"All state governments, union territories and High Couts are directed to file within three months details of the time schedule so fixed and date from which time schedule so fixed would be operational", a Bench of Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice C K Thakker said.

Terming the high number of vacancies in the trial courts as one of the main reasons behind huge pendency of cases, the apex court said "it is absolutely necessary to evolve a mechanism to speedily determine and fill vacancies of Judges at all levels.

"For this purpose, timely steps are required to be taken for determination of vacancies, issue of advertisement, conducting of examinations, interviews, declaration of the final results and issue of orders of appointments.

"For all these and other steps, if any, it is necessary to provide for fixed time schedule so that system works automatically and there is no delay in filling up of vacancies", the Bench said. (PTI)

Among the other members who were sworn in were : Mr S S Ahluwalia (BJP--Jharkhand), Mr Vinay Katiyar (BJP--UP), Ms Mabel Rebello (INC--Jharkhand), Mr G Sanjeeva Reddy (INC--Andhra Pradesh), Dr Mahendra Prasad (JDU--Bihar) etc,(UNI)

The Commission’s announcement on the high-profile Parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh came shortly after the Court said its application would be considered in July and by-elections should not be held till then.

Gandhi, who resigned the Lok Sabha in the face of disqualification petitions against her on the ground she held office of profit as Chairperson of National Advisory Council, has already announced that she would contest again from Rae Bareli, from where she has been elected twice in the past. 

The notification for Rae Bareli by-election would be issued on April 13 and the last date for filing of nominations is April 20. (PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday restrained the Election Commission from holding by-elections to the Lok Sabha seats which fell vacant following the expulsion of 10 MPs caught on camera in a sting operation in a cash-for-questions scandal.

A bench of Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and judge C.K. Thakker passed this order on an application by the Election Commission seeking permission to hold the by-polls for these constituencies in six states.The apex court had already referred to a five-judge constitution bench to hear an important question of law, whether the parliament had the powers to expel a member for reasons other than those mentioned in the constitution.

On March 3, the apex court made it clear that the commission should seek prior permission for holding elections to these vacant seats. The court also ordered status quo in respect of the notice asking them to vacate the government bungalows allotted to them as MPs.

S. Murlidhar, counsel for the commission, Monday brought to the notice of the bench about the application and said the panel wanted to hold the by-elections to the vacant seats on May 8. He said since the vacancies were notified on Dec 23, 2005, by-elections had to be held before June 22 to meet the constitutional requirement. Attorney General Milon K. Banerjee said the vacancies should be filled at the earliest.

However, the bench said since the matter was to be heard at length, holding of elections in the meanwhile would cause unnecessary financial burden and confusion and stayed the holding of polls until further orders. It also directed listing of the commission’s application for further hearing in July.(IANS)

Health Ministry officials said it was decided to cancel the entrance examination held last year as "CBI investigations prima facie established a high-tech fraud." They said the examination would be conducted afresh and an order in this regard is expected to be signed tomorrow by Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

In view of this, the Centre sought permission to announce a fresh time-table for the AIPGMEE before an apex court Bench comprising Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P P Naolekar which accepted its plea to grant time till April 13 to CBI to complete the investigation into the matter. The Bench will consider the report on April 13. (PTI)

New Delhi: India and the US will hold further talks on the civilian nuclear agreement here on April 7 when US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Richard Boucher, arrives for discussions with Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran.

Sources said Mr Boucher, accompanied by another Assistant Secretary of State Stephen Rademaker to carry the discussions forward, will arrive here on Thursday. The discussions between the two sides will be held on Friday.

The visit by the US officials comes close on the heels of the Foreign Secretary's tour of the US where he held talks with several top officials of the US Administration including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Assistant Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns.

Both of them assured Mr Saran about Bush Administration’s commitment to the Indo-US nuclear deal. Mr Saran also met several members of the US Congress. Mr Saran who also visited Vienna on his way back home, met Indian Ambassador Sheel Kant Sharma and briefed him about the forward movement on the agreement. Mr Saran returned home on Sunday night.

