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Selection of 563 teachers quashed
Valley continues to reel under cold wave conditions
CBI to file chargesheet against petrol station owner, Indian Oil Corp
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J-K lacks schools for special children
Rajpora village without power for six months
JCC employees protest in Anantnag
Geelani supports JKLF shutdown call on Dec 10
Mirwaiz calls for maintaining sectarian unity and harmony
JKPCC to organise thanksgiving event soon
107th birth anniversary of ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’ today
SKIMS to celebrate annual day today
Sahil wins sub jr boys TT title
Arrest warrant issued against two accused in Lobab murder case
Accused Riyaz Ahmad Sheikh
Girl dies under mysterious circumstances
Two killed, 10 injured in accidents
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Selection of 563 teachers quashed
Srinagar, December 4 Holding that the provisional selection list is outcome of the interview process that “lacked uniformity”, the court kept “intact” the interviews conducted by the first selection committee of the SSB, while quashing the interviews conducted by two other selection committees, which were later constituted by the SSB for the Kupwara district. A single Bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir had on November 1 reserved final orders on a petition challenging the selection of 563 general line teachers by the Services Selection Board (SSB) from Kupwara district. The main contention of the 34 petitioners, who had challenged the selection of teachers, was that the interviews for these posts were conducted by three different committees, as a result thereof, rule of uniformity was offended, which, according to them, rendered interview process “invalid”. The petitioners submitted that “aspiring candidates of Kupwara district for the posts of teacher (district cadre Kupwara) formed “one class” so interview of all the candidates should have been conducted only by members of the District Level Selection Committee constituted for Kupwara district, not by three different committees. “Interviews of the candidates, who formed one class, by three different committees offended the rule of uniformity and give rise to the element of unjust treatment, which, in turn, offends the rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India”, Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir observed in his judgment passed today wherein he quashed the interviews conducted by the two committees. The court directed that the interview conducted by the District Selection Committee comprising Gulzar Hussain and two other members on June 20, 2011, and June 21, 2011, shall stand quashed. “Similarly, interview of the candidates conducted by another different committee constituted on July 22, 2012, shall also stand quashed. Resultantly, provisional select list impugned in this petition is quashed”, the high court held. The court directed that the SSB should fix schedule for interview of the candidates whose interviews were conducted on June 20, 2011, and June 21, 2011, by the committee headed by Gulzar Hussain, and of the candidates who were interviewed by the committee constituted vide order dated July 22, 2012. The high court directed that the Board shall ensure that process aforesaid is undertaken and completed within a period of six weeks and consequent upon recommendation, the appointing authority shall finalise the process of appointment thereafter within three weeks positively. However, the court held that the entire selection process shall be quashed if members of the first selection committee are not available. “It is further provided that in case members of the first constituted District Level Selection Committee for any unavoidable circumstances are not available now then the entire interview process held (from May 4, 2011) shall stand quashed. Fresh District Level Selection Committee shall be constituted”, the high court directed. “On careful scrutiny and keeping in view the stand taken by the respondents by controverting the allegations of malafide, sufficient material is not on record so as to persuade the court to opine that there has been an element of malafide”, Justice Mohammad Yaqoob observed in his judgment. The petitioners had contended that the SSB had “flouted recruitment norms in order to accommodate influential and blue-eyed” candidates in the teachers’ selection list for Kupwara district. |
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Valley continues to reel under cold wave conditions
Srinagar, December 4 Mercury in the city here overnight fell to the low of minus 2.9 degrees Celsius, a state Meteorological official said, which is nearly two degrees below normal. The day temperature in the city was recorded at 12.7 degrees Celsius. In Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir, minimum temperature overnight fell to minus 5 degrees Celsius, the official said. At Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir, the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 4.6 degrees Celsius. In Leh town of remote Ladakh region, mercury overnight fell to a freezing minus 12.2 degrees Celsius and the day temperature there rose to 7 degrees Celsius. In the adjoining Kargil district in Ladakh region, the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 7 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature there was recorded at 4.6 degrees Celsius. Beacon, the organisation responsible for maintaining the Srinagar-Leh highway, said it is withdrawing all its resources from around the Zojilla pass due to "erratic weather conditions, intermittent snowfall on higher reaches, extreme cold temperature and slippery road surface on 10 km" on either side of the pass. “All resources deployed at various locations beyond Gangangir (on the Srinagar-Leh highway) will be withdrawn by December 6. So it will not be possible to provide any assistance to the trapped passengers as well as vehicles,” an official spokesman said. The withdrawal of all equipment, which includes snow-clearance machines, will mean the key highway, which connects Ladakh region with the rest of the state, can get shut anytime now. The Ladakh region remains cut off from the rest of the state for most of the winter as heavy snow along the Srinagar-Leh road shuts all access to the mountainous remote region. Kashmir is gearing up for a harsh winter which is set to begin this month, little over a fortnight later when 'chillai kalaan' - a 40-day long harshest phase of the winter - begins. The minimum temperature in frontier Kupwara town in north Kashmir was recorded at minus 2.7 degrees Celsius and in the south Kashmir’s Qazigund town, it was recorded at a minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, the official said. Temperatures at a glance Srinagar -2.9°C Gulmarg -5.0°C Pahalgam -4.6°C Leh -12.2°C |
