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Rahul’s Primaries project under attack
Three-Judge Bench to hear case against Swatanter Kumar: SC
SC notice to Centre, states on hate attacks
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Shutdown cripples life in Seemandhra
Arunachal media houses shut down
Karnataka budget: Beer, foreign liquor to get dearer
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Rahul’s Primaries project under attack
New Delhi, February 14 Sources in the Congress said senior leaders of Assam Congress have complained to Rahul about large-scale malpractices in the elections for Guwahati Lok Sabha seat, the first on which voting under Congress’ new Primaries system was held on February 12. Guwahati ticket has been bagged by Manash Bora, son of a sitting Assam Cabinet minister Akon Bora. Assam Congress leaders, in their complaint to Rahul on the voting eve, said Manash would win the Primaries on account of “money and muscle power he had used and the influence his minister father had exerted”. The complaint added that senior Assam leaders did not enter Primaries as candidates because they knew they could not match the winning candidate on money power. Leaders have demanded scrapping of Primaries and distribution of tickets according to the old system, which they say, was more democratic. The Tribune has learnt that S Bora and Harin Das, senior office-bearers of the Assam Congress, opted out of Primaries although they had applied for Guwahati ticket before the seat was included in the pilot project. “Many leaders did not have the money to splurge on voters and, hence, opted out,” said Diganta Kalita, secretary, Assam Congress, adding that Primaries, though a good idea, was marred by irregularities. “Money has exchanged hands. The minister father of the winning candidate campaigned for him. Another minister hosted Congress workers (voters) at his residence,” said Pankaj Borara, a candidate in Assam Primaries. State Congress leaders argued that it was impossible to prevent voters from being influenced by senior ministers. They said in Assam Primaries around Rs 2 crore had been spent by the candidates to woo voters. “This is no democratisation. Earlier candidates used to spend money on winning LS elections. Now they are spending money to win ticket. This system is worse,” said a senior Congress leader. In Guwahati Primaries, around 800 votes were polled out of the total votes of 1,200. Sources said many senior leaders did not cast their votes as they felt the victory was already “fixed in someone’s favour.” Complaints regarding Primaries not working efficiently poured in from several quarters.
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Three-Judge Bench to hear case against Swatanter Kumar: SC
New Delhi, February 14 A Bench comprising Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi said the issue required to be gone into by a larger Bench. Ahead of today’s hearing, Justice Kumar, who now heads the National Green Tribunal, had filed an affidavit in the SC, pleading against entertaining the complaint as it was false and malicious and was part of a “planned conspiracy” to malign his image. Justice Kumar also noted that he had already filed a defamation case in the Delhi High Court against the complainant and some media organisations. Further, he cited a resolution adopted by all the SC judges on December 5, 2013, clarifying that the apex court was not in a position to entertain complaints against its retired judges. The apex court has appointed senior advocates Fali S Nariman and PP Rao as amicus curiae to assist it in adjudicating the petition filed by the alleged victim. Attorney General GE Vahanvati has also been asked to assist.
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SC notice to Centre, states on hate attacks
New Delhi, February 14 Two PILs have been filed jointly by lawyers seeking guidelines to protect the people of north-eastern states in the light of increasing racial attacks on them. A Bench comprising Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi passed the order after senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi contended that the general atmosphere in several states was not conducive to N-E people leading a normal life, free from hate attacks, ranging from verbal taunts relating to their appearance to sexual assaults of extreme nature.
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Shutdown cripples life in Seemandhra
Hyderabad, February 14 In the midst of turmoil over the bifurcation issue, the rebellious Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy held a series of confabulations with his close aides, ministers and legislators from Seemandhra to chalk out his future plans. Positioning himself as the champion of the united Andhra Pradesh cause, Kiran is also said to be considering the option of floating a new political party ahead of the General Election. The Chief Minister, however, has refused to make any comment on the speculation about his next move. "Resignation is one of the options before me," he said. His close aides, however, are believed to have advised him to wait till the passage of the Telangana Bill in Parliament. The people across 13 districts of Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions, jointly referred to as Seemandhra, had a harrowing time due to the shutdown called by YSR Congress Party and Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association to protest against the introduction of the AP Reorganisation Bill, 2013, in Lok Sabha. Bus services operated by AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) were hit in several cities and towns across the two regions, including Vijayawada, Visakapatnam, Kadapa, Kurnool and Guntur with united Andhra activists staging rallies outside bus depots. The activists took out rallies in all the districts, burnt effigies of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and shouted slogans against the division of the state. In Vijayawada, Union Minister J D Seelam faced the wrath of united Andhra activists who threw brooms at his car while he was on his way to Eluru from Gannavaram airport.
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Arunachal media houses shut down
Guwahati, February 14 The APC and the APUWJ stated that they feared law and order problem arising out of the dharna by Students’ Union Movement of Arunachal (SUMA) to be staged outside The Arunachal Times office today.
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Karnataka budget: Beer, foreign liquor to get dearer Bangalore, February 14 Presenting the budget in the Assembly today, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said additional excise duty on beer would be increased by 13% to 135% to mobilise additional resources. “I propose to increase the additional excise duty on beer to 135% from 122% on 330ml bottled beer priced at Rs 125 and above,” said Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio. Licence fee on primary distillery, IMFL manufacturing distillery and brewery has been increased by 50% and on retail liquor shops to Rs 3 lakh from Rs 1 lakh. The budget, however, proposes to lower value added tax (VAT) to 5.5% on liquor sold in bars and restaurants in urban areas, clubs, lodging houses and star hotels so as to maximise collection. The budget proposed reduction in stamp duty on moveable properties to 0.25-0.75% on slab basis from the prevailing flat five percent of their value. Stamp duty on joint development agreements and powers of attorney was also proposed to be reduced to 2%.
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