'It is time India calibrated a policy of what Indira Gandhi called equi-proximity rather than equi-distance between the US and Russia.'
The government is also likely to appoint another election commissioner along with Chawla's elevation. This would mean till April 21, 2009 the Election Commission might have four members.
The Centre has asked the President not to give assent to the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime bill as it did not carry the two changes earlier suggested by it.
In the backdrop of serial blasts in Delhi and incidents of communal violence in Karnataka and Orissa, President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday said terrorism and sectarian hatred have no place in the society as they were against development.
Asked about the timing of his move against Chwala, CEC Gopalaswami said, "This argument regarding timing is unfair. I was dictated by circumstances. It was not a deliberate decision. I had to wait till the Karnataka elections get over. He (Chawla) took five months to reply to me. For one month he went on leave. I have taken only one and a half months to prepare my opinion once I got his (Chawla's) response (to the charges made against him)."
It was the DMK, whose opposition to divestment in the Nevyeli Lignite Corp, led to the previous UPA decision to put on hold all its divestment decisions and proposals.
Union Law Minister H Bharadwaj on Monday slammed Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami for 'overstepping his powers' by recommending the removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla to President Pratibha Patil."The CEC overstepped his powers. His allegations are unfortunate. He cannot behave like a political boss," Bharadwaj told mediapersons in New Delhi on Monday. He added that Chawla will take over as the next CEC once Gopalaswami demits office on April 20.
After having prioritised the United Progressive Alliance government's programmes for its second term, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is asking his ministerial colleagues to stick to the agenda listed for the first 100 days in office.Dr Singh is writing a letter to his colleagues in the Union Council of Ministers to focus on the priorities and programmes outlined in President Pratibha Patil's address to the joint sitting of Parliament.
A High Court bench in Nagpur has dismissed a criminal case against Devisingh Shekhawat, husband of President Pratibha Patil, relating to abetment of suicide by a school teacher. A single judge bench of Justice Arun Choudhary, while allowing application of Devisingh Shekhawat and three others under section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code has quashed the judgment passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Khamgaon in Buldana district on February 7, 2007.
With Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami recommending the removal of his colleague Navin Chawla, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday demanded "firm action" on the issue saying the "credibility" of the poll panel is "at stake".
Training her guns on the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati was extremely critical of President Pratibha Patil's address to the joint sitting of parliament in New Delhi on Thursday.
On his first official visit to India, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday met leaders across the political spectrum and discussed issues of bilateral interest. Prachanda called on President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Hamid Ansari.
An impressive and colourful parade, a traditional attraction of the national event, marched down the thoroughfare connecting the Rashtrapati Bhawan and the historic India Gate as President Pratibha Patil took the salute from marching contingents.
"No country can afford to take an ambivalent attitude in this fight. Arguments that terrorism is being perpetuated by independent actors are self-defeating and cannot be accepted," Patil said without naming Pakistan in her address on the eve of the 60th Republic Day.
The 90-year-old singer will be conferred the award in a ceremony on October 21st by President Pratibha Patil.
President Pratibha Patil's son Rajendra alias Raosaheb Shekhawat, who is contesting from Amravati constituency on a Congress ticket, is worth Rs 6.68 crore. Shekhawat's movable property is valued at Rs 1.36 crore and his immovable assets are worth Rs 5.32 crore, said the affidavit sworn by him at the time of filing of nomination.
President Pratibha Patil has cleared the names of slain former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare, sub-inspector Tukaram Gopal Omble and National Security Guard commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who laid down their lives during the Mumbai terror strikes, for Ashok Chakra. A senior Rashtrapati Bhavan official told rediff.com, "All that I can tell you is that she has cleared the file and it has been sent to home ministry."
Leaders of the Left front, Bahujan Samaj Party, Telugu Desam Party and other parties on Tuesday met President Pratibha Patil to demand immediate convening of the monsoon session of Parliament, accusing the government of 'concealing' information regarding the Indo-United States nuclear deal.They charged the ruling coalition with subverting the Constitution by deciding to do away with the monsoon session and convening a combined session.
