New Delhi, November 29
The terror strikes in the financial capital of India failed to spoil the enthusiasm of voters in the city, as 60% people, including women and senior citizens exercised their franchise today.

The polls that started at 8 am ended peacefully at 5 pm, except a few stray incidents reported from some parts of the city, said Delhi chief electoral officer Satbir Silas Bedi.

The exact number of voters who turned out to vote will be announced tomorrow after getting reports from all districts, as polling in two polling stations at Keshavpuram and Bhati Mines continued till late even after 5 pm.

Meanwhile, the chilly weather, age and fatigue failed to touch 100-year-old Kamla, a resident of Mayur Vihar, who exercised her franchise at a polling booth in Patparganj. She had come to the polling booth with her granddaughter Sneha. A policeman and a polling staff assisted the centenarian. My grandmother has not missed any election for the last 50 years, said Sneha.

Physically challenged Asma Jehan of Chilla village was among the early ones to exercise her franchise at a Trilokpuri booth. Her son Anwar had assisted his 80-year-old mother to the booth.

Manorama, another disabled elderly woman, was noticed being helped by a policeman at a polling booth in Kalyanpuri.

While an 82-year-old voter was seen at a booth in the Ambedkar Nagar constituency of South Delhi with her great-grand daughter.

Besides, senior citizens came out in large numbers to vote in Laxmi Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Vishwas Nagar, Kalyanpuri, Shahdara, Okhla, Sarita Vihar, Jaitpur, Badarpur, Tughlakabad and Sangam Vihar.

Scores of commandos were deployed at Joga Bai, adjacent to Batla House, a hyper-sensitive polling station in Okhla.

Some politicians also made it early to the polling booths. The early voters included vice-president Hamid Ansari, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and BJP’s chief ministerial candidate V.K. Malhotra.

Besides, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Vadra were among the early voters at the Aurangzeb Road station.

Bedi said that South East district recorded the lowest turnout of 55.5% while the South West district recorded the highest of 63%.

According to sources, 45% voters had cast their ballots by 2.30 pm. Polling picked up pace as the day progressed and serpentine queues were seen outside polling booths. There were stray incidents of violence in Tughlakabad, Rajouri Garden and Wazirapur areas.

Sheila Dikshit’s New Delhi constituency recorded a massive 48% turnout till 2 pm while, the Krishnagar constituency from where state BJP president Harsh Vardhan is contesting, recorded a turnout of 37%.

Leader of opposition in the Delhi assembly, Jagdish Mukhi’s Janakpuri constituency recorded 40% turnout.

Both Sangam Vihar and Ambedkar Nagar recorded a turnout of 38% by 2 pm. Retired IPS officer Amod Kanth is contesting on a congress ticket from Sangam Vihar, while speaker Chaudhary Prem Singh, a three-time winner is in the fray from Ambedkar Nagar.

However, there were reports that several voters returned without casting their votes, as their names were missing in the electoral rolls.

Polling was delayed in Hauz Khas, Narela and Karawal Nagar. While there was confusion over electoral rolls in Hauz Khas, in Karawal Nagar and Narela and Abul Fazal part 1 electronic voting machines were found faulty.

Four FIRs were lodged in after minor incidents were reported, Bedi said.

During the last elections in 2003, the Congress had won 47 seats while the BJP had won 20 in the 70-member house.

The election result will be declared on December 8. 

New Delhi, November 29
Though the Delhi police brushes aside any incident of violence as the city went to polls today, stray incidents of violence were reported from different areas of the Capital.

A dozen persons were injured in an altercation between the workers of the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) at Khayala in the Rajouri Garden constituency of West Delhi. While another 10 were injured in the Tughlakabad area of South East Delhi where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supporters came to blows.

However, stressing fair poll, Delhi police PRO Rajan Bhagat said, “There has been no incidence of violence or clash during election in the Capital today. Minor incidents of clash reported from Rajouri Garden and Tughlaqabad were not at the polling venues and had taken place much before polling had started in the morning.”

According to the police, the altercation between the Congress and the NCP workers took place around 7:50 in the morning while they were doing rounds urging people to vote for them.

