• Supreme Court defers till March 26 the Centre’s plea against release of Rajiv Gandhi's assassins.

• Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy moves the Apex Court against bifurcation of the state.
• Aam Aadmi Party members arrested in connection with yesterday's clashes outside BJP office in the national capital.
• In Uttar Pradesh, Doctors call off their six-day strike.
• Sri Lankan Navy arrests 9 more Tamil fishermen for violating the maritime boundary.
• Five Afghan soldiers killed in Nato air strike in Afghanistan.
• And in All England Open Badminton tournament: Saina Nehwal to take on Beiwen Zhang of the United States in pre-quarterfinal match today.

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The Supreme Court today deferred till March 26 the hearing on the Centre's plea against the Tamil Nadu government's decision to release seven prisoners convicted in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam adjourned the case and posted it for final hearing on 26th of this month after the Centre sought time to file a rejoinder to state government's response.

Earlier, the apex court had restrained the state government from releasing the prisoners who were undergoing life sentence and directed it to maintain status quo. It had also directed the Tamil Nadu government not to release three convicts whose death sentences were commuted to life terms by the Supreme Court on 18th of last month.

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Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Reddy today approached the Supreme Court against the Centre's decision to create Telangana by bifurcating the State. A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam, has agreed to list his plea along with other petitions which will be taken up tomorrow for hearing.

The apex court had earlier on February 17 refused to entertain petitions challenging the division of Andhra Pradesh on the ground that they were premature as the Bill was not cleared by Parliament at that time. Parliament gave its approval on February 20 for the creation of Telangana by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.

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The Centre today justified before the Supreme Court its decision of not recommending the dissolution of the Delhi Assembly. The government justified its stand by saying that it is not expedient or in public interest to hold the next Assembly elections in Delhi in such a short time. The apex court had last month issued notice to the central government on a plea by the Aam Aadmi Party challenging the decision of the centre of not dissolving the Delhi assembly as recommended by the outgoing AAP government. The plea challenged the presidential proclamation placