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SC grants two weeks to Centre to respond on Delimitation
New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) The Supreme Court today granted the Centre an additional two weeks to respond to a plea seeking implementation of the Delimitation Commission's recommendations on re-constituting Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies in the country.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan accepted the plea of Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium for extending the four week time granted to the Centre on January 7.
The ASG had said that the issue was being looked into by an appropriate authority.
A bunch of PILs have been filed seeking direction to the Centre that the notification on re-defining boundaries of constituencies be put before the President for her assent.
The Court on December 10 last had issued notice to the Centre on the petitions filed by an NGO, Delhi Study Group, and others seeking immediate implementation of the Commission's recommendations so that the coming elections in various states were held in accordance with the re-defined boundaries of the constituencies.
Some more petitions have been filed after the notice was issued by the apex court.
It was alleged that despite the Commission making its recommendations more than two years ago, the Centre was dragging its feet on getting Presidential assent.
A similar petition filed by BJP leader from Rajasthan, Kartar Singh Bhadana, was tagged with the Petition of the NGO.
The NGO alleged the Delimitation Commission had spent a whopping Rs 20 crore for conducting the exercise, but the Government was going slow on the implementation of its recommendations. PTI
Natwar takes on Pranab on "divisive" N deal
New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) Deprecating External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement that India would be "isolated" if the Indo-US nuclear agreement is not through, former minister K Natwar Singh today said going ahead with the "spectacularly divisive deal" would be tantamount to disregarding Parliament.
"It is the UPA that is isolated on the nuclear deal. The UPA government was isolated in both houses of Parliament," Singh, suspended Congress leader, said in a joint statement with another former minister and JD(U) leader Digvijay Singh.
"To go ahead with this spectacularly divisive deal will be tantamount to disregarding Parliament," they said. Natwar Singh is a former External Affairs minister.
Mukherjee had yesterday said in Kolkata that "if the agreement is not through, we could have to face isolation and possibly isolation in sanction too." The statement said India was not isolated when it did not sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968. "We were not isolated when we exploded a nuclear device in 1974.
"We were not isolated when we did not sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, not too long ago. We were not isolated in 1998 when we exploded a number of nuclear bombs," they contended.
Mukherjee had said the agreements on civil nuclear cooperation with various countries after securing safeguards pact with IAEA and changes in NSG guidelines would in particular "help in increasing the share of civil nuclear power in our energy mix" and ensure energy security.PTI
SC transfers case against Hussain to Delhi from Maha
New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) The Supreme Court today transferred a criminal case pending against noted artist M F Hussain for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus with his controversial paintings from a court in Maharashtra to Delhi.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan directed that the criminal case against Hussain will now be shifted from a court in Pandharpur to Patiala House Courts here where two similar cases against him were pending.
Senior advocates Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the 92-year-old painter, submitted that six criminal cases were pending against him in various courts across the country and it would be appropriate that a general order be passed that in future any complaint against his artistic work will be transferred to Delhi.
However, the Bench, also comprising Justices C K Thakker and R V Ravendran, did not pass any order on this plea.
The Bench on October 5 last had stayed the Pandharpur court order issuing non-bailable warrant and proceedings against the painter and had issued notice to Dwaipayan Venkateshacharya Warkhedkar on whose complaint the trial court had started the proceedings.
The complaint case in Pandharpur had referred to a book titled 'Anti-Hindus' published in 2003 which mentioned Hussain's painting that allegedly denigrated Hindu deities.
The advocates informed the Bench that the same person had earlier also filed similar case against Hussain.
They accepted after some of his work ran into controversy, Husssain himself had apologised.
The court last year had stayed a Haridwar court order to the Mumbai Police to attach the property of the artist for his failure to appear in the case there. PTI
Murali and his captain play down egg-throwing incident
Brisbane, Feb 4 (PTI) As a controversy raged over throwing of an egg at him, the man at the centre of it, Muthiah Muralitharan and Sri Lankan cricket captain Mahela Jayawardene today sought to downplay the incident and laughed it off.
In his first public reaction to the egg-throwing incident in Hobart, the off-spinner said he was expecting such a greeting from Australian fans.
Muralitharan, who on Saturday was thrown an egg by fans, said it was not a strange thing to to happen in Australia, considering how hostile the spectators have been towards him in the past.
