Gurgaon, May 12
Persons contesting the Lok Sabha elections, including sitting MPs, MLAs and MLCs, have been barred from taking their armed security personnel along with them into counting halls.

As per an order of the commission sent to the chief electoral officers of all states; besides the returning officers of all parliamentary constituencies, such candidates could be permitted to enter the counting halls with the stipulation that their armed security persons should not get into the counting hall.

“Such candidates should be asked to give an undertaking that they are surrendering their security on their own voluntarily to sit in the counting hall,” the order states, adding that the only exception would be in the case of SPG-protected persons.

Meanwhile, Returning Officer for the Gurgaon parliamentary constituency-cum-Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Deepti Umashankar said here today that as per the directions of the Election Commission of India, there would be three-tier security at the counting centres to check the entry of unauthorised persons.

The counting centres for all four Assembly segments falling in the district have been set up in Dronacharya Government College here. The counting will begin at 8 am on Saturday.

The Deputy Commissioner today visited the counting centres and reviewed the arrangements. She has also issued prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC to ban the entry of unauthorised persons in the area within a radius of 500 metres of the counting centres.

She has also prohibited carrying of arms, firearms and any other articles capable of causing injury in a 500-metre radius of the counting centres.

Even the staff on duty, candidates, their election agents and counting agents and other authorised persons, including press correspondents, would not be allowed to carry matchbox, lighter, cigarette, blade, knife, any kind of liquid chemical, mobile phones, cordless phones, pagers, wireless sets, watch, extra cloth, belt, key-rings, pens, pencils, any electric gadgets or any other instruments considered objectionable from the security point of view inside the counting halls.

Eight duty magistrates have been appointed to maintain law and order at the four counting centres on the day of counting. For each counting centre there will be two duty magistrates, one for the inner circle of the centre and the other for the maintenance of peace and order outside the centre. The Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) concerned would be the overall in charge of his counting centre.

Rohtak, May 12
Sunil, husband of the alleged gang-rape victim, Alka, who had committed suicide by consuming poison on May 6, had to be taken to the PGIMS today as his health deteriorated last night. He fell ill while accompanying the body of his wife to his native village, Panchi, in Panipat district.

Though Alka was cremated yesterday, Sunil was taken back to the PGIMS this morning, said his father, Roop Chand.

Though the latest report about the condition of Sunil was not available, his father told The Tribune on the phone that Sunil had not been feeling well since yesterday and was asked to himself examined today. He was yet to come back home, he added.

He said he was hopeful that the police would arrest the culprits soon, adding that he would not sit silent if the promise made to them by the authorities was not fulfilled.

The police had assured to arrest the five accused involved in the gang-rape within 15 days. Roop Chand said Alka’s children had been sent to their aunt’s house for a few days.

He said he was worried about the future of Sunil and his children as his son was unemployed and there was no permanent source of income. He said no help or assurance in this regard had been received so far from anyone regarding any help.

However, the kin of the victim had earlier turned down an offer of a long-term savings deposit (financial) in the name of children made by the local administration when the family was protesting and had refused to take the possession of the body of Alka. 

Chandigarh, May 12
Haryana’s failure to file a reply in a land acquisition case has cost the state dearly. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has not only given a clear opinion that the state is deliberately dilly-dallying the matter, but has also granted adjournment subject to payment of Rs 50,000 costs.

The amount is to be recovered from the pocket of the officer held responsible for the delay.

The petition in the matter was filed by Rohtash Chaudhary and Baljinder Chaudhary of Ambala district. The two were seeking the quashing of notifications issued under Section 4 and 6 in April, 2007, and February, 2008, for the setting up of new “anaj mandi” and new sabzi mandi in Shahpur Bohawa village in Ambala district.

Taking up the matter, the Division Bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Jitendra Chauhan observed it had, in an earlier order dated March 26, noted that the reply was not forthcoming despite repeated opportunities to the state.

Even a last opportunity was granted at a previous occasion, but again the state counsel sought adjournment for filing reply.

As the matter came up for hearing, he informed the court that letters were written to the secretary concerned and a phone call was also made.

The Bench ruled: “The conduct of the department concerned cannot be appreciated. It appears that the state does not want the case to be decided….

“However, we grant adjournment sought, subject to the payment of Rs 50,000 costs and also an affidavit be filed, fixing responsibility of the persons responsible for delaying the filing of the reply so far. The cost shall be recovered from the persons responsible for the delay”.

Before parting with the order, the Bench accepted the suggestion made by the counsel for the petitioner for depositing the amount with the Punjab and Haryana High Court Legal Aid Committee. The case will now come up for further hearing on May 30.

Sirsa, May 12
The Election Commission has ordered repoll at booth number 101 of the 38-Narwana Assembly constituency (reserved) under the Sirsa parliamentary constituency (reserved).

It will be held from 7 am to 5 pm tomorrow. Returning Officer for the Sirsa constituency (reserved) SK Goyal informed that the orders had been issued under Section 58 of the People's Representation Act, 1951.

He said the repoll had been ordered after receiving complaints of some irregularities at the booth. The vote of a person living abroad is alleged to have been cast by someone. Similarly, the vote of a deceased person had also been cast at that booth.

Goyal said all preparations for tomorrow’s repoll had been made.

Chandigarh, May 12
The Haryana government has notified May 13 as a public holiday in its all public offices, including educational institutions, boards and corporations, located in the area of polling station number 101, SD Senior School, right side, near Narwana Minor, Narwana, in Jind district on account of repoll ordered by the Election Commission.

Workers and employees of industrial and commercial establishments located in the area will be entitled to a paid holiday on May 13 under Section 135-B(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. constituency, are also entitled to paid holiday on May 13.

