Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 12: Various important issues were discussed in the Congress-National Conference Coordination Committee, which met under the chairmanship of Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz here today. The subjects like institution of Vigilance Commission, strengthening of consumer protection mechanism, filling up of vacancies in Human Rights Commission, Backward Classes Commission and Public Service Commission came up for focused attention and there was unanimity of views on all these subjects

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 12: More than 50 per cent faculty positions are lying vacant in the Government Medical Colleges of Jammu and Srinagar, which are considered as premier institutions of the State. As far as Government Medical College, Jammu, is concerned, as against 48 sanctioned posts of Professors, 26 are presently lying vacant while as 23 posts of Associate Professors against sanctioned strength of 49 are vacant. Similarly, against sanctioned strength of 67 Assistant Professors, only 33 are in position while as 34 are lying vacant. There are only 23 Lecturers against the sanctioned strength of 127.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 12: With improvement in situation in Rajouri township, the authorities relaxed the curfew for eight hours today from 0900 hours to 1700 hours. The relaxation in curfew this morning was given after the situation in the town remained peaceful for last 24 hours and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere. During the curfew relaxation hours, the situation also remained peaceful and the district administration held meetings with the civil society members to resolve the issue amicably between them.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 12: In a writ petition filed by Ravinder Gupta alias Gola Shah seeking CBI inquiry into the CDs expose, Justice Mansoor Ahmed Mir of State High Court issued notices to the State. The notices were issued through Principal Secretary Home Department, Director General of Police, IGP Jammu and others

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 12: Police today arrested a militant, his Pakistani wife and three children from Railway Station as soon as they reached here from Pakistan.The militant, Seeraj-ud-Din Wani son of Mohammad Abdullah Wani R/o Shopian was in Pakistan for last nine years, where he had married Saleema Bano.

NEW DELHI, Mar 12: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today rubbished suggestions of mid-term polls saying the UPA had “all the numbers” and asked political parties to cooperate in reaching a broad-based consensus on challenges facing the nation. “I am confident we have all the numbers that are needed,” he told reporters inside Parliament premises when asked about speculation on mid-term polls. Dr Singh said he was confident that the budget session would run smoothly and appealed to political parties to cooperate with the Government in tackling challenges before the country

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 12: Former Minister and Congress leader from Reasi, Jugal Kishore Sharma, today filed his nomination papers for lone seat of the Legislative Council. Though his election is certain yet the formal announcement in this regard would only be made on March 15 keeping in view the Constitutional binding. Accompanied by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, Ministers and several MLAs and MLCs, Jugal Kishore filed the papers before the Secretary Legislative Assembly, Mohammad Ramzan, who is also the Returning Officer of bye-election to the Legislative Council.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 12: State High Court today passed strictures against the order of Trial Court whereby the latter had dropped proceedings against Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Minister of State for Cooperatives in a case registered at Billawar Police Station. After hearing Advocate Varut Kumar Gupta appearing for the petitioner Labhu Ram and Advocate BS Salathia for Minister of State, Justice Mansoor Ahmed Mir observed, “the proceedings against the MoS were dropped in an arbitrary and per-functionary manner”, adding “Trial Court has virtually passed an illegal order against the basic principle of law”

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 12: Entire PDP today staged a walk-out in the Legislative Assembly after Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone turned down their plea to speak on the grants of the Finance Ministry on the ground that the House was running short of time. NPP MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia also staged a walk-out for not being given time to speak on the grants. There was heated debate between some of the PDP members and Mr Lone on the rules, which the opposition party claimed, made it mandatory on the part of the Chair to allow movers of the amendments on the grant to take part in the debate

From Fayaz Bukhari

SRINAGAR, Mar 12: The Justice H S Bedi Commission probing the death of National Conference (NC) worker, Syed Yusuf, today granted permission to the counsel of his family to visit the Chief Minister’s residence, Crime Branch headquarters and Police hospital. Justice Bedi granted permission to Advocate Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, counsel for family of Syed Yusuf, who died in Crime Branch custody last year, to visit the Chief Minister’s office inside Omar Abdullah’s official residence, the police hospital at Police Control Room (PCR), Srinagar, and headquarters of the Crime Branch at Rajbagh, Srinagar