The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Jacob lauds NGO’s work
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 21
The UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), today visited the night school being run by Aurobindo Society in Colony No 4 in the Industrial Area, Phase I, Chandigarh.

The night school was started by the society, three months ago on the motivation shown by General Jacob. Mr B.K. Mehan, secretary, of the society, welcoming the Administrator, said during the past three months they had recruited 50 children.

He said the society would like to extend the programme to other slums. Teachers of Aurobindo School came thrice a week to teach the students, he added.

General Jacob appreciated the efforts of the society, especially Mr Pradeep Narang, who has been overseeing the project from Pondicherry itself. He said in this literacy drive Aurobindo Society could show the path to other NGOs.

He advised the students to work hard and study with a focussed approach to achieve their goal in the life. He said everybody, irrespective of caste, colour, creed, and even status, could rise and touch the pinnacle of glory with hard work and determination.

HIGH COURT
Poll panel has overriding powers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 21
Holding that the state Election Commission possessed “powers to pass any order for ensuring free and fair polls”, Mr Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ruled that the commission also enjoyed “powers to suspend an election where the returning officer had illegally rejected the nominations”.

The orders were passed on a petition by Mr Lek Ram of Madho Singhana village in Sirsa district. Claiming to be a candidate for the post of sarpanch, the petitioner had contended that the elections were kept in abeyance after an ex parte inquiry was apparently held into a complaint filed by another candidate, Sanjay Kumar, alleging rejection of his nomination papers unfairly. The respondent, Mr Lek Ram had added, was the nephew of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala.

Dismissing the petition, Mr Justice Goel ruled: “Principles of natural justice, in such a situation, may not require hearing the affected parties, though the authority is required to act fairly and after the application of mind”.

Referring to the current cfase, Mr Justice Goel added: “It is patent that the returning officer acted illegally and it could not be shown by the petitioner that the action of the officer in rejecting the nomination was valid. The rejection of the nomination does not appear to be justified and there is no reason to assail the view taken by the commission in this regard”.

The Judge concluded: “I am not inclined to interfere with the impugned order after it has been explained that the commission had reasons for suspending the elections. The writ petition fails and is dismissed”.

Contempt notice to Secy, CE

Coming down heavily on “government authorities” for avoiding the implementation of court orders “forcing the citizens to approach the court time and again for the grant of relief”, a Division Bench of the High Court today asked the state of Punjab and other respondents to show cause why proceedings under the Contempt of Court Act should be not initiated against the erring officers”.

Pronouncing the orders on petition filed by Mr Pawan Kumar and five other apprentices working with Bhakra main line, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Justice J.S. Narang also asked the respondents to explain “why costs should not be ordered to be recovered personally from the erring officers for omissions and lapses”.

The Bench also issued notice to Punjab’s Secretary in the Department of Irrigation, along with the Chief Engineer (Canals). The case will now come up for further hearing on October 16.

The Judges observed: “Despite two specific orders by a Division Bench and a Single Bench, and the serving of a legal notice, the respondents have failed to reconsider the matter and pass appropriate orders on a representation submitted by the petitioners till date compelling them to approach the court for the third time”.

In their detailed order, the Judges added: “This case is a glaring example of how government authorities in position avoid the implementation of court orders and force normal citizens to approach the court time and again for the grant of relief. They added that the petitioners had initially filed a writ petition for regular increments. The petition was disposed of by a Division Bench, but despite specific directions, the matter was not reconsidered by the authorities compelling the petitioners to file a contempt petition.

Costs imposed on IT Department

Our Legal Correspondent adds: A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Mr Justice J.L. Gupta and Mr Justice Ashutosh Mohanta today ordered the imposition of Rs 11,000 as costs on the Income Tax Department for non-issuance of refund HAFED.

The petitioner asked for the refund many times. The authorities kept on dilly-dallying. HAFED ultimately filed writ petition in the High Court. The High Court issued notice to the Income Tax Department and asked the Assessing Officer to file affidavit after which refund with interest amounting to Rs 1,31,00,000/- was issued in August, 2001.

The court taking a serious view for such an inordinate delay in issuing the refund, imposed costs on the department of Rs 11,000.

Police remand for robbery accused
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 21
Babbar Singh, one of the accused in Sector 35 robbery case, was sent in police remand for two days by the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class) here on Friday. The accused was arrested by the city police from the ISBT on Thursday. The accused was produced in the court in the afternoon. All other accused in the case have already been arrested by the police.

REMANDED: Two youths of Naya Gaon were sent in judicial remand till October 5 by a local court here on Friday. The duo—Kuldeep Singh and Harpreet Singh— were arrested by the city police on Thursday. They were reportedly carrying a double-barrel gun and a revolver.

