World No. 1 Serena Williams looked confident and healthy as she swept past No.18-seeded Shahar Peer, 6-2, 6-2.
Fans had hoped to see Williams take on rival Justine Henin in the quarterfinals, . . .
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Facing a revolt within, Chief Information Commissioner, Wajahat Habibullah, has sought help from the government to avoid a conflict between the higher judiciary and the information watchdog.
Habibullah’s desperate call comes after some of his colleagues at the Central Information Commission (CIC) openly questioned the May 21 verdict of the Delhi HC, declaring the commission had no power to set-up benches to hear RTI appeals or form inquiry panels.
The court quashed the CIC’s 2007 regulation that empowered it to set up benches to hear RTI disputes and appoint inquiry committees.
The order has put a question mark over the legality of various CIC benches, apart from the main bench headed by Habibullah. At least four commissioners out of nine have expressed displeasure at the order.
The verdict comes at a time when there are at least 10,000 appeals pending before the CIC. For quick disposal, the commissioners hear appeals individually as well as in benches.
Information Commissioner MM Ansari said the verdict “impinged” on the CIC’s autonomy. “A large number of the decisions of the information commissions…were challenged in courts. But nobody, including the Delhi HC, had ever questioned procedural guidelines.”
He also attacked the government for not framing rules for smooth functioning of the commission.
Ansari’s colleague, Shailesh Gandhi said the RTI Act empowered the commission to function independently. “Section 12 (7) of the Act clearly implies the setting up of independent benches. Parliament could not have envisaged transporting 11 commissioners to different parts of the country like an IPL team,” he remarked.
Two other commissioners — AN Tiwari and Deepak Sandhu — have stopped hearing appeals and want the issue sorted out first.
Habibullah said he was out of the country and the matter would be sorted out amicably.
Asked whether the verdict would affect the CIC’s functioning, he replied :”We have requested the Department of Personnel and Training to make the necessary amendments.”
Habibullah ruled out moving the Supreme Court against the HC verdict. “I don’t see a need for that,” he said.
New Delhi, India (AHN) – More than a month after the Indian Premier League cricket controversy rocked the country’s favorite sport, the government has decided to start legislative action against cricketing organizations such as the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI).
The government is contemplating this severe step to make such organizations more accountable under the Societies Registration Act. It is widely believed that the government came away looking impotent when the controversy broke out over financial dealings that took place within the purview of IPL right when its third season was about to conclude.
Minister for Corporate Affairs Salman Khursheed told the Indian Express, “I am looking at whether it is possible to have a central registry for societies that are registered for all-India purposes.” The ministry also plans to set up an expert group to carry out a study to facilitate any changes that might result from creation of a registry.
The Societies Registration Act, dating back to 1860, is a model act that was adopted by the states to help them govern the organizations supervising different fields of the society.
Khursheed also informed that the government might also think of changing the Act but all the stakeholders need to reach the same level to realize that.
The need for a further probe into IPL franchisees arose in April when then-IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi was suspended on corruption charges. Since then, the Registrar of Companies has submitted reports on the 10 IPL franchisees to the ministry, which is reviewing the reports. The reports contain information on the bidding process, memoranda of organization, sweat equity and franchise agreements.
Depending upon its analysis of the reports, the ministry could decide whether or not to go for further inspection of the franchisees.
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1 Serena Williams, who easily handled Israel's Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-2. “Obviously beating Justine is going to give me lot and lots of confidence,” Stosur said …
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PARIS – Serena and Venus Williams have advanced to the semifinals of the doubles tournament at the French Open.
The siblings defeated Maria Kirilenko and Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-3 Monday.
The Williamses won the doubles title in Paris in 1999.
The top-tanked Serena remains in the singles draw and will face seventh-seeded Sam Stosur of Australia in the quarterfinals. Venus lost to Nadia Petrova in the fourth round.
Mumbai (ANI): Suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) Commissioner Lalit Modi is expected to submit his reply to the second showcause notice of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today.
The BCCI’s second notice has accused Modi of attempting to float a rebel Twenty20 league in England.
Modi was served a second showcause notice by the BCCI on May 6 based on an e-mail sent to the Board by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chairman Giles Clarke.
On Sunday, Modi’s counsel Mehmood Abdi said the reply would be filed on Monday, but it would not be as voluminous as the reply to the first show cause notice.
Modi’’s reply to the first showcause served on him soon after the conclusion of IPL’’s third edition on April 25 ran up to over 15,000 pages, including a 160-page main reply with supporting documents.
Reportedly, the notice referred to Modi’’s March 31 meeting in Delhi with representatives of English counties Yorkshire, Lancashire and Warwickshire in which he allegedly talked about a parallel Twenty20 league in England and Wales in which eight existing franchises would bid for nine counties in the UK.
Earlier, Modi sought and obtained a 10-day breather to reply to the second show cause notice from the BCCI and the deadline ends on Monday. (ANI)
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