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Want to take ties with US to a new level, says Modi
SC trashes National Tax Tribunal
Protesters sneak into heavily guarded BJP office in Delhi
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Maharashtra Assembly Elections
New Delhi, September 25 Having ended its 25-year-old alliance with the Shiv Sena, the BJP has decided to announce its list of candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly elections tomorrow, just a day before the last date of filing of nominations which is September 27.
Mumbai Muslim outfits back Sena
Post break-up, Cong puts up a brave front
12 new judges take oath in Punjab and Haryana HC
AP takes tech route to weed out bogus ration cards
Communal clash in Vadodara
CBI arrests man wanted by FBI
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Want to take ties with US to a new level, says Modi
New Delhi, September 25 “The 69th session of the UN General Assembly is meeting at a moment of many pressing challenges for the international community – a still fragile global economy, turbulence and tension in many parts of the world, growth and spread of terrorism, Ebola health crisis in Africa, climate change and the endemic global challenge of poverty”, the Prime Minister said in the statement prior to his departure. Before embarking on the trip, he approved a contribution of $ 10 million from India to the UN Fund for Ebola and additional $2 million for purchase of protective gear to tackle the disease that is gripping parts of Africa. At the UNGA, Modi said he would also urge early adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda with focus on growth, development and elimination of poverty. “As we head towards the 70th session of the UNGA in 2015, I will also stress the urgency of early reforms in the UN, to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in dealing with the challenges of the 21st Century,” he said. The Prime Minister said he was looking forward to meeting business leaders to invite them to participate more actively in India’s economic growth and transformation. Modi will participate in two public events in New York. One at Central Park on poverty, he said, was to focus international attention on this great challenge for humanity and affirm his support for global civic action, especially involving the youth, to address it. The other is with the Indian American Community at the Madison Square Garden. “Their success in diverse fields, their contribution to the US, their abiding bonds with India and their role as a vibrant bridge between the two largest democracies is a source of pride. They serve as a window to our heritage, progress and potential,” he said. Looking forward to his first meeting with US President Barack Obama, Modi said Obama’s life journey was a remarkable testimony to the rights and opportunities that democracies provide, and an inspiration for people around the world. Will address UN Assembly tomorrow
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SC trashes National Tax Tribunal
New Delhi, September 25 The Bench, headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha, ruled that as many as five vital Sections (5,6,7,8 and 13) of the Act on NTT’s powers and the appointment and service condition of its chairperson and members were in violation of the constitutional provisions. Since these five sections constituted the “edifice” of the NTT Act, the remaining provisions would automatically be rendered ineffective and inconsequential and therefore the “entire enactment is declared unconstitutional,” the Bench held. The other members of the Bench were Justices JS Khehar, who authored the verdict, J Chelameswar, AK Sikri and RF Nariman. In the 270-page judgment, the apex court said since NTT was substituting HCs, the manner of appointment of its chairperson and members would have to be by the same procedure applicable for the appointment of HC judges. But, even Secretaries at the Centre were involved in their appointment and tenure extension under Section 7 of NTT Act. Since the Centre was a litigant in every tax case, the involvement of officials in the appointment and tenure extension of NTT members had made a “mockery of the Constitution,” the SC noted. “Every Chairperson/member appointed to the NTT would be constrained to decide matters in a manner that would ensure his reappointment,” it explained. Further, under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution, HCs had the power of “judicial review,” which had not been expressly taken away by the NTT Act. But this power stood denuded as Section 24 of NTT Act had allowed litigants affected by NTT orders to directly approach the SC. Under Section 5(2), the sittings of NTT would ordinarily be conducted in Delhi which was against the law laid down by the SC that litigants should not be forced to travel to far-off places if the HC was replaced by a tribunal. This meant NTT’s sittings would have to be in every state having a HC, the apex court pointed out while striking down this section. The SC also found fault with Section 6 that allowed accountants and other technical experts to be part of NTT as well argue cases in place of advocates. While dealing with tax matters, NTT and arguing counsel were also confronted with laws on family, religion, corporate, partnership, territory, trusts and societies, contract, property transfer, intellectual property, interpretation of statutes and rules and other miscellaneous legal provisions, it pointed out. The Act had been passed for speedy disposal of tax cases and realisation of revenue locked in litigation.
