Beating the heat: Gujarat polling to start an hour early

The Election Commission has put in place an elaborate plan to beat the scorching summer heat, allowing voting to commence one hour earlier than normal in the morning and making medical arrangements to tackle emergencies for its polling officers.

Polling for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state on Thursday will start at 7 am instead of 8 am, and end at 5 pm, State Chief Electoral Officer Anita Karwal said on Wednesday.

She said the 182 teams of medical and paramedical personnel would fan out across all the constituencies to treat polling officials in case they are hit by the heatwave.

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India, Pakistan rivals but they trained, helped us fight Tigers: Lanka Army

Behind the success of the Sri Lankan army’s operations against the Tamil Tigers — troops searching for LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran breached two rebel defence fortifications in the no-fire zone — is an interesting little detail of Indo-Pak cooperation against terror. Separately but consistently, the two countries have trained and equipped the Lankan army to prepare and fight its only enemy, the LTTE.

The Sri Lankan army says the reason for its success is that “we didn’t reduce the momentum”, planned the entire operation in advance and employed innovative counter-insurgency tactics to confront the Tigers.

“I got training in both India and Pakistan. Both have been helping us a lot,” said Brigadier Udaya Nanayakara, now the military spokesman. “We send our officers regularly to India and Pakistan for specialised training. I did four courses in India and three in Pakistan. The last time, I trained in Secunderabad.

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In last days of Congress-led government, Ottavio Quattrocchi is off Central Bureau of Investigation’s wanted list

With just three weeks to go before the Congress-led UPA government’s term ends, Ottavio Quattrocchi, the lone surviving suspect in the Bofors payoff case, no longer figures in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s list of wanted persons.

The 12-year Interpol Red Corner Notice (RCN) against the Italian businessman has been taken off the “Interpol Notices” section of the agency’s website.

Ostensibly, the CBI’s move is based on the legal opinion of Attorney General Milon Banerjee dated October 28 last year. According to the opinion, a copy of which has been obtained by The Indian Express, Banerjee calls the RCN “a continuing embarrassment.”

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Shoe-blitz continues:Prime Minister escapes ‘impulsive’ attack

An engineering student hurled a shoe at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while he was addressing his first election meeting for the Congress in Gujarat at the Sanskar Kendra grounds here on Sunday.

The shoe fell some 15 feet away from the dais and the PM continued to speak without a break as the Congress workers overpowered the youth and security personnel whisked him away.

Hitesh Chauhan (21), a resident of Bapunagar who studies computer engineering at a government college in Gandhinagar, reportedly told the police that he was not connected with any political party and was just trying to gain some attention after watching reports on earlier shoe-throwing incidents.

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Mortal threat, says United States, as Pak troops rush to stop Taliban

Tightening their grip on Pakistan’s restive northwest, Taliban militants today attacked the Frontier Constabulary sent to stop their advance in Buner, just 100 km from Islamabad, and swept into Shangla, another district near the Swat Valley. One policeman was killed and another wounded in the attack in Buner while tension gripped Shangla after more than 30 Taliban fighters moved in and began patrolling a market in the area.

As US mounted pressure on Pakistan to act against the Taliban — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told lawmakers in Washington “I think the Pakistani government is basically abdicating to the Taliban and the extremists” while Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned that failure to confront the threat could affect US-Pakistani relations —Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said his government would consider “other options” to check the “Talibanisation”.

Swat’s militants have entered Buner in large numbers, establishing checkpoints, patrolling roads and spreading fear.

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As Lanka closes in on Tigers, boat with refugees lands in Tamil Nadu

As Sri Lankan troops advanced on the last redoubt of the Tamil Tigers and the exodus of people trapped in a coastal strip crossed 62,000, a boatload of starving Tamil refugees landed on the Tamil Nadu coast this morning. Refugees claimed that over 80 boats carrying civilians were headed for the Indian mainland but officials said intelligence inputs pointed to only four boats making the journey.