Chandigarh, May 12
Terming the inquiry conducted into the alleged announcement of Rs 11,000 at a polio camp in Karnal as “null and void”, working president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee Kuldip Sharma has said that he was not associated with the inquiry at all.

In his reply to the notice served on him by the Election Commission and quoting his 30 years’ standing as a lawyer, Sharma said the inquiry did not hold good because no explanation was sought from him.

This, he maintains, goes against the apex court judgment by virtue of which all “material” against him should have been made available to him and his reply sought on the same.

He adds that this seems to be the “handiwork of his political opponents” and that the allegation of bribery, too, do not hold good against him. Sharma has added that the allegation of bribery for getting votes, as mentioned in the EC notice, are illogical since he was not a candidate.

Maintaining that the function where the announcement was made was not even a political function, he explained that there was no inducement of any kind in the announcement, as is being made out, since the party had not decided on its candidate for the seat.

He mentioned that he would take suitable legal action for being sent the notice in consultation with his lawyer.

The EC had served a notice on Sharma asking him to explain why he should not be prosecuted for attempting to bribe voters during elections. The EC had sought a reply to the notice served on Sharma on May 9 within 48 hours of its receipt.

The notice pertained to an announcement of Rs 11,000 made by Sharma at a polio camp held in Krishna Mandir, Sector 14, Karnal, on March 22. The said amount was announced for medicines and other aids for polio patients despite the fact that the model code of conduct was in force since March 2. The EC had said that, on investigation, the allegations were found to be true.

Sonepat, May 12
After holding a closed-door meeting with representatives of all castes of Kathura village at Gohana this evening, Deputy Commissioner Ajit Joshi told mediapersons that there was no social boycott of families of the Scheduled Castes and the Backward Classes of the village and some mischievous elements were behind such reports. A similar explanation was given by village sarpanch Krishan Narwal.

The DC said Gohana DSP Rao Jaipal Singh had been asked to hold a probe into the matter and identify the culprits who were behind this episode.

After receiving a memorandum on Monday from representatives of SC and BC families about the alleged social boycott, the Deputy Commissioner had directed Gohana SDM Jagdish Sharma to hold a meeting of representatives from both sides in the village today.

As the SDM was holding a meeting, Devraj Dewan, who is contesting this parliamentary election from this constituency as the BSP candidate, along with his supporters, reached the village and reportedly asked the representatives of the SC and BC community not to participate in the meeting. The meeting ended without reaching to any decision.

This development was brought to the notice of the DC by the SDM after which he also reached Gohana and called a meeting of representatives from both sides on the court premises at Gohana.

Chandigarh, May 12
Raj Bala and her three minor children will get Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia, after all. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has not only dismissed Haryana’s appeal against the order granting compensation to the Kargil martyr’s widow and family, but has also imposed Rs 50,000 costs on the state for entangling her in needless litigation.

Her plight has also led to the passing of strictures against Haryana, and the advocate-general’s office.

Coming down heavily on the state for depriving the Fatehabad district-based widow of financial aid for almost a decade, the Division Bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Jitendra Chauhan also ruled “the action of the state must match its words”.

Raj Bala’s husband L/Nk Bhim Singh (33) was posted at Gulmarg post in the Kargil sector during Operation Vijay, when forehead injuries resulted in his death on July 2, 1999. 

The state home minister, the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police attended his funeral. The chief minister’s condolence message was also received. But ex-gratia announced by the state was not given, compelling her to move the court.

The state did not file its reply. Subsequently, a Single Judge allowed the petition and directed the release of Rs 10 lakh on January 10, 2001, — an order that was challenged before the Division Bench.

“Though lip sympathy was shown to her, she was not given ex-gratia declared by the state,” the Bench observed. “The nature of the case was urgent one, as widow of a martyr was seeking justice and such a case had to be given top priority.

All concerned were expected to act efficiently. If the advocate-general’s office did not act efficiently, it was the lapse of the state itself….

“The deceased was not on a pleasure trip, but was there to serve the cause of the armed forces. He was in the prime of his youth. His death cannot be called natural and not attributable to the cause of serving the Army....

“If the state declared a policy of giving financial aid to the families of martyrs, it cannot deny such aid on hyper-technical grounds.” the Bench concluded.

This was pointed out to the authorities and no action was taken. But now a “decision has been sent without inquiry with malafide intention by making a false ground of mismanagement and complaints for acquisition of the temple management”. — TNS

Sirsa, May 12
Chaudhary Devi Lal University has decided to start several new courses from the coming academic session. A meeting of the Academic Council of the university, which was attended among others by Vice-Chancellor KC Bhardwaj and Registrar RK Sehgal, today gave its approval to start three MSc (Honours) courses in economics, chemistry and mathematics.

These will be five-year integrated courses and admissions will be made on the basis of the senior secondary examination.

Besides, the university has also decided to start a postgraduate course, Masters in Retail and Logistic Management, which will be of four-semester duration.

“The new courses have been introduced to improve the academic standards so that students passing out from the university can compete with others in the job market at the global level,” Bhardwaj said, while talking to The Tribune.

He said research had been made an essential part of the university in the draft PhD ordinance approved by the Academic Council.

“The committee that prepared the draft suggested that Professors, Readers and Lecturers could be allowed to become guides to 12, eight and five research scholars, respectively, but the Academic Council has approved to allow them to be guide to eight, five and three research scholars, respectively,” Bhardwaj said.

In a major shift in its earlier policy, the university has decided to introduce an entrance test for registration to PhD.

Earlier, the registration was made on the basis of merit in the qualifying examination.

The Academic Council also accorded its approval to registration of 35 research scholars for the PhD course in the university.

These are one in chemistry, four in English, seven in public administration, four in economics, five in commerce, six in physics, four in biotechnology, one in computer sciences and three in management.