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Protesters sneak into heavily guarded BJP office in Delhi
New Delhi, September 25 Raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre, they managed to reach the door of the building where office of BJP president Amit Shah, a Z-plus protectee, is located. BJP officials faced embarrassing moments as the group continued raising slogans against the party and Modi inside the party headquarters — heavily protected by the Delhi police, along with the party’s private security. They protested on the BJP premises where these days the visitors are only allowed entry after a thorough scrutiny. All attempts to calm them down failed and the protestors carried on raising slogans for more than 20 minutes. They were forcibly evicted and detained from the spot by Delhi policemen. BJP sources called it a “politically motivated attempt” aided by “party’s political opponents” in view of the upcoming Assembly elections. The BJP had included a special head — cow and its progeny— in its poll manifesto. It said: “In view of the contribution of cow and its progeny to agriculture, socio-economic and cultural life of our country, the Department of Animal Husbandry will be suitably strengthened and empowered for the protection and promotion of cow and its progeny. Necessary legal framework will be created to protect and promote cow and its progeny”.
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Maharashtra Assembly Elections
New Delhi, September 25 Sources said a list of nearly 250 candidates for the 288-member state Assembly was cleared last Sunday when the top leadership, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met at the party headquarters here. The BJP is likely to leave 38 to 40 seats for the smaller allies. Leaders said the decision to go alone was a collective one with blessing from the top leadership and also the RSS, who saw in the reasoning put forth by the state leadership that it was now or never. Though the party was unlikely to tie up with Raj Thackaray-headed MNS at this stage, it had kept options open for the later stage, sources said. A lot is being read in the way Sharad Pawar-led party dumped its 15-years-old ally Congress minutes after the BJP announced its break-up from the Sena. Sources said the NCP was waiting for an official announcement of the BJP-Shiv Sena split before making their choice clear. Speculations are rife that the BJP has also arrived at a tacit understanding with Raj Thackaray.
Fields Pritam Munde for Beed LS bypoll
Mumbai: With BJP MLA Pankaja Munde, daughter of Gopinath Munde, indicating that she would not contest the bypoll to the Beed Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, which fell vacant after her father's demise, the party has decided to field the late leader's other daughter Pritam for the seat
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Mumbai Muslim outfits back Sena
Mumbai, September 25 “Muslims are angry with the government over scores of young men being falsely implicated in terror-related cases,” said Shabbir Ahmed Ansari of the All India Muslim OBC Sanghatana. Ansari pointed out that the courts had acquitted most of the men who were arrested by the police and the cases filed against the youth of the community have fallen flat. The Congress-NCP government’s decision to reserve seats in government jobs and educational institutions for Muslims also did not seem to move members of the community. Speakers felt that the reservation was merely a gimmick before the polls and the courts may strike it down at a later date. Many speakers also openly backed Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray for the CM’s post. The organisations have now set up a committee to speak to leaders of all the major parties to find out what they intended to do for the community. Some of the participants at the event felt that the political set up in Maharashtra did not provide for an effective platform for Muslims in the state. “The Muslim voters in UP and Bihar have options like the Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. There is no such third alternative in Maharashtra,” says Fareed Khan, president, Muslim Professors Association. Political observers say these organisations only represent a small segment of Muslims in Maharashtra. The community is known to vote depending on the local factors in their constituencies. The Samajwadi Party and the Owaisi brothers’, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen are major contenders for the Muslim vote in the latest elections.
