Saturday, April 29, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Left leaders oppose hike in quota
New Delhi, April 28
The Left parties today asked the Manmohan Singh government to desist from increasing the reservation quantum for Scheduled Castes (SC) in proportion to the Dalit population, contending that the move would defeat the very purpose of the affirmative action.
In video (28k, 56k)

Nation page: Centre for talks with states, SC told
Sibal’s anti-quota remarks irk Arjun
Chandigarh page: CII opposes job reservation
Himachal page: Doctors flay reservation policy

15 suffer burns as bus goes up in flames in Jalandhar
Jalandhar, April 28
As many as 15 passengers received serious burn and other injuries when a “powerful explosion” put an Una-bound PRTC bus into flames at the local Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at about 4 pm today. The cause of fire was yet to be ascertained. Preliminary investigations by the bomb disposal squads of the PAP, the Army and the Jalandhar police, have however, indicated that the fire and “explosion” might not have been caused by a bomb.

Punjab page: Residual material rule out blast One of the victims with burn injuries at the Civil Hospital in Jalandhar on Friday. — Tribune photo by Pawan Sharma

SEBI shocker sends Sensex bouncing 500 points Mumbai, April 28, 2006 The SEBI (Security Exchange Board of India) order curtailing the market operations of major broking houses caused the Sensex to swing more than 500 points today. The Sensex opened sharply lower at 11,344 points as FIIs and mutual funds hit the panic button. In video (28k, 56k)

Business page: Sebi direction rules the day
Editorial: Regulatory shake-up
Opinions page: Markets are essential, so is regulation

Baba Farid varsity to hold PMET
Private colleges told to have SC/ST quota
Chandigarh, April 28
The Punjab Government has decided that the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, will again conduct the Punjab pre-medical entrance test (PMET) despite last year's fiasco.

Kanjhla’s election void
Chandigarh, April 28
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today unseated an Independent MLA in Punjab. Declaring the election of Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla, a former minister in the Parkash Singh Badal government, from the Sherpur Assembly constituency in Sangrur district as void, Mr Justice M.M. Kumar upheld the allegation levelled by the petitioner that the MLA had indulged in corrupt practices to clinch the election.

Expedite Bibi case, SC tells HC
New Delhi, April 28
The Supreme Court today directed the Punjab and Haryana High Court to set up a special bench to hear the petition of Kamaljit Singh in the Bibi Jagir Kaur case pertaining to alleged conspiracy to murder her own daughter.

Cong unhappy over Natwar’s remarks
New Delhi, April 28
The Congress has taken a serious view of former External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh’s recent statements implicating the party in the Volcker controversy. However, it is unlikely to proceed against him in a hurry.

PMO discusses 4-laning of Attari-Wagah road New Delhi, April 28 The government has decided to seek approval of the Cabinet for the four-laning of the road from Attari to Wagah. Lahore-Amritsar train to go up to Delhi