Nineteen refugees, including eight women and two children, reached Arcothurai near Point Calimere in Nagapattinam this morning after sailing for nearly 24 hours in a small fishing boat. Police officials said the refugees had no food or water. They were taken to the Mandapam camp in Rameshwaram where a large number of Lankan Tamil refugees are housed.

“Now that the battlefield has shifted to north-east Lanka, people in former LTTE-controlled areas like Mullaithivu and Puthukkudiyiruppu are trying to flee the war by escaping to the Indian mainland,” an official said. As a result, Nagapattinam

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Two top Tigers surrender, Lanka says Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam end near

Two top Tamil Tiger leaders today surrendered be-fore the rapidly advancing Sri Lankan forces, signalling an imminent collapse of the LTTE as troops closed in on Vellamullivakkal, the possible hiding place of rebel chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran.

Velayutham Dayanidhi, better known as Daya Master, a former media coordinator of the Tigers, and George, a close aide of slain LTTE political wing head S P Thamilchelvan, gave themselves up to the army at Putumathalan in the no-fire zone (NFZ) where the battles are raging, Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said.

This is the first time that LTTE cadres have surrendered as Tigers are known for swallowing cyanide pills than giving themselves up. The two leaders are likely to be flown to Colombo to be produced before a court, the spokesman said.

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On last day, Gopalaswami wishes luck to Chawla

N Gopalaswami on Monday became the first Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to demit office in the midst of an election season.

While Gopalaswami oversaw the first phase of the five phase general elections, Navin Chawla who takes over as the new CEC on Tuesday will preside over the remaining four phases.

While Gopalaswami’s term he served as CEC for three years out of his total term of five years in the Commission saw a flurry of split decisions, with Chawla and him differing on many occasions, his last day in office was spent in the three-member Commission presenting a united front.

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Bharatiya janata party will have newer allies after polls, says Advani

NDA Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani has said the BJP is confident of getting newer allies after the elections. “I will not like to name any particular party, but while I’m broadly satisfied with the number of parties having joined the alliance, I do think that there are other parties which might be willing to come along after the elections.” In an interview to The Indian Express, Advani also disclosed he had requested former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to enter Rajya Sabha after the latter decided not to contest for Lok Sabha but he declined.

“While the addition of the Asom Gana Parishad, Indian National Lok Dal, Asom Gana Parishad, Rashtriya Lok Dal, and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to the NDA is satisfying, I do think that other parties might be willing to come along (post-election),” he said.

On the which the BJP had said would be unveiled before the first phase of election of a national agenda for governance, Advani said: “Our (BJP) office-bearers considered this matter, and the unanimous view of our party and the JD(U) was that we do it later.

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First phase, Naxals cast their bullet

In one of the bloodiest starts to an election in recent times, nine security personnel, five polling officers and two civilians were killed today by Naxalites in Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh as Phase I of polling saw moderate to brisk voting in 124 constituencies — the majority lie in the Naxal red corridor — across 17 states and Union Territories.

Late tonight, a fierce gunbattle was on in Malkangiri in Orissa after Naxalites attacked BSF and Special Operations Group personnel who were returning from the Vejingiwada forests in Kalimela. DIG (South West Range) Sanjeeb Panda said the Naxalites attacked the joint patrol by detonating landmines in MV-29 village. When reports last came in, the security personnel, who had been encircled,werereturningfire.Casualties, if any, were not known. “We have over 150 securitymen at the spot to fight the Naxalites,” IG (Operations) Sudhansu Sarangi said.

Nearly 70 incidents of poll disturbances, including gunbattles, attacks on polling parties and looting of electronic voting machines, were reported from these states where the overall polling percentage was estimated to be a healthy 60 per cent.

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Kasab mother coming: Pranab

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to day said that the mother of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the gunman captured during the 26/11 terror attacks, would be coming to Mumbai to meet her son during the trial, scheduled to begin tomorrow in a special court inside the Arthur Road Jail.

Campaigning in home constituency Jangipur in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, Mukherjee, responding to questions from reporters that Pakistan had raised the issue of two identical DNA sets in documents submitted by India and wanted more evidence, said: “I just now had a discussion with our Foreign Secretary. If Pakistan wants more documents and proof, we are ready to provide that. But the issue should be resolved without further delay. Pakistan is delaying investigations on some pretext or the other.