PANCHKULA

IMPRISONMENT: The Additional Sessions Judge, Panchkula, Mr S.K. Kumar, on Friday sentenced Paramjit Singh to seven years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 in a case of abduction. The other four accused in the case, namely, Aflatoon Mohamad, Ashok Kumar, Saraman Bahadur and Gurdial Singh, were sentenced to three years regorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000. The five had abducted Rajendra Singh from the bus-stop near Bill village on January 28, 1997. A case was registered under Sections 364, 148 and 149 the IPC at Chandimandir police station

Orders reserved on Senate poll
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 21
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today reserved orders on a petition filed by the Director of the Centre for Adult Continuing Education and Extension, Dr Ajaib Singh, seeking the quashing of an order issued by the Panjab University Vice-Chancellor rejecting his nomination paper for Senate elections.

Dr Ajaib Singh, in his petition, had also asked for directions to the university to permit him to contest the elections after accepting his nomination papers. Claiming to have been rendered disqualified to contest the elections as a result of the order, counsel for the petitioner contended that the order was passed on August 17 last year even though the Syndicate had already declared him eligible for the elections scheduled for September 17 last year.

The order, he added, was liable to be set aside as the VC had decided the question regarding the petitioner’s entitlement to contest the elections even though it was beyond the power conferred upon him under the regulations.

Passport fraud accused granted bail
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, September 21
Manish Puri, booked for selling passport of an Indian roller hockey team member Abhishek Rattan Pal, was today granted bail.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Kamal Kant, granted bail to Puri on a surety of Rs 10,000.

Pal, who was to participate in the Asian Roller Hockey Championship scheduled for September 30 in Taiwan, had alleged that his friends Vicky Rakra of Sector 7 and Manish Puri of Sector 11 had taken his multiple visa and passport on December 25 last year during his birthday party.

The local police had registered a case of breach of trust and criminal intimidation against the duo on the complaint of Pal.

The complaint alleges that Nakra had told Rattan Pal that he could get Pal a US visa on the passport valid till July 2000. The police suspected that it was sold before the UK visa had expired. Pal’s team leaves for Taiwan on September 26.

Masks that reveal reality
Parbina Rashid

Chandigarh, September 21
Vinay Vadhera is driven by the artistic zeal to express reality beneath appearance capture the essence of human character when unmasked. And for this he has aptly chosen the medium of painting and mask-making yielding a series of 20 different paintings and an equal number of masks which are being exhibited at the Indus Ind Art Gallery in Sector 8, Chandigarh.

“My mask faces are not meant to hide their expressions, but to bring them out ,” says Vinay who at present working as Senior Visualiser in the Educational Television Centre at Technical Teachers Training Institute in Sector 26. Chandigarh. “We are living in a society where people all the time wear masks of different shades and hues. My artistic expressions are what I think would be the real ones when the mask is dropped,” he adds.

His paintings reflect the same sentiment. As you enter the gallery you get captivated by the different moods of people the artist has effectively shown under the same frame using different expressions and colours like red depicting the mood of a fighting spirit and yellow that of a thinking spirit.

As the search for purity goes deeper, the paintings also become more complicated, showing the dual personality of human beings and the facades of life people are subjected to live through. The paintings of a sadhu trying to preach truth to people while hiding behind a mask, an angel getting impressed with the shady side of human nature and a chamelion admiring a human face who has mastered the art of changing colour, are dipped in pure sarcasm. His latest creation is the face of tribal king which dominated the venue. What pushed him to adopt such a complicated theme? Was it a quest for purity or some pent up frustration towards the social system? “My paintings or masks have nothing to do with frustration of any sort,” says the artist. “It is simply an attempt to expose idiosyncrasies and sanctimoniousness in an analytical light,” he adds.

Capturing the magic of ’70s
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 21
Neelam Dhanda of “Neelam”, a house of designer outfits, has made an attempt to revive the romantic aura of early ’70s in her latest collection of suits and sarees which are being exhibited at a hotel in Sector 22, here . Experimenting with bright mix- and-match colours like red, orange and magenta, the designer has created a number of “salwaar, churidar and garara” suits in contemporary cuts and designs. “Straight-cut short shirt teamed with either a “garara” is the latest invention of the house,” says designer Neelam emphasising that short churidar suits are already a rage with clients of all age groups.

Beautifully done in sequin work, the designer has used materials like georgette, crepe and chiffon to give a flowy yet neat image to her creations. The best part of Neelam’s collection is that everyone can find something to fit their taste or budget, for Neelam’s suits start from Rs 300 onwards and include both Indian and Western wear.

Neelam who started dress designing as a hobby soon expanded into an business which became too big for her to handle alone.” Now my husband and son also devote full time to this business,” says Neelam, a former Miss Chandigarh now one of the leading women entrepreneurs of Ludhiana. The exhibition was inaugurated by the City Mayor, Ms Harjinder Kaur, today.