EC issues notification for five Assam Lok Sabha seats in first phase poll

GUWAHATI: The Election Commission on Friday issued notification for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls for five constituencies in Assam, election office sources said here.

The constituencies going to polls in the first phase on April 7 are Tezpur, Kaliabor, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur.

The fate of Union ministers Paban Singh Ghatowar (Dibrugarh) and Ranee Narah (Lakhimpur), who were renominated by the Congress, would be decided in the first phase.

Other prominent candidates in the fray are BJP state unit president Sarbananda Sonowal (Lakhimpur), Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's son Gaurav Gogoi (Kaliabor) and former Union Minister Bijoy Krishna Handique (Jorhat).

The last date for filing nomination is March 21. While scrutiny was scheduled for March 22 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature was March 24, the sources said.

Lok Sabha polls in Assam will be conducted in three phases — April 7 (5 seats), April 12 (3) and April 24 (6).

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lok Sabha election: CPM, CPI to contest nine seats each in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: CPI and CPM on Friday announced they would contest nine seats each in the April 24 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and decided against supporting AIADMK, BJP, DMK and Congress in the remaining 22 seats.

CPM would contest from Coimbatore, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Chennai North, Dindugal, Trichy, Virudhunagar, Villupuram and Thanjavur constituencies, CPI state Secretary D Pandian and CPM State Secretary G Ramakrishnan told the press here after both the parties identified the seats.

CPI would contest from Tenkasi, Nagapattinam, Puducherry, Tiruppur, Sivaganga, Dharmapuri, Cuddalore, Tiruvallur and Tuticorin constituencies, they said.

The presence of Left parties in eighteen constituencies, including the lone seat in Puducherry, is likely to have impact on the poll prospects of other outfits as it would throw up a multi-corner contest.

Replying to a query, Pandian and Ramakrishnan said the left parties would consider supporting other parties, including AAP, whoever approached them.

While CPM would release its candidates' list on March 16, CPI would release its list the following day, they said.

Both the parties would be expanding their presence in this election contesting together eighteen seats as against three each in 2009.

CPI and CPM, which had fought the last election in alliance with AIADMK, won one seat each.

However, the alliance broke due to differences over seat-sharing in the backdrop of major partner AIADMK refusing to allot three seats each to the Left parties.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lok Sabha election: CPM, CPI to contest nine seats each in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: CPI and CPM on Friday announced they would contest nine seats each in the April 24 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and decided against supporting AIADMK, BJP, DMK and Congress in the remaining 22 seats.

CPM would contest from Coimbatore, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Chennai North, Dindugal, Trichy, Virudhunagar, Villupuram and Thanjavur constituencies, CPI state Secretary D Pandian and CPM State Secretary G Ramakrishnan told the press here after both the parties identified the seats.

CPI would contest from Tenkasi, Nagapattinam, Puducherry, Tiruppur, Sivaganga, Dharmapuri, Cuddalore, Tiruvallur and Tuticorin constituencies, they said.

The presence of Left parties in eighteen constituencies, including the lone seat in Puducherry, is likely to have impact on the poll prospects of other outfits as it would throw up a multi-corner contest.

Replying to a query, Pandian and Ramakrishnan said the left parties would consider supporting other parties, including AAP, whoever approached them.

While CPM would release its candidates' list on March 16, CPI would release its list the following day, they said.

Both the parties would be expanding their presence in this election contesting together eighteen seats as against three each in 2009.

CPI and CPM, which had fought the last election in alliance with AIADMK, won one seat each.

However, the alliance broke due to differences over seat-sharing in the backdrop of major partner AIADMK refusing to allot three seats each to the Left parties.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

BJD releases second list for 3 Lok Sabha and 18 assembly seats

BHUBANESWAR: The ruling BJD on Friday denied tickets to two sitting MLAs from Malkangiri and Deogarh, while announcing the second list of candidates for three Lok Sabha constituencies and 18 assembly segments.

BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik fielded new faces for three Lok Sabha seats of Sambalpur, Bargargh and Nabarangpur. While former minister Nagendra Pradhan was named as the BJD candidate to contest from Sambalpur, Balabhadra Majhi has been named as the party candidate from the Nabarangpur seat.

Dr Pravas Singh was named as the BJD candidate from Bargargh Lok Sabha seat. Former Bajrang Dal national convenor Subhas Chouhan has already entered the contest as the BJP candidate from the same seat in western Odisha.

Nagendra Pradhan will face Congress's sitting MP Amar Pradhan and BJP's Suresh Pujari in Sambalpur, while BJD has pitted Balabhadra Majhi against sitting Congress MP Pradeep Majhi and BJP's Parsuram Majhi from Nabarangpur.

While denying ticket to Malkangiri MLA Mukund Sodi, BJD nominated Manas Madkami from the assembly segment and Deogarh MLA Sanjeeb Kumar Pradhan was replaced by Anita Pradhan.

