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5 militants, JCO
killed in Poonch Excelsior Correspondent POONCH, June 13: There was no let up in the anti-militancy operations launched by elite Romeo Force in Poonch district. Five hardcore militants were shot dead by the troops in three separate operations in Surankot and Mendhar tehsils today. A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) also sacrificed his life in Mendhar encounter. Official sources said army soldiers noticed movement of a group of four to six militants at village Sarhuti in Mendhar tehsil at about 0600 hours today and launched a search operation for them. Militants fled to a surrounding forest area where they took positions and opened firing on army column. Troops fired back. Exchange of firing between army and militants continued for about two hours in which two militants were killed. A JCO, who was leading the army team in the operation, also sacrificed his life. The killed militants were affiliated with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) outfit. A letter head of the outfit was found in pocket of one of the militants. Identity of the militants couldn’t be established immediately. Recovery made from the forest area included two AK-56 rifles with seven magazines, six hand grenades, one Kenwood radio set and 10 grams of charas. Body of deceased JCO identified as Mohinder Singh has been sent to his native town. Another encounter took place in Sarian area of Surankot at 0345 hours today after troops of Romeo Force raided a militants’ hideout in the dhok after obtaining a specific information. After laying a cordon around the hideout, army jawans asked the militants to surrender. However, the militants opened firing, the sources said, adding that two militants were killed in retaliatory firing by army. One AK-56 rifle with three magazines and 73 rounds, one pistol with two magazines and 23 rounds, five hand grenades, two pouches and medicines were recovered from the dhok. According to sources, only two militants were present in the dhok and both of them, who had their affiliation with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), got killed. Troops didn’t suffer any casualty in this operation. Slain militants couldn’t be identified immediately. Another encounter took place between army and militants in Doba Gali of Surankot at 0030 hours. Sources said army jawans swung into action after observing movement around their ambush site. In the resulting encounter, one militant was killed while his associates managed to escape. Slain ultra was a Pakistani and activist of Hizbul Mujahideen’s Pir Panjal Regiment (HMPPR) outfit. One AK-56 rifle, two magazines, 56 rounds and two hand grenades were recovered from his possession. |
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People block road
against power cuts Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, June 13: Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the irate mobs who were protesting against the enhancement of power curtailment schedule and erratic power supply by enforcing road blockades at several places in outskirts of the city today. Police lathicharged to disperse the agitating mob protesting against the enhancement of power curtailment from five and half hours to eight and half hours at Muthi who had blocked the busy Akhnoor road by erecting the barricades and burning the tyre tubes on it at several places. The agitating mob were also shouting slogans against the PDD authorities and State Government for its discriminatory attitude towards the area. The police also resorted to lathicharge to disperse the agitating mob who had blocked the Jammu, Bohri road near Shiv Temple Bohri this evening. The agitating people were demanding the replacement of the transformer which they said is of the low capacity and does not cater to the needs of the people of the area. The movement of traffic on busy Akhnoor road was completely paralyzed for ten hours from 8am to 3pm as the protestants did not allow even the scooterist to ply on the road. The School children and other commuters had to face a tough time and return to their home.At Muthi Camp people had laid the cement poles for blocking the road. The protestants who were shouting slogans against the PDD authorities demanded revocation of decision regarding enhancement of power cut schedule in the area immediately. Besides the villagers of Muthi, Barnai, EWS Colony, parts of Roop Nagar, Darmal, Gurah Keran, Netarkotian and Patoli participated in the agitation. To make the road blockade call a total success the bandh enforcers had also erected barricades on the link routes at different places including Barnai and Roopnagar. However, the blockade was later lifted after the Superintending Engineer PDD and concerned Executive Engineer Division Third M&RE visited the area and assured the people that total efforts will be made by the Department not to enhance the power cut timing more than five and half hours. They said that the Department in case of emergency if the transformers could not bear the increasing load will enforce seven hours cut. Besides two