Centre, EC split over poll bonds
New Delhi: The Centre and the Election Commission took contrary stands on Wednesday over political funding. The government wants to maintain anonymity of the donors of electoral bonds while the poll panel is batting for revealing their names. The Centre told a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that anonymity was needed for various reasons such as fear of repercussion if the other political party or group won. The poll panel opposed the submissions and said secrecy allowed in the electoral bonds scheme legalises anonymity.
Lalu’s bail plea rejected
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s plea seeking bail in the multi-crore fodder scam cases, dashing the former chief and Union minister’s hopes of electioneering for the Lok Sabha polls. The top court period spent by him in the jail is nothing compared to the 14-year sentence awarded to him. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Yadav, said he has been convicted in four cases and has served terms of 24 months, 22 months, 20 months and 14 months.
Collegium clears 5 appointments
New Delhi: The Collegium recommended names of five judges as Chief Justices in five states. Delhi HC Judge Justice S Ravindra Bhat was appointed Chief Justice of Rajasthan HC, Kerala HC Judge Justice P R Ramachandra Menon is Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh HC, Punjab and Haryana HC Judge Justice A K Mittal was appointed Chief Justice of Meghalaya HC, Allahabad HC Judge Justice Vikram Nath was appointed Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh HC and Bombay HC Judge Justice A S Oka was appointed Chief Justice of Karnataka HC.