Month: April 2014

6,711 Delhi officials vote through postal ballot

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A total of 6,711 government officials, who will be on election duty for the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, have cast their votes through postal ballot, an election official said Tuesday.

A total of 5,013 police personnel and 1,698 civil officials cast their vote till Tuesday since March 31, when postal ballotting began.

“The postal ballot are being issued to government officials who will be on election duty across Delhi. Once the votes are cast by them, they will be sent to the Election Commission,” said Delhi Chief Nodal Officer Ankur Garg.

Ticket applications received from Seemandhra, says Congress

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Putting on a brave face, Congress leaders from Seemandhra said here today that the party had received over 1,000 applications for poll tickets from aspirants to contest elections.

“We have received about 1,200 applications for tickets. Though sitting MLAs, ministers and chief ministers have quit the party, we have a strong leadership in the districts. Ticket allotment will be done in a democratic manner,” former minister and senior Congress leader from Seemandhra Anam Ramanarayana Reddy told reporters here.

IAAF ratifies Anju’s gold at 2005 world championships

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In a major boost to Indian athletics, the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Tuesday ratified the gold medal for Indian long jump ace Anju Bobby George at the World Athletics Championship held at Monte Carlo in 2005.

Anju, who had to settle for the silver, got the gold following the disqualification of Russia’s Tatyana Kotova after she failed a dope test in January. Tatyana had won the gold with a leap of 6.83 metres while Anju was second with 6.75 metres.

Rajasthan Vikas Party to support BJP rebels

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Rajasthan Vikash Party today announced that it would extend its support to rebel candidates of BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the state.

RVP would extend support and seek votes for independent candidates, including expelled BJP veteran Jaswant Singh in Barmer, party president Harnam Singh Sikarvar said in a statement here.

Buta Singh in Jalore, Rajkumar Sharma in Jhunjhunu, and Major Surendra Singh Punia in Sikar would also be supported by the party, he said.

Priya Dutt, Rakhi Sawant, Mehbooba file nominations

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Congress MPs Priya Dutt, Gurudas Kamat and Sanjay Nirupam, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, MDMK chief Vaiko and actor Rakhi Sawant were among candidates who filed nominations today for April 24 election to 117 seats in the sixth phase.

All 39 candidates of ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry submitted their papers between 1.30 PM and 2.15 PM, considered auspicious by the party.

DGCA asks SpiceJet to immediately stop Re 1 ticket offer

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Terming SpiceJet’s offer of rupee one fare across its domestic network as “predatory” and a “malpractice”, aviation regulator DGCA today came down heavily on the no-frill carrier and asked it to stop such pricing immediately.

Hours after SpiceJet offered fares as low as rupee one valid for domestic travel till next year, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) shot off a strongly-worded directive to the airline asking it to stop the three-day offer “immediately”.

Brinda, Nitish, Jaya to campaign for Gujarat’s ‘Third Front’

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BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi’s arch rival and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, CPM’s Brinda Karat, Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav and Samajwadi Party’s Jaya Bachchan plan to campaign in favour of the ‘Third Front’ in Gujarat, sources said here today.

“Nitish Kumar is likely to campaign in Gujarat after April 15. We are finalising the programme with him,” Janata Dal (United) Gujarat vice-president Govind Jadav said.

Rahul is pulse of young India: Omar

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Asserting Rahul Gandhi is the pulse of young India, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the Congress vice-president takes along with him people of all age groups in his mission to lead the country towards a modern, prosperous and scientific era.

On the other hand, the BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi have an agenda to divide society on various counts, the Chief Minister alleged, addressing public meetings in Jammu region’s Rajouri district.

Rapist jailed for 30 years

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A court here has sentenced a man to 30 years in jail for repeatedly raping a woman by confining her for nine months.

Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat, in a recently delivered order, held Uttar Pradesh resident Shiva guilty of gang rape, rape and wrongfully confining the 30-year-old woman.

The court said “the crime committed by the convict was intensely grave, odious and serious in nature” and ordered him to pay a fine of Rs.55,000.

CEC to oversee Bengal preparations April 5

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Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath will visit West Bengal April 5 to oversee the preparations for the Lok Sabha polls in the state, an official said Tuesday.

Sampath’s visit comes within two weeks of Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi’s assessment of the preparations.

According to Amit Roy Chaudhury, officer on special duty and ex-officio joint secretary, Sampath will hold an all-party meeting and discuss poll-related issues with district election officers, returning officers and police commissioners April 6.

He will also meet state Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra.

Only 43% of Malaysians content with MH370 handling: poll

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Just 43 per cent of Malaysians are satisfied with their government’s handling of the missing-plane mystery while 50 per cent are dissatisfied, according to a survey released today.

The Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, Malaysia’s leading polling firm, said the survey of more than 1,000 people was conducted from March 13 to 20.

Since that time, however, there has been rising anger among Malaysians against Chinese and other criticism over the fate of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Politicians file nominations ahead of general elections

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Politicians belonging Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) across various parts of the country filed their nominations for general elections on Tuesday

Congress leader Gurudas Kamat filed his nominations separately in Mumbai

Kamat said he is hopeful of winning this time as well.

“I am contesting elections for the eighth time. I have won before, and we hope to have a sure victory this time on the basis of the welfare work that we have done for the people of Mumbai. Congress has given me a chance one more time, and we seek the blessings of the people,” Kamat said.

BJP pitches for unprecedented victory margin from Varanasi

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Aiming for unprecedented victory margin, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s polling blitzkrieg is all set to take off in Varanasi in a run up to battle of 2014, as general elections are just a week away.

BJP’s general secretary and in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, Amit Shah made a strong pitch for the party’s victory in Varanasi on Tuesday.

Nepal increasing restrictions on Tibetan refugees: Report

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Nepal has reportedly increased its surveillance on Tibetans living in the country as a result of strong pressure from China, according to a new report.

The report published by Human Rights Watch new Nepali government should make it clear to China that it will accept Tibetans who flee persecution as refugees and will not restrict basic rights of peaceful expression, assembly, and association.

CII’s Chandrajit Banerjee says RBI should have announced cut in policy rates

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Commenting on the first bimonthly monetary policy statement released today, Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII noted that the RBI, in a quest towards maintaining a fine balance between growth and inflation, has announced a status quo in policy rates which is as per market expectations.

Banerjee said that at the time when growth impulses remain weak and WPI inflation has been on the declining trajectory for the last nine months, the RBI should have taken this opportunity to announce a cut in policy rates which would stimulate demand and kick start the investment cycle.

Programme for women to go green in Rajasthan

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Recognizing the importance of women’s participation in governance, a non-governmental organisation has decided to develop a programme to encourage environmental initiatives in rural areas of Rajasthan.

According to the NGO’s statement Tuesday, the Centre for Social Research (CSR), a women’s rights institution, has partnered with Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany to develop a training programme to empower elected and to-be-elected women representatives to take leadership roles in water management and conservation within their communities.

General elections turn into a “battle of carnivores”

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Lok Sabha elections which are just round the corner has turned into a “battle of carnivores”, as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday hit out at prime ministerial candidate of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Narendra Modi over Gir lions versus Hyena taunt.

Modi while addressing a rally in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh had mocked at Yadav saying that his government was unable to handle lions in Gujarat.

Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government had requested the Gujarat government for a few Gir lions in 2012.

No death penalty for Rajiv Gandhi killers: SC

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the petition of the Central Government seeking a review of its ruling commuting death sentence of three convicts, accused in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, to life imprisonment.

“We have carefully gone through the review petition and the connected papers. We find no merit in the review petition and the same is accordingly dismissed,” said the apex court in its order.

On February 18, the apex court had commuted the death sentence of three men to life in prison.

Search for lost jet to be long drawn: Australia (Roundup)

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The search for the “lost” Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 remained inconclusive Tuesday even as the chief of Australia’s newly formed Joint Agency Coordination Center (JACC) said that the search for the missing jet could drag on for a long time.

“All aircraft assisting in the #MH370 search have returned to Perth,” the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) tweeted late Tuesday.

“No significant developments to report,” it added.

Uddhav’s claim is joke of the year, says Pawar

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Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s claim that he stalled the NCP’s entry into the BJP-led NDA was Tuesday termed the “joke of the year” by NCP chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.

“I feel this is the joke of the year. It is made out of frustration,” the Nationalist Congress Party chief told media persons here, dismissing Thackeray’s statement in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana.

Pawar said he knew Shiv Sena founder, late Bal Thackeray, intimately.

Iran denies role in Yemeni affairs

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Iran has dismissed allegations about inteferring in Yemen’s internal affairs, an official said Tuesday.

“It is noteworthy that such remarks are made despite the ongoing meddling and moves by some regional countries in Yemen contrary to the country’s interests and security,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said.

“The falsity of these claims is quite clear,” Afkham added.

President of Yemen Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi had Monday accused Iran of supporting southern secessionists and northern religious groups in the Arabian peninsula, Press TV reported.

Real Madrid looking for revenge as Borussia return to Bernabeu

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Real Madrid will look to bury the ghosts of last season’s Champions League failure when an injury-hit Borussia Dortmund travel to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Wednesday night.

Last season saw the German side, who were the beaten finalists in the competition, destroy Real Madrid’s hopes of a tenth European Cup in the semi-final after smashing Real Madrid 5-1 in the first leg, reports Xinhua.

Although three late goals almost saw Madrid pull off a miracle at the Bernabeu in the return leg, it was not to be and the side, then coached by Jose Mourinho, said goodbye to Europe yet again.

Companies Act 2013 implemented

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In a bid to strengthen corporate governance and protect investor interest, the government Tuesday implemented the new Companies Act, 2013.

New rules such as mandatory social welfare spending, and independent directors on board, among others, have thus come into force.

The implementation comes after the government Friday notified 10 more chapters of the new act, primarily related to appointment of directors and powers of the company board.

Ukraine orders disarming of agitators

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Ukraine’s parliament Tuesday passed a resolution to disarm illegal armed groups that have sprang up across the country during its political crisis.

According to the resolution’s explanatory note, military and security officials should carry out the immediate disarming of illegitimate armed formations due to the worsening criminal situation in Ukraine, Xinhua reported.

The use of non-sanctioned arms had led to several deaths and injuries across the country, the document said.