Meanwhile, voters at certain polling booths complained of electronic voting machines (EVMs) that were out of order. According to sources, an election official was manhandled at a Wazirpur booth, as the EVM was not functioning properly.

Moreover, polling was delayed by one and a half hours at three polling booths in the Hauz Khas area under the Malaviya Nagar constituency following confusion over who should vote in which booth. The BJP has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) demanding that the polls in this constituency be rescheduled. A probe has been ordered into the matter.

The Panthers Party has also demanded the cancellation of elections in nine constituencies. It has alleged that some parties had set up illegal booths in some areas of those constituencies.

Nearly 52,000 security personnel were deployed for the election duty today. 

New Delhi, November 28
Calling for a change in the right to vote, hundreds of residents today opted to use their right by not voting for any candidate. Many voters recorded their suggestions to the Election Commission (EC) asking for the right to reject all candidates.

Many used 49-O of the Conduct of Elections Act, which enables people to exercise their right by not voting for any candidate. They went to the polling booths to register their names for not liking any candidate along with a reason.

“When I came to know about such a provision in the constitution, I was determined to use it,” said Saket, who opted none of the candidates in Kirari constituency. “They took my signature after adding my name to a register and then marked my finger,” he said.

The awareness about the provision is also the result of the campaign started by the anti-reservation group Youth for Equality (YFE) through e-mails and SMSes.

According to the YFE, more than 1,500 voters have exercised their rights this way.

“This is just the beginning. We mainly want to use it in the Lok Sabha elections, as Lok Sabha members are the main policy makers. Many people have told us that they unwillingly had to vote for incapable candidates as they did not have any other option,” said Harsh, YFE national chairman.

According to many voters, even electoral officers at many constituencies were not aware of any such provision. “When I conveyed to the officers at the polling booth that I did not want to vote for any candidate, they asked me to leave. I called up their helpline numbers too, but even they did not know about this,” said Govind Joshi from Timarpur.

“I had heated arguments with the polling booth officers and at last I had to leave without casting my vote,” added Govind.

“It took me half an hour to convince the officer out there about the option where I could choose not to vote for anyone. At last I was allowed to sign a register where I also mentioned the reason for not liking the candidates. I also wrote suggestion for the Chief Electoral office to add an option ‘none of the above in the EVM’,” said Saket.

New Delhi, November 29
Given the fact that most residents are disenchanted with the Congress’s ‘incompetent’ ways of functioning, it might be a boon for some BJP and BSP candidates like — Tarwinder Singh Marwah and Neeraj Basoya. The two are contesting from Jungpura and Kasturba Nagar constituencies respectively.

Most of the people in both the constituencies seem to be disgruntled with the Congress because of the sealing and demolition drive, installation of new meters and security lapses. Besides, the party’s failure in containing soaring prices, terror strikes and crimes.

“Since the past two years, sealing and new power norms have created dents in our pockets. The electricity bill has gone up to Rs 4,000 which earlier used to be between Rs 1,000 to 1,500. Though the Congress has done some development works, it would lose here due to the follies committed by the Sheila Dikshit government,” said Rampal of Bhogal.

However, Marwah, who is heading in for a hattrick, believes to enjoy a wide support in Jungpura. He said, “I would attain a landslide victory by at least a 20,000-margin.” The Mumbai bloodbath would also affect the Congress adversely.

Meanwhile, according to poll analysts, the recent emergence of BSP in Delhi might further sever the chances of Congress.

In Jungpura, its mascot Gaje Singh Choudhery from Kale Khan might take the minority’s vote from Marwah’s kitty.

Meanwhile, Satwant and Ajit Singh of Jungpura said, “Tarwinder is approachable. He maintains a register of complaints, which is taken care by his staff.”

In Kasturba Nagar constituency, Lajpat Nagar voters seem to be in favour of BJP-led government.

However, there are some like Jain Brothers, chemists from Bhogal, who seem to be totally disillusioned with the present state of Indian politics and might opt for the alternative 49-O of the Election Act of 1969, which enables a citizen to register his/her protest against all candidates. 

New Delhi, November 29
The victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi see a new hope in an independent candidate whom they voted for in large numbers on Saturday during polling to pick a new assembly for the capital.

