ population in lower Himachal is based on the analysis of cases of cattle lifting and attacks on humans in these areas. Though prevalent across Solan, Una, Kangra, Bilaspur, Mandi and Hamirpur, the trend of panther attacks is significantly pronounced in Sirmaur’s Shillai region, where people have spotted at least three panthers in the city centre area, on different occasions. The cats have struck Shllai four times in the past year; twice over the past month, killing over 40 goats. The last attack was as recent as December 17, when the panther attacked the cowshed of local farmer Dhyan Singh, killing all 12 goats inside. Singh had purchased the goats last year and had been rearing them with an eye on the forthcoming Maghi festival (January 11), marked by the ritual of goat sacrifices to goddess Kali. |
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Congress leader expelled
Shimla, December 20 He has been expelled for working against the official Congress candidate from
Jawalamukhi, Ruma Kaundal, and supporting Sanjay Rattan, who contested as an Independent from the same constituency. |
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Cong leader’s car stoned
Dalhousie, December 20 Certain miscreants stoned the car of Asha Kumari near Mornu village in the Banikhet assembly constituency on Tuesday night. The windowpanes of the car were smashed in the incident. However, she had a narrow escape. |
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State highway damaged within one month
Nurpur, December 20 Inquiries revealed that the department had awarded the construction work of 13.9-km stretch of the highway to a private contractor through an open tender with the lowest cost of Rs 1.59 crore, whereas its estimate cost was Rs 2.02 crore. The department is constructing and re-surfacing the road with the new Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen (CRMB) technique. The side drains are also being built. But one is surprised that the bitumen surface of the newly built road has started eroding and the path holes developed within one month of its construction is causing inconvenience to the road users, who have been waiting for a smooth and trouble free driving on the state highway. It seems that the concerned department did not verify the success rate of the CRMB technique before giving its nod for using the same on this important inter-state highway. In this connection Nurpur PWD division executive engineer N. K. Kapila admitted that the CRMB technique was the latest technique in the re-surfacing of the roads in which rubber was used for its long life but it could not succeed in the state highway being built by the department. He informed that it was the responsibility of the contractor to repair the damaged portions of the newly surfaced road. |
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BRO hands over highway maintenance to govt
Chamba, December 20 According to resident commissioner of Pangi J.S. Pathania, the 55-km stretch from Kuru Nullah to Killar in Pangi tribal subdivision of Chamba district remains open from April to December. But some points of the highway constantly remain under imminent danger of glaciers, he added. In the wake of damages caused by glaciers, the bailey bridge on the Kuru Nullah would be dismantled on December 27 to avoid further damage to it, he said. It would be reinstalled by April next year. |
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Six-month jail in cheque-bounce case
Bilaspur, December 20 Suneeta of Khamheda Kallan village had complained to the court that Lekhram had taken a loan of Rs 65,000 from her in 2002 at 18 per cent interest. In 2005, he gave a cheque of Rs 1 lakh to her towards the repayment of loan. However, the cheque was dishonoured at the bank due to insufficient fund in his account. Lekhram was also ordered to pay Rs 1.1 lakh to Suneeta Devi. |
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Korfball being ignored, says
Lakhanpal
Hamirpur, December 20 He said though Korfball players had participated at the international and national level but the game had been placed in the ‘C’ grade. The government has also not introduced this game in the university sports when large numbers of students are playing the game. He has demanded that the vice-chancellor of the university should introduce the game in the university games. He said two-day junior state-level championship was being held at Rewalsar on December 25 and 26 and the players selected there would participate in the national meet which would be held at Pondichery from January 8 to 12 2008. |
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Marathon run
Hamirpur, December 20 |
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Tibetan film festival in Delhi from Dec 22
Dharamsala, December 20 According to an official press note of the Central Tibetan Administration here, the festival will open with “Kundun”, a classic film, narrating the life story of the young Dalai Lama directed by Martin Scorsese followed by a series of films, including Sacred Sites of Dalai Lama- a pilgrimage in Tibet, Himalaya, 10 Questions for The Dalai Lama and Destroyer of Illusion and Spirit of Tibet. |
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Pangi health centre sans docs
Chamba, December 20 The CHC is the only ray of hope to the ailing population living here, which is now a days been cut from the rest of the state due to heavy snowfall. Tribal residents have demanded that the state government should post a few doctors at least to run the CHC at Killar so that the people suffering from various ailments could be treated. On the other hand, the only doctor deployed on deputation was looking after the working of the CHC, it was officially confirmed. |
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Doc commits suicide
Kumarhatti, December 20 The matter came to light when the deceased parents in Punjab repeatedly tried to contact their son. On failing to get any response they called up the hospital lab assistant, who used to commute from Solan daily. Following their request, the lab assistant rushed from Solan to Subathu and found the doctor lying in an unconscious condition. Sehgal was rushed to Zonal Hospital, Solan. Later he was referred to PGI, Chandigarh, after his condition failed to improve. But he died on the way to PGI. The body was brought to the Community Health Centre, Dharampur, today for a postmortem. He was a divorcee from and was remarried recently. The police has registered a case. |
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48 houses gutted
Kullu, December 20 Kullu DC Abhishek Jain said an immediate relief of Rs 10,000 each was given to affected families. Three-month ration would also be given to them free of cost from the government fair-price shop. The DC said an additional amount of Rs 2,000 each was given for rebuilding cowsheds. He said blankets, tarpaulins and other material for temporary accommodation was also given to the victims. |
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2 killed in accident
Shimla, December 20 The police said local people helped them in extricating the bodies from the badly mangled vehicle, which fell into 500-metre-deep gorge after the driver lost control over the vehicle. The bodies were handed over to their relatives after a post-mortem examination at Government Hospital, Rampur. A case has been registered.
— UNI |
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