"When you come to Australia, you expect such incidents," said the spinner.
Murali has a history of crowd trouble in Australia, being jeered with the chants of 'no-ball' most of the time he has bowled. In the past, he has been reported twice for chucking in Australia and he once vowed never to tour this part of the world again.
His captain went a step further in his comments on the episode.
"We had a good laugh about it. A few in our team wanted Murali to have egg on his pace. Murali, if it was possible, would have picked up a stone and thrown back (at the car). He later said there was a traffic light in front and luckily for those in the car, the light was green," said Jayawardene, amid raucous laughter at the press conference. PTI
Istomin confident of good show in Davis Cup
New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) Denis Istomin was a newcomer when Uzbekistan was whitewashed by India at Jaipur in the Davis Cup tie in 2005, but the player believes he now possesses the game to break the Indian stranglehold on grass courts when they square up in the Asia Oceania Zone Group I tie from Friday.
Istomin, who posed a tough challenge to Lleyton Hewitt as a wild card in the second round of Australian Open, feels his game has improved manifold and Uzbekistan would be a tough nut to crack this time.
"I was 18 years old three years ago when we got beaten by India in Jaipur. I did not have enough experience. But now I am playing more tournaments. I am playing every week. So it will be a different ball game this time," said Istomin, who lost to Prakash Amritraj in the 2005 tie which India won 5-0.
"My serve has improved and so has my return. I am in good form. We do not have much experience of playing on the grass court but we are having a good practice here and hopefully will play better this time," said Istomin, ranked 185 in singles.
Istomin feels Indians would miss captain Leander Paes who has ruled himself out as the veteran has a formidable record in Davis Cup.
"Leander not playing would be an advantage for us. He has got a great record in Davis Cup. But the other guys would be challenging because they have grown up playing in grass," the 21-year-old said. MOR PRI SPO GEN .NEWDEL DEL48 SPORT ISTOMIN Istomin confident of good show in Davis Cup New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) Denis Istomin was a newcomer when Uzbekistan was whitewashed by India at Jaipur in the Davis Cup tie in 2005, but the player believes he now possesses the game to break the Indian stranglehold on grass courts when they square up in the Asia Oceania Zone Group I tie from Friday.
Istomin, who posed a tough challenge to Lleyton Hewitt as a wild card in the second round of Australian Open, feels his game has improved manifold and Uzbekistan would be a tough nut to crack this time.
"I was 18 years old three years ago when we got beaten by India in Jaipur. I did not have enough experience. But now I am playing more tournaments. I am playing every week. So it will be a different ball game this time," said Istomin, who lost to Prakash Amritraj in the 2005 tie which India won 5-0.
"My serve has improved and so has my return. I am in good form. We do not have much experience of playing on the grass court but we are having a good practice here and hopefully will play better this time," said Istomin, ranked 185 in singles.
Istomin feels Indians would miss captain Leander Paes who has ruled himself out as the veteran has a formidable record in Davis Cup.
"Leander not playing would be an advantage for us. He has got a great record in Davis Cup. But the other guys would be challenging because they have grown up playing in grass," the 21-year-old said. PTI
Venus Williams confirms participation in Bangalore Open
Bangalore, Feb 4 (PTI) The Bangalore Open will now have another added attraction with Venus Williams confirming participation and joining her sister Serena, the organisers announced here today.
"The Bangalore Open will have them", tournament director and Secretary of the Karnataka Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) Sunder Raju told reporters here.
Austria's Sybille Bammer (ranked 19th) will also be participating in this Tier-II event, being held here at Karnataka Lawn Tennis Courts from March 3 to 9.
For the first time, as an experiment, coaches will be allowed to coach players during the matches, he said.
Thirty two players, including Serena, will vie for top honours in the tourney, which offers a total prize money of USD 600,000.
Sunder said Indian Tennis sensation Sania Mirza has not entered the Bangalore Open.
On why Sania has decided against participating, he said "you guess it. I can only say she has not entered". PTI
Pak elections a farce: Sharif
Dubai, Feb 4 (PTI) Former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif has said his party does not trust the country's election commission to hold free and fair polls, but stressed that the PML-N will contest "to send the military back to the barracks".
"It would have been much better if the February 18 elections are not held under the current Election Commission because we do not believe in them," Sharif, who leads the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), told reporters on arrival in Dubai yesterday.
