1400 Hrs

26^th August, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament disrupted over VHP's Yatra issue.

• Government sets up a Tax Administration Reform Commission to review tax laws in the country.

• Supreme Court asks Centre to file response on a PIL seeking removal of Justice KG Balakrishnan as NHRC Chairman.

• More than 10 thousand people evacuated in South Gujarat due to flood in Narmada River.

• Sensex rules flat in afternoon trade; Rupee weakens 100 paise against the dollar.

• India take on South Korea in Men's Asia Cup Hockey at Ipoh in Malaysia today.

• US Open Tennis Tournament begins in New York this evening.

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Both the Houses of Parliament witnessed repeated adjournments today on the Vishwa Hindu Parishad yatra in Uttar Pradesh. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 2 PM on the same issue. Earlier, the two Houses were adjourned twice in the pre-lunch session.

As soon as the Lok Sabha met for the day, BJP members protested against the ban on Chourasi Kosi Parikrama and the arrest of its leaders. Samajwadi Party members trooped into the well of the House countering the slogans raised by the BJP. When the Lok Sabha reassembled at noon, Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav accused the BJP of not following the court’s directives. He said by banning the Parikrama, the Uttar Pradesh government has only followed the directives of the Supreme Court. He charged the BJP with ransacking the Samajwadi Party office in New Delhi. Yogi Adityanath of the BJP accused the state government for undermining the people’s right to religion. Demanding the sacking of the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh, he alleged that the state government is releasing the persons arrested for their involvement in terror activities and appeasing the minority community. The BJP member also alleged that the state is providing government land for grave yards and infringing upon the rights and benefits of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath today said that he has discussed with some political parties concerns on the VHP Yatra in Uttar Pradesh. Talking to reporters outside Parliament House, he said that any body can raise issue for discussion but the practice of disrupting the proceedings is unfortunate.

Gurudas Dasgupta of the CPI alleged the BJP is using the Ram Mandir and Parikrama issues to consolidate its vote bank in Uttar Pradesh. He told reporters that God is to be worshipped and should not be made a pawn at the hands of politicians.

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Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has said that the Maharashtra government is trying its best to complete the investigation into the Mumbai gang rape incident expeditiously. Making a statement in the Lok Sabha today, he said that the state government will prosecute the accused under the law.

I spoke to the Maharashtra Home Minister this morning that the case should be fast tracked as soon as possible. They have decided to take it to the Fast track court and have also decided to appoint a Special advocate in the case. I have full faith in the Home Minister of Maharashtra. The case will be decided soon.

Mr Shinde said, the statement of the male companion of the victim has been recorded and medical and forensic examinations have been carried out. Spot visit and collection of evidence from the spot have also been conducted. Not satisfied with the Home Minister’s statement, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj asked the government to hand out capital punishment to the rapists.

The Parliament passed a stringent law against rape and said that speedy justice should be delivered in such cases. But I am disappointed that no judgment has been given in Damini case yet. Such incidents are occurring only because we have not been able to roll out speedy punishment to these culprits . Therefore, I request that the word expeditiously should not just be used but should also be followed.

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Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari today urged the opposition parties to allow the Food Security Bill be passed in the parliament. Speaking to the reporters on the sidelines of a book release event in New Delhi, Mr. Tewari said the bill that offers the opportunity to feed 81 crore Indians should not be sacrificed at the behest of party politics. He said that the opposition parties need to rise above party politics and see the public welfare which is intrinsic and embodied in the heart of the bill.

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Both the Houses of Parliament today congratulated the Indian athletes for winning fourteen medals including the three gold at the 2013 Asian Youth Games in China. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha also felicitated the Indian Women’s Archery Team for winning a gold medal at the Archery World Cup in Poland and the Under-23 Indian Cricket Team for winning ACC Emerging trophy at Singapore.

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Two newly elected members from Karnataka today took oath in the Lok Sabha. The oath was administered by Speaker Meira Kumar to DK Suresh and film actress-turned politician Ramya. In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Mohammed Hamid Ansari administered the oath of office to B K Hari Prasad from Karnataka. All the three are from Congress.

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The government has set up a Tax Administration Reform Commission to review the application of tax policies and tax laws in the country. The Commission under Parthasarathy Shome will submit periodic reports that can be implemented to strengthen the capacity of the country's tax system.

The Commission with a term of 18 months will review the existing mechanism and business processes of tax governance and recommend appropriate measures.

It will also suggest measures for deepening and widening of the tax base and enforce better tax compliance.

The Commission will also will look into enhancing predictive analysis to detect and prevent tax and economic offences.

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A Mumbai court today remanded the fifth accused in the photo journalist’s gangrape case to police custody till September 5.

A team of the Mumbai crime branch arrested the fifth and the final accused Mohammed Salim Ansari yesterday in North West Delhi's Ashok Vihar. He was produced before a court in Rohini to seek his transit remand for being transported to Mumbai. He was produced in the Mumbai court today.

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The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to file its response on a PIL seeking initiation of removal process of former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan from the post of NHRC Chairman for his alleged misbehavior and purchase of benami properties. A bench headed by Justice BS Chauhan asked the Centre to file its response within three weeks. During the brief hearing, the bench said let the Ministry of Law and Justice apprise the court about the status of the earlier complaint filed on this issue.

