|
|
|
|
|
Akalis set for Hola Mohalla
conference despite EC ban
SAD deliberately delaying
assembly bypoll: Khaira
No infighting in Cong: Capt
Manpreet’s kin contribute their bit for campaign
|
|
|
Farmers divided over support to parties
320 trouble-makers identified
Thermal projects yet to
begin production: Bajwa
Forged signatures: PU to issue notice to Fazilka college
Patna Sahib Jathedar terms
Sarna brothers 'tankhaiya'
HC lays guidelines for motor accident claims
Police gropes in dark five days after criminal’s escape
Granthi ‘pushes’ wife, two sons into canal
Clash with cops: 22 Ludhiana hospital staff jailed
|
|
Akalis set for Hola Mohalla
conference despite EC ban
Chandigarh/Anandpur Sahib, March 15 Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh said permission to hold the conference on land owned by the SGPC near Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib had been denied by the EC. “Earlier conferences were allowed because these had not coincided with the elections. The permission has been denied in context of a charged political atmosphere,” he added. SAD secretary and spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema said: “We had sought permission to hold the conference on March 8. We respect the EC’s authority, but we have not received a copy of the ban or any other communication in this regard. It is too late because we do not have the time to convey to our lakhs of supporters.” Earlier, the CEO had forwarded to the EC a communication of Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, who had given his nod for the conference. Sources said the DC had allowed the conference since the venue was 200 metres away from the gurdwara and also that such rallies had been held in the past and there were no complaints. A SAD delegation today met the CEO, resenting the delay in granting permission to hold the conference. In a memorandum to the CEO, the party brought to the EC’s notice that the SAD had taken the ground on rent from the SGPC. It was also stated that the entire expenditure for the event, including tent, sound system, banners etc would be met by the party. The other two parties holding political conferences at Anandpur Sahib on Hola Mohalla are the SAD (A) and Aam Aadmi Party. While SAD (A) conference will be addressed by its chief Simranjeet Singh Mann, AAP will rope in all its candidates from Punjab and Chandigarh. Efforts are being made to arrange Arvind Kejriwal’s participation, said AAP district convener Bhag Singh
Madan. What the EC says Political conferences should not be held either close to religious institutions or on grounds which are the property of institutions. No such conference should be held on the occasion of religions festivals like Holi and Hola Mohalla. — Election Commission
— Daljeet Singh Cheema, sad spokesperson Bains, Ayali supporters clash Ludhiana: The supporters of SAD-BJP candidate for Ludhiana seat Manpreet Ayali and Independent candidate Simarjit Bains clashed at Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar on Saturday. The incident occurred when Bains’ supporters were pasting stickers on the vehicles of passersby. SAD’s Ludhiana (Urban) president Hira Singh Gabria alleged, "When some passersby objected, including relatives of an Akali leader, Bains’ supporters started fighting with them. They were then handed over to the Sarabha Nagar police." When Bains’ supporters, including councillor Kamaljit Singh Karwal, reached the police station, the two sides allegedly attacked each other with sharp-edged weapons. The clash left several persons injured. Ayali alleged the Bains group was feeling “suffocated and that was why they were indulging in such tactics”. —TNS
|
|
SAD deliberately delaying
assembly bypoll: Khaira
Chandigarh, March 15 Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Sukhpal Khaira, in a complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner today, alleged that the ruling SAD-BJP alliance had "willfully concealed" the vacancy in the seat due to the resignation of the sitting MLA. "The Talwandi Sabo Assembly seat has fallen vacant due to the resignation of Sidhu. The Congress MLA tendered his resignation to the Assembly Speaker on March 7 when the House was in session. The Speaker accepted the resignation and made a formal announcement the same day," said Khaira. But the Speaker had failed to issue a formal gazette notification declaring the seat vacant and inform the EC and the Punjab Chief Electoral Officer, alleged the Congress leader. The Congress alleged that “the SAD-BJP government would prefer a separate by-election for the Talwandi Sabo seat so that the government could misuse its official machinery and exercise undue influence upon the voters”. The Congress leadership demanded that since the notification for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state was to be issued on April 2, the notification for the by-election also be issued on the same date. CEO awaits nod for auction of liquor vends The Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) still awaits a reply from the Chief Election Commissioner for allowing auction of liquor vends in the state on March 22. Excise and Taxation Commissioner Anurag Verma said, “A public notice was published in newspapers on March 2, at least three days before the formal announcement of the Lok Sabha poll.” Official sources said “permission was a mere formality as all steps had been taken in line with the formal requirements.
