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CJI: Judiciary never overstepped its domain
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Says love knows no laws
Artillery gun trials from month-end
Power struggle hots up in
AP
Bangladesh migrants threaten wildlife areas in Assam
SC upholds quota in panchayats
Work along China border gets priority
School kids held for beheading classmate
Bainsla accused of ‘sellout’, stir to go on
Ruchika Case
Dr. Man Singh Nirankari (1911 - 2010)
Not a good snow show
in Himalayas this time
India to give more aid to Sri Lanka
Naxals gun down Cong leader in AP
C’wealth Games
Gay Israeli with twin sons stranded after judicial thumbs down
DU admissions from May 28
Kasab could be hanged by year-end
Law to monitor medical colleges soon
Pact inked with Finland
Govt allows re-employment for Brigadiers
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UID number to help poor a lot: Nilekani
New Delhi, May 11 Recently named as Aadhaar, the unique identification project is set to incorporate various identification marks for an individual and would work as a one-window ID card for various purposes. The first set of identifications is expected to be rolled out by February, 2011, and around 600 million Indians would be enrolled over the next four years. Nilekani said the project would have two aspects, one to provide a unique identification number to all Indians and second to provide online authentication. Once the unique identification number became acceptable as identity proof, it would benefit millions of poor, without any identification proof, access public services. It will reduce the transaction costs in the economy as the need for establishing identity for every individual service will get eliminated. The online identification process will enable re-engineering of different applications to deliver public services in a more efficient manner. Explaining the security features, Nilekani said the identification would be biometrics-based and the database would be a private database that could be used only for authentication. The draft UIDAI Act would soon be ready for public comments and would define the framework for the entity, he added. Nilekani also presented the CII president’s awards at the session.
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CJI: Judiciary never overstepped its domain
New Delhi, May 11 Justice Balakrishnan said the Bench, which he had headed, had merely interpreted the scope of Article 156(1) of the Constitution pertaining to Governors which was very much within the domain of the apex court. Asked whether frequent friction between the judiciary and the government was in the interest of democracy, he said the judiciary did not mind “unavoidable frictions” while deciding Constitutional issues. “We are not afraid that government will take this view or that view. We don’t mind. We decide according to the law, Constitutional principles and our conscience. If there is some friction, that is unavoidable. After all, both the government and the judiciary are part of the same system, not of any foreign system, and they are for the development of this country, welfare of this country.” To a query on the delay in the trial of cases against terrorists, he said he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh suggesting the setting up of at least 60 more CBI courts. According to the reply from the Centre, the issue involved the state governments which had to provide for buildings and judges to run
such courts. The CJI clarified that his office was not against parting with information under the Right to Information Act per se. In fact, according to a report, it was the SC which had responded to a maximum of number of queries under the Act. What was being opposed was giving out information which would affect the independence of the judiciary and the reputation of some judges who were facing mere allegations without any material to substantiate these.
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Says love knows no laws
New Delhi, May 11 “It is not the laws which lead to love. Once a boy and a girl are in love they do not think of personal laws like the Hindu Marriage Act,” the CJI told reporters who wanted to know whether there was a need for amending the Hindu Marriage Act to effectively deal with situations arising from young couples getting married in defiance of their families and community practices. The CJI, however, refused to comment on honour killings and ‘khap panchayats.’ “These are controversial subjects” which could come up for judicial scrutiny and hence he would not like to comment on. Justice Balakrishnan had his last working day in the Supreme Court today. Tomorrow, Court No. 1 would be headed by CJI-designate SH Kapadia after he was sworn in by President Pratibha Devisingh Patil at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning. Nevertheless, the Hindu Marriage Act did not prohibit certain relationships, he pointed out. Reporters insisted on his response to ‘khap panchayats’ (community courts) which have been in existence for about 5,000 years arguing that the matter may not come to the SC in the near future. “You don’t know the extent of PILs. It may come at any moment,” he replied, justifying the need for him to remain silent on the issue. Asked about the undue delay in adjudicating the case relating to the suicide of teenaged tennis player Ruchika Girhotra after she was molested by former Haryana police chief SPS Rathore, CJI Balakrishnan acknowledged that in India some cases did take a long time due to “undue interferences” by influential accused persons who challenged in High Courts every decision taken by trial courts. Ordinary cases did not take that much time, he contended.
