2100 HRS.

30-04-2013

THE HEADLINES

• Lok Sabha passes Finance Bill amidst opposition's walk out.
• Supreme Court describes CBI's affidavit on sharing coalgate probe report with Law Minister as disturbing, calls for restoring independence of the agency.
• Petrol price cut by 3 rupees per liter.
• Sarbajit Singh's condition deteriorates, India in constant touch with Pakistan.
• Sajjan Kumar acquitted in a 1984 anti-sikh riot case.
• Sensex hits six-week high,  rises 117 points: Gold  drops 250 rupees, to 27,950.
• Peshawar High Court bans Parvez Musharraf from contesting all future elections.

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The Lok Sabha has passed the Finance Bill 2013 by a voice vote in the absence of the opposition parties. Speaker Meira Kumar guillotined the financial proposals of various central ministries for the financial year 2013-14. Moving the Bill, Finance Minister Mr P Chidambaram said there is no proposal to introduce wealth tax on agricultural land.

Earlier, the House passed the Appropriation (Railways) Bill 2013 authorising certain sums out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2013-14, without discussion. The bill was moved by Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

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Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said that the passage of other bills in Parliament is equally important for the government. Speaking to media persons outside Parliament today, Mr Chidambaram said it is not correct to say that with the passage of the Finance Bill in the Lok Sabha, the government's job is over.

Mr Chidambaram said he would like to have a debate before the Finance Bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha. He clarified that tax residency certificate issued by a foreign government will be accepted as a proof of residence.

The tax residency certificate issued by a Foreign government will be accepted as a certificate of residence, but additional information can also be asked by the government.

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BJP will  boycott meetings that would be called by Lok Sabha Speaker and Parliamentary Affairs Minister and it will not cooperate with the government. Briefing reporters in New Delhi today, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj alleged that Congress members in the Lok Sabha disturbed her  while she was speaking in the house and she was not allowed to speak. Mrs. Swaraj  charged the Congress with weakening of democratic institution in the country.  She, however, clarified that BJP will not  move no-confidence motion against government.

The Congress has described as unfortunate the stand taken by the Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj.  Party spokesperson Renuka Choudhary took exception to her decision and said such an observation amounts to aspersion on the Chair.

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Supreme Court today termed as very disturbing the CBI's Affidavit on sharing its report with the Law Minister and others on coalgate scam. The Apex Court slammed investigating agency for keeping the court in dark on the issue. A Division Bench of the Court called for restoring the independence of the CBI. It said that the sharing of information with the government about the probe into the scam has shaken the entire process and urged CBI not to take instructions from political masters on their probe.

Earlier, the CBI Director in its affidavit said that the draft report on coal scam was shared with Law Minister before submitting it to the Highest Court of the country. Mr.Ranjit Sinha also informed the Court that the report was also shared with one Joint Secretary level officer in Prime Minister's office and in the Coal Ministry . He assured the Supreme Court that agency will not share further status report in this case with any member of political executive.

The issue figured in the Rajya Sabha leading to its repeated adjournments before it was adjourned for the day . The  stand off between the Government and the opposition seeking resignation of Law Minister on coal block allocation issue led to adjournment of the house for the 7th day. The issue of Chinese incursion was also taken up forcefully by Samajwadi Party members . Before the Lok Sabha approved the Finance Bill, leader of the opposition in the House Sushma Swaraj held Government responsible for present impasse in Parliament. She alleged due to a series of scams this situation has come. She said it is bounden duty of the opposition to raise its voice on reported scams in the larger interests of the country and the people.

Later the opposition members staged a walk out.

The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh  said that he is studying the Supreme Court's observations on the affidavit filed by the CBI on coal block allocation. Dr. Singh said that he will take whatever action is called for after studying the observations.

Congress Spokesman Janarda Diwedi said that the party has always respected the court orders:

We have always respected the rulings by the Supreme Court; This is not a ruling, so to say. When the ruling comes, we will implement it with a sense of respect.

BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said, the Prime Minister's office must own up the responsibility in the light of the facts that have come up.

In the light of what is happening since yesterday, as to what murky facts have come by the Attorny General and the Additional, Solicitor General, time the Prime Minister must own up.

The CPM said that the Supreme Court's observations on the CBI's status report on the coal block allocations issue are the direct indictment of the UPA government.

Senior party leader Sitaram Yechury said that after the apex court's remarks, the continuation of the Law minister has become untenable.

Given these remarks we think the Law Minister's continuation in office is completely untenable .  And secondly, the Prime Minister will have to answer and tell the Parliament and the country the truth, because his office is also being named.

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Additional Solicitor General Haren Raval resigned from the post in the wake of the controversy over his statement in the Supreme Court that the CBI probe report was not shared with anyone.Raval, who was replaced as the CBI counsel in the crucial hearing today, handed over his resignation to Law Minister Ashwani Kumar in the evening. The resignation of Raval  came a day after he blamed Attorney General of  influencing the CBI probe into the allotment of coal blocks. In a letter to Attorney General Rawal had alleged besides coal scam, the attorney general's shadow could be deciphered in other scam related investigations by the CBI.

