No early polls, Govt will complete its term: CM drops hint
Mula Ram, Vakil inducted as Cabinet
Ministers; Saroori, Gharu as MoS
Aziz resigns, tipped to get important party assignment
Cong to field Micky for LC Dy Chairman’s post
Oppn absent in swearing-in, Rather says not invited

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Jan 1: Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today expanded his Cabinet by inducting four Ministers, two each of Cabinet rank and Ministers of State. Minister of State for Finance, Revenue, Law & Parliamentary Affairs, Prem Sagar Aziz resigned from the Ministry to keep strength of the Ministry at 25 according to the Constitutional provisions.

Senior party leader Mula Ram, who represents Raipur-Domana Assembly segment and PCC (I) general secretary Abdul Gani Vakil, who is known for his hard stand against PDP, were included as Cabinet Ministers while Ghulam Mohd Saroori, MLA Inderwal and Choudhary Gharu Ram, MLA Suchetagrh were inducted as Ministers of State.

They were administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha in a simple and brief ceremony in Raj Bhawan lawns this afternoon. The ceremony was among other attended by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and his wife Shamima Azad, Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Mrs Premini Sinha, majority of Ministers, Chief Secretary B R Kundal, state police chief Kuldeep Khoda and Vigilance Commissioner Dr Ashok Bhan.

However, no Opposition leader including Leader of Opposition Abdul Rahim Rather attended the swearing-in. Not a single leader from main Opposition party, National Conference besides BJP and Panthers Party attended the oath ceremony. When contacted, Mr Rather told the Excelsior that neither he nor any of his party colleagues had been invited to attend the oath ceremony. He clarified that there was no question of boycotting the function but, at the same time, "we can’t go to any function uninvited".

All four Ministers inducted in the Ministry today belonged to Congress. While three of them are MLAs, Mr Vakil is a MLC. The PDP had exhausted its quota in the Ministry after induction of Muzaffar Hussain Baig as Deputy Chief Minister on December 10.

Portfolios among the newly inducted Ministers will be allocated in a day or two, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters after the swearing in ceremony.

To assuage the feelings of young Congress leader Arvinder Singh Micky, also a member of the Upper House and who was widely tipped to join Council of Ministry in today’s expansion, Mr Azad announced that Micky would be Congress candidate for Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council.

With ruling coalition having comfortable majority in the Upper House, Mr Micky’s election as Deputy Chairman is a foregone conclusion. Mr Azad said under the agreement, the post of Upper House chairman has already gone to the PDP (Ghulam Nabi Hanjoora is the Chairman of Legislative Council). "Now, the post of Deputy Chairman will go to the Congress and we will field Micky for the post", the Chief Minister said, adding the election will be held within a week of the beginning of budget session of Legislature on January 7.

As Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council, Mr Micky will enjoy the status of Minister of State and will be youngest Presiding Officer of the Upper House.

While Mula Ram and Choudhary Gharu Ram staged a come back to the Council of Ministry after a gap of 26 months, Mr Vakil and Mr Saroori joined the Ministry for the first time. Mula Ram, who became Minister for the fourth time, was Social Welfare Minister during Mufti Sayeed led coalition Government for first three years of present coalition dispensation. He and Gharu Ram, who was Minister of State for Rural Development in Mufti regime, were not inducted in the Ministry when Mr Azad had taken over the rein of affairs on November 2, 2005.

Mr Vakil, who became only second member of the Upper House to find a berth in the Cabinet, and Ghulam Mohd Saroori have joined the Ministry for first time. Besides Mr Vakil, R&B Minister Gulchain Singh Charak, also from the Congress, is a member of the Upper House.

In today’s induction, three Ministers belonged to Jammu region and one to Kashmir valley. Mula Ram and Gharu Ram belonged to Jammu district and with their inclusion, the district strength in the Ministry has gone upto five (three others being Mangat Ram Sharma, Gulchain Singh Charak and Manjit Singh) in addition to Speaker Tara Chand.

Saroori becomes first Minister from newly carved out Kishtwar district from Doda while. With the induction of Mr Vakil, Rafiabad has now two Ministers in the Cabinet. PDP leader and Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Dilawar Mir represents Rafiabad in the Assembly.

