SC posts petition on foreign origin issue for final disposal

NEW DELHI, July 14: A petition on whether a person of foreign origin can hold public office was today posted by the Supreme Court for final hearing after eight weeks.The order came on the petition filed by Rashtriya Mukti Morcha (RMM), a socio-political organization, taking exception to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi being invited to form Government at the Centre by the then President in 1999 after NDA lost a no-confidence motion in Parliament.The apex court had in April last year issued notices to the Centre and the Election Commission on the issue.However, the Centre did not file any affidavit and asked a bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan to post the matter for final hearing.The Election Commission said that its stand will be the same as that of the Centre.The Court posted the matter for hearing after eight weeks. When the matter had come for hearing on April 14, last year, the court had said that an important Constitutional issue had been raised in the petition.However, the apex court had made it clear that it would examine the issue in context of the persons who are citizens by registration.The Bench had said: “We will confine the question whether the person who is not born in the country can be appointed to a public office.” The RMM, in its petition, has challenged the Delhi High Court verdict which had dismissed its plea on the ground that it lacked merit.Senior advocate P N Lekhi, appearing for the RMM, had submitted, Gandhi, a citizen by registration, was invited to form the Government when she was not even an MP.The petition had contended that a political party cannot be headed by a person who has assumed citizenship by registration.Lekhi had claimed that after the last general election Gandhi wanted to be Prime Minister but the President perhaps had said that the question of foreign origin was before the court. PTI source: sentinel assam

Govt, migrants aiding each other: AASU

By A City Reporter GUWAHATI, July 12 – Lambasting the State government for its failure to drive out the illegal Bangladeshi migrants from the State boundaries even after three years of scrapping of the IM (DT) Act by the Supreme Court, the All Assam Students’ Union today alleged that the Tarun Gogoi government, illegal Bangladeshis and fundamentalist forces are supporting one another’s existence in Assam. Launching an agitation programme on the third anniversary of the scrapping of the IM (DT) Act, the students’ body organised a ‘Sangram Dhwani’ programme across the AASU district units in the State with beating of drums and khols, to “organize people against the danger ahead in the form of Bangladeshis.” AASU advisor Samujjal Kr Bhattacharya addressing a gathering at the Latasil playground said that the government cannot turn its back to this apparent threat to the very existence of Assamese community neither it can deny the fact that the fundamentalists and jehadi groups like Al-qaida and ISI are operating from Assam. “Time and again, their existence has been proven in the State,” said Bhattacharya. “As that Gogoi government is patronizing the illegal migrants from Bangladesh and thereby pleasing the fundamentalist forces, no doubt that they would like the Congress government to continue,” he added. Once again warning the political parties of the State to think beyond vote-bank politics for the greater interest of the State, he also went hammer and tongs against the Assam Gana Parishad and former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta for “cheating” the people of the State after assuming power. “To get the Bangladeshi vote, Mahanta and his ministers forgot all the promises they made to the people of the State and provisions of Assam Accord, signed 23 years back. The students’ body also condemned the ruling alliances in the Centre for not giving due importance to the problem of illegal influx in the State. “Whereas, the Indo-Pakistan border was sealed completely in three years with barbed wire and arrangements of electronic lights were done, on Indo-Bangladesh Border, even the fencing work has not been completed in last 23 years,” added AASU generally secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi.“Illegal intrusion is no more a border problem. These unwelcome guests are now occupying our protected areas of tribal blocks, belts, our national parks and wildlife sanctuaries,” Bhattacharyya reiterated. “The problem, which was recognised by the Supreme Court three years back, is still haunting the State. Now, the common people, disgusted with the political leaders would take the reins in their hands to drive out the illegal intruders,” he added. Expressing solidarity with the AASU, the chief advisor of All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union Bhaskar Dahal, advisor of Moran Students’ Union Biranchi Neog, Khanindra Chandra Das of All Assam Semi-Central Employees Association and president of All Assam Dimasa Students’ Union Prafulla Hafila assured the ASSU of their whole-hearted support in the movement against the illegal immigrants. source: assam tribune

AGP may move SC over Govt inaction

NEW DELHI, July 12 – Accusing the Congress-led Central and Assam Governments of disregarding the Supreme Court's verdict on detection and deportation of illegal migrants, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today said that they are looking at the option of moving the Apex Court, alleging non-implementation of its orders. Addressing a press conference here today, to mark the completion of three years of the historic order of repealing the controversial IM (DT) Act, AGP MPs Biren Baishya, Sarbananda Sonowal and Kumar Deepak Das today slammed the Congress Government both at the Centre and the State for indulging in vote bank politics.The Government is yet to start the process of identification of the foreigners and the tribunals are yet to function. The updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) is not yet ready. The Home Ministry has failed to keep its own deadline of sealing the Indo-Bangladesh border by December 2006, said Sonowal, who was the main petitioner, on whose plea the Act was scrapped.He said he was going to consult senior legal counsel, Ashok Desai on moving the Supreme Court yet again pleading that the Government, despite lapse of three years, has not carried out its orders.The AGP leaders conceded that not much impact has been made by the repeal of the IM (DT) Act because of the Congress Party's attitude. The State Government has not taken any steps to implement the orders in toto, he alleged. Added Deepak Das, the Congress Party has disregarded the Accord signed during Rajiv Gandhi's regime. Unabated influx is still on and along with migrants, fundamentalist elements are also infiltrating. Assam today has as many as 14 fundamentalist outfits, he added.Though the foreigners' issue has always assumed centre stage in every election, Biren Baishya said raking the issue would not have any impact on its relations with the AUDF. The BJP has already made its intensions clear by declaring that the Bangladeshi immigration problem was going to be one of their major election planks."All political parties have agreed that March 25, 1971 is the cut-off date and any foreigners who has entered the State after that have to go. There should be no dispute over the Assam Accord," Baishya said, mindful that his Party is also talking to AUDF.Asked about the AGP's strategy for the forthcoming polls, he said it would be endeavour of his Party to ensure that all the anti-Congress votes are intact.The AGP, meanwhile, has declared that they are vote against the UPA Government and the nuclear agreement in the Lok Sabha during the Confidence Motion. source: assam tribune

Panthers Party moves SC against revocation of land transfer

Thursday, 03 July , 2008, 20:37

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is likely to hear tomorrow a petition challenging the decision of the Jammu and Kashmir Government to revoke the transfer of land to Amarnath Shrine Board.
The petition, which was mentioned before a Bench headed by Justice Altamas Kabir for urgent hearing, sought quashing of state government's order revoking the transfer of 39.88 hectare of forest land to the Board contending that the decision was taken by the minority government which has been directed by the Governor to prove its majority on the floor of the House on July 7.

The petition filed by Prof Bhim Singh, chairman of J&K National Panthers Party, also alleged that the state government has imposed the curfew in Jammu without any logic which resulted in creating anarchy and leaving the people helpless.

The imposition of curfew has taken away the fundamental rights of school going children, patients and working class, the petition said.

The petition sought a direction for the Jammu and Kashmir Government to pay a compensation to the families of those killed and injured during police firing in different parts of the state during the recent protests. source: http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14708306