The ministers like Ramesh Majhi (Jharigaon), Prasanna Acharya (Bijepur), Bikram Keshari Arukh (Bhanjanagar) and former minister and speaker Kishore Kumar Mohanty were re-nominated by the BJD supremo.

Assembly speaker Pradip Kumar Amat has been re-nominated from Boudh assembly segment and Manohar Randhari from Nabarangpur. Anup Sai, who recently joined the BJD after quiting the Congress, was given ticket from the Brajrajnagar assembly segment by Patnaik.

The MLAs, who have been retained by the party are Sushant Singh (Bhatli), Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha (Padmapur) and Subhas Gond (Umerkote).

Earlier in the first list, the party had named candidates for 30 assembly and five Lok Sabha seats. With the second list, the BJD named candidates for the total of eight Lok Sabha seats and 48 assembly segments.

The first phase of polling in the state will be held on April 10 in 70 assembly and 10 Lok Sabha seats.

The BJD is yet to decide on the candidates for the rest 22 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha segments for the first phase.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

EC issues notification for five Assam Lok Sabha seats in first phase poll

GUWAHATI: The Election Commission on Friday issued notification for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls for five constituencies in Assam, election office sources said here.

The constituencies going to polls in the first phase on April 7 are Tezpur, Kaliabor, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur.

The fate of Union ministers Paban Singh Ghatowar (Dibrugarh) and Ranee Narah (Lakhimpur), who were renominated by the Congress, would be decided in the first phase.

Other prominent candidates in the fray are BJP state unit president Sarbananda Sonowal (Lakhimpur), Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's son Gaurav Gogoi (Kaliabor) and former Union Minister Bijoy Krishna Handique (Jorhat).

The last date for filing nomination is March 21. While scrutiny was scheduled for March 22 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature was March 24, the sources said.

Lok Sabha polls in Assam will be conducted in three phases — April 7 (5 seats), April 12 (3) and April 24 (6).

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

SC stays bail granted by HC to MLA Pappu Kalani in murder case

MUMBAI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the bail granted less than a week ago by the Bombay high court to former Ulhasnagar MLA Suresh (Pappu) Kalani after he was convicted in a 15-year-old murder case.

A trial court had last November sentenced Kalani, a former political strongman from Ulhasnagar whose family still has considerable sway, to life imprisonment in the 1990 murder of a BJP activist. The court had held him guilty of "being behind the conspiracy to kill" the BJP activist Inder Bhateja.

Kalani had moved the HC for bail. The state which had opposed Kalani's bail plea in the high court, rushed to the SC in appeal when it lost. Kalani, it said has 34 other criminal cases pending against him and his release on bail would be detrimental. Kalani's lawyer on the other hand said he has been behind bars for nine years and it should be considered a ground for his release on bail pending appeal.

A three judge bench headed by the Chief Justice P Sathasivam, taking into consideration the many pending cases against the former politician, stayed the bail and said all submissions would be considered at the hearing later. It issued notice and asked for Kalani's reply to the state's appeal.

The Maharashtra government was represented by counsel Rajiv Mohite. Its argument even in the high court had been that Kalani hd misused his liberty after he had been granted bail earlier by the Supreme Court during the trial. He had allegedly been involved in several crimes while on bail, it said.

In the Bombay HC a bench headed by Justice Naresh Patil had asked Kalani (63) to furnish a surety of Rs one lakh and report to Kalyan police once a fortnight last Friday while ordering his release on bail. The court however restrained Kalani from entering Ulhasnagar town.

Bhatija was shot dead in April 1990, two months after his brother Ghanshyam was gunned down. That year, Kalani was contesting the assembly elections from the Ulhasnagar constituency as a Congress candidate, while the Bhateja brothers were backing the BJP candidate, Sheetaldas Harchandani.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Election Commission's approval needed for social media campaign

CHENNAI: The approval of an Election Commission of India appointed panel is needed for launching a poll campaign in the social media, chief electoral officer (CEO) Praveen Kumar said here on Wednesday.

EC had sought clarification from AIADMK on its proposed social media campaign, he said, adding the party had said it would provide Compact Discs (CDs) of its propaganda material to the poll body. The material would be seen by a panel constituted for the purpose of monitoring such campaigns.

On complaints related to implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, he said 8345 complaints had been received against defacement of walls in public properties and 4602 in private properties.

On an average about 300 phone calls are received at the Election Commission office every day on a host of poll related issues, including missing names in voters lists, he said.

On traders' grievances that cash was being seized by flying squads, he said it was mandatory to carry supporting documents. "One should be careful as some politicians may also use this excuse...that they are traders ... it is not enough to make oral claims...documents must support the claims."

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

No airline can refuse to fly differently-abled people: Govt

NEW DELHI: Heeding to years of pleas and protests by differently-abled people, government has finally come out with detailed rules governing their air travel by making it clear that no airline would refuse to fly them.