volunteers of the area including Dr Kulbhushan Sharma, president Jammu Rural Development Association and Tara Mani Mangotra resorted to hunger strike to lodge their protest against the increasing power curtailments. Later talking to reporters Mr Suraj Prakash Padha, Sarpanch Halqa Panchayat Muthi criticized the police for resorting to unprovoked lathi charge on peaceful protestants. He also took the PDD authorities to task for their discriminatory attitude towards the people of the area. He said the decision of today’s strike was taken in a joint meeting of the people of different villages who are affected by the enhanced power curtailment after the Chief Engineer M&RE did not give a satisfactory reply to the deputationists who called on him yesterday. He while criticizing the PDD alleged that when the Department was knowing that the transformers at Muthi Feeder can not resist the increasing load why the new colonies were electrified or people were allowed to use the air conditioners. He said the Department should initiate action against those who have surplus load. He while demanding action against the police officer who ordered lathicharge on the mob warned the people will also intensify agitation against the police. Mr Vaid Vaishno Dutt , MP who also visited Muthi to have at and on spot study of the situation while talking to reporters later strongly condemned the police lathicharge on peaceful mob. He alleged that power crisis is the creation of State Government as the Government is not paying the proper attention for augumentation of Grid stations at Channi, Gladni and Akhnoor which have been constructed years back. These grid stations have become old and have no capacity to lift the load, Mr Dutt said, adding the Government has become bankrupt and it has no money to repair them. He said last time during the visit of Union Energy Minister at Kishanpur, the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah made a public announcement that Rs five crore will be earmarked for the augmentation of transformers but it appears that the same has not been done. He said the Centre is providing ample funds to the State and for rural electrification purpose Rs 15 crore were provided in the year 1997-98, 22 crore in 1998-99, 32 crore in 1999-2000 and Rs 15 crore as first installment in 2000-2001. Out of this amount only 40 hand pumps were dug besides electrifying two villages in 1997-98 while the progress is nil since then. He said I have brought the matter in the notice of Centre Government asking them why the funds were released when there was no out put. He while demanding a probe that where this money has gone alleged the funds have been totally misused at the cost of common man. Mr Dutt said the Union Power Minister, Mr Suresh Prabhu is visiting Jammu on June 17 and the matter will be brought in his notice also. Meanwhile, ASKPC vice president, Mr H L Chata has also condemned the police lathi charge on peaceful demonstrators including the migrants at Muthi today. |
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‘Hurriyat too have to
prove its representative character’ Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, June 13: Softening his previous stand of holding elections under United Nation (UN) observation, president of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), Shabir Ahmed Shah, today announced that his party was ready to contest elections under supervision of intellectuals to prove its representative character. "Some organisations have been repeatedly contesting our credibility to hold dialogue on behalf of the Kashmiri masses, so we are ready to face elections to prove our representative character provided the same are held under the supervision of intellectuals from India and Pakistan", JKDFP chief said while addressing a press conference here today. However, at the same time he stressed that the said election should not be held only to replace Farooq Abdullah or someone else but to determine representative character of separatist outfits including All Party Hurriyat Conference."The representatives elected in the said elections should be accredited as real representatives of J&K and authorised to hold dialogue to solve Kashmir problem with New Delhi," he said. Asked to comment on All Party Hurriyat Conference’s (APHC) claim of being sole representatives of the people of the State, JKDFP leader said that the conglomerate has also to prove its representative character and the elections under the observation of Indo-Pak intellectuals was the best way. Coming down heavily on National Conference for its failure to heed woes of the masses, Mr Shah said NC, which was a grass-root level party and fought autocratic rule in Jammu and Kashmir, has lost its credibility among masses. "What to say of ameliorating lot of the masses Farooq himself became a autocratic ruler", he said, adding, "however if Abdullah takes a definite line on Kashmir issue in tune with peoples’ aspirations, we will support him". Taking a note of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah being in London "at this crucial time", Mr Shah said it showed the latter’s lack