|
|
|
No infighting in Cong: Capt
Khamano March 15 Capt today addressed a gathering at Khant Manpur Club village here. He alleged the people of Punjab were fed up with the SAD-BJP government due to its failures on all fronts. He accused Badals of pressuring leaders of other parties to join the Akali Dal. "Due to wrong and anti-people policies of the government, more than 70 per cent youths are in the grip of drug addiction," he said. Capt Amarinder said the Congress would soon announce the names of its remaining candidates.
|
|
|
Manpreet’s kin contribute their bit for campaign
Gidderbaha, March 15 Manpreet’s wife Vinu Badal came from Delhi two days ago and has been holding meetings with party workers. She is looking after Bathinda (urban) and Maur areas. His daughter Ria, a student of class XII at Choate Rosemary Hall (a boarding school) at Wallignford in the United States, has also arrived and is meeting people in Bathinda to garner support for her father. Manpreet’s son Arjun Badal, who studies in New York University, will campaign in Bathinda rural, Bhucho and Sardulgarh areas. Meanwhile, Manpreet’s brother-in-law Jaijeet Singh Johal “Jojo” is holding public meetings in Mansa and Budhlada areas. Gurdas Singh Badal, Manpreet’s father, has been given the task to campaign in the ruling Badal’s stronghold Lambi assembly segment, from where he lost the assembly elections in 2012. He will be accompanied by Jagjeet Singh “Honey Fattanwala”, a cousin of Manpreet, who too had unsuccessfully contested assembly elections from Muktsar. Manpreet's other cousins Manjeet Singh Fattanwala and Jimmy Fattanwala have been told to meet party workers in Bathinda rural and Bhucho areas, respectively. Jaijeet Johal said, “At present, we are holding meetings with Congress leaders and workers in all assembly segments under the Bathinda parliamentary constituency. The campaign will formally begin in the next two to three days, when senior Congress leaders will come to Bathinda.” Pitching in *
Manpreet's wife Vinu Badal has been assigned Bathinda (urban) and Maur areas *
Daughter Ria is meeting people in Bathinda * Son Arjun Badal will campaign in Bathinda rural, Bhucho and Sardulgarh areas *
Father Gurdas Singh Badal and cousin Jagjeet Singh "Honey Fattanwala" will campaign in the Lambi assembly segment Harsimrat’s daughter to come next month *
The third generation of the ruling Badal family is set to join the seniors in canvassing. Harkeerat Kaur, the elder daughter of Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, will join her mother in campaigning next month.
|
|
|
Farmers divided over support to parties
Ludhiana/Barnala, March 15 While the Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) has announced to support the Akali-BJP alliance in the Lok Sabha elections, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Dakonda) has decided not to support any party. The BKU (Lakhowal) held a state-level executive meeting here today. Ajmer Lakhowal said: “The UPA government has failed to announce an agriculture policy.”
|
|
|
Chandigarh, March 15 Voter enrollment camps Voter enrollment camps will be organised tomorrow to rope in as many left-out voters as possible. The voters who apply for enrollment during these camps will be listed by March 27. — TNS
|
|
Thermal projects yet to
begin production: Bajwa
Chandigarh, March 15 Armed with information procured through the RTI Act, Bajwa launched a tirade against the SAD president: “Sukhbir only believes in politics of laying foundation stones. The thermal projects inaugurated by him are yet to start production.” The projects are at Goindwal Sahib, Talwandi Sabo and Rajpura. The PPCC president said in reply to an RTI application, the PSPCL Deputy CE (Thermal projects) had said commercial production was yet to begin at all three power projects in the private sector. He said people should get prepared to face an “imminent power crisis” as the SAD-BJP alliance had done “nothing” to resolve the issue. Bajwa claimed while the Talwandi Sabo project was yet to receive coal for commercial operations, the Rajpura unit had encountered a technical snag. Similarly, the Goindwal Sahib project, which was to start operation in March last, was yet to begin commercial production, he alleged. However, KD Chaudhri, CMD, PSPCL, said, “The Rajpura project has started delivering while the Talwandi Sabo plant will become operational by the month-end. The Goindwal Sahib project’s coal supply issues are being sorted out”.
