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Congress captures Pathankot MC
Pathankot, November 20
Even as Congress councillor Anil Vij was elected president of the local municipal council today, factionalism in the party came to the fore prominently. The BJP, which had suffered a major setback in the council elections held about five months ago when its candidates could win 10 seats out of total 33 seats, suffered yet another jolt as its two councillor supported Vij by raising their hands in his favour during the election.

Anil Vij and Soma Devi, president and vice-president of the Pathankot Municipal Council, respectively, with their  supporters on Thursday. Photo: N.P. Dhawan

Panel to oversee removal of encroachments
Amritsar, November 20
Following Punjab and Haryana High Court directions to remove encroachments on government lands, especially hospitals, dispensaries, schools etc, the Municipal Corporation yesterday formed an enforcement and monitoring committee (EMC) to avoid probable contempt proceedings.

POLITICS

LS Polls
BSP names 6 candidates 
Jalandhar, November 20
Dismissing reports regarding talks with the SAD or any other party for electoral alliance in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab as “absurd”, president of the Punjab unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Avtar Singh Karimpuri today announced the names of party candidates for six Lok Sabha constituencies. Candidates for the remaining seven seats will be declared in the next few weeks.

Avtar Singh Karimpuri

Ramoowalia eyes pact with Cong
Sangrur, November 20
Despite the start of campaigning in the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency by former Congress MLA Arvind Khanna, national Lok Bhalai Party (LBP) chief Balwant Singh Ramoowalia yesterday indicated that the Congress would leave Sangrur Lok Sabha (LS) seat to the LBP.

Cong MLA seeks action against Capt
Amritsar, November 20
Former Congress MLA Raj Kumar has sought disciplinary action against Capt Amarinder Singh, former Chief Minister and chairman of the Congress Campaign Committee in Punjab, for disclosing to the media the names of certain probables for the Lok Sabha elections.

Badal, Amarinder families nurture Bathinda
Chandigarh, November 20
The principal political families of Punjab are set for a face-off in Bathinda with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal scheduled to hold sangat darshan programmes in the constituency on November 22 even as former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s son Raninder Singh held meetings in the constituency yesterday as well as today.

COMMUNITY

‘Illegal’ MTP
No case registered after 15 days
Sangrur, November 20
Even after 15 days of filing a complaint (in the form of a letter) with the Khanauri police by the Sangrur civil surgeon, Dr Dalip Kumar, against Dr S.K. Mehta and his wife Dr Shweta Mehta for allegedly conducting an “illegal” medical termination of pregnancy (MTP)”on September 22 on a four-month pregnant woman (who later died at Shah Hospital, Kaithal, on September 24), no FIR has been registered by the Khanauri police in this case so far.

Punjab to have 3 micro-hydel power plants
Patiala, November 20
In its bid to tame the spiralling spectre of power shortage, the Punjab State Electricity Board has roped in private companies for setting-up three micro-hydel power plants (MHPPs) in Punjab.

Tannery owners resist PSEB staff
Jalandhar, November 20
Officials of the PSEB today had a tough time at the local tanneries where they had gone to disconnect power supply on the directions of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).

Sehajdharis’ plea to SGPC
Chandigarh, November 20
Sehajdhari Sikhs, under the ambit of the Sehajdhari Sikh Federation, today appealed to the SGPC to treat them as an integral part of Sikhism while taking a decision on how they are to be defined following a direction by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this regard.

Sukhbir to name next SGPC chief
Amritsar, November 20
The youngest Shiromani Akali Dal president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, will hold a meeting of the SGPC in the historical Teja Singh Sammundri Hall here tomorrow just to seek “authorisation” from it to nominate the next president of the Shiromani committee, called ‘mini parliament’ of the Sikhs.

Report bribery cases directly to me: FM
Chandigarh, November 20
Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal yesterday urged the people of the state to directly report to him any instance of demanding of money in the state treasuries for clearance of bills and mentioned his office telephone nos. 0172-2743457 and fax no. 0172-2740361 for on-the-spot reporting of the matter.

COURTS

Punjab, engineers in the dock for filing false reply
Chandigarh, November 20
A false reply filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in a land acquisition matter has landed Punjab and other powers-that-be in the dock.

Ensure logical conclusion, HC tells Punjab
Chandigarh, November 20
The Punjab and Haryana High Court wants the minister concerned of the Punjab government to “ensure proper action” in the Marriot hotel controversy.

HC pulls up Punjab for violation of building bylaws 
Chandigarh, November 20
If suggestions put forth by a Division Bench of the high court are implemented in Punjab, the problem of building bylaws violation may soon be a thing of the past.

CRIME

Drugs worth Rs 11 lakh seized
Sangrur, November 20
A team of the district health authorities today raided the premises of P.D. Distributors at the local Kaula Park and seized drugs, which can be misused as intoxicants, worth Rs 11 lakh from there.