HC seeks Centre's stand on plea challenging Aadhaar ordinance

A five-judge Constitution bench of the apex court had in September last year declared the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme as constitutionally valid but struck down some of its provisions including its linking with bank accounts, mobile phones and school admissions. The court had held that while Aadhaar would remain mandatory for the filing of Income Tax returns and allotment of Permanent Account Number (PAN), it would not be mandatory to link Aadhaar to bank accounts and telecom service providers cannot seek its linking for mobile connections. According to the petitioners, Reepak Kansal and Yadunandan Bansal, the ordinance allows the private sector to use the Aadhaar infrastructure through the back door by amending the Indian Telegraph Act. The petition has said that the ordinance amends the Telegraph Act to provide for voluntary use of Aadhaar for identity verification. It has claimed that this allows telecom companies to use Aadhaar ID for identity verification. The petitioners also contended that there was "no extraordinary situation" which required passing of such an ordinance. President Ram Nath Kovind had last month given his assent to the Aadhaar Ordinance that allowed voluntary use of Aadhaar as ID proof for obtaining mobile SIM cards and opening bank accounts. The ordinance was necessitated because Rajya Sabha could not approve a Bill after its passage by Lok Sabha. The Cabinet had approved the promulgation of the ordinance to give effect to changes proposed in Aadhaar and two others legislations. The amendments provide for stiff penalties for violation of norms set for the use of Aadhaar and violation of privacy. It bans storing of core biometric information as well as Aadhaar number by service providers in cases of individuals who have voluntarily offered the national ID as a means of authentication. However, the amendments make it clear that anyone not offering Aadhaar cannot be denied any service, be it opening of a bank account or obtaining a mobile phone SIM card. ... DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: Deccan Chroniclehttps://www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/pacitodesco

APPSC Group 3 notification: Registration begins for panchayat secretary posts at psc.ap.gov.in

The main exam will be held on August 2, 2019. A general mock test facility is available to the applicants to acquaint themselves with the computer-based recruitment test. APPSC Group 3 notification: How to apply Step 1: Go to the official website of APPSC — psc.ap.gov.in Step 2: On the homepage, scroll down to the tab for One Time Profile registration. The commission has also provided the direct link to the one-time registration page Step 3: A new window will open Step 4: Under the 'Direct Recruitment', click on new registration. In case you have already registered, you do not need to do it again Step 5: Follow the procedure of registration. You would get an OTP to register. Once registered, you would have your OTPR id Step 6: Candidates can use this id to apply for APPSC Panchayat Secretary posts once the link is activated APPSC recruitment: District-wise vacancies detail (old) Srikakulam - 7 Vizianagaram - 01 Prakasam - 05 Chittoor - 07 Vishakhapatnam - 02 East Godavari - 12 Ananthapuramu - 03 West Godavari - 04 Kurnool - 02 Krishna - 03 Guntur - 02 Kadapa - 02 APPSC recruitment: District-wise vacancies detail (fresh) Srikakulam - 107 Vizianagaram - 119 Vishakhapatnam - 105 West Godavari - 21 Krishna - 19 Kurnool - 88 Ananthapuramu - 38 Chittoor - 134 Nellore - 62 Prakasam - 167 Guntur - 48 APPSC recruitment: Eligibility criteria Candidate should have a degree from any govt recognised board. APPSC recruitment: Selection process The selection of candidates for appointment to the posts of panchayat secretary will be based on the merit in the computer-based examination, to be held as per the scheme of examination. The minimum qualifying marks for consideration of a candidate to the selection process are 40 per cent for OCs, 35 per cent for BCs, and 30 per cent for SCs, STs and PHs or as per rules. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttp://www.divephotoguide.com/user/heenkeenzsa

PHOTOS: SRK, Varun-Alia, Malaika and others spotted in the city

Kareena Kapoor Khan snapped with her son Taimur in Mumbai. Dapper Farhan Akhtar spotted outside his gym in Mumbai. Parineeti Chopra snapped outside Khar gymkhana, Mumbai. Malaika Arora looked hot and sexy in short blue feather dress. Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Madhuri Dixit Nene and Alia Bhatt spotted at the promotions of their upcoming film Kalank. Kalank duo Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt give romantic pose to shutterbugs. Alia Bhatt did her iconic kathak performance on the song 'Ghar More Pardesiya' from Kalank. Varun did energetic dance on the song 'First Class' from Kalank.DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: Deccan Chroniclehttps://forums.ubi.com/member.php/3783075-kunvindsee

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Thirty-two steps to greatness, or not