With the induction of Mula Ram, representation has been given to Scheduled Castes in the Ministry. Presently, there was no SC Minister in the Cabinet while the CM’s announcement to field Micky for the post of Deputy Chairman of Upper House will give representation to Sikhs from Congress side. Poonch and Ramban districts, however, remained unrepresented in the Cabinet. Two out of three MLAs in Poonch belonged to National Conference. MLA Ramban is also from NC while MLA Banihal, Moulvi Abdul Rashid, whose constituency also falls in newly created Ramban district, is a neutral member.

With today’s expansion, the maximum limit of 25 Ministers including the Chief Minister has been exhausted. After taking over as Chief Minister, Mr Azad got a legislation approved in the Legislature restricting strength of the Ministry to 20 per cent of total strength of both Houses, which comes at 25. In Parliament and all other States, the maximum strength of Ministry is restricted to 15 per cent of total strength of Lower House only.

As there were only three vacancies in the Ministry, which had a strength of 22 after Mr Baig’s re-induction in the Cabinet, Minister of State for Revenue, Finance and Law & Parliamentary Affairs, Prem Sagar Aziz, who represents Bani Assembly segment in Kathua district, submitted his resignation to the Chief Minister to accommodate the fourth Minister.

"Mr Aziz had voluntarily offered to resign. It happens some time when your party needs your services more. I too had resigned from the Union Ministry about two decades back to work for the party as a general secretary", Mr Azad said lavishing all praise on Mr Aziz. Mr Azad has forwarded the resignation of Mr Aziz to the Governor for acceptance. The Governor has accepted his resignation.

Mr Aziz told the reporters that he had even offered to resign six months back to work for the party. He said the Chief Minister has asked him to work as Congress chief whip in the Assembly, whose session begins next Monday while an important post in the party was likely to be given to him after the Assembly session to gear up the party for Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, Mr Azad today dropped enough hints that the coalition Government will complete its full term of six years and was unlikely to go for an early election as being debated by some political parties in view of Amarnath ji yatra between June-August and holy month of Ramzan in September.

"The Government still has a tenure of 11 months. Term of the Assembly expires on November 19", he said in response to a question as to whether this was the last Cabinet expansion of present coalition dispensation.

"There is nothing last in politics. Continuation of Ministers in the Government will depend on their performance", the Chief Minister said sounding a note of caution among all the Ministers.

Asked whether today’s expansion will create some rebels in the Congress, Mr Azad didn’t agree saying there are no rebels in Congress. When reminded of a rebel contesting against party candidate in recently held Poonch bypoll, he quipped: "this happens in the politics".

To another question that there was no woman in the Council of Ministry, the Chief Minister said strength of the Ministry was restricted to 24 (barring the CM). "We can’t go beyond that", he said but added that Congress party is headed by a woman itself.

Mr Azad said there was good co-ordination between Congress and PDP, two major coalition partners and there was no need of calling a co-ordination meeting.

After taking oath, Mula Ram said he will work for all-round development of the State. "Whatever portfolio I’m given, I will try my best within the given time of 11 months (left for the Assembly election) to fulfill the Chief Minister’s slogans of accelerated development and uplift the downtrodden people", he added.

Mr Vakil, who is known for his hard stand against PDP, asserted that no decision has been taken so far by the Congress on a pre-poll alliance with PDP. Nothing has been decided yet, he said. Though Mr Vakil wanted to speak more, he was called by the Chief Minister.

Mr Vakil added that Azad’s mission of a ‘Khushaal Kashmir’, work culture and a transparent Government will be fulfilled.

Ghulam Mohd Saroori said he will abide by the Chief Minister’s decision on whether to resign as Chairman of Social Welfare Board, which he was heading presently.

"I have taken profits of the Board from Rs 1 crore to Rs 20 crore. Over 15,000 women joined Sonia Gandhi’s rally in a woman conference at Srinagar on the initiative taken by Social Welfare Board", Mr Saroori said, adding if asked by Mr Azad he would continued as Chairman of the Board which, he claimed, was brought back on track after he took over as its Chairman.

However, there were reports, that Doda MLA Abdul Majeed Wani, who was Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development in Mufti led Government, might be appointed as Vice Chairman of Social Welfare Board.

Mr Saroori and Mr Gharu Ram said they will work for ‘Khushaal Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh’ and dedicate themselves to upliftment of downtrodden and development of the State.

