Front Page   

Invitation only on request: Centre

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi July 26. The Union Home Ministry today clarified that beginning with January 26, 1950, only those Governors and Chief Ministers (as well as Members of Parliament) who indicated a preference to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President got invited. The procedure was based entirely on practical considerations because the Central Hall of Parliament could accommodate only a limited number of invitees.

It further clarified that the Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh who attended the President, A.P. J. Abdul Kalam's swearing-in on Thursday, had made specific requests that they wanted to attend the function, as did the Tamil Nadu Governor.

`Lame excuse'

In Chennai, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, dismissed the clarification as a "lame excuse." The Chief Ministers could not be expected to go around begging for invitations, she said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Centre pledges more funds for drought-hit States
• It is an insult: Jayalalithaa
• Invitation only on request: Centre
• Pak. needs to do more: Solana
• South takes the lion's share; `Lagaan' wins 8 national awards
• Manipur judicial officers go on leave
• Jharkhand bandh peaceful
• Troops for flood relief
• SC admits CBI's appeal
• 4 new judges
• Jail term for Suharto's son

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu