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Peace in Indian Ocean vital to us, PM tells Maldives Prez
Hit by plane on airstrip, businessman dies
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PARLIAMENT AT 60: A PROFILE
SC: Fiscal discipline key for Army’s image
SC: No pan masala in plastic sachets even for exports
7 K’taka ministers submit resignations to Yeddy
SC order on Yeddy embarrasses BJP
Statues of AP leaders to be covered before bypoll
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Peace in Indian Ocean vital to us, PM tells Maldives Prez
New Delhi, May 12 During a two-hour meeting here, the PM also assured continued Indian support for the development of the Maldives, according to official sources. The visiting leader also held talks with External Affairs Minister SM Krishna. On his first-ever visit to India after the recent political unrest following which his predecessor Mohamed Nasheed had to quit office, Waheed briefed Singh on the internal situation in Maldives and the proposal for holding early polls there with the participation of all stakeholders. The Maldivian President is in India just three weeks after Nasheed visited New Delhi to seek India’s support for his call for early presidential polls in the Maldives. Waheed is paying a five-day visit to India at the invitation of Manmohan Singh. He is accompanied by his wife Ilham Hussain and a large delegation. They will be in India till May 15. During the course of the discussions, Waheed expressed his "strong commitment" to democracy, as also to holding presidential elections at the earliest, the sources said. Waheed had earlier made a commitment to hold elections sometime in July 2013, and has already set up a Committee of National Inquiry to probe the circumstances that led to the transfer of power in the tiny nation in February. He told the PM that the committee was going ahead to collect evidences on the situation that led to Nasheed's resignation, bringing Waheed to the President's chair. Once the inquiry committee had completed its work, it could pave the way for early elections, he said. At present, consensus was, however, elusive, with different political groups expressing divergent opinions on holding polls. He also talked about the requirement of a constitutional amendment to hold polls earlier than the original late 2013 schedule, for which a two-thirds majority was required in parliament, called the Majlis. Thanking India for its support to his government, the president stressed that the Maldives is relatively a very young democracy, having had its first polls in 2008, and sought to learn from the Indian democratic experience and practices. Reflecting on the long-standing friendship between India and the Maldives, the President emphasised that his government would adhere to all agreements between Indian and Maldivian businesses. "My government is a continuation of the previous government under then President Nasheed and hence there should be no doubt on this score," he told Singh.
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Hit by plane on airstrip, businessman dies
Meerut, May 12 The incident occurred around 10 am when businessman Yogesh Garg was clicking pictures of the private plane on the airstrip while it was taking off and was hit by one of its wings, the police said. Yogesh, who ran a consultancy company at New Delhi, died on the spot. Anil Thapa, spokesman of Pankh Aviation, which runs the flying club, said the wing and a wheel of the plane was damaged in the incident, but its pilot Anil Gupta and his colleague Purvi escape unhurt. He claimed that the accident took place as Yogesh came on the airstrip to take pictures of the micro-light aircraft while it was taking off from the runway. The police said that the matter was being investigated and they were trying to find out who allowed Yogesh to come on the runway and take pictures. Additional District Magistrate Neeraj Shukla, who reached the spot, said that preliminary inquiry has revealed that Pankh Aviation was not authorised to use the airstrip. — PTI
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Gadkari set to get second term as BJP president
New Delhi, May 12 The endorsement comes despite the recent public disapproval of Gadkari’s style of functioning by an influential section of the BJP leadership led chiefly by LK Advani and includes Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj Yashwant Sinha and most importantly, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. A formal resolution on amending the party constitution which bars a second term to a party president will only be taken up at the national executive meet due on May 24 and 25 in Mumbai. Sources said BJP organising secretary Ram Lal, without specifically suggesting that Gadkari be given a second term, proposed in the meeting last night that there was a need to amend the party constitution to drop the proviso barring a consecutive second term to any president and the proposal was carried through without much ado by most of the office-bearers present at the meeting. If a resolution to this effect is carried through there, then it would require the summoning of the 1,000 member-strong national council meet which is the only body in the BJP competent to amend the party constitution, explained a senior party functionary. However, sources claimed that the fact that there was virtually no protest or opposition by any of the office-bearers to the proposal was significant and implies that in the final analysis, the Sangh’s word prevails over all others’ in the BJP. Formally, BJP spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Husain denied that any decision has been taken. He said, “Any decision on organisational elections will only be taken by the national executive.”
