Chandigarh, Feburary 4
Political parties in Haryana are gearing up for a dress rehearsal ahead for the battle of the 2014 parliamentary and state assembly polls.

With the State Election Commission notifying the demarcation of wards for the seven municipal corporations of Ambala, Yamunanagar, Panipat, Panchkula, Karnal, Rohtak and Hisar, the political parties seem to have put their cadre in the election mode.

Of the major political parties, only the BJP fights the election on its election symbol while the Congress and the INLD “support” the like-minded candidates. Various permutations and comibinations of electoral politics come into play in the elections of the chiefs of these elected bodies after the elections.

Political observers feel that the control of these civic bodies would provide the morale booster to parties or political combinations in the run-up to next year’s Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.

These elections would provide an opportunity for the parties to mobilise their cadres for the bigger battles next year.

Gian Chand Gupta, treasurer of the Haryana BJP, asserted that the imposition of hefty “anti-people” property tax by the Hooda government and lack of basic amenities, including water,electricity, roads and sewerage, would be the party’s main issues in the elections.

A senior INLD leader said the incumbency factor against the Hooda government would be a crucial factor in the civic body elections.

The commission has already notified the wards of the MCs, formed in 2010. “The photo-based electoral rolls shall be prepared with January 1, 2013, as the qualifying date on the basis of the rolls prepared and published by the Chief Electoral Officer on January 15. Claims and objections by the aggrieved persons can be filed with the revising authorities by February 14, who shall decide them by February 22,” Dharam Vir, State Election Commissioner, said.

“Persons aggrieved by the order of the revising authorities can file appeal before the Deputy Commissioner by February 28 and all such appeals shall be decided by March 12. The final electoral rolls shall be published on March 15,” he added.

Election in April / May
Sources said elections to these civic bodies would be held in April/May as the electoral rolls would be ready by the second fortnight of March.These two months were also appropriate from the point of view of weather. Also, in these two months, government and private schools would be available for polling booths, a senior state government official said.

Karnal, February 4
A local court today acquitted former chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) Mehar Singh Saini and five others in a recruitment case and held the candidate guilty.

The case under Sections 120 B, 420,467 and 468 of the IPC was registered on the complaint of the then DSP Karnail Chand on September 5, 2007, and the trial was going on in the court.

Additional District and Session Judge Vimal Kumar Sapra acquitted Saini, Mahendra Singh Dhankad (superintendent), Amar Singh (controller), Chandra Kant (assistant) and the then clerk Santosh Kumari, but held Satender, a lecturer in the Technical Education Department, guilty of furnishing a “fake certificate”.

The Vigilance Department had registered a case of corruption, complicity and conspiracy against the former chairman on September 5, 2007, but at the time when the HPSC recommended the name of Satinder for the post of lecturer in the Technical Education Department, Jagdish Rai was the chairman and Saini, a INLD leader, who was a member of the commission was elevated as chairman later by the Chautala government.

Jagdish Chawala, advocate for former chairman, said the certificate furnished by Satinder was found to be fake and when Saini came to know about it, he withdrew the recommendation for his appointment and cancelled it.

Saini had also issued warning to the departmental officials for this lapse. Consequently, Satinder was removed from the service.

The court would announce the sentence for giving fake certificate against Satinder on February 6.

Karnal, February 4
The Forest Department and the Karnal Improvement Trust have locked horns over the construction of the Modern Market Complex over the Mughal Canal in alleged contravention of the Forest Conservation Act. It has now emerged that the improvement trust earned a revenue of Rs 96.11 crore from the market complex while the total expenditure on development of land and the market by the trust was a meagre Rs 12.90 crore.

The controversial forest land has proved a gold mine for the Improvement trust but its plan to construct the second phase of the market has been grounded following objections raised by the Forest Department. It has asked the trust to send a single proposal for forest clearance of the already constructed first phase and the proposed second phase and transfer an equivalent non-forest land to the Department for compensatory afforestation, as required under the law.

As per information gathered through the RTI, the Improvement Trust had spent Rs 12.90 crore on development of Phase I of the market on Mugal Canal by November 30, 2011 and till date, 359 plots had been sold for Rs 96.11 crore and the money was being recovered in installments.

The alleged violation of the forest Act came to notice when the Improvement Trust sought forest clearance for the proposed second phase of the market. RTI activist Rajesh Sharma asked about the status of the land from forest department which informed that the Mughal Canal land was "protected forest land".

The trust has now sought information about the status of the land through RTI. However, the Forest department has repeatedly said that the land belongs to it and it cannot be diverted for non-forest activities without getting clearance under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

Rajesh Sharma has expressed surprise that no action has so far been taken against the officials of improvement trust who violated the Forest Conservation Act and helped the irust earn crores of rupees by unauthorised sale of plots and showrooms constructed on forest land.

