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West Bengal assembly poll
Pak may continue to shelter ‘most wanted’ terrorists
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Bill to deal with honour killings soon: Moily
Colour-blind engineer clears rly red-green test
PM opens Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations No pact yet to bring PM under Lokpal
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82% turnout in four Maoist-hit districts
With completion of the fifth phase, elections to 280 out of 294 seats over
New Delhi, May 7 “It was totally incident-free and there was no obstruction due to violence. There was no serious complaint from any candidate,” Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi told reporters here at the end of the polling that covered 38 constituencies spread over four Maoist-hit districts of West Midnapur, Bankura, Purulia and parts of Burdwan. He said a voter turnout of 80.13 per cent had been recorded in these constituencies during the 2006 Assembly polls. In all, 109 preventive arrests had been made to see that there was no untoward incident during the polling, said Zutshi. With the completion of the fifth phase, elections to 280 out of the total 294 seats were completed. Noting that the Commission also deployed two helicopters in this phase to keep a close watch, Zutshi said there was no booth-capturing and poll boycott. He said the EC had earlier also deployed helicopters in Bihar and Jharkhand assembly polls. Replying to a question on the security arrangements for the sixth and final phase when 14 constituencies in the Maoist-affected Jangalmahal area would go to polls on May 10, the DEC said the EC would be providing an “unprecedented” security arrangement for this phase, too. “We are going to have a security arrangement which will be unprecedented,” he said. To another question on the issue of paid news, Zutshi said there have been references to this problem. Some of them have been examined and in some others, the Commission was getting more evidence. The EC’ Expenditure Observers were taking cognisance of the paid news complaints, he added. — PTI
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Pak may continue to shelter ‘most wanted’ terrorists
New Delhi, May 7 India has given to Pakistan from time to time a list of 20 of its ‘most wanted’ terrorists, who have been provided safe havens in the neighbouring country. New Delhi has demanded that these terrorists be handed over to India. Islamabad has, however, turned a blind eye to India’s demand, claiming that many of those named in the Indian list have never even entered Pakistan. Asked if India would continue to press Pakistan to extradite these terrorists, sources said, “we can understand the sense of frustration among the people of India over the fact that we have drawn a blank in our efforts…however, we hope good sense will prevail on Pakistan sooner rather than later.”
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Bill to deal with honour killings soon: Moily
New Delhi, May 7 On fast track of social reforms, Moily says also on the cards is a Bill to deal with honour killings. Once implemented, it will bring the offence of honour killing at par with murder; and is expected to deal with the clamour raised by the khap panchayats predominantly in this part of the region. In an exclusive interview with The Tribune at a function hosted by Additional Solicitor-General of India Mohan Jain, Moily made it clear every Judge transferred out of a high court is not corrupt; even “uncle” Judges are in the line of transfer. The Law Minister says transfer is beneficial not just for the “uncle” Judges, but also the kith and kin practising in the same courts. Moily says his own experience shows some of the Judges prove to be excellent after they are transferred out. At the same time, Moily agrees to the non-existence of a uniform transfer policy for the high court judges. It’s for the Apex Court to come out with a consistent relocating strategy, Moily hints. As of now, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has at least 11 Judges with kith and kin practising in the same court. Some of them not have their sons, daughters and brothers, but even their nephews and brothers-in-laws practising in the same court. Their list was forwarded to the Law Ministry much before the Supreme Court came down heavily on the Allahabad HC on the issue. Even though the National Litigation Policy on more than one occasion been criticised by the Punjab and Haryana High Court for being on papers, it has a strong supporter in Moily. He asserts the policy will be in place in another six months. Once in position, Moily plan to reduce the pendency from 15 years to three years. * The Law Minister plans to reduce the pendency of cases from 15 years to three years * Says every judge transferred out of a high court is not corrupt; even “uncle” judges are in the line of transfer
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Colour-blind engineer clears rly red-green test
New Delhi, May 7 The Railways got some relief in the case with an apex court Bench staying the contempt proceedings and issuing notice to Nagariya.
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PM opens Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations
New Delhi, May 7 “Rabindranath Tagore’s ideas on universal humanism resonate well in today’s world. His belief in the essential spiritual unity of East and West and indeed all peoples is a powerful message of redemption for a world beset by greed, callousness and irreverence,” he said addressing a function held at the Vigya Bhavan here on the occasion. Manmohan Singh said the commemoration events planned over one year were intended to rekindle interest in Tagore’s teachings as much as in his verses, paintings and his music. “In commemorating Gurudev’s birth anniversary, we can inspire each one of us to a moment of quiet reflection of his ideals and an urge to rise above the desert sands of dreary habit, in the immortal words of the poet,” he added. The international award in the name of Tagore, the PM said, would be given each year to a citizen of the world of outstanding public eminence whose life and work epitomised the high universal ideals that Tagore stood for. The jury for selecting the individual would be headed by the PM. Singh said a lot needed to be done to restore Visva Bharati to its former glory and a special grant of Rs 95 crore would be allocated. A set of two commemorative stamps on Tagore were released. The designs of the stamps depict: Tagore writing background shows ‘Upasana ghar’ at Shantiniketan; and Tagore performing in his play ‘Valmiki Pratibha’. In her address, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi described Tagore as “the Shakespeare from Bengal", adding, “He is a part of the life of two nations - India and Bangladesh. His legacy is part of our common heritage.
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No pact yet to bring PM under Lokpal New Delhi, May 7 The Drafting Committee chaired by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee with Anna Hazare, Shanti Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan and Santosh Hegde from the Civil Society and Union Home Minister P Chidambram, Law Minister Veerappa Moily, Communications Minister Kapil Sibal and Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed met for the third time today since its inception on April 8. It will meet again on May 23 for further discussions, Bhushan said. He said there was a general agreement on the basic principles of the proposed Bill, like the need for transparency in the selection process and autonomy of the Lokpal and its financial independence. As for the contentious issue of including the Prime Minister and judiciary in the ambit of the Lokpal this was left to be discussed in the next meeting on May 23, he said. Bhushan said there was also an agreement that members of the Lokpal would not take up any government post after retirement. “There was an agreement that the selection process of the Lokpal should be broad based and transparent. But the issue of selection committee is a matter of detail which will be decided later,” he said, adding that “there was also an agreement on the search committee to help the selection committee.” The members of the Joint Drafting Committee also agreed that the Lokpal will not require permission from the government to either investigate or initiate prosecution against anyone. The meeting, however, did not take up the issue of the powers the proposed Lokpal will have. Hazare’s Jan Lokpal Bill sought powers to tap phone calls and making the CBI and the CVC subservient to it. The other member of the committee, Arvind Kejriwal, said: “The committee has yet to finalise the model on which the financial independence will be based. Various models were discussed, including those from other countries and of institutions like the Supreme Court, Comptroller and Auditor General and the Central Vigilance Commission.” Kejriwal further said the government agreed with them that similar ombudsmen should be appointed with identical powers at the state level also. But Sibal pointed out that a decision about state-level Lokpals required consultations and concurrence of the state governments and so the drafting committee decided to go ahead in areas where the two parties have now come to an agreement. Hazare’s main demand during his fast was the setting up of a credible panel to select the Lokpal and to that extent sources said today’s meeting was a big step forward. Sibal pointed out that while there may not be difficulty in agreeing with the basic principles enunciated in the Jan Lokpal Bill proposed by the Civil Society representatives, areas which would impact the existing laws and constitutional provisions need further and wider discussion.
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New Delhi, May 7
year to a world citizen of outstanding public eminence
