January 12, 2012

EC halts minorities sub-quota in five poll-bound States

The Election Commission on Wednesday ordered the Union Ministry of Personnel not to give effect to the December 22, 2011 office memorandum, providing a 4.5 per cent sub-quota for minorities within the 27 per cent reservation for the Other Backward Classes in Central government jobs and educational institutions, in the five poll-bound States.

The direction will be applicable until after the completion of the Assembly election process in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur. The EC took into account the fact that the decision on sub-quota was announced by the Centre on December 22, before the model code came into force, i.e. on December 24, when the poll schedule was announced.

The EC said it was brought to its notice that the order had been issued in violation of the model code, and that it took the decision to ensure a free and fair poll.

Model code

Sources in the EC drew attention to the Sections in the model code relating to parties, candidates and the State/Central governments. Para 1(3): There shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes.

Para VII: The party in power, whether at the Centre or in the State or States concerned, shall ensure that no cause is given for any complaint that it has used its official position for purposes of its campaign.

Para VII (vi): From the time elections are announced, Ministries and other authorities shall not announce any financial grants in any form or promises thereof ......, which may have the effect of influencing voters in favour of the party in power.

Many parties, particularly the BJP, had strongly opposed the Cabinet decision and said the announcement was made as an inducement to Muslims, who are in sizable numbers in Uttar Pradesh. The decision would benefit Muslims more than other minorities as there were many Muslim communities designated as OBCs, the parties said.

Even some Muslim organisations felt that the Cabinet decision would betray their interests. Earlier, the various Muslim communities listed for the 27 per cent OBC quota managed to get 2.3 per cent. Now OBC Muslims would have to compete with Christians, Sikhs and Parsi OBCs for the 4.5 per cent quota, they claimed.

Hasina in Tripura

Landmark visit:Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who arrived in Agartala on Wednesday, is seen with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. In the city to receive an honorary doctorate from Tripura University, she will also hold trade talks. This is the first visit by a Bangladesh Prime Minister to Tripura, which played an important role in Bangladesh's War of Liberation in 1971.

NMDC signs pact with SEPC

The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) signed a contract with a consortium led by Shriram EPC Limited (SEPC) on Tuesday for By-Product Plant (BPP) package for the upcoming three million tonnes per annum integrated steel plant at Nagarnar in Chattisgarh.

According to a release, the total cost of the package is Rs.509 crore. The contract was signed by ED (NISP) G. Viswakarma on behalf of NMDC and V-P of A.B.Paul for SEPC.

Forest fire at Chamundi Hills; handiwork of miscreants suspected

A forest fire broke out at Chamundi Hills on Wednesday, but the damage to the vegetation is reckoned to be minor. This is the first forest fire to be reported this season. Shrub jungles and dry forests are prone to fires in the run up to summer.

Staff of the Department of Forests were at the spot extinguishing the flames. Officials suspect the fire to be the handiwork of miscreants.

National Service Scheme awards

The Higher Secondary National Service Scheme awards for programme officers, units, and volunteers for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have been announced.

T.P. Mohammed Basheer, Himayathul Islam HSS, Kozhikode, Rajan Thomas, S.N.V.HSC, N.R.City, Idukki, have been selected as the best officers and NSS units at the State level for 2010-11.

The regional level winners are P.S.Joymon, C.K.M.HSS, Korothodu, Kottayam, R.Gopalakrishnan, Government Girls HSS, Thazhava, Kollam, and the unit at Government HSS, Sreekantapuram, Kannur.

The best district-level officers and units for 2010-11 are Benny V.Varghese, M.K.M.HSS, Piravom, Renjith Jacob, St. Mary's HSS, Mullenkolly, Wayanad, M.K.Faizal, Calicut Girls HSS, Kozhikode, Shaji N.Raj, R.R.V.GHSS, Kilimanoor, K.K.Manoj Kumar, GHSS, Peelikode, Kasaragod, Pintu D.Kalariparambil, Lourdes Mata HSS, Pacha, Alappuzha, G.Gopakumar, Government HSS, Thankamom, Pathanamthitta.

M.Satheesh Kumar, Naduvannur HSS, Wakayad, Kozhikode, is the best officer and unit at the State level in 2009-10.