The sources said that Atomic Energy Chief Anil Kakodkar, who played a crucial role in the preparation of the Nuclear Separation (of Civil and Military programmes) Plan, will also be flying to Vienna this week for talks with the IAEA. Dr Kakodkar is scheduled to discuss the ‘India-specific’ guidelines necessary for passage of the Indo-US agreement which is essential for its frution.

According to the Separation Plan, India has asked for ‘India-specific’ guidelines since it is a non-signatory to the NPT and at the same time, has an ‘impeccable’ nuclear record.(UNI)

Mumbai: A sessions court on Monday sentenced a former police constable to 12 years’ rigorous imprisonment on the charge of raping a minor girl at the Marine Drive police chowki last year. The court also fined convict Sunil More Rs 26,500 and ordered that the amount be paid to the victim as compensation for the agony suffered by her.

More was charged with raping a 17-year-old girl at the Marine Drive police chowki, near the state secretariat, on April 21 last year. On the charge of rape, More was convicted under provisions of IPC and sent to jail for 12 years. He was also fined Rs 25,000 or asked to undergo one year more RI in case he did not pay the fine. He was also sentenced to three months’ RI and asked to pay Rs 500 fine or suffer 15 days further RI in case of default under section 342 IPC (wrongful confinement).

In addition, More was sentenced to six months RI and asked to pay Rs 1000 fine or undergo 30 days RI in lieu thereof under section 506 IPC (criminal intimidation). Delivering the verdict, judge K U Chandiwal ordered that all the sentences would run concurrently. Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam had argued for life imprisonment saying More had committed a serious crime by taking law into his hands and casting a blot on his profession. The court did not agree with the prosecutor and imposed 12 years RI sentence on the convict. 

Meanwhile, More was acquitted under provisions of Bombay Police Act for misbehaviour and for being under the influence of liquor on duty. He was acquitted on this count as the prosecution could not prove the charges. The trial was held in-camera to protect the identity of the victim.

The incident sent shock waves across the country and constable More was suspended the same day and dismissed from the service three days later. The police post was shifted from the spot later, sensing the public anger. According to the prosection case, the victim and her boy friend were taken to the police chowki by the watchman of a nearby apartment as they were allegedly engaged in an objectionable act.(PTI)

Jammu: Angry over rejection of his request for leave, a CRPF jawan on Monday opened fire killing three of his colleagues near the official residence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here before being overpowered. Azad and his wife Shamima were present in the house when the CRPF jawan opened fire at around 8 pm, official sources said.

As part of the security ring, CRPF is deployed on the outer periphery of Azad’s official residence here. After a verbal duel with the CRPF inspector on the issue of his leave, the jawan, who hails from Chhapra in Bihar, fired around one dozen rounds from his service rifle killing the inspector and two constables on the spot. 

After the shooting, the jawan tried to run away but was overpowered and arrested, the sources said. This is the second such incident in the state in the last one month. An army jawan, whose leave plea too was turned down, had in a feat of rage shot dead five of his colleagues in Kashmir valley in March. (PTI)

New Delhi: Eight cities in four states will come under the government’s urban renewal plan. These cities are Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Vijaywada, Indore, Nagpur, Rajkot and Surat.

These cities had submitted plans for release of funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission launched on December 3 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last year. The aim of the mission was to improve the basic services in urban areas and make Indian cities more liveable for all sections of society.

"Many more cities are also preparing their city development plans. There are 63 cities being covered under the mission," Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy told a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here Monday.

The urban development ministry had recently cleared infrastructure projects worth Rs.5.24 billion (nearly $120 million) in Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Indore, Surat and Rajkot under the mission.

The projects approved include water supply and underground draining facilities in Vijayawada, construction of flyovers, laying pipelines and augmenting sewage treatment in Hyderabad, water supply scheme in Indore, sewage treatment in Surat and water supply and sewage treatment in Rajkot

"The urban renewal mission is not an elitist project to beautify cities, but an important social and economic intervention in urban development to improve the quality of life of slum-dwellers and the poor," he said.