Airlines and airports have been asked to provide all required facilities and assistance to meet the needs of the disabled and make them public through their websites within three months from now, official sources said.

The rules also make it compulsory for the airlines and airports to provide necessary training to their staff to assist such passengers.

The airlines have been asked to make provisions for guide dogs accompanying persons with disabilities "subject to the condition that they are properly trained, remain on floor at the passenger's feet, properly harnessed and vaccinated".

In a new Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), aviation regulator DGCA has also asked airlines not to insist on medical certificates or special forms from such persons who wish to travel without an escort.

Such certificates should be sought only when such a traveller has some disease or there is a possibility of aggravation of medical condition during flight, among other things, the CAR says.

"No airline shall refuse to carry persons with disability or reduced mobility and their assistive aids/devices, escorts and guide dogs including their presence in the cabin, provided such persons or their representatives, at the time of booking, inform the airline of their requirement(s)," it said.

Apart from giving information on the facilities required by such a passenger during ticket booking, the concerned traveller would have to again inform the airline 48 hours before the flight about his or her specific nature and level of special assistance required while embarking, disembarking and in-flight.

The detailed CAR, however, also says the do's and don'ts for airlines and airports given in it was "not an exhaustive list", indicating it could be evolved over time.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Election Commission's approval needed for social media campaign

CHENNAI: The approval of an Election Commission of India appointed panel is needed for launching a poll campaign in the social media, chief electoral officer (CEO) Praveen Kumar said here on Wednesday.

EC had sought clarification from AIADMK on its proposed social media campaign, he said, adding the party had said it would provide Compact Discs (CDs) of its propaganda material to the poll body. The material would be seen by a panel constituted for the purpose of monitoring such campaigns.

On complaints related to implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, he said 8345 complaints had been received against defacement of walls in public properties and 4602 in private properties.

On an average about 300 phone calls are received at the Election Commission office every day on a host of poll related issues, including missing names in voters lists, he said.

On traders' grievances that cash was being seized by flying squads, he said it was mandatory to carry supporting documents. "One should be careful as some politicians may also use this excuse...that they are traders ... it is not enough to make oral claims...documents must support the claims."

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Doordarshan, AIR to celebrate Farooque Shaikh's 66th birth anniversary on March 25

MUMBAI: Doordarshan and All India Radio have lined up special programmes to commemorate Farooque Shaikh's 66th birth anniversary coming up on Tuesday, March 25.

DD's national channel will telecast 'Chashme Buddoor' at 3.00pm on Sunday, March 23. Last week on March 9, DD Urdu had aired this comedy on its Sunday slot at 2.00pm and 10.00pm.

AIR's Vividh Bharati plans to prepare a special "half an hour show at least" on the day of the anniversary, says the channel's Mumbai head Rupali Kulkarni. Most likely this will be the 'Aaj Ke Fankaar' show at 9.30am with a repeat broadcast at 9.30pm. Songs picturised on the artiste are usually interspersed with interview recordings.

This will be the first time friends and fans will have to settle for tributes rather than personal greetings for Shaikh Sahab. The actor-philanthropist passed away on December 28 during a new year vacation in Dubai.

Incidentally, one of his last films 'Youngistaan' is scheduled to release three days after his birth anniversary. The team led by Vashu Bhagnani is preparing a publicity drive around that time, although the paid promo of the film that is on air does not feature Shaikh.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pak court adjourns Pervez Musharraf's treason case hearing

ISLAMABAD: Embattled former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday failed to turn up for his indictment in a special court conducting his treason trial citing security reasons and was summoned on Friday.

High drama was witnessed at the hearing as the court was due to indict Musharraf over his 2007 imposition of emergency rule.

One of Musharraf's lawyers Rana Ijaz was ordered out of the courtroom by Justice Faisal Arab, heading the three-man bench, after he called the judges "contract killers".

At the start of the hearing, Ahmed Raza Kasuri, another lawyer of Musharraf, presented a leaked secret letter written by an official of the interior ministry warning against a possible terror attack on the 70-year-old former army chief.

He said Musharraf will appear when the court summons him, however, the court will be responsible for any untoward incident with his client.

He said, "History will hold you (the court) responsible". Justice Arab countered that history itself would decide and asked the counsel not to cross professional limits.

Titled "Threat alert: 239", the letter claimed that TTP and al-Qaida fighters might target Musharraf.

"It seems that the terrorists have sympathisers in the security/cavalcade of Musharraf in order to assassinate him. The plan may materialise either using IEDs/VBIED or inside/outside the courts similar to the incident of (slain Punjab governor) Salman Taseer," stated the document.

Countering this argument, prosecutor Akram Sheikh expressed surprise that a secret letter was with the defence team even though the prosecution was not aware of it.

He said that Musharraf is a free man and the court should order that he be taken into custody so that security could be the government's responsibility.

