Using EVMs across the country was my major feat: CEC; Wanted a mate for lionesses in Thiruvananthpuram zoo; 'Benazir called up Musharraf 12 times to ensure Zardari's release'; Indian wins Bangalore international marathon; India to bid for Commonwealth Games 2014 and Olympics 2016; Madonna using Ayurveda to conceive for the third time; Paris Hilton goes on a nine-hour boozing spree in Cannes; Sharon Stone adopts another baby; Guitar King Joe Satriani rocks Mumbai; Usher not to star opposite Beyonce in Dreamgirls; Liz Hurley signs a new film; Hilary Duff back in 'Cheaper by the Dozen' sequel; India Travel Times, Indian News, Tourism, Hotels, Airlines, Tour, Travel, Ayurveda, Yoga, Festival, Hindu, Taj Mahal, Kathakali, Dance,

Home Contact Us Dateline New Delhi, Sunday, May 15, 2005

Using EVMs across the country was my major feat: CEC

New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy, who had his last day in office today, said that the greatest achievement of his tenure spanning over one year and three months was the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) throughout the country during the last Parliamentary elections. Election Commissioner BB Tondon succeeds Krishamurthy, and he will formally assume the office tomorrow. Krishnamurthy said he has plans to settle in Chennai to spend his retired life. Talking to ANI, Krishnamurthy said that often he was hurt by "unwarranted attacks" by the political parties and the media. "Once I remember that one paper said that Election Commission has turned into Electrocution Commission......this was an irresponsible comment from the media. I advice the reporters to cross check the facts before writing anything against any Constitutional bodies," he added. He further said that during his tenure he wanted to introduce some electoral reforms and had suggested as many 22 reforms to the government, including the right to negative voting and measures to restrict criminals from entering into politics. "I would have been happy had I introduced some of these reforms too during my tenure," he added.

Regarding the charge levelled by some political parties that the EC had indulged into caste-based bias against some communities, particularly Yadavs, the retiring CEC said, "I condemn such a statement, if made by any political party." About the aspersions cast by several political parties on the functioning of the EC, Krishnamurthy said that no political party likes to be disciplined by the EC. "I think the political parties should adopt self-regulation and self-restraint and not cross the limits," he added. Krishnamurthy said that despite having strains with the political parties he didn't face any problems from the parties who were in power as far as getting funds for election process was concerned. "Though in some states we had problems in getting appropriate funds, but at the Centre-level I never faced such problems," the outgoing CEC said.

Wanted a mate for lionesses in Thiruvananthpuram zoo (Go To Top)

Thiruvananthpuram: Authorities at the city zoo here are scouting for a lion from other zoos to gift a mate to the lonely lionesses. Last month, Simba, the only male lion amongst five lionesses at the Trivandrum zoo, died leaving zoo authorities with the dilemma of finding a male replacement. According to zoo officials, the six year old lion died due to acute swelling of the colon and the sphincter muscles that prevented the animal from defecating. The problem at present is that the five lionesses no longer have a mate. This has made the lionesses inactive and lethargic. Caretakers say the lionesses, which were shifted to an open enclosure a year back from their small enclosures, are showing signs of loneliness and weariness. Zoo visitors lament the pitiable sight of the lionesses. "We find that these lioness are in a sad mood, they are not active, the authorities would not mind getting a lion to the zoo," said K. Rajendran. "In the zoo we can see everywhere the pairs, such as the visitors themselves, like husband and wives and lovers. But in the case of the animals, they do not have the pairs. It is very sad. Even the lionesses are very sad," said N. Vimala. Trivandrum zoo, one of the ancient zoos in India, was started in 1857 by the then Travancore ruler or Maharaja.

Earlier the zoo had 750 species of animals but today there are only 85 species remaining. According to zoo officials, this decline in animal species is mainly due to the zoos' inability to provide mates for the inmates. More than 12 species do not have pair such as the giraffe, zebra, some exotic birds and the Capuchian monkeys. Zoo director C. S. Yalakki says they are willing to exchange animals but lamented the lack of enthusiasm on the part of other zoo authorities. "This was one of the issues we discussed. So, without having too much possessiveness with the animals that we have in the zoos, we should think in a broader prospective and then probably I will spare one single animal and the other zoo should spare another single animal so that both of them get paired. So that kind of an attitude should come and I think things are now improving " he said. Yalakki hopes to get a lion in another month or two.

'Benazir called up Musharraf 12 times to ensure Zardari's release' (Go To Top)

Islamabad: Former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto contacted President Pervez Musharraf from London over phone for more than a dozen times last year to ensure her husband Asif Ali Zardari's release from jail, the country's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan Niazi has said. Niazi was a key cabinet minister in Benazir's cabinet too. He said that Benazir held parleys with Musharraf on politics too, but the latter didn't promise anything to the former because of her past track record. "The direct contacts still exist but a patch-up of the government with PPP is almost impossible because of the past track record of Benazir Bhutto," The Nation quoted the minister as saying. Niazi said that the President has made it clear that three formerly top leaders namely Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif have no role in future politics of the country. "And their second line leadership, due to various reasons, cannot handle the party affairs in order to maintain their strength," he added. He further said that on all occasions Benazir called up Musharraf. "President Musharraf told me that Benazir personally contacted him for more than twelve times. There is not even a single occasion when General Musharraf contacted her," the minister said.

Indian wins Bangalore international marathon (Go To Top)

Bangalore: Indian runner KC Ramu stole the limelight from the fancied Ethiopians to win the men's full marathon here today. Over 15,000 people from all walks of life joined celebrities and some famous athletes in the international marathon held for the first time in country's software capital. The event, spearheaded by the Indian Council of NGOs for a social cause, included full marathon (42.195 kilometers), half marathon (21.097 kilometers) and the celebrity run (seven kilometers) and had a total prize money of one million rupees. Ramu clocked two hours and 23.46 minutes beating back the challenge of Ethiopians Abebe Seyoum (2:28.37) and Tegayae Desalgne (2:33.10) in the full race. Milkha Singh, former athlete, said that Indian boys are coming up to the international standards. "I think it is a historic day for Bangalore. Not only did they start a movement by hosting an international marathon in the city and by getting over 15,000 people to take part, but because it was one of the first international marathons where the Indian runners have shown that they are equal to the best of the world. The Indian boy K.C. Ramu who defeated a fine field of three runners from Ethiopia, they are the people who have taken part in world cross country levels and achieved timings of 2.15-2.16. Thereby showing that given the right conditions, the Indian boys can also do timings close to 2.10- 2.15 and 2.16," he said. Besides Singh, the celebrity run included top Indian sportspersons Prakash Padukone, Syed Kirmani, Javgal Srinath, Ashwini Nachappa and host of other celebrities from fashion and theatre fields.

"It is a great occasion to be here to see number of Bangaloreans on the road on early Sunday morning. It is a great feeling," said Nachappa, a former athlete. Nathan Clayton, an organiser from the UK, said that the race was well-representated. "I was actually startled to see hundreds of people running past with some of them are quite senior. I think the race is well represented. We have the boys, the men, the women, children, old and the young. So I think we had a good representation here today," he said. Ethiopians, however, swept the top three spots in full marathon in the women's section. Elaborate arrangements had been made on the entire stretch, with water points and security.

India to bid for Commonwealth Games 2014 and Olympics 2016 (Go To Top)

Pune: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi today said that India will bid for Commonwealth Games 2014 and Olympics 2016. India has already bagged the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which will be hosted by the national capital New Delhi. It will be India's first big international sports event since the 1982 Asian Games. The Commonwealth Games will be staged here for the first time and in Asia for the second time only. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, hosted it in 1998. With a population of more than 1.2 billion, India is the largest country in the Commonwealth. "The Prime Minister and the government are giving us full support. The government has given us permission for the 2014 Commonwealth games. The President also said that we would be given permission to bid for the 2016 Olympics," Suresh Kalmadi said here. A host country rarely and a host city remotely gets to stage either the successive Games event or two big games in a calendar year. Kalmadi did not mention whether IOA would bid for New Delhi again for the 2014 Commonwealth Games or for another host city. Kalmadi said millions of dollars are being spent on upgrading New Delhi's overloaded infrastructure for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The event is expected to draw tens of thousands of tourists, competitors, officials and journalists and will give a major boost to the economy.

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