Chorology events involve constitution
validity providing 27 % OBC quota

NEW DELHI, Apr 10: Following is the chronology of events in the case involving constitutional validity of the controversial law providing 27 per cent OBC quota in Central Educational Institutions including premier IITs and IIMs:

Jan 20, 2006: The Constitution (93rd amendment) Act, 2005 comes into effect empowering the state to make special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes and SC/STs in admission to educational institutions.

May 16, 2006: The Standing Committee on social justice and empowerment submits its 15th report stating that there was no census in the case of backward classes. It mentions that a report of Registrar General of India that no information has been collected on OBCs in 2001 census.

May 22, 2006: Ashok Kumar Thakur files a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006, when anti-quota agitation at AIIMS was at its peak.

May 27, 2006: Prime Minister constitutes an Oversight Committee to look into the implementation of 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs in higher educational institutes.

The Committee, in its report, cautions the government that the implementation of the Act would compromise academic excellence and lead to "demographic disaster."

May 29, 2006: The Supreme Court issues notice to the Centre on the petition. May 31, 2006: The Supreme Court permits all concerned citizens to be impleaded as parties in the on-going petition and allows them to file a fresh petition.

Dec 1, 2006: A Parliamentary Standing Committee on human resource and development submits its 186th report in both houses of Parliament saying no caste-based census has been carried out after 1931.

January 1, 2007: Another petition challenging the implementation of the Act is filed in the Supreme Court.

Mar 29, 2007: The Supreme Court gives interim order staying the implementation of the Act.

Aug 7, 2007: The five-Judge Constitution Bench commences hearing to decide the validity of the Act.

Nov 11, 2007: After 25 days of hearing, judgement in the matter was reserved.

April 10, 2008: The Supreme Court upholds the validity of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 providing 27 per cent quota to OBCs in the educational institutions. (PTI)

Sanjay Dutt permitted to go abroad for film shooting

NEW DELHI, Apr 10: The Supreme Court today permitted Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt to go abroad to complete his film shooting.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and M K Sharma directed the authorities to release the passport of Sanjay Dutt.

Earlier counsel for the actor had pleaded for permission for his client to go to Malaysia, Thailand and the US for shooting of his film ‘Blue’.

The court however directed the actor to surrender his passport to the authorities latest by September 30 this year. Sanjay Dutt will complete his assingments by September 20 this year.

Sanjay Dutt is on bail in 1993 Bombay serial bomb blasts case in which he was sentenced to six years imprisonment by TADA court, Mumbai, for possessing illegal arms.

The apex court while granting him bail had imposed a condition not to leave the country without its prior permission. (UNI)

ICPA threatens to file defamation suit against MP

NEW DELHI, Apr 10: The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) today threatened to file a defamation suit against Muslim League MP Abdul Wahab for calling a pilot a "glorified driver" after allegedly barging into the cockpit of an Air India aircraft two days back.

It also accused him of conducting a "serious" breach of security norms and endangering flying operations.

"We will file a defamation suit against the MP," ICPA president Kapil Raina told reporters here, adding that the lawmaker was responsible for "Level Four" threat by entering the cockpit.

He said Wahab has also breached the Indian Aircraft Rule 29, which lays down, "No person shall interfere with the commander or with members of the operating crew of an aircraft or tamper with the aircraft or its equipments or conduct himself in a disorderly manner with the passengers or crew."

The MP was deplaned on Tuesday for allegedly "opening the cockpit door, entering it (cockpit) and abusing the pilot".

But Wahab, who was a resident of the UAE for the last 32 years, and shifted his base to Kerala after becoming a Rajya Sabha MP, maintained that he never entered the cockpit.

Meanwhile, an Air India official has stated that the pilot did not speak rudely to Wahab.

The lawmaker had threatened to move Parliament’s Privileges Committee on the issue. (PTI)

JDU to go it alone

BANGALORE, Apr 10: The Janata Dal (U) today said it would go it alone in next month assembly elections in Karnataka,protesting against the BJP’s ‘big brother’ attitude’ for its refusal to forge poll pact with it.

In the first phase it would field candidates in 54 constituencies out of 89 that would go to polls and the list of its candidates has been submitted to the National President Sharad Yadav for approval, the state unit JDU General Secretary G K C Reddy told a press conference here

Still nurturing hopes on electoral pact with the saffron party, he told a press conference here "in case there is no honourable seat sharing arrangement with BJP, then the national party leaders will announce the names of candidates in three-four days".