He said the government will ensure three-tier security and that the number of personnel on duty to guard Musharraf would be doubled.

Currently about 1,200 security personnel are put on duty to ensure Musharraf's safe travel to the special court.

Kasuri had said on Monday that Musharraf will not appear in court.

"How can he appear before the court when the court itself is not safe," Kasuri had said.

Citing the leaked letter, he said Musharraf's life was under serious threat.

"The ministry of interior is the complainant in the case. This time we are not saying he is under threat. The complainant is saying so. The letter clearly says that he may be attacked on his way from the AFIC (Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology) to court," Kasuri said.

This is the first time in Pakistan's history that a former military chief is facing trial for treason.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Swedish-British journalist gunned down in Kabul

KABUL: A gunman shot dead a Swedish-British journalist in central Kabul on Tuesday, officials told AFP, a rare daylight murder of an expatriate in a city often hit by Taliban suicide attacks.

The Taliban denied responsibility for the killing in an upmarket district close to a Lebanese restaurant in the Afghan capital, where the militants launched a suicide attack that killed 21 people, including 13 foreigners, in January.

The Swedish ambassador to Afghanistan Peter Semneby identified the dead man as radio journalist Nils Horner.

"Unfortunately we just have received confirmation that Nils Horner, who was correspondent for Swedish national radio, was shot and killed in Kabul this morning," ambassador Peter Semneby said.

"We understand he had British nationality in addition to his Swedish nationality. His family has been informed."

A witness at the scene described hearing a single gunshot before seeing the victim fall to the ground and a doctor at Kabul's emergency hospital said he was dead on arrival.

"There were two guys who ran away. They were perhaps in their 20s and security guards chased them as they ran away," the witness told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Security forces rushed to the scene and cordoned off the street, where there was blood visible on the ground.

The attack came as many of the Afghan capital's security forces were occupied with the funeral of Vice-President Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, who died on Sunday.

The Taliban, who have led the insurgency against the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai since being toppled from power in 2001, denied the attack.

"We checked with our mujahideen and they are not involved," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told AFP.

"We don't take responsibility for this incident." The attack comes less than a month before presidential elections in Afghanistan on April 5 and the withdrawal of Nato combat troops by the end of this year after 13 years of fighting the Taliban.

Foreigners have been targeted before at guesthouses, luxury hotels and embassies in the heavily guarded city, but few have been gunned down on the street.

The attack in January on the Taverna du Liban, a popular social venue for foreigners, badly shook Kabul's sizeable community of expatriate diplomats, aid workers and journalists.

It was the deadliest attack on foreign civilians since the fall of the Taliban.

Among the dead were three Americans, two British citizens, two Canadians, the International Monetary Fund's head of mission, and the restaurant's Lebanese owner.

One attacker detonated his suicide vest at the fortified entrance to the restaurant before two other militants stormed inside and gunned down diners and staff.

The next president will face a testing new era as the Afghan army and police attempt to impose security without Nato assistance and as international funding declines.

Among the front-runners in the election are Abdullah Abdullah, who came second in 2009, former foreign minister Zalmai Rassoul and former World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Union shipping minister G K Vasan opts out of Lok Sabha polls

CHENNAI: Congressmen no longer seem to miss the writing on the wall in Tamil Nadu. Having been completely isolated in the elections in the state, Union shipping minister G K Vasan has opted out of the polls.

During a media interaction in Chennai on Tuesday, Vasan said he would instead campaign in all the 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu, where Congress would field candidates. As on date, Congress is left without any ally in the state.

Vasan, a two-time Rajya Sabha MP, has never contested an election. With his RS term also coming to an end in June, if he does not contest the LS polls, he will have to resign to the option of doing politics outside the Parliament for the time being. Since he has a strained equation with Rahul Gandhi, he cannot expect to be elected to the RS from another state either.

Calling the present electoral alliances in Tamil Nadu opportunistic, Vasan said the hidden agendas of various parties would be known only after the polls. "These alliances have been formed with a myopic objective of tiding over polls. Leaders are interested only in securing plum posts for themselves," he said. Since they were formations of convenience, leaders lacked sincerity, he said.

In an apparent reference to DMK, which refused to tie up with Congress, Vasan said, "Those parties that had deserted Congress would repent after the polls". The welfare schemes introduced by the UPA government in the last 10 years would help Congress in the hustings, he claimed. Rahul would campaign in the state, he said.

Vasan had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday and expressed displeasure over the delay in AICC's finalizing the electoral strategy for Tamil Nadu.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Majestic trains of royal Rajasthan seeing drastic dip in passengers

JAIPUR: Two majestic trains run by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) have been seeing a steady decline in the footfalls every season for the last five years. Though it has some improvements in the last week's run, thanks to the poor marketing and indifference of the officials both the trains are into their worst phase.

