Monday, October 4, 1999
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JD (U) alleges rigging in
Madhepura |
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 SHANTIPUR, (West Bengal): A Villager trying to save whatever is left of the haystacks. He had stored for the coming winter from the flood waters in Shantipur. — PTI photo |
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Definite basis must: SC TN CM refutes charges Laloo’s motorcade stopped Air Chief to release special stamp Mahatma indebted to Indians? |
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JD (U) alleges rigging in Madhepura NEW DELHI, Oct 3 (PTI) — The Janata Dal (United) today alleged "massive rigging" in the Madhepura Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar, from where its leader Sharad Yadav is contesting, by the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president and rival candidate Laloo Prasad Yadav’s supporters, and demanded a repoll in over 425 booths. "We are amused, what happened to Election Commission’s assurance of making elaborate arrangements in the constituency as state ministers and RJD legislators moved freely to capture booths," JD (U) leaders Jaya Jaitly and Mohan Prakash told a joint press conference here. Ms Jaitly said despite apprising the EC of apprehensions of electoral malpractices, no effective steps had been taken to prevent booth capturing, as a result of which majority of the booths had been "looted" till 12.30 p.m. She alleged that Subhash Yadav and Sadhu Yadav, brothers of Chief Minister Rabri Devi, were seen in police uniforms to organise booth capturing in the high-profile constituency. She said the ministers seen in the constituency included Ravindra Charan Yadav, Ashok Singh and Abdul Bari Siddiqui. In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill earlier in the day, Defence Minister and Samata Party Chief George Fernandes demanded suspension of polling in the affected booths. Jaitly claimed that Kailash Prasad Gupta, who was killed at a polling centre in Madhepura, belonged to the Samata Party and not the RJD, and described as false reports that Sharad Yadav had been detained by the police for indulging in booth capturing. Mr Prakash and Ms Jaitly said the voters confidence in the assurances of the Election Commission had been ‘shattered’ as many booths went without even a chowkidar. Despite assurances of patrolling by central forces, they were stationed at the control rooms or college grounds allowing a free and undisturbed run for the vote looters. They said photographic evidences of booth capturing was being compiled and even newspersons had complained about lack of security. JD (U) Chief Sharad Yadav said the situation this time was worse than last time when repolling was held in over 380 polling centres. There were reports of
rigging from Banka Lok Sabha constituency also where
former Union Minister Digvijay Singh is fighting on the
JD (U) ticket, they said. |
Pak steps to check JKLF march MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 3 (AFP) — Paramilitary troops were deployed in the occupied Kashmir today to prevent a planned march across the Line of Control (LoC) by a Kashmiri militant party, officials said. The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) plans to cross the LoC from the Pakistani side on Tuesday, but authorities said they would stop the attempt. India had warned Pakistan that it would take sole responsibility for the consequences if it failed to prevent the march. Acting Chief Executive in the occupied Kashmir, Sahibzada Mohammad Ishaque Zafar, said frontier constabulary troops had taken up positions in the area where the JKLF said it would assemble marchers. The JKLF has chosen the Hajira and Madarpur area near the LoC for the cross over. The figure of troops deployed was not disclosed but an official source said the deployment was quite substantial and reinforcements would be brought in if necessary. In addition 1,000 police personnel had also been posted, an administration official said. Government officials toured Hajira yesterday to monitor the arrangements, residents said. The security forces were erecting barricades and causing landslides on the proposed route, witnesses said. More than 100 JKLF men has been detained in a police crackdown launched on Friday, compelling JKLF leaders to go into the hiding, party and official sources said. Zafar reiterated that
the government would not allow the march to take place as
it was a "suicidal" plan. |
Priyanka claims Sonia's victory AMETHI, Oct 3 (PTI) — Priyanka Vadra today expressed confidence that her mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi would emerge victorious from this Lok Sabha constituency as the rival BJP charged the administration with being biased towards the Congress. Priyanka told PTI in Gorakhpur village that "we have been receiving complaints from different parts of the constituency but, I am convinced that we have won the election despite all this." Her husband, Robert Vadra, touring the Gauriganj Assembly segment said: "We will win and serve the people." However, BJP candidate Sanjay Singh’s wife, Ameeta Singh, told PTI, "Priyanka is being given special treatment. She is travelling with 35 cars. There is a distinct bias of the administration against us. Priyanka is being fed with information on wireless." She said the BJP had asked for a repoll in five booths of the Amethi Assembly segment. "The Congress has been creating trouble in certain areas of the Amethi Assembly segment and our workers are being pushed out and at times threatened by their people. We are lodging serious complaints against certain police officials and administrators for showing bias towards Congress and Priyanka," she said while touring the Munshiganj area in the constituency. Local BJP leader Subedar Singh said they had complained to the Election Commission that Priyanka was moving in "a motorcade of 35 cars". Earlier, the Congress had lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission that one of its polling agents in Benipur in Amethi had been beaten up by a group led by BJP candidate Sanjay Singh. District Magistrate and Electoral Officer of Sultanpur, Anurag Srivatsav, under whom the Amethi constituency falls, told PTI that he had asked the police to probe the matter and take the necessary action. Polling has been