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House of the People is older, wiser
 Agriculturists & not lawyers have dominated Parliament Youth have progressively distanced themselves from politicsAditi Tandon/TNS
New Delhi, May 12
Where the first Lok Sabha was the youngest with the highest representation of 25 to 35 year olds and the most elitist comprising the maximum numbers of former princes and lawyers, progressive Houses were represented more by farmers and agriculturists. Educationally, Lok Sabhas have increasingly welcomed well-educated MPs. The strength of under matriculates has declined from 23.48% in the first House to 4.12% in the incumbent 15th LS. In all Lok Sabhas so far, members with at least graduation as the basic level have registered more representation than the under matriculates and under graduates. As against 58.08% members with graduation (and higher degrees) in the first House, the present one has 78.34%. As the Parliament readies to commemorate the 60th year of its sitting on Sunday, here’s a glimpse into its transformation. Youngsters shy away
The Lok Sabha now looks much older than in its hey day. The first House (May 13, 1952 to December 22, 1956) had 499 members. Of these, 82 were youngsters representing a battered but hopeful India. The youngest member of any LS was Subodh Hasda of the first LS; in the same House was 28-year-old Sardar Bahadur Singh representing Ferozepur-Ludhiana reserve constituency. Parliament’s archives bear testimony to how youngsters divorced from politics as years went by. The percentage of 25 to 35 year olds declined steeply from one election to another - 16.4% (1st LS), 14.6% (2nd LS), 8.9% (3rd LS), 11.2% (4th LS); 8.4% (5th LS), 8% (6th LS), 9.5% (7th LS), 7.9% (8th LS), 5.8% (9th LS), 7.8% (10th LS) 6% (11th LS), 6.2% (12th LS), 5.3% (13th LS), 3.8% (14th LS) and 4% (15th LS). Contrastingly, MPs aged 46 to 55 outnumbered other categories in these 60 years and remained dominant on an average; MPs aged 56 to 65 also registered a gradual increase. This group formed 16. 45 pc of the membership in the first LS; today it forms 30.83%. In the 15th LS, only 22 MPs out of 545 are under 35. No wonder the average age of the House rose from 46.5 years in 1952 to 54 years today (perhaps also due to increased life expectancy). The oldest member of any LS was Prof NG Ranga (89 years) in the ninth LS. Among women members, Vijayraje Scindia was the oldest (79 years; 12th LS) and Vedkumari Mothey the youngest (25 years; 2nd Lok Sabha).
Education matters
Under matriculate, higher secondary and intermediate certificate holders had 18.44% representation in the first Lok Sabha. For the first time, this percentage showed a decline in the seventh Lok Sabha, peaking to 20.23 in the 12th LS. Today, it is 14.6% (80 MPs out of 545). Category-wise, number of postgraduates has increased marginally from 17.82% in 1952 to 20% today. But the combined category (graduates, PGs, doctorates) has seen a huge jump in percentage terms — 78% today as against 58% in 1952 to 1957.
Commoners welcome
Lawyers outnumbered other professional categories until the second LS. Now, they comprise just 15.14% representation as against 35.42% in the first House. The rise of agriculturists and farmers has been formidable from 22.45% in the first LS to 41% today. This is indicative of the House of People increasingly welcoming commoners. The percentage of writers and journalists has declined from 10.45 in 1952 to 2.1 now and that of businessmen has risen from 12 to 16%. The presence of educationists has dipped also from 9% in the first Lok Sabha to 4.7% currently. Interestingly, diplomats, economists and pilots first made their presence in the 9th LS; businessmen, scientists and sportspersons in the 10th LS, management consultants in the 11th; and judges, chartered accountants and veterinarians in the 12th. The LS originally had just six occupational categories and comprised 153 lawyers, 97 agriculturists, 45 writers; 21 doctors; 16 civil, military officers and five former rulers in 1952. Today, there are 24 occupational categories representing the inclusiveness of Indian democracy.
Too few Women
As against 22 women MPs in a House of 499 (4.4%) in the first Lok Sabha, today women make up 11% of the House (60 members out of 545). That is the highest ever but hardly a solace considering the global average of 14.5% representation of women in Parliaments.
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SC: Fiscal discipline key for Army’s image
Legal Correspondent “The primary obligation of a member of the Armed Forces is to maintain discipline in all aspects. Discipline in fiscal matters has to be given top priority as that mirrors the image of any institution,” a Bench of Justices P Sathasivam and Dipak Misra held in a verdict delivered yesterday. This was all the more applicable to persons holding high positions, the Bench said while endorsing the dismissal of a Major from service through General Court Martial proceedings for making a false claim of Rs 35,270 for transportation of his household luggage and car following his transfer from Bangalore to Udhampur, Jammu, in August 1988. He had also been found guilty of committing two other charges. In July 1991, the Delhi High Court had also confirmed the dismissal but reduced the rigorous imprisonment from five years to six months. Chandra Kumar Chopra had come to the SC, challenging the HC verdict. In the 24-page verdict, the SC Bench held that “the appellant was a Major in the Army. Irreproachable conduct, restrained attitude, understanding of responsibility and adherence to discipline in an apple pie order were expected of him. “The proven charges luminously project that the said aspects have been given a total go by. In this backdrop, it is well nigh impossible to hold that the punishment was harsh or arbitrary. Regard being had to the nature of rank held by the appellant and the disciplined conduct expected of him, we find that the doctrine of proportionality is uninvocable and, accordingly, we are compelled to repel” his contentions without any hesitation, the Bench ruled while dismissing the appeal.
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SC: No pan masala in plastic sachets even for exports
New Delhi, May 12 At the instance of the apex court, the Ministry of Environment and Forest has already amended the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, banning the use of plastics for packing such products. Some manufacturers had approached the apex court, seeking permission for packing the products in plastic sachets at least for export purposes to remain competitive in the global market.
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7 K’taka ministers submit resignations to Yeddy
Bangalore, May 12 Shobha Karandlaje, Power Minister; Murugesh Nirani, industry; V Somanna, housing; CM Udasi, PWD; Umesh Katti, agriculture and horticulture; Basavaraj Bommai, irrigation and water resources; and MP Renukacharya, excise; today gave their resignation letters from the posts of ministers to Yeddyurappa. This followed day-long confabulations by Yeddyurappa loyalists, including these ministers, at Yeddyurappa’s residence here today. “Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda and BJP state president KS Eshwarappa have written to the BJP chief Nitin Gadkari that these ministers are close to Yeddyurappa and are indulging in anti-party activities in Karnataka. So they decided to resign since the CM himself has said that he does not want them in the Cabinet,” a source close to Yeddyurappa said. The seven ministers ought to have given their resignation letters to Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda if they were serious about quitting the government. By giving their resignation letters to Yeddyurappa, they have shown that they continue to consider him their leader and have left it to him to send across their resignation letters to the Chief Minister. The rebellion by Yeddyurappa and the seven loyalist ministers will not affect BJP’s majority status in the Assembly immediately unless they are joined by more like-minded legislators. On Thursday, 31 pro-Yeddyurappa BJP legislators wrote to Sadananda Gowda - who is presently enjoying the support of the high command - to convene a meeting of the party’s legislative wing and show that he enjoyed majority support.
I have not received any resignation letter so far.There is no crisis in the BJP. — DV Sadananda Gowda, Karnataka CM
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SC order on Yeddy embarrasses BJP
New Delhi, May 12 On Thursday, BJP members repeatedly interrupted parliamentary proceedings alleging a quid pro quo between the Foreign Investment Promotion Board
(FIPB) clearing the Aircel-Maxis entry into the mobile telephony sector and the alleged buying of shares of the company by a firm owned by Kartik Chidambaram, the son of former Finance Minister and current Home Minister P Chidambaram. Yesterday, a CPI leader said of the
BJP, “They do not appear serious.” Formally, BJP spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Husain maintained, “We are very serious. Leader of Opposition
(Sushma Swaraj) raised the issue of privilege against Chidambaram. How he could read out his son’s statement in Parliament?” The BJP held its office-bearers’ meeting yesterday to decide upon the agenda of the national executive of the party to be held in Mumbai on May 24 and 25. An issue that the party is planning to raise there is corruption in the government and the Congress. “But how will you circumvent the allegations of corruption raised by your partymen against their leaders in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and now, even Madhya Pradesh?” asked a newsperson to the BJP spokesman who deflected the question saying, “BJP is for probity and transparency in public life.”
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Statues of AP leaders to be covered before bypoll
Hyderabad, May 12 The Election Commission has ordered masking of the statues of leaders like former Chief Ministers late NT Rama Rao and late YS Rajasekhar Reddy and former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi, falling within the radius of 200m of the polling stations. The statues must be covered with cloth, 48 hours before the polling, the State Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal said. The bypolls are scheduled to be held on June 12 for 18 Assembly constituencies and the Nellore Lok Sabha seat.
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355 B’lore schools selected to implement RTE
Bangalore: Paving the way for the implementation of the Right to Education concept in schools, the Karnataka Government has published a list of 355 schools in Bangalore (Urban) and Bangalore (Rural) districts where 25% seats in first standard will be reserved for poor neighbourhood children in the next academic session. —
TNS
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today told Maldives President Mohamed Waheed that peace and stability in the Indian Ocean archipelago was important to India.
A Delhi-based businessman was today killed when a two-seater micro-light private plane met with an accident at the Partapur
airstrip.
New Delhi, May 12
No crisis: Gowda
