Chandigarh, May 29
With the last date of withdrawal of nominations for the panchayat poll over, as many as 5,083 candidates are left in the fray for the first phase and 4,608 candidates for the second phase of the elections in Haryana while 2,208 and 2,085 candidates, respectively, withdrew their names. Similarly, 2,505 candidates are in the fray for the zila parishad elections after withdrawal of names by 1,074 candidates.

While the first phase of the elections will be held on June 6, the second phase will be held on June 12.

The state Election Commission said in the first phase, poll would be held in 947 wards of 39 panchayat samitis in 13 districts. These are Barara, Shahzadpur, Saha, Badhara, Bawani Kheri, Bhiwani, Dadri-I, Behal, Ballabhgarh, Faridabad, Ratia, Tohana, Bhattukalan, Sahlawas, Mattanhail, Beri, Jind, Safidon, Narwana, Ghula, Kaithal, Siwan, Pehowa, Thanesar, Mahendragarh, Kanina, Nagina, Punhana, Ferozpur Jhirka, Hodal, Hathin, Dabwali, Baragudha, Odhan, Sirsa, Ganaur, Gohana, Mundlana and Kathura.

Similarly, in the second phase, polling would be held in 845 wards of 36 panchayat samitis comprising Ambala-I and II, Naraingarh, Kairu, Loharu, Dadri-II, Tosham, Siwani, Fatehabad, Bhuna, Jakhal, Jhajjar, Bahadurgah, Julana, Pillukhera, Alewa, Uchana, Pundari, Kalayat, Rajound, Shahbad, Babain, Ladwa, Ateli Nangal, Narnaul, Nangal Choudhry, Taoru, Nuh, Palwal, Hassanpur, N Chopta, Ellenabad, Rania, Rai, Kharkhoda and Sonepat.

Meanwhile, the zila parishad elections would be in 244 wards of 13 districts namely Ambala, Bhiwani, Faridabad, Fatehabad, Jhajjar, Jind, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Mahendragarh, Mewat, Palwal, Sirsa and Sonepat.

In the first phase, the highest number of 212 candidates is contesting from the Bhiwani panchayat samiti and the lowest number of 63 candidates is in fray from Odhan in Sirsa district while in the second phase, the highest number of 281 candidates is contesting from Pundri and the lowest number of 33 candidates from Ambala-II.

Similarly, in the zila parishad poll, the highest number of 397 candidates is contesting elections from Bhiwani and the lowest number of 78 candidates is in the fray from Faridabad district.

Sirsa, May 29
Even the scorching heat failed to dampen the spirits of followers of Dera Sacha Sauda, who turned up in large numbers outside the local District Courts Complex as dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh appeared before the CBI court through videoconferencing from here today in connection with the murder case of scribe Ram Chander Chhatarpati.

A large number of women also turned up and remained seated under the open sun on the roadside on the local Barnala Road, where the court complex is situated.

Women chanted religious hymns as the dera chief appeared in front of the video camera to be present before the CBI court in Ambala for over seven hours, where advocates of the two other accused - Nirmal and Kuldeep - crossexamined prosecution witness Dr Dale Singh, who was the first to examine Chhatarpati in the local general hospital after he was shot at.

They also crossexamined Kewal Singh, an engineer with the licensing authority that issued a licence to the walkie-talkies recovered from the two accused.

Aridaman Singh, son of the slain journalist, was also summoned for his crossexamination, but his witness could not be held today due to paucity of time, according to Anshul Chhatarpati, elder brother of Ardaman Singh.

The CBI court, during the last date of hearing in this case, had closed the evidence of the three witnesses as the advocate of the accused - Nirmal and Kuldeep - had failed to turn up. However, the witnesses were summoned again today after special permission was granted to the advocate for their crossexamination. The case will now be taken up by the court on June 1.

Rohtak, May 29
The Maoists have emerged as a major threat to the security of the people and integrity of the nation and the Centre has failed to deal with the issue. The government has shown laxity in the matter, which has cost the countrymen dearly. The train derailment in West Bengal, allegedly triggered by the Maoists, which resulted in the death of several persons, is a result of such a policy, said INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala while talking to mediapersons here today.

