Case filed for misleading HC
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 18 — The police has filed a case against a Ludhiana resident and members of a village panchayat for misrepresenting facts before the Punjab and Haryana High court.

According to sources, Mr K.K. Garg, Registrar of the court, lodged a complaint that Anwar Ali of Kaka village in Ludhiana, had filed a writ petition in the court, staking claim to a piece of land belonging to the Wakf Board, in 1993. His petition was dismissed by the court but he filed another in the name of Anwar Shah for the same land.

During investigations, it was established that Anwar Ali and Anwar Shah were the same person and that he had manipulated records with the help of Hans Raj, sarpanch, and five members of the panchayat. The panchayat gave an undertaking to the effect that the accused was Anwar Shah, while they were the same person.

The matter was referred to the Senior Sub-judge for inquiry and it was established that both were the same person and that the accused had filed the case with forged documents to corner the piece of land. A case under Sections 419, 420, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC has been registered at the police station north.

Held with liquor
The police arrested Shatrughan and Rajesh of Maloya village for possessing 194 pouches of liquor. Cases under Section 61\1\14 of the Excise Act has been registered at the Sector 39 police station.

Assault alleged
Mr Vijay Kumar of Sector 38 reported that Gurkirpal alias Pappu and others assaulted and threatened him with dire consequences. A case under Sections 147, 149, 323, 341 and 506 of the IPC has been registered at the central police station.

Gambler caught
The police arrested Ramu Shah of Sector 23 for gambling at a public place. A case under 13\3\67 of the Gambling Act has been registered at the Sector 39 police station.

Secret ballot for PU council poll
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 18 — The election for members of the highest academic body from affiliated colleges in Panjab University faces a significant change in the mode of conduct for the next tenure. For the first time, the elections to the Academic Council will be conducted by secret ballot.

Polling on the basis of secret ballot will have a university official overseeing the programme.

The principals who will be the presiding officers will seal the local results and address them to the Vice-Chancellor. The change comes into practice for the body to be in power from February, 2000, to January 31, 2002.

The names of candidates can be sent till December 27 and withdrawn till January 5, 2000. Prof Charanjit Chawla heads the committee on the matter and includes Mr Rajinder Deepa and Dr Iqbal Nath Chaudhary. The election caters to more than 104 colleges in Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana and Ferozepore districts, besides areas of Moga and the city, among others.

The resolution for the change pointed out the shortcomings of the earlier method. The ballots were earlier sent by post. "Often, the contenders managed to get the ballots and have them signed in their favour by door-to-door campaigning. There were also reports of college principals interfering in polling," a senior Fellow said. There was also a practice of the ballots being sent by mail to the Registrar. The ballots were sent by registered post which only meant extra expenditure on the university, a Fellow pointed out.

The Academic Council dwells on the syllabi proposed for different courses and sorts flaws in the syllabi. It also lists new courses which needed attention. The election involves 15 principals, 15 lecturers, five Senate members, two Syndics and all university professors.

The elections will also be held for seats of 15 principals coinciding with the seats of lecturers' elections.

The move for direct elections is being seen in good light by a majority of the fellows. "It will avoid principals' pressure in favour of any candidate," a teacher said.

The council faces crucial academic issues which form the backbone of university education. The existing system witnessed repetition of old faces who knew the methods of winning elections because by and large hardly anyone threaded into bodies like the council which was considered a political step in the colleges, a teacher said.

"Poets are being marginalised"
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 18 — "Poetry should never be taught through examinations and reference-to-context. Students should be encouraged to learn poetry and not be overwhelmed with references they cannot understand," said Keki N. Daruwalla, a poet in English, while discussing how poetry should be taught. He also contributes a column on strategy and international relations for The Economic Times.

Keki was addressing a select audience at the Central State Library, Sector 17, today evening. The event was organised by the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi. Prof M.M. Puri, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab Univeristy, was the chief guest.

Winner of Sahitya Akademi Award in 1984 for Keeper of the Dead and Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1987 for Landscapes, Keki recited some of his works and proceeded to discussions on Indian writings in English and the decline in sales and number of readers.

Keki recited his verses like Vignette-I, Oslo fragment, Invoking the goddess and The magician's son, and read out lines like The cannibalistic nature of love, London, here I come to your nylon furs and electric fires and The traffic of the boy's mind stopped by the father's hand.

Keki said Eliot had not influenced his writings. On the issue of Indian writings in English, he said, "There is a decline in poetry today and poets are marginalised by Indian publishers and the audience." He added that Indian poetry had failed to make the kind of impact that Indian fiction in English had.

Gujarat corner glory in national skating
By Arvind Katyal

CHANDIGARH, Dec 18 — Gujarat today won six positions in the artistic event of skating, while two positions went to Maharashtra, as curtains drew on the 37th National Skating Championships here at skating rink, in Sector 10 this evening.

Poojan Modi, Abhishek Munsha, Jeet Shroff in boys section, all from Gujarat, earned overall best position, while Sanjana Parikh, Mitali Gala and Pooja Rathod in girls, secured overall best position.

Nikhil Parikh the sensation boy from Maharashtra, who this year bagged bronze medal in the Asian skating meet at China, was the darling of the crowd as he won the overall position and secured 27.3 points in all.

Akshi Bhargya of Haryana in 8-10 year girls category and Tarun of J&K in 6-8 year boys category, Suchit Gupta among boys in 10-12 year category also of J&K clinched gold medal in rink races, while in point to point races, Khushboo Saini of Haryana in 12-14 years section of girls also got the distinction of securing gold medal, at DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8 .

Meanwhile in the Senior Boys Roller hockey final match played between Punjab and Chandigarh in late evening at KB DAV Centenary School, Sector 7, an altercation over a decision of the goal in the final minutes of the game led to the beating of the referee Sanjeev Datta of HP, who was injured by the players.

The results are:

Rink race: Boys: 6-8 yrs: Tarun (J&K) 1, Jiten( AP) 2, Sagar Desai (Guj) 3.

Girls: Aashna Bhow( Guj) 1, margi Bhagatiya ( Guj) 2, Neha Narwal( Har) 3.

8-10 yrs boys: Gaurva Singh (Guj) 1, Arjun Gandotra( J&K) 2, Akash Kothari( Mah) 3.

Girls: Akshi Bahrgya (Har) 1, Priyanka Parikh (Guj) 2, Sowhardhini Raj( Ktk) 3.

10-12 yrs: boys- Suchit Gupta (J&K) 1, Pritesh Gandhi (Guj) 2, Arkj Patel-Guj & Karish-J&K 3.

Girls: D.Harisha( AP) 1, Tanu Shree (Mah) 2, Aparna Das( Ktk) 3.

12-14 yrs: Apoorva Chandar( Ktk) 1, Daksh Gaddi (Har) 2, Harkiran Singh(Chd) 3.

Girls: Uttara Gargesh (Guj) 1, kansar Gandhi (Har) 2, Arvind (Ktk) 3.

Above 14 yrs: Floyd (Guj) 1, Amit Bajaj (Har) 2, Arvind (Ktk) 3.

Girls: Vanita Suri (J&K)1, Priyanka (J&K) 2, Santhrupi (Ktk) 3.

Rink race: Inline- 10-12 yrs: Boys: Poojan Patel (Guj) 1, Samyak Joshi (Guj) 2, Prateek (Ktk) 3. Girls: Heer Patel (Guj) 1, Versha(Ktk) 2, Parul Jaiswal (MP) 3.

12-14 yrs: Boys- Jagrut Thakur (Guj) 1, Arjun Bopanna(Ktk) 2, Mathan Adiga(Ktk) 3.

Girls: Kaman (Guj) 1, Aliena (Guj) 2, Swathi (Ktk) 3. Above 14 boys: Bharat (Ktk) 1, Srikantha Rao (Ktk) 2, Bhawik(Guj) 3. Girls: Biral Patel (Guj) 1, Janet (Ktk) 2, Vihangi( MP) 3.

Free skating: 12-14 yrs: Mansi Kothari (Guj) 1, Natasha Shah (Mah) 2, Esha Parikh (Guj) 3.

Boys: 12-14 yrs: Nikhil Parikh (Mah) 1, Rahul Narayana (AP) 2.

Point to point race: Boys- above 14 yrs: Arun (Ktk) 1, Nishant (Mah) 2, Harish (Ktk) 3.

Girls; Vihang Nagda (MP) 1, Janet ( Ktk) 2, Kavita (Ktk) 3.

Girls - 12 -14 yrs: Khushboo Saini (Har) 1, Kenan (Guj) 2, Shradha (Mah) 3.

Boys: Jagrut (Guj) 1, Harkiran Singh (Chd) 2, Manthan (Ktk) 3.

Volleyball results
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Dec 18 — Chandigarh State Volleyball Championship began here today at Sports Complex, Sector 7. The following are the results of the matches played today: junior boys: Coaching Centre 7 beat Negi Club: 27 — 25-12, 25-10, 25-11; Eagle Club b Negi Club 27 — 25-10, 11-25, 25-19, 25-13. Girls: SGGSS 35 b Dev Samaj Junior school 21 — 25-15, 25-18, 25-15; SGGSSS-35 b CC-46 — 25-11, 25-1, 25-5.

senior boys: DAV College-10 b CDA team 27-25, 25-21, 25-15.

Best athlete

Kiran Negi of class IX was adjudged the best athlete at the annual sports meet of the Government High School, Sector 40, in the school premises.

The other winners of the races were, Arun Negi in 50 metre, Pardeep Singh in shot put, Sonu in high jump, Geeta in high jump for girls, Gautam in long jump, Meena in long jump for girls and Kiran in skipping race.