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Artillery gun trials from month-end
New Delhi, May 11 According to sources in the Defence Ministry, a 155-mm gun, which is the backbone of artillery, has to be purchased immediately. One of the two guns, meeting the general staff qualitative requirement (GSQR), has to be selected and there will be no waiting. The selection system would be transparent, sources said. Since 2002, India has conducted trials for the 155-mm gun at least four times. However, each time the nation has shied away from purchasing the gun. The shadow of the AB Bofors gun deal done in late 1980’s loomed large and held back the bureaucracy and politicos from taking a decision, maintains a top source. Trials will be conducted in deserts and mountains. The summer phase could start anytime between May 25 and 30. The maximum daytime temperature will play a major role in making that decision as the gun has to be tested for withstanding heat. The Army needs around 1,580 155-mm guns and is looking at a 52 calibre bore — that is heavier and fires longer than the 39 calibre being used now. The guns being considered for the purpose are IFH-2000, developed by Singapore Technologies Kinetics. The company has Punj Lloyd as its Indian partner. Its competitor is British company BAE Systems’ FH-77B-05. They have Mahindra and Mahindra as their Indian partner. The guns of both companies have reached India and are ready to fire. Notably, the BAE has bought over the Swedish gun-maker AB Bofors and now owns that technology. Chief of Indian Army Gen VK Singh elaborated on the urgency and importance of the artillery guns this morning saying “… battlefield environment of the future may entail short, swift and violent engagement … warfare requires application of firepower extending into the depth of enemy territory”. He was speaking at the start of two-day seminar on artillery technology organised by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) here.
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Power struggle hots up in
AP
Hyderabad, May 11 As shadow-boxing has now turned into an open war of words between the rival camps, central leaders are worried over its impact on the party’s image. What made the matters worse was a series of adverse media reports published by “Sakshi”, Telugu daily owned by Jagan. The newspaper ran a string of stories “exposing” corruption and shabby implementation of welfare and development schemes initiated by YSR. The shrill tone of the reports, showing his government in poor light, has irked the Chief Minister so much so that he gave vent to his anger at a recent Cabinet meeting. Rosaiah was understood to have expressed his displeasure over the media campaign and wondered why none of the ministers had condemned the reports and defended the government. The Chief Minister has been nursing an uneasy relationship with a majority of his cabinet colleagues, who are considered YSR loyalists. “It is ironic that a newspaper owned by a Congressman is out to defame the party government. Such reports will affect the morale of the party cadre,” said V Hanumantha Rao, a Rajya Sabha member and strong supporter of the Chief Minister. Another senior Congress MP and follower of Rosaiah camp R Sambasiva Rao created ripples in political circles, saying there are several “Madhu Kodas” (a reference to corrupt ministers) in the Cabinet and demanding a CBI probe into their activities. Hitting out at the Chief Minister’s detractors within the government, Rao, a four-time MP from Guntur and tobacco baron, said all ministers must respect and obey the Chief Minister or else quit if they did not accept him as their leader. He also urged party president Sonia Gandhi to give Rosaiah a free hand in running the government. However, Jagan’s loyalists, including ministers N Raghuveera Reddy, K Venkat Reddy and K Lakshminarayana, hit back at the Guntur MP, accusing him of trying to drive a wedge among the Cabinet colleagues for political gains. After the death of YSR in a helicopter crash in September last year, an emotional campaign was launched by a section of Congressmen to anoint 37-year-old Jagan as his political successor. However, Sonia Gandhi had snubbed the young aspirant, saying he still needs to learn the ropes and unequivocally backed Rosaiah for the top job. While grudgingly accepting the high command’s directive, Jagan’s supporters have not been comfortable with Rosaiah.
