GUWAHATI, Jan 11 — State Health Department has expressed its discontent over World Bank’s ‘No’ to Assam Health System Project aimed at strengthing secondary hospitals in the State. The project was submitted to the Central Government which had moved the World Bank to for funding. However the World Bank expressed its inability to take up the project immediately due to ‘security reasons’ much to the chagrin of the Assam Health Department. The State Health Minister Dr Bhumidhar Barman in his submission before Union Health Minister, Dr C P Thakur yesterday stated that World Bank’s reason for not...

GUWAHATI, Jan 11 – The Gauhati High Court today upheld the December 9, 1997 circular of the Election Commission (EC) of India which debarred doubtful citizens from casting their votes in Assam elections notwithstanding their enrolment in the State’s electoral rolls, unless their citizenship is favourably decided by the tribunals constituted under the provision of the IMDT Act. Passing a judgement in this connection, the Court of Justice JN Sarma and Justice AK Patnaik rejected the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions filed by Sri HRA Choudhury, Sadhan Chakravorty, Abdul Kayum and others...

DIPHU, Jan 11 — Sri Khor Sing Engti was declared elected as new Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) by Sri George Millik, chairman of the House in a special session held today. It is worthmentioning that Sri Khor Sing Engti filed nomination for the CEM on behalf of the Congress-I while Sri Chomang Kro file his nomination on behalf of the ASDC. Sri Engti bagged 13 votee in the 26-member House while Sri. Kro bagged 12 votes. One vote was declared invalid by the chairman. It is to be mentioned that in the election the Congress-I bagged 13 seats, ASDC-10...

Kohima, January 12: The Congress Government headed by Chief Minister SC Jamir in Nagaland is completing 4 years in office by February next and still poise to grab the seat of power for the next term too without much struggle. Jamir has been running his Government virtually without opposition. In the 60-Member State Assembly, 59 including Speaker belong to the Congress excepting one Independent MLA, Mavil who normally acts as "Opposition". In the last general election in 1998, all the regional political parties as well as National party like BJP opted out participation in it (election) on the...

Imphal, January 12: The Human Rights Alert, HRA has strongly condemned the assault of Babloo Loitongbam, Executive Director, HRA by CRPF personnel deployed at the SBI main branch, M Avenue today morning. In a statement, the HRA said that when Babloo went to the bank this morning, the security personnel objected to his carrying a digital diary inside the bank. Babloo?s reasoning that such harmless electronic equipment is allowed everywhere cut no ice with the CRPF men. Babloo then offered to leave the diary with the security personnel but this was also turned down on the ground that they cannot...