tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Thursday, March 4, 1999
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Another minister quits Patel govt
BANGALORE, March 3 (UNI) — The J.H. Patel Ministry in Karnataka was swamped with a fresh crisis with one more minister, Mr M. Varade Gowda, submitting his resignation and accusing the Chief Minister of indulging in petty politics. Expressing displeasure over the recent Cabinet expansion and reshuffle of portfolios, Mr Varade Gowda, a close confidant of former Prime H.D. Deve Gowda, tendered his resignation to the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, as Mr Patel was away in Delhi. Mr Varade Gowda is the second minister to quit after Mr D.T. Jayakumar, Minister of State for Institutional Finance, who resigned in protest as he was not elevated to Cabinet rank. The Karnataka Governor, Mr Khursheed Alam Khan, today accepted the resignation of Mr Jayakumar.

CBSE exam tickets
NEW DELHI, March 3 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court has asked a local public school to ensure supply of admission tickets to all its students appearing for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams this year. A division Bench headed by Mr Justice Arun Kumar issued the direction last week on a petition by the Parents Association of Naval Public School, which alleged that examination tickets of some students were being withheld as they had not deposited fee which the school raised beyond ‘permissible’ limit.

Ultra killed
AGARTALA, March 3 (PTI) — An insurgent of the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) was killed in an encounter with Assam Rifles at Chelagang under Amarpur subdivision of South Tripura district today, the police said. A group of insurgents armed with sophisticated weapons opened fire at a patrol of Assam Rifles at Chelagang and Assam Rifles jawans immediately retaliated, killing one militant on the spot, SP (Operation) N.Das said.

Teak smuggling
HYDERABAD, March 3 (UNI) — Conceding the demand of both opposition and ruling Telugu Desam Party members, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu today announced in the state assembly that a judicial inquiry would be held into the smuggling of teak wood by police officials. Intervening during question hour, he, however, rejected the demand of CPI and Congress members that the inquiry be conducted by a sitting high court judge, pointing out that 16 to 20 posts of judge were lying vacant.

Urea scam case
NEW DELHI, March 3 (PTI) — The CBI today sought two months' time from a Delhi court to summon foreign witnesses for recording of evidence in the Rs 133 crore urea scam case. 'Certain witnesses from various countries are to be summoned and at least two months' time for summoning them may be given under these circumstances', the CBI pleaded before the special judge, Mr V.B. Gupta. Mr Gupta, who allowed the CBI plea in this regard, fixed May 3 to 7 and May 10 to 14 for recording of evidence of the foreign witnesses.