Couple commit suicide by setting room on fire

MAHRAJGANJ: A couple allegedly committed suicides by setting their room on fire in Nautanwa police station area in the District, police said today. The incident took place yesterday night, when Sarwan Prajapati (35) and his wife Kokila (32) allegedly set their bedroom on fire at tola Mahendra Nagar, apparently due to marital discord, police said.

The fire affected only the bedroom of their residence and did not spread to adjacent rooms where the couple's son and two daughters were asleep, they said. Neighbours rushed them to a nearby hospital where they were declared dead. The bodies have been sent for post mortem examination, police added.

Couple commit suicide by setting room on fire

MAHRAJGANJ: A couple allegedly committed suicides by setting their room on fire in Nautanwa police station area in the District, police said today. The incident took place yesterday night, when Sarwan Prajapati (35) and his wife Kokila (32) allegedly set their bedroom on fire at tola Mahendra Nagar, apparently due to marital discord, police said.

The fire affected only the bedroom of their residence and did not spread to adjacent rooms where the couple's son and two daughters were asleep, they said. Neighbours rushed them to a nearby hospital where they were declared dead. The bodies have been sent for post mortem examination, police added.

Malaysia Airlines plane looses contact, 239 missing

Kuala Lumpur/Beijing, Mar 8 (PTI) A Beijing-bound plane of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) carrying 239 people including two infants lost contact with Subang Air Traffic Control in Malaysia today, a statement said. Operating on the B777-200 aircraft, the MH 370 departed Kuala Lumpur today at 12:41am (1010 pm IST) and lost touch with the ATC around 2:40 am (1210 am IST). The flight having 239 people including 12 crew members onboard was expected to land in Beijing at 6:30 am.

Malaysia Airlines said it is currently working with the authorities who have activated their Search and Rescue team to locate the aircraft. The Airlines has had an excellent track record, it said. Meanwhile, the China Civil Aviation Administration (CCAA) has confirmed that over 150 of the passengers were Chinese nationals.

So far, the plane has not contacted Chinese air traffic management department or entered China's airspace, state run Xinhua news agency reported. 'The news is very disturbing. We hope everyone on the plane is safe,' said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

He said that China's Foreign Ministry and the related departments had activated emergency response mechanism. 'As soon as we have any more information, we will give it to you immediately,' he said. 

PTI

Malaysia Airlines plane looses contact, 239 missing

Kuala Lumpur/Beijing, Mar 8 (PTI) A Beijing-bound plane of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) carrying 239 people including two infants lost contact with Subang Air Traffic Control in Malaysia today, a statement said. Operating on the B777-200 aircraft, the MH 370 departed Kuala Lumpur today at 12:41am (1010 pm IST) and lost touch with the ATC around 2:40 am (1210 am IST). The flight having 239 people including 12 crew members onboard was expected to land in Beijing at 6:30 am.

Malaysia Airlines said it is currently working with the authorities who have activated their Search and Rescue team to locate the aircraft. The Airlines has had an excellent track record, it said. Meanwhile, the China Civil Aviation Administration (CCAA) has confirmed that over 150 of the passengers were Chinese nationals.

So far, the plane has not contacted Chinese air traffic management department or entered China's airspace, state run Xinhua news agency reported. 'The news is very disturbing. We hope everyone on the plane is safe,' said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

He said that China's Foreign Ministry and the related departments had activated emergency response mechanism. 'As soon as we have any more information, we will give it to you immediately,' he said. 

PTI

2 students, hailing from Kerala, missing in US

Jasmine Joseph, Reny Jose

Houston: A 21-year-old Indian-origin university student, who hails from Kerala, has mysteriously disappeared while enjoying a vacation with friends in the US state of Florida.

Reny Jose, a mechanical engineering major and a member of Martel College at Rice University, was on a spring break at the time of his disappearance in the Panama City Beach, Florida.

The Bay County Sheriff's Office in Florida has been searching for him after Jose was last seen on Monday evening.

His friends told authorities that he went for a walk in the evening and never returned. He arrived to Panama City Beach on Saturday with his friends, News 10 reported.

The Sheriff's Office was contacted by Jose's friends who reported him missing from the beach-front home he was renting.

Jose's clothing and personal items were found in a garbage can near the home, including his mobile phone.

The family of the college student left for Panama City Beach to help with the search efforts.

'We were contacted yesterday by the Sheriff's Department notifying us that he was reported missing and that they were conducting search efforts,' said Jismi George, Reny Jose's cousin.

A Sheriff's Office Air Unit has been covering the area and surrounding beaches.

'We're just pretty much working with what we have right now and that's not too much, so you know they're doing the best they can but obviously they are not doing too well,' George said.

Jose's sister, Reashma Jose, has created a Facebook page to help find her brother. 'My family and I are so thankful for all your prayers and support,' Reashma wrote on the social media site.

Incidentally, this is the third Indian-American student who has gone missing in the last few weeks, with their parents originally from Kerala.

Jasmine Joseph, 22, a nursing student from New York has been missing for over a week now.