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The Supreme Court also dismissed a plea for initiating contempt proceedings against the UP government and its Chief Minister for suspending IAS officer Durga Sakthi Nagpal. Nagpal had cracked down on the sand mafia in Gautam Budh Nagar.

The petition filed by an advocate had contended that the officer had only complied with the orders of this court in demolishing the illegal structure and the decision of state government to suspend her amounts to contempt.

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A Delhi court today fixed October 28 for hearing the additional spectrum case in which Bharti Cellular CMD Sunil Mittal, Essar Group promoter Ravi Ruia and others have been summoned as an accused. Special CBI Judge OP Saini adjourned today's proceedings in the case as Mittal and Ruia had filed separate pleas, saying the Supreme Court had said that there was no need for clarification on its interim order of April the 26th.

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The government has said that imparting skills and capacity building of people engaged with municipalities is very essential for efficient urban development. Speaking at a conference on innovation in urban governance in New Delhi today, Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath said, disbursal of density in urban areas can happen if there is long term strategic planning for sub-urbanization which he said, involves skills and knowledge. Citing a complete collapse of urban governance in some areas, he highlighted the need for convergence between elected representatives and officers.

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The full bench of the Election Commission of India is arriving in Bhopal this afternoon on a two day tour to review preparations for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampat, Election Commissioners H.S. Brahma and Naseem Zaidi and other senior officers will have a meeting with representatives of political parties this evening. They will have discussions with senior administrative officers, divisional commissioners, collectors, SPs and other senior police officers tomorrow. Legislative Assembly elections are due in the state this year.

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More than 10 thousand people have been evacuated in Narmada, Bharuch and Vadodara districts of south Gujarat due to flood in Narmada River. People in more than 50 villages in low lying areas of Narmada, Bharuch and Vadodara districts have been put on high alert. More from our correspondent:

Bharuch and Narmada districts are the worst affected by the flood water following over flowing of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam due to heavy rain in Madhya Pradesh. Food packets, medicines and drinking waters have been provided to the flood affected people by the district authorities. Golden bridge of Bharuch city, which was closed on Sunday due to precautionary measures has been reopened from this morning. Yogesh Pandya, AIR News, Ahmedabad.

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The Monsoon Session of Rajasthan Assembly began in Jaipur today. On the first day, 14 Amendment Bills have been tabled in the House. The House adjourned for the day after paying tribute to victims of Uttarakhand Tragedy, Victims of recent Bihar Rail Tragedy, Former Prime Minister of Britain Margaret Thatcher, Former President of Bangladesh Zil-Ur-Rehman and Ex Members of Rajasthan Assembly who passed away during previous days.

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Paring most of its initial gains, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange stood 18 points, or 0.1 percent in positive territory, at 18,538 in afternoon trade, a short while ago. Earlier in the morning, the Sensex had opened with a bigger gain of 144 points, or 0.8 percent, at 18,663, on expectations that the government will take steps to attract capital flows to fund the current account deficit, and on firm regional bourses. The Sensex had climbed over 610 points in the previous two trading sessions. Stock markets in China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea were up by between 0.1 percent and 1.9 percent, today.

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At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee weakened sharply by 100 paise, to 64.20 per dollar in late morning trade, today, on good demand for the US currency from banks and importers, amid a rise in crude oil prices. The rupee had closed at 63.20 against the dollar, last Friday. In the global market, the US dollar swung between small gains and losses against major currencies, after US Federal Reserve, or central bank officials wrapped up a yearly gathering, appearing ready to start slowing monetary stimulus next month.

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Sri Lanka’s Navy took into custody 35 fishermen in four fishing trawlers from Tamil Nadu late last night. Speaking to All India Radio, Sri Lankan Navy Spokesman Commander Kosala said that the arrest was made near the coast of Kalpitiya town, which is on the west coast, 150 kilometers north of Colombo. The fishermen are being taken to Kalpitiya and will be handed over to the local police for further legal action against trespassing into Sri Lankan territory and poaching, he added.

Officials of the Indian High Commission said that all efforts will be made to secure an early release of these fishermen when they will be produced before the Magistrate’s court by the police.

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Lok Sabha begins discussing the Food Security Bill.

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India will take on South Korea, while Bangladesh will meet Oman in the Pool B matches of the 9th Men's Asia Cup hockey tournament at Ipoh in Malaysia today.

Yesterday, Holders South Korea started their title defence with a resounding 8-0 win against Bangladesh in their first Pool B match.

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The fourth and final Grand Slam of the season, the US Open Tennis tournament, kicks off in New York today. All top shot players, including Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Agnieszka Radwanska are participating in the 15-day tournament.

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The News Services Division of All India Radio in its weekly "PUBLIC SPEAK" programme will bring you a discussion tonight on "Real Estate Regulator Bill". This can be heard on FM Gold Channel and additional frequencies at 9.30 p.m. Listeners can ask questions to the experts sitting in our studio on telephone number: 011-2331-4444. This programme is also available on Doordarshan DTH.