of seriousness towards a resolution of the problem. However, at the same time, he added,"as a son of the soil, he should be here to promote the peace process". "Though our motive is Azadi (independence) of Kashmir, we have kept our minds open and whatever solution is worked out in the Indo-Pak summit between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and General Pervez Musharraf, it would be acceptable to us," Mr Shah said. He, urged the Union Government to reconsider its decision to call off the unilateral cease-fire, saying on the one hand New Delhi was going to hold high-level peace talks with the Pakistani military ruler, on the other it had started "Jung (war) against the Kashmiri people by ending the unilateral cease-fire. "Though the unilateral cease-fire was not implemented at the ground level, but still it had a political significance and the Government, in an atmosphere of beginning of peace process, should announce the real cease-fire," Mr Shah said, adding that the militants might also be appealed to announce a cease-fire provided sincerity prevailed on both sides. The Centre should also review the suspension of cease-fire, release all detenues and stop "custodial killings" and crackdowns in civilian areas so as to win the confidence of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for resolution of the vexed issue, Shah said. He further demanded that the Centre should withdraw special powers to army and other security forces under Disturbed Areas Act in the State to take the peace process to its logical end. Lauding Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for taking various courageous steps in his bid to settle the Kashmir issue, Shah said people in the country must strengthen his efforts. Similarly, the people of Pakistan must extend their helping hand to their Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf so that proposed summit between two leaders yields positive results, he said. He said there were some elements who wanted to sabotage the summit. Mr Shah said some elements, for their vested interests, did not want peace to be restored in the State and "we should not allow such forces to sabotage the peace process". Asked whether his party had any solution to resolve Kashmir tangle, the JKDFP chief said "we have worked out a solution and it would be placed when all parties - India, Pakistan and representatives of Jammu and Kashmir - sit together and hold a dialogue." "The resolution of the problem could be found only through trilateral dialogue and what emerges there would be acceptable to us," he said. Shah said he has been touring the entire State from Ladakh to Lakhanpur to get acquainted with the problems of the people and impress upon them the necessity of supporting the peace process initiated by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Expressing his anguish over the incident of Shangus mosque, he appealed to the militants not to use religious places "as it gives an opportunity to the security forces to defame their movement as well to dishonour the mosques." Strongly opposing the idea of trifurcation of the State, he said this was a dangerous plan to divide it on communal lines and should not get any support as it might repeat the holocaust of 1947. ‘‘We don’t want any ‘Azadi’ or Kashmir without the people of Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmiri Pandits," he said, adding that the whole State was united and will fight for its unity. President of Jammu Kashmir Democratic Front Mr Bhushan Bazaz was also accompanying Mr Shah during the press conference. |
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Efforts intensified to
tackle unemployment Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, June 13: The Indian Air Force and Navy will organize recruitment rallies for the youth of the Valley this year. This was stated at a meeting of the Apex Committee on Employment Programme chaired by the Chief Secretary, Mr Ashok Jaitly, here last evening. The Air Force will hold a recruitment rally in Srinagar next month while the Navy will organize two recruitment rallies at Anantnag and Pulwama in September to make on-the-spot recruitment of the youth in the force. Similar rallies will be organized at Leh and Kargil also for benefit of youth of Ladakh region. The Navy has already selected 22 youth from the Valley during its earlier recruitment rally who are presently undergoing training. The Employment Department will arrange coaching for unemployed youth of Kashmir valley for recruitment of 300 jawans in JAKLI every year. The coaching will be given to 800 youth. The meeting reviewed the progress of Delhi Employment Cell set by the State Government to liaise with private sector concerns, central public sector undertakings, defence forces and other organizations to secure more jobs for J&K youth. The cell has so far sponsored 2,000 technocrats and professionals to various organizations for appointment. Of them, 13 candidates have been selected recently while 310 more candidates have been lined up for interview. The central Government has also constituted a Task Force for arranging employment