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Bangladesh migrants threaten wildlife areas in Assam Guwahati, May 11 These persons of suspect nationality have already encroached upon sizeable portion of numerous wildlife protection areas in the state which has five national parks and 20 wildlife sanctuaries spread over an areas of 3,925 sq km and 325 reserved forests spread over 13,870 sq km. The State Forest Department find it difficult to keep these belligerent encroachers at bay. A source in the Forest Department said, some of these encroachers enjoy backing of certain political parties in the state where parties are in rat race to set up support base of the immigrant population. The threat from these sand bar isles dwellers of suspect nationality has come to such a pass in the Rajiv Gandhi National Park at Orang in Darrang district of north Assam, that the Forest Department had to take help from the Army to evict over 1000 such encroachers armed with sharp weapons who had set up mud houses and came with their women and children inside the national park known for its treasure trove of one-horned rhino and tiger. Forest guards mounted on trained elephants who were backed by army personnel, launched an emergency operation inside the national park three days back to demolish mud houses built by those encroachers in the southern portion of the park. Senior forest official informed that some mud houses were built in the core area of the park with a total area of 78 sq km. “Handful of forest guards was no match for about a thousand encroachers armed with sharp weapons. So, we had to bank on army personnel and use trained elephants to chase them away,” the official said. Suspected illegal Bangladeshi settlers on sand bar isles along the Brahmaputra river near the Kaziranga and the Rajiv Gandhi National Park were involved in rhino poaching. During a recent raid conducted by security personnel in few such settlements near the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, weapons and traps used in poaching were recovered along with some animal parts. Four persons - Mohammed Abdul Rashid, Gulam Osmani, Mohammed Ghiyasuddin and Mohammed Ayub Ali-all suspected Bangladeshi national, were arrested during the operation.
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SC upholds quota in panchayats
New Delhi, May 11 The provisions for reservation of seats for SCs and STs in proportion to their population with not less than one-third being women, under the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution were in order, a five-member Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan ruled. The other members were Justices RV Raveendran, DK Jain, P Sathasivam and JM Panchal. The 69-page verdict of the Bench was written by the outgoing CJI. “The reservation of chairperson posts in the manner contemplated by Article 243D(4) and 243T(4) is constitutionally valid. These chairperson posts cannot be equated with solitary posts in the context of public employment,” the apex court said. Concerns about disproportionate reservations should be raised by way of specific challenges against state legislations, it ruled. The court said it was of the view that the identification of backward classes under the two Articles should be distinct from identification of socially and economically backward classes for the purpose of Article 15(4) and that of backward classes for the purpose of Article 16(4). “The upper ceiling of 50 per cent vertical reservations in favour of SC/ST/OBCs should not be breached in the context of local self-government. Exceptions can only be made in order to safeguard interests of Scheduled Tribes in the matter of their representation in panchayats located in the Scheduled Areas.” Rejecting the plea for excluding the creamy layer, it said reservation in local self-government was intended to directly benefit the community as a whole rather than just the elected representatives.
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Work along China border gets priority
New Delhi, May 11 Antony told the parliamentary consultative committee attached to his ministry that as part of the first phase of its long-term perspective plan, the Border Road Organisation (BRO) would construct 61 roads along the India-China border. These would have a total length of more than 3,400 km. Another 255 roads with a total length of 10,100 km, an all-weather road to Leh as well as an 8.8-km-long Rohtang Tunnel are part of the second phase of the plan. Construction on the Rohtang tunnel will start in July. Antony said the government was considering setting up a body on the lines of the BRO that would construct roads in areas that are not strategic in nature or do not fall on the border. To speed up matters, the BRO had been asked to outsource the job of airlifting machinery and material to difficult terrains as the Indian Air Force in this regard was overstretched. The minister said the BRO had also been directed to focus on strategic infrastructures in border areas and not diffuse their resources in other states for the time being. The BRO was in the process of considerable transformation and modernisation, Antony told the committee.
