Supreme Court refuses to stay Andhra HC's
Muslim reservation verdict

    New Delhi: In a major setback to the Andhra Pradesh Government, the Supreme Court today refused to stay the Andhra Pradesh High verdict quashing the Muslim Reservation ordinance that provides five per cent reservation to Muslims in government jobs and in educational institutions. The apex court has now forwarded the matter to a Constitution bench for consideration. The Andhra High Court had on November 7 quashed the ordinance, saying that the report of the State Backward Classes Commission had failed to provide sufficient material to support the view that the entire Muslim community is socially and educationally backward.

Prime Minister on Car Nicobar visit

    Car Nicobar: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is visiting the Car Nicobar Island today to review rehabilitation work there after the devastation caused by Tsunami on December 26, 2004. Dr. Singh, who is on a three-day visit to the Andaman and Nicobar islands, will also pay tribute to the tsunami victims at the Tsunami Memorial and lay the foundation stone for a stadium here. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to lay another foundation stone for a hostel in Campbell Bay Island besides an interaction with the tribal leaders before visiting the Air Base of Indian Air Force and place a wreath to scores of Air Force personnel who were killed in the tsunami. Car Nicobar was one of the worst hit areas by tsunami where over 5,000 people had fallen victim to the killer waves. On Tuesday, the Prime Minister had inaugurated the 93rd Indian Science Congress (ISC) at the Acharya N G Ranga Agriculture University (ANGRAU) in Rajendranagar after which he laid the foundation stone for an outer ring road and addressed the gathering there before leaving for Port Blair in the afternoon. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the Prime Minister's visit in the wake of terrorist attack at the IISc in Bangalore on December 28 in which a retired IIT Delhi professor was killed and six others were injured.