It should not delay investigations on this issue and that, on this clarification and that.” “The fact of the matter is that so many people were killed in the terror attack in Mumbai.

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Bahujan Samaj party in a spot as rival candidate found hanging

The Indian Justice Party candidate from Jaunpur Lok Sabha seat, Bahadur Lal Sonekar, was found hanging from a tree near his Dharnidharpur residence in the constituency on Monday morning, sparking massive protests.

While the police initially registered a case of suicide, they later turned it to murder following the protests. Sonekar’s family members claimed he was killed at the behest of BSP Jaunpur candidate Dhananjay Singh, in connivance with the local police.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav claimed the death was part of a conspiracy hatched at the level of Chief Minister Mayawati. “Top officials of the Uttar Pradesh Government are involved in a grand plan to ensure the success of BSP candidates in the Lok Sabha polls and for this reason the EC had ordered the removal of Principal Secretary (Home) Fateh Bahadur,” Mulayam said.

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Rahul has qualities needed to be Prime Minister, says Priyanka

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said her brother Rahul Gandhi would one day become the Prime Minister of the country as he had all the qualities needed for the top post. However, she was quick to add that Manmohan Singh will be the Prime Minister if the Congress is voted to power in the coming elections.

Asked if she herself planned to join politics, Priyanka did not say a direct ‘no’. “I have realised that in politics one should never say no,” she said, and then added: “But I do not see this happening.”

When asked whether she thought Rahul was qualified enough to become the Prime Minister, she told reporters: “I have full faith in my brother. He is hardworking. He means well. He is, according to me, qualified... So, one day he will. He will do a good job of it.”

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Tigers cornered in Lanka, Tamil Nadu parties make it a poll issue

Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, which account for 40 seats in the Lok Sabha, will vote only in the last phase of the elections on May 13 but as news of the imminent fall of LTTE trickles in from across the Palk Strait, not many in the fray are willing to take a chance. Almost all political parties in Tamil Nadu have announced protests for the sake of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka, the more virulent ones like MDMK’s Vaiko even warning of a “bloodbath” if LTTE chief V Prabhakaran is harmed.

The ruling DMK, while declaring thatit will not go back on its alliance with the Congress over the issue, is organising a protest rally tomorrow, demanding immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka. Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has sent a telegram to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — it is also addressed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P Chidambaram — urging the Centre to intervene and “save theTamil race” from annihilation. Karunanidhi will himself lead the “Tamil’s rally” in Chennai and “all like minded parties” are expected to participate.

The DMK move seems to have been prompted by protests by the MDMK and PMK, among the most active parties campaigning on the issue.

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Lalu’s ‘roller over Varun’ remark: First information Report, warrant out

An arrest warrant was issued against RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav a day after he told a rally in Bihar’s Muslim dominated Kishanganj that had he been Home Minister, he would have “run a roller” over BJP’s Varun Gandhi for his hate speech against Muslims.

Kishanganj SP Ramnarain Singh told reporters: “We examined the CD of Lalu Prasad’s speech and found it provocative.” An FIR was lodged against him at the Town police station under sections of the IPC and Representation of the People Act. Singh said a warrant was in place to arrest the RJD chief. The offence is bailable.

Meanwhile, Lalu Prasad today claimed he meant “kanoon ka roller (roller of the law)” in his speech. LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan came to his defence, calling it a “political speech”. “Laluji meant he would have taken strict action against Varun. He said it in other words.

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Orissa’s heart of darkness chooses from crorepatis

The Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput (KBK) region is Orissa’s heart of darkness, infamous for its acute poverty which in the past led to starvation deaths and still forces people to migrate in search of work to the brick kilns of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Home to 19.8% of the state’s 3.6 crore population, 78% of rural KBK live below the poverty line. But to elect representatives for the next Lok Sabha and state Assembly, this region has to choose from at least four crorepatis — three from the BJP, one from BJD and a Congress candidate who is just Rs 10 lakh short of a crore.

