Friday, May 27, 2011

Diesel, LPG prices may be hiked on June 9

NEW DELHI: The ministerial panel on fuels under FM Pranab Mukherjee is expected to raise diesel and cooking gas prices on June 9. Diesel price is likely to be increased by Rs 2-3 a litre and cooking gas by about Rs 35 per cylinder. The increase in price of diesel, which is the main transportation fuel, is expected to push up cost of essential items, all goods that move on trucks as well as bus and taxi fares.

A revision in diesel and cooking gas prices was in the offing since petrol price was jacked up on May 15 by Rs 5 a litre, the steepest-ever increase. The ministerial panel was expected to meet on May 11, the day after the last phase of polling was to get over in Bengal. But the government pushed the pause button in view of a see-saw in global crude prices after Osama bin-Laden's killing.

The fluctuation in crude price in the intervening period has brought down the loss on a litre of diesel from a high of Rs 19 or so, when the price of Indian crude mix averaged nearly $121 a barrel before Osama was killed. Diesel and cooking gas prices were last revised in June 2010. The present pump price of diesel corresponds to around $70 a barrel of crude mix bought by the state-run refiners. That mix is ruling at $118 now. As a result, oil marketers are currently losing Rs 16.49 on every litre of diesel and Rs 329 on each cooking gas refill.

The oil ministry will also push for an increase in the price of kerosene, politically the holy cow of fuels. The companies are losing almost Rs 30 a litre on the poor man's fuel, nearly 40% of which flows into the black market. The panel is unlikely to tinker with fuel taxes for fear of upsetting the government's calculations. Top finance ministry officials have, over the week, categorically ruled on reducing taxes to pare increase in fuel prices.

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President rejects mercy plea of 2 death row convicts

NEW DELHI: The death row waiting list has shortened by two with President Pratibha Patil rejecting the mercy petitions of two convicts — Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar of Punjab and Mahender Nath Das of Assam — clearing the way for their execution.

Rashtrapati Bhawan sources confirmed that the President rejected Das's plea last month while she denied Bhullar's mercy plea on Wednesday. This is the first time after 2004 – when the BJP attacked the government for sitting on Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru's mercy plea — that the President has given the nod for executions.

The rejection of Bhullar's mercy plea comes after the Supreme Court on Monday expressed "surprise" over the eight-year delay in disposal of his plea.

Bhullar was sentenced to death by a trial court on August 25, 2001, for plotting terror attacks on Punjab SSP Sumedh Singh Saini in 1991 and then Youth Congress president M S Bitta in 1993, leading to several deaths in Delhi.

On Monday, Bhullar's lawyer K T S Tulsi had urged the Supreme Court that either his mercy petition be decided expeditiously or his death sentence be commuted.

While the Opposition parties have lashed out at the "delay" in taking a decision in the case of Afzal Guru's petition, home minister P Chidambaram maintains that there is no fixed time for deciding the mercy petitions and that the ministry will go serial wise on deciding the pleas.

At least 15 cases have been referred, and decision obtained in 11. The case of three persons sentenced to death in the assassination of former PM Rajiv Gandhi and two other terrorist cases are currently pending as is the Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru's case.

Guru's wife Tabasum Afzal had petitioned the President on October 3, 2006, for commutation of his death sentence. The Delhi government was asked for its view. The Delhi government's comments were furnished by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in June 2010, and they are being examined by the home ministry.

Under Article 72 of the Constitution, the President is empowered to grant pardon and commute the death sentence of a convict. She can also suspend and remit the death sentence of a condemned prisoner on the advice of the Centre.

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