The seven-day Palace on Wheels train service was started in 1982 to give travelers a chance to experience regal luxury. The train starts from Delhi and travels through Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Agra. Apart from 14 saloons, each having four cabins with attached bath and shower, Palace on Wheels has two restaurant-cum-kitchen cars offering traditional Indian, Continental and Chinese cuisines and a well-stocked bar. The newly introduced spa saloon offers ayurvedic massage. Other services include laundry and doctor on request. Souvenirs and gift items bearing the insignia of Palace on Wheels and a coffee table book on the history of the train are also available.

Sources associated with the train's operations attribute the falling numbers to non-aggressive marketing and indifference of the officers concerned. "It is a sign of complacence. Most of the officers believe that Palace on Wheels has become a big global brand, thus it need no more marketing. Every year when it chugs off except the regular bookings nobody takes interest," said a department source on the condition of anonymity.

The number of staff in this train is merely 50 against the sanctioned staff of 65. "Earlier, officers handling the operations of Palace on wheels, tour packages and Royal Rajasthan on wheels were different but for a few years all the three things are handled by one officer," said a source.

However, footfalls have sadly been falling. The number of passengers traveled in Palace on Wheels till December, 2013 were 1321, December, 2012 it 2356, December, 2011 it was 2883, December, 2010 it remained 2363 while in December 2009 it was 2699 as per the figures available with RTDC.

Likewise, the number of passengers traveled in Royal Rajasthan on wheels till December, 13 were 397, December, 2012 were 950

Tej Singh Rathore, president of RTDC employees' union, said, "Both the trains have been the most sought after by the foreign as well as Indian tourists. The declining number of tourists is certainly a matter of concern and authorities should come forward with measures and strategies to ensure that the numbers go up."

As Royal Rajasthan on wheels will run upto March 16 while Palace on Wheels till April 1 in this season the authorities have introduced a discount of 10 percent to lure tourists. "The month of March has shown some good signs and we will certainly get a good response of the discount," said an officer.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Airbus sets up new holding entity in India

The author has posted comments on this articleAnshul Dhamija, TNN | Mar 11, 2014, 08.01PM IST

BANGALORE: Airbus is grouping its activities in India through the creation of a fully owned subsidiary called Airbus India to manage the company's significant Indian footprint spread across several sites. The new Airbus India organisation will have customer-facing centres in Delhi and Mumbai. Building on the success of the Airbus Engineering Centre India (AECI) in Bangalore, Airbus India will also include strategy, customer services and procurement teams under one organisation. A Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capability will be established, at a later date.

Dr Srinivasan Dwarakanath has been appointed Airbus India CEO and Charles Champion, EVP Airbus Engineering and member of the Airbus Executive Committee is appointed the chairman of Airbus India. The existing Delhi Airbus liaison office will remain under the leadership of Ajay Mehra.

"Partnership is the binding ingredient for success, and the establishment of Airbus India underpins our strategy to foster even closer ties," said Dwaraka, CEO of Airbus India. "Building on our significant engineering presence in India the new company structure will add a strong customer facing element making us more agile, bringing us closer to stakeholders, suppliers, and also to new talent. The Airbus India organisation will foster innovation, respond quickly to growth and to seek out new cooperation opportunities in India."

Dwaraka was responsible for setting up Airbus' industrial footprint in the region including the Airbus Engineering Centre India (AECI) and Airbus Training India (ATI) both located in Bangalore. Today, there are some 30 Indian suppliers working on Airbus programmes and manufacturing parts for every aircraft model.

Airbus has been extending its industrial cooperation partnerships with India since the early 1970s, and today Indian engineering and manufacturing companies nationwide representing more than 5,000 people, contribute to all Airbus aircraft programmes.

"India has one of the world's greatest aviation growth potentials and with an abundance of engineering talent is a strategically important market," said Kiran Rao, Airbus EVP Strategy and Marketing.

Currently Indian carriers operate a fleet of over 170 Airbus aircrafts. Airbus' current market share of sales in India represents over 60% of the country's total aircraft backlog. In addition, since 2005, Airbus has enjoyed over 60% market share of all new orders.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bombay HC gives AAP till March 21 to reply to defamation case against it by R-Infra

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Monday gave Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) time till March 21 to file its reply to a Rs 100 crore defamation suit filed by the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure against it.

Senior counsel Aspi Chinoy representing AAP members sought time to file the reply. Justice S J Kathawalla before whom the matter came up adjourned it to April 3 after directing Reliance to file a rejoinder, if any, by March 28, to AAP's affidavit in reply.

Reliance Infrastructure filed the defamation suit against AAP over allegations of malpractices against the company's power distribution business in Mumbai. In its court papers filed last week, R-Infra said that AAP's allegations that the company was overcharging consumers through collusion were "false, misleading, incorrect, malicious and defamatory". It wants the HC to restrain AAP from repeating these and such similar allegations.
The company said it was being targeted by the newly-formed party for "political mileage."

