Lokpal Bill:Government says it has an open mind

STAFF WRITER 15:40 HRS IST

New Delhi, Apr 15 (PTI) On the eve of the maiden meeting of the 10-member Joint Committee tomorrow to draft the Lokpal Bill, Government today said it has an open mind on the issue.

"The meeting is taking place tomorrow. We are going there with an open mind. The government, civil society and common people - all have one target that there should be greater transparency and responsibilities should be clearly fixed in the bill," Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who is on the panel, told reporters here.

His statement came a day after activist and committee co-chairman Anna Hazare said that the bill proposed by the civil society will not cover higher judiciary and that their representatives in the drafting committee would be "flexible".

Punjab EC sets up call centre to register complaints

STAFF WRITER 17:9 HRS IST

Chandigarh, Apr 15 (PTI) A call centre has been set up at the office of Chief Electoral Officer here for receiving complaints regarding electoral rolls, as per directions of the Election Commission of India.

A spokesman of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, today said anybody could register complaints regarding the electoral rolls of Punjab state or any other complaint related to election matters at the call centre.

Supreme Court grants bail to rights activist Binayak Sen

STAFF WRITER 12:27 HRS IST

New Delhi, Apr 15 (PTI) The Supreme Court today granted bail to rights activist Binayak Sen, who has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Chhattisgarh trial court for sedition and helping Naxalites to set up a network to fight the State.

The apex court said it was giving no reason for granting bail to 61-year-old Sen and left it to the satisfaction of the trial court concerned to impose the conditions for his release on bail.

A bench comprising Justices H S Bedi and C K Prasad passed the order on the petition moved by Sen challenging the order of Chhattisgarh High Court denying him bail.