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CBI to file chargesheet against petrol station owner, Indian Oil Corp
Srinagar, December 4 Sources said the CBI is also waiting for directions from New Delhi for deciding the fate of the petrol pump, which is functional even after a case was registered by the CBI on January 25 against the dealer, officials of the Revenue Department and the IOC. “We have completed the investigations and will shortly chargesheet the accused in the case. Once we submit the chargesheet, a final decision about the fate of the petrol pump will be decided,” the CBI sources said. The CBI had registered a case under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) 420 (cheating), 467, 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 RPC and Section 5 (2) r/w 5 (1) (d) of the J&K PC Act against Vikas Behl, then divisional manager, IOC, Depinder Madan, then assistant manager, IOC, dealer Shakeel Ahmad Malik, Muhammad Ashraf Halqa, patwari, Takiya Batpora, Tangmarg and other unknown officials of the IOC and the Revenue Department. The case was registered after it was unearthed that a petrol pump outlet was awarded at Takiya
Batpora, Tangmarg under Kisan Seva Knedra Scheme (KSK) on false and manipulating documents. The CBI said the petrol pump outlet dealer and the IOC officials had entered into a criminal conspiracy and facilitated the allotment of retail outlet to
Malik. The Superintendent of Police, CBI, Arman Deep Singh, said he could not divulge the details about the case investigations. “We had registered the case and investigation is going on,” Singh said. |
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J-K lacks schools for special children
Handwara, December 4 As many as 300 children from different parts of the district took part in the conference held on World Disability Day. Kupwara Chief Education Officer Ghulam Rasool Lone was the chief guest. Senior citizens, teachers and members of the civil society also took part in the conference. Most of the speakers criticised the successive governments for failing to provide educational facilities to the special children. They said their career was at stake due to callous attitude of the authorities. They said Jammu and Kashmir was the only state which lacks special schools and teachers for the differently abled children. Rajwar Zonal Education Officer Haneefa Khanday said the differently abled children were benefitted by few schemes of the Social Welfare Department and school fee of such children was waived off to encourage more children pursue education. Nighat Yousuf, Saqib Nazir Dar and Tabish Gani were given prizes for bagging first, second and third positions, respectively. Teachers appealed to people, especially senior citizens, to come forward and extend support for the education of differently abled children in the district. |
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Rajpora village without power for six months
Handwara, December 4 Locals said they had collected Rs 50 from each household and transported the transformer to PDD the office in Handwara for repair but the same is gathering dust there for the past six months. “We took the faulty transformer to the PPD office in Handwara six months ago. The transformer has not been repaired to date. Whenever we visit the PDD office, we are given false assurances that the transformer will be installed in a few days,” said Imtiyaz Ahmad, president, Youth Club, Rajpora. The protesters raised slogans against the PDD. Locals said the department had issued electricity bills but they are groping in the dark for the past six months. “We will not pay the tariff till the power is restored to our village. |
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JCC employees protest in Anantnag
Srinagar, December 4 The JCC leaders, according to the press secretary of the amalgam Pir Nisar Ahmad, gathered at the Anantnag stadium where the employees' leaders addressed the gathering. The senior JCC leaders Abdul Qayoom Wani Khurshid Alam and Farooq Trali spoke on the occasion and later a procession was taken out towards the deputy commissioner’s office, Nisar said. He said they presented a memorandum at the office regarding their long pending demands and that the district-wide protests would continue. The JCC had earlier called for a state-wide strike at the government offices on December 14 and December 15. After a series of protests and strikes by the employees earlier this year, the government had made an agreement with the JCC wherein the employees were assured that a decision on their demands would be announced by September 30. However, the JCC then resumed protests, saying the government had betrayed them. The employees’ demands include release of arrears recommended by the sixth pay commission, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies and regularisation of daily wagers and casual workers working in various government departments. The other JCC demands are inclusion of five years of contractual service of Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers in the service book and regularisation of education volunteers after seven years of service. The Demands
Release of arrears recommended by the sixth pay commission Enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years Regularisation of daily wagers and casual workers working in various government departments Inclusion of five years of contractual service of Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers in the service book Regularisation of education volunteers after seven years of service Removal of pay anomalies
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Geelani supports JKLF shutdown call on Dec 10
Srinagar, December 4 Geelani said he strongly condemned the new government policy, which he blamed for the life sentence against two Kashmiris - one of whom is the JKLF executive member. “The shutdown call against this injustice is needed and necessary,” Geelani said while appealing the residents to fully cooperate and make the shutdown successful. Geelani said, “If we maintain silence on these verdicts then the process of life sentence will continue.” The JKLF on Monday said it would begin a campaign this week to protest life sentence pronounced against several separatist leaders and activists and appealed the residents of Kashmir region to observe a bandh on December 10 to express solidarity with the incarcerated leaders and to condemn the judgements against them. Malik, who addressed a press conference yesterday after his two party members, including executive member Shiekh Nazir Ahmad, were sentenced to life by a court in Jammu, said more than 20 leaders and activists have been sentenced life terms in last one-and-a-half year which he termed was a vendetta.
