Junior Digest

  New Delhi : Supreme Court said the validity of the Centre’s ordinance allowing states to conduct separate entrance tests for admission to MBBS and BDS courses for the 2016-17 academic year was “in doubt”, but rejected a plea seeking a stay on it saying half the states have already conducted their tests.

“It is disturbing and not proper for the government to bring an ordinance allowing states to hold their own tests despite our orders… Prima facie, we find that the validity of the ordinance is in doubt,” a bench comprising Justices A R Dave, A K Goel and Shiv Kirti Singh said.

It also dismissed the plea for centralised counselling of successful candidates of various entrance tests, saying “50 per cent states have conducted their tests.”

The apex court was hearing pleas filed by Anand Rai, who claims to be a whistle blower in the Vyapam scam, and others challenging the ordinance saying the Centre was not competent to nullify the judicial order by promulgating the ordinance.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had earlier told the court that the ordinance, which keeps state boards outside the purview of single medical entrance test NEET, is only for this academic year and the government was well within its right to come up with it.

Rai in his plea had sought quashing of the ordinance, which got Presidential assent on May 24, and sought a stay on its operation as an interim relief.

The apex court had on May 9 rejected the pleas of state governments and minority institutions to allow them to hold separate entrance exams for MBBS and BDS courses for 2016-17, saying only National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) provides for conducting test for admission to these courses.

The top court had approved the schedule put before it by the Centre, CBSE and Medical Medical Council of India (MCI) for treating All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) fixed for May one as NEET-1.

It had said that those who have not applied for AIPMT will be given opportunity to appear in NEET-II on July 24 and the combined result would be declared on August 17, so that the admission process is completed by September 30.

@Agency report.

New Delhi : Former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha has been indicted by a Supreme Court-appointed panel which has held that prima facie there was an attempt to influence investigation into the coal block allocation scam.

The court also pulled up CBI for its sluggish probe in the coal scam that had taken place during the UPA government’s tenure and directed the agency to complete the investigation expeditiously.

The apex court, which is monitoring the probe into Coalgate, was today told by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi that the panel headed by former CBI special director M L Sharma has held that Sinha’a meetings with some of the high- profile accused in the scam prima facie indicated that there was an attempt to influence the investigation.

Rohtagi, who only had received an initial report of the panel for perusal on condition of maintaining its confidentiality, said that he had gone through the report which has found that the visitors’ diary at Sinha’s residence was genuine.

However, he said that the correctness of entries in the visitors’ diary can only be ascertained in the court of law through evidence.

“Unless there is evidence in court of law which says that the visitor’s register is genuine, we may not be able to proceed in the matter,” he said.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Sinha, refuted the allegation saying the entries in the register or the diary were dubious or fictitious as the former CBI director was not in the national capital on many of those days.

“There is not a single case where I (Sinha) have taken a decision contrary to the investigating officers in closing coal cases,” Singh said.

Taking note of the submissions, a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur, Kurian Joseph and A K Sikri reserved its order for passing directions.

Rapping the agency for slow progress, the court said, “We have been telling you (CBI) time and again to complete the investigation. Every time you say we will do it within one month. Last time you had said that you will do it by June 30.

But still you have not done it. Please do it expeditiously,” the bench said.

During the hearing, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO ‘Common Cause’, said that as per the panel Ranjit Sinha’s visitors diary has been found to be genuine and it is clear that he met many coal scam accused which influenced his decisions.

@Agency report.

Mumbai : Director Ashutosh Gowariker said that he failed in history during his school days, but telling untold stories from the past has always fascinated him.

“I never remember dates. I failed in history..I had no connection with geography. I get drawn to untold stories,” Gowariker told reporters at a promotional event of his upcoming period drama “Mohenjo Daro” here.

“What this (referring to Mohenjo Daro and Indus Valley civilisation) city or society would be like I don’t know. It excites me to tell a story of that era,” he said.

From his first film “Lagaan,” the 52-year-old filmmaker has always preferred to set his movies in the eras one only reads about in history books.

“Mohenjo Daro,” set in the Indus Valley civilisation, is his second collaboration with actor Hrithik Roshan post “Jodha Akbar”.

“It fascinates me what happened there, who were the people and how they have lived. I am happy I made this film. I hope I have done justice,” he added.

The “Swades” helmer said he believes in doing extensive research for his projects, which is the reason that there is a

gap between release of his films.

“I do extensive research on my films be it for ‘Lagaan’, or ‘Jodha Akbar’, so there is a gap between my films. These are special films. I was waiting for Hrithik to come on board for this film. Despite all the ups and downs, I am glad ‘Mohenjo Daro’ happened,” he added.

On the title of the film, Gowariker said he used the popular name the way it was written by the archaeologists.

@Agency report.

Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has convened a special Cabinet meeting in Lahore on Friday to discuss the “deteriorating situation” in the violence-hit Kashmir and chalk out “future course of action” on the issue.

“The Cabinet will discuss the oppressive actions of Indian security forces against innocent civilians and the over all situation in Kashmir after the brutal assassination of Burhan Wani,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

The meeting at the Governor House in Lahore will discuss the “rapidly deteriorating situation” in Kashmir and the Prime Minister will chalk out “future course of action” on the issue, it said.

