LS chairpersons
NEW DELHI, Dec 2 (UNI) — The Speaker, Mr GMC Balayogi has appointed a panel of six chairpersons to conduct the business of the Lok Sabha in his and the Deputy Speaker, Mr P.M. Sayeed’s absence. They are Mr Basudeb Acharia (CPM), Mrs Margaret Alva (Congress), Dr Laxmi Narayan Pandey (BJP), Mr K. Yerrannaidu of the Telugu Desam, Mr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD), and Mr Beni Prasad Verma (SP).

Privilege notice
NEW DELHI, Dec 2 (PTI) — The Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr GMC Balayogi, today said a privilege notice given by an Independent member, Mr Mohan S. Delkar, alleging victimisation and character assassination by the CBI, was under his consideration. He stated this in the House after Mr Delkar sought to create a flutter, saying that the CBI has filed an affidavit in a court alleging he and his younger brohter were resorting to muscle-power tactics and were impeding an investigation in a criminal case.

Bofors charge sheet
NEW DELHI, Dec 2 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today asked a private organisation seeking deletion of Rajiv Gandhi’s name from the Bofors charge sheet to specify what "illegality" the CBI had committed by putting his name there and how it was aggrieved by the agency’s act. "Prima facie not much difference has been committed in putting his name in column-two when column-five (body of the charge sheet) states that he appears to have committed the offence," Mr Justice Cyriac Joseph asked Rajiv Gandhi Ekta Samiti (RGES) counsel to clarify on this aspect.

Woman spy
MOSCOW, Dec 2 (PTI) — Russia today gave woman diplomat Cherri Leberknight in the US Embassy here 10 days to leave the country after being accused of spying for the CIA and declared persona non grata. "The Russian side proceeds from the assumption that Cherri Leberknight will leave the territory of Russia," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevgeny Voronin said.

Grozny fighting
MOSCOW, Dec 2 (AFP) — Russian troops killed 40 Chechen rebels during heavy fighting close to Grozny, the ORT public television channel has reported, citing Russian military sources. Three foreign mercenaries were among those killed in the fighting, which took lace near the key town of Argun, eight kilometres from Grozny.

Wheat import
NEW DELHI, Dec 2 (PTI) — The CBI has registered a preliminary inquiry into specific acts of misconduct on the part of any official of the State Trading Corporation in the import of wheat from Australia in 1998-99, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Sharma’s health
NEW DELHI, Dec 2 (PTI) — There is no improvement in the condition of former President Shankar Dayal Sharma’s health, who is undergoing treatment at Escorts Heart Institute here since October 9, hospital sources said today.

Minister sentenced
CHENNAI, Dec 2 (PTI) — In the first judgement on alleged corruption during the Jayalalitha regime of 1991-96, a special judge today sentenced former minister Nagoor Meeran and his wife to three years’ rigorous imprisonment for amassing unaccounted wealth worth Rs 33.72 lakh while in office. Special Judge S. Sambandam rejected Meeran’s explanations seeking to show that it was acquired through legitimate means and held that the vigilance directorate had proved beyond doubt that the assets were disproportionate to his known income between February 1992 and June 1996. He also fined Meeran and his wife, Dr Noor Jameela, Rs 10,000 each, and, in case of default, to undergo a further three months imprisonment.

Manipur Rajiv Cong
IMPHAL, Dec 2 (PTI) — The Manipur unit of Rajiv Gandhi Congress (RGC) today merged with the Congress, newly elected PCC President Yumkham Erabot said. RGC Manipur unit President Koijam Biren had written a letter to the state unit President seeking merger of the RGC with the PCC, Mr Erabot said at the state Congress Bhavan here. Accordingly, the RGC Manipur unit merged with state Congress unit and this has been conveyed to the Congress high command in Delhi, Mr Erabot said.