The Haryana Forest Department had notified the land as "forest Land" vide its notification No. SC 41 C. A. 16/17 S. 29/72 dated March 3, 1972 and written a number of letters to the Improvement Trust pointing out that the Market Complex has been constructed without statutory clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act and was "illegal".

Chandigarh, February 4
Nine years on, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a petition filed by applicants for appointment as constables in the Haryana Police.

The development is significant as 819 constables are to be recruited in the Haryana Police, pursuant to an advertisement issued in 2004. The interviews and tests were conducted, but the selection of all 819 selected constables was annulled by the government.

The matter was agitated before Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa by Sandeep Kumar and other petitioners, who were seeking directions for appointment.

They contended the interviews were conducted between October and December 2004, after physical efficiency test and measurements of all candidates.

After the results were declared in December 2004, 61 candidates joined. But in June 2005, the government decided to annul the selection process of all 819 selected constables.

Some of them then moved the high court, but their petition was disposed of by a Division Bench in October 2005 after taking in view that “there were large-scale complaints of bungling and as such, the matter required to be probed into by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)”.

In 2006, the CBI submitted a status report, expressing opinion that the selection was vitiated on account of various irregularities. At that stage, an application was moved, but it was also disposed of after holding that no further orders were required to be issued.

Dismissing the petition, Justice Dhindsa asserted that the petitioners did not approach the court since 2005 and “cannot gain any impetus from the fact that certain other candidates had chosen to approach this court in 2007”.

The judge said the CBI had also expressed its opinion that the selection process was not clean. Moreover, explanation was not forthcoming “as regards inordinate delay of almost eight years at the hands of the petitioners… The petitioners clearly had not been vigilant about their rights, if any”.

Fatehabad, February 4
A victim of alleged domestic violence and police excesses, Nidhi Jain's condition has worsened on the third day of her fast unto death outside the mini secretariat at Fatehabad.

Doctors from the General Hospital, Fatehabad, examined Nidhi last night and again in the morning today and found her blood pressure and blood sugar below the normal levels.

"Her BP was 90/60 and blood sugar was 75, which are both much below the normal levels," said Dr Suraj Bhan Kamboj, Civil Surgeon, Fatehabad. He said if the blood sugar dipped further, there was risk of the patient going into shock due to hypoglycemia.

Nidhi has been braving rain and cold and has taken shelter in the verandah of an ATM outside the mini secretariat.

Nidhi Jain, who had lodged a complaint of attempt to her life against her in-laws, had alleged that the police did not register her FIR under the proper Sections under the influence of her in-laws.

She had alleged that she was humiliated by being taken to the police station one evening and being undressed in the name of frisking. A few days later she and her two uncles were booked under Sections 323, 506 and 294 of the IPC.

While Nidhi has refused to end her fast until the police undoes the alleged "excesses" committed on her, no one from the district police has approached her yet.

Activists of the district unit of the All-India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA) today met her at the dharna site and expressed their solidarity with her. Led by Jaswant Kaur, district secretary of the AIDWA, activists Anita Kranti, Sunita Ratti, Joginder Kaur and Jagir Kaur appealed to Nidhi to end her fast.

Chandigarh, February 4
With a view to curb the incidents of eve-teasing in an effective manner within and around the campuses of technical educational institutions in the state, the Haryana Technical Education Department has issued instructions to all such institutions and has ordered their strict compliance.

While stating this here today, a spokesman of the department said heads of all technical educational institutions had been asked to make arrangements to depute staff at the main gates of the institutions during opening and closing hours. They would also have to set up a women grievance cell with senior women faculty as its members.

A suggestion or complaint box would be kept at a convenient place, so that the students may submit their grievances or complaints. They had also been asked to ensure that information regarding protection of women was displayed on the notice boards of the institutions and hostels. Helpline numbers would also be displayed on the hoardings so that women students could report any untoward incident, he added.

He said Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and Station House Officer of the area would be urged to make arrangements for PCR vehicles to be stationed near educational institutions during opening and closing hours and police patrolling be intensified to ensure that students are not harassed by eve-teasers.

The spokesman said in case of failure to curb incidents of eve-teasing in and around their respective institutions, responsibility of the heads and management of the institutions would be fixed.

A separate girls’ common room would be made functional in the institutions and Close Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras would be installed at gates, in the campus and the classrooms of the institutions.

He said as per these instructions, one male or female official, duly armed with walky-talky set or mobile phone, would be deputed in vehicles carrying working women or girl students. It would be ensured that liquor shops are set up at a maximum distance from the educational institutions.