P.K.Anita, A.K.M.HSS, Poochatty, Thrissur, is the winner at the regional level. The district-level winners in 2009-10 are R.Jaya, SNDP HSS, Venkurinji, Pathanamthitta, B.Najeeb, Government HSS, Venjaramoodu, C.S.Gopalan, Government HSS, Chathannur, Palakkad, K.C.Muralidharan, Nirmala HSS, Erumamunda, Malappuram, K.M.Subair, M.J.HSS, Ilayattil, Kasaragod, Rafeeq, T.P.N.A.M.HSS, Peringathur, Kannur, and Muhammed Sherief, Government Fisheries HSS, Cheruvathoor, Kasaragod.

The best volunteers for 2010-11 are Bipin Sunny, Valayanchirangara HSS, S.Abhijith, government HSS, Thengamam, Pathanamthitta, V.Priyaraj, Government GHSS, Thazhava, Kollam, Aswathy Satyan, L.M.HSS, Pacha, Alappuzha, K.M.Suhail, St.Mary's HSS, Mullenkolli, Wayanad, Dhanya Johnny, S.N.V.HSS, N.R.City, Idukki, T.M.Raisanus, Government Fisheries HSS, Cheruvathoor, Kasaragod, N.Habib Rehman, P.K.K.S.M. HSS, Kayamkulam, Justin Joy, Government HSS, Sreekantapuram, Kannur, B.K.Anaswara, Naduvannur HSS, Wakayad, Kozhikode.

The winners for 2009-10 are Awathy Elizabeth, S.N.HSS, Thrikanarvattom, Ernakulam, R.Anu Krishnan, Government Boys HSS, Adoor, J.Ebeneezer, Government HSS, Kulasekharapuram, Kollam, S.Sabujan, Government GHSS, Thazhava, Kollam, K.Subash, GMHSS, Vellamunda, Wayanad, K.V.Nihas, Himayathul Islam HSS, Kozhikode, P.Reshma, Government HSS, Pulamanthole, Malappuram, Venisha, Socarso CGHSS, Kottakkal, Thrissur, R.Manuraj, GHSS, Kudamaloor, Kottayam, T.S.Anoop, SNDP HSS, Venkurinji, Pathanamthitta, P.P.Dhanyasree, Palora HSS, Palora, Kozhikode, and A.S.Shyam Kumar, C.K.M.HSS, Koruthodu, Kottayam.

Education Minister P.K.Abdu Rabb will present the awards at Cotton Hill HSS here on January 11.

Protect Thirumalai hills: High Court

: The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday directed Additional Solicitor General M. Ravindran to take notice on behalf of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in a public interest litigation petition seeking to protect Thirumalai hills at Thirumalai Koneripatti village in Sivaganga district under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Chitra Venkataraman and Justice R. Karuppiah also recorded the submission of Additional Advocate General K. Chellapandian that he would ask the local police to verify the petitioner's allegations of large scale vandalism in the hillock, boasting ancient Jain abodes, and file a status report within two weeks.

M. Ayyannar (26), a resident of Thirumalai Koneripatti, had filed the PIL petition through his counsel R. Alagumani.

According to them, the hillock was situated about 54 kilometres from here. It contained rock paintings dating back to 5{+t}{+h}century and Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions of the Sangam Age. Several Jain beds (billow lafts) were also hewn out of the rock floor of the caverns. The hillock also boasted of a Swasthika, a sign incised on Jain beds; a rock cut Malai Koluntheeswarar Bakampiriyal Temple of 8{+t}{+h}century A.D. and a structural 3{+r}{+d}century temple.

It was also one of the fourteen popular Jain abodes situated around Madurai, the other being those in Tirupparankundram, Samanarmalai, Kongar Periyankulam, Vikramangalam, Antipatti, Anaimalai and so on.

“Except Thirumalai, all other popular Jain abodes were now declared as protect monuments by the ASI though Thirumalai hill is also an equally important monument which contained 30 Tamil inscriptions of Pandya kings such as Jadawarman Kulasekaran, Maaravarman Sundara Pandiyan, Jatawarman Parakrama Pandiyan belonging to 13{+t}{+h}and 14{+t}{+h}centuries A.D.,” the petitioner's affidavit read.

It went on to state: “Each and every rock painting of Thirumalai hills has been defected with names scrawled on them. The inscriptions and Jain beds have been vandalised and discredited… On one bed, the election symbol of a political party has been carved.