A Bill seeking to extend by 10 years reservation to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies and remove the provision of nominating two members of the Anglo-Indian community to the Lok Sabha was introduced in the House on Monday.The reservation given to SCs, STs and the Anglo-Indian community for the past 70 years is to end on January 25, 2020.Trinamool opposesTrinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy opposed the introduction of the Constitution (126th) Amendment Bill, saying the Anglo-Indian community was being deprived of representation. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that while the merits of the Bill could be gone into during the debate, the extension of reservation to the SC and ST communities was for representation, while the Anglo-Indian community was nominated.“According to the 2011 census, there are 296 members of the Anglo Indian community in the entire country. However, I would still maintain that we have not closed our minds to … [Read more...] about Bill on extension of SC, ST quota in LS, Assemblies introduced
Un general assembly
Pak’s envoy to UN meets UNGA President to discuss Kashmir issue
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi met with UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa here and briefed her about the situation in Kashmir.In a tweet on Tuesday, Lodhi said the United Nations should live up to its obligations on Kashmir, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.Her meeting with the UNGA president on Monday came hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he will raise the Kashmir issue at every international forum, including at the UN General Assembly.Khan’s address to the nation came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France on Monday, categorically rejected any scope for third party mediation between India and Pakistan on Kashmir.Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir’s special … [Read more...] about Pak’s envoy to UN meets UNGA President to discuss Kashmir issue
Ex-TDP MLA Vamsi treated as special member in A.P. Assembly
Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Tammineni Seetaram on Tuesday responded positively Gannavaram MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan’s request to treat him as a ‘special member’. “Will consider your request and take necessary action after taking the rules and conventions of the House into consideration,” he said.The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had suspended Mr. Vallabhaneni from the party following his meeting with Chief Minster YS Jagan Mohan Reddy a couple of weeks ago. TDP MLAs walkoutThe Speaker allowed him to speak as soon as the House assembled in the morning. The TDP members raised objection to it saying the Chair cannot entertain such requests to speak during the question hour. The Speaker however did not acquiesce to their demand. Following which, Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu and his party colleagues staged a walkout. Later, Mr. Vallabhaneni explained the reasons behind his meeting with Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Stating that he came to know about the … [Read more...] about Ex-TDP MLA Vamsi treated as special member in A.P. Assembly
Water from Cannons, No Cooking Arrangement: CRPF Unit Alleges ‘Animal-like Treatment’ During Jharkhand Polls
New Delhi: A CRPF unit deployed for conducting Jharkhand Assembly polls has alleged that "animal-like treatment" was meted out to its troops and they were provided water from a water cannon for drinking and cooking purposes, official sources said on Monday. An assistant commandant-rank company commander of 222nd battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has written to the state authorities and his headquarters in Delhi. He claimed that the troops, who had finished duty of the second phase of polls on December 7, were not provided any local assistance and water when they reached Ranchi on Sunday after covering a distance of 200 km, including 17 km on foot. Jharkhand Police Additional Director General (operations) ML Meena, however, dismissed the allegations. "Initially there were some issues, but they were resolved soon. There is a heavy movement of polling parties and security forces in the state so some initial problems do occur. "About 275 companies of security forces are … [Read more...] about Water from Cannons, No Cooking Arrangement: CRPF Unit Alleges ‘Animal-like Treatment’ During Jharkhand Polls
Today in history, December 9: Charles and Diana announce separation
1594: Gustavus II of Sweden born; by the time of his death in 1632, Sweden had become the strongest power in Europe. 1625: England and United Provinces agree to subsidise Denmark’s King Christian IV in his campaign against Germany. 1824: Spain’s army is defeated at Ayacucho, Peru, by Simon Bolivar’s forces. 1854: Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem The Charge of the Light Brigade is published in England. 1868: William Ewart Gladstone becomes British prime minister for the first of his four terms. Former British prime minister William Ewart Gladstone.Source:News Limited 1905: Salome, a one-act opera by Richard Strauss from the story by Oscar Wilde, has its first performance in Dresden, Germany, and is condemned as obscene. 1940: British 8th Army opens offensive in North Africa in World War II. 1941: China formally issues a declaration of war against Japan, Germany and Italy. 1949: Western Australian plebiscite rejects prohibition. 1967: The Cunard liner Queen Mary … [Read more...] about Today in history, December 9: Charles and Diana announce separation