The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Admissions: Caparo school gets PTU no Deepkamal Kaur/ TNS Jalandhar, July 1 It was a dream project that has crashed right before it could be properly launched. The PTU has barred its own school of excellence in manufacturing and material technology from admitting students in B.Tech courses through CET counselling that began here today. Since the university’s private partner and UK-based steel tycoon Lord Swraj Paul has failed to pump in funds to the tune of Rs 2.25 crore that he had committed to add on facilities for accommodating a new batch, the authorities here have been forced to take the harsh decision. The existing batch of students, however, will be promoted to their third semester for studying on the same campus. “A firm stand in this regard has been taken by the university for we need to practice what we preach,” said Dr V.K. Arora, dean, academics, and chief coordinator of CET counselling. Last year, the school had received a very good response filling all the 90 seats with top rank holders of the CET taking admission here, especially after the PTU authorities had announced that the students here would be trained in high-end technologies, including laser drilling, plasma welding and inert gas. Lord Paul, too, had committed to send in faculty from UK colleges here for taking classes in advanced technologies. The students had also got lured expecting scope of further studies in the UK and a good placement there later. However, the students have been on strike throughout the year. They say they were forced to protest to get even the basic facilities like laboratory infrastructure and faculty. There is no hostel provision for boys who are now putting up in private PG accommodations. The girls have been occupying staff hostel. Director of the school P.C. Maity said as there was a stalemate over land-mortgage issue of the PTU site between PTU and the Caparo group, there seemed to be no headway as yet. While Lord Paul was said to have been insisting on allowing the group to take some loan against the property, the PTU authorities had been sticking on their stand against his demand. Meanwhile, general category counselling for top 800 B.Tech aspirants and top 200 pharmacy candidates was held today. The counselling saw a huge response with even the 11th rank holder taking a seat here perhaps owing to delayed AIEEE counselling in other engineering institutes. The topper in pharmacy also got his seat reserved. Computer science engineering and electronics and communication engineering received maximum response as seats in both streams in Guru Nanak Dev University main campus got filled up before half time. Punjabi University, Chitkara Institute of Engineering and Technology and Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College also got a good response. Meanwhile, more than 2,500 more B.Tech seats have been added to existing 15,000 seats owing to approval to 10 new engineering colleges.
	‘Court can suo motu intervene in fraud cases’ Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 1 In a significant judgment, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that a court can even suo motu interfere, and “set right a fraud which has been played on the court”. Justice Ranjit Singh has ruled: “This court would not feel bound with any self-imposed restrictions while exercising jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution of India in cases where there is fraud found”. The ruling came on a petition filed by Punjab Beverages Private Limited against G.T. Agencies. The petitioner had contended that an ex parte decree of over Rs 5 crore was obtained by fraud in favour of G.T. Agencies. The petitioner’s case was that G.T. Agencies filed a suit against it for recovering loan amount before a civil judge. Col A.S. Judge, the managing partner in G.T. Agencies, was also the general manager of Punjab Beverages. The petitioner had contended that Colonel Judge accepted the summons issued in the suit and engaged a counsel, who appeared on behalf of Punjab Beverages. Later, the advocate did not appear and Punjab Beverages was proceeded ex parte. Elaborating, the petitioner had stated that Colonel Judge got notice issued to himself and engaged a counsel. He appeared on one day only to stay away at a later date, following which the court held ex-parte proceedings. The petitioner had added it came to know about the decree after over a year when a real estate agent informed it that the property was being sold. But the district judge “framed issue” in the matter, even though there were sufficient grounds to condone the delay. Aggrieved, the petitioner invoked the jurisdiction of the court under Article 227 for setting aside the order. Taking up the matter, Justice Ranjit Singh ruled: “A simple application, seeking direction for the court, which is dealing with an issue of setting aside ex parte decree and judgment, has led to an interesting and a significant debate in regard to the scope of Article 227 of the Constitution of India, especially in the background where allegations of fraud are made”.