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Mirwaiz calls for maintaining sectarian unity and harmony
Srinagar, December 4 On the insistence and intervention of Mirwaiz, who is also the head of Joint Council of Ulema, prominent members from the Shia and Sunni sects today visited the affected areas of the old Srinagar city in the form of a big procession, a committee spokesman said. He said the members of the Shia-Sunni Unity Committee, in their address to the people at Alamgari Bazar Chowk, exhorted to maintain sectarian harmony and unity. They said some vested interests and enemies of the Unity are trying to take advantage of the situation but they won’t be allowed to succeed, Mirwaiz said. Following sectarian clashes, the government had imposed curfew in the areas located under nine police stations in Srinagar’s old city on November 28. The restrictions were then lifted on Saturday. However, the curfew was re-imposed in the areas located under Nowhatta and Zadibal police stations and Urdu Bazaar police post after the reports of minor clashes. Meanwhile, commenting on recent court verdicts wherein numerous Kashmiris have been awarded life term, Mirwaiz termed the decisions as anti-democratic and against the principles.
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JKPCC to organise thanksgiving event soon
Srinagar, December 4 JKPCC chief Prof Saifuddin Soz today said, “It is a heartening situation that sarpanches and panches of the state have participated in the elections of four candidates from panchayats to represent them in the J&K Legislative Council in an unprecedented manner,” Soz said. Asserting that 93 per cent participation of sarpanches and panches in a free and fair election for the four seats in the legislative Council must be a record in India and for the people of the state, he said the JKPCC was committed to take measures to empower the panchayat system at all the levels. |
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107th birth anniversary of ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’ today
Srinagar, December 4 Abdullah, whose son Farooq Abdullah is the Union Minister for Renewable Energy and grandson Omar Abdullah is the state Chief Minister, was the former state Prime Minister and was elected as the Chief Minister of the state twice. Working president of NC, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, several cabinet ministers and other top leaders of the party will offer floral tributes to Abdullah at the function in Hazratbal. Abdullah’s birth anniversary is designated as a state holiday here and government offices, educational institutes, universities and banks will remain closed. Meanwhile, the National Conference party in a statement today paid glowing tributes to Abdullah saying he denotes the state's high qualities of pluralistic ethos and communal harmony. “Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was a man, who spread the message of peace not only in the state, but within the neighbouring countries,” the party said in a statement. “Sher-e-Kashmir was a statesman par excellence, who had compassion in his heart, and carried this with great humility,” the statement said. The statement said the party leaders, who paid tributes, included state Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, Law Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, CM’s political advisor Mubarak Gul, spokesman Tanvir Sadiq, Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan, Peerzada Ahmed Shah, Ali Mohammad Dar, Irfan Shah, Peer Afaq, Yaeen Shah and Daramveer Singh Oberio.
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SKIMS to celebrate annual day today
Srinagar, December 4 Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah will be the chief guest during the function. The J&K Minister for Medical and Technical Education, Youth Services and Sports RS Chib will be the guest of honour. State Minister for Health Javeed Ahmed Dar will also attend the function. Country’s leading medical oncologist and hematologist Purvish M Parikh will deliver the Sher-i-Kashmir oration during the annual day function. Institute director Dr Showkat Zargar will give a brief about the achievements of the institute. The function will be held at the SKIMS auditorium.