for youth of the State. Around 300 professionals are likely to be sponsored for placement by the Task Force shortly. The bio-data of 1200 technocrats has been provided to them while of another 800 professionals will be made available soon. The bio-data of such youth will also be hosted on the websites by leading private sector organizations like FICCI, ASSOCHAM, CII, PHDCCI, which will prove handy for the prospective employers. Nearly 14000 income generating units will be set up in the State under Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) and Jammu and Kashmir State Self-Employment Scheme (JKSSES) during the current financial year. Of these, 10000 units will be set up under JKSSES and 4,000 under PMRY. Besides providing financial assistance of Rs 500 per trip for un-employed professionals, technocrats and other youth to facilitate their visits outside the State for interviews, a 50-room youth hostel will also be constructed in Delhi for providing accommodation facilities to them. The Chief Secretary stressed that the employment cell set up in Delhi should find out more and more employment avenues for youth of the State by keeping a close liaison with various employers’ organizations. He said that the Employment Department will be the coordinating agency for all employment and will keep updating data-base on employment. Referring to the enthusiasm generated among the youth of the State with career counselling organized by the department, Mr Jaitly asked for organizing more such sessions to create awareness among the job seekers. He suggested that a corps of career counsellors should be built up in the State itself with the help of leading counsellors and the universities of Kashmir and Jammu too need to be associated with this process. He said the counselling should be organized keeping in view the latest trends in the job market for better results, as tackling unemployment is the top priority of the State Government. The Chief Secretary asked the Employment Department to bring out its publication quarterly detailing various job opportunities available for the State’s youth. He said relentless efforts are required to avail schemes offered by various central Government departments for providing gainful employment to our youth. The margin money, Chief Secretary emphasised, should be released forthwith for setting up self-employment units. He said these units should also be inspected more often to know about their functioning and viability. He reiterated that progress of self-employment schemes will be constantly monitored for better coordination and results. |
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Over 4000 registered for Amarnath pilgrimage Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, June 13: There is an unabated rush of the people from neighboring states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to get themselves registered for this year pilgrimage to Holy Shrine of Baba Amarnath starting from July 2 after the registration was thrown open by State Government on June 10. On the fourth day of registration here 860 pilgrims were enrolled by the J&K Tourism Department today. With this the total number of pilgrims registered during last four days has reached to 4143. Disclosing these figures an official spokesman of the Tourism Department said that 735 Yatris will be allowed to have the darshan of Icy Lingam at Holy Amarnath Cave daily via Pahalgam and Baltal routes. Though registration is being conducted smoothly at different counters of TRC here, there is heavy rush of people at the J&K Government Guest House, Kotliya Market New Delhi according to reports available. This is one of the reasons that some people from Union Capital intending to have the pilgrimage of the Holy Shrine this year are visiting Jammu to get themselves enrolled. This correspondent who visited the TRC booking counter today saw a number of people from Delhi waiting in queue for their turn to get enrolled. Mr Gulab Singh a resident from Delhi who had specially visited Jammu today for this purpose when asked why did not he seek the registration from Delhi counter, said there is heavy rush and people have to wait for long time in queues. Two days back police resorted to lathicharge to control the surging mob who were waiting for their turn, he added. He appreciated the arrangements made by the Tourism Department here saying it is not a cumbersome process to get registered at Jammu. The same views were expressed by Amit Kumar and Vicky Bansal from Punjab who had visited here early in the morning today to get registration for their family members. The duo who got 10 souls enrolled for July 17 while expressing satisfaction over the arrangements made by the Government here said this year we are being treated with all hospitabilty. |