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School kids held for beheading classmate
Mumbai, May 11 Mapre later confessed to killing Ghorpade along with two other schoolboys. The police is withholding the names of the boys because they are minors. After killing Abhishek, the boys threw his severed head into the Mutha river which flows through Pune. Divers from the police and the fire brigade have given up the search for the severed head, the police said. According to the police Abhishek left home on May 5 and was not seen alive since. After his parents filed complaints with the police, some of Abhishek’s classmates were picked up for questioning. The police said Mapre, a dropout from Ghorpade’s school, was a bad character who ran a gang and attacked other school boys in the vicinity. Last year, after one such incident the police picked up Mapre and let him go after a warning. However, Mapre suspected that Abhishek may have revealed his name to the police and decided to make an example out of him. Along with his two minor accomplices Mapre abducted Abhishek and took him to the isolated spot. The boy was tied to a tree and his head hacked off with a chopper, the police said.
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Bainsla accused of ‘sellout’, stir to go on
Jaipur, May 11 A section of Gujjar leaders have rejected the agreement and accused Bainsla of “selling out the community’s interests to different governments in the state for his personal gains”. These leaders, including Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Nathu Singh Gujjar, Kalu Lal Gujjar and Gopi Chand Gujjar, have also announced to continue the agitation over 5 per cent quota for the Gujjars. — A Gujjar leader Interestingly, the Gujjar leaders with BJP background have also joined hands in this diatribe against Bainsla. Leading the attack, Bidhuri alleged that Bainsla has duped the community after every agitation in the last four years in exchange of personal gains, including monetary ones, from the state government. “Bainsla, who got political mileage by getting Lok Sabha ticket from the BJP and important postings for his relatives, now ended the Gujjar agitation for ensuring a Rajya Sabha seat for his daughter in the June 17 elections,” charged Bidhuri who resigned from the primary membership of the Congress to lead the agitation from apolitical front. He dubbed all the agreements signed by Bainsla with previous BJP and current Congress regimes as a “sellout”. Nathu Singh, who was a Cabinet minister in the previous BJP government, alleged that Bainsla has formed a habit of reaching an agreement with the state government and later launching a stir against the terms of the same agreement. The Gujjar leaders lambasted Bainsla for agreeing to “unconstitutional formula” of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of providing 1 per cent quota to the Gujjars apart from their share in the OBC category. They said they have called a Mahapanchayat at Sikandara in Dausa district on May 13 which will bring to the fore widespread resentment in the community against the agreement signed by Bainsla. This is not the first time that Bainsla is facing such allegations. He was also accused of getting his relatives appointed to Devnarayan Development Board and Rajasthan Public Service Commission during the previous BJP government. Bainsla found himself in the midst of controversies after every agitation as he reportedly took unilateral decisions. This was the reason he was forced to seek approval from senior community leaders before signing an agreement with the government during the second Gujjar agitation in 2008. This time too he held a one-to-one meeting with CM Ashok Gehlot, fuelling speculations of a Rajya Sabha ticket to his daughter. On the other hand, Bainsla has strongly refuted the allegations levelled against him. “Those levelling charges against me are politically dead and are looking for an opportunity to revive their political fortunes. Launching an attack against me is also a strategy to achieve this goal,” he charged.