It has ever since been translated into many Indian languages and the Hindi version is popular as Singhasan Battisi. Long ago, there lived a king called Bhoj who believed that his love and concern for his subjects was unmatched. When a gorgeous throne adorned with 32 life-sized statues of exquisitely beautiful celestial nymphs was excavated, he was convinced that this was meant for him. As soon as Raja Bhoj prepared to seat himself on the throne, a statue came to life and asked him to wait till he had heard a story about Vikramaditya to whom the seat had once belonged. If he considered himself a worthy inheritor equal in virtue and justice only then should he dare to rest on the cushion placed. The process was repeated 32 times. After the last nymph had finished her tale and Bhoj was still engrossed in his thoughts, the apsaras picked up the throne and flew away shattering his dream of reigning like the legendary Vikramaditya. Times have changed, and the tale survives largely in its illustrated comics avatar. However, one is strongly tempted to use it metaphorically at election time. Replace the statues with 32 constituencies, carefully chosen to represent obstacles to any ruler's ambitions. Can these 'temptresses' assure or deny the coveted throne to the contender? To assume the reins of government, a political party has to win a majority of seats in the Lok Sabha. At present, 543 seats are being contested. In 2014, the BJP-NDA combine had managed to register an impressive victory ending three decades of coalition government. The question is: Can it repeat the performance? Last time, the BJP and its partners had virtually annihilated Opposition in the Hindi belt. Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand had experienced a tsunami of 'Modi Wave'. Nitish Kumar in Bihar wavered for a while but ultimately fell in line. All this is water under the bridge. The BJP had dramatically risen to power on the slogan of 'Congress Mukt Bharat'. Indeed, for some time large parts on the map of India were painted saffron. Slowly, over the past year-and-a-half the wave seems to be subsiding. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have slipped out of the BJP's bag. These three states alone account for 65 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP can't be expected to record 'perfect' scores here as it did last time. UP too, with SP-BSP alliance in place, presents a daunting challenge. Add to this tally the numbers from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal where neither the BJP nor the Congress has a presence worth mentioning. For past three decades and more it's the regional parties that have ruled here. Andhra Pradesh and Odisha remain to be counted. So what are the stories the 'statuesque constituencies' telling us? We are not inviting our readers to indulge in fruitless forecasting. Let professional psephologists practice their craft. But it may be well our worth to identify 32 (or a few more) constituencies from all over India that promise to provide insights about democracy in India. Memories are fading fast but some are at least moss green yet of rulers just and fair-provincial satraps, chief ministers and regional representatives in the Central Cabinet who were real leaders-and not created by the media. They articulated aspirations of their people. They were legends in their lifetime-Sheikh Abdullah, Biju Patnaik, Mohan Lal Sukhadia, Bidhan Chandra Roy, Jyoti Basu and many more. Some died in their prime, others couldn't escape a taint of corruption or resist the temptation of dynasty. The 'inheritors' from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Kamrup to Kutch are arrayed in a dubious battle with 'carpet baggers'. The worry is that even chance and happenstance can be subverted by diabolical design. It is time to return to Singhasan Battisi. The cycle of stories is meant to teach lessons not only to common readers but also to serve as a reminder to the rulers of their responsibilities. Pushpesh Pant Former professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University pushpeshpant@gmail.com DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The New Indian Expresshttp://profile.ultimate-guitar.com/heenkeenzsa/

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341 hydrocarbon wells to be drilled in Tamil Nadu by Vedanta and ONGC?

Of the 341 wells, 67 are proposed by public sector oil major ONGC while the remaining 274 are by Cairn Oil and Gas, a vertical of Vedanta. As per records available with Express, Vedanta has sought an exemption from holding public hearings. The hearings, where general public are allowed to express their views on such projects, is a statutory requirement under EIA Notification, 2006. The company is planning to invest a whopping Rs 13,538 crore in the project.Last year, Vedanta was allotted two hydrocarbon blocks in Tamil Nadu as part of Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP). One block covers an area of 2,574 sq.km consisting of 142 sq.km of Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu), 39 sq.km of Karaikal (Puducherry) and 2,393 sq. km of the Bay of Bengal sea. The second block measures 1,794 Sq.km consisting of 139 sq km of Villupuram, two sq.km of Puducherry and 1,654 sq.km of sea portion of Bay of Bengal. The total command area to carry out necessary studies will be 4.37 lakh hectares.Ecologists have expressed concerns over environmental impacts of such a project. The Vendanta's block where drilling will happen, according to records, is just 0.49 km away from the ecologically sensitive Pichavaram Mangrove Forest. Also, four important rivers including the Cauvery and several canals flow within the block. The Bay of Bengal, where blocks are located, is prone to cyclones. "The coastal stretch between Marakkanam and Nagapattinam, where the two offshore blocks of Vedanta are situated, is a popular fishing ground for local communities as it has shallow waters with depth varying between 200-500 metres," says researcher K Ayyanathan, who has written a book on hydrocarbons. "Drilling activity will drive away fish. It will also affect the soil substrata and change the characteristics of the coastline as there will be leaks. The subterranean water bodies or aquifers will get contaminated," claims Ayyanathan. As per the Revenue Sharing Contract, Vedanta proposes to carry out oil and gas exploration (including seismic surveys, exploratory and appraisal drilling) over the next 10-12 years. In case commercial quantities of hydrocarbon reserves are established, then development and production of oil and gas will be carried out in Phase-II. When contacted, a Vedanta Cairn spokesperson told Express via e-mail, "Cairn believes in protecting the environment in its areas of operation. All environmental safeguards are taken in line with applicable statutory requirements. We are currently in planning phase for carrying out exploration activities, and the drilling of Exploratory & Appraisal wells in the OALP blocks in Cauvery basin. The well-drilling execution is dependent on the assessment of subsurface data. The environment ministry has also been swift in granting approvals for ONGC. An application for onshore development and production of oil and gas from 27 wells in two fields (Bhuvanagiri & Periyakudi fields) and expansion in Cauvery Basin (in Cuddalore and Tiruvarur districts) was submitted by ONGC on February 27 and ToR was granted by March 31. ONGC proposes to invest Rs 5,150 crore in the project. A total of 40 wells are proposed to be drilled in this block, of which 35 wells will be located in Cuddalore and five in Nagapattinam. As per ONGC officials estimate, 1.82 hectares per well is to be acquired on short term lease/rent. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The New Indian Expresshttp://rockndata.net/UserProfile/tabid/61/userId/17733908/Default.aspx