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Petrol Price has been cut by three rupees per litre including VAT. The new rate will be effective from midnight . Now, petrol will cost  63 rupees and 9 paise per litre in Delhi, 69 rupees and 73 paise per litre in Mumbai, 65 rupees 90 paise  per litre in Chennai and  70 rupees 35 pasie per litre in Kolkata. The decision has been taken in the view of decrease in the International prices of petrol.

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NEWS FROM THE WORLD  OF BUSINESS

Rising for the second straight session, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange gained 117 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at a six-week high of 19,504, today, on strong buying in FMCG stocks, and the government assuring foreign investors on the Tax Residency Certificate. The Nifty rose 26 points, to 5,930. Stock markets in Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore rose between 0.2 percent and 1.2 percent. The rupee gained 45 paise, to a nearly three-month high of 53.80 against the dollar.   Gold dropped 250 rupees, to 27,950 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. Silver declined 265 rupees, to 46,735 rupees per kilo.And Brent crude oil futures stood below 104 dollars a barrel, while US crude lost one cent, to 94.49 dollars a barrel. AIR News.

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Defence Minister A K Antony today said though the current situation in Eastern Ladakh is not India’s creation, it remains committed to peacefully resolution of the issue through military and diplomatic talks under existing agreements. Mr Antony at the same time emphasized that the country is united in its commitment to safeguard its interests.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has   expressed confidence that the standoff between the two countries will be resolved amicably through talks. He said, the two countries have a   system in place to resolve such situations. He also said, as of now, he has no plan to cancel his visit to China on the 9th of next month.

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Government today asserted that Sarabjit will get best medical treatment and New Delhi is constantly in touch with Islamabad to help him.  Home Minister Mr.Sushil Kumar Shinde said this on  the sideline of a function in New Delhi.  Meanwhile, doctors treating Indian death row convict Sarbajit Singh, in a hospital Lahore said his condition has deteriorated though he had not been declared brain dead. Allama Iqbal Medical College principal Mahmood Shaukat, the head of a four-member medical board, supervising Sarabjit's treatment, said top neurosurgeons and physicians are providing Sarabjit the best treatment to save his life.

The doctors   changed some medications after the deterioration in his condition. He said, a second CT scan on Sarabjit too did not reveal any signs of improvement.

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Congress leader Sajjan Kumar has been acquitted of all charges in a case relating to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by a Delhi Session Court. The case relates to the murder of five Sikhs in the Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment on November 1, 1984 following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Three others in the case, former counselor Balwan Khokhar, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal, have been convicted for murder and rioting and two, former MLA Mahender Yadav and Krishan Khokhar, have been convicted for rioting.

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The West Bengal Assembly today adopted a bill to deal with the activities of Chit Fund Companies and to protect investors interest. Our correspondent takes a look at the salient features of the bill:

Under the provisions of the new bill the State Government will appoint an officer as Director of Economic offences as the competent authority to investigate the illegal activities of chit fund companies.  The competent authority will have the power to dispose of the confiscated properties of chit fund companies by selling or auctioning to protect the interest of investors.  The Finance Minister said that the new bill is more powerful to curb the illegal activities of chit fund companies.  The depositors and agents who have lost their everything in saradha meltdown are keen on early implementation of the new legislation to get back their money.Arijit Chakraborty, AIR NEWS, Kolkata

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In Uttrakhand, BJP today bagged three of the six municipal corporations while Congress lost in four seats, whose results have been declared so far. Polling was held to six municipal corporations, 28 municipal boards and 38 nagar panchayats on April 28.

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In Assam, curfew continues in parts of Goalpara town as army staged a flag march. District administration imposed indefinite curfew last evening after 2 persons  died in police firing and another person was burnt to death by miscreants. Goalpara Deputy Commissioner Preetam Saikia said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered.

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In Karnataka, the election to Periyapatna assembly constituency in Mysore district is postponed due to the death of BJP candidate Sannamoge Gowda yesterday.  Our correspondent reports on the election campaign in the state:

The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chauhan who had come to Bangalore to campaign for Congress party during the Assembly election charged that the five years of BJP rule in the state has pushed the state to the dark depths of underdevelopment. He said people are seeking change and a stable government. BJP National president campaigning in Hassan today said despite mistakes in the BJP government, it has delivered promises made to the people. Former Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari Speaking at an election rally, he said, India is a rich nation with poor population because of bad governance and visionless economic policies pursued by the Congress-led UPA government. The former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda speaking at Ramnagaram and campaigning for JD(S) candidate, said national parties cannot safeguard regional interests. The election campaign will come to an end on the evening of May 3rd. Meanwhile a truck carrying liquor worth 20 lakh rupees was seized at Athani taluk in Karnataka-Maharashtra border today. The truck was coming from Haryana. With Devendra this is Sudhindra for AIR, Bangalore

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The Peshawar High Court has imposed a lifetime ban on former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for contenting elections. The Court also dismissed his appeal against the disqualification of his nomination papers from NA-32 Chitral constituency. A four member bench headed by Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan heard Musharraf’s petition against the decision of the election tribunal declaring the returning officer’s acceptance of his nomination papers as void