Southern Illinois University student Pravin Varughese was found dead in Carbondale after missing for six days.



PTI

2 students, hailing from Kerala, missing in US

Jasmine Joseph, Reny Jose

Houston: A 21-year-old Indian-origin university student, who hails from Kerala, has mysteriously disappeared while enjoying a vacation with friends in the US state of Florida.

Reny Jose, a mechanical engineering major and a member of Martel College at Rice University, was on a spring break at the time of his disappearance in the Panama City Beach, Florida.

The Bay County Sheriff's Office in Florida has been searching for him after Jose was last seen on Monday evening.

His friends told authorities that he went for a walk in the evening and never returned. He arrived to Panama City Beach on Saturday with his friends, News 10 reported.

The Sheriff's Office was contacted by Jose's friends who reported him missing from the beach-front home he was renting.

Jose's clothing and personal items were found in a garbage can near the home, including his mobile phone.

The family of the college student left for Panama City Beach to help with the search efforts.

'We were contacted yesterday by the Sheriff's Department notifying us that he was reported missing and that they were conducting search efforts,' said Jismi George, Reny Jose's cousin.

A Sheriff's Office Air Unit has been covering the area and surrounding beaches.

'We're just pretty much working with what we have right now and that's not too much, so you know they're doing the best they can but obviously they are not doing too well,' George said.

Jose's sister, Reashma Jose, has created a Facebook page to help find her brother. 'My family and I are so thankful for all your prayers and support,' Reashma wrote on the social media site.

Incidentally, this is the third Indian-American student who has gone missing in the last few weeks, with their parents originally from Kerala.

Jasmine Joseph, 22, a nursing student from New York has been missing for over a week now.

Southern Illinois University student Pravin Varughese was found dead in Carbondale after missing for six days.



PTI

Delhi HC orders fresh draw of lots in nursery admission

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Thursday ordered a fresh draw of lots in the nursery admission process for all seats. Justice Manmohan said all candidates having equal marks shall be considered equal by conducting a draw of lots.

The Delhi government Feb 27 issued a notification scrapping the inter-state transfer category under which it used to give five additional points to children whose parents were transferred to the national capital from another state.

The court was hearing a plea filed by some parents against the city government's decision to scrap the inter-state transfer category points. As per direction No.3 of the Feb 27 notification, draw of lots were to be conducted afresh only for the vacated seats and between candidates who were not successful in the first round of the draw and for those whose points were reduced after scrapping of the inter-state transfer category.

However, the court was of the view that 'all equals have to be treated alike' and 'all children who have secured equal points should participate in a single draw of lots'. The court also held that if draw of lots was not held amongst candidates who had secured equal marks, 'it would result in discrimination and disadvantage to a few candidates. This court is further of the view that inconvenience and delay cannot be grounds for denying equality before law'.

The court refused to stay the Lt. Governor's order of scrapping the inter-state transfer category, while noting the submissions of the Lt. Governor that a large number of fictitious and fraudulent applications were received in the category. Counsel Raju Ramachandran, appearing for Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung, told the court that on the basis of a survey of 58 leading schools, it was found that approximately 46.8 percent of open seats were claimed under that quota and 844 out of 1,520 applications were not genuine.

Refusing to stay the transfer quota, Justice Manmohan said: 'This court is prima facie of the view that respondent authorities (Lt. Governor) were within their jurisdiction to delete the five points on account of inter-state transfer.' The court agreed with the contentions of parents, who sought fresh draw, that if a draw of lots is now held for remaining seats vacated by the transfer candidates among candidates who were initially unsuccessful in the draw of lots, then the candidates who had initially secured points on account of transfer would be in a disadvantageous position and their chance of admission would stand reduced.

'Consequently, only direction 3 of the impugned order dated Feb 27 is stayed and it is directed that all candidates having equal marks shall be considered equally by conducting a fresh draw of lots, wherever necessary,' the court said. Advocate Nidhesh Gupta, appearing for the petitioners, said the notification was unjustified as the petitioners' children had already been successful in the draw of lots.

However, opposing the fresh draw of lots, counsel Ramachandran said that as a large number of draws have already been held, legitimate expectation has arisen in favour of the parents of the successful candidates. An interim order at this stage would cause a lot of inconvenience to the successful candidates as they would have to go through the selection process once again, he added. He further contended that after Feb 27, a large number of schools have already conducted a second draw and any change at this stage would result in a third draw.

  

Delhi HC orders fresh draw of lots in nursery admission

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Thursday ordered a fresh draw of lots in the nursery admission process for all seats. Justice Manmohan said all candidates having equal marks shall be considered equal by conducting a draw of lots.

The Delhi government Feb 27 issued a notification scrapping the inter-state transfer category under which it used to give five additional points to children whose parents were transferred to the national capital from another state.

The court was hearing a plea filed by some parents against the city government's decision to scrap the inter-state transfer category points. As per direction No.3 of the Feb 27 notification, draw of lots were to be conducted afresh only for the vacated seats and between candidates who were not successful in the first round of the draw and for those whose points were reduced after scrapping of the inter-state transfer category.