The statement also noted that on the directions of the Prime Minister, the foreign office summoned Indian high commissioner to the foreign office and conveyed “strong concerns of the Pakistani government and people on rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Kashmir and increasing oppression by Indian security forces.”

It said that a detailed briefing was also given to ambassadors of all permanent members of UN security council of UN “regarding atrocities of the security forces.”

India had asked Pakistan to refrain from interfering in its internal affairs after Sharif issued a statement expressing “shock” at the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani.

Sharif today said the “voice and struggle” of the people of Kashmir cannot be suppressed through use of “brutal force and human rights abuses”.

He said this during a meeting with PoK Parliament Special Committee Chairman and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Lahore.

During the meeting, Rehman apprised the Prime Minister on his recent talks with separatist leaders over the “human rights violations” by Indian military and paramilitary forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

Rehman said the “Kashmiri leadership looks towards Pakistan in difficult times”, according to an official statement.

Sharif said, “The government and people of Pakistan respect the sentiments of their Kashmiri brethren and will continue to support the Kashmir cause at each and every forum internationally come what may.”

“The resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is only possible by the realisation of the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as per the UNSC resolutions, through a fair and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices,” Sharif said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary also briefed the Islamabad-based Ambassadors of the member countries of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir (Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Niger) over the situation in the Valley.

In the meeting, Pakistan called on the OIC member states to raise their voice against “the blatant human rights violations” of Kashmiri Muslims.

The Foreign Secretary also briefed the Ambassadors of the European Union over the situation and emphasised the need for a fair and transparent inquiry against individuals responsible for these killings.

@Agency report.

New Delhi :  Delhi High Court today sought the response of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on a PIL challenging criminalisation of possession and consumption of beef in the national capital.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued notice to AAP government and sought its reply by September 14 to the plea, which has sought setting aside of those provisions of Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act which criminalise possession and consumption of beef in the national capital.

Petitioner law student Gaurav Jain, through his lawyer, told the court that a similar matter had emanated from Madhya Pradesh and is pending in the Supreme Court.

The counsel also said that similar provisions in a legislation of the Maharashtra government was struck down by the Bombay High Court.

The petition, also by an NGO working for development of Scheduled Castes and Tribes, has claimed that the Cattle Preservation Act (CPA) was “a case of legislative over-reach”.

They have contended that “prohibition on possession and consumption of beef per se as under Cattle Preservation Act is in violation of the fundamental rights of the petitioners and other persons similarly situated, as it infringes on their personal liberty” and causes “hostile discrimination having no nexus with the object of the Act”.

“The right to eat the food of one’s choice is an integral part of the right to life and liberty,” the PIL has said, adding that the Constitution “mandates the State not to make law towards enforcement of a particular religious practice”.

The petitioners have claimed that the Act was a “gross encroachment on the rights of the petitioners to chose what they can eat”.

The petition has also said SCs and STs “often have diet containing meats” and contended that “these communities are directly affected by enforcement of the Act”.

@Agency report.

New Delhi : In a significant but surprise move, India today named senior goalkeeper PR Sreejesh as the captain of the national team for the Rio Olympics, removing long-standing skipper Sardar Singh.

Sreejesh, one of the finest custodians in world hockey at the moment, was rewarded after the team, under his leadership, ended up with a silver medal at the Champions Trophy in London, their best-ever result in the 38-year-history of the blue riband six-nation tournament.

The team played a brilliant final where they held eventual champions Australia to a goalless draw in the regulation time before losing in a controversial shoot-out.

Playmaker SV Sunil, who is also a key component in the team, has been named vice-captain. He was Sreejesh’s deputy in the Champions Trophy.

While there were rumours that Sardar’s axing was a result of his dip in form in recent times, Indian hockey team’s chief coach and High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans said the move to relieve the ace midfielder from captaincy was purely taken to free him from excess responsibilities.

“The philosophy behind changing the captain is that we felt people need to take more responsibilities on the pitch and off the pitch. Sardar was taking too much responsibilities because of which he was not performing at the level that is expected of him,” Oltmans told reporters during a gliterring fucntion organised by Hockey India to announce the men’s and women’s teams for the Rio Games.

“By changing the captain I belive Sardar will play a much better Olympic Games. Sardar took the decision (of him being removed from captaincy) very sportingly. He understands what’s required from him.”

Off the field too, Sardar had been going through tough times following allegations of rape after promising marriage were levelled against him by a British national.

Asked if Sardar’s off-field controversy bogged him down, the Dutchman reacted in affirmative.

“Of course those things did affect him,” he said, pertaining to the legal tangle that the former skipper finds himself pertaining to the rape allegation.

“For me, it is important that we perform as a team. We tried this combination of players in Champions Trophy and it worked for us. This is the time to fine tune our processes and I have complete faith in our processes. I believe in this group of players,” Oltmans said.

Oltmans also said that he believes in shared leadership.

“I need shared leadership. I need players who take responsibility on and off the field and that’s the reason I felt we need to change the captain. We changed the captain in the Champions Trophy and that’s worked out really well.”

“I believe at this moment this is the best solution for Sardar and the team. For me there is only one thing and that’s the team and individuals are part of the team.

@Agency report.