EC serves notice on Sonia Gandhi
The Cong President has been asked to respond to a disqualification complaint against her for receiving a Belgian honour in 2006.
By HT Correspondent | PTI, New Delhi
UPDATED ON FEB 15, 2008 09:06 PM IST
After a split opinion, the Election Commission on Friday served a notice on Congress President Sonia Gandhi on a disqualification complaint against her for receiving a Belgian honour, triggering a political row.
The three-member Commission, headed by Chief Election Commission N Gopalaswamy, asked her to respond within three weeks.
The Commission also asked the External Affairs Ministry to furnish details within three weeks about Gandhi receiving the 'Order of Leopold' from the Belgium government in November 2006.
This followed a complaint from an advocate from Kerala seeking her disqualification from the Lok Sabha alleging it amounted to owing allegiance to the Constitution of that country.
The three-member Commission, which takes decisions by consensus, could not come to a conclusion on the issue earlier because of differences among them on whether to issue notice to Gandhi or not.
Gandhi was conferred the `Order of Leopold', the second highest civilian award in Belgium, and an honorary doctorate by the Belgian government during her visit to the European country in November, 2006.
Reacting to the development, Congress spokesman Shakil Ahmed said that Gandhi had done "nothing wrong" by accepting the award and several leaders in the past had been bestowed with such honours.
Besides, he said, India has also given awards to several global leaders.
The BJP, however, sought to turn it into a controversy by asking Gandhi to "clear the cloud of suspicion" over her allegiance to a foreign country. Party spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudi said the EC could not have served such a notice unless there was "very substantial evidence".
DU ready to consider combination of test, Class 12 marks for UG slots
PUBLISHED ON FEB 25, 2021 01:04 AM IST
Last December, the Union ministry of education constituted a seven-member committee to recommend modalities for the Central University Common Entrance Test (CUCET) for admission to undergraduate courses across central universities in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
No-detention policy to remain in Delhi govt schools
PUBLISHED ON FEB 25, 2021 12:59 AM IST
The directorate of education (DoE), however, has not issued any guidelines for the city’s private schools. “Private schools will follow their own criteria to assess the learning levels among students up to class 8,” said a senior government official, not wishing to be named.
What women want: A safe retail experience
PUBLISHED ON FEB 25, 2021 12:51 AM IST
Across Delhi, women say they feel unsafe and uncomfortable while trying to purchase alcohol from vends located in grimy neighbourhoods packed with louts and drunk men.
Delhi govt notifies rules for doorstep ration delivery
By Abhishek Dey
PUBLISHED ON FEB 25, 2021 12:45 AM IST
According to the notification document, the scheme will be optional, and beneficiaries of the existing TPDS (targeted public distribution system) may choose to enrol for the scheme or continue under the existing TPDS.
Markaz may now reopen, Delhi govt informs high court
PUBLISHED ON FEB 25, 2021 12:34 AM IST
Advocate Rahul Mehra, standing counsel for the Delhi government, told Justice Mukta Gupta that many of the foreigners who had attended the congregation in alleged violation of social distancing last year have either been acquitted or have been discharged.
Man shoots himself dead at Defence Colony home
PUBLISHED ON FEB 25, 2021 12:29 AM IST
Deputy commissioner of police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur said the police received a call at 7.25am that a person had shot himself at his house in Defence Colony and needed an ambulance.
Travellers from 5 states may need Covid -ve reports to enter Delhi from Saturday
PUBLISHED ON FEB 25, 2021 12:25 AM IST
The issue was taken up in a Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) meeting on Monday in the wake of steady rise in cases in Maharashtra, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Chhattisgarh, and greater curbs and checks were discussed, the people cited above added.
Max temperature in Delhi touches 32.5°C — highest in 15 years
UPDATED ON FEB 25, 2021 12:20 AM IST
On Wednesday, the maximum temperature recorded at the Safdarjung weather station, which is considered the official marker for the city, was 32.5 degrees Celsius, seven degrees above the season’s normal.
Man shoots himself dead at Defence Colony home
By HT Correspondent, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:47 PM IST
An 81-year-old man allegedly shot himself dead with his licensed pistol at his home in south Delhi’s Defence Colony on Wednesday morning, the police said
Govt notifies modalities of doorstep delivery of ration, cardholders may opt in or out every fiscal
By Abhishek Dey, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:47 PM IST
The Delhi government has notified the policy document that prescribes the modalities of the doorstep delivery of ration scheme, meant for the 1
HC asks Delhi govt to look into custodial death of Tihar inmate
By HT Correspondent, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:47 PM IST
The Delhi high court on Wednesday was shocked and anguished by the death of an under-trial prisoner, who was allegedly stabbed to death with a knife in November 2020 at Tihar jail, and directed the authorities to update it about the status of the investigation into the custodial death
DU likely to adopt combination of entrance test score and class 12 marks for admissions from this year
By Fareeha Iftikhar, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:46 PM IST
With the Central government likely to hold a common entrance test for admissions to undergraduate courses at all the central universities, starting this upcoming session, officials at Delhi University (DU) said they are ready to adopt it immediately in combination with the class 12 score of aspirants
Civic bodies stop taking event bookings for parks after NGT prohibits it citing environment loss
By Ashish Mishra, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:44 PM IST
All three municipal corporations of Delhi have stopped taking event bookings for parks, including the Ramlila Ground, in the wake of a recent order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) citing environment loss to parks due to the holding of mass public functions such as cultural and religious events, weddings and political rallies
Eight of 10 most polluted cities this winter were in Delhi-NCR and UP, finds CSE study
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:43 PM IST
Eight of 10 most polluted cities in the country this winter were located in the Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh region, an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) shows
Delhi govt schools to assess students up to class 8 on the basis of worksheets this year
By HT Correspondent, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:43 PM IST
The Delhi government on Wednesday directed all its schools to assess students enrolled from nursery to class 8 on the basis of assignments and worksheets sent to them in both online and offline modes during the Covid-19 pandemic