The BJP’s decision not to have understanding with JDU would lead to division of anti-Congress votes and may indirectly help Congress, he said.

Karnataka unit BJP leaders are firm in contesting all the 224 assembly seats and opposed to any tie-up with JDU. (PTI)

HC notice to CBI on bail plea of arms dealer Nanda, others

NEW DELHI, Apr 10: The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the CBI on bail applications of arms dealer Suresh Nanda, his son Sanjeev and their chartered accountant Bipin Shah in a case of manipulating evidence on the alleged kickbacks received by him in defence deals.

Justice Rekha Sharma, issuing notice to the probe agency, asked it to file its response by April 23.

Appearing for Nandas, senior counsel Arun Jaitley submitted before the Court that all the offences, allegedly committed by the accused persons, were bailable under the Indian Penal Code.

He also submitted that there was no circumstance to establish the case against the accused.

"Preparation of offence is different from attempting to commit the offence," he said.

Jaitley also submitted that the transcripts of taped telephonic conversation among the accused, allegedly in possession of the CBI, did not corroborate the allegations.

Challenging the trial court’s order of April five dismissing their bail plea, Nandas and co-accused Shah alleged that the special CBI court had wrongly noted apprehension of tampering with the evidence in the case.

Nanda, his son Sanjeev-also an accused in the BMW hit-and-run case-Shah and Income Tax deputy director (investigation) Ashutosh Verma are in judicial custody after their arrest by the CBI on March 8 from a Mumbai hotel.

The CBI, which allegedly recovered Rs 55 lakh from Shah’s residence after their arrest, accused Nanda of bribing the IRS officer to manipulate income tax records. It also claimed to have recorded 94 telehopnic calls among them in this regard.

Nanda has been under the CBI scanner for allegedly receiving kickbacks in the Rs 1,150 crore Barak missiles system and Armoured Recovery Vehicles deal. (PTI)

Rahul Bose an underutilised actor: ‘Shaurya’ director

NEW DELHI, Apr 10: Known for his penchant for offbeat films, actor Rahul Bose is an exceptional actor but has not been utilised to his potential, feels director Samar Khan.

"Rahul Bose is a great actor. It is just that he has not been used to his potential and is still an underexposed actor. I have been watching him from his very first film ‘English August’ and his selection of movies till today is stupendous," says the director of ‘Shaurya’ in which Rahul plays the lead role.

Samar Khan, whose first film ‘Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye’ bombed miserably at the box office, is getting good reviews for his second directorial venture ‘Shaurya’, a story set against the army backdrop.

"Shaurya is a story of finding courage within oneself and standing by one’s beliefs. In the film Rahul plays a army lawyer who defends an accused charged for killing his senior colleague. Initially, Rahul was apprehensive to work with a new director but when I explained the importance of his character, he finally said yes to the role," adds Khan.

Bose, who was appreciated for his power-packed performances in movies like ‘English August’, ‘Split Wide Open’, and ‘Mr And Mrs Iyer,’ has also done commercial films such as ‘Jhankaar Beats’, ‘Thakshak’ and ‘Chameli’.

When asked about why he selected Rahul as he is mostly associated with offbeat films, he says, "Who said this? I think he has done every kind of role with equal ease. ‘Pyar ke Side effects’ and ‘Jhankar Beats’ were not unusual films. He has shown the world that apart from serious roles, he can also do comedy and romance."

Minnisha Lamba, who is playing the lady love of Rahul in the film, is quite upbeat about her role and the on-screen chemistry with Rahul Bose. "It was great to work with Rahul. I think he is one of the best actors we have in India. I am playing the role of a Journalist who helps Rahul to fight injustice. I am confident that people will appreciate this movie."

Lamba who came to limelight with the critically acclaimed film ‘Yahaan’ with Jimmy Shergill, however, declines to compare the films.

"The subject of ‘Yahaan’ was completely different from ‘Shaurya’ but there is only one similarity that both are well-made movies. Both Jimmy and Rahul are immensely talented actors and it is not right to compare them," says the actress.

But, the actor himself does not think that he is par excellence.

"I am just ‘another’ actor. My job is to give my best on the silver screen. It is upto the audience to judge whether I am good or bad," says Rahul Bose.

On the common perception that he is only interested in serious cinema, he says, "I don’t want to limit myself to a particular genre. Some people say that I am only interested in art films but that is not right. I think I am improving with every film. ‘Takshaq, Pyar Ke Side Effects’, ‘Jhankar Beats’, were not art cinema and people liked it."