Today’s induction has taken strength of Cabinet Ministers to 16 and Ministers of State to 9. Congress now has eight Cabinet Ministers, PDP five and PDF one while two Cabinet Ministers—Nawang Rigzin Jora (Power) and Haji Nissar Ali (Social Welfare) are associate members of the Congress representing Leh and Kargil in the Assembly.

Among 9 Ministers of State, four each belonged to Congress and PDP while Aijaz Ahmed Khan is an associate member of the Congress.

Among Congress Ministers, the Chief Minister presently holds charge of the Departments like Home, Revenue, Industry and Commerce, Higher Education, Civil Aviation, GAD, Hospitality and Protocol, Information and Relief & Rehabilitation while Mangat Ram Sharma hold Health and Medical Education, Peerzada Mohd Sayeed, School Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Jugal Kishore, Rural Development and Gulchain Singh Charak, R&B.

For PDP, Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig hold the charge of Planning, Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism while Tariq Hamid Qarra has Finance and Housing and Urban Development, Abdul Aziz Zargar, Agriculture, Qazi Mohd Afzal, Forests and Environment and Dilawar Mir, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control.

PDF Minister Hakeem Mohd Yaseen has Transport Department while Mr Jora has Power and Haji Nissar Ali Social Welfare Department.

7 CRPF men killed in fidayeen attack

RAMPUR (UP), Jan 1: Seven CRPF personnel were among eight persons killed and five injured when heavily-armed terrorists stormed a camp of the paramilitary force in the wee hours here today, in a bloody start to the new year.

After carrying out the audacious attack at the CRPF Recruitment Centre, all the four suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists managed to escape and a hunt has been launched to apprehend them in Rampur and neighbouring districts. Armed with AK-47 rifles and grenades, a group of four militants in CRPF uniform swooped on the Sentry Post located along a railway track within the centre at 0230 hours, killing four paramilitary personnel and a rickshaw puller, Inspector General (operations) of CRPF A P Maheshwari said.

After the first attack, the militants hurled a grenade at the main gate besides firing indiscriminately, he said and added the terrorists possibly wanted to sneak into the armoury of the camp.

The quick reaction team of the recruitment centre hit back at the militants forcing three of them to flee. One, however, managed to enter the administrative block of the centre where he killed three unarmed CRPF men, Maheshwari said.

The CRPF personnel fired at the lone militant who also managed to escape from the recruitment centre, spread over 150 acres, under the cover of darkness, Maheshwari said.

Intermittent firing was heard at around 1300 hours from a distance as the state police, assisted by the CRPF, conducted combing operations in the area surrounded by sugarcane plantations and jungle.

Five security personnel—three CRPF jawans and one each from state police and home guards—were injured in the gunbattle. Additional Director General (law and order) said five CRPF jawans were killed in sleep.

Two militants who entered the premises of the CRPF centre were also injured in the exchange of fire, said Inspector-General of Police, Bareilly zone, Gurubachan Singh.

The attack on the CRPF recruitment centre came just over a month after a series of terror blasts ripped through three court premises in Lucknow, Faizabad and Varanasi in the State killing 13 people.

Today’s incident sparked an alert at all CRPF bases across the country.

Maheshwari said the attack was carried out by the militants as CRPF was fighting counter-insurgency operations throughout the country.

However, "It seems that now terrorists were striking at bases which were generally used for administrative purposes," he said.

After the attack, the Centre and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati were involved in a blame-game.

While Mayawati accused the paramilitary force of being lax despite a warning in advance from the State Government about the threat, central security agencies said they had warned CRPF as well as Uttar Pradesh Police about the possibility of a suicide attack at CRPF recruitment centres by Pakistan-based terror group Lashker-e-Taiba.

The Union Home Ministry has sought a detailed report from Uttar Pradesh Government on the militant strike at Rampur and asked concerned authorities to trace the culprits. (PTI)

121 Inspectors adjusted, transferred

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda today ordered the adjustments and transfers of 121 Police Inspectors with immediate effect.

Mohd Yousaf has been adjusted in Armed Zone, Farooq Ahmed and Ashwani Kumar in Crime and Railways Wing, Bhupinder Singh, Daljeet Singh, Harmohinder Singh, Rajesh Anand, Pardeep Kumar, Rameshwar Dutt and Dinesh Sharma have been adjusted in CID Wing.

Sandeep Mahajan, Masoof Ahmed, Khudmukhtar Dev, Bharat Sharma, Arjan Singh Chib, Kuldeep Raj, Surjeet Singh, Jatinder Singh, Ashwani Kumar, Chanchal Singh, Kewal Kishore and Sanjiv Khajuria have been adjusted in Jammu Zone.

