HC
strikes down pension rules of SBI
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, May 7: Striking down the
rules framed by the State Bank of India
(SBI) whereby the mother of deceased
employee has been excluded for the
pensionary benefits, Justice Nirmal Singh
of State High Court today held that
non-inclusion of mother in the list of
legal heirs for the purpose of family
pension was violation of Article 14 of
the Constitution. The Court also directed
that mother shall be included in the
rules as one of the legal heir for the
purpose of the family pension.
The
judgement on the question of whether the
mother who falls in category of Class (I)
legal heir under the J&K Hindu
Succession Act, can be denied the family
pension was passed in a petition filed by
Mahalakshmi Tickoo. The son of the
petitioner, Virender Kumar Tickoo, who
was working as Senior Manager in the
State Bank of India, remained unmarried
during his life time and died on December
28, 2002.
The
petitioner, who was dependent upon his
son, applied for grant of the benefit of
family pension with the respondent bank
on November 18, 2003. However, the claim
of the petitioner was rejected on the
ground that under rules, only a
widow/widower or the surviving children
of the deceased employees are entitled to
this benefit.
Mahalakshmi
also gave representation to the Chairman
of the Bank but on February 11, 2004 the
same was rejected forcing her to file
writ petition in the High Court.
After
hearing Advocate P N Goja appearing for
the petitioner and Advocate Gagan Basotra
appearing for the respondent bank,
Justice Nirmal Singh referred various
judgements of the Supreme Court and
struck down the rules framed by the
respondent bank under the family pension
scheme.
"The
mother of the deceased employee is
entitled for the benefit of this
scheme", the Court said and directed
the SBI that they shall release the
retrial benefits in the favour of the
petitioner within a period of two months
from the date of this copy is made
available to the respondent bank by the
petitioner.
The
petitioner shall also be entitled to the
arrears of family pension along with
interest which is being paid by the
respondent bank on fixed deposit under
the five year interest payable scheme.
The same rate of interest shall be
payable on the amount of gratuity and
other retrial benefits, Justice Singh
said.
"In
case the family pension and other retrial
benefits along with the interest are not
released in favour of the petitioner
within 2 months, then the petitioner
shall be entitled to interest on the
amount due to her at the rate of 18 per
cent Per Annum and the enhanced interest
shall be payable by the person on whose
account the delay occurs", the Court
said.
Court
acquits Army jawan of murder charges
after 10 yrs
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, May 7: Second Additional
Sessions Judge, Jammu A K Koul today
acquitted an Army jawan, who was facing
trial for the murder of his colleague as
the prosecution has failed to prove its
case.
According
to prosecution story, on July 20, 1998,
Captain Satinder Pal Singh lodged a
written complaint with Gandhi Nagar
Police alleging therein that Signalman
Ramu had come to his residence at Gandhi
Nagar alongwith accused driver Tilak Raj
in a jeep to carry the Captain to his
unit.
At about
1720 hours, the complainant heard a
gun-shot and when he came down the
stairs, the accused driver came running
towards him and told him that deceased
had shot himself. The victim was
immediately rushed to Military Hospital
where he died on September 19, 1998 and
before succumbing to injuries he told Col
Nagpal, who was attending him in the
hospital that he was shot by the driver.
After
completion of the investigation, challan
was presented in the Court.
After
hearing APP appearing for the State and
Advocate O P Sharma appearing for the
accused, 2nd Additional Sessions Judge
observed "as per the statement of
Col Nagpal it was on July 20, 1998 when
deceased told her (Col Nagpal) that
driver Tilak Raj shot him. However, the
deceased died on September 29, 1998,
after a period of two months hence this
cannot be accepted as dying declaration
as projected by the prosecution".
While
acquitting the accused from the charges,
the Court observed "accused is
undergoing a traumatic experience for the
last one decade. From police to courts
and back to police, is all what he has
been doing during this time", adding
"after a number of hiccups, the case
got through for trial and after
conclusion of trial it appears that
entire exercise conducted has ended in
futility".
Employees
Federation to support May 10 strike
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, May 7: The provincial unit
of J&K State Government Employees
Federation today decided to support the
strike call given by various protesting
Government employees on May 10 in Jammu
province.
In a press
statement, president of the federation
raised several demands including
restoration of terminated employees of
Excise and Commercial Tax Department,
implementation of agreement made between
leaders of medical employees and clerical
staff by their respective authorities,
removal of pay anomalies and
regularization of all the adhoc and
contractual employees.