Nandan Nilekani, chief executive officer of Infosys Technologies and a member of the advisory group on the mission, hoped more cities would respond to this grand initiative of the government.

"The Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission does not view the poor and migrants to cities as a burden but, in fact, views them as a resource," he said.

Among the reforms cities would have to undertake under the mission are resource mobilisation initiatives and shantytown improvement programmes. States also have to rationalise and reduce stamp duties and reform urban governance.(IANS)

The cyclone hit the area at 1.30 am causing extensive damage to electric supply, communication links and both government and private properties. Initial assessment put the loss at more than Rs seven crore, sources said. Immediate relief was sent to the affected families and the civil administration began relief and assessment operations.

A hailstorm also hit the area at noon which uprooted trees obstructing roads at some places. The victims were identified as Blanding Jyrwa(32) and his two sons Banshaining L Sangriang (12) and Aibor L Sangriang. The injured included wife of Blanding, Mrs Debora Sangriang, her daughters -- Dabaelincy, and Idashisha and son Fildason. About 200 houses were damaged in the cyclone.

The Nongstoin CHC, PWD , weaving and handloom department offices, civil surgeons office quarters, Nongstoin public school, SP's office , Police officers club, MeSEB staff quarters, PHE staff quarters, 4th MLP Battalion, St Xavier's Church, Lower and Upper Primary School, Church of God at Mawkawah were damaged. Two officials of the weaving and handloom department- Mr Pelius Lyngdoh and Cordialwell Laloo were also injured. Three DSPs attached to the SP Nonstoin had a narrow escape.

The areas which were mostly affected were New Nongstoin, Upper New Nongstoin and Mawkawah. The total damage is around 7 crore as per official estimates. In the melee one Mardalian Marngar (18) also gave birth to a girl child at New Nongstoin. Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh will visit the affected areas on Tuesday.

"No recruitment for the institute has been made so far," Mr Tiwari said adding that it would be done by the HRD Ministry.

The classes will be conducted at the temporary site in Mayurbhanj, Nongthymmai till the permanent building in Mawdiangdiang is completed.

It may be mentioned that the decision to set up the IIM was made after the meeting of the Union Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD) Arjun Singh held at Shillong a few years back. Earlier the Union DONER and Tribal Affairs Minister Mr PR Kyndiah and former Deputy Chief Minister in charge Education Dr Mukul M Sangma had also lobbied for setting up of IIM in Shillong.

Dr Roy said the GSU was flexible in their approach to the MBOSE issue as they only wanted improvement of the education Board and its better functioning. The Deputy Chief Minister said that the issues related to the over all development of Garo Hills was discussed during his meeting with the GSU.

On Umroi Airport, Mrs Marak said the government was looking for an alternative site for the construction of a new airport with modern facilities. Further improvement of Umroi Airport is technically difficult as there are hillocks, which hinder its expansion, she said.

The Minister said her department was making efforts to make the Baljek Airport functional. "Except for electrification and water supply, other works for the Airport has been completed and it is ready for the operation of small aircrafts", the minister added.

With the Amendment Bill in the offing, Chief Minister DD Lapang is likely to wait till May to effect any reshuffle in his Ministry so as to accommodate more legislators as against the earlier indications that the reshuffle would be undertaken after the Assam elections.

The Chief Minister had submitted a letter to the AICC president Mrs Sonia Gandhi during his last trip to Delhi for an enhanced size of the Ministry with 20 Ministers. The same demand was made by other Chief Ministers of the Northeast at various levels. By taking up the matter jointly, the Northeast Chief Ministers also wanted to prevent the growing resentment among the legislators for not being accommodated in the ministry.

Union DoNER and Tribal Affairs Minister PR Kyndiah recently indicated that the Amendment Bill is likely to come up in the Parliament in May. Mr Kyndiah claimed to have taken initiative at a higher level for allowing the smaller states of Northeast to have more Ministers in their Ministries "as majority of them are affected due to the new regulation".

It is an irony that Mizoram with a total strength of 40 legislators has as many Ministers as states like Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland with 60 members in the Assembly have. Sikkim with 32-member Assembly also has 12 Ministers.

The President of India had given assent to the Anti-defection Bill in 2004 prohibiting MLAs to shift party affiliation, besides downsizing the ministry  to 12 in the Northeastern states. The Bill made it mandatory to limit the size of the Ministries both in the states and at the Centre to 15 per cent of the total strength of the House.

After the formation of the Lapang Ministry in 2003, MDA Cabinet had 42 ministers. With the Ministry size brought down to 12, the government had appoint remaining legislators as Parliamentary Secretaries and Chairpersons of various Boards and Committees.

Over 2,10,000 employees and officers working in 9000 branches of the SBI throughout the country went on an indefinite strike from Monday seeking enhanced pension package. The Staff and Officers Federations have already served a joint strike notice on the management on February 25 after exhausting all avenues available for resolution of the issue, which were pending for the past 15 years.

Notwithstanding the genuine cause for this strike, some bank customers are already agitated because of the work struck. Among other things, the bank employees are demanding 50 per cent of the last salary drawn as pension, commutation at par with industry, index linked DA on pension at par with industry, family pension at par with industry, upgradation of basic pension of all past retirees taking into account the current merger of index at 2288 points and revision of DA formula at par with industry for all the past retirees.

PTI adds from Mumbai: S Describing the strike as "total", the All India State Bank Officers Association claimed that clearing operations came to a grinding halt. Union Minister of State for Labour Chandrasekhar Sahu renewed his appeal to the workers to call off the protest, but the employees said the ball was in the Centre's court.

The Movement had earlier raised searching questions on the beautification project alleging misappropriation of Rs 1.63 crore. This came to light after the MRIM had access to some official files and documents, which it acquired under the Right to Information Act.

Chief Secretary SK Tiwari, who is also the SVC Commissioner, received the complaint and called for files to cross check the veracity of the report. "I need some time to go through the files. After ascertaining the facts, I would decide on inquiry", he said, assuring the nothing would be kept pending.

It may be mentioned that the MRIM had made some revelation on March 23 based on a dossier provided by the State government under the Right to Information Act, 2005.

With a copy of the complaint sent to the Central Vigilance Commission on the same day for necessary action, the Movement wanted the State Vigilance Commissioner to inquire from the government as to why the government failed to have detailed plan and sketches of the project when it was undertaken.

"Tenders were called without any or proper advertisement. Contracts were awarded in a non-transparent manner while the project cost spiralled beyond officially sanctioned amount and that too in a non transparent manner", the MRIM complaint said.

The organisation providing a common platform for the information seekers under the Right to Information Act alleged that the government failed to ensure quality checks before clearing the bills.

Several NGOs including the Mait Shaphrang Movement (MSM), FKJGP, HNYF, SSSS, Freedom Project, SRT and Meghalaya United Women Welfare Organisation (MUWWO) urged the Chief Secretary to identify the officials responsible for "the waste of huge public money" and also for grabbing the land of Old Assembly in strategic fashion.

"What was the urgency in having the project sanctioned in a haste? It is evident that those who are behind this wanted to clear it flouting rules and regulations", the MRIM said.

Shillong: The restructured North Eastern Council is taking various steps to tackle the problem of unemployment and reform the education system in the North East region.

As unemployment is one of the biggest problems in the region, programmes for value addition to the primary products of the region at primary and secondary stages to generate employment and increase family income on mission mode have been planned.

In this regard, the North Eastern Regional Bamboo Mission, the North East Regional Horticulture Mission and the North East Regional Trade Mission are being set up. The NEC has also formed the North East Regional Education Council to recommend suitable measures for development of human resources of the region including upgradation of relevant skills, and improvement in the quality and standard of education generally, and science and mathematics in particular.

The NEC and the State Government had already organised a Bamboo festival last year in Shillong. Representaives from China, France and Belgium had shared the need for tapping the rich bamboo resources and commercial bamboo plantations in the NE.

For a whole one week last month, the entire political elite behaved as if a severe disaster had befallen this great nation. The Manmohan Singh government suddenly decides to adjourn Parliament session sine die; drafts an urgent ordinance literally at midnight; a panicked BJP sees ghosts of a second emergency intended to save another ‘authoritarian’ Mrs. Gandhi; and the latter retaliates with her second renunciation.

