2100 HRS.                                                    

14-02-2013

THE HEADLINES:

• More than 90 per cent voter turnout in Tripura Assembly elections.
• New Delhi asks Italian Firm to specify if money was paid to Indian individuals or entities in VVIP Choppers deal.
• India and France agree to strengthen counter terrorism and intelligence cooperation.
• Supreme Court dismisses curative petitions of telecom companies for re-examination of its verdict cancelling 122 2-G spectrum licenses.
• The Apex Court seeks details of expenses on VVIP security by Centre and States.
• Sensex declines 111 points to close at 19,497.

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In Tripura, the polling process for the 60 member Assembly constituency is over with the state going on to set a new record for poll casting amidst a peaceful polling. The polling process till the last information has crossed the earlier figure of 91.32 in 2008 assembly poll.

The polling process for the state has ended peacefully amidst tight security. Though EVM malfunctioned in 11 polling booths but according to CEO the EVM malfunctioning was much less than national average and has not affected the polling process. He also informed that one Sector Officer in Bishalgarh Sub-division was relived off his duty in the middle of the poll and probed ordered after he was found outside his deployment area informed CEO. Today from morning onwards long queues were seen in almost all the polling booths which continue till end of the vote. Though, around 250 polling booths continued voting after 4 for those voters who were in queue at 4 PM.While one voter died in the polling booth after casting his vote due to cardiac arrest. In another incident polling officials of Korbook constituency met with accident while returning back. The counting of the vote will be held on 28th of this month. WITH MANAS PRATIM SARMA, THIS IS SUDITA KAR, AIR NEWS, AGARTALA

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India today formally asked Italian firm Finmeccanica to state whether any money was illegally paid to any Indian entity or individual in  VVIP choppers deal. The CEO of  Agusta Westland has been asked to categorically state the clear position in view of the current developments indicating specifically if any financial transaction has taken place with any Indian individual  or entity which would be violative of the Integrity Pact or any other terms and conditions of the contract.

The Ministry of Defence   came out with a fact-sheet detailing the sequence of the  3600 crore deal for 12 helicopters clinched in 2010 by a Finmeccanica subsidiary Agusta Westland. It notes that the mandatory technical requirements of the chopper were changed in the tender during the Vajpayee government in 2003, with the then National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra playing a key role.

Giving details, the fact-sheet said that the first Request for the proposal was issued in March 2002 mandating requirement of 6,000 metre (18,000 feet) flying altitude for selection of the chopper.This requirement made it clear that Agusta Westland could not participate in the deal.

However, in a meeting taken by the then NSA (Brajesh Mishra), it was noted that the President and the Prime Minister have rarely made visits to places involving flying at an altitude beyond 4500 metres (15,000 feet) and it was decided to make the mandatory requirement for operational altitude 4500 meters.

Meanwhile, the former Defence Minister and Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh today said that the required parameters in the VVIP chopper deal tender were changed during the NDA rule. He was talking to reporters in New Delhi.

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India and France today agreed to strengthen counter terrorism and intelligence cooperation between the two countries. Speaking to media, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said he and French President Francois Hollande exchanged views on a number of bi-lateral, regional and multilateral issues.

President Hollande and I exchanged views on a number of bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of common and mutual interest. We reviewed progress on the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project and reiterated our commitment to its early implementation as soon as the commercial and technical negotiations, which have made good progress, are completed.

Dr Singh said both the leaders also concluded negotiations on the short range surface to Air missile to be co-produced in India. Our correspondent reports, both the leaders also agreed on the need to reinvigorate economic engagement between the two countries.

Mr Hollande said both the leaders had in-depth discussion on the defence cooperation issue including submarines and missiles.

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The Supreme Court today asked the Centre, all states and union territories to furnish details of expenses incurred on providing security to various categories of persons including people with a criminal background and kith and kin of VVIPs.

The court made clear that it did not want to know the expenses incurred on the security of constitutional functionaries such as President and the Prime Minister and their state counterparts.

A bench of justices G S Singhvi and H L Gokhale  passed the order after two-hours of hearing during which senior advocate Harish Salve gave examples of how the provision of providing security and use of beacon lights were being misused and coming in the way of right to equality of citizens.

