New Delhi, January 10
Senior employees can’t get lower salaries than their juniors, be it due to pay anomaly or any other reason, the Supreme Court has ruled while disposing of a petition against Punjab State Electricity Board and its authorities.

“We are unable to accept the reasoning of the (Punjab and Haryana) High Court or the submissions made in support thereof ” by the PSEB’s counsel, the apex court Bench, comprising Justices Altamas Kabir and Karkendey Katju, said in their verdict yesterday.

Two PSEB employees, Gurcharan Singh Grewal and Satinder Singh, had approached the HC, complaining that they were getting less pay than their junior Ram Prakash Shori. Upon getting the court’s notice, the PSEB hiked the pay of Satinder Singh and informed the HC accordingly in its response

When the case came up for hearing on September 23, 2005, the HC dismissed the complainants’ petition as it had become infructuous after Satinder was given the hike. The court accepted the PSEB’s plea that Grewal had not sought such a relief specifically.

The HC also dismissed two petitions filed subsequently, a review petition and a miscellaneous application, on the same ground.

The Supreme Court, however, said: “We are clearly of the opinion that the reasoning of the high court was erroneous and the appellant No. 1 was also entitled to the same benefits of pay parity with Shri Shori as has been granted to the appellant No. 2”.

The court rejected the PSEB counsel’s argument that Shori was getting more because he had got the promotional scale with effect from September 1, 2001 when the increments and the pay-scales were higher and when Grewal got the higher scale from January 1, 1996, such benefits were lower.

This contention “is still contrary to the settled principle of law that a senior cannot be paid lesser salary than his junior,” the Bench observed in their judgment, written by Justice Kabir.

The apex court accepted the argument of the petitioners’ counsel Nidesh Gupta that the prayer for higher pay was applicable to both petitioners and leaving out one of them for the benefit had defeated the very purpose of making Grewal petitioner No. 1.

Lucknow, January 10
The state STF today claimed to have arrested an alleged ISI agent Amir Ahmad alias Bhura from Meerut. He was carrying handmade maps of Army installations, including that of cantonments, and other classified information. Besides a mobile phone and Rs 510 were also seized from the accused. He had reportedly received a 20-day training in Karachi regarding how to collect military related information, said the STF.

A case has been registered at Meerut Sadar police station. According to SSP STF Amitabh Yash, Amir Ahmad is a resident of Mohalla Banjaran under Nakud police station in Saharanpur district. He was under surveillance for some time as the STF had received information of his frequent visits to Pakistan and lavish lifestyle, despite the fact that he was unemployed.

He has visited Pakistan five times since 1998, has a sister married in Pakistan who lives in Karachi. During surveillance it was found that Amir was in constant touch with some ISI personnel over the phone. “He regularly passed on military related classified information to his contacts across the border in code language. It was also found that he often visited the cantonment areas of Ambala, Meerut, Roorkee, Agra and Dehradun,” stated the SSP.

Today, the STF received a tip-off that he was coming to Meerut from Saharanpur with some highly sensitive information that was to be sent to Pakistan. He was arrested near the Syndicate Bank on Sardana road, where he had come to deliver the documents to his contact.

According to the STF, the accused had visited Pakistan on a month-long visa in 2008. Soon after crossing the Wagah border he had come in contact with an ISI agent who had promised to get him in touch with his ‘sahebs’.

Ranchi, January 10
Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren today claimed that he would resign in a day or two after having discussion with his party members of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

''We will have core committee meeting of the JMM this afternoon here where the members would be informed of what transpired with the UPA leadership in New Delhi,'' he told reporters at Birsa Munda Airport here on his return after a two-day stay at the capital.

''After that the party would decide on the crucial matter (the timing of resignation),'' the beleaguered Chief Minister, who lost Tamar bypoll, said.

''I will go to New Delhi again to inform the UPA leadership of the JMM's stand and discuss next course of action,'' he added. — UNI

New Delhi, January 10
The government will bring an ordinance to set up 16 central universities across India. The decision was taken yesterday by the Union Cabinet in the wake of elaborate preparations required to be taken before the universities can be set up for the next academic session. The government had no choice but to bring an ordinance as Parliament is not in session.

With the decision of the cabinet, the long-pending matter of central universities appears resolved. The establishment of these universities is part of the UPA’s promise to improve access to higher education and increase India’s gross enrollment ratio from 10 per cent at present to 15 per cent by the end of the 11th five year plan.

After much trouble (the Law Ministry had problems with the Bill), the Central Universities Bill 2008 was finally introduced in the Lok Sabha on October 23 last and later referred to the department-related parliamentary standing committee on human resource development. The committee presented its report on December 17 last, the Bill could not be passed in Parliament.

The government said the proposed ordinance would contain all the provisions of the Bill, 2008 pending in the Lok Sabha as well as the changes required to be implemented in accordance with the standing committee’s recommendations. In fact, an ordinance was expected and The Tribune had in July last reported of its imminence.

Interesting also is the government’s approval to conversion of three state universities as central. These include Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh; Guru Ghasi Das University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh and Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University.

As reported in these columns this September, the HRD Ministry was under political pressure to upgrade these universities. While the case of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal state university was backed by top leadership within the Congress (H.N. Bahuguna was a tall Congress leader from the area), with HRD Ministry even receiving a communication in this regard, Guru Ghasi Das University, Bilaspur, (Chhattisgarh) and Hari Singh Gour University, Sagar, (Madhya Pradesh) both fall in the area of influence of HRD Minister Arjun Singh.

