Archives for 2017

New Delhi: A constitution bench would be set up to hear a clutch of petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing various services and government welfare schemes, the Supreme Court today said.

A bench, comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said the larger bench would commence hearing on these petitions in the last week of November this year.

Earlier today, the apex court questioned the West Bengal government for filing a plea challenging the Centre’s move to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing benefits of various social welfare schemes while asking how a state can challenge the mandate of Parliament.

It also asked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to file the plea as an individual.

Recently, a nine-judge Constitution bench had held that the Right ot Privacy was a Fundamental Right under the Constitution. Several petitioners challenging the validity of Aadhaar had raised the issue that the scheme was violative of privacy rights.

Senior advocates Gopal Subramanium and Shyam Divan, appearing for those opposing the Aadhaar scheme, had sought urgent hearing on the petitions.

The Centre had on October 25 told the apex court that the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar to avail the benefits of the government schemes has been extended till March 31 next year for those who do not have the 12-digit biometric identification number and were willing to have it.

The petitioners had termed the linking of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) number with bank accounts and mobile numbers as illegal and unconstitutional and strongly objected to the CBSE’s move to make it mandatory for students to appear for exams.

Divan, appearing for some of the petitioners, had earlier contended that final hearing in the main Aadhaar matter, which is pending before the apex court, was necessary as the government “cannot compel” citizens to link their Aadhaar with either bank accounts or mobile numbers.

(PTI)

Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Friday night demanded resignation of Congress veteran Ahmed Patel from the Rajya Sabha alleging his possible links to a suspected terrorist arrested earlier in the week from his home district of Bharuch. Ahmed Patel rubbished the charge.

Rupani, who also sought Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi’s clarification on the matter, was referring to Mohammed Qasim Stimberwala, one of the two alleged IS operatives arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad from Surat on Wednesday.

Stimberwala had resigned recently as an eco-cardiogram technician in the Sardar Patel Hospital and Heart Institute in Ankleshwar, which Patel had helped grow into a modern facility.

Patel was one of the trustees during the hospital’s formative years as a modern hospital and the only one in the entire Bharuch district with latest equipment and technology with facilities for heart surgery. He had resigned as a trustee in 2014 facilitating a new board of trustees to take over the facility.

The ATS, which picked up Stimberwala and Ubed Ahmed Mirza, claimed that they were planning to attack a Jewish synagogue in Khadia area of Ahmedabad and had even carried out reconnaissance of their target.

While Mirza was a practicing lawyer at the Surat district court, Stimberwala worked as a technician at the Ankleshwar hospital.

Rupani told reporters at the 9.30 p.m. press conference, which was delayed by more than three hours, that Stimberwala, caught by Intelligence Bureau and security agencies, was working at a Bharuch hospital where Patel had been a trustee and though resigning after UPA lost power, “still oversees in the working of the hospital”.

The hospital’s website has a list of eight trustees but Patel’s name does not figure in the list.

Rupani claimed that the “arrest of a person working in a hospital where Ahmed Patel was a patron gave rise to several questions as how did a terrorist get a job in a hospital having close links with Ahmed Patel? Who got him the job? Whether he was aware of their activities?”

“The questions arise because the terrorist had resigned or was to quit just two days ahead of his arrest. This arouses suspicion. We are not levying any allegations but we just want Patel and Congress to clarify. If people are convinced, then it is ok,” he said.

He went on to say that if the terrorists had not been caught, they would have carried out planned attacks on “Hindu religious heads and Jewish synagogue”. The ATS however has mentioned only a Jewish synagogue during its investigations and no Hindu religious heads, as Rupani alleged.

Ahmed Patel, in a series of tweets, said the allegations by the BJP were completely baseless.

“My party and I appreciate the ATS’s effort to nab the two terrorists. I demand strict and speedy action against them.

“We request that matters of national security should not be politicised keeping elections in mind,” he said and also urged: “Let’s not divide peace loving Gujaratis while fighting terrorism.”

One of the trustees, Jayesh Patel, clarified that Stimberwala had joined the hospital six months ago, after having worked with Wockhardt and a couple of other hospitals.

“He had resigned on October 4 and relieved on October 24 according to his service conditions. He had said that he was leaving due to a better opportunity,” he said.

(IANS)

New Delhi: In an indication that Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi’s much-expected elevation as party president may not take place before the Gujarat elections, the party on Friday said it has time till December 31 to complete the entire organisational election process and take a decision on the matter.

The party also said that Gandhi is not only capable of leading the Congress, but is also capable of leading the United Progressive Alliance and the country.

“The election process in the states is in advanced stage. We have to take a decision by the end of this year and we will do so at the appropriate time, and the election process will also be completed in due course,” said Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken.

“The deadline is till the end of this year,” he added on being asked why Gandhi was not being chosen as party president by October 31.

“We always believed that Rahul Gandhiji is our leader, he is our Vice President and he is capable of leading the Congress, the UPA and also leading the country,” said Maken.

“We have time till December 31 to complete the whole process and report it to the Election Commission. By that time the process will be over,” he added.

The Congress had earlier set a deadline to complete the organisational elections by the end of October.

(IANS)

On October 25, 2017, Mr Jayanna, 66 years old, the MLA of Kollegal was proceeding to attend the Diamond Jubilee celebration of Vidhana Soudha in the present of the President of India. Unfortunately, he fell in front of Vidhana Soudha and broke his right arm bone ( Humerus). This incident had happened at around 12noon. Immediately, he was rushed to HOSMAT Hospital. After necessary investigations. Mr Jayanna was taken up for the surgery.

On 26th October (today) Dr Thomas Chandy, Chief of Orthopaedic and Dr Ravishankar Senior Ortho Consultant, operated on him.

According to Dr Thomas Chandy Chief of Orthopaedic “. Mr Jayanna, underwent fixation of the broken (fractured) right arm bone (humerus) using 11 holed Plate and Screws. The surgery was done under Local Anaesthesia (Nerve Block). He returned to his room immediately after surgery. He is recovering in the room. He will be discharged in 2 days”.