Other
demands included uniformity of HRA rate,
removal of bar in accounts cadre for
release of annual increment, proper
maintenance of GP fund accounts,
enhancement in wages of daily rated
workers from Rs 70 to Rs 150 per day,
benefits of earned leave and leave
encashment to teachers at par with other
Government employees and vehicles to PHE
department.
Pak
troops hand over body to Army
SRINAGAR, May 7: Pakistani troops
handed over the body of a Kashmiri to
Indian Army at Uri in north Kashmir, a
Defence Ministry spokesman said.
He said a
driver Mohammad Ilyas Khan drowned in
river Jhelum on April 27.
However,
despite massive search, the body of Khan
could not be fished out.
Later,
Brigadier N P S Hira, Commander Uri
Brigade approached Pakistan Army on April
28 and a photograph of Khan was handed
over to them.
The Pak
army fished out the body from Jhelum near
Muzaffarabad, approximately 30 kms down
the stream.
He said on
request of Brig Hira the Pakistan army
fully cooperated to trace the body.
The
spokesman said the body was handed over
to Brig Hira at Kaman Post. Later, the
body was handed over to the next of kin
of the deceased. (UNI)
Hurriyat
leaders to meet Pakistan PM
SRINAGAR, May 7: Moderate Hurriyat
Conference leaders are looking forward to
visit Pakistan soon for talks with the
new PPP-led Government after Prime
Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani reportedly
expressed a desire to meet them.
The
invitation from the Pakistan side was
expected to come any time and the team
will be led by Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz
Umer Farooq.
The
decision to meet the Hurriyat leaders was
taken by the Pakistan Government after
Gilani visited the
Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and met
leaders of the amalgam across the border.
During
this meeting, the Prime Minister had
expressed a desire to meet the Mirwaiz
and his team to carry forward the
dialogue initiated by President Pervez
Musharraf, sources within the
conglomerate said.
"Though
we have not received the invitation as
yet, but it was expected to come
soon," the Mirwaiz said.
He said
the talks with the Pakistani leadership
was on expected lines as the "new
regime in Islamabad will like to know the
views of the Kashmiri leadership."
"We
also want to continue the dialogue
process with both the countries —
India as well as Pakistan. However, there
is no move from Indian side to hold any
parleys with us," the Mirwaiz said.
During the
visit, which was expected to take place
either later this month or early next
month the Hurriyat leaders would also be
meeting other Pakistani political leaders
including PML-N chief Nawaz Sharief and
PPP chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
The
Hurriyat leadership was also likely to
take up the issue with Zardari about his
statement that the progress in bilateral
relations should not be held hostage to a
resolution on the Kashmir issue.
India and
Pakistan could set aside the Kashmir
issue to be resolved by a future
generation while the two countries focus
on trade and economic ties for improving
bilateral relations, Zardari had said in
a TV interview.
A meeting
between the moderate Hurriyat leaders and
the Pakistani establishment will be seen
as a continuing policy of the Islamabad
regime of distancing itself from the
hard-line approach of leaders like Syed
Ali Shah Geelani, who has been advocating
violence as one of the measures to
resolve all disputes.
The
Hurriyat, meanwhile, had been making
approaches to the leadership in New Delhi
for continuing talks that were held with
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The newly
appointed Pradesh Congress chief
Saif-ud-Din Soz was also playing a role
of the mediator between the Centre and
the Hurriyat leadership but without much
success as New Delhi wants the amalgam to
come out with road map for resolving the
Kashmir issue as promised during their
last meeting with the Prime Minister on
May 3, 2006. (PTI)
Dogra
Brahman Sabha celebrates
Bhagwan Parshuram Jayanti
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, May 7: Dogra Brahman Sabha
has reiterated its demand for
reservations in the jobs and in
admissions to the educational and
professional institutions for the poor
people of Brahman community.
The Sabha,
which organised one day Brahman Samelan
on the occasion of Bhagwan Parshuram
Jyanti here at Brahman Sabha, Parade,
today resolved to work for the cause and
upliftment of the Brahman community. The
Samelan was held under the chairmanship
of Dev Raj Baru, president of the Sabha
while Shakti Dutt Sharma its general
secretary conducted the programme.
Besides
paying obeisance and performing pooja to
Bhagwan Parshuram Ji, a Pooja and Archana
was also performed to Ved Mata Gaytri and
Godess Saraswati . This was followed by a
havan and recitation of Ved Mantras by
prominent Sanskrit Scholars and Pandits.