Calling the elections a farce, he said he has no hope about the fairness of the elections.
"But our party will contest the elections to send the military back to the barracks, reinstate the judges, free the press and restore the complete democratic system in the country," the two-time prime minister said.
Sharif warned of anarchy in Pakistan if the elections are rigged, saying the Opposition parties would launch an agitation if the polls are manipulated.
"It seems Pervez Musharraf does not want to hold elections but he is being forced to do so," the Gulf news quoted the former prime minister, who is in Dubai on a private visit, as saying.
Asked if his party would cooperate with the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to restore democracy and to fight against rigging of the elections, he replied in the affirmative. PTI
Suicide attack targets Pak military bus, 8 killed
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Feb 4 (PTI) Pakistan's military was again targeted by militants when a suicide bomber today rammed his explosive-laden motorcycle into a minibus ferrying medical corps staff, killing eight persons and injuring 30 others, near the Pakistani army headquarters in Rawalpindi.
The explosion occurred at 7.15 AM outside the gate of the army's National Logistics Cell on a road connecting the Royal Artillery Bazar to the General Headquarters in the nearby garrison city.
"It was a suicide attack... A man on a motorcycle rammed into the bus," a military official said.
The powerful blast completely destroyed the bus carrying trainee doctors from the Army Medical College to the Combined Military Hospital and some other vehicles, turning them into a mangled heap of metal.
Eyewitnesses said at least eight persons had died though police officials confirmed only five deaths. The military said four of its personnel, including an officer, had died in the bombing, the first such attack since the Dec 27 killing of former premier Benazir Bhutto during an election rally in the city.
It is the seventh suicide attack to rock Rawalpindi in the last six months.
A red alert was sounded across Punjab province following the blast, which came a day after security agencies directed police in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi to tighten security.
The order was issued following reports that militants were planning to target the airport, military installations, political leaders and foreigners in retaliation for the anti-terror operations in Swat and South Waziristan. PTI
Pak allots plot to Hindus to build crematorium
Lahore, Feb 4 (PTI) Pakistan has allotted a plot of land here to Hindus to build a crematorium for the community living in the city and its surrounding areas.
The government is also building an ashram for the community to provide boarding and lodging facility for 2,000 pilgrims.
The plot for the crematorium, measuring 34 kanals (4.24 acres), is located at Babu Sabu in the Bakarmandi area.
Bhagat Lal Khokhar, the pandit of Lahore's Krishna Temple, said more than 1,000 Hindus in the city were currently using a small piece of land on the bank of the Ravi river for cremations.
Inter Religious Peace Council chairperson Jacqueline Tressler told the Daily Times: "Earlier, the Hindus in Lahore were few in number. So they never felt the need for a larger place for cremation." During the past decade, Hindus from other places migrated to Lahore and there was a need for a comparatively larger crematorium.
Tressler said the Hindus from other areas submitted applications, following which the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) allotted the land at Babu Sabu.
Crematoriums had existed in several cities since 1947, she said. These cities include Sialkot, Narowal, Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Nankana, where there are sizeable Hindu populations.
ETPB officials said the government is also building an ashram for Hindus in Lahore to provide boarding and lodging facility for 2,000 pilgrims.
The government has also spent Rs five million on renovating and expanding Krishna Temple and the samadhi of Ganga Ram. PTI
Sensex soars by 418 pts on strong bull charge
Mumbai, Feb 4 (PTI) A sudden surge in Asian markets enlivened the domestic bourses today with the Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex surging by over 417 points to close at a two-week high of 18,660.32 on strong buying support in blue-chips RelCom and DLF.
Moreover, today's rally, according to analysts, has placed the market in a technically strong position, paving the way for long bull run.
Marketmen also ascribed the impressive surge partly to expectations of increase in liquidity as investors have started investing the refund money from Reliance Power IPO, which had received unprecedented response, back into the stock markets.
Major Asian indices closed by about 2.0-8.0 per cent, sparking off across-the-board buying support at home.
The 30-share BSE barometer settled the day at a two-week high of 18,660.32, a gain of 417.74 points, or 2.29 per cent, from Friday's close, extending the gains for the second session today.
The Sensex moved in a range of 18,895.34 and 18,439.33 after resuming sharply up at 18,496.03.