Gurpurab Singh, Murtaqza Ahmed, Parveez Sajad, Shakeel Ahmed, Shafiq Ahmed, Nisar Ahmad, Abdul Majeed, Nisar Ahmad, Mohd Ayoub, Javid Ahmad, Gazanfar Syed Lone, Mushtaq Ahmad, Kursheed Ahmad and Vishal Sharma have been adjusted in Kashmir Zone.

Sheikh Manzoor has been adjusted in PHQ, Rajesh Jamwal in PTS-K (AWP) and Ravinder Singh in PTTI-V (AWP). Sarabjeet Singh, Champa Devi and Surenjeet Singh have been adjusted in SKPA-Udhampur. Raj Kumar Koul, Dharminder Singh, Syed Afaq Ahmed, Mohd Suliman Chechi and Sanjeev Singh have been adjusted in Traffic Wing.

Consequent upon these adjustments, 74 Inspectors have been transferred to different wings of the Police.

Rajinder Kumar has been transferred from Security Wing to Crime and Railways Wing, Ravail Singh from Vigilance to Crime and Railways, Deepak Raina from Jammu Zone to Crime and Railways, Farooq Ahmad from Traffic to Crime and Railways and Gurcharan Singh and Ashok Bajaj from CID to Crime and Railways Wing.

Karamjeet Singh, Gurvinder Kour, Kuldeep Raj and Kiran Bala have been transferred from Jammu Zone to CID Wing. Tariq Ahmed, Bashir Ahmad, Mushtaq Ahmad and Bashir Ahmed from Kashmir Zone to CID. Ravinder Singh and Jagdev Singh have been transferred from Crime and Railways Wing to CID, Rajinder Sharma and Dev Raj from Traffic to CID Wing.

Mohd Amin, Sonam Dorgey, Nisar Ahmed, Mohd Yousaf and Ghulam Mohd have been transferred from Kashmir Zone to CID Wing. Jamrood Singh from Jammu Zone to CID, K S Bali from Traffic to CID, A K Padah from Jammu Zone to CID. Mohd Quyoom and Mohd Aslam from Traffic to Jammu Zone. Arun Jamwal has been transferred from Security to Jammu Zone, Girdhari Lal from Crime and Railways to Jammu Zone,

Charanjeet Singh, Sukhdev Raj, Subash Chander and Deepak Tufchi have been transferred from CID to Jammu Zone. Sanjeev Kumar and Ajay Kumar have been transferred from SKPA-Udhampur to Jammu Zone. Sajad Ahmed, Satish Kumar and Farooq Ahmad have been transferred from Traffic Police to Jammu Zone and Sushma Kotwal has been transferred to Jammu Zone from Security Wing.

Mohd Ayoub has been transferred to Kashmir Zone from Vigilance Wing. Aijaz Ahmad, Farooq Ahmad, Mohd Farooq, Ghulam Nabi and Abdul Rashid have been shifted from CID Wing and posted in Kashmir Zone. Mohd Maqbool and Abdul Rashid have been transferred from Traffic Wing to Kashmir Zone. Mohd Ashraf and Zahid Ahmad have been transferred from Crime and Railways Wing to Kashmir Zone. Reyaz Ahmed has been transferred from Security Wing to Kashmir Zone and Tariq Ahmed from Kashmir Zone to PTS-M.

Mohan Singh has been transferred from Jammu Zone to Security Wing and Ritish Samyal from Traffic Wing to Security Wing. Masood Ahmad, Suhail Hussain, Imtiyaz Ahmad, Qazi Shamas and Ghulam Hyder have been transferred from Kashmir Zone to Security Wing.

Naresh Kumar has been shifted from CID to SKPA-Udhampur, Suraj Singh from Kashmir Zone to SKPA-U, Ram Ji Dass from Traffic to SKPA-U, Madan Lal from CID to SKPA-U and Kulwant Singh from Kashmir Zone to SKPA-U. Mohd Shafi, Ghulam Jeelani, Mohd Yaqoob, Abdul Rashid, Bhagwant Singh and Ali Mohd have been transferred from Kashmir Zone to Traffic Wing.

Zakir Shaheen, Rakesh Kumar, Pawan Kumar and Mohd Sadiq have been transferred from Jammu Zone to Traffic Wing.