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Driver, civilian injured Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, June 13: A Border Security Force (BSF) vehicle was blown up with a powerful mine blast at forward village of Chak Phagwari in Pargwal island of Akhnoor tehsil this afternoon causing injuries to two persons including driver of the vehicle and a civilian. Meanwhile, BSF jawans gunned down one intruder and apprehended three others from the International Border (IB) early this morning. Reports said a BSF vehicle was on way from one border post to the other in Chak Phagwari when a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED), planted on the road, went off at 1510 hours causing extensive damage to the vehicle. BSF driver Karamvir Singh and a civilian Janak Raj, who was walking along the road at the time of blast, were injured. BSF jawans from their Chak Phagwari post, which was just 200 yards away from the scene of explosion, rushed to spot and shifted the victims to sub district hospital of Akhnoor. Both the injured were responding to treatment. They had sustained splinter injuries in the explosion. Security forces cordoned off the area around the blast site and carried out a search operation. However, no arrest could be made immediately. Official sources said investigations were being carried out by BSF officials to identify the accused. Possibility of the mine having been planted by Pakistani saboteurs wasn’t ruled out. Blast site was located close to the border and the road, on which the IED has been planted, was mostly used by security forces to shift their apparatus from one post to other. Meanwhile, Pakistan army continued heavy firing on Indian positions at several places on the International Border in Samba, RS Pura, Hiranagar and Akhnoor sectors. Firing was effectively retaliated by BSF at all the places. Security forces saw three intruders moving toward Indian territory in Nanga post of Samba sector at 0015 hours today. On being asked to halt and surrender, the intruders tried to escape back to Pakistan forcing security forces to open firing. In the firing, one intruder was killed and two others were injured. Injured have been hospitalised. No recovery was made from the possession of intruders, which indicated that they might be Bangladeshi nationals. Two Bangladeshis were arrested from Paharpur post of Hiranagar sector early today. They too had infiltrated into Indian side from Pakistan. They were later handed over to local police. |
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‘Leaders to hit off
at personal level’ ISLAMABAD, June 13: The forthcoming summit between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan military ruler General Pervez Musharraf is being formatted in a way that could "leave a lot of elbow room" for them to "hit it off" at personal level, official sources here said today. "This summit unlike others is different. There are no bottomline preparations to the run up for it. The dialogue is starting at the top. So everything depends on how the two (leaders) hit it off with each other," they said. Vajpayee-Musharraf meeting was not going to be loaded with structured agenda though Kashmir was expected to figure prominently during the talks, they said. Though the dates for Musharraf’s visit were yet to be finalised, he is expected to be in India for two or two-and-half days, the sources said. Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman yesterday said both sides were waiting for a detailed report on the progress of recovery of Vajpayee from knee surgery to finalise the dates for Musharraf’s visit. However, there was consensus on both sides that the summit could take place in the first or second week of July, depending on the pace of progress in Vajpayee’s recovery, they said. Besides holding talks with Vajpayee, Musharraf is also expected to meet External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, Home Minister L K Advani and leader of opposition Sonia Gandhi. Musharraf is also likely to meet Army chief General S Padmanabhan as he continues to be Pakistan’s Army chief. Musharraf had himself in a recent interview expressed his desire to visit his ancestral house in old Delhi, where he was born and grew up for four years, till his family migrated to Pakistan after partition. Pakistan media had earlier reported that Begum Musharraf also wanted to visit Lucknow to see her relatives and friends. (PTI) |
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Hurriyat holds crucial meeting SRINAGAR, June 13: The executive committee of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) met here today to chalk out its future strategy in view of the Centre’s refusal to allow them to meet Pakistan Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf during his forthcoming visit to India. The meeting, which was held at the residence of its chairman Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, was also attended by former chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, Moulana Abass Ansari, Abdul Gani Lone and Sheikh Abdul Aziz. Former chairman and Jamat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani did not attend the meeting, being considered ‘very crucial’ in view of the latest political developments in India and Pakistan. However, he was represented by Qazi Ahadullah, while Bashir Ahmad Bhat represented Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Mohammad Yaseen Malik, who is