peaceful in the Ramnagar, Bhairopur, Ratapur, Pannpur,
Dhema, Trisheundi, Bhadar, Ramganj, Tikarmafi areas of
the constituency which have been declared sensitive or
hypersensitive. |
Disciplinary action against staff NEW DELHI, Oct 3 (UNI, PTI) — The initiation of disciplinary proceedings against an officer cannot take place on an information which is vague or indefinite in nature, the Supreme Court has ruled. "Suspicion has no role to play in such a matter. There must exist a reasonable basis for the disciplinary authority to proceed against the delinquent officer,’’ the court observed. The ruling was handed down by a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice S. Saghir Ahmad and Mr Justice D.P. Wadhwa while quashing a charge sheet against a very senior officer of the Central Excise Department and thereby allowing his appeal with costs against a judgement of the Bombay High Court. The appellant, Mr Zunjarrao Bhikaji Nagarkar, was posted as Collector, Central Excise, Nagpur, in 1995. The Collector is now called Commissioner after an amendment of the Central Excise Act, 1944. At present, the appellant is posted as Director, National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics, Mumbai. He was served with a memorandum dated September 2, 1997, under rule 14 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965 informing him that the President proposed to hold an inquiry against him on the allegation that he favoured Messrs Hari Vishnu Packaging Ltd, Nagpur (an assessee) by not imposing penalty on it under rule 173 Q of the Central Excise Rules when he passed an order dated March 2, 1995, holding that the assessee had clandestinely manufactured and cleared the excisable goods wilfully and evaded the excise duty and had ordered the confiscation of the goods as well. The appellant approached the Central Administrative Tribunal, challenging the proposed inquiry by filing an application. The application was, however, dismissed. Immediately thereafter, the appellant filed a writ petition in the high court challenging the proposed inquiry. The Petition was dismissed in limine on September 7, 1998. Hence, the appeal before the apex court. Admittedly by order in question, which was the basis for the proposed inquiry, the goods of the assessee stood confiscated and the duty demand amounting to Rs 3,57,000 stood confirmed. It was contended on behalf of the appellant that the memo of charge read with the imputation of misconduct only alleged that the appellant was in error by not imposing a penalty but there was no allegation of any corrupt motive or any familiarity with the party. The Supreme Court in its
judgement said when penalty was not levied, the assessee
certainly benefited. But it could not be said that by not
levying the penalty, the officer had favoured the
assessee or shown undue favour to it. "There has to
be some basis for the disciplinary authority to reach
such a conclusion even prima facie.It must be kept in
mind that being a quasi-judicial authority, the appellant
is always subject to judicial supervision in appeal.
Merely because penalty was not imposed by the appellant,
it would not be enough to proceed against
him,’’ the court added. |
Cauvery issue CHENNAI, Oct 3 (UNI) — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi today refuted his predecessor J. Jayalalitha’s charge that he had agreed to the removal of a "vital clause" in the original draft plan on the implementation of the Cauvery accord prepared by the then Gujral Government at the Centre, on the advice of the Karnataka Government. Reacting to Ms Jayalalitha’s statement that he had "hoodwinked" the people of the state on the vital issue and owed an apology, Mr Karunanidhi, in a detailed four-page statement here, said the clause, providing for the take over of the reservoirs by the authority if any one of the riparian states failed to honour the decision of the authority, was removed as it was opposed by both Karnataka and Kerala governments. Stating that it was incorrect on Ms Jayalalitha’s part to say that Karnataka alone had opposed the clause, he said Kerala Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar had also objected to the clause which he said went against the very concept of the federalism. The Karnataka government had then categorically stated that it was very difficult to implement the clause and if the authority tried to implement it, there would be a major law and order problem in the state. Besides the two state governments, a majority of parties in Tamil Nadu, including the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the CPM had also opined that the controversial clause need not exist in the draft scheme, he pointed out. Defending the formation of the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) by the Vajpayee government, he said the Chief Ministers of the four riparian states had agreed to form the authority with Prime Minister as the chairman of the body to avoid any tension among the states and resolve the issue amicably. Mr Karunanidhi defended the formation of Cauvery River Water Authority (CRWA) headed by the Prime Minister and justified the removal of the "vital clause" in the original draft scheme which provided for periodical release of water as and when the delta region required it. In an all-party meeting convened by him here on August 3, 1998 also, a majority of the political parties in the state, including the Communist Party of India (CPI) and CPM, had opined that the clause need not exist in the scheme, he recalled. If the Tamil Nadu government had insisted that the clause be retained in the scheme, the state government could not have arrived at an agreement with Karnataka for the release of 205 TMC ft of water as per the interim award of the Cauvery water disputes tribunal, he said. Mr Karunanidhi further said the Karnataka government after giving an assurance in the presence of the Prime Minister that it would abide by the CRWA’s conditions, was now reluctant to obey the monitoring committee’s directive. When Karnataka Chief Minister J.H. Patel agreed for the constitution of the authority last year, he was accused of doing injustice to the state by the Pradesh Congress (I) party. Similarly, Ms
Jayalalitha, in a statement issued on March 21, 1991, had
stated that even if the tribunal gave its award, Tamil
Nadu would get the water only if Karnataka released it.