Take 35-year-old Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, son of senior BJD minister AU Singh Deo and educated at the Doon School. Elected to the Orissa Assembly on a BJD ticket from Saintala in the 2004 elections, he is now the party candidate for the Bolangir Lok Sabha seat. He has movable and immovable assets worth Rs 2.63 crore which includes his share in Shailashree Palace in Bolangir.

According to the affidavit he filed before the Bolangir returning officer, Kalikesh Narayan has apartments in New Delhi’s Vasant Vihar,

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Teenage bomber kills 30 in Pakistan, third attack in 24 hrs

A teenage suicide bomber today struck a religious gathering of the Shia community, killing at least 30 people and injuring nearly 200 others in the town of Chakwal in Punjab province, hours after security forces were targeted near the UN office in the heart of Islamabad and 17 persons killed in another suicide attack in north Waziristan.

The suicide attacker detonated his explosives near the gate of an Imambargah or prayer hall in Chakwal, some 90 km south of Islamabad, when he was barred from entering the complex by persons guarding the entrance.

About 2,000 worshippers had gathered for majlis, a religious ceremony, at the Imambargah when the attack occurred a little after 12.30 pm local time.

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Flogging footage of 17 year old girl gives glimpse into ‘peace in Swat’

Pakistani TV channels on Friday aired a two-minute clip of a teenage girl being flogged by the Taliban allegedly after being seen with a man who was not her husband in Swat, where the government recently bought peace with the Islamists by accepting Shariah law.

The grainy video, apparently shot on a mobile phone camera on an indeterminate date, shows the 17-year old girl pinned to the ground facedown by two men while a third, bearded man in a black turban squats next to her, whipping her buttocks 34 times as she screams in agony.

A human rights worker said the girl, who is married, was flogged about two weeks ago. However, Geo TV reported that the incident took place in the Kabal area of the Swat valley six months ago.

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Central Bureau of Investigation gives Tytler clean chit in 1984 riots case

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls as the party candidate from North-East Delhi, today got a clean chit from the CBI in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case after the probe agency found no “incriminating evidence” of his involvement.

In its final investigation report, the CBI requested Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Rakesh Pandit to drop prosecution proceedings against the Congress leader. With the CBI counsel confirming that the final report had been submitted as a cancellation report, the ACMM put it up for consideration on April 9 — that’s when a decision will be taken on the report.

Reacting to the CBI move, Tytler said the outcome of the probe was nothing beyond his expectation because he was “innocent” and the accusations against him were “false”.

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Spectators assured as Azharuddin steps out to play a new innings

The morning after his first public rally, a tired Mohammad Azharuddin was fast asleep in Rampur. An hour and a half away, hidden between two shops in a busy, local market, the Moradabad District Congress Committee office was still recovering from the hangover of the previous afternoon.

In this modest establishment, the walls are adorned with posters of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul, and in one corner — gleaming in all its newness — is a picture of Azharuddin in a sharp, pinstriped suit. “We would have preferred kurta pyjama but we couldn’t get any other suitable picture from the Internet. Even Bhabhi ji (Azhar’s wife Sangeeta Bijlani) was in that photo but we had to erase her on the computer,” says a smiling party worker handing out sugary tea. “This time we will win by 1 lakh votes,” he adds, with a flourish.

Such ambition hasn’t been on display in the Congress for a long time in this region, and for some, talk of this nature is reminiscent of an age long gone — when the party was still a factor in the district.

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Supreme Court speaks: law takes its course, Sanjay can’t contest

The Supreme Court put Sanjay Dutt’s political debut on hold today, rejecting the actor’s plea to suspend his conviction and sentence under the Arms Act in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

The court agreed that Dutt was a “well known cine artiste” with many fans, and that he wasn’t a habitual criminal, but said this did not add up to a case for suspending his conviction.

“In view of the serious offence for which he has been convicted by the Special Judge, we are not inclined to suspend the conviction and sentence awarded by the special Judge in the present case,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan said.

Dutt has been sentenced to six years in prison, and is currently on bail granted by the apex court.

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