Tuesday, August 20, 2002, Chandigarh, India
 Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

J&K poll on schedule
Centre, EC rule out postponement
New Delhi, August 19
The demand made by the Kashmir Committee headed by Mr Ram Jethmalani for the postponement of the four-phase poll to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was today rejected by the Centre and the Election Commission.
In video (28k, 56k)

    Editorial: No case for poll delay
    Nation page: Kashmir panel draws flak from BJP

Jethmalani’s statement rubbish: Hurriyat (J&K page) A government official shows a voter identity card to Kashmiris waiting for their cards outside a government building in Budgam on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday. — Reuters photo

Kalam meets former AGs on Gujarat
New Delhi, August 19
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam today began consultations with legal experts on the Union Cabinet’s decision to make a Presidential reference to the Supreme Court for its opinion on the Election Commission’s interpretation of Article 174 read with Article 324 of the Constitution in the context of Gujarat elections.

  Nation page
    Stall Centre’s move on poll, Kalam urged
    Centre lowering EC’s dignity: Congress
    EC deviated from its role: Advani
    BJP adopting double standards on poll: SP

Shekhawat sworn in as Vice-President
New Delhi, August 19
Veteran BJP leader Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was today sworn in as the country’s 12th Vice-President at an impressive but brief ceremony at the imposing Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
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Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde congratulates Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat after his swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.
— Tribune photo Mukesh Aggarwal

A SPECIAL REPORT
Manipur emerging as main hub of ISI activities
New Delhi, August 19
Manipur in the North-East is emerging as the main hub of Inter Services Intelligence activities and a large number of madarsas are coming up in the border areas of the state in a bid to enroll youth to take up arms and get involved in subversive activities against India.

NCM summons Ratra over Malout incident
New Delhi, August 19
Punjab Chief Secretary Y.S. Ratra has been summoned by the National Commission for Minorities here on August 27 at 11.30 a.m. to discuss last month’s Malout incident and obviate the recurrence of such ugly situations.

Sack 39 ‘tainted’ judicial officers: HC Chandigarh, August 19 In less than a week after work was withdrawn from 39 PCS judicial officers, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has reportedly recommended their termination from service to the Punjab Government. The termination of 18 others awaiting posting orders has also been reportedly recommended.     Punjab page: SC order to Solicitor-General