Jute matting purchase scam 
Ex-FC among 4 challaned by SVO

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) today produced challan before the Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption against four persons including former Financial Commissioner Ajit Kumar in much publicised Rs 57 lakhs jute matting purchase scam in the Education Department.

An official spokesman said that on November 24, 1999, SVO registered a case following a preliminary enquiry which prima-facie established that large scale bunglings were committed by the members of State Level Purchase Committee (SLPC) of Education Department in purchase of jute matting during the year 1997-98.

The investigations revealed that accused involved in the case had caused huge loss to the State exchequer on account of purchase of jute matting on highly exorbitant rates.

To facilitate the purchase of jute matting on exorbitant rates, out of nine tenders received, six tenders were rejected on a non-existing stipulation that purchase of only Birla make jute matting will be made.

Out of the remaining three tenderers, the lowest offer was not considered and rates were negotiated with the second lowest tenderer and supply order was ultimately placed at the rate of Rs 55.50 per meter with supplier M/s Commercial Corporation, Srinagar.

It also transpired that all the three tenders left in final fray belonged to one and the same party—Abdul Rahman Bhat, proprietor of M/s Commercial Corporation, Srinagar. The investigation also revealed that the then Financial Commissioner Ajit Kumar forced the supplier to take G R Vakil alias Lassa Vakil as partner in the deal.

The agent was found to have received an illegal and undue benefit of Rs 14 lakhs in the deal from the supplier. It also came to the fore that despite objection raised by one of the SLPC members, Ajit Kumar by acting in league with accused Janak Singh, then FA and CAO, Education Department, accused supplier and his agent effected the purchase of jute matting at the rate of Rs 55.50 as against its actual cost of Rs 43 per meter. In this deal, a loss of over Rs 57 lakhs was caused to the State exchequer.

During the house search, an amount of Rs 5.19 lakhs was recovered from Jammu residence of Ajit Kumar and Rs 1.72 lakhs from Srinagar residence. On the completion of the investigation, final report was submitted to the Government for accord of sanction to prosecute the accused Government officers.

Following the sanction by the State and Central Governments to prosecute Janak Singh and IAS Officer Ajit Kumar, the challan was produced in the Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption.

12 AAOs promoted

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: State Government today promoted twelve (12) Assistant Accounts Officers (AAOs) as incharge Accounts Officers in the Finance Department.

Those promoted are: A K Chanan, Ram Lal Sharma, Mohd Yousuf Wani, Abdul Rehman Yattoo, Sadiq Ali, R S Billawaria, Radha Krishan Bhat, Ashok Kumar, Naresh Chander Katal, Rajinder Kumar, Ghulam Rasool Bodha and Girdhari Lal.

Mr Chanan after promotion has been posted as incharge AO Directorate of Garden, Parks and Floriculture, Ram Lal Sharma shifted from Associated Hospitals and posted as incharge AO Ranbir Govt Press Jammu, Mohd Yousuf Wani as Additional Treasury Officer District Treasury Shopian, Abdul Rehman Yatoo as I/C AO Directorate of School Education Kashmir vice Bashir Ahmed Bhat.

Sadiq Ali AAO JKPCC after promotion is posted as I/C AO in the office of Chief Engineer Electric Planning and Designs vice Tej Krishan, R S Billawaria AAO Mech Div Jammu after promotion is posted as I/C AO J&K SRTC Jammu, Ashok Kumar (AAO JKPCC Rajouri) as Treasury Officer Ramnagar, Naresh Chander Katal as I/C AO District Fund Office Jammu, Rajinder Kumar as I/C AO J&K Legislative Assembly vice Mohd Ramzan Sheikh, Ghulam Rasool Bodha ( AAO DRDA Sgr) as I/C AO J&K Minerals Ltd while Girdhari Lal as I/C AO in the office of Dy Commissioner Kargil. Substitutes to the above vacant posts will be provided separately.

BSF to complete refencing along 38 km IB by Aug 2008

By Gopal Sharma

JAMMU, Jan 1: Border Security Force (BSF) alongwith Central Public Works Department (CPWD) will complete the refencing work along 38 kms International Border belt in Jammu sector by August 2008.

The realigning of the electrified fencing along a 38 km stretch of the Indo-Pak border will now be closer to zero-line. Earlier, the fencing had been erected about 1 to 3 kms deep inside the IB, in view of the continuous firing from the Pakistani side.

