saleem India can become a mature democracy only when it is able to bar criminals from contesting elections, Election Commissioner H S Brahma today said.
Stressing on cleansing the system of elections by bringing the much-needed electoral reforms, he said the menace of paid news has become a cause of concern as it was “eroding the very foundations of the country’s electoral process”.
–Agencies
“Look at the great tragedy, we have rejected the world’s best poetry,” this was Press Council Chairperson Justice Markandey Katju’s remarks on the present state of Urdu poetry in the country.
Speaking at a function here, Katju said he had read poetry of many countries but felt that the delights that Urdu poetry had to offer were unmatched.
“Look at the great tragedy, we have rejected the world’s best poetry. This shows how foolish we are.
–Agencies
Reserve Bank of India today said it will soon launch Rs 1,000 denomination banknotes with the rupee symbol, and improved security features.
“The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue Rs 1,000 denomination banknotes incorporating rupee symbol, with inset letter ‘L’, in both the numbering panels, in the Mahatma Gandhi Series-2005 with improved security features,” the RBI said in a notification.
These banknotes will bear the signature of RBI Governor D Subbarao and the year of printing 2012 will be on the reverse of the banknote, it said.
The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Danta on Tuesday held that it has the competence to take cognisance of the chargesheet filed by CBI in Tulsi Prajapati encounter case against former minister Amit Shah and 19 others.
JMFC Geeta Ahir today rejected the applications filed by former IPS officers OP Mathur, PC Pande, suspended senior officer Rajkumar Pandian and ex-investigator of the case RK Patel, who had objected to the filing of chargesheet in the Danta court, instead of Special CBI court in Ahmedabad where CBI had filed FIR of this case on April 29, 2011.
Telangana political Joint Action Committee (JAC) today met Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan to convey their concerns over the ‘Telangana March’ proposed to be organised here on September 30.
Talking to reporters later, JAC Convener M Kodandaram felt the State Government may use “too heavy” force and that some vested interests may indulge in foul play to vitiate the atmosphere during the ‘march’ which is intended to be peaceful.
–Agencies
Congress has not lost all hopes on ties with Trinamool Congress which announced the decision today to withdraw from UPA, saying it still considers her a “valuable ally” and will discuss the concerns raised by Banerjee with the government.
“We have always considered Trinamool Congress our valuable ally.
–Agencies
Deepika Padukone today welcomed Sridevi’s praise of her work and said she admires the veteran actress, whose films she grew up watching.
Sridevi, who is set to make a comeback with ‘English Vinglish,’ the debut directorial project of R Balki’s wife Gauri, had recently said she liked Deepika among the current crop of female stars in Bollywood.
“It is a huge compliment. She is someone I have admired.
I grew up watching all her films.
–Agencies
Lok Satta president Jayaprakash Narayan on Tuesday demanded that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy give top priority to resolve the Telangana statehood issue.
The State Legislative Assembly could not carry out any business on the second consecutive day on Tuesday following stalling of proceedings by the members of Telangana Rashtra Samithi who demanded a resolution in favour of grant of statehood for the region.
Telangana Gazetted Officers Association President V Srinivas Goud on Tuesday said that the Telangana leaders from the Congress party have expressed their solidarity to the Telangana March scheduled to be held on September 30.
Panchayat Raj Minister K Jana Reddy on Tuesday appealed to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to lift all police cases against the employees from the Telangana region who participated in the general strike during the statehood agitation.
In a letter written to Kiran Kumar Reddy, a copy of which was released to media, Jana Reddy appealed to the Chief Minister to lift all police cases against the employees and students filed during the agitation period. He also urged the Chief Minister to fulfill all promises made by the government to the Telangana employees during the agitation.
Tension prevailed in Tandur Mandal of Ranga Reddy district after unknown miscreants desecrated a Ganesh Idol kept in a function hall. According to the sources, members of the minority community have organized a marriage function in MPT functional Hall at Tandur last night where an Idol kept in the premises was partially damaged.
The security guard of the function hall noticed the damage caused to the idol and alerted the owner. The news of damage spread in the Mandal like a wild fire and the members of the majority community throng function hall in large number and created a ruckus.
As expected, the monsoon session of the State Legislative Assembly had a stormy start on Monday. However, following uproar and pandemonium by the opposition parties, the House could not carry any business on the first-day of five-day session.
The Telugu Desam Party members entered the House by holding lanterns as a symbol of State Government’s failure to tide over power crisis. Similarly, Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLAs came to the House by holding placards of Jai Telangana. The YSR Congress members too had placards about the Fee Reimbursement issue and farmers’ problems.
Government whip Toorpu Jayaprakash Reddy on Monday stated that there was no need for a resolution in the State assembly over the Telangana statehood issue.
Talking to reporters at Assembly media point, he said that the House could not pass the resolution as there was no majority for passing the Telangana resolution. As the Centre has been dealing with the Telangana issue, he expressed confidence it would take a final decision on it soon to put an end to uncertainty.
YSR Congress party MLA Bhuma Karunakar Reddy alleged that both the ruling Congress and main opposition Telugu Desam Party have resorted to match fixing to adjourn the House frequently.
Talking to reporters at Assembly media point, the Tirupati MLA said that the Congress party resorted to match fixing at the behest of TDP to avoid giving replies on public issues. Though all the parties have agreed to discuss the power issue in the Business Advisory Committee meeting, however, he said that the TDP stalled the proceedings by staging protest before podium of Speaker Nadendla Manohar.
Telugu Desam Telangana Forum Convener Errabelli Dayakar Rao on Monday alleged that Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar adjourned the House on “flimsy reasons.”
Talking to reporters at Assembly media point, he said that it was unfortunate for the Speaker to adjourn the House repeatedly when the State was plagued with so many issues including power shortage, fee reimbursement and tainted ministers. “It is not good for the Speaker to adjourn the House without taking up any public issue for discussion,” he said.
The leaders of Left parties on Monday demanded that the State Government extend the Assembly session from five days to 15 days to take up a healthy discussion on important public issues.
Telangana Nagara Samithi leader and Nagarkurnool MLA Nagam Janardhan Reddy on Monday slammed Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar for not allowing the MLAs to offer floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi’s statute in the assembly premises.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is confident the world will come round to see “the wisdom” of his insistence on laying down “red lines” for Iran over its nuclear drive, he said today.
Speaking to the English-language Jerusalem Post newspaper, Netanyahu said he would not stop pushing for the international community to lay down red lines for Iran, which if crossed, would spark a harsh response — a veiled reference to a military strike.
The Supreme Court has said the government and private educational institutions should provide qualitative education to children and the eligibility criteria for appointment of teachers must be strictly adhered to.
A bench of justices B S Chauhan and F M Ibrahim Kalifulla said that life of democracy depends on a high standard of education which must be maintained at all costs.
–Agencies
India will now have to wait for Fasih Mohammed, accused of being involved in conspiracy of bomb blasts in Bangalore and Delhi, as Saudi Arabia has red- flagged his deportation from there saying they want to investigate his role in that country carefully before taking a call on New Delhi’s request for handing him over.
–Agencies
Google India has blocked access to an anti-Islam film that has triggered violence in many countries and led to the killing of the US ambassador in Libya, the government said today.
Strongly condemning all acts that disparage religious beliefs and sentiments, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Syed Akbaruddin said India was in touch with US authorities on the issue.
–Agencies
Samaikhya Andhra Students Joint Action Committee Convenor Krishna Yadav on Sunday stated that the JAC has resolved to call for “Chalo Hyderabad” on September 30 to strengthen the agitation for keeping the State united.
The Osmania University on Sunday informed that all the examinations including Ph D Admission Interviews scheduled on September 17, Monday, have been postponed.
In a media release, the OU Registrar said that the revised dates of postponed examinations would be announced later.
–Agencies
YSR Congress party honorary president YS Vijayamma on Sunday denied the reports of her party’s merger with the Congress party.