When asked about his Hollywood dreams, he says, "I had done many English movies in the past and also got awards for them. But I am not interested in Hollywood and its directors and for me Indian directors like Budhdhdev Das Gupta, Dev Benegal, Rituparno Ghosh, Sudhir Mishra are more interesting lot to work with." (PTI)

Aamir Khan to receive special
Dinanath Mangeshkar award

MUMBAI, Apr 10: Actor-director Aamir Khan will receive a special award from Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratisthan for his services to Indian cinema.

Melody queen Lata Mangeshkar will present the award to the actor in a programme on April 24 on 66th death anniversary of Master Dinanath Mangeshkar, Pratishthan Trustee Hridaynath Mangeshkar told reporters here last night.

"Aamir has been experimenting a lot in the movies he acts in as well as directing and producing. He does not attend any awards functions nor accepts them. When we called him to convey our decision he readily agreed", Mangeshkar said.

The award comprises cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a memento.

The Pratisthan will also honour noted actor Dr Shriram Lagoo for his contribution to cinema and theatre. The other award winners are Malini Rajurkar (classical music), Mohan Tondwalkar (best drama in Marathi theatre Shamburaje), Dr K R Toraskar of Ulhas Pratisthan will get Anandmai Puraskar for his social work and Shankar Abhyankar will get the Vagvilasini award for his contribution to literature, he said.

Mangeshkar said the Trust organises various theatre, music and dance programmes in memory of Dinanath Mangeshkar. (PTI)

‘Green collection centers’ mooted for storing e-waste

NEW DELHI, Apr 10: The next time you plan to throw away used electronic gadgets or old computers, just look around for "environment-friendly dustbins", instead of dumping it to the nearest ‘kabariwala’.

Based on the Swiss model, the new guidelines on e-waste drafted by the Central Pollution Control Board suggested setting up of "green collection centers" for collection and dumping of e-wastes in a more environment- friendly manner.

"The producers shall take the responsibility of collection of the end-of-use equipment through facilitating the establishment of a common collection point and suitable storage infrastructure," says the guideline.

The cost of setting up these centers would be met through the imposition of a levy of an appropriate fee on the product at the point of sale, to facilitate the operation of the buy-back-system and enable to provide standardised rates to the customers.

The rate list should be made available to the customer while Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode may be considered for the same, it adds.

In the absence of any regulation and proper disposal, e-waste finds its way to scrap dealers, which are further pushed into dismantler’s supply chain.

"These Guidelines shall apply to all those who handle e-waste which includes the generators, collectors, transporters, dismantlers, recyclers and stakeholders of e-wastes irrespective of their scale of operation," it said.

The guidelines also ensures establishment of e-waste recycling and treatment facility in line with the existing requirements for establishing and operating "Recycling and Treatment and Disposal Facilities" for hazardous wastes.

"Such facilities shall be set up in the organised sector," a senior Government official said.

The official said the objective of these guidelines is to provide guidance for identification of various sources of waste in electrical and electronic equipments and prescribe procedures for handling e-waste in an environmentally manner.

According to a study, the e-waste inventory for the year 2005 has been estimated to be 146180.00 tonnes, which is expected to exceed 8,00,000 tonnes by 2012 in the country.

However, there is no large scale organised e-waste recycling facility in India, except two small e-waste dismantling facilities in Chennai and Bangalore.

E-wastes contain over 1,000 different substances, many of which are toxic and potentially hazardous to environment and human health if not handled properly. (PTI)

Dalai Lama tells China: I’m no demon

NARITA JAPAN, Apr 10: The Dalai Lama, starting his first foreign trip since unrest broke out in Tibet, today renewed support for the Beijing Olympics and appealed to China not to brand him as a demon.

Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader also said he personally urged the Tibetan community to respect the Olympic torch relay in San Francisco, where a major security presence prevented some of the chaos seen in London and Paris.

The Dalai Lama, meeting reporters on a brief stopover in Japan on his way to the United States, jokingly put his fingers over his head in the shape of a devil.

"I really feel sad the Government there almost demonises me. But it’s OK," the Dalai Lama said of China. "I’m just a human being-hopefully not a demon."

"Some people create (the) impression we are anti-Chinese. So I make an appeal to Chinese brothers and sisters all over the world, particularly in mainland China-firstly we are not anti-Chinese."

Tibet last month saw the biggest protests in years against China’s controversial rule on the anniversary of a failed 1959 uprising that sent the Dalai Lama fleeing into exile in India.

Beijing has accused the Nobel peace laureate of instigating the deadly violence and of seeking to split the predominantly Buddhist Himalayan territory from China.

The Dalai Lama repeated today that he is seeking Tibetan autonomy and cultural freedoms within China-and that he supports the right of Beijing to host the Olympics.

"I support the Chinese host for the world game because China is the most populous nation, ancient nation," the Dalai Lama said.

"They really deserve" the Olympics, the Dalai Lama said. "In spite of the unfortunate event in Tibet, my position has not changed."

China’s clampdown has triggered international outrage, with major protests during the Beijing Olympic torch relay in London, Paris and San Francisco.

The San Francisco stop was less chaotic after authorities ordered hundreds of police onto the streets and changed the route to throw off protesters.

"In fact, after some troubles in London, I sent a message to Tibetans in San Francisco area: Please do not make any violent activity," the Dalai Lama said.

The Dalai Lama is due to start his US tour with a series of lectures on spirituality in Seattle. He said his visit to the United States was "not political."

The Dalai Lama’s lectures on faith have won him a wide global following, including in Japan.

But Japanese leaders, unlike many of their Western counterparts, have almost always refused to meet with the Dalai Lama, whose frequent world travels are opposed by China.

Japan has had uneasy ties with China due in part to the legacy of Japanese aggression in the 1930s. But Japan has been working on improved relations with China, its largest commercial partner, in a process launched by then premier Shinzo Abe in 2006.

The Dalai Lama nonetheless met at a hotel near Narita airport with Akie Abe, the former premier’s wife, although he did not hold talks with any Government officials.

The Tibetan leader smiled and put his hands together in a traditional Buddhist greeting as several dozen supporters cheered him on at the airport, holding Tibetan flags and signs reading "Free Tibet-We are friends."

"I’m here to show support from the bottom of my heart for the Dalai Lama and Tibet," said Kumi Shimada, 39. (AGENCIES)

Successful test cricketers ‘live for longer’

LONDON, Apr 10: Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble are all likely to enjoy a longer innings in life too.

A study in Britain has revealed that successful test cricketers have an average life expectancy of 80 years-they are happier because of the acclaim they have received and are therefore less likely to suffer from illness even in old age.

According to lead researcher Professor Paul Boyle, "There’re many reasons why successful cricketers would be more likely to live longer than those deemed less successful.

"One suggestion is that they benefited from the kudos they earned and this stayed with them for the rest of their lives, meaning they were less likely to be stressed and suffer ill-health."

In fact, the researchers at the St Andrews University came to the conclusion after looking at 418 cricketers who had played for England between 1876, when the first Test match was played, and 1963, ‘The Daily Telegraph’ reported today.

The average life expectancy for those who played more than 25 Tests was 77.95, compared with 73.25 years for the others, found the study which considered players’ social backgrounds, that influences how long people live.

During the years studied, cricket players were classed as either "gentlemen", who tended to be wealthier, or professional "players", who were working class.

As expected, the researchers found that the privileged "gentlemen" lived to an average age of 77, three years longer than the working-class professionals, who had an average life expectancy of 74.

The results of the study have been published in the ‘British Journal of Sports Medicine’. (PTI)

Bihar running short of pilots for its aircraft fleet

PATNA, Apr 10: The fleet of the State Government’s aircrafts are running short of pilots to fly the aero-machines, in spite of having three US-made Aircrafts and one French Dolphin helicopter.

Informed sources here today said there are requirments of seven pilots for Aircrafts and four for chopper, while the State Government has only two pilots and both of them were deployed to fly the Government Aircrafts.

Contrary to the fact, the Government chopper is operated with the pilot hired from Pawanhans. Even the flight engineers for the maintenance of aircrafts, and the cabin crew were hired from the same agency as the Government is running short of staff to manage the affairs, sources said.

However, this process of hiring external staff is proving to be a costly affair as the state government is paying much more than that is paid to regular crew, sources said, adding the amount is almost three times of the sum, the State Government need to pay to the regular staff.

The successive State Governments had tried to fill the vacancies by recruiting regular staff but failed to address the issue as the payments offerred by the Bihar Government is less than the other state governments and the pilots prefer to go with the handsome offer, the sources maintained. (UNI)