Though Sonia Gandhi’s curt retaliation has put an abrupt end to the whole political drama – and the issue of office of profit pushed into the background – it has in the process exposed a lot about the Indian political tragedy. A government that functions in splendid isolation from its own party establishment, an ill-equipped opposition which abruptly retreats when it found its own counter-attacks boomeranging on them in Jharkhand, Rajasthan and MP and the Emergency era operators imposing their crude game plans in the murky corridors of power – all have contributed to the collapse of the country’s party system which is the corner stone of parliamentary system.

It is now ten days, and we have no answers to the countless goof-ups of the sordid events. Every one, the Cabinetwallas, Congress establishment and the aides and speech writers try to stonewall crucial questions. Who had actually initiated the sine die and ordinance move? Were its political repercussions discussed in the Union Cabinet and/or Political Affairs Committee? Did the Prime Minister and his senior Cabinet Ministers endorse them without so much as a discussion? Did the brinkman claim 10 Janpath’s blessings which had silenced all others as being talked about in the Capital’s power corridors? Were Sonia Gandhi and her aides really in the loop or the operators wanted to make it look like a surprise gift to her?

These are questions that go beyond the drawing room gossips. The answers reveal the changing political management style of the Sonia Congress. It sadly shows up the growing disconnect between the party chief, her Prime Minister, his cabinet colleagues and a hundred hangers on around this vast power satellite. The casualty has been a healthy system of consultation and coordination between the different arms. The PM’s camp detests pre-decision consultation. Prior clearance on sensitive issues with deep political implications is avoided. Heads might have rolled had this kind of bungling happened under an Indira Gandhi.

This speaks volume of the erosion of the present party system on which our democracy works. What further bares the main ruling party’s disjoined organizational structure is that after all such disastrous brinkmanship, there has not been any serious in-house introspection to fix the accountability. All that has happened is some idle blame shifting among the ministers to settle score with the rivals. To this day, the Prime Minister, the centre of decision making, has maintained a stoic silence.

The bane of the Congress has been its absence of a holistic approach, a unified command system. It functions in compartments. It is not so much due to the compulsive division of the posts of the Prime Minister and party president. It has been more due to the isolationist style of the incumbent Prime Minister and the protective structure constructed around the party chief. This functional segmentation has been the cruel irony of a party that survives on the strength of its lone super boss – or a super family. Unlike the BJP, which is riven by competing claimants for control, the Congress has a single power centre. Yet it functions in watertight compartments.

The Prime Minister manages the government, and the party establishment hardly bothers about his actions until the Left raises a controversy. Then, verily, Sonia Gandhi acts. Bodies like the coordination panel and core group comes into play only when the opposition forces a sudden crisis or the Left pushes it into the corner. The PM, who enjoys the popular mandate only through his party president, hardly bothers to take the party establishment into confidence even on politically highly sensitive administrative decisions.

There are compartments even within the government. While the Prime Minister is determined to have his way on reform-related decisions and his ‘enlightened’ foreign policy, he hardly bothers about other ministries – unless, of course, it raises some one’s hackles – and thus leaving the colleagues to do as they chose. This is the general pattern of this government’s functioning. This explains the absence of prime ministerial scrutiny to ensure against disastrous deviations, lack of coordination and the much needed political fine-tuning.

Here is a Prime Minister who takes pride in saying that he won’t interfere in the action of the CBI which he did soon after in another case. It was at a time when the opposition was pinning down the government on its decision to help Bofors accused Octavio Quattrocchi. To this day, no one has explained who was responsible for creating such a muddle and thus tarnishing the government’s image. The abdication of prime ministerial responsibility is based on the thesis that economic performance and good governance are key to the popular mood. Once the government could show it could achieve prosperity through economic reform, people would stand by it in elections. A performing government need not bother too much about politicization and communalization whether in government policies or diplomacy.