The only state university whose conversion into a central one will not happen is Goa University, which first recommended the conversion but later requested the deletion of the related provision from the Bill, saying the issue had not yet been discussed by the people in Goa.

Bhubaneswar, January 10
Though most of the truck operators in Orissa did not join the countrywide strike by truckers, prices of vegetables and other articles continued to rise here today as inter-state cargo movement has been disrupted due to the stir.

While movement of trucks remained normal inside Orissa, transportation of vegetables, fish, poultry and other commoditeis were affected as truck operators in states like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra were on strike, official sources said.

As the truckers’ stir entered its sixth day today, the prices of potato, onion and certain other vegetables continued to rise, soures said adding that the price of onion crossed Rs 20 per kg, showing an increase of over Rs 4 per kg. — PTI

Mumbai, January 10
The Editors Guild has deeply mourned the death of RK Mishra, senior editor and columnist, in Mumbai on Saturday. He was suffering from cancer lately.

Mishra was a renowned journalist whose range of interests included foreign affairs, governance, economic developments and politics.

Mishra trained generations of journalists who are now occupying important positions. As an editor, Mishra laid strong emphasis on in-depth understanding of issues. Starting his career with India’s first multi-edition daily Vishwamitra in Calcutta, Mishra worked with Navbharat Times and Lokamaya,and, at 27 became the youngest editor of a daily newspaper.

He moved on to Patriot of Delhi and became Editor-in-Chief and managing director of the group’s publications. In the early 1990s, Mishra headed the Observer Group of Publications and then went on to head the Observer Research Foundation, an important think tank, he founded.

Mishra had authored numerous articles and papers, including Before the Beginning and After the End: Rediscovering Ancient Insights, The Cosmic Matrix: In the Light of the Vedas, The Realm of Supraphysics —Mind, Matter, Energy and The Ultimate Dialogue.

New Delhi, January 10
Determined to cash in on the celebrity factor, the Samajwadi Party today said it would field Sanjay Dutt’s better half from the Lucknow parliamentary seat if the actor was somehow unable to contest.

“If Sanjay Dutt is unable to contest, I will request him to field his wife Manyata from the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat,” party general secretary Amar Singh today said in the capital.

Singh was here to release the second list of SP candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. With today’s announcement, the party has declared the candidature for 46 seats, of the total 80 in Uttar Pradesh.

Indicating a possibility of trouble for Sanjay Dutt’s candidature from Lucknow, Amar Singh said the party would go all out in “appealing to the Supreme Court to permit Dutt to contest elections”.

“Sanjay Dutt’s case is similar to Navjot Singh Sidhu’s. The two have even spoken on the phone to discuss the matter. If Sidhu can get permission, Sanjay should have no problems. In case there is a problem, Manyata will be our candidate for the Lucknow seat,” said Singh.

As for the actor, he would soon be starting his campaign for the forthcoming elections. On January 17, he would be seen in Lucknow alongside Amar Singh and SP’s Gorakhpur candidate Manoj Tiwari.

Tiwari would also be at Gorakhpur on “Thu Thu Divas” (spitting day) being organised by the SP on December 15 (Mayawati's birthday). “We all will be there,” said Singh, who is already involving Sanjay Dutt in SP’s poll campaign ahead of the general elections.

Chennai, January 10
In a big embarrassment to the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, the BJP, which is often portrayed by the former as an ‘anti-Tamil north Indian party’ today accused the DMK of sacrificing the interests of Sri Lankan Tamils to remain in power.

Adding to the woes of DMK leader, M Karunanidhi, who is hailed as the ‘leader of Tamils all over the world’, the parent body of the Dravidian parties, Dravidar Kazhagam, too came out with a harsh statement, against the union government, surprisingly similar to that of the BJP on the same issue.

State BJP leader L Ganesan described the military offensive of the Sri Lankan government as ‘state terrorism’ and demanded that the Centre should issue a warning to the Island government.

“India should say that it will consider changing its approach towards the Sri Lankan government, if it does not pay heed to the ceasefire fire,” he said, while announcing a fast on January 12, demanding steps for ceasefire in the Island nation.

He also accused the Centre and Tamil Nadu government of double speak on the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils.

“The Sri Lankan government is continuing the war, without coming out with a political solution to the crisis,” he said. ts for island Tamils is a birthright.

“Lanka did not support us during the wars against China and Pakistan,” said Ganesan, a view expressed by his strong ideological opponent and Kazhagam leader MK Veeramani also. In a rare convergence of views with the BJP, Veeramani also asked the Centre to come out openly against the military offensive of the Lankan government. “Why the Centre is more concerned with the interests of the Sinhalese?” he asked.

Kancheepuram (Chennai), January 10
At least seven people died and 150 were undergoing treatment at the Government Hospital here due to suspected cholera.

Some of the victims of suspected cholera were being treated at a few community halls also.

Labour Welfare Minister TM Anbarasan and District Collector Santosh K Misra visited the hospital and directed the staff to provide them with proper treatment. Misra told the media that he had visited the houses of the affected at Velathamman Koil Street, Chettykulam, Periyarnagar areas and asked officials to take water samples to check for contamination.

He also instructed the Municipal Commissioner to check if there was mixing of drinking water with sewage due to pipe leakage.

Ten medical teams have been formed and they had visited the affected areas distributing tablets. Cholorinated water was being distributed.

He appealed to the residents not to use tap water. Water being supplied through lorries should be boiled before consumption.

The victims had developed vomiting and diarrhoea, a symptom for cholera, since last night and were rushed to hospital. — UNI