The charges that the company was burdening tax payers, made by AAP members Anjali Damania convenor Maharashtra, Preeti Sharma Menon state secretary and Satish Jain member, state, during two media conferences last month. The company denied them completely.

Last week the HC had allowed R-Infra to amend its suit and add new material which it said would strengthen its case against AAP.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Central Railway to run 128 summer specials to Uttar Pradesh

MUMBAI:Central Railway has decided to run 128 summer special trains to various destinations in Uttar Pradesh from Mumbai and Pune during 2014 summer vacation period. The reservation for these trains will open from March 12.

There will be 24 weekly special trains between LTT and Agra between April 7 and June 24.

Train No. 01015 Dn will leave LTT at 13.20 hours on every Monday and will arrive at Agra Cantt at 12.55 hours next day.

In return direction, train No. 01016 Up will leave Agra Cantt at 14.45 hours on every Tuesday and will arrive at LTT at 15.00 hours next day.

Another 24 weekly special train will run between CST and Varanasi from April 2 to June 25.

Train No. 01027 Dn will leave CST Mumbai at 12.25 hours on every Wednesday and will arrive at Varanasi at 16.00 hours next day.

Train No. 01028 Up will leave Varanasi at 17.45 hours on every Thursday and will arrive at CST Mumbai at 23.30 hours next day.

Moreover, 26 more weekly air-conditioned trains will also run between LTT and Lucknow between April 4 and June 28.

Train No. 02111 AC special will leave LTT at 11.20 hrs on every Friday andwill arrive Lucknow (NR) at 11.40 hrs next day.

Train No. 02112 AC special will leave Lucknow (NR) at 12.50 hrs on every Saturday and arrive LTT at 16.25 hrs next day.

There will be 26 weekly special trains between Pune and Lucknow between April 1 and June 26.

Train No. 01451 Dn will leave Pune at 22.00 hours on every Tuesday and will arrive at Lucknow Jn. at 02.20 hours on third day.

Train No. 01452 Up will leave Lucknow Jn. at 06.55 hours on every Thursday and will arrive at Pune at 11.05 hours next day.

Besides, 26 weekly special trains will run between LTT and Gorakhpur from April 2 to June 27.

Train No. 01047 Dn will leave LTT at 13.20 hours on every Wednesday and will arrive at Gorakhpur at 21.30 hours next day.

Train No. 01048 Up will leave Gorakhpur at 08.00 hours on every Friday and will arrive at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at 00.50 hours on third day.

A statement from the Mumbai Central Railway said, "Reservation for summer special trains 01015, 01027, 02111, 01451 and 01047 will open from March 12."

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cabinet sends poll dates to President for notification

NEW DELHI: The government on Monday initiated the process of notifying the dates of the nine-phase Lok Sabha polls by sending to the President the Election Commission's recommendation.

The first notification will be issued on March 13 for the polls beginning on April 7.

The Cabinet meeting held on Monday recommended to the President to approve issuance of notifications for the different phases, sources said.

The EC had announced the poll schedule on March 5 and had sent the mandatory recommendation to the law ministry on March 7 for notifying the Lok Sabha election dates.

Under Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, the EC sends its recommendation to the government which requests the President to clear the notification of poll dates.

Based on the recommendation, the law ministry prepares a proposal for the Union Cabinet which recommends to the President to approve issuance of notifications for the different phases.

The EC's recommendation contains the details of all the parliamentary constituencies, their respective dates of polling and dates when notification has to be issued.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rahul launches Congress's Lok Sabha campaign from Rajasthan

DEOLI, TONK: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said his party wanted to do politics for the lower segments of society-the security guards and taxi drivers-that aspire to be into the middle class.

"Our country has a big population that is above the poverty line but still not in the middle class. We want to do politics for them, to take them into the middle class. The security guards, the taxi drivers-they should be able to send their children to schools," Rahul said, addressing a public gathering at Deoli, 75-km towards Bundi from Tonk.

This was the first public rally by the Congress leader since the parliamentary elections' dates were declared last week. Deoli is part of the Tonk-Sawai Madhopur Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by union minister Namo Narayan Meena. Another union minister and Congress state president Sachin Pilot could be fielded from the constituency this time.

Launching the party's election campaign from here, Rahul stressed Congress had been doing the politics of honesty and principles. "The BJP talks of corruption, but it goes silent about its leaders in Karnataka and Gujarat," the Congress vice-president said, targeting its key rival.

Rahul also emphasized on grooming a young leadership in the party all over the country. Referring to Pilot's appointment as the Congress state president, Rahul said, "Few days ago the Congress lost (in assembly elections). We made a youth the PCC chief. I told Sachin (Pilot) to prepare a new generation of leaders in the party and not to give an inch of space to the BJP government whenever it goes wrong." He concluded the speech saying the party would filed "new faces" in the assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Rahul's speech was very brief, six minutes, and left the large gathering wondering why he spoke so little. He made no reference to BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and restricted himself to targeting the BJP state government. "They (BJP) will run a government of the rich and businessmen in Rajasthan. But we will fight for the poor," Rahul said.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

AAP projects an image which is unreal: Arun Jaitley

NEW DELHI: BJP on Monday accused the Aam Aadmi Party of projecting an image which is a "complete mismatch" with reality.

