No sub-quota in women’s Bill: PM
New Delhi, March 8
Rejecting the demand for a sub-quota in the Women’s Reservation Bill, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said the legislation would be taken up in its present form in the current Budget session of Parliament and asked women not to give up hope.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee meets Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, in New Delhi on Thursday. Mrs Gandhi met Mr Vajpayee as head of a women’s delegation on International Women’s Day to press for reservation of seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies. — Reuters photo

BSE chief’s resignation accepted
Mumbai, March 8
The governing board of the Bombay Stock Exchange today accepted the resignation of Anand Rathi as its President in the wake of allegations of his involvement in a bear cartel leading to a crash in sensex two days after presentation of the Union Budget.

• Edit: Securities scam — Mark II

Quattrocchi’s extradition case frozen
Kuala Lumpur, March 8
A judge today froze extradition proceedings against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, wanted in India in connection with the Bofors payoff case until a ruling is made on claims that his arrest in Malaysia is illegal.

Deshmukh inducts 6 ministers
Mumbai, March 8
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today reshuffled his 53-member Council of Ministers by inducting six new faces and elevating two ministers of state to the Cabinet rank while dropping five in what is being described as an attempt to fortify his eight-party Democratic Front coalition government on the eve of the Budget session.