Crime
SC rejects Maha govt recommendation on OBC quota in local body polls
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The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Maharashtra government and the State Election Commission (SEC) not to act upon the interim report of Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission to reserve seats for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the upcoming local bodies election.
A bench, headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, said the election should be conducted without the OBC reservation. It also pulled up the Commission over its report, and declined to accept its argument that there is sufficient data to reserve the seats.
The bench, also comprising Justice C.T. Ravikumar, said: “Where is the logic? There is not even a single logic given.”
As senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, representing the Maharashtra government, submitted that the Commission may be able to justify the recommendation to reserve the seats, the bench wondered did it rely on the same data, which looked contentious to the court earlier.
The top court said it cannot allow the Maharashtra government to move with such an interim report. It declined to accept the Commission’s recommendation to restore 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the local body elections, noting that the report did not comply with an earlier Supreme Court direction, under which the Commission was required to conduct research before proposing any suggestions.
The bench emphasised that the report filed by the Commission must stand the test of judicial scrutiny, and there should be more authentic data.
It said there is no date on the report and how could it know whether it was prepared with full understanding or not? “If this is how a Commission will work, then we doubt the recommendations of the Commission.”
Citing that report was not in compliance with its earlier order, the bench said: “We direct all the concerned not to act upon the recommendation.” However, it permitted the Commission to continue with its exercise to study the empirical data local-body wise and submit its interim report.
In December last year, the top court stayed the implementation of the 27 per cent quota, as it did not comply with the triple test principle laid down by the apex court. The Maharashtra government introduced the quota through an ordinance in 2021. The Commission was asked to prepare a report on OBC reservation in local body elections.
The top court directed the SEC to notify the election process for the gram panchayats in accordance with its orders passed in December 2021 and in January 2022, against the implementation of the OBC quota. It had earlier ordered that the seats reserved for OBCs now be notified as general category seats.
The top court made these observations while hearing an application moved by the Maharashtra government informing it about the Commission’s report.
Crime
RG Kar victim’s parents yet to secure death certificate even after six months
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Kolkata, Feb 22: Over six months have passed since the shocking rape and murder of a junior woman doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital but her parents are still to get a copy of her death certificate.
The body of the victim was recovered from a seminar hall within the premises of the state-run institution early on August 9 last year.
The victim’s parents have alleged that they have been unable to get the death certificate till now as the R.G. Kar and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities are shifting the responsibility onto each other.
According to them, the KMC authorities are claiming that since the “place of death” is R.G. Kar, it is the responsibility of the hospital authorities to provide the death certificate.
On the other, the R.G. Kar authorities claim that if a patient dies within the hospital premises or is even brought dead to the hospital, the death certificate will have to be provided by the KMC authorities, the parents added.
The victim’s parents have further claimed that although they have not got a copy of the death certificate, it has been mentioned in the court documents, as per the statement of a medical officer attached to R.G. Kar.
They now say if the death certificate is mentioned in the court documents, why was a copy of the certificate not handed over to them?
Last week, a special court in Kolkata, which had convicted and sentenced civic volunteer Sanjay Roy in the rape and murder case, directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a fresh progress report on its investigation in the matter on February 24.
Since the special court has already pronounced the sentence for the convict in the main crime of rape and murder, legal circles feel that the fresh progress report will be related to the angle of tampering with the evidence in the case.
It is learnt that the special court had directed the CBI to submit a fresh progress report following a complaint filed by the counsel of the victim’s family accusing the central agency of not updating the court on the progress of investigation in the matter periodically.
Crime
Ten persons arrested for attack on Congress MP, says Assam CM
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Guwahati, Feb 21: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday that ten persons have been arrested in connection with the attack on Congress MP Rakibul Hussain.
Taking to social media platform X, CM Sarma said, “The police have identified the individuals involved in the alleged incident of assault on Congress MP Sri Rakibul Hussain.”
He also mentioned that the actions will be taken as per the law.
The Dhubri MP was attacked while attending a public programme in the Nagaon district.
The Congress MP had to run from the spot wearing a helmet to save himself. The security officers of Hussain sustained minor injuries in the attack.
In a viral video, it was seen that some masked miscreants initially showed black flags to the Congress MP and after that attacked him.
In the video, Hussian was seen fleeing from the spot in a two-wheeler to save himself from the attack.
The incident that happened in the Ruporihat locality drew criticism from the opposition with Congress leaders training guns on the BJP government.
Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, launched a sharp attack on the BJP government as Congress MP Hussain was attacked on Thursday.
Gogoi said, “In Assam, a Congress Lok Sabha MP is attacked by thugs in broad daylight in a busy marketplace. The goons even attack the police security officers and try to snatch their weapons. All of this is recorded on camera. Yet the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma refuses to ensure that the thugs will be arrested immediately.”
“The Chief Minister should at least think of his constitutional duty towards Assam Police and the innocent civilians in the marketplace. If the goons had got hold of the machine gun, a terrible tragedy could have taken place. The attitude of the Chief Minister will only embolden the thieves, dacoits, smugglers and those accused of murder. Democracy is under threat and people of Assam want freedom from this gunda raj culture,” he added.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Debabrata Saikia said it was a “failure” of the police and administration.
Crime
New India Co-operative Bank Scam: EOW Arrests Former CEO Abhimanyu Bhoan
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Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has made another arrest in the New India Co-operative Bank scam. Former CEO Abhimanyu Bhoan has been taken into custody, making him the third accused in the case.
The Court has remanded accused into police Custody untill February 28.Bhoan’s arrest follows an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities within the bank, which allegedly led to taken place during his working period.
The authorities suspect his involvement in mismanagement and fraudulent transactions.Further investigation is underway, and officials believe that more arrests may follow in the case.
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