Poll panel takes up reply on Arjun

New Delhi: The Election Commission is considering cabinet secretary B.K. Chaturvedi’s response on Arjun Singh’s alleged violation of the model code of conduct on the issue of 27.5 per cent quota for the Other Backward Classes in educational institutions, reports our special correspondent.

“The reply from the cabinet secretary has been received yesterday (Friday) and it is now under the consideration of the commission,” deputy election commissioner R. Bhattacharya said on Saturday.

Bhattacharya said the poll panel had already asked the Centre not to consider the controversial draft bill till the completion of the Assembly polls in the five states.

The human resource development minister had denied the poll panel’s charge that he had prima facie violated the model code of conduct.

Defamation notice to Advani

Gurgaon: A court has issued summons to L.K. Advani on a defamation case filed by businessman Abhishek Verma for alleging his involvement in the controversial Scorpene submarine deal, reports our legal correspondent.

Gurgaon district chief judicial magistrate Raj Rani Gupta has asked the BJP leader to appear before the court on July 17, Verma’s advocate B.S. Rawat said.

Verma has alleged that Advani had fabricated documents to level false and baseless charges against him.

The BJP leader had reportedly told reporters in Delhi that Verma was the middleman who received kickbacks in the multi-crore submarine deal.

Babri hearing

Rae Bareli (PTI): A special court hearing the Babri Masjid demolition cases against BJP leaders L.K. Advani and M.M. Joshi and six others has fixed May 9 for further hearing.

The court is hearing the defence counsel’s application challenging the CBI’s authority to prosecute in the matter.

Cop hacked

Ramanathapuram (PTI): A sub-inspector was hacked to death by an eight-member gang near a police station in this Tamil Nadu district on Friday. Subramani, 48, was not on good terms with some of his relatives and the murder could be the outcome of enmity, police said.

Bus blast death

Jalandhar (PTI): A woman injured in Friday’s blast in a bus has died. Bhagwati, 60, who had suffered 80 per cent burns, died at Christian Medical College in Ludhiana. Ten others are “stable but critical” at the local civil hospital.

Madhu Singhal and her mother-in-law Shanti, who foiled a robbery attempt in their house in Panaji, were among eight recipients of Goa’s state-level bravery awards.