	Anandpur Sahib Seat Chaudhary stakes claim to SAD ticket Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, July 1 Following the recent announcement of the BJP regarding its candidates for the ensuing elections of the Lok Sabha from the Gurdaspur and Amritsar constituencies, former MP and member of SAD political affairs committee Kamal Chaudhary has staked his claim for the party ticket from the newly formed Anandpur Sahib constituency. Addressing a press conference at his residence here today, Chaudhary, who remained MP from the Hoshiarpur for four terms, said according to the seat-sharing between the BJP and the SAD, Anandpur Sahib had come to the latter and being a loyal worker of the party he was fully confident that the SAD leadership would definitely give him a chance to serve the people of the segment. He had already discussed the issue with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, claimed Chaudhary. Answering a question, he said according to the seat-sharing between the SAD and the BJP, the latter was contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur. Since the Hoshiarpur seat had been reserved for SCs, the claim of the BJP to another seat was not justified. If it staked its claim for another segment, it would be a wrong signal to the Dalits which might cause them to go against the SAD and the BJP in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. The maximum number of Hindu and Dalit electorate had favoured the SAD-BJP alliance candidates in the last panchayat, block samiti, zila parishad, municipal and assembly elections in the state. The electorate had rejected the Congress candidates in the recent elections to the municipal councils.
	Jalandhar youth drowns in Kangra khud Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 1 A pall of gloom descended on Papari Bazar soon after the news of Deepak Sharma’s death by drowning in a khud in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh reached here late on Monday night. Deepak drowned in the Baner khud near Kangra on Monday while bathing along with his friends. Deepak and his friends Manish, Vikas and Hanny had gone to Kangra to offer prayers at the Brijeshwari temple on their motorbikes. The tragedy struck when the enthusiastic youths ventured into the water despite being warned by locals. The strong current of the water washed Deepak away while his friends had a narrow escape. Deepak’s friends raised the alarm following which the local administration launched a rescue operation but failed to locate the body. The body was fished out nearly 100 metres downstream after certain locals noticed the head of the deceased floating in the water this morning. According to neighbours, Deepak had got married just five moths ago and was the only son of his parents. His mother and four sisters were inconsolable at their residence in Quajian Mohalla. When contacted, Kangra SDM Pradeep Thakur said the body was handed over to the family members after a post-mortem examination at a Dharmasala hospital this evening. A relief of Rs 1 lakh has been granted to the aggrieved family, Thakur said.
	SASB issue: Hindu bodies burn Azad’s effigy, disrupt traffic Jalandhar, July 1 Various Hindu organisations on Tuesday blocked roads at PAP Chowk here and burned the effigy of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad over the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) land issue. Protesting against the decision of the Jammu and Kashmir government for taking back the forest land allotted to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board, members of the Hindu Jagriti Manch, the Manav Kalyan Sangathan, the Hindu Ekta Manch, the Jan Jagriti Manch, the Ambedkar Sena Punjab and the Brahmin Sabha blocked roads and set Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister’s effigy on fire. The protesters demanded that forest land which was earlier allotted to the SASB and then taken back, should immediately be transferred back to the shrine board. They also demanded Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir and security for the pilgrims. The protesters submitted a memorandum, addressed to President Pratibha Patil, to the deputy commissioner in this regard. — UNI
	Rinku’s supporters write to Rahul Gandhi Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 1 Criticising state Youth Congress chief Vijay Inder Singla’s decision of removing Rinku Sethi from the post of Jalandhar District Youth Congress (urban) president, several supporters of the latter have written a letter to All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Rahul Gandhi. Giving details of the letter, Rinku’s supporters, who include Jalandhar Youth Congress (urban) vice-presidents Rishi Anand, Chander Shekhar and its general secretary Surjeet Singh Seeta, said, “We have told Rahul that Sethi was removed hurriedly without knowing the realty. Besides, he is falsely implicated in the criminal case which still needs to be probed.” Demanding Rinku’s reinstatement, his supporters said his removal had adversely affected the morale of Youth Congress workers in Jalandhar. However, Singla told The Tribune that he had got an official order to remove Rinku as the unit was non-functional for the past some time. “Rinku is not the only one to be removed. Several other presidents of the Youth Congress were also removed on the same day,” he added. Talking about the letter, Singla said, “Everybody has the right to write to the AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi and present his point of view.”
	Another chance for farmers to regularise load Tribune News Service Patiala, July 1 The Punjab State Electricity Board has decided to give another chance to agriculture consumers to have their unauthorised load regularised and for this purpose it announced a voluntary disclosure scheme, which would be effective during this month. Punjab State Electricity Board chairman Y. S. Ratra said here today that with a view to give uninterrupted power supply during the paddy season, the board had decided to give another opportunity to AP consumers to get their unauthorised loads regularised through the voluntary disclosure scheme with effect from today. The scheme will remain open till July 31. The AP consumers can get their unauthorised loads regularised by depositing Rs 1,000 per BHP as service connection charges. Those consumers with connections less than three years old shall have to deposit Rs 3,000 per BHP as service connection charges.