The 50-share S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also rose by 146.25 points, or 2.75 per cent, to close at 5,463.50 from previous close of 5,317.25.
The market breadth too turned strong with majority of shares from all segments registering smart gains.
Blue-chip Reliance Communications jumped by 12 per cent, while the the country's largest realty firm DLF rose 8.5 per cent. IT majors Wipro TCS also figured among the top gainers with their shares increasing by 6.0 per cent and 5.0 per cent, respectively. Public sector NTPC was also up by 4.3 per cent.
Another leading IT company Satyam Computers was up 4.0 per cent, followed by banking major SBI at 3.93 per cent,Tata Steel at 3.39 per cent, Infosys Tech at 3.24 per cent and RIL at 2.0 per cent, The small-cap and the mid-cap shares also attracted hectic buying interest throughout and their indices 2.87 per cent and 3.14 per cent respectively at close. PTI
TDSAT stays TRAI order against Tata Tele
New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) The telecom tribunal today stayed a direction passed by sectoral regulator TRAI asking telecom operator Tata Teleservices Ltd (TTL) to refund an excess amount it collected from its customers.
Admitting TTL's petition the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal also issued a notice to TRAI asking for its reply within four weeks.
The TRAI direction came following a TDSAT ruling in September 2005, in which it held that the landline services provided by TTL was technically not fixed-line services but fixed wireless services.
Following that judgement, TTL had to amend its pulse rate on mobile services to 60 seconds from earlier 180 seconds, amounting to increase in tariff for both existing and new customers.
However, according to Telecom Tariff Order, no service provider should change the tariff plan for its existing customers for at least six months.
TRAI had asked the amount charged from customers, who had subscribed to TTL services within six months before the change in tariffs, be refunded within 15 days.
Opposing the TRAI directive, TTL contended that presently the matter is pending before the Supreme Court and the regulator should wait for some time.
TRAI contended that it was mandatory and should be complied by TTL in consumer interest. It further argued that. PTI
World Bank scales down its GDP forecast for China
Beijing, Feb 4 (PTI) The World Bank has scaled down its forecast of China's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth to 9.6 per cent from 10.8 per cent for 2008, but maintained the Communist giant's economic growth would still be robust despite a global slowdown.
China's economic growth has begun to inch down from its record rates earlier in 2007, the bank said in its China quarterly update released here today.
The report attributed the slowdown in the fourth quarter to lower contribution of net exports, as external demand slowed, though it was partly offset by stronger domestic demand.
The global outlook has weakened and is uncertain, but China is likely to grow robustly in 2008 and is well positioned to stimulate the demand, if needed, the update released at a news conference here said.
Projecting a solid 9.6 per cent GDP growth for 2008, it said, if the global slowdown will be more pronounced, China is in a strong macro-economic position to stimulate the demand by easing fiscal policy or credit controls.
On inflation, which has emerged as a worry to the government, the Bank said, macro-economic policy needs to address the challenge.
Overall price pressures should ease in 2008 as some factors behind high food prices taper off, it said, but added, there are risks, including from international food prices and wage cost pressures and inflation is not likely to decline to low levels soon. PTI
Reliance Infratel files papers with Sebi to enter capital mkt
New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) After raising about three billion dollars through the initial public offer (IPO) of its power arm, another Anil Ambani Group firm Reliance Infratel, has filed papers with SEBI to enter the capital market.
Reliance Communications' subsidiary Reliance Infratel has proposed to offer 8.91 crore equity shares of Rs 5 each for cash at a premium, which would be decided through 100 per cent book building process, the company said in a statement.
The issue would constitute 10.05 per cent of the post issue paid-up equity capital of the company.
The company has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus with market regulator SEBI today.
The issue proceeds would be utilised to fund development of passive infrastructure sites and for general corporate purposes.
Reliance Infratel builds, owns and operates telecommunication towers and related assets at designated sites. It also offers these passive telecom infrastructure assets on a shared basis to wireless service providers and other communications service providers under long-term contracts.
Atleast 60 per cent of the issue would be allocated on a proportionate basis to Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs), of which 5 per cent would be available for allocation to Mutual Funds only.