|
|
|
Forged signatures: PU to issue notice to Fazilka college
Chandigarh, March 15 A PU committee during an inspection found that the college was using forged signatures of the principal in its communication with the university for the past year. The university had sent the committee on the complaint of a student. In its report, the panel recommended that the authorities should penalise the college and issue a show cause notice to the college management. The panel also found that the college had violated all the UGC and PU affiliation norms. It was charging dues more than the amount fixed by the university. It discovered that the MA Punjabi course had been discontinued. Moreover, the college faced a shortage of regular staff and contractual staff members were taking classes. The panel also found basic civic facilities missing in the college.
|
|
|
Patna Sahib Jathedar terms
Sarna brothers 'tankhaiya'
Amritsar, March 15 The announcement was made after the Jathedar held a meeting with the ‘Panj Pyaras’ at the Takht, in which head granthi Giani Rajinder Singh, senior vice-president Giani Baldev Singh, assistant granthi Giani Dileep Singh, and granthi Giani Gurdayal Singh participated. After the meeting, they termed eight persons, including the Sarna brothers, as ‘tankhaiya’ by holding them “guilty” for different charges against them. Talking to The Tribune on phone from Patna, the Jathedar said committee president Dr Gandhi, junior vice-president Maharaj Singh Sonu and general secretary Charanjeet Singh had been declared ‘tankhaiya’ as they were non-baptised Sikhs. Similarly, he said, they had received a complaint against the Sarna brothers and former DSGMC leader Harbhajan Singh Walia for “violating” the edict of the Sikh high priests by inviting ex-communicated former Jathedar Prof Darshan Singh to their home. He said they (Sarnas and Walia) were also the members of Takth Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee but they had no right to remain so after violating the edict of the Sikh clergy. He said they had also challenged the supremacy of the Akal Takht by inviting Prof Darshan Singh. He said they acted against additional granthi Giani Partap Singh for misinforming the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management about his appointment at
Patna. The charge Sarna brothers had "violated" the edict of the Sikh high priests by inviting ex-communicated former Jathedar Prof Darshan Singh to their home
|
|
HC lays guidelines for motor accident claims
Chandigarh, March 15 The guidelines are significant as more than 40,000 cases from 1985 till date are yet to be disposed of by the High Court. Out of the total, 20,000 cases require adjudication only on issues of quantum. Justice K Kannan has, in fact, advised the tribunal to adopt simple procedures at trial; and the insurer to take responsible defences and make genuine attempts to gather particulars and settle claims. The parties too have been advised to negotiate. The first-of-its-kind ruling came in a 12-year-old appeal filed by Satwant Kaur and others appellants against Sher Singh and other respondents. The appeal was filed for enhancement of compensation for the death of 33-year-old government school teacher. Justice Kannan asserted the insurance company had been grossly unfair. It must act with grace and not waste the court’s time. Advice to litigants
Justice Kannan asserted: “Unless the parties negotiate and settle for what are normatively established as scales of compensation, there shall be no end to litigations. “With enormous strain on courts, litigations shall be confined to where courts’ forensic skills are required to be employed for appraisal of evidence, where there exists a point of law to be established on the issue of liability or when a disputed question of fact of involvement of the vehicle is put to test. When the accident is admitted, when the age of the deceased is known and the relationship of the claimants is not denied, there is simply no justification to expect the tribunal to go through the whole gamut of a litigative process”. Suggestions to insurers
Justice Kannan has added: “The problem is worst confounded at the trial by irresponsible defences taken by the insurance company in the written statement merely denying all the obvious facts: Such as, the accident did not take place, the vehicle is not insured, the driver did not have a driving licence; the claimants are not legal representatives”. Directions to tribunals
Justice Kannan has asked the tribunals to work in tandem with the Legal Services Authority to ensure a coordinated effort of the police, the insurer and the court staff for maintenance of proper records and legal assistance to litigants. The tribunals have also been asked not to rush the case for trial to pave way for settlement. “Lok Adalat is the forum of best choice. Do not summon doctors, hospital authorities or court ahlmad for production and proof of medico-legal report, FIR or documents filed in criminal courts. Get certified copies of documents from criminal courts…,” Justice Kannan has added.