Anger against govt
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Post break-up, Cong puts up a brave front
New Delhi, September 25 Congress general secretary in charge of Maharashtra
Mohan Prakash said, "The Congress has always been committed to
keeping the secular forces together and will continue to do so. There
was no absence of dialogue with the NCP but it appeared that the script
for the divorce was written earlier." While blaming the regional
partner for initiating the break-up, the Congress said it would release
its second list of candidates tomorrow. On Wednesday, the Congress had
released the first list of 118 candidates for Maharashtra. "We are
ready with candidates for all 288 seats. The pending names for 170 seats
will be announced soon," said a senior Congress leader.
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12 new judges take oath in Punjab and Haryana HC
Chandigarh, September 25
In all, 12 Judges were administered oath
this morning by acting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court
Ashutosh Mohunta. Justices Bawa Singh Walia, Raj Mohan Singh, Amit Rawal,
Deepak Sibal, Hari Pal Verma, Anupinder Singh Grewal, Gurmit Ram,
Darshan Singh and Shekhar Kumar Dhawan were administered oath
today. The oath-taking ceremony was attended by sitting and retired
Judges of the High Court, bureaucrats, relatives and advocates. The
Judges swore to “bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of
India as by law established”. They also swore to “uphold the
sovereignty and integrity of India” and “duly and faithfully and to
the best of ability, knowledge and judgment, perform the duties of the
office without fear or favour, affection and ill will”. The roster,
which came into effect from August 1, has also changed with their
elevation. The ceremony was shown live on the giant screens across the
High Court. In fact, the lawyers, litigants and so many others in the
court saw it live from the corridors, as the venue, the High Court
auditorium, was jam-packed. The swearing-in-ceremony coincided with the
first Navratra. The list of Judges, in for elevation, was cleared a
fortnight back. At that time also it was assumed that the Judges would
be administered oath once the “shraadhs” were over. The development
is significant as 12 Additional Judges were administered oath in one go
for the first time in High Court’s history. The event was also unique
as the HC now has a record number of 57 judges.
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AP takes tech route to weed out bogus ration cards
Hyderabad, September 25 Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu sanctioned Rs 100 crore for installation of 27,176 e-POS machines in as many fair price shops, Civil Supplies Department officials said. The state government has made Aadhar card mandatory for availing the benefits of welfare schemes. The officials said that the Aadhar card had helped them weed out 67.45 lakh inactive, duplicate / non-existing and dead persons, thus saving the state Rs 300 crore per year. The Civil Supplies Department hopes that the e-POS system would help eliminate 10% of additional bogus cardholders. Nearly 20 lakh bogus ration cards have been surrendered across AP after the government started seeding them with Aadhaar cards, Civil Supplies Minister Paritala Sunitha said. Civil Supplies Commissioner Sanjay Jaju said the computerisation of 267
mandal-level stockpoints (MLS) points was under progress and that 3 lakh
"deepam" LPG connections to poor households had been sanctioned. The government is also planning to provide iodised salt free of cost to the ration card holders under the Public Distribution System
(PDS).
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No holiday for Central Govt staff on Oct 2
New Delhi, September 25 October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi,
is otherwise a national holiday. The employees will be administered ‘Swachhata Shapath’ (pledge of cleanliness) in government offices, public functions and events on October 2, said a directive issued by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth to all Central Government secretaries. “Each ministry should participate in this national endeavour and undertake cleanliness and awareness campaign in a befitting manner,” Seth said. The cleanliness drives led by senior officials will be undertaken in all government and public offices, it said. The PM will launch ‘clean India’ campaign, a mass movement aimed at cleaning the country. A week-long drive has been started from today to get rid of clutter, garbage and weed out old and unwanted things from government office premises.
— PTI
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Communal clash in Vadodara
Ahmedabad, September 25 A photograph on the social media since morning allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of both the communities was also believed to have contributed in building up the tension between the two groups which flared up following the road accident. Soon members of both the communities gathered in large numbers and started hurling stones at each other. About 20 vehicles were set afire by the mobs which also attempted to loot a few shops.
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A group of protesters from Jhajjar, Haryana, today managed to break a heavy security cordon and sneak into the BJP’s central party office, demanding the closure of butcheries and a law to protect cows.