The remaining QIB portion would be available for allocation to all the QIB bidders, including Mutual Funds, subject to valid bids being received at or above issue price. PTI
Manifesto implementation committee set for Rangasamy govt
Puducherry Feb 4 (PTI) With continuing squabbles within his cabinet as also the state unit of the party often finding their way in the media, formation of a crisis management strategy is the latest of the party's efforts to ensure smooth running of the Rangasamy government.
A manifesto implementation committee has been constituted by the AICC with V Arun Kumar, special invitee of the CWC as its head to establish cordial relations between the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues.
Rangaswamy was sworn-in for the second successive tenure in 2006 with the support of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Pattali Makkal Katchi, the Communist party of India and the three Independents from outside.
The Ministry functioned smoothly until controversies arose on Rangasamy's project to establish a State owned medical college. The college named after Perunthalaivar Kamarajar, a political mentor of Rangasamy, is coming up in Kadirkamam in Thattanchavady a constituency represented by Rangasamy successively in all the last four elections.
There was a complaint that the Chief Minister was giving extra priority to the college project. The subject of the medical college came up for discussion even at the recent Planning Board meeting held under the chairmanship of the Lt Governor on Tuesday last.
The five ministers of Rangasamy cabinet, V Vaithilingam (Agriculture and Industries) E Valsaraj (Health), M Kandasamy (Welfare), Malladi Krishna Rao (Local Administration) and M O H Shahjahan (Education) called on the Lt Governor Mukut Mithi on January 26 to keep him informed. PTI
Air pollution making Delhi children asthmatic: survey
Diganta Biswas
New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) With the continuous exposure to air pollution, the number of children suffering from chronic bronchial asthma is on rise in the national capital, reveals a survey.
"We examined children of age group 7-15 years in nine industrial and residential pockets of Delhi. Among total of 3,456 children examined, 7.7 per cent were diagnosed having asthma, which was highest in industrial areas, 11.8 per cent," says Dr Raj Kumar of Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, who was associated with the project.
The survey was conducted in Shahdara, Sahibabad, Nizamuddin, Siri Fort, Ashoka Vihar and Janakpuri. Also two rural pockets -- Dhallupura and Jagatpur -- were surveyed.
"Today indoor air pollution level is becoming a matter of concern in big metros like Delhi, which is triggering asthmatic symptoms among the children residing in those areas," Dr Kumar says.
The 4-year-long study was carried out jointly by the representatives of Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute and the Geology Department of Delhi University.
In the last few years, children's health has also deteriorated due to exposure of air pollutants in indoor environments i.e. indoor air pollution, the survey points out.
"Generally people express their concern about outdoor air pollution caused by industrial emissions, but nobody thinks that it can affect children's health inside the home as well," he adds.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder, with the symptoms of cough, common cold, sneezing and feeling of heaviness on chest, besides breathing problems, doctors say. PTI
Movies on soldiers:remove bureaucratic shackles, say directors
Amit Kumar Das
New Delhi, Jan 26 (PTI) With none of the movies made on the Indian army in the last one decade making it to the box office, national award winning directors say that creative limitations imposed by rules should be removed so as to make movies on the force more interesting and creative rather than just Pakistan bashing.
"Indian soldiers are the most underpaid and overworked group and it is important to address their cause. We need to get deep into the psyche of a soldier and talk about their problems in our films, says National award-winning director Rahul Dholakia, who is making his next film, 'Lamhe' on Kashmir, where he wishes to touch upon the lives of the
soldiers.
Agrees filmmaker Jahnu Baruah of 'Maine Gandhi ko nahi mara' fame.
"You need to depict conflict and war while making films on the Indian soldier. You don't have creative freedom. You can't criticise them, you can't make an anti-establishment film, everything has to be in favour of them," says the nine times National award winning director.
"I have been approached many time to make films on Indian Army but I couldn't because there are a lot of hassles. There is restrictions in everything, one has to get thousands of permission and the most insulting thing is when you have to approve the script by the authorities," adds Baruah.
Interestingly, after Border (1997), no other film on Indian Army has been able to touch a chord with the audience.
Dholakia says that it is time to move on from just Pakistan bashing.
"The problem with Bollywood is that you have to make everything heroic and larger than life. we have to make it war-oriented. My question is why can't We go beyond Pakistan and war," Dholakia says. PTI
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Sensex: 18660.32, +417.74
The sensex closed at 18660.32, up 417.74
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