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Ruchika Case
Chandigarh, May 11 On the same day, Additional District and Sessions Judge Gurbir Singh will also pronounce its decision on the CBI’s plea clubbed with the complainants appeal for enhancement of Rathore’s sentence, which is also pending before the same court. “The court has fixed May 20 to announce its decision. We are expecting maximum sentence for Rathore,” complainant’s lawyer Pankaj Bhardwaj told reporters outside the courtroom. CBI Judge JS Sidhu had sentenced Rathore to six-month imprisonment on December 21, 2009, for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika at Panchkula on August 12, 1990. However, he was immediately granted bail. Rathore, accompanied by his wife and counsel Abha Rathore, reached the court amidst tight security at around 10 am. Complainant Anand Parkash, his wife Madhu Parkash, Ruchika’s father SC Girhotra and their counsel Pankaj Bhardwaj were also present inside the courtroom. During the entire course of continuous hearing, the media was kept outside the courtroom. Meanwhile, 29-year-old Utsav Sharma, who had attacked Rathore while he was coming out of a court and was granted bail, appeared in a court here today. The court extended his bail till August 16.
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Noted surgeon & scholar is no more
Soft spoken and gentle in his manner, Dr Man Singh Nirankari, however, was firm in his convictions and opinions. He was equally at ease with the prefix and suffix to his name and the different spheres of life they both signified his eminent professional life and his heritage. He passed away in Chandigarh the early hours of May 11.
Dr Man Singh Nirankari, MBBS, FRCS (Edin) DO (London), was born on December 8, 1911, in a small village called Meki Dhok, Campbellpur, district of joint Punjab, now in Pakistan, renamed Attock. His father, Hara Singh (1877-1971) was the leader of the Nirankari movement, active in northwest Punjab then. It was in Rawalpindi that the young Man Singh studied at Khalsa High School and Garden Mission College, (for FSc), King Edward Medical College, Lahore (for MBBS). He became FRCS in 1937. In 1942, he married Phool, the daughter of Sant Singh Lyallpuri, who served as Indian Ambassador to Ethiopia from 1950-1953. She had studied English Honours at Government College for Women, Lahore. It was an Anand Karaj marriage; something the Nirankaris had played a significant role in popularising. After Partition, the couple settled down in Amritsar. They had three children, a son Dr Verinder Singh Nirankari, an ophthalmologist who lives in Maryland, USA, and daughters, Aruna Singh who lives in Delhi and the prominent theatre personality, Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry. Recognised as one of the most prominent ophthalmologists in the region, Dr Man Singh became the Principal and Head of the Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College, Amritsar, a position from which he retired in 1971. Among his students are many famous surgeons. A prominent citizen of Amritsar, he was active in the educational, cultural and religious fields, and friend to many prominent political and religious leaders. He served as a Syndic and Senator of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; he was an adviser to the SGPC’s Dharmam Prachar Committee, and member of the committee to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Amritsar. After he and Phool moved from Amritsar to Chandigarh in 1998 to be with their daughter Neelam and son-in-law, Pushi Chowdhry, he often attended various literary and cultural events, and spoke on a variety of issues at various functions. A prolific writer, he published articles and wrote books in Punjabi in a variety of genres, including poetry, history, divinity and Sikh issues. He also wrote Katha Kahani, his autobiography. Phool Man Singh passed away on May 7, 2006. Many of those who came to the Electric Crematorium in Chandigarh on Tuesday afternoon remembered that this was the man who had constructed a similar facility in Amritsar, the first in Punjab. Many also remember the strong voice and emotional Ardas of Dr Man Singh when he prayed, at this very spot, four years ago, for the peace of his wife’s soul. Now, he was joining her.
