Unlucky `13' still haunts the NDA; CBI grills Jaya Jaitely; Muslim women board rejects model nikahnama; MPs flay Election Commission's 'activism'; Six militants killed in Poonch; Dhoni offered DSP's post; Zaheera Sheikh denies knowledge of affidavit filed in her name; NDA opts to boycott remainder of Parliament's Budget session; SC reserves order in 2001 Parliament attack case; Phukan was not entitled to use IAF aircraft: Pranab; SC issues notice to Govt on India's dwindling tiger population; Life for raping nurse; IAF officer Anjali Gupta reports sick, fails to turn up in court; Fardeen to wed Natasha soon; Delhi police stations to have condom vending machines; Unregulated sale of tincture has Agra residents up in arms; Law and order top priority, says Buta; Nepali journalists hold convention, stage demonstrations; 60 killed, 150 wounded in Iraqi sucide bomber blast; Angelina Jolie denies being Brad Pitt's love; EBay to auction Pope's old car; Angelina Jolie takes motorcycling lessons to help the poor; Sandra Bullock loves free food; India Travel Times, Indian News, Tourism, Hotels, Airlines, Tour, Travel, Ayurveda, Yoga, Festival, Hindu, Taj Mahal, Kathakali, Dance,

Home Contact Us Dateline New Delhi, Wednesday, May 4, 2005

Unlucky `13' still haunts the NDA Pankaj Yadav

New Delhi: If the remaining part of the ongoing Budget session continues without the Parliament being adjourned sine die, the NDA's boycott would be for 13 working days beginning April 27. And, it would end on May the 13th. It seems the unlucky number `13' still continues to haunt the BJP-led NDA. The first government headed by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee lasted only 13 days in 1998. The second government headed by him lasted 13 months. Then, despite the massive "India Shining" campaign unleashed by the BJP's poll masters, Vajpayee failed to become the PM, and Manmohan Singh was installed as the country's 13th Prime Minister. That is, the number 13 came in Vajpayee's way of getting the top seat. Coincidentally, May 13, 2004 proved unlucky for the NDA because it was on that day that the general elections results were announced which eventually went against it. The NDA's boycott would the longest by any Opposition in the country's history of parliamentary democracy of over half-a- century. According to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat Office, last time the Congress-led Opposition had boycotted the Rajya Sabha from August 14-22 in 2003 against the then NDA government's refusal to make available the CVC report in regard to the Defence expose.

CBI grills Jaya Jaitely (Go To Top)

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday questioned former Samata party President Jaya Jaitley for nearly three hours in connection with a corruption case registered against her after the Tehelka expose on bribery in defence deals. A CBI Spokesman said that a team from the agency reached Jaitely's South Delhi residence and questioned her on the findings of the Phukan Commission report in which it was alleged that she had assured an undercover reporter that she would ''put a word about the deal to Saheb (then Defence Minister George Fernandes) if it was genuine''. On the question whether she met Major General (Retired) S P Murugai, undercover reporter Samuel and others, she said that she might have seen them at the residence of the Defence Minister but she did not take any bribe. She categorically asserted that she might have directed them to give the money to one of his party functionaries for the party funds. The CBI has alleged that Samuel had given Rs two lakh to Party treasurer Gopal Pacherwal on the instruction of Jaitley.

Muslim women board rejects model nikahnama (Go To Top)

Lucknow: Dubbing that the model Nikahnama formalised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) as 'incomplete', the All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) said it was not acceptable to the Muslim women at any cost. In a press release issued here on Wednesday, AIMWPLB president Saistha Amber said the Nikahmnama proposed nothing new as it merely suggested that people should avoid going for triple Talaq, which should not be made public. She said there was a dispute among the members of the AIMPLB over the model Nikahnama. While AIMPLB vice-chairman Kalbe Sadiq was terming it a ''format'' the other members were claiming that it was final and two marriages had already been solemenised on its basis. Amber said that AIMPLB had done nothing for the women community in the last 33 years which had forced them to set up a separate board for the women. She also said that two Shariat courts had been organised by the board in the past to sort out personal problems of the womenfolk.

MPs flay Election Commission's 'activism' (Go To Top)

New Delhi: Lok Sabha members cutting across party lines today severely criticised the recent activism shown by the Election Commission in ordering "unwarranted" re-polling and effecting postings and transfers of district officials during election time. They were participating in the debate over electoral reforms under Rule 193 in the Lower House. They alleged that the EC, which is otherwise an autonomous body, was indulging in unnecessary "activism" and the bureaucrats were behaving in an "inappropriate" manner with the candidates contesting elections. The members called for a check over ECs growing activism which, according to them, sometimes effect the outcome of polls. Samajwadi Party MP Dr Ram Gopal Yadav said that at times the EC acted on caste lines. He alleged that in past when there was not even a single complaint of irregularities the EC ordered for re- poll several times. "Surprisingly, the criteria adopted by the EC to order re-poll was that nearly hundred percent votes were cast on those polling booths." Asserting that re-polls were more frequent in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Yadav said, "in these two states there have been instances when district officials belonging to Yadav caste were transferred only because the Chief Minister also belonged to same caste. I don't think the same criterion is adopted in other states too where officials belonging to CM"s caste are transferred at the behest of the EC."

RJD MP Ram Kripal said sometimes the "unwarranted" re-polls ordered by the EC result in adverse outcomes for the contestants. Citing his own example, he said, "in 1998 Patna was the only parliamentary constituency where re-poll was ordered without even a single complaint of irregularity. Re-polling took place after results of the rest 542 seats were announced and the Vajpayee took over. The public's mood changed and the result was that I lost the election." He suggested that re-polls should be resorted to only in case of a serious complaint of poll-related irregularities, and there should be an authority to check such actions by the EC. Congress MP Ch. Lal Singh said that in the wake of EC's activism, the bureaucracy was trying to overpower the Parliamentarians, which, according to him, was not an indicator of a healthy parliamentary democracy. Several other members, including Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh, expressed their concern on the decreasing percentage of voting in every successive election. They suggested that there should be a policy of the Central Government whereby incentives are extended to those who cast their vote, and disincentives for those who dont make use their right of adult franchise. Others were of the opinion that the government should seriously think over state funding of elections to curb the misuse of money by the rich class.

Six militants killed in Poonch (Go To Top)

Poonch: Security forces today gunned down six terrorists belonging to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba group in Poonch district of Kashmir. The army foiled an infiltration bid in the process in an encounter, which started on Monday night. Huge cache of arms and ammunitions and Indian currency worth 42,200 rupees were recovered from the terrorists. The troops also recovered Pakistani currency. An official said the troops tracked down the heavily armed militants by various surveillance devices and carried out a joint operation. "An infiltration bid has been foiled by troops of 25 Infantry division and 10 Brigade. Large quantities of arms have been recovered and operations are in progress. Documents have been scrutinized and they appear to be from LET (Lashkar-e-Taiba)," said Colonel P.M. Bali, commandant, 10 Brigade, KG sector, Mendhar.

Dhoni offered DSP's post (Go To Top)

Ranchi: Awarding him for his brilliant performance, the Jharkhand Chief Minister, Arjun Munda, today offered the wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni a job in the state police, that too in the rank of Deputy Superintendent. While hosting a dinner for the flamboyant player, in presence of his parents, Munda made the offer. Dhoni, however, did not accepted the offer straightaway, he said that he would think about the offer by the CM. He also requested Munda to set up a standard turf wicket in the state capital to groom more talented cricketers. He also urged the Cm to upgrade the Birsa Munda stadium into an international standard one.

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