Daily Archives: July 8, 2012
GTA POLLS UPDATE: ABGL moves High Court for stay on GTA polls
FROM INDIAN EXPRESS
A File Photo of a Gorkha League procession in Darjeeling
KOLKATA: The All India Gorkha League (ABGL) today filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court seeking a stay order on the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) election.
The ABGL, in its petition, said that the GTA election is not a proper election because it is being conducted by the state hill affairs department, not by the Election Commission. Moreover, there is no reservation for women and SCs and STs in the election process, it stated.
The petitioners expect the first hearing on the issue to be held next week, said a senior ABGL leader.
Laxman Pradhan, general secretary of ABGL, said, “We have submitted the petition. The election is not taking place in a democratic manner and it is not being conducted by the State Election Commission. It is being conducted by the state hill affairs department. There is no reservation for women, SCs and STs. Moreover, the election is scheduled in the rainy season, when it is very difficult for people in the hills to reach the polling booths.”
DARJEELING HILLS: GJM faces heat from rival parties for strong-arm tactics
FROM NEWSTRACKINDIA.COM
Darjeeling, July 7 (IANS) Candidates of the CPI-M, Trinamool Congress and Independents Saturday alleged they were forcibly prevented by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) from filing nominations for the July 29 polls of the proposed new development body in West Bengal’s troubled Darjeeling district.
One person was arrested and three cases were opened following the complaints, police said.
The last date for entering the fray for the 45 seats of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in the state’s northern hills in July 9.
Former state minister and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Ashok Bhattacharya accused the GJM of beating up his party leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Saman Pathak in Kurseong subdivision when he was accompanying his party candidates to file their papers.
“Saman Pathak was severely beaten up. As a result, four of our nominees could not file their papers. We have called a meeting to decide whether we will participate further in the polls,” an agitated Bhattacharya said.
SPORTS WATCH: Chhetri represents a new breed of player
FROM DECCAN HERALD
BY NOVY KAPADIA
It is the ultimate irony, India’s skipper Sunil Chhetri was struggling to find an Indian club but has been signed by top Portugal club, Sporting Lisbon.
Chhetri will join the Sporting Lisbon reserve team for now, a sensible decision as he can get more playing time than he did in his stint with the Kansas City Wizards in the Major League Soccer in 2010. With 33 goals in 58 appearances for India, the nippy and short-statured striker will play in the Portuguese second division known as the Liga de Honra.
The Indian skipper had unsuccessful trials with Coventry and Celtic of Scotland earlier. During these trials he realised that the pace of the game is much faster abroad and tackles are harder. Chhetri was not content to remain a big fish in a small pond. He wanted to expand his horizon and by joining Sporting Lisbon, has fulfilled a dream.
Last season he played for Mohun Bagan and reportedly earned `90 lakhs. It is likely he will earn less in Portugal but kudos to Chhetri for his willingness to take the challenge and trying to gain vital exposure. He represents the new breed of Indian players exposed to international football via satellite TV and the internet and dreaming big.
In recent years two other national players unsuccessfully tried to secure a foreign contract. Goalkeeper Subrata Pal made a favourable impression at Vancouver Whitecaps but the club wanted an outfield player as their third foreign recruit. Defender Gourmangi Singh also had trials with the Melbourne Victory two seasons ago but was not chosen. This season midfielder Mehtab Hossein has gone for trials with Exeter City in England, arranged for him by his former East Bengal team-mate Alan Gow.
DARJEELING: GJM assaults CPM nominees,demands scrapping of TMC candidature
FROM IBNLIVE.IN.COM
Darjeeling (WB), Jul 7 (PTI) A group of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists at Kurseong in Darjeeling district allegedly assaulted CPI(M) nominees who failed to file nomination papers for the GTA election and gheraoed the SDO there demanding that the nomination paper of a Trinamool Congress candidate be rejected. A group of CPI(M) candidates and some leaders like former Rajya Sabha MP Saman Pathak had gone to Kurseong SDO Ranjan Kumar Jha’s office to file nomination papers, official sources said.
However, they were assaulted and forced to return without filing nomination allegedly by GJM workers. CPI(M) state secretary Biman Bose condemned the attack on party workers. In a statement in Kolkata, Bose said the SDO had asked the CPI(M) nominees to file papers after 1 pm and the party followed his advise. They were attacked despite that and the condition of Saman Pathak was serious, he claimed.
All Payments are secured by Paypal, the world leader in online payment systems and recognized by Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
