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Ministers should quit office after poll announcement: CEC

     New Delhi: In a personal suggestion aimed at strengthening India's electoral system, the Chief Election Commissioner, T.S.Krishnamurthy, on Saturday said that ministers, except a two or three important ones in each state, should resign as soon as the announcement for assembly elections is made. While suggesting the latest reform at a workshop on 'Electoral Reforms' in New Delhi, Krishnamurthy said "perhaps the Chief Minister, Finance Minister and the Home Minister could continue in office and all others could resign". He further said that EC has experienced that the ruling party takes undue advantage during the elections. He also sought for developing a political consensus on the issue. "It would be a good convention if all parties agreed to resign when in power in order to ensure that Constitutional obligations are fulfilled during this period", he said. In a move to decriminalize the electoral system of the country, he said that the criminals against whom chargesheets have been framed well ahead of elections should be prevented from contesting. "This is not denial of any fundamental right. This is only a suspension of a statutory right until the person is cleared of the charges", he said. The CEC also said that it is important and worthwhile to consider banning independents from contesting at least in parliamentary elections.

Four militants killed in Udhampur encounter (Go To Top)

     Jammu: In a gun battle between militants and BSF personnel in Mahore area of Udhampur district, four Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants were killed. Three BSF personnel, including an assistant commandant, were also wounded in an over 18-hour-long encounter in Mahore area of Udhampur district early today. According to a BSF spokesman, acting on a tip-off, BSF troops laid a cordon around Bakhwali patch of the Hariwala forests in Mahore at 1000 hrs yesterday. Later gunfire ensued between the two sides as the militants opened indiscriminate fire. Two militants were killed by late last evening while two others were killed early this morning, he added.

Congress, LJP release manifestos in Bihar (Go To Top)

     Patna: The Congress party and Ram Vilas paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on Saturday released their respective manifestos for next month's assembly polls. Promising to take the initiative to establish social harmony and give a fresh thrust to development, the Congress pledged to rid Bihar of crime. In its 23-page manifesto for Bihar, the party committed itself to making determined effort to secure job reservations for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, backward classes and the minorities in the private sector. The manifesto, jointly released by Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Ramjata Sinha and All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Bihar affairs Harikesh Bahadur, also underscored the need for the political empowerment of women and creating equal opportunities for jobs and education for the weaker sections, religious and linguistic minorities.

      The manifesto also promised to work for improving and strengthening electricity, railways, roads and other infrastructure facilities, besides encouraging private and government investment in the infrastructure sector. In its manifesto, the LJP pledged to build a modern and crime- free Bihar and work towards forming a "real and secular" government committed to establishing the rule of law, if voted to power in the state. The party also offered a slew of minority-related welfare sops and promised to introduce a legislation guaranteeing employment to all within six months of the LJP coming to power. "In the event of coming to power the party would build a modern and crime-free Bihar," LJP president and Union Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said while releasing the manifesto at a press conference here. Paswan also said that the LJP would provide 10 per cent reservation to Muslims, who are educationally and financially backward, on the pattern of that reserved for other backward castes.

     Besides this, Paswan also indicated that his party would seek a special budgetary allocation for all minority educational institutions and promised that he would take steps for the reopening of "dead" ones. He said the LJP would also set up a full-fledged university for minorities. The LJP if voted to power, he said, would provide an effective and transparent administration and road, electricity, health, drinking water, cleanliness and education would be the thrust areas. It would also introduce health cards for all and deposit Rs 5,000 in the name of female babies at the time of their birth which would be refundable to her with interest after she attained the age of 18. Paswan said, "We want people to understand that the birth of a girl child is not a curse."