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Not a good snow show
in Himalayas this time
Chandigarh, May 11 “There was no snow in December and January when snow cover normally builds up in this region,” Ashwagosha Ganju, Director of Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment (SASE) said. “Two major snow periods in February were not followed by similar spells that normally take place in March and April,” he added. SASE, a Defence Research and Development Organisation laboratory, is engaged in the monitoring, study and analysis of snow patterns and climatic conditions in the Himalayas. Winter season in the Himalayas is the period from November to April. At the beginning of the season, snowfall was 70 per cent above normal. There had also been a light snow spell near Rohtang in Himachal towards the end of April. The director said that roughly 60 per cent of the snowbound area has received deficient snow. This includes the Pir Panjal Range in western J&K, the Kashmir Valley and the Shamshibari Range that lies in North Kashmir between Pir Panjal and the Greater Himalayas. On the other hand, the Karakoram ranges and a few other spots in J&K have received normal snow. Scientists attribute less snowfall to a host of environmental factors, including the El Nino effect and western disturbances. “The precipitation as well as the number of western disturbances in this region has also been considerably less this winters,” Ganju pointed out. Also of significance is the fact that maximum and minimum temperatures this winters were above normal. The normal number of western disturbances --- that originate over the Mediterranean and move east to play a major role in development of particular climatic conditions over North India --- is 26 for the entire season. Very few western disturbances were experienced from January to March, the period when major snow cover is expected to build up.
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India to give more aid to Sri Lanka
New Delhi, May 11 New Delhi was keen to assist the island nation in whatever possible form to resolve this problem. “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced an assistance package of Rs 500 crore for the rehabilitation and resettlement of the North last year,” she
said. “We have in addition extended the lines of credit worth $416 million for the restoration of railway infrastructure and other infrastructural projects in northern Sri Lanka. Another $382 million are in the pipeline,” she said. Underlining that it was an opportune time to rebuild the country, Nirupama said, “We should not, however, underestimate any of the challenges thrown up following the end of the military conflict which destroyed infrastructure and dented progress. The most immediate among them (the challenges) is the plight of the people. They have come out after decades of conflict in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, scarred by their experience and seared by violence in their daily lives.” She said the IDPs issue should be solved through negotiations for permanent political settlement of ethnic issues. India, which once wielded undisputed leverage over the Sri Lankan conflict, maintained a largely hands-off approach over the last two years because of the concerns of Tamils at home. However, it is now keen to ensure that it retains influence in the island. The speakers from Sri Lanka, the UK and the US said one of the main hurdles in taking the Sri Lankan peace process forward was disorganised, erratic and slow pace of resettlement and rehabilitation of IDPs.
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Naxals gun down Cong leader in AP
Hyderabad, May 11 The armed extremists barged into the house of U Somalingam, vice-chairman of Visakhapatnam Zilla Parishad, in Choudupalli village last night and fired at him from close range. The incident occurred in the remote village, around 120 km from the district headquarters. “The victim’s relatives rushed him to a hospital in a nearby village but he died on the way,” a top police official said..Somalingam was on the “hit list” of Naxalites for allegedly supporting bauxite mining in the area by private companies. The Maoists have been in the forefront of a movement against Bauxite mining. Somalingam’s predecessor K Ravi Shankar was also shot dead by Maoists in May, 2007, branding him as a stooge of the private mining lobby. The Maoists had threatened the local Congress leaders of “dire consequences” if they supported mining activity. In another incident in the same district, Maoists opened fire at a jeep carrying tribals while they were returning from a weekly market at RV Nagar of Chintapalle Mandal, arout 80 km from the district headquarters. Six persons, including three women, sustained bullet injuries in the attack.
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C’wealth Games
New Delhi, May 11 Bharat Bala and film maker Shyam Benegal are learnt to have given a detailed plan of the opening ceremony as Shyam Benegal had written a strong letter, protesting against the Organising Committee's decision to advance the opening ceremony of the games on October 3 to 5.30 p m. from the originally planned 7 p m. The organising committee, headed by Suresh
Kalmadi, reportedly took the decision to advance the opening ceremony to suit the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, but Kalmadi left the final decision on the matter to the
GoM. Bala and Benegal explained that since the opening ceremony includes extensive laser
programme, advancing the timing would spoil the entire show as a tunnel, costing around Rs 40 crore, was being constructed especially for the opening ceremony
programme. After the meeting with Kalmadi and others, the Group of Ministers had a separate meeting. The meeting was also attended by Sports Minister Dr
M.S.Gill, Kum. Selja, Lt. Governor Tejinder Khanna and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit.