The INLD leader stressed the need for dealing with the Maoists with an iron hand. He said the fact that the Maoists were using modern weapons, landmines and other explosives while targeting the security forces and common people at several places in the country clearly indicated that they were being assisted by some external forces.

Condemning the targeting of the train by the Maoists in West Bengal yesterday, Chautala said the offer of talks by the government to the Maoists may not yield any positive result.

“The country will have to pay a heavy price if strong measures are not taken to tackle the Maoists indulging in violence,” Chautala said and called upon parties to rise above political considerations to take a united stand to deal with the Maoists.

Referring to khap panchayats’ demand for an amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act banning same-gotra marriages, Chautala said his party supported the demand and its leaders and workers would be on the forefront in all agitations in support of the demand.

Chandigarh, May 29
The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Act, 2010, which was passed by Parliament in its last session, has raised the hackles of various trade unions.

The Act has raised the maximum limit of gratuity payable to an employee from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Then why are the trade unions angry? It is the date of implementation of the Act, which has annoyed workers engaged in the private sector, public sector undertakings and the banking sectors, among others.

The upper limit of the gratuity for government employees was raised to Rs 10 lakh with effect from January 1, 2006, when the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission came into effect.

Immediately after that various trade unions demanded that a similar provision should be made for the employees of the private sector and public sector undertakings.

Conceding the demand, the government introduced the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill in Parliament. While passing the Bill, Parliament said the Act would come into force on such date “as the Central Government may, by notification in the official gazette appoint.”

The Act received the assent of the President on May 17 last and the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment notified it on May 24, stating that the Act would become effective from that day.

The trade unions say the notification is discriminatory. While for the government employees the maximum limit of gratuity has been revised with effect from January 1, 2006, for those of the private sector and the public sector undertakings it would be from May 24. Thus, the employees of these sectors, who retired between January 1, 2006 and May 24, 2010, would be sufferers.

SR Khatri, general secretary of the State Bank of India Employees Organisation, said the government had yielded to the pressure of various organisations of private employers, who did not want to pay enhanced gratuity to their employees retiring before May 24. He said the trade unions would agitate against this discrimination.

TN Goel, president of the State Bank of Indian Officers Federation, said it was highly unfair to the employees of the public sector banks, whose pay was revised with effect from November 2007. The notification should have taken care of this fact.

State secretary of the Haryana CITU Surender Malik said the enhanced gratuity should be payable to all with effect from January 1, 2006. He also demanded that various retirement benefits should not be subject to income tax.

Jind, May 29
As patients complaining of symptoms related to diarrhoea continue to visit doctors, the district has launched a door-to-door campaign to identify those suffering from water-borne diseases to provide them immediate medication. At least 758 persons have been examined so far.

As many as 149 persons have been admitted to hospital in the past six days and 12 persons reported at the Civil Hospital today.

While the INLD expressed concern over the outbreak of the disease, the Deputy Commissioner today said a door-to-door survey had been started for which 10 teams of doctors had been pressed into service. He said while about nine lakh tablets of chlorine had been distributed so far, about 50 packets of ORS had been given to several families.

The water connections were being checked for any leakage. He admitted that of the 12 samples of drinking water lifted from the affected areas on May 24, five had failed.

Karnal, May 29
Former Union Minister of State for Home Affairs ID Swami’s car was stolen from his house when his son Rajinder Swami parked it outside his house in Sector 13 and went for a morning walk.

ID Swami and other family members were in the house when the theft took place. Rajinder was shocked to find his Qualis (DL 6 J C 2289) missing when he returned from the walk.

He reported the matter to the police but it is still clueless about the theft.

Meanwhile, burglars targeted a house in Ashok Nagar on the Meerut road late yesterday and reportedly took away about 200 gm of gold, Rs 35,000 and a motorcycle. The thieves bolted the room in which family members were sleeping and also the house of the tenant on the first floor and decamped with the cash and the gold.