This could now be possible only in view of the cease-fire and complete peace along the border. A large number of border farmers whose fields had gone on that side of the fencing were facing a lot of hardships as they had to go across the fence through selective gates for limited period taking permission from BSF men guarding borders.

A senior BSF officer disclosed to Excelsior that the fencing will now be much closer to zero-line and border farmers especially from R S Pura, Samba and Hiranagar areas will get a major relief after the realigning job of fencing is over by August this year.

He disclosed that Central Public Works Department in coordination with the concerned Border Security Force battalions in Jammu sector were engaged in the reconstruction work at Manguchak, Chak Dulma, Pansar, Paharpur, Rathua, Marheen, Chandwa, Khora, Gallad and some areas of Ragarh and R S Pura sub-sectors.

Responding to a question he said, " after clearance of the Jammu Frontier BSF’s proposal regarding refencing by the Home Ministry and the BSF headquarters, the CPWD with the assistance of BSF is now reconstructing new fencing close to zero-line after uprooting it from indepth areas. The agency has been given the target of nearly ten months.’’

Earlier, fencing had been constructed about 3-4 kms away from the border on the Indian side and was passing through agricultural fields. The border farmers were facing lot of problems during cultivation and had raised issue several times. Even the concerned MPs had raised the issue in the Parliament several times. Though gates have been set to facilitate farmers’ movement to the fields, yet strict security checks resulted in protests from the border villagers several times.

Former MLA Hiranagar, Prem Lal said border farmers from Rajpura, Chak Changa, Haripur and Marheen area are now very happy with the initiative of BSF to take the fencing to zero line. He said it would ease the hardships of crossing borders and frisking at the gates. Especially the women assisting farming activity were facing lot of problem during frisking as they had also to face BSF men in the process which do not have women constables. He said even farmers had to face lot of restrictions while moving alongwith tractors to that side of the fence.

It is worthwhile to mention here that the BSF had earlier constructed fencing along 187.5 kms of the border fitted with the flood lights along IB in Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts. The BSF Jammu Frontier had sent a proposal to the Union Home Ministry for taking up refencing task much closer to international border in February 2006. After the approval the work commenced on this project in the middle of October, 2007. CPWD has been entrusted the task and August 2008 has been given the target for its completion.

Swearing-in—Sidelights

* Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig arrived together along with Mrs Shamima Azad to the venue of swearing-in ceremony.

* Mrs Premini Sinha arrived a minute ahead of Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha to the venue.

* Though a number of PDP Ministers were present at the swearing-in ceremony, PDP patron and former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohd Sayeed and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti were conspicuous by their absence.

* Swearing-in ceremony began at 4.06 pm and concluded within 10 minutes.

* Congress leader Mula Ram was the first to take oath. He was followed by Abdul Ghani Vakil, Gharu Ram and Ghulam Mohd Saroori.

* Mula Ram, Ghani Vakil and Gharu Ram took the oath in English on the name of God while Mr Saroori took the oath in Urdu on the name of Khuda. Gharu had come to the swearing-in ceremony wearing a red pagri.

* Arvinder Singh Micky, MLC and Jahangir Mir, MLA Poonch, whose names were also being considered for induction in the Ministry, were present at the swearing-in ceremony. However, two Congress MLAs from City—Raman Bhalla and Yogesh Sawhney, both former Ministers, were absent.

* The Raj Bhavan had provided last seats to media from where they had to cover the proceedings virtually standing.

* Some over enthusiast police and security personnel were seen providing live feed of swearing-in to their bosses through mobile telephones.

HC orders weekly trial of rape

SRINAGAR, Jan 1: The State High Court today directed that the rape-cum-murder case of a teenage girl in Handwara area of Kupwara district, be heard on a weekly basis in order to expedite the trial.

Justice Bashir Ahmad Kirmani directed the Principal District Judge of Kupwara that the Tabinda Gani rape and murder case be tried on a weekly basis, by fixing a three-day schedule for recording evidence each week to speed up the trial.

Justice Kirmani issued the directions in his capacity as the Administrative Judge of Kupwara district.

In view of the nature of the offence - rape and subsequent murder of a minor girl - and the public sentiments attached, Justice Kirmani directed the District Judge to take requisite steps for securing attendance of witnesses and the counsels without, however, affecting other pending cases.