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Gay Israeli with twin sons stranded after judicial thumbs down
Mumbai, May 11 According to doctors at LH Hiranandani Hospital in
Powai, Goldberg became father of twins Itai and Liron two months ago. A surrogate mother gave birth to the twins following in-vitro
fertilisation. Goldberg has been living in a hotel in suburban Mumbai since then as the legal process to bring the children home got underway in Israel. Under Israeli laws, children born outside the countries would have to undergo a paternity test which is normally ordered by a court there. However, a family court in Jerusalem denied permission to Goldberg to proceed with the paternity test. Consequently, the Israeli man is stuck in Mumbai with the twins while he appeals in a higher court. The news has sparked protests among gay, lesbian and transgender activists in Israel who are rallying in support of Goldberg. Doctors at LH Hiranandani Hospital are not revealing the whereabouts of Goldberg and the children. However, gay rights activists are raising funds and providing support to Goldberg, sources say. |
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DU admissions from May 28
New Delhi, May 11 In comparison to last year, the entire exercise begins and ends earlier this year as the DU takes tentative steps amidst fierce opposition from its teachers to implement the semester system. The Vice-Chancellor gave his thumbs-up to the semester system and said it would help the university to be recognised on the global map but admitted that its full implementation would take time. About 54,000 undergraduate seats are available this year as compared to 49,000 last year.
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Kasab could be hanged by year-end
New Delhi, May 11 “If there is no petition from him
(Kasab) challenging the sessions court verdict in the higher court... He can be hanged by the year-end,” Union Home Secretary GK Pillai told CNN
IBN. Kasab, a Pakistani terrorist, was awarded capital punishment on May 6 by a Mumbai special court which held him guilty of mass murder and waging war against India, by carrying out the terror strikes in November 2008. As many as 166 persons were killed in the attacks by ten gunmen belonging to
LeT. — PTI
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Law to monitor medical colleges soon
New Delhi, May 11 The ministry, which had earlier almost shelved the proposal, plans to bring a draft law in this respect to Parliament in the next session. Top Health Ministry sources today said after problems were recently encountered with the working of the MCI, discussions were on to have a regulator. — TNS
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Pact inked with Finland
New Delhi, May 11 A memorandum of cooperation (MoC) in this regard was signed yesterday between Transport Minister Kamal Nath and his Finnish counterpart Anu Vehvilainen in Helsinki. The MoC would discuss various aspects of road transport, including improving road safety, simplifying the procedure for competitive bidding, implementation and supervision of projects and ways and means to attract more investment for PPP projects. “Under the MoC, an Indo-Finnish Joint Working Group (JWG) has been established to promote and activate institutional
cooperation,” the statement said.
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Govt allows re-employment for Brigadiers
New Delhi, May 11 The orders of the ministry have been circulated among the Army authorities and come into effect. Those re-employed will manage staff posts and will not be posted in the field. The re-employed officers will be excluded from the sanctioned 1,046 posts.
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Soft spoken and gentle in his manner, Dr Man Singh Nirankari, however, was firm in his convictions and opinions. He was equally at ease with the prefix and suffix to his name and the different spheres of life they both signified his eminent professional life and his heritage. He passed away in Chandigarh the early hours of May 11.
Dr Man Singh Nirankari, MBBS, FRCS (Edin) DO (London), was born on December 8, 1911, in a small village called Meki
Dhok, Campbellpur, district of joint Punjab, now in Pakistan, renamed Attock.
“Separation of powers is always a blurred line…Absolute separation of powers is not in our Constitution,” the CJI told reporters who quoted the views of legal experts to contend that the SC Constitution Bench had in fact amended the Constitution last week by its ruling that Governors could not be removed arbitrarily.
As the Himalayan winter season formally ended with the start of May, scientists engaged in monitoring the ranges have found that snowfall has been 20-30 per cent below normal in most parts. Further, the area under snow in these states has gone down by about 15 per cent this year.