Many Sikhs, who suffered during the 1984 riots, in the Tilak Vihar constituency of west Delhi said they had not voted for many years but came out in large numbers this time in support of independent candidate Ajit Singh Siddha.

Siddha is fighting the elections on his own after the Congress refused to give him a ticket.

“We have lost all our hopes from the present government and want to bring change. So we are backing Ajit Singh Siddha, who we think understands our grief and the apathy we have faced for the past 24 years,” Amrit Singh Lovely told IANS.

Lovely, who suffered during the 1984 carnage of Sikhs in the aftermath of assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, came out to vote with his family.

The polling started on a low key in the morning, but picked up as the day warmed up with people coming out in large numbers to vote.

“We have requested our community to vote for a candidate who they think can help them get justice,” Lovely said.

Anger against the Congress was visible here and the people criticised the party for fielding former police officer Amod Kanth, who the riot victims alleged, had helped the 1984 rioters.

“The Congress first helped leaders such as Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and H.K.L. Bhagat by giving them senior positions, and to make things worse, it has now given a ticket to Amod Kanth,” head of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims’ welfare society Surjit Singh said.

“What does the Congress want to convey by giving tickets to such candidates?” he asked.

“We want that the Delhi government takes all steps for rehabilitation of the riot victims but it is not possible during the Congress rule. That is why we appeal to our community to punish the Congress and dethrone them,” he said.

Two commissions and eight committees have already gone into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, in which about 2,700 Sikhs were killed by rampaging mobs.

Voting was held on Saturday for 69 seats while polling for one seat has been deferred due to the death of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Puran Chand Yogi. — IANS

New Delhi, November 29
At a time when every single vote counts, a family of 99 registered electors could well be a votebank of sorts for any candidate in any constituency in Saturday’s Delhi elections.

One such family is of Mohammad Shareef, fondly called Bade Abba, who lives in Nabi Kareem area in the Ballimaran constituency in the old city.

The family has nearly 150 members out of which 99 are registered voters. The family shifted from Punjab to the Nabi Kareem area in the national capital more than six decades ago after the partition and since then it has backed the Congress.

But the family this time has shifted the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and its candidate Mushrafin.

Mushrafin is fighting against Congress’ Haroon Yusuf, a minister in the Delhi government and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Moti Lal Sodhi.

“In our house, the word of Bade abba is final and he decided to vote for the BSP candidate this time. All of us voted for Mushrafin,” Shareef’s nephew Mohammad Nazim told IANS.

“The main reason for supporting the BSP candidate was that for years, no developmental work was done in our area. We decided to support someone else this time so that the area can develop,” Nazim added.

Not just the votes, the family whole-heartedly campaigned for Mushrafin.

“Several people of our family campaigned for him. We also requested those who know us to vote for Mushrafin,” Nazim said. He even converted his kebab parantha hotel into a campaign post to help Mushrafin.

“People in our area listen to us and many support the candidate whom we support,” Nazim added.

Nazim said though our haveli (large house) was long ago divided into smaller units but the elders have kept the family united. — IANS

New Delhi, November 29
Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) observed a two-minute silence for those who had lost their lives in the Mumbai terror attacks, in its meeting on Friday.

Condemning the attacks, Aditya Narayan Misra, president of DUTA/FEDCUTA said, “The Mumbai incident should not be taken casually. Something substantial must be done to secure the nation. Terror is not acceptable in any form. The nation has to come together and face this threat.”

Meanwhile, teachers continue to be agitated over the treatment meted out to them by the UGC and the pay commission report.

“Nothing has been done for us. The Chadha Committee report is a step backward instead of a step forward,” said a teacher.

“Nothing is being done to meet our demands and suggestions,” alleged Misra. He informed, “We will hold an extended executive committee meeting on December 10 to decide our next course of action. We will also raise the issue at the DU governing body meeting on December 12. We will launch an intensive course of agitation if our demands are not registered or met.”

The FEDCUTA demands continuance of the existing four pay scale structure i.e., lecturer, senior lecturer, reader and professor in stead of the seven pay scale structure as proposed by the UGC and further sought to be increased to eight pay scale structure by the government bureaucracy. The one scale for all lecturers proposed by the Chadha Committee has been recommended by the UGC with increments for M.Phil and Ph.D.

