New Delhi, August 5
The BJP and the Congress today welcomed the Supreme Court's direction to the Union government over dissolution of the Delhi Assembly and exploring possibilities for getting elected government.

"So far, as the BJP is concerned whenever the Lt. Governor will invite the BJP, we shall assess the situation and apprise the LG of our decision as soon as possible," Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said in a statement.

The Delhi Congress said it was in favour of fresh elections.

Upadhyay said that his party wanted that the people of Delhi should get elected government as soon as possible and development works in the city should start. Now it seems that with the intervention of the Central government the Lt. Governor will try all the possibilities of forming government which may be in the form of majority or minority government, coalition or re-election.

The AAP and the Congress are responsible for the situation under which Delhi is passing, he said.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Party spokesperson Mukesh Sharma said, "Delhiites should immediately get an elected government. Law and order situation has been poor. People have been facing electricity and water crises. In this situation, fresh election is the only option to resolve all problems."

Sharma said, "As per constitutional norms, bypolls of three constituencies - Tughlakabad, Krishna Nagar and Mehrauli - should be held within six months. To avoid bypolls, the Delhi Assembly should be dissolved."

New Delhi, August 5
The Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) today released a comprehensive "white paper" alleging financial, administrative and academic irregularities and violations of the Delhi University Act, Statutes, Rules and Regulations made by the current vice-chancellor (VC) Prof Dinesh Singh.

The teachers' body today demanded an enquiry by the Visitor, President Pranab Mukeherjee, against the VC, pending which, he should be made to go on leave.

The white paper, brought out on the basis of a series of RTIs replies, documents and other proof, has also noted the "lack of personal probity" and "academic integrity" on his part, said DUTA president Nandita Narain.

He has been charged with serious allegations starting from violation in introducing the four-year undergraduate programme, repeated "misuse" of emergency powers, continued violation in restructuring courses for 2013 batch and setting up of cluster innovation centre and in bringing in BTech courses, shielding and illegally reinstating principal of BR Ambedkar College, who was accused of sexually harassing Pavityra Bhardwaj who immolated herself.

"There are documents showing diversion of maintenance funds for 'Gyanodaya Express and over Rs.170 crore OBC funds to buy 50,000 laptops and that he has misappropriated funds meant for development of teaching in departments on 'Antardhwani', an annual cultural festival started by the VC in 2011.

“He has also siphoned Ra 100 crore on the name of development of SOL curriculum and also made favourable appointments by creating new positions. This is just the tip of the ice-berg," said Narain.

New Delhi, August 5
It appears that the protesting civil services aspirants are not ready to settle with anything less than scrapping the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) as they intensified their peaceful agitation today at Jantar Mantar where they were joined by Aam Aadmi leader (AAP) Yogendra Yadav.

His party appealed to the Central government to announce some emergency measures for immediate relief to the students, keeping the current situation in mind and postpone the civil services exams slated to happen on August 24.

Yadav said the AAP is in total support of the students who were protesting against the said discrimination. He said the government's announcement no way addresses the large concerns raised by them.

"They have been against the CSAT and demanding that it be removed as it gives the students with science background an edge over those belonging to humanities. This is a major movement towards that discrimination on the basis of language," he said.

In a bid to resolve the CSAT row, the government took a decision that the marks of English section will not be included for merit. This decision, however, did not go well with majority who have been pressing for doing away with CSAT.

New Delhi, August 5
A five-year-old schoolgirl was allegedly molested by a private school van driver in Govindpuri, south Delhi. The accused has been arrested and sent to Tihar Jail, police said today.

The victim studies at a prominent pre-primary school near Defence Colony in south Delhi. According to the police, the accused, Vipin Kumar, is a resident of Tughlakabad Extension. He is married and lives close to the victim's house.

"The van in which Vipin ferried schoolchildren, including the victim, to school from their homes and back was his personal vehicle and it was not attached with the school in which the victim studies," said a police officer. The van was hired by the victim's parents and other schoolchildren's parents on monthly rent basis.

The molestation came to light yesterday when the girl's parents reached the Govindpuri police station and lodged a case against Vipin. In their complaint, the girl's parents told the police that she had stopped going to school for the past 10 days.

Initially her mother thought that her daughter was not well so she did not insist her to go to school. Yesterday, when she asked her daughter to go to the school, the girl started crying. Her mother asked her if she was facing any problem at school.

"The girl told her mother that the school van driver used to indulge in indecent acts with her every day," the officer added. The girl's mother informed her husband matter after which they approached the police.

On the basis of their complaint, a case under Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been registered against Vipin.

New Delhi, August 5
A 28-year-old man was arrested this morning for allegedly killing a 51-year-old security guard in south-east Delhi during the early hours of Sunday. The man, who has been arrested is identified as Vinod, is allegedly a thief. The deceased, Bahadur, was a native of Nepal.

A police officer said that about 3 am on Sunday, Bahadur was patrolling Summan Bazaar in Bhogal. He went towards Jal Vihar to go to attend nature's call. But he did not return. A second security guard named Ashok (50) who was also patrolling with Bahadur went to search for him. He found him dead on a road leading to Jal Vihar about 5 am.

"Bahadur had two stab wounds on his neck and arm," said the officer.

Ashok informed a beat constable who was patrolling the area nearby.

"Vinod was sitting near Jal Vihar. Bahadur found him suspicious and questioned his presence there. An argument took place between them and a fight broke out. Bahadur hit him with a stick. Vinod stabbed him with a surgical blade," said the officer.