The institutions would create awareness through programmes, seminars and discussion at the institution level and also take other steps or measures to curb the evil of eve-teasing with the help of Women Organisations and Women Commission of the state, the spokesman added.

He said the heads of the institutions had also been directed to take care of the girl students and female faculty in case of any incidence of eve-teasing reported by them even outside the campus.

He added that a written communication in this regard had been sent to the Registrars of Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Deenbandhu Chottu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal, YMCA University of Science and Technology, Faridabad, Director-Principals of all government, government aided and self financing under-graduate and post-graduate technical institutions in the state.

Ambala, February 4
The leader of the BJP Legislature Party in the Haryana Assembly, Anil Vij, seems to have kicked off a political storm of sorts by demanding that in case the BJP-HJC alliance comes to power in the state, the BJP leader should be made the Chief Minister for the first two-and-a-half-year term.

As per the terms agreed upon by the two partners while forging the political alliance in the state, it had been decided that for the first two-and-a-half-year term Kuldeep Bishnoi would be the Chief Minister of the state and for the remaining two-and-a-half year the BJP would rule the state.

Anil Vij, while addressing a rally of party workers at Ambala City today, which was organised to welcome the newly elected party president, Ram Bilas Sharma, said the decision of making Bishnoi the Chief Minister for first two-and-a-half year should be reviewed.

However, ruling out the possibility of a dispute between the two alliance partners, VIj said leaders and workers of both the parties were working in a tandem to strengthen the alliance. He said in view of the latest political developments taking place in the state, the BJP-HJC alliance had emerged as the only substitute for the Congress in the state.

A few months back the then Haryana BJP president Krishan Pal Gujjar had announced during a rally held at Karnal that Bishnoi would hold the post of the CM for the first two-and-a-half year if the alliance came in power. On December 2, last year, senior leader of the BJP Sushma Swaraj had also endorsed Bishnoi as the CM, if the alliance came to power.

However, Sharma, who was present on the occasion, avoided commenting on the demand put forward by Vij.

Gurgaon, February 4
A woman was found murdered in a car today. The incident came to light this morning when some people near the Rajendra Park noticed a Santro car parked there and a woman lying in a pool of blood. The police and pulled the body out.

The victim had reportedly been shot thrice at point-blank range, once in the head and twice in the abdomen. The police made enquiries in the nearby area, but could not identify the victim. The car, which had a fake number, was traced to a Jharsa resident who claimed that it had been stolen in December.

“Medical reports of the victim have not confirmed rape so far. The victim appears to be around 30 years of age, married and from a middle class family. Three special teams have been formed and we will be solving it soon,” said DCP Surender Pal.

Meanwhile, the investigating officials claimed that there was not any sign of fight or resistance hinting at fact that the woman was well known to the assailants and was in car with her consent.

New Delhi, February 4
Haryana Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda has offered the services of doctors, drivers and trained manpower for Manitoba province of Canada.

Hooda made this offer when a delegation of Manitoba led by its premier Greg Selinger called on him here today.

Hooda said Haryana has three prestigious driving schools in Kaithal, Bahadurgarh and Rohtak. In case any special training is needed for the drivers, their training could be upgraded.

As far as doctors are concerned, Hooda said, “For filling the gap of syllabus, let Canada provide us the syllabus and the doctors will be trained accordingly.”

Rohtak, February 4
Commuters in the state may face a tough time as the Joint Action Committee of the Haryana Roadways Workers’ Union has threatened to go on strike on February 20 and 21, in response to the nationwide strike call by the national-level and state government workers’ federations in support of various demands.

The Roadways workers’ union had also not ruled out the possibility of observing a strike on February 13, in protest against the issuance of permits to private transporters in the state.

Majority of the state government employees’ unions and workers federations, affiliated to the Sarva Karamchari Sangh (SKS), Haryana, would be taking part in the two day nationwide strike on February 20 and 21, to protest against the policies and programmes of the government that have harmed the interest of not only the government staff but also the common man.

Claiming this, a spokesperson of the SKS today said while employees of all the departments including teaching, roadways, power, public health, irrigation, civic bodies, corporations, college and university staff had already consented to take part in the two-day strike.

He said the employees of Haryana Roadways may resort to one-day chakka jam on Febraury 13 in case the talks of the workers’ union with the state government, due to be held on February 6, failed.

The demands which had been hanging fire at the national level include the pension and PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority) Bill brought by the union government, setting up of the seventh wage board, raising the Income Tax limit to Rs five lakh, hike in the GPF interest rate to 12 per cent, withdrawal of the rationalisation policy in the education department, regularisation of adhoc staff and withdrawal of the privatisation policy.