Lok Sabha elections to be held from mid-April
Bracing for the big exercise, the Election Commission is all set to hold Lok Sabha elections starting mid-April and spread it over at least five phases till early May.
The much-awaited announcement for the polls is likely to be made by the end of February or early March, for which work has already begun, top Commission sources said.
Along with the Lok Sabha polls, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim will go to polls to elect their new assemblies.
"The announcement of the poll schedule would be done in the last days of February or at best the first two-three days of March," the sources told PTI.
Before the scheduled announcement, the Lok Sabha may meet for one last time to pass a vote-on-account budget to enable expenditure for six months of the new fiscal year 2014-15 to give time for the new Government to present a full-fledged budget in the next Parliament.
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Justice Chauhan is Chairman of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
The Centre will soon appoint Justice B.S. Chauhan, a Judge of the Supreme Court, as Chairman of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal to take up pending applications.
The tribunal has been without Chairman since April 2012, when Justice N.P. Singh resigned on health grounds. Justice Singh was appointed a few days before his superannuation as a Supreme Court judge in December 1996.
Final award
The tribunal gave its final award on February 5, 2007. Thereafter, the Tamil Nadu government filed applications for certain clarification on the award and sought some directions. Petitions filed by the party States and the Centre under Section 5(3) of the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, seeking an explanation or guidance, have been pending before the tribunal since 2007.
Since only a sitting Supreme Court judge on the verge of retirement can be appointed as Chairman, the Centre has been requesting the Chief Justice of India to suggest a suitable judge; but the efforts of the earlier Chief Justices at finding a successor to Justice Singh did not fructify.
However, the present Chief Justice, P. Sathasivam, recommended the name of Justice Chauhan, who is due to retire on July 1 this year. He has accepted the offer
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Ruling Awami League of Sheikh Hasina set to form govt again in Bangladesh
The Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to form the new government Bangladesh after winning an absolute majority in the January 5 parliamentary elections boycotted by the Opposition.
The Election Commission received the results of 139 out of the 147 seats for which polling was held. At least 25 people, including law enforcers and poll officials, were killed in attacks by the anti-election activists.
The violence also saw torching of more than 150 polling centres by Opposition activists forcing the Election Commission to order re-election in the eight constituencies.
The Awami League won 104 seats.
Having already won 127 seats uncontested, the ruling party has 231 seats under its belt, giving it a clear three-fourths majority in the new Parliament.
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HC: CAG can audit private telecom companies' accounts
The Delhi High Court has ruled that the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) can audit the accounts of telecom companies with a rider that “the audit has to be only an audit pertaining to the receipts (revenues) and no more.’’
A Division Bench of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice V.K. Rao on Monday dismissed the plea of the Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India and Cellular operators Association of India that under Article 149 of the Constitution, CAG is empowered only to audit the accounts of the Union and of the State governments and such authorities or bodies as may be prescribed by or under any law made by Parliament.
They further argued that if a constitutional provision (Article 149) imposed restrictions on the power of a constitutional authority, no law made by Parliament could widen that power.
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Canara Bank to open branch in New York shortly
State-owned Canara Bank today said it will soon open a branch in New York as it has got regulatory approvals from the US authorities.
"We have got regulatory permission from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and we will be opening branch in New York very soon," Canara Bank Executive Director A K Gupta said on the sidelines of an event organised by PHD.
With opening of this branch, the bank would be foraying in the US market, he said. Besides, the bank is looking at Dubai, Tokyo, Frankfurt (Germany) and Qatar for opening offices.
At present, the Bangalore-based bank has five overseas branches at London, Leicester, Shanghai, Manama and Hong Kong. Talking about resource mobilisation , he said the bank has last month raised Rs 1,500 crore from bonds to augment its capital base.
This capital raising would be over and above Rs 500 crore that the government has decided to infuse in the bank before March 2014.
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It was a sight to behold. As India’s newest aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya entered the Indian Navy’s area of operation in north western Arabian Sea, accompanied by three other vessels, it was rendezvoused — in Naval parlance RVed — with the Western Fleet that had gone all the way from Mumbai to receive it.
INS Vikramaditya, which was accompanied by INS Trikand, which is a Talwar class frigate, INS Delhi which is a Delhi class destroyer and INS Deepak, the fleet tanker, fired ceremonial guns to salute the flag of the fleet commander Rear Admiral Anand Chawla, who was leading the flotilla of the Western Fleet, that also comprised aircraft carrier INS Viraat.
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FIR against Teesta for alleged misuse of foreign funds
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Sunday registered a First Information Report against social activist Teesta Setalvad, accusing her of misusing foreign funds meant for helping the victims of the 2002 Gulbarg society massacre.
Sixty-nine Muslims, including Zakia Jafri’s husband and former Congress MP Ahsan Jafri, were killed at the Gulbarg Society in Ahmedabad.
Ms. Setalwad had helped Ms. Zakia to file a complaint against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 61 others for their alleged involvement in the post-Godhra riots. But an Ahmedabad court recently accepted the Special Investigation Report’s closure report, giving a clean chit to Mr. Modi and others.
The Gulbarg Society victims have accused Ms. Setalwad and her husband Javed Anand of collecting foreign funds for riot victims but not using them. Twelve 12 Gulbarg victims served notice on her and lodged a complaint with the police commissioner who asked the Crime Branch to inquire into it.
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India, Japan defence ministers’ meeting tomorrow
Ways to strengthen military ties and sale of Japanese amphibious aircraft to Indian armed forces are expected to be discussed during the meeting of the Defence Ministers of the two countries here tomorrow.
