New Delhi, March 7
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has severely indicted the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Delhi government, and the Delhi police for their responses to its notices in connection with an encounter in the national Capital in which five persons were killed on the May 5, 2006.

On the basis of the material on record, the commission has found the encounter doubtful and has recommended Rs 5 lakh each to the next of victims' kin. The commission had registered case on the basis of an intimation received from the father of one of the victims.

The commission has set aside the argument of the Union Home Ministry that "the Delhi police have amply proved that the encounter was genuine and therefore no justification for the relief".

It has held this response to its show-cause notice as an extraordinary assertion made without any mooring in facts. The commission said that it was unable to understand how the Ministry of Home Affairs claimed "the Delhi police have managed to prove that the encounter was genuine".

The commission has also condemned the fact that the authorities concerned refused to accept its recommendation to hold a CBI inquiry into this case, which, it felt was essential.

"There was total non-cooperation from the Government of Delhi. The police did not forward all the relevant documents to the commission. There was no explanation for non-collection of scientific evidence," said senior NHRC official.

New Delhi, March 7
On the eve of the International Women's Day, champions of woman rights and entrepreneurs today highlighted the inequality in almost all spheres that women face while discussing the need of women quota during a live webcast of a panel discussion on social media.

The discussion as a part of the CloseTheGap Campaign started by Oxfam in 2013 around the issue of social, economic and political "Inequality" revolved around the question - Why are women missing from leadership positions in private and public institutions?

The issue of the 33 per cent Women's Reservation Bill not being passed despite a strong campaign and promises from almost all the major political parties figured strongly in the discussion where the panellists urged the bill to be passed no matter which government comes to power after the national elections, while acknowledging the problem of the Scheduled Caste and class representation.

Incidentally, the bill was listed for being taken up in the recently concluded Parliament session, which the government was even willing to extend to get the long-pending bill passed.

Activist actor and producer Nandita Das said, "Are husbands holding back their wives even within educated-working middle class families? We need to ask these questions. As I explored in my play 'Between the Lines', inequalities exist in our homes too, but in subtler forms and that makes it harder to confront. From a housemaid to a managing director, a woman is still expected to follow the unstated norms of holding back. This needs to change."

"Companies are expected to have at least one independent woman on the board. But that is bare minimum. There is no shortage of women with exceptional record and skills waiting to swell the ranks of corporate leadership. The companies must be more proactive and go beyond even up to 50 per cent," said Kiran Karnik, chairperson, CII Telecom Committee and chairperson of Oxfam India.

"With close to 50 per cent as a voting population, merely 10 per cent participation in Parliament is absolutely not enough. We have waited for so long for the 33 per cent Women's Reservation Bill being passed and yet again we saw it being pushed back. Across the globe there are examples of how affirmative action have led to increase in women's political leadership," said Nisha Agrawal, CEO of Oxfam India.

New Delhi, March 7
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rescheduled the exam dates of some of the subjects for the Senior School Certificate (Class XII) Examination 2014 in view of the parliamentary election schedule announced by the Election Commission of India for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections.

Going by the revised date-sheet, the Class XII Board Exams of Urdu Elective, Music Carnatic Vocal, Music Carnatic Instrument Melodic, Music Carnatic Instrument Percussion, Music Hindustani Vocal, Music Hindustani Instrument Melodic, Music Hindustani Instrument Percussion, and Urdu Core will now be held on April 25 instead of April 9 while that of Sociology, Graphic Designs, DTP Cad and Multimedia and Business Processes Outsourcing Skills will be held on April 21 in place of April 10. Then the exams of papers Computer and Life Insurance Administration and Graphics to be held on April 11 and 12 will now be held on April 19 and 22, respectively.

According to the statement, exams for papers such as Agriculture, Creative Writing & Translation Studies, Painting, Graphics, Sculpture and Applied Art-Commercial Art will be held on April 22 instead of April 17.

Students can find the revised exams timetable on the official website of the board.

New Delhi, March 7
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Akhilesh Tripathi, who allegedly incited AAP supporters during the clash with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on March 5, did not show up for police questioning in regard to the incident today.

Tripathi was summoned by the Delhi police to be questioned in regard to the clash that took place between the AAP and BJP workers outside the latter's office in Delhi.

The police are examining the uncut video footage of the incident in which Tripathi allegedly climbed on a water-cannon vehicle with the intent to damage it. The police are relying on the video footage to identify those people who have been accused of damaging public property and assaulting police personnel and other persons.

"Tripathi did not show up for questioning today. We will first have to question him and then we will see if we will take action against him," said a senior police, who is part of the investigation of this case.

According to the FIR, AAP leaders - Shazia Ilmi, Ashutosh, Akhilesh Tripathi, Jarnail Singh, who is also a Lok Sabha candidate, Anand Kumar, Jagdeep Singh and Surinder Singh - were inciting people outside the BJP office. The FIR has been registered under the Indian Penal Code sections of assaulting police personnel, "unlawful assembly", rioting and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. Fourteen AAP workers, who are named in the FIR, were arrested and granted bail by a local court yesterday.

New Delhi, March 7
In an effort to win all seven parliamentary seats in Delhi, the minority cell of the state BJP decided to visit block-to-block predominant by Muslims with a slogan "riot free India".

State party minority cell chief Atif said minority activists of the party would meet Muslims to convince them if the BJP was voted to power in the leadership of Narendra Modi, there would no incidents of riot in the country. The minorities would be in better position.

There was no riot in the BJP-ruled states while in other states where non-BJP parties ruled a number of riots have been reported. The recent example is Uttar Pradesh where people were killed in riots in Muzaffar Nagar and a large number of people have become homeless.

The decision was taken at a meeting attended by state party president Harsh Vardhan, in charge of Delhi affairs of the party Prabhash Jha and a few other senior leaders, said Atif.

The minority cell would have meeting on March 15, 18, 19, 21, 25 and 27 that would be attended by all minority members in seven parliamentary constituencies to make strategy to make in-road in the minority vote bank. First time such an effort is being made for getting minority votes by the party, he added.

Sources said the party has also decided to walk with box written with "ek note and ek vote". The party would get an idea for the number of notes collected in the box.

New Delhi, March 7
A flagpole measuring 207 ft, which is also the largest flag of the country, was hoisted by Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament and president of the Flag Foundation of India at Central Park, Connaught Place, today.

The hoisting of the flag is part of the Flag Foundation of India's initiative to inspire Indians to take pride in displaying the Tricolour and instil sense of nationalism and patriotism among them.

It is for the younger generation of today to keep the flag flying high, keeping in mind the principles the flag stands for. It is the pride moment that Delhi has got its first monumental flag today and the 12th amongst the 207 ft monumental flag in the country," said Jindal.

"Connaught Place is an iconic area in the capital and Central Park is its landmark. So, it was the obvious choice to hoist Delhi's tallest flagpole as it will add colour to the skyline of the city," he said.

New Delhi, March 7
A 23-year-old man from Nagaland allegedly stabbed his woman live-in partner during an argument in Munirka, South Delhi, this morning.

The man, who has been identified as Mhabmo, has been arrested. The victim, who is also from Nagaland, is battling for life at a city hospital.

According to the police, Mhabmo has been living with his girlfriend at a rented accommodation in Munirka for the past one year.

The police were informed about the incident this morning. They reached the site and rushed the victim to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, where she has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

"The victim has sustained a stab wound in her back," said a police officer.

Doctors said that the woman has not gained consciousness until late in the evening today.

The police arrested Mhabmo after registering a case under Section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon or means) of the Indian Penal Code at the Vasant Vihar police station. The police said that they have not spoken to the victim yet. "After recording her statement, we can add more sections to the case," said the officer. The police have also informed the victim's family.

New Delhi, Mar 7
A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour in the New Ashok Nagar area of East Delhi, said a police officer today.

The incident took place yesterday morning and Raju, 24, who is pursuing BCom at a private college, has been arrested in connection with the case, said the officer.

"The victim was on her way to school when Raju offered to drop her on his bike. As Raju was known to the girl, she agreed. But instead of dropping her at the school, he took her to a secluded area where he allegedly raped her," the officer added.

After committing the crime, Raju dropped her outside her school and fled. He also threatened her of dire consequence, if she revealed about the incident to anyone.

"The girl, however, told her parents about her ordeal who then informed the matter to the police. A case under relevant sections has been registered," the officer added. — PTI