She had also said that the award would be meaningful only
if Karnataka took a favourable decision, Mr Karunanidhi
recalled. "She is now under the impression that
people of the state would have forgotten her
statement", he said. |
Laloo’s motorcade stopped PATNA, Oct 3 (PTI) — Bihar Chief Electoral Officer A.K. Basu today asked the Divisional Commissioner of Kosi Range (Saharsa), Mr R.S. Poddar to probe RJD President Laloo Prasad Yadav’s allegations that his motorcade was stopped by Saharsa District Magistrate in Madhepura today. Mr Yadav, who is one of the candidates in Madhepura where elections were held during the day, has lodged a complaint with him and asked for action against DM Sunil Barthwal at Sonebersa, Mr Basu said. Mr Yadav later said his motorcade was stopped by the DM at Sonebersa when he was returning to Patna though he had been provided with official vehicles with ‘Z’ category security cover. The DM had objected to his movement in the government vehicle with beacon light, he said, and charged the official with acting in a partial manner. Mr Yadav also questioned
the integrity of the officer in conducting a
free-and-fair poll and alleged that the official had even
asked the CRPF personnel assigned for his protection not
to accompany him. |
Air Chief to release special
stamp NEW DELHI, Oct 3 — To commemorate 50 years of jet flying in the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis, will release a special first day cancellation stamp in the Capital. The Air Chief will release the cancellation stamp portraying the Vampire aircraft at the ceremonial Air Force Day parade at the Air Force station at Palam on October 8. The IAF had shed the prefix "Royal" on January 26, 1950 and entered the jet age with the induction of Vampire FB 52 jet aircraft in December 1949. The first Vampire squadron was the renowned No 7 Squadron that acquired fame in Kashmir and Burma. The Squadron Commander, Sqn Ldr S.B. Noronha was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for valour, an IAF note stated. In keeping with the innovations and improvisations, the IAF resurrected 50 Liberator (B-24) bombers from the 100 odd aircraft condemned by the RAF in its ‘bomber graveyard’ at Kanpur. They were used to raise the first bomber squadron and were also employed in the maritime role later. The IAF Act came into force on October 8, 1932. "Today, after 67 years, the IAF has developed into one of the finest air forces in the world. It has evolved into a highly professional, efficient and dedicated force with five operational commands, 45 fixed wing squadrons, nearly 20 helicopter units and numerous surface to air missile fighter fleet," the note stated. In common with all air forces, the cutting edge of the IAF was its fighter fleet. The IAF operated and maintained a large fleet of modern fighter aircraft capable of undertaking a multitude of roles such as deep penetration strike, air defence, electronic warfare and aerial recce. The most recent acquisition in the IAF, Su-30 had been designed in the genre of current generation of multi role fighter aircraft with "awesome performance". "Possibly the most
potent air superiority aircraft in the world today, the
Su-30 can be employed in both strike and air defence
roles with equal ease. It can carry a large variety of
modern weapons in any chosen mix and has an impressive
range and endurance which is ideally suited for the
defence of our extensive borders. |
Mahatma indebted to Indians? MUMBAI, Oct 3 (UNI) — Who is eternally grateful to whom? the people of India to Mahatma Gandhi or the Mahatma to the Indians? A Marathi advertisement issued by the Government of India on Mahatma Gandhi’s 130 birth anniversary yesterday conveyed that he would be eternally indebted to Indians, and not the other way round. The advertisement reads: "Hajaro varshe wevot, Hajaro Warshe Javot, Parnatu, Tumachawarache Aamache Roon Kayam Rahil. Its literal, translation is: millenniums may come, millenniums may go, but our debt on you will remain forever. Its version appearing in the English newspapers however rightly states "millennium may come, millenniums may go, but our debt to you will remain eternal." The Marathi
advertisement released by the Department of Audio Visuals
and Publicity (DAVP) has prominently appeared in almost
all the Marathi newspapers. |
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| Special bus service for
MPs NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Saturday flagged off a fleet of eight air-conditioned buses at Parliament Annexe for MPs. The new bus service, aimed at providing better transport facilities to the MPs, is part of the endeavour to provide all possible amenities to the MPs. Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi, who was also present hoped that with the introduction of this service the MPs would prefer the comforts of these coaches to their own cars. This would also help ease traffic congestion and pressure on parking space in the precincts of Parliament. — PTI 63
JNU students arrested 3 lecturers
killed in accident MRTPC order to
film distributors Eunuch held for
castrating youth 18 held on
rioting charge Naxals kill Cong
man Man kills elder
brother, friend Rebate on khadi |
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