Law will take its course in Ayodhya case: Vajpayee
The Vajpayee Government today suffered a
major embarrassment when an Opposition-sponsored amendment on the
decision to sell the Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO) to a
private industrial group was carried in the Rajya Sabha during
the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address.
Lone to seek meeting with Annan
The All-Party Hurriyat Conference today
decided to depute its senior member, Mr. Abdul Ghani Lone,
considered a moderate, to New Delhi to explore the possibilities
of a meeting with the United nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi
Annan, during his visit to the union capital.
Assembly polls by April-end?
The Election Commission today held detailed
discussions with top State Government officials from Tamil Nadu,
West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and the Union Territory of Pondicherry
on the possible schedule for holding Assembly polls.
Gill skirts query on Jayalalitha
The Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. M.S.
Gill, today evaded a question on whether the AIADMK general
secretary, Ms. Jayalalitha, facing a disqualification due to her
conviction in the TANSI case for three years, would be allowed to
contest the Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu.
Centre rejects Jogi offer
The Centre tonight rejected the Chhatisgarh
Chief Minister, Mr. Ajit Jogi's offer to buy 51 per cent shares
in the Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), terming it as ``non-
serious and frivolous.''
Will Annan statement induce realism?
Will the United Nations Secretary-General,
Mr. Kofi Annan's clarification on the status of the Security
Council's 1948 resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir add to the
belligerence of the jehadi outfits in Pakistan and generally
harden extremist trends? Or will it have a chastening effect and
induce realism? Given the ``high expectations'' - to use the
words of Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar - pinned
on the eve of Mr. Annan's visit for support to their stand and
the deep sense of shock now, any optimism on this count will be
out of place.
Chattisgarh ready to buy BALCO for Rs. 552 cr., SC told
Notwithstanding the differences with the
Centre on the BALCO disinvestment issue, the Chattisgarh
Government today assured the Supreme Court that it would maintain
law and order, provide protection to workers and the management
and also supply water and electricity to the plant.
Bihar Finance Minister quits
The crisis in the ruling RJD deepened with the
Finance Minister, Mr. Shanker Prasad Tekriwal, resigning from the
Cabinet demanding a change in the legislature party leadership.
Sensex crash
Even as the Bombay Stock Exchange Sensex
crashed by 114 points today, the acting president, Ms. Deena
Mehta, called on the Union Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha.
The Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, Mr.
D. R. Mehta, had met the Minister, who returned to the country
after a day-long visit to Germany, on Sunday.
SEBI restrains BSE governing board
The Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI) today restrained all broker member-directors from acting
as governing board members of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)
till further orders.