rmers and environmentalists in Wayanad submit charter of demands to Rahul Gandhi

Fa Considering the role played by Wayanad to quench the thirst of Bengaluru, the natural forest cover in Wayanad - which is almost 42 per cent of the 2,132 sq km land area of Wayanad ranging from tropical evergreen forests to wet deciduous forests to grassland and shola forest ecosystems to mono crop plantations - conservation and increase in area of natural forests involving local tribal wisdom has to given special emphasis. Wayanad's forests are mother of over 13 rivers originating from the landscape from its shola grasslands that are capable of acting like a sponge and Kabini, the major river of the district, drains approximately 94tmc into the Kaveri which not only is the mainstay of farmers in the Mysuru region of Karnataka as well as those regions of Tamil Nadu depending on the Kaveri water for irrigation and also it is the main source of drinking water for Bengaluru, the IT hub of India, he said. Regulated tourism and land use management Wayanad has a population of 8.1 lakh people while it attracts another 8.24 lakh as tourists in each tourist season. There is no thought on carrying capacity of the landscape which has resulted in depletion of precious water and energy resources being shared by farming and tourism sectors during dry seasons. So the greens have sought a study on the carrying capacity of every tourist place in Wayanad. Tourism has to be promoted only taking note of the carrying capacity of the region as in the case of several world tourist spots that are already leading the way due to damage to ecology. It has also sought a complete ban on any alternative Ghat roads on the Western Ghats, including trekking paths, in the wake of severe threat of landslides. Freedom from debt and assuring sustainable income In the backdrop of five farmer suicides in this year alone, they demanded all farm loans be waived off urgently. It is also important to provide interest-free loans to farmers to revive the farming sector. Further, a mission mode work towards making the district organic in the next 5 years is imperative, they said. Enabling growth of agro-based industries Only agro-based industry should be encouraged in Wayanad. Efforts should be taken to support and promote micro, small and medium enterprises in this sector. Further, bamboo has to be promoted as a crop in farms to avoid further depletion of the same from forest lands for human use. Wayanad does not require any railway line or airport, as it has already six interstate roads connecting Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as well as five Ghat roads. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The New Indian Expresshttps://able2know.org/user/sunoonoos/

Ahmedabad MC chief issues notice to fire officer for Monday's blaze

Speaking to The Indian Express, Municipal Commissioner Nehra said that the showcause notice was not served only based on Monday's fire incident in which three persons were hospitalised, but 'we are trying to address systemic issues in the fire department'. Among the systemic problems in the Ahmedabad Fire Emergency Services (AFES), according to Nehra, was that the department was 'grossly understaffed'. 'There are 18 fire stations without a fire station officer for the past 25 to 30 years… There are issues of discipline as well,' Nehra said. Nehra said that the first responsibility of ensuring safety lies with the building occupant and that the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) acts in the capacity of the first responder. 'Only when an NOC is given by the fire department along with several other departments or committees such as the lift, electricals, building structure, health, water etc, is a building use (BU) permit given. Thereafter, there needs to be periodic inspections done. In cases where there are alterations/additions made to a building after BU permit is procured, the fire department should flag it since fire exits and pathways will be affected. It is the responsibility of the fire department to ensure compliance. If found to be non-compliant, the fire NOC is revoked upon which the Estate Department will take an appropriate decision in terms of sealing the building. The Estate Department can't determine (without the fire department alerting them) how an alteration to a building will affect (the safety) of it,' the Municipal Commissioner said. On Monday, the Ahmedabad Fire Emergency Services (AFES) had said that the building, Dev Aurum Complex, located in Prahladnagar area of the city would be sealed for not following the fire norms. 'The city has seen a number of fire incidents in the past few months and we have seen that in all these places it could have been avoided,' said an AMC official. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttps://www.thebmc.co.uk/profile?id=33130

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