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Sahil wins sub jr boys TT title
Jammu, December 4 In the doubles category, Sahil and Shivam defeated Pankaj and Vikas, whereas in the junior boys category, Sunny and Kanav defeated Ankit and Tarun. In the senior boys category, Ankit beat Rohit Paul while in the sub-junior girls singles, Muskan beat Ria. In the junior boys singles, Ankit beat Sunny whereas in the senior girls singles, Rohini beat Meshally. Sanjeev Kumar, Tarun Magotra, Vikrant and Ankit Sharma conducted the matches. Sunny and Tarun trounced Ankit and Kanav to claim the doubles title. Balwant Singh Mankotia, MLA, Udhampur, distributed prizes among the winners. Ashok Kumar, Deputy Director, Department of Youth Services and Sports, Paramjeet Singh, Principal, DIET, Kud, Yash Paul Sharma, District Social Welfare Officer, Sukh Dev Singh, District Youth Services and Sports Officer, Sunil Sharma, President, District Table Tennis Association, Vinod Baru, general secretary, Rajiv Dogra, Coach, Sports Authority of India, other members of the association and sports lovers were also present.
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Arrest warrant issued against two accused in Lobab murder case
Kupwara, December 4 According to a press release, the accused persons evading arrest are wanted in the murder case of a girl. The police in its notice had claimed that the person providing information about the accused persons would be rewarded suitably and his identity would also be kept confidential. Accused Riyaz Ahmad Sheikh is constable of 182 battalion of the CRPF and the concerned unit has also issued an arrest warrant against him. The other accused Fayaz Ahmad Shah is working in the home guard and has already been dismissed from the job. The accused are wanted in the murder case of Ameera, daughter of Maqsood Ahmad Shah of Malgund in Lolab, who was found murdered on February 16 this year, at her in-laws residence. The FSL report of the victim confirmed that she was poisoned to death. Following this, the police had arrested five relatives of the victim, including father, brother and the second husband in November. The murder of the girl had evoked massive protests and the police had arrested eight persons, including Waqar Ahmad Khan (former husband), Tasleem Ahmad Khan, Parvez Ahmad Khan, Jammel Ahmad Khan, Irfan Ahmad Khan, Changez Ahmad Khan, Ashiq Ahmad Ponchi and Majid Khan. All the accused, however, were given the interim bail till December 6 after the case took a new turn, following the FSL report. The victim Ameera had earlier eloped out of her own will with Waqar Ahmad Khan and got married but the relatives strongly opposed the inter-cast marriage and forcibly brought her back and married her with cousin Naseer Ahmad Shah of Malgund. Just three days of her marriage with Naseer, she was found murdered at her in-laws residence. A case vide FIR No 07/2012 under Section 302 of the RPC was registered against the accused in Lalpora Lolab police station.
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Girl dies under mysterious circumstances
Anantnag, December 4 The police said that the girl, identified as Saima Jan, daughter of Abdul Rashid
Bhat, a resident of Magam Anantnag, died under suspicious circumstances in the hospital. The body has been handed over to the legal heirs of the girl after completion of the legal formalities and an inquest proceeding under Section 174 of the
CrPC, the police said. Reports from the hospital said the family members of the deceased staged protest within the hospital premises alleging that the girl died of medical negligence. However, sources within the hospital said the girl was brought dead to the hospital. “They came earlier in the day and the girl complained of a headache and was discharged when she felt better after a proper medication,” said a doctor of the hospital on condition of anonymity. He said the girl apparently complained of headache again after reaching home and as they brought her to the hospital she died on the way. |
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Two killed, 10 injured in accidents
Srinagar, December 4 The police said two persons died in a road accident in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district when a truck collided with a Tavera at Frestbal. He said a truck bearing registration number JK013/6568 and Tavera bearing registration number JK013B/3552 collided at Frestbal, Awantipora, resulting in the death of a passenger Aasif Ahmad Guroo, son of Abdul Rashid, resident of Samar Bugh, Lasjan, and injuries to six passengers. One of the injured Ghulam Mohudin Bhat, son of Abdul Rashid, resident of Shalla Kadal, Srinagar, succumbed to injuries at the SKIMS Soura in Srinagar, the police said. In another accident, a Tata mobile bearing registration number JK05C/2338, driven by Umer Khaliq, son of Abdul Khaliq, resident of Tuger, Sopore, collided with a truck driven by Irfan Ahmad Malla, son of Mohammad Abdulla, a resident of Shatgund Payeen. The two drivers Irfan Ahmad and Irfan Ahmad Malla and another person travelling in the truck were injured. The police said two pedestrians were injured when a truck bearing registration number Jk02AG/3342 hit them near the Sumbal bridge in Ganderbal. |
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Handwara, December 4
Even as the hardline separatist group led by Syed Ali Geelani called for a peace march on Wednesday through parts of the Srinagar’s old city, which had remained gripped in sectarian tension since last week, members of the
Shia-Sunni Unity Committee headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today visited the affected areas.
Kupwara, December 4