Looks like input and screen managing devices like the keyboard and the mouse are going to become as old-fashioned as typewriters when gaze recognition technology finally catches on. When that happens computer users will not have to do anything but look at different elements as they appear on the monitor to effect change by means of a face and eye tracking system. It incorporates a strategically placed special camera which continuously records the user's head in order to detect the position of the face and, in particular, the eyes.

From this basic background information a pattern recognition algorithm extracts the shapes that relate to the human eye to locate the centre of the pupil which is then interpreted as the reference position of a mouse cursor on the screen. This now translates eye movement to mouse movement, enabling the cursor to move to wherever the user looks on the screen, along with access also to such other normal mouse functions as clicking and dragging — all of which are done through eye movement alone.

Any gaze which is not directed at the screen is ignored, allowing people to look around normally in the course of their work. Manufacturers of the so-called mouseless cursor are seeing several applications for such easy to use and adaptive human-computer interface beyond merely PC operations. For one thing it could be of immense help in aiding disabled people who find keyboards and mice otherwise almost insurmountable barriers — in spite of voice recognition software that's turned out to have too many glitches. Advertising and market research people for instance would be able to tell where and for how long a person looks at, say, an Internet online ad and tweak the same accordingly.

Automobile engineers feel they can incorporate the technology inside cars as a solution for estimating a driver's attention by rapidly analysing gaze behaviour in relation to the road and traffic patterns. If it falls below a certain optimum operating level, an audio alarm could warn the driver of potential danger. But as far as a purely computing interface is concerned gaze recognition technology will probably become the standard in a few years' time, overtaking even hand signalling technology to change screen elements a la Tom Cruise in Minority Report. (By arranegement with The Times of India)

Sir,

Apropos the letter published under the caption 'Body Donated'(ST March 28), with a call to our political leaders voluntarily to donate their bodies after death for medical research and education as has been donated by Anil Biswas, Secretary C.P.I. (M), West Bengal and a Member of the Politbureau of the C.P.I. (M), it is stated that the question of body donation after death is related with religious superstition with many in our country.

Although eyesights could have been restored to millions of blinds if we donate our eyes after death as Anil Biswas has donated, although we could have advanced the medical education & research by donating the dead body, yet we shun the same, mainly due to religious superstition.

When most of our political leaders not only preserve such superstition and also use the same for their political ends when even most of the people who deal with science in their daily life now and then e.g., doctors, engineers, scientists are also not free from such religious superstition, it is an up-hill task to motivate the common people for body-donation after death.

Only relentless campaign against religious superstitions and mass education may bring about the desired result in this regard.

Yours etc.,
A.Paul,
Shillong-3.

Sir,

It's very annoying to know that there has been undue delay in releasing scholarship of the students for quite a long time now. We as students want to know the truth. Most of the students from other states have received it, that too a good amount. For students who are depending on it (for fees), it will surely hamper or discourage them. I find that the government is taking interest in reducing the number of students. But the government should also provide financial support to the students, especially for the underprivileged ones. It seems the various institutions are also playing their parts by keeping the already given amount for their own profit or interest. The concerned authority must do something to stop this 'misuse'.

Yours etc,
A concerned student,
Tezpur University
Via e-mail

The polling which started at 7 a.m. under watch full eyes of poll observers under heavy security arrangement with deployment of 359 additional companies of paramilitary force personnel. Out of these 285 companies were engaged in polling station duty.

An official with the Election Commission (EC)informed that the polling percentage is likely to go up as final reports of poll turn out were yet to be received from polling stations located in remote areas. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were used in all the 9723 polling stations. Out of these, 1,797 polling stations had been identified as very sensitive and 3,227 as sensitive.

Over 92,07, 504 lakh voters were expected to cast their votes to elect representatives to 12th Assam Assembly from 65 constituencies in the first phase polling. The remaining 61 constituencies will go for polling on 10 April next. Rains that came after a long dry spell in the state played the spoilsport in the early hours of polling in some areas including Guwahati and Dibrugarh cities. However, the polling picked up towards the afternoon after the sun came out of the cloud.