BJP leader Arun Jaitley claimed that AAP was pretending to be what it was not by adopting a strategy intended to cultivate a particular image through "friendly and collusive interviews".

"This clearly shows the party and its leader pretending to be what they are not. They project the image of themselves which is unreal. Between reality and projection there is a complete mismatch. When 'punya' (virtue) meets 'paap' (sin), you don't expect a conspiracy," he said in reaction to a video in circulation on YouTube purportedly showing an interview of Arvind Kejriwal in which he is strategising on what to be highlighted.

Jaitley said the video shows Kejriwal in close conversation with the anchor of a news channel after the interview recording on possible emphasis and strategy as to which parts are to be highlighted and play down those which may cost the AAP leader middle class support.

"We have never been fortunate to be extended such a privilege by any anchor or media organisation. Friendly and collusive interviews intended to cultivate a particular image are a strategy of AAP," he said.

The BJP leader said the media honeymoon of AAP seems to be over as it is now willing to put the party to a serious scrutiny as any other political party despite its extensively reporting activities.

He said excessive media coverage to the party had made AAP as the "television opponent" of BJP even when the "field opponent" continued to be Congress.

The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said a large number of people converge around a party who they consider is a potential winner and there are less claimants of a party which is considered a possible loser.

Terming as unprecedented when candidates decline party nominations after they are publicly announced, he said, "This only happens when candidates find that the prospects of winning are non-existent."

He referred to the Congress candidate from Bhind in Madhya Pradesh deciding to refuse the party nomination and join BJP instead.

He also referred to Chandigarh where AAP claimed to have a sizeable support but its candidate decided to return the party nomination since its cadre in a disarray and she felt there was lack of organisational support for her election.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine PM Yatsenyuk to visit US for crisis talks

KIEV: Ukraine's interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Sunday that he would travel to the United States this week for crisis talks with senior officials.

"I am going to the United States for meetings at the highest level aimed at settling the situation in Ukraine," Interfax quoted Yatsenyuk as telling a government meeting.

Yatsenyuk said the next cabinet meeting on Wednesday would be conducted by his deputy but did not specify when he would be travelling to Washington.

The visit to Washington will be the interim premier's first since he came to head the cabinet following the February 22 ouster of pro-Kremlin president Viktor Yanukovych.

Yatsenyuk paid a visit to Brussels last week during which he won diplomatic backing from EU leaders in his efforts to preserve his country's territorial integrity in the face of Russia's de facto seizure of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula.

Both the European Union and the United States have also promised to provide a financial assistance package for Kiev that could help the interim team avert a looming debt default.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Art of Living yoga centre set afire in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: An Art of Living yoga centre on the outskirts of the Pakistani capital has been set afire, allegedly by unknown miscreants, police said.

The centre, which is based in Peace Street in Bani Gala area, was set on fire last evening after some people reportedly entered the premises asking for money, Islamabad police sources told PTI.

"There were just two guards there. Around eight people came and asked where the money was kept. On told that they didn't know, the guards were tied up and the building was set on fire," a source said.

The culprits fled the scene after the incident. However, Meena Gabeena, an official at the centre said, as per her information, the attackers did not speak a word.

"They just tied the guards and set the building on fire," she told PTI.

Gabeena also drew attention to a recent programme aired by a news channels which had made some allegations against the centre.

Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had visited Pakistan in 2012 and inaugurated the centre for his Art of Living movement.

He had also offered to hold talks with the Taliban to usher in peace in the region, saying it would help foster understanding among people with divergent views.

"I am ready to go and talk to the Taliban. I want to talk to them, understand them and give them my opinion. So we can definitely make a difference. We should try it again and again even if we have to try it 100 times," Shankar had said.

Art of Living operates globally in 152 countries.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Afghan Vice President Marshal Fahim dies of natural causes: official

KABUL: Afghan Vice President Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, formerly one of the country's much feared warlords, died of natural causes on Sunday after a turbulent life that summed up the country's recent past.

Fahim, a leader of the Tajik ethnic minority, was senior vice president under President Hamid Karzai, who will step down at elections next month as NATO combat forces pull out of Afghanistan after 13 years of fighting the Taliban.

Aged 56, Fahim was accused of being a ruthless strongman who maintained his own militia forces, but he also received American support as Afghanistan struggled for stability following the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001.

"With extreme sorrow, Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, the first vice president of Afghanistan, passed away due to an illness," the palace said in a statement.

It said that President Karzai expressed his deep condolences over the "uncompensable loss" of "a patriot and a great mujahid (holy warrior)".

Three days of national mourning will begin on Monday, with the national flag flown at half-mast across the country.

