The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

EC permits hoardings

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI APRIL 27. The Election Commission has permitted the display of hoardings/banners on private premises with the consent of the owner. Earlier, the EC had prohibited such displays.

This display is subject to provisions in the local laws in force in the area, says a press release.

The expenses will be accounted for in the election expenses of the candidate. If such hoardings/banners are common in nature and for the election prospects of a group of candidates set up by the political party, such expenses will be equally apportioned among the candidates of that party and shown in the election expenses of the candidates.

`Stop appointment of judges'

By Our Legal Correspondent

New Delhi APRIL 27. T he Election Commission's intervention has been sought to stop the proposed appointment of district judges in Tamil Nadu.

In a petition, advocate S. Doraisamy said that on the request of the Tamil Nadu Government, the Madras High Court Registrar conducted interviews for selection of district judges for 10 posts yesterday and today.

He alleged that the Government might appoint tomorrow certain minority candidates to please voters in that community. Contending that this was a violation of the model code of conduct, he wanted the Commission to direct postponement of the selection until after the election was completed.

He requested the Commission to issue orders to the Registrar and the Government to stop the appointment.

Exemption sought

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI APRIL 27. The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers has urged the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer to exempt on humanitarian grounds staff members who find ``real difficulties'' in attending to election work.

In a plea sent to the CEO, Mrithyunjay Sarangi, the general secretary for Tamil Nadu, M. Duraipandian, said ``while we welcome the initiatives of the Election Commission for conducting free and fair elections,'' employees delegated for electoral work from Central government offices faced certain difficulties. Ailing persons, disabled employees and lactating mothers were forced to take up election duty.

``In some places even both the husband and the wife are posted as presiding officers,'' and they would have to leave the children alone at home.

New party floated

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI APRIL 27. Film personality and former member of the legislative Assembly, T. Rajender, has floated a new party, All-India Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Mr. Rajender had quit the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which he had represented in the previous Assembly.

4 die in accidents

By Our Staff Reporter

KANCHEEPURAM APRIL 27. Four persons were killed in two road accidents in Kancheepuram district yesterday.

Police sources said Mohan (50) of Chinnamathur near Manali and Durai (54) of Madhavaram, who were riding a motorcycle died on the spot when they fell after hitting a roadside stone near Koovathur. The two were coming from Chennai to Soonambedu.

Perumal (38) of Edamachi near Salavakkam and Devanathan (20) of Thachampadi in Tiruvannamalai district, who were riding a moped, were crushed to death by a water tanker lorry near Maraimalainagar on the Chengalpattu-Chennai highway last night.

Heroin seized, 5 held

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI APRIL 27. The Narcotics Intelligence Bureau Criminal Investigation Department (NIB-CID) yesterday seized one kg of heroin in Tiruchi and arrested five persons — Jagadesh (20) and Vinod Kumar (23) of Rajasthan, now staying in Tiruchi, Barkath of Kulithalai, Shivakumar of Tiruchi and Bose (51) of Tirunelveli.

The contraband was collected from Rajasthan and brought to Tiruchi. On information, an NIB-CID team nabbed the gang and seized the brown sugar, kept in two packets.

All the five were remanded to judicial custody, says a press release.

Summer festival from May 16

By Our Staff Reporter

Udhagamandalam APRIL 27. The 2004 Summer Festival will be organised by an ad-hoc committee at the Centenary Rose Park here. Stating this here today, the District Tourist Officer, Joseph Charles, said it would begin on May 16 and conclude on May 23.

Dance, drama and music programmes, focussing on the culture of Tamil Nadu, will form part of the festival. For promoting adventure tourism, the Youth Hostels Association of India, Chennai Beach Unit, and the Department of Tourism will conduct trekking programmes between May 15 and 25.

The participants in five batches will be taken through Parsons Valley, Mukurthi, Pykara and Bokkapuram. Arrangements are also under way for providing tourists an opportunity to be part of hang gliding outings.

An additional boathouse will be commissioned at the Ooty lake during May.

Stone thrown at CM's vehicle

By Our Staff Reporter

Tirunelveli April 27. The police are looking for persons who threw a stone at the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa's vehicle on the Vasudevanallur main road this evening.

Even as she was addressing a gathering from her van, Ms. Jayalalithaa said some culprits had thrown the stone and asked the police to look into the matter. She said such evil forces would be punished by the people in the coming election.

No one has been arrested so far.

New police chief for Madurai

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI April 27. The Tamil Nadu Government today posted Abash Kumar as the new Commissioner of Police, Madurai.

He succeeds Vijay Kumar, who was transferred a few days ago for an alleged model code violation.

Mr. Kumar, a 1990 batch IPS officer, is now the Deputy Inspector-General, Administration, in Chennai.

When contacted, he said he was likely to take up the new assignment in a couple of days.

Arrested fishermen return

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI April 27. As many as 54 Indian fishermen, arrested for straying into Sri Lankan waters, reached Mandapam today. Following an understanding with the Sri Lankan Navy an Indian Coast Guard ship carried out the repatriation at the international maritime boundary line south of Point Calimere at 10 a.m. The Coast Guard ship Vikram, commanded by T.K.S. Chandran, carried out the operation. The fishermen were handed over by the Mandapam Coast Guard station commander, S. Jena, to fisheries officials. Police, customs and intelligence officials carried out a joint interrogation of the fishermen.

Training programme

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI APRIL 27. The Education department will conduct a training programme for candidates who had qualified for the second stage of the National Talent Search Examinations.

According to an official release, the free programme, scheduled to be held between May 2 and 13, will be conducted at K. Ganapathy Government Higher Secondary School at Kodambakkam here. Successful candidates from Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts are eligible for the camp. Intimations have been sent to all eligible students through their respective schools.

Training for poll officials

By Our Staff Reporter

PUDUKOTTAI APRIL 27.

Training classes for polling booth officials commenced at Pudukottai, Alangudi, Thirumayam, Aranthangi and Keeranur in the district today.

Inaugurating a training class at Keeranur, the Collector, Hiteshkumar Makwana, asked the officials to allow only those who were authorised by the Election Commission inside the booth, and guide the voters properly.

He also explained the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines to the participants. The Central Observers, Jannu Arvind Ramchand and K.V. Radhakrishna, visited the centres where the training classes were going on.

Observers hold meeting

By Our Staff Reporter

PERAMBALUR APRIL 27. The Central observers for the Perambalur (reserved) constituency held a meeting with candidates and workers of all political parties here today.

The general observer, Ram Krishna, the expenditure observer, Ajay Dixit, spoke. The Collector, S. Natarajan, said nominees should give details about the number of vehicles used for electioneering and their telephone and mobile phone numbers.

The Superintendent of Police, P.C.Thenmozhi, said additional personnel would be deployed in sensitive booths.

Thiagaraja Jayanthi

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI APRIL 27 . Hundreds of devotees participated in the 245th Jayanthi celebrations of saint Thiagaraja at Srirangam today.

The celebrations were conducted under the auspices of the Sri Sathguru Tyagabrahma Aradhana Trust and Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Sabha. Vedaparayanam was conducted and archana was performed to the icon of Thiagaraja on the occasion.

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