5H JAN 2013     EVENING NEWS   1920 HRS
THE HEADLINES
• Election Commission expresses satisfaction over poll preparations in
Nagaland.
• Nagaland Pradesh Congress gets into election mode,  assures all sitting
MLAs party tickets in assembly polls.
• No consensus on death penalty to rape convicts; But unanimity arrives in
redefining juvenile age from 18 to 16 years to deal with growing cases of crimes
against women.
• In Assam, three CRPF personnel suspended for allegedly molesting a
physically handicapped woman in Lakhimpur district.
The Election Commission has expressed satisfaction over the poll preparedness
in Nagaland where assembly election is due within March. After holding
discussions with state civil and police officials at Dimapur, Chief Election
Commissioner V S Sampath told newsmen that 95 per cent of Photo Electoral
Rolls had been completed in the state and asked the election officials to cover
the remaining 5 per cent before the coming assembly election. The CEC said the
genuine voters whose names had been deleted from the electoral rolls are free
to apply for the same. Similarly, the deputy commissioners have to delete the
names after receiving complaints from political parties of multiple entries of
names in different constituencies. Mr Sampath said  the state election
department has also been asked to verify duplicate names in the electoral rolls
through appropriate software to remove such names. During the meetings with
state officials, the EC made it clear to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election
and no compromise should be made on these three parameters. V.S. Sampath,
accompanied by two other election commissioners, H.S. Brahma and Syed
Nasim Zaidi, was in Dimapur for past two days to assess poll preparation in the
state. The CEC said like in other parts of the country, expenditure monitoring
during electioneering would be implemented in Nagaland too to curb the
practice of money power in elections. He said a comprehensive set of
instructions had been given to the state election department for expenditure
monitoring. Similarly, political parties and their  candidates along with agents
would be sensitized on this aspect through special workshops.  Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, NPCC, yesterday got iNagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, NPCC, yesterday got into election
mode at a meeting held at Congress Bhavan, Kohima and assured that all the
sitting MLAs would get party tickets in the coming  assembly election. The
meeting attended by the Congress legislators, DCC office bearers, chiefs of
Mahila and Youth Congress and Seva Dal, asked the party workers and
supporters to work dedicatedly at grass root so that the Congress can come
back to power after sitting in opposition for past  10 years. Addressing the
meeting, NPCC president S. I. Jamir exuded confidence that the Congress can
come back to power of the party workers work with dedication, sacrifice and
unitedly in the run up to the election. He said if  Congress returns to power it
would bring all round development for the people and the state. Jamir said since
there were many aspirants for the party tickets in every assembly constituency
the DCCs should select a consensus candidate who has proven records of
dedication to the party and people of the area. CLP leader Tokheho disclosed
that the party has decided to issue tickets to all  sitting MLAs and asked the
Congress ranks and files in the constituencies to work for the success of the
candidates. He said if the Congress is elected to power, it would provide a clean
administration and wipe out corruptions in the state. Tokheho also disclosed
that he decided to contest the coming election from Dimapur-III constituency
instead of Aghunato which has been represented by him since 1993.
The conference of chief secretaries and DGPs in Delhi could not arrive at
consensus on death penalty in rape cases. But there was a general consensus
to redefine the juvenile age from 18 years to 16 years to deal with the growing
cases of sexual assault against women. Home Minister Sushil Kumer Shinde
told newsmen that all suggestions put forward by the Chief Secretaries and
DGPs would be considered by the Government. Mr Shinde also impressed upon
the states to increase women's representation in police force across the country.
He said that there was unanimity on the need for setting up fast-track courts in
every state for speedy disposal of cases of sexual  assaults on women. Mr
Shinde pointed out that some states favoured intensifying vigil through various
ways, including motorcycle patrolling. He said by April 2013, important citizen
services will be launched. Home Secretary R K Singh said that officers who
refuse to logde FIRs in such cases should be suspended immediately.
In Assam, three CRPF personnel were suspended for allegedly molesting a
physically handicapped woman in Lakhimpur district. The SP of the district said
that a Special Investigation Team, has been formed to look into the matter. One
CRPF Havildar was arrested yesterday in this connection. In another incident in
Tinsukia district, a 13-year-old girl was allegedly gang raped by four persons on
charges of stealing a mobile phone. Police said, five persons, including a lady,
have been arrested in the case. Protest rallies were held in Guwahati demanding
punishment to the culprits.A newly set up fast track court today began hearing the charge sheet filed
against five accused in the Delhi gang-rape case. City Police filed the charge
sheet before the Metropolitan Magistrate Thursday.  The accused have been
charged with murder, gang-rape and other offences under IPC. The case of the
sixth accused, a juvenile, will be filed before the Juvenile Justice
Board.  Meanwhile, Delhi Police has decided to register a case against Zee News
for airing the interview with the male friend of the Delhi gang rape victim, who is
the lone witness to the crime. Delhi Police Spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said the
case has been filed under Section 228 (A) of the IPC, which pertains to
disclosure of identity of victim of certain offences, including rape.
After initially declining to hear a plea for disqualification of MPs and MLAs
charge sheeted for rape and other crimes against women, the Supreme Court
has sought response from the Centre and state governments for removing such
legislators as people's representatives. A bench comprising justices K S
Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra, which had agreed to go into issues of fast track
trial of rape cases and implementation of laws for safety of women, had earlier
preferred not to go into the issue of legislators,  saying it was not in their
jurisdiction.  The apex court, which was hearing two PILs filed after the Delhi
gang-rape incident, also decided to go into the plea for seeking direction for
termination of services of police and government officials who are convicted of
charges of rape and other heinous crimes against women and children.
Intense cold wave in North India yesterday claimed  22 lives as temperatures
plummeted to sub-zero levels at many places in the  region. The death toll
incurrent cold wave in UP crossed 130. The MeT office said Delhi recorded the
season's lowest minimum of 2.7 degrees Celsius. Intense cold tightened its grip
across Kashmir Valley with Srinagar recording the temperature at minus 4.3
degrees Celsius. In Rajasthan, most of the places recorded minimum
temperature below 5 degree.