|
|
Police gropes in dark five days after criminal’s escape
Ludhiana, March 15 Sources said Raja escaped on March 10 even though the police had received inputs that he would try to escape on the way to the court from Bathinda Jail. The police tried to prevent his escape but the three policemen taking Raja to the court misinformed the search teams about their location. Raja, charged with multiple murders, was shifted to various jails last year to prevent his escape. Interestingly, the state police chose to keep him in Bathinda Jail that is far away from the courts where his case is under trial. Sources say Raja was using a mobile phone in jail and that the Toyota Innova in which Raja was being taken to the court was hired by his accomplice. Hardeep Singh Dhillon, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Intelligence, said, “I have spoken to Bathinda SSP on this issue. I admit we were alerted about Raja’s escape plan, but now we are concentrating on arresting him again.” "Raja escaped due to the negligence of the three policemen who were taking him to the court. They have been dismissed and booked for the offence,” said SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar. The three policemen are Head Constables Gurdeep Singh and Bhola Singh and Constable Jatinder Singh. An officer of the CIA staff of Bathinda police had informed officials about Raja’s plan to escape when he was being taken to the court. When the Bathinda police contacted the three policemen accompanying Raja, the three told them they were at Rampuraphul whereas they were actually in Maur area. When the Bathinda police swung into action and laid a naka at Rampurapul, they were informed that Raja had escaped from Maur area. Following Raja's escape, security around his house has been increased. Currently, Raja's mother Tripta, girlfriend and accomplice Neeru and brother are lodged in Kapurthala Jail. The Delhi Crime Branch and the Haryana Police have also launched a hunt for Raja. In September last, Raja had tried to get parole on the pretext of attending his ailing mother Tripta Devi, but his parole application was rejected. No lessons learnt *
In 2009 too, Raja had escaped from police custody while being taken for a hearing *
However, he was arrested in August 2009
|
|
|
Granthi ‘pushes’ wife, two sons into canal
Faridkot, March 15 Varinder Paul Singh, SSP, said an investigation was on. He claimed prima facie it appeared to be a self-inflicted incident. The police have reportedly recovered some quantity of poppy husk from Surinder’s house. The case *
The police said prima facie it appeared to be a self-inflicted incident *
They have reportedly recovered some quantity of poppy husk from Surinder's
house.
|
|
|
Clash with cops: 22 Ludhiana hospital staff jailed
Ludhiana, March 15 The court, however, acquitted 17 employees giving them the benefit of doubt. Of the 41 accused, two had died during the trial. All the accused were exonerated of the attempt to murder charge. Among those convicted are: Chander Mohan Kalia (the then DMCH employees union president), Ram Parshad, Amrik Singh, Sat Narain, Lal Dhari, Bhupinder Pal Singh, Inderjit Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Ram Brij, Narinder Kumar, Sukhwinder Kaur, Hardeep Kaur, Surinder Pal Kaur, Joginderjit Kaur, Ranjit Kaur Mann, Sukhdev Singh, Gian Chand, Sewa Singh, Gurcharan Singh Khalsa, Veena Khanna, Navraj Kaur and Rajwant Kaur. As many as 33 persons, including 17 police personnel, were injured when the month-long standoff between the DMCH management and employees took an ugly turn on July 13, 2002. The police had resorted to a lathicharge and used teargas shells to disperse the protesters. Among those injured were DSP Gurmel Singh, who remained in coma after suffering from a serious head injury and SHO Tilak Raj. Besides, several employees and some attendants were reportedly caught unawares in the melee. Undeterred by the huge police presence, the protesters had locked the main gate of the hospital. They even pelting the policemen with stones. Initially a case was registered against several other employees, but they were not chargesheeted. The police found them to be innocent in various inquiries. Even a few years ago, the government tried to close the case, exonerating all the employees, but the court did not agree. The incident *
As many as 33 persons, including 17 police personnel, were injured when the month-long standoff between the DMCH management and employees took an ugly turn on July 13, 2002 *
The police had resorted to a lathicharge and used teargas shells to disperse the protesters.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
We had sought permission on March 8. We respect the EC's authority, but we have not received a copy of the ban or any other communication in this regard. It is too late because we do not have the time to communicate with our lakhs of
supporters