The
religious discourses were given by Dr
Jagpuran Dass who threw light on the life
and teachings of Bhagwan Parshuramji.
Others who spoke on the occasion included
Ganga Dhar Shastri and Suresh Shastri.
The
prominent members of the Brahman
community who participated in the
function included, Pt. Moolraj Shastri,
Dr Uttam Chand Shastri Pathak, Pt. Sita
Ram Ji, Vishwa Rattan Baru, Ved Parkash
Yarad, Som Nath Sharma, patron of the
Sabha, Satyanand Sharma, Virender Mohan
Mangotra, Rishi Parishar and others.
The
speakers on the occasion paid rich
tributes to martyrs of 1857 Freedom
Movement including Rani Laxmi Bhai of
Jhansi and Tantia Tope.
They also
paid tributes to Baba Jitto, Data Ranpat
Dev and Baba Baloo Nath Ji. The function
concluded with the serving of Prasad.
Vakil
calls for rejecting unscrupulous
politicians
People's support must for
speedy development: Charak
Excelsior
Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 7: Minister for Social
Welfare Abdul Gani Vakil has said that
consensus approach based on pragmatism
was required for resolving State centric
issues. Such approach needs to be built
on mutual agreement and unanimity of all
political parties including Hurriyat
Conference, he added.
Addressing
a public meeting at Ladoora in Rafiabad ,
the Minister called for rejecting
unscrupulous politicians whose sole aim
is to occupy power for making fortunes
and building estates.
Minister
for Higher Education Gulchain Singh
Charak and Minister of State for
Agriculture and R&B Ch. Gharu Ram
were also present on the occasion.
Mr.Vakil
said that State's people have suffered
immensely due to deceitful politics
perpetuated by opportunist leaders with
myopic vision and short term goals.
"Had the people voicing
demilitarization and AFSPA demands been
sincere to people, they might have raised
them at a time when they were at helm
holding reigns of power", he said
calling upon people to understand the
hidden intentions behind these
politicking overtures.
The moto
of Ghulam Nabi Azad led Government, he
said was to bring prosperity, progress
and development in Jammu and Kashmir,
where everybody is free, affluent and
secure in pursuit of which landmark steps
were initiated yielding visible results
on ground. He said creation of districts,
fast-track infrastructure development,
anti-corruption measures were all
exemplary decisions with no precedents.
Mr. Charak
while addressing the function said that
the State Government is determined to
solve problems of the people who have
suffered a lot during turmoil. He said
that many steps have been taken to
re-build damaged infrastructure, succour
to needy and relief to destitute but much
more still needs to be done for which he
sought co-operation of the people.
Appealing
people for supporting State Government,
Mr. Charak said that government is by the
people and for the people and without
people support Government cannot make
much progress in developmental and
welfare programmes.
Lauding
the role of Central Government in
providing liberal funds to the State
Government, Mr. Charak said that
remarkable landmarks have been registered
in almost all the sectors by the State
Government. He hoped that several
development works under execution in
R&B, education, health and other
vital sectors would benefit the masses on
their completion.
Mr. Charak
appealed the people to support Mr. Vakil
in forth coming elections as the later is
the best choice for the people of the
State.
Ch.Gharu
Ram said that people should support
leaders with visionary outlook for
speedier development of State.
RIK
holds meet, discusses problems of
displaced youth
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, May 7: Roots in Kashmir
(RIK) J&K in a meeting at Mishriwala
Camp announced the structure of the
organization for the Camp.
The
meeting was chaired by Vir Ji Saraf,
chairman RIK,J&K. Sumit Kumar was
declared as unit coordinator with a
working team of nine members who included
Jai Krishen, Munnu Ji, Vishal Sanju
Bakshi, Sunil Kumar, Sanjay Bhat, Vineet,
Amit Pandita and Chander Raina.
Addressing
the meeting, Saraf said RIK will give a
new direction to displaced youth and it
will highlight their burning demands
before the Government. He also declared
that the youth who have been brought up
in the camps at Jammu during last 19
years of exile will be taken on Sadbhavna
tour.
He said,
while Government is taking all the
measures to bring the youth of the Valley
in the mainstream, but it has totally
ignored the displaced youth.
While
rejecting the Prime Minister’s
package Mr Saraf said the return and
employment are two separate things.
Mr Suman
in an appeal to Relief Commissioner has
demanded release of relief and ration in
favour of all 800 bifurcated ration card
holders immediately. Among others the
meeting was also addressed by Subash
Zutshi.
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