However, the court was of the view that 'all equals have to be treated alike' and 'all children who have secured equal points should participate in a single draw of lots'. The court also held that if draw of lots was not held amongst candidates who had secured equal marks, 'it would result in discrimination and disadvantage to a few candidates. This court is further of the view that inconvenience and delay cannot be grounds for denying equality before law'.

The court refused to stay the Lt. Governor's order of scrapping the inter-state transfer category, while noting the submissions of the Lt. Governor that a large number of fictitious and fraudulent applications were received in the category. Counsel Raju Ramachandran, appearing for Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung, told the court that on the basis of a survey of 58 leading schools, it was found that approximately 46.8 percent of open seats were claimed under that quota and 844 out of 1,520 applications were not genuine.

Refusing to stay the transfer quota, Justice Manmohan said: 'This court is prima facie of the view that respondent authorities (Lt. Governor) were within their jurisdiction to delete the five points on account of inter-state transfer.' The court agreed with the contentions of parents, who sought fresh draw, that if a draw of lots is now held for remaining seats vacated by the transfer candidates among candidates who were initially unsuccessful in the draw of lots, then the candidates who had initially secured points on account of transfer would be in a disadvantageous position and their chance of admission would stand reduced.

'Consequently, only direction 3 of the impugned order dated Feb 27 is stayed and it is directed that all candidates having equal marks shall be considered equally by conducting a fresh draw of lots, wherever necessary,' the court said. Advocate Nidhesh Gupta, appearing for the petitioners, said the notification was unjustified as the petitioners' children had already been successful in the draw of lots.

However, opposing the fresh draw of lots, counsel Ramachandran said that as a large number of draws have already been held, legitimate expectation has arisen in favour of the parents of the successful candidates. An interim order at this stage would cause a lot of inconvenience to the successful candidates as they would have to go through the selection process once again, he added. He further contended that after Feb 27, a large number of schools have already conducted a second draw and any change at this stage would result in a third draw.

  

LS polls on 9 days to start from April 7; Kerala to vote on April 10

New Delhi: Lok Sabha elections will be held from April 7 to May 12 spread over nine days in the highest number of polling days so far involving an electorate of 81.4 crore, the Election Commission announced today.

Counting of votes in all the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies will be held on a single day on May 16, Chief
Election Commissioner V S Sampath announced at a press conference flanked by ECs H S Brahma and S N A Zaidi.

Assembly elections will also be held simultaneously in the states of Andhra Pradesh, including Telangana region,
Odisha and Sikkim.

Kerala will go to the booths on April 10.
Sampath was at pains to clarify that it is not a nine-phased polling and the whole exercise will be over in 72
days, three days less than the last elections.

The Model Code of Conduct for parties and governments comes into force with immediate effect, he said.

The first polling day on April 7 will cover six Lok Sabha constituencies in two states, while the second on April
9 will cover seven constituencies in five states.

92 constituencies will go to polls in 14 states on the third day on April 10, while a small number of five
constituencies in three states will be covered on the fourth day on April 12.

The largest chunk of 122 Lok Sabha seats will go to polls in 13 states on April 17, the fifth day of poll, while
the sixth day will witness polling in 117 seats in 12 states on April 24.

The seventh day of polling on April 30 will choose representatives in 89 constituencies spread over nine states
and the eighth day on May 7 will cover 64 seats in seven states.

Polling will conclude on the ninth day on May 12 with elections in 41 constituencies in three states.

LS polls on 9 days to start from April 7; Kerala to vote on April 10

New Delhi: Lok Sabha elections will be held from April 7 to May 12 spread over nine days in the highest number of polling days so far involving an electorate of 81.4 crore, the Election Commission announced today.

Counting of votes in all the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies will be held on a single day on May 16, Chief
Election Commissioner V S Sampath announced at a press conference flanked by ECs H S Brahma and S N A Zaidi.

Assembly elections will also be held simultaneously in the states of Andhra Pradesh, including Telangana region,
Odisha and Sikkim.

Kerala will go to the booths on April 10.
Sampath was at pains to clarify that it is not a nine-phased polling and the whole exercise will be over in 72
days, three days less than the last elections.

The Model Code of Conduct for parties and governments comes into force with immediate effect, he said.

The first polling day on April 7 will cover six Lok Sabha constituencies in two states, while the second on April
9 will cover seven constituencies in five states.

92 constituencies will go to polls in 14 states on the third day on April 10, while a small number of five
constituencies in three states will be covered on the fourth day on April 12.

The largest chunk of 122 Lok Sabha seats will go to polls in 13 states on April 17, the fifth day of poll, while
the sixth day will witness polling in 117 seats in 12 states on April 24.

The seventh day of polling on April 30 will choose representatives in 89 constituencies spread over nine states
and the eighth day on May 7 will cover 64 seats in seven states.

Polling will conclude on the ninth day on May 12 with elections in 41 constituencies in three states.