Other demands include a PB-4 for readers/lecturers in reader’s grade; timely promotion in colleges, removal of hierarchy among professors; parity to librarians and other academic staff with teachers in terms of retirement age and study leave; no linking of student evaluation/peer review to promotions.

Moreover, threatening more agitation, the FEDCUTA executive has warned the UGC and the government that if they fail to reach a negotiated settlement, the teaching community in central universities would be forced to intensify its struggle which may include demonstration, dharna, hunger strike and indefinite strike.

Greater Noida, November 29
Two persons were killed and 12 injured in two separate road accidents in Greater Noida on Friday.

The police has sent the bodies for autopsy and rushed the injured to hospital.

About a dozen passengers were going in a tempo from Fountain Chowk to Dadri. After some distance, the brakes of the tempo reportedly failed due to which it turned turtle near Devali village on the Dadri road.

While Rajnish of Bulandshahr was crushed to death under the tempo, about a dozen people were injured in the accident.

The police rushed the injured to Navin Hospital in Dadri.

Rajnish’s kith and kin were informed on the basis of address found in his pocket.

In another accident, a biker hit three workers going on foot to the work site. They were working on laying the PNG power line. All three — Amlesh Kumar, Ameen Ansari and Harinder Dubey — were rushed by to a private nursing home in Greater Noida where Amlesh had reportedly succumbed to his injuries.

Harinder Dubey had lodged a report with Kasna Kotiwali against an unidentified biker who had hit them.

Noida, November 29
The fast track court has declared a father and his two sons guilty of killing their neighbour in Phalauda village two years ago. A clash had occurred in the village on allegations of stealthily listening to their telephone conversation by the neighbour by tempering with their telephone line.

The court had declared three persons — a father and his two sons — as guilty. The court will pronounce the sentence on December 2.

According to evidence and documents presented before the court, on August 15, 2006, Dharminder and his father Suraj Bhan were talking in their house in Phalauda village in the morning when their neighbour, Hukambeer and his two sons Vishnu and Sombeer came there. The visitors accused them of listening to their telephone conversation by tempering with their telephone line.

Suraj Bhan objected to the allegation and asked them to first get their accusation verified. At this Vishnu started abusing Suraj Bhan. As Dharminder opposed this allegation, Vishnu pulled out a countrymade revolver and shot him in the chest. While Dharminder collapsed in a pool of blood, Sombeer and Hukambeer also pulled out their revolvers and shot at Suraj Bhan, but somehow the bullets only grazed his sides.

Hearing the gunshots, a number of villagers rushed to Suraj Bhan’s house. Meanwhile, Hukambeer and both his sons got a chance to flee.

Dharminder had succumbed to his wounds while being rushed to hospital in Dadri. All the three— father Hukambeer and his two sons— were arrested by police after two days. The case went on in the fast track court of Additional District Judge Amitab Sahay for about two years during which period 10 witnesses were examined by the court. While public prosecutor Dhiraj Singh had demanded death sentence for the accused, the defence advocate had pleaded that the accused be set free.

Though the court has declared three accused as guilty, the sentence will be pronounced by the court on December 2, Dhiraj Singh said. 

New Delhi, November 29
A consumer court on Friday reprimanded insurance companies for rejecting claims on flimsy grounds and asked them to be consumer friendly.

The Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, presided over by Justice J.D. Kapoor, asked insurance companies not to adopt unfair practices in rejecting insurance claims.

Kapoor directed United India Insurance Company to pay Rs 3,00,000 to T.K. Mirza, a petitioner whose burglary claim was rejected the company.

The company closed the case treating a maidservant, who had allegedly committed the theft, as a family member.

Mirza’s wife had gone abroad for about six months in 2003 and when she returned she found some of her valuables were missing. She lodged an FIR and filed a claim with the insurance company.

A district consumer court in 2006 asked the insurance company to pay Rs 3,00,000 to the claimant. But the company appealed before the state consumer court that upheld the decision of the district forum.

Justice Kapoor said the maidservant cannot be treated as a family member.

Kapoor asked insurance sector to be consumer friendly. — IANS