Heavy polling in the range of 65 to 70 per cent were recorded in the strong hold on banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) in Upper Assam's Sadiya, Doomdooma, Digboi constituencies. Polling was over 70 per cent in northern Assam constituencies of Jonai and Dhemaji as well as in Majuli, the biggest river island on the globe located in the bosom of mighty Brahmaputra river.

However, low polling were recorded in certain minority-dominated areas in Barak Valley and Central Assam. The voters were asked to produce any of the 23 documents prescribed by the EC to identify themselves in polling booths before casting their votes.

Chief Minister Mr Tarun Gogoi and his wife Mrs Dolly Gogoi cast their votes at in DCB College polling booth in his home town at Jorhat in Upper Assam at 9 a.m.. He is contesting from neighboring Titabor constituency in Jorhat district. Of the 65 Assembly seats in the first phase, 34 are in Upper Assam.

In a release here, WSSU president Shikehoto Zhimomi and general secretary Kaino Chishi expressed strong opposition to the move of the Assam Government to hold elections in Aghunaqa, falling under the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) comprising over 40 villages.

The WSSU claimed that the area fell under the jurisdiction of Dimapur district and therefore, it would not allow to conduct polling on the soil of Nagaland. The union further cautioned that it would be compelled to pursue its own course of action in the interest of the public in the event of failure on the part of the concerned authorities to withdraw the polling stations.

Meanwhile,in a statement, Dimapur Deputy Commissioner K N Ngullie said he got information from the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Nagaland regarding setting up of some polling stations by the Assam government and made it clear that the district administration would not allow holding of elections in the area. (UNI)

Guwahati: Did Prime Minister Manmohan Singh vote in Assam Monday? This was the question posed by many voters at the Dispur constituency, where he is registered as a voter. But the locals were disappointed with the prime minister failing to exercise his franchise.

'We were hoping to vote along with our prime minister but we were a little disappointed as he did not turn up,' said M. Saikia, a middle-aged voter.

Polling for the first phase of the two-stage elections in 65 of Assam's 126 assembly constituencies concluded Monday.

The prime minister, who represents Assam in the Rajya Sabha, is a voter of Dispur constituency located in the heart of the state's main city Guwahati. The polling station no.155 at Dispur Government Higher Secondary School was considered the most prestigious among all election booths that went to the polls Monday - Manmohan Singh's name figured at serial no.720 in the voters' list.

Manmohan Singh, who was elected to the upper house of parliament from Assam in 1991, had voted at this polling station in the 1998 general election. He, however, has not voted in any of the assembly elections from his home constituency after he made Assam his permanent address for to contest the Rajya Sabha polls in 1991.

During electioneering Saturday and Sunday in Assam for the ruling Congress party, Manmohan Singh appealed to voters to come out in large numbers and vote for his party. (IANS)

Long queues could be seen in front of ATM booths in front of the Civil Secretariat here and also in the State Bank of India Aizawl Branch premises. Employees of central government and private companies who drew salaries through the State Banks are the hardest hit, the customers said. (PTI)

Our Correspondent adds from Agartala: Normal function of the State Bank of India (SBI) here too came to a standstill as hundreds of SBI employees on Monday staged demonstration in front of the branches of the leading bank including the regional office at Bijoy Kumar Chowmuhani in State capital.

The employees of the leading banks also chanted slogan against the Union Government for not paying heed on their reasonable demands. Strike was observed in all 33 branches to air the grievances of the bank employees, said a leader of the bank Union adding that joint forum of the bank employees' federation made several attempt to convinced the Union Government but in vain.

"The rigid stance has pushed us to go for indefinite strike," he said.

The joint forum of the bank employees has been demanding review of pension and family, which has not been looked at since 1992. However, the SBI authorities have disbursed salary bills on Sunday keeping in mind of the sufferings of the State Government employees. However, functioning of other nationalist banks was normal.

Describing the process of artificial insemination in a yak, the centre's director Mohan Bhattacharaya informed that five genetically selected superior yak bulls were used for the purpose. Development of yak frozen semen by the Centre for the first time in India might be considered as a breakthrough in husbandry, the director claimed. The scientists involved in the project include, Dr Vinod Dutta Boruah, senior research fellow, Dr M Sarkar, scientist at the centre, Dr B C Deka, Dr. B C Sharma and Dr P C Chakroborty all professors of College of Vety. Science under Assam Agriculture University. (UNI)

The ruling and Opposition members on Monday held seperate meetings to adopt strategies during the discussion in the House on Tuesday. The Advocate-General of Nagaland was likely to address the emergency session to explain the provisions of the 1964 Act, Assembly secretariat sources said. (PTI)

The PIB (Defence wing) said here that Maj. Gen. Kochekkan took charge from Major General G C Dwivedi on Sunday. The 57 Mountain Division, one of the active forces in the country, is engaged in anti-insurgency operations in the State. Kochekkan had also worked as military advisor to the Government of Seychelles.

Meanwhile, General Officer Commanding in-chief (Eastern Command) Arvind Sharma discussed the law and order situation in the State with Governor Dr S S Sidhu and Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. (UNI)

''We are opposing the patenting of Combivir as it is not a new invention but simply the combination of two existing drugs. The granting of such a patent risks increase of the cost of anti-retroviral treatment for many people living with hiv/aids thereby further increasing the burden on developing countries already struggling to treat patients,'' said K K Abraham, president of Inp+.

Combivir is a widely used fixed dose combination and is used extensively in projects run by international aids organisation Medicines Sans Frontiers (msf). Almost all the Combivir used by msf is generic. India, Burkina Faso, Mongolia, Central African Republic, Malawi, Peru, the Republic of Kyrgizstan, Cambodia, Ukraine are other countries identified by the global fund as using generic Combivir, the two organisations said. (UNI)

Imphal: Major regional parties in Manipur like the Federal Party of Manipur (FPM), Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) and Democratic Revolutionary People's Party (DRPP) are planning to merge. Members of the regional parties said only a united opposition could fight the ruling Congress and the CPI in the next Assembly elections.

The Manipur People's Party (MPP), the oldest regional party, has also agreed to merge in spite of infighting among the regional parties. After a series of meetings on Monday, the parties would decide on the modalities of the merger. The new party would come under a new name, flag, symbol and leadership, the party members said.

A rally to protest the proposed construction of the Tipaimukh dam in Manipur was taken out on Monday at Imphal by the Action Committee against Tipaimukh Project. Thousands of people, including women and children, participated in the rally which started from Khuman Lampak.

The silent procession passed through some important roads of Imphal and converged near Thau ground. The rallyists carried festoons and placards denouncing the decision to construct the dam.

The Committee said about 288.60 sq kms of land would be submerged by the dam and 40,000 people displaced. Huge cultivable land would also be submerged once the project is implemented, the Committee said. (UNI)

The two students organisation had called an economic blockade, demanding repair of the road, which connects Senapati and Tamenglong districts. The organisations have urged the drivers to support the blockade. Various organisations have extended support to ZSU and KSO. (UNI)

Agartala: In view of the death of 77 children in 91 days till March 31 in a Government hospital in Tripura, the Government has decided to modernise the paediatric department of Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) hospital here, official sources said here on Monday.

The State Health Department had also instituted a three-member inquiry commission to probe the charge made by a section of the press that the deaths were due to unhygenic conditions in the hospital and negligence by its staff. The report was submitted to the State Health Minister on Sunday.

The report said that the child deaths in the hospital was unnatural despite the fact that the hospital was a referral one and patients were sent to it from different subdivisional hospitals and primary health centres when they reached a critical stage and the scope for treatment was not much, the sources said.

The committee said the infrastructure of the hospital was inadequate and the toilets were not cleaned properly casued spread of the germs of water borne diseases.

The Health Department decided to set up a new intensive care unit for children, a full-fledged pathology department and ensure availability of specialist doctors round the clock at the hospital since it had the largest paediatric care unit in the State. Health Minister, Tapan Chakraborty on Sunday visited the hospital following receipt of the report of the inquiry team and ordered necessary steps to improve the health care system of the hospital, the sources added. (PTI)