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The Apex Court today dismissed curative petitions of several telecom firms for re-examination of its verdict cancelling 122 2G spectrum licences allocated during tenure of former Telecom Minister A Raja. The apex court also denied permission to Raja to file his curative petition.A bench of Chief Justice Altamas Kabir and justices P Sathasivam and G S Singhvi rejected the plea of the telecom firms and Raja saying no case is made out.

A curative petition is filed after the dismissal of review petition and is decided in the chambers of judges. A bench of justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly on February 2, 2012, had cancelled the 122 2G licences holding as unconstitutional the policy of first-come-first-served.

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In the Kashmir valley, the situation by and large remained peaceful today except two incidents of stone pelting at Bandipore and Srinagar. According to police no person was injured in these incidents. Relaxation in the curfew was given today in almost all the major towns of the valley which passed of peacefully. During the curfew relaxation, the shops were opened in many areas and the vehicles were plying normally. People were engaged in purchasing essential commodities.

However in Pulwama Budgam and Ganderbal districts , the  curfew will remain in force tomorrow.

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The Centre today said, there will be no reduction of State food grain entitlement quota under the proposed legislation on Food security. In an exclusive interview to All India Radio, the Minister of Consumer affairs, food and Public Distribution, Prof. K.V Thomas said, the states have been given flexibility to decide on the important parameters, including identification of beneficiaries.

The bill is being implemented, it will be beneficial to the states.  Financial burden will be less.  But these are some of the points, we are discussing we are working out also.

The full text of the interview can be heard at nine thirty tonight in our Countrywide program on FM Gold Channel.

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President Pranab Mukherjee has asked the policy makers to address environmental pressures to achieve sustainability in electricity supply in view of its growing demand. Inaugurating the fourth GRIHA National Conference on Green Design in New Delhi today, Mr Mukherjee called for increasing energy efficiency in the building sector and utlilising renewable energy.  The President said though the government has devised several policy and regulatory mechanisms to address urban challenges, much more needs to be done.

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NEWS FROM THE  WORLD OF BUSINESS

The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange declined 111 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 19,497, on largely broad-based selling, today. The Nifty fell 36 points, to 5,897. But stock markets in Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea rose between 0.2 percent and 0.9 percent. China’s stock market remained shut for holidays. The rupee depreciated 10 paise, to close at 53.92 against the dollar. Gold fell 75 rupees, to 30,725 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. Silver lost 1,000 rupees, to 57,000 rupees per kilo. Pradeep Kumar, AIR News.

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Seeking to unfreeze idle gold,the RBI today made the Gold Deposit Schemes of banks more attractive by lowering the investment time period and allowing mutual funds to participate in the scheme. The RBI said in a circular,it had now been decided to change the maturity period,of gold deposit schemes, ranging from six months to seven years. Earlier the maturity period for the said scheme was between three to seven years.

Further, Sebi registered mutual funds and exchange traded funds may deposit under the scheme. It further said the banks would not be required to obtain prior approval of RBI for introducing the scheme.

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Declining for the fourth straight month, Wholesale Price Index, WPI inflation fell to 6.62 per cent in January despite rise in prices of food items like vegetables, onions and rice. An official data released today said that the WPI had stood at 7.18 per cent in December and 7.24 per cent in November. It was at 7.23 per cent in January, 2012.

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External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has expressed hope that the crisis in the Maldives will soon be resolved. Talking to the media in New Delhi this evening, Mr Khurshid said that he had a 40-minute telephonic conversation with his Maldivian counterpart Abdul Samad Abdullah today.Mr Khurshid said he is hopeful that it will be diffused soon.

As far as  Maldives is concerned, valuable friends of India. Any inaccurate reports about how we deal with each other's issues, should not be allowed to come in the way of the friendship.

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The entire world has come together on one platform to raise the voice for the violence against women across the globe by participating in 'One Billion Rising Campaign'. This is a global campaign to rise against violence and take a stand for the one billion women. Almost 200 hundred countries are taking part in this campaign.

United Nation Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, in his message said, by standing together we can end the violence against women and girls and build a world where all live free from harassment and fear. He urged all the governments to make a concrete commitment of action to end the violence against women and girls.