The two countries are also expected to discuss the regional security scenario during the meeting between Defence Minister AK Antony and his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera against the backdrop of the recent tensions between Japan and China on East China Sea issue, Defence Ministry officials said.
Onodera is on a four-day visit to India and is expected to meet the top political and military leadership of the country to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral military ties, they said.
During the discussions, the Japanese side is also expected to raise the issue of sale of Japanese US-2 amphibious aircraft to the Indian armed forces to guard their island territories.
India and Japan are also expected to regularise maritime cooperation and hold joint exercises.
Last month, the Japanese and Indian Navy held joint exercises in the Bay of Bengal after the maiden exercise was held off the coast of Tokyo in 2012.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is also expected to visit India later this month.
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GSLV-D5 launch places India in elite league
One of India’s most ambitious dreams became a reality on Sunday when its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D5), powered by an indigenous cryogenic engine, effortlessly put the 1,982-kg GSAT-14 communication satellite into a perfect orbit after 17 minutes of flight.
The cryogenic engine built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) fired for 12 of those 17 minutes.
The precision of the cryogenic upper stage was such that it put the GSAT-14 into an orbit with a perigee of 179 km, against the target of 180 km, and the apogee achieved was off by a mere 50 km for a target of 36,000 km.
The grand success caps 20 years of hard work by ISRO’s engineers, after being denied cryogenic technology under pressure from the U.S., suffering a heartbreaking failure with an indigenous cryogenic engine flight in April 2010 and having had to scrub its second attempt with an indigenous cryogenic engine in August 2013. “I am proud to say that ISRO has done it…,” ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan announced.
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SEBI grants new status to three clearing corporations
Market regulator Sebi has granted qualified central counterparty status to National Securities Clearing Corporation, Indian Clearing Corporation and MCX-SX Clearing Corporation.
The QCCP status will make the three clearing corporations comply with the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructure (PFMI), an international standard to handle counterparty risk on derivatives, Sebi said in a statement issued today.
"These (clearing corporations) are also subjected, on an on-going basis, to rules and regulations that are consistent with the PFMI issued by the Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems ( CPSS) and International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)," Sebi said.The international standards were issued in April 2012 and all G-20 nations were to required to adhere to these strict standards to check derivative-related risks in the financial system.
These rules were issued to enhance safety and efficiency in payment, clearing, settlement, and recording arrangements, and more broadly, to limit systemic risk and foster transparency and financial stability.
QCCP is an entity that is licensed to operate as a central counterparty (including a license granted by way of confirming an exemption) and is permitted by the appropriate regulator to operate as such with respect to the products offered.
Clearing Corporations undertakes the activity of clearing and settlement of trades in securities or other instruments or products that are dealt with or traded on stock exchanges.
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India claim U-19 Asia Cup title
India skipper Vijay Zol (100) and Sanju Samson (100) scored contrasting centuries as India colts posted a comprehensive 40-run win over arch-rivals Pakistan to clinch the Under-19 Asia Cup title, here today.
While Zol’s knock came off 120 balls laced with seven fours and two sixes, Samson took just 87 deliveries for his ton that included eight boundaries and four sixes, to help India reach 314 for eight in their allotted 50 overs.
In reply, Pakistan could reach 274 for nine, despite a fighting ton from Kamran Ghulam (102 not out; 89b, 12X4s).
Put in to bat, India got off to a solid start with openers -- Ankush Bains (47) and Akhil Herwadkar (12) -- putting on 65 runs in 6.4 overs for the opening wicket.
It was medium pacer Zia-ul-Haq who got the first breakthrough for Pakistan by removing Herwadkar, while leg-spinner Karamat Ali dismissed Bains to reduce India to 85 for two.
However, Zol and Samson joined hands to share a massive 180-run partnership for the third wicket to give India the upperhand.
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India holds 2nd Spot in ICC Test ranking
The delegation of the King of Bhutan includes the Foreign Minister, Home Minister and Economic Affairs Minister.
While the King will meet meet President Pranab Mukherjee here, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and others will be calling on him, the MEA said.
The unique relations between India and Bhutan are characterised by close friendship, deep understanding and mutual trust.
The visit of the King of Bhutan will contribute to further strengthening and expanding the close bilateral relations between the two countries, the government said.
Young shuttler Aditya Joshi from Madhya Pradesh has become the first male junior badminton player from India to be ranked top in the world.
Aditya, 17, a resident of Dhar town, recently got the number one slot in the January rankings of the World Badminton Federation (WBF).
As information about his achievement reached his tribal-dominated town last week, the family’s near and dear ones started visiting his home to greet his parents.
Aditya was at the 11th position till November, but he managed to jump ahead of all the players by achieving 18,776 points.
Aditya started playing badminton in 2001 when he was only five and very soon, he started winning in the categories above his age in the local tournaments.
Within six years, he started proving himself at the international arena and clinched the gold in Remensco Junior International tournament held in Russia in 2011. During the same year, he won a gold medal in Asian Sub-Junior championship held in Japan.
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Upset over Telugu actor Uday Kiran's suicide, fan ends life
VIZIANAGARAM, AP: A young fan of late Telugu film actor Uday Kiran allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree at Komatapalli junction in Bobbili sub-division here, police said on Friday.
N Satish (19), a mechanic, resorted to the extreme step yesterday after learning about the death of Kiran, they said.
Some locals noticed his hanging body and informed the police.
A suicide note purportedly written by Satish (in Telugu) found in his shirt pocket stated that he was "ending his life because his favourite hero Uday Kiran had committed suicide", a senior police officer said.
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