The Judge further observed cases like that of Tabinda Gani virtually put the trial courts on test to measure up to the high level of confidence that general population reposes in them, and this aspect requires to be borne in mind throughout.

The trial court has also been directed to submit the weekly reports regarding progress of the trial regularly to the High Court.

Tabinda Gani, an eighth-standard student, was raped and then murdered allegedly by a group of four persons, including two non-Kashmiri labourers at Langate in Handwara area of the district in July last year. Massive protests were held across the Valley over the gruesome incident which subsided only after police arrested all the four accused persons.(PTI)

Dwivedi takes over as ACEO SMVDSB

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, a senior IAS officer and former Director Rural Development Department, today took over the charge of Additional Chief Executive Officer (ACEO), Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB). He replaced Puneet Kumar, whose two and a half year deputation with the Shrine Board, ended yesterday.

Incidentally, Mr Dwivedi, who had earlier also served on the same post for more than two years between 2000 and 2002, took the charge with the onset of new year.

Good darshan, sanitation facilities, accommodation and better food to yatris have been set as prime objectives by Mr Dwivedi after taking over the charge.

With increase in yatra (which stood at 7.4 million last year), responsibility of the Board has also increased to ensure that the pilgrims don’t face any hardships in darshan, he said, adding for the purpose both short term and long term measures are being taken.

Another important factor which required immediate attention was to ensure that ecological system in Trikuta hills was not disturbed as due to pressure on yatra, environment of Trikuta hills was also under pressure. An advanced technology is required to be used for the disposal to keep ecological system intact, Mr Dwivedi said.

This year also, he added, the Shrine Board was expecting the pilgrimage to cross seven million mark like the previous year.

CB books 3 Forest officials

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Jan 1: Crime Branch has booked three employees of the Forest Department for illegally drawing salary.

An official spokesman said that Crime Branch received a complaint from employees of Forest Department Budgam wherein it was alleged that one Bashir Ahmad Dar, son of Abdul Qahab Dar of Khosopora, Beerwah, an employee of Forest Department was detained under Public Safety Act for two years but he was shown as present in the department during the period of his detention and accordingly his salary was drawn.

On the receipt of complaint, Crime Branch registered a case and started detailed investigation during which relevant record was seized from the concerned quarters and persons acquainted with the facts related to the case were examined.

The services of Forensic Science Laboratory experts from Srinagar were also utilized and it emerged that accused Bashir Ahmed Dar was arrested on August 20, 1992 under Public Safety Act and subsequently lodged in Sub Jail Hiranagar. The accused was released from the jail on March 14, 1994.

During investigation, it also came to fore that Ghulam Ahmed Nengroo, son of Abdul Samad of Banderpora, Budgam, Beat Officer in Forest Department in connivance with Ghulam Qadir Dar, son of Abdul Wahab of Khosopora Budgam, Forest Range Clerk, who happens to the real brother of the accused, hatched a criminal conspiracy and managed to draw the salary of the accused for the period of his detention under PSA.

On the basis of evidence available on records, the investigation of the case was concluded as challan against all the three accused persons and chargesheet against them was produced in the court of law for judicial determination.

Two SOs promoted

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: Government today accorded sanction to the placement of two Section Officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Secretariat (Subordinate) Service as Under Secretaries.

The promotee are Ghulam Qadir Khan, Section Officer, Public Works (R&B) Department and Ali Akbar Khan, SO Agriculture Production Department.

Consequent upon their promotion, Ghulam Qadir Khan has been posted as Under Secretary to Government, Public Works (R&B) Department and Ali Akbar Khan as Under Secretary to Government Revenue Department.

Meanwhile, as recommended by the Selection Committee setup under the Jammu and Kashmir (Appointment of Outstanding Sports Persons) Rules, 1998, sanction has been accorded to the temporary arrangement of Deepak Jyoti, son of Bua Ditta of Digiana as Class-IV employee in the Revenue Department, District Cadre Jammu against an available post under direct quota.

The Government has also accorded sanction to the relaxation in the upper age bar and qualification bar in the favour of Sakeena Begum, wife of late Bashir Ahmed of Ganjote, Mahore and Suran Dai, wife of late Sabaz Ram of Shajroo, Mahore for their appointment against available Class-IV vacancies in district Udhampur under compassionate ground.

The formal appointment orders will be issued by the Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur.