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Militants kill two NC workers in Srinagar
Srinagar, Sept 18 (ANI): With the second phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir now just a few days away, two National Conference workers were killed Wednesday morning in Srinagar. Ali Mohammad Dar, was shot at close range in Koker Bazar, a busy business district in Srinagar, while Ghulam Rasool Kaul was killed in the Jamal Latta suburb in downtown Srinagar. Since Tuesday, six people, including three ultras and a jawan, were killed and three injured in separate incidents in Rajouri and Doda districts of Jammu division. Three terrorists were also killed in an encounter with security forces at Nanyal Gali in Nowshera area of Rajouri district. In another incident, undentified gunmen killed a forest employee in Galibagh area of Doda district.(ANI) Hectic electioneering on in Jammu
Jammu, Sept 18 (ANI): Hectic electioneering is on in Jammu despite an upsurge in terrorist violence in the region. Jammu has 13 constituencies which include border towns of Akhnoor, Samba and R.S. Pura sector. Spread over an area of 3,097 square kilometers, Jammu district has a population of approximately 1.58 million. At least 1,032 polling booths have been set up for a little more than one million electorate. During the last elections in 1996, the ruling National Conference and the Bharatiya Janata Party bagged four seats each, while Janata Dal and Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats each. Congress bagged one seat. This time however, the newly formed Jammu State Morcha party, which is fighting the elections on a separate statehood plank, may upset poll equations. Jammu State Morcha party is being supported by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which is the chief ideologue of Hindu groups, including the BJP. Virendra Gupta, a candidate of the Jammu State Morcha, said the separate statehood for Jammu region could only usher in development. "Our main agenda is separate statehood for Jammu. We have people's support over our agenda because for the past 55 years they have suffered discrimination and domination vis-a-vis people of the (Kashmir) valley," said Gupta. The Morcha has been campaigning for trifurcation of the state into Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Jammu is the Hindu majority region, while Kashmir Valley has Muslim dominance. Ladakh has a majority of Buddhists. While the Morcha wants statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, it says Ladakh region should be made a centrally-administered territory. The Congress party, which has had a rather poor show during past elections in Jammu region, is severely critical to the idea. "Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are the three main regions of the state. Congress, during its rule has always tried to give equal treatment to all the three regions. Jammu has never been discriminated against and Congress party's rule has ensured that," said Congress party candidate Mangat Ram. With the first phase of polling having ended on September 16 with sporadic incidents of violence and killing of some candidates in pre-poll violence, authorities in Jammu say they cannot afford to be complacent. "As electioneering is picking up, terrorist related activities have also increased. These elections, therefore are a big challenge for us because we not only have to undo Pakistan's efforts at disrupting the polls but increase security cover for the electorate so that they may cast their votes without any fear," said Jammu Commissioner Anil Goswami. The next polling is set for September 24. Separatist rebels have vowed to block the election and kill candidates and others involved in the poll. Moderate separatists are not contesting the election and have urged a boycott. More than 2,000 people have died so far this year in the state and more than 35,000 since the revolt began 13 years ago. Those killed in pre-poll violence included the state's law minister, and authorities say they expect more attacks.(ANI) SC mustn't respond to Presidential reference, says EC
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to top New Delhi, Sept. 18 (ANI): The questions framed in the Presidential reference on Gujarat elections are hypothetical, according to the Election Commission. On that ground, it urged the Supreme Court on Wednesday not to express any opinion on the issue. K K Venugopal, EC's senior advocate, argued that the court should refrain to answer the reference on the matter of Article 174 of the Constitution under which the time-limit of six months applies only to two sessions of the House from the last sitting to the next one and not from the date of dissolution of the House. The question, he added, is this: if the court believes that the President has assumed that Article 174 applies to dissolution of the House, "then it is subject to Article 324 which gives power to the Election Commission to hold elections." Venugopal cited over half a dozen examples when the apex court had declined to answer such references in which the questions were either not clear or were beyond the subject matter of the reference. (ANI)
TN not to send mediators to Veerappan, STF operations to continue Go to top Chennai, Sept. 18 (ANI): Tamil Nadu government is toeing an individual line in respect of Veerappan. Neither will it send any emissary to seek the release of the abducted former Karnataka minister H Nagappa nor is it going to stop operations by the Special Task Force in the jungles under the state's jurisdiction to capture the forest brigand. As much was announced on Wednesday by Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. This comes amidst reprts of Karnataka despatching mediators for negotiating the freedom of Nagappa. Bangalore also plans to halt STF combing in areas in Satyamangalam hills in deference to the request from the family of the kidnapped ex- minister. The hostage crisis has meanwhile entered the 25th day and the no clue to the fate of the captive. Jayalalithaa's declaration followed the Karnataka government's "no objection" stand on two human rights activists pitching in to secure Nagappa's release.(ANI)
Chautala attacks Congress stance on corruption
Chandigarh, Sept 18 (ANI): Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala on Wednesday criticised the Congress party for adopting contradictory stance on the issue of corruption in Punjab and Haryana. Addressing a meeting of workers of Indian National Lok Dal at Sirsa, Chautala said that while on the one hand, the Congress leaders had been appreciating the steps being taken by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to bring to book Akali and BJP leaders involved in cases of corruption, on the other they had been trying to tarnish the image of the Haryana government when cases were initiated against the Congress leaders involved in corruption cases so as to recover from them the hard earned money of the people. The Chief Minister said that the steps being taken by the Haryana government against such corrupt leaders were being termed as an act of revenge by the Congress leaders. But he made it clear that such designs of the Congress would not succeed as his government was committed to eradicate corruption from society. He recalled that his party had promised before assuming office that stern action would be taken against the corrupt.(ANI)
Two Pakistanis held in Afghanistan over US air base "bomb" truck Go to top Kabul, Sept 18 (ANI): Two Pakistani men are in custody in Afghanistan after dynamite was found on their fully-loaded fuel tanker bound for a US air base, an international security force spokesman reportedly said Wednesday. "The tanker came from Pakistan and the drivers are being held while the situation is being investigated," said International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) spokesman Major Gordon Mackenzie. He said nine sticks of dynamite, one primed for explosion, were discovered during a search of the truck in the east of Kabul. Documents found on the vehicle indicated it was bound for Bagram Air Base, north of the city. Bagram, which is home to some 7,000 coalition troops, is the centre of US-led operations to hunt down remaining Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. "It is not entirely certain the explosives were intended for use at Bagram, this is under investigation by the Afghan police," Mackenzie added.(ANI) |