Fahim served as a influential but brutal intelligence officer under iconic rebel commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, fighting against the Soviet occupation in 1980s and against the Taliban's 1996-2001 regime.

Massoud was killed by an al-Qaida bomb two days before the 9/11 attacks in the United States in 2001.

The Taliban were then ousted in a US-led operation for sheltering al-Qaida — and Fahim emerged as a leading figure in Afghan politics during the international military and civilian intervention that is now winding now.

With the strong backing from Washington, Fahim was appointed to the key position of defence minister in 2002, where he was criticised for appointing mainly Tajik senior officers and failing to build a representative national army.

He also served as a vice president from 2002-2004, but was removed by Karzai from both jobs in 2004 in one of the many power struggles that have undermined efforts to develop the war-torn and impoverished country.

Fahim returned as senior vice-president in the 2009 election as Karzai sought to broaden his support base and build alliances.

At the time, the Human Watch Rights group said it was "appalled" to see the former warlord selected by Karzai's government.

"Fahim's critics dismissed him as a semi-literate, self-appointed field marshal, and one of the principal obstacles to Afghan unity because of his alleged ruthless threats, beatings and general thuggery," according to the Essential Field Guide to Afghanistan released this year.

Fahim was famous for his love of "buzkashi", the violent and popular Afghan sport in which horseriders wrestle over a dead calf and try to drop the animal into a chalk circle.

He maintained a large stable of buzkashi horses, and retained loyal support in the Panjshir valley where he was raised and where the sport is closely followed.

He also owned extensive property in Kabul, which he was often accused of obtaining through extortion or corruption.

Fahim died from complications caused by diabetes and heart problems, according to officials who declined to be named.

His death is likely to have limited impact on the April 5 election to choose a successor to Karzai, who is constitutionally barred from standing for a third term in office.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Muslims should participate fully in poll process: Darul Uloom

ALIGARH: Muslims should participate "wholeheartedly" in the electoral process and support the best candidates, noted Islamic scholar and Chief Rector of the (Nadwatul Ulama) Darul Uloom Theological School, Lucknow, Maulana Rabey Hasan Nadwi, on Sunday said.

"All that I can say is that Muslims should participate wholeheartedly in the electoral process. They should support the best candidates and hope for the best. They will suffer if they remain aloof from the political system," Nadwi told PTI in an interview here.

Urging Muslims community members to introspect and fathom the "deeper malaise which is troubling the community," Maulana said that he did not wish to stir any political controversy on the issue of the Muzaffarnagar riots because he was an apolitical person.

"But I feel that the time has come for Muslims to realise that at its roots Islam is a very humane religion and Muslims should search their hearts as to why they have suffered," he said.

Maulana, who also heads the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said the community members should now reach out to others and win over their hearts through message of 'human brotherhood' (paigham-e-Insaniyat).

"Muslims should articulate their demands before the Government of the day but they should not be totally dependent on the state for the fulfilment of their needs," he added.

The religious leader said Muslims have fallen prey to social ills like extravagance in personal habits and lavish spending on social occasions such as weddings.

"If instead of such wasteful spending they empower the poor sections of the community then the issue of educational backwardness and poor health services could be mitigated to some extent," Nadwi said.

On the deteriorating plight of Urdu, Maulana said Muslims always looked at the State for promoting the historical language.

While their expectations from the state were justified they have failed do fulfil their own obligation to this language which is the repository of their own culture, he said.

"Most well-to-do Muslim families do not bother to teach their children Urdu then how can they expect the state to shoulder the entire responsibility of promoting Urdu," he said.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Inspired by AAP, party with same name launched in Pakistan

LAHORE: The success of Aam Admi Party in India seems to have crossed boundaries and inspired people in Pakistan, where a party has been launched with the same name.

A group led by Arslan-ul-Mulk, a rights activist from Gujranwala, has registered Aam Admi Party (AAP) with the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The AAP chairman said his party will strive to make Pakistan a country as dreamt by its founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

Interestingly, Mulk has announced to sit on a hunger strike, a form of protest widely undertaken by the leaders of Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP, outside Punjab Assembly next week.

The leaders of AAP will sit on strike in front of the Assembly demanding acceptance of Police Reforms and Anti Torture Bill 2014. The assembly is currently in session.

"Is today's Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah had envisioned? Is this a state where all are equal and enjoying the fruits of freedom? The present leadership, both political and bureaucracy, has lost the essence of why Pakistan was created". The AAP will strive for that cherished dream of the founder of Pakistan," Mulk said.

He said: "Twenty AAP workers and I were detained and tortured at central Jail Gujranwala last month. Physical assaults, illegal forced physical labour and detention in solitary cells kept for hardened criminals commonly known as "Chaki's" were meted out to us."

He said his party would protest against police torture. "I have chosen hunger strike as an ultimate mode of political protest against pervasive injustice," he said.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More