President Pratibha Patil's son Rajendra Shekhawat, who has been nominated by Congress to contest assembly poll in Maharashtra, on Wednesday night said his mother's name was "deliberately being dragged" and that he should be considered only on his merit.
Reacting to reports of a kin of President Pratibha Patil being in the race for a Congress ticket for assembly polls in Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said her family members should refrain from doing so keeping democratic norms in mind.
Paving the way for formation of a popular government in Meghalaya, the Centre on Friday night decided to revoke the President's rule imposed in the state nearly two months back.
Notwithstanding the chill in bilateral relations, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have sent their New Year greetings to their Indian counterparts.Zardari and Gilani have sent their greetings to President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh through the Ministry of External Affairs, sources said on Wednesday.
President Pratibha Patil released a Special Commemorative Stamp in honour of Late Field Marshal Sam Bahadur Manekshaw at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday.
On the eve of a brief session of Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday met President Pratibha Patil and discussed internal security, the Mumbai terror attack and other issues of national importance. The hour-long meeting took place amid speculation that the prime minister would soon be undertaking a cabinet reshuffle in the wake of resignation of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and indisposition of Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi.
The Supreme Court, on Friday, refused to direct further investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the murder of a Jalgaon Congress leader in a case in which the Bombay High Court has rejected a plea to make President Pratibha Patil's brother G N Patil as an accused.
The President and the Trinamool's demand concerning the nominated members of the Rajya Sabha has the government in a quandary
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had his first substantive meeting with President Barack Obama on Thursday, during which he told the American leader that India would like to carry forward the Indo-US strategic relationship that had developed during the last five years.
President Pratibha Patil on Monday embarked on a ten-day visit to Vietnam and Indonesia to give a new thrust to India's 'Look East' policy and bolster its bilateral ties with these economically and strategically important neighbours in the ASEAN region.
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil created history on Wednesday by becoming the first serving female head of state to fly in an Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft from the Lohegaon Air Force Base in Pune.
The scheduled caste organisations submitted a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil on Saturday night seeking her intervention in upholding the rights and equal opportunities bestowed upon them by the Constitution and 'infringed' by TTD in respect of worship and employment.
Although the exact contents of the mail are unknown, sources said it was deemed 'sleazy' and a complaint was lodged with the Delhi police. The police in turn managed to track down the IP address from which the email was sent and tracked the person down
Sania Mirza's scheduled meeting with President Pratibha Patil was called off after the tennis ace was rendered indisposed.
President Pratibha Patil is not scared of undertaking a sortie in a two-seater Sukhoi-30 frontline fighter jet plane of the IAF next week at Pune.
The chargesheet, filed before Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann, names six accused, including the former chief minister and his wife.
Seventy six-year-old Dr Singh drove to Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday morning from his 7, Race Course Road residence to greet Patil on the occasion, a PMO spokesperson said.
President Pratibha Patil allocated the additional charge to Sharma on the advice of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said late Saturday night.
The Sena has repeatedly said that its choice for the the highest office is the RSS chief.
President Pratibha Patil asserted that the country is determined to create a secure environment in J&K to defeat the divisive designs of terrorism and violence, while inaugurating the Institute of Kashmir Studies at the Kashmir University on Monday in Srinagar.
President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday paid homage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 17th death anniversary. Amid a continuous drizzle, the departed leader's widow and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, along with her son Rahul and daughter Priyanka Vadra, reached his memorial 'Vir Bhumi' to pay their tributes. A prayer meeting was organised in the premises of the memorial.
India is currently estimated to have a total workforce of 500 million, which is expected to grow by 20 million every year over the next 10 years. President Pratibha Patil said India is a "nation of young people" and the country's youth can be made employable by investing in skill development. "India's demographic dividends can be realised only if the country invests in developing skills to make our youths employable," she said.