in the United States. Hurriyat sources said the meeting, which was still on, discussed in detail the overall political situation in the State. A spokesman of the Hurriyat Conference told waiting journalists that the meeting will continue till late in the night and might be extended till tomorrow. Former, chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq did not speak to the media, while leaving the venue. Mr Abdul Gani Lone, during his press conference yesterday, had said that militants should not use religious places, including mosques, for their activities as it amounted to desecration. Accusing Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh of throwing all rules of diplomacy to the winds, Mr Lone said New Delhi would be showing disrespect to Gen Musharraf by not allowing Musharraf-Hurriyat meeting as it was a prerogative of the visiting dignitary to meet anyone he wanted to meet. (UNI) |
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BRATISLAVA, (SLOVAKIA), June 13: Slovak Police suspended their search today for 17 Indians who are believed to have drowned in the Morava river while trying to cross into Czech Republic, an Interior Ministry spokesman said. Police have been scanning the murky water of the Moravia—the natural border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia—since Monday after receiving reports that a group of illegal immigrants from India had tried to cross it while wearing large backpacks, Peter Pleva of the Interior Ministry told the Associated Press. Eyewitnesses told police that they saw the men holding their hands while trying to cross the river before the force of the water separated them. Police rescued two persons and discovered one body but 17 others, who were believed to be traveling with the group, are still missing. No other bodies have been found. "They might have all drowned but we are not sure yet," Pleva said. Police suspended their search after determining that no one could have survived any longer in the water. They are still searching the banks of the river for remains. Searches are also under way in both countries for possible survivors. Slovakia is often used as a transit point for illegal immigrants who hope to find a better life in Western Europe. Police sources said some 6,000 illegal immigrants were caught last year in Slovakia while en route to other countries. (AP) |
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NEW DELHI, June 13: B B Tandon, who has been appointed Election Commissioner, today reqlinquished charge as Secretary in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension and would be succeeded by Steel Secretary A K Agarwal. Tandon is a 1965 batch IAS officer from Himachal Pradesh cadre while Agarwal belongs to the 1966 batch from Madhya Pradesh cadre. In a bureaucratic reshuffle, Secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, N N Khanna, would replace Agarwal in the Steel Ministry, it was officially announced today. S S Sharma, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Power will be Secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports replacing Khanna while S Prabhakaran will be Special Secretary in the Ministry of Power in place of Sharma, the announcement said. (PTI) |
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NEW DELHI, June 13: Home Minister L K Advani today said BJP and RSS shared historic ties and the ban imposed by Janata Party on erstwhile Janasangh members not to associate themselves with RSS saw the birth of BJP. Deposing before the Liberhan Ayodhya commission, Advani said "we were part of the Janata Party till 1980. In that year a resolution was passed by the party that none of its members could have any affiliation with RSS. "This is what made us launch BJP. This is the historic nexus that BJP has with RSS," the Home Minister said. (PTI) |
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LeT to continue operations in Kashmir ISLAMABAD, June 13: Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba has said it would continue its militant operations in Kashmir despite the forthcoming Indo-Pak summit, and vowed to carry on its activities even if the Pakistan Government banned it. "Talks have taken place in the past also and would continue to be held in future but the process of dialogue has nothing to do with the ongoing Jehad (holy war) operations in Kashmir which will be continued," media reports quoting Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Saeed said today. Saeed said "even if Pakistan imposed a ban on Jehadi outfits, it would not affect Jehadis and they would continue with their operations in Kashmir." "In fact, Pakistan has no right to impose a ban on Jehad outfits as they are fighting in Kashmir and not in Pakistan... Even if Kashmir got liberated from India, Jehad operations would be continued in the rest of India," `The Jung’ newspaper said quoting Saeed. He denied that the militant outfits operating in Kashmir misused their funds or carried any illegal weapons. Musharraf had recently said the funds generated in the name of Kashmiris were misused by militant outfits. (PTI) |
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Devyani refuses to depose before panel KATHMANDU, June 13: Devyani Rana, girl friend of late crown Prince Dipendra, who is accused of killing his father King Birendra and other royals, has refused to depose before the high-level committee probing the June one palace massacre citing security reasons, media reports here today said. Quoting panel sources, Nepalese newspaper ‘Spacetime Dainik’ said, Devyani, in her 20s, has refused to appear before the panel in view of the tense situation in Nepal and apprehensions about here personal safety. Devyani, who was contacted through the royal Nepal embassy in India, however, has been asked to give in writing details about the nature of her relations with Dipendra and whatever information she had about the gruesome killing at the Narayanhity palace, the daily said. According to the English daily ‘The Kathmandu Post’, Devyani was one of the ten people with whom late Dipendra had conversation on the cellphone before the incident. Initial reports alleged that Dipendra gunned down the royals following their opposition to his marriage with Devyani. A report in the ‘Newsweek’ magazine had alleged that Dipendra secretly married her by applying ‘Tika’ but such a marriage is not recognised in Nepal. Devyani, according to unconfirmed reports, flew to New Delhi and then to Moscow after her name was dragged into the controversy following the palace massacre. She is now reported to be in London. Her father Pashupati Shamsher Rana is general secretary of the opposition Rashtriya Prajatantra Party and a Member of Parliament. (PTI) |
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Lyngdoh takes over as CEC, Tandon as EC NEW DELHI, June 13: Mr James Michael Lyngdoh today took over as the Eleventh Chief Election Commissioner of India and said the Commission would continue its efforts to strengthen the electoral system in the country. Shortly later, Mr Brij Bihari Tandon, who was Secretary, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, took charge as Election Commissioner to fill the vacancy caused by Mr Lyngdoh’s elevation. Mr T S Krishnamurthy is the other Election Commissioner in the three-member body. Mr Lyngdoh, 62, who took over the top job at Nirvachan Sadan on the superannuation of Dr Manohar Singh Gill, will serve as Chief Election Commissioner till February, 2004. A former IAS officer of the 1961 batch (Bihar cadre), Mr Lyngdoh joined ‘Nirvachan Sadan’ as Election Commissioner on March one, 1997. Born on February eight, 1939 in Meghalaya, Mr Lyngdoh is the first person from the north-east to assume the high consitutional post of the CEC. Praising his predecessor for taking several steps to improve the working of the democratic system in the country, Mr Lyngdoh said "the system has been strengthened in a number of ways and is working better now. But, a lot still needs to be done." Speaking at a farewell function organised by the Election Commission staff for Dr Gill today, Mr Lyngdoh said the implementation of the code of conduct from the announcement of the poll schedule and establishing the commission’s full disciplinary and supervisory control over civil and police staff deployed on election duty had gone a long way to improve the conduct of elections at the ground level. Similarly, the use of Electronic Voting Machines, which were "rotting and becoming obsolete" and the compulsory use of photo identity cards or other documents for voter identification had also streamlined the electoral system and helped to remove malpractices, Mr Lyngdoh added. Bidding a fond farewell to his colleagues at the Commission, Dr Gill said when he took over as the CEC in December, 1996, it was his endeavour to ensure that the EC worked smoothly and all decisions were taken unanimously. He also expressed happiness that the Government had made a timely announcement about the new Chief Election Commssioner, thus avoiding needless speculation and uncertainty. Asserting that the Election Commission would stick to its constitutional mandate, Dr Gill said it had no private or political agenda and tried to be at the centre of the 50-odd recognised political parties, tilting neither this way nor that. Mr Krishnamurthy, who took over as Election Commissioner last year, said the smooth conduct of the general elections in 1996, 1998 and 1999 besides 40-odd Assembly elections had enhanced the EC’s credibility. Among others who spoke at the farewell function were Deputy Election Commissioners Subhas Pani and Sayan Chatterjee. Mr Lyngdoh has also previously served as Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat and in the Department of Tourism, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Managing Director, Food Corporation of India, and Deputy Director General, National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad. Mr Tandon, a 1965 IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, has also served previously as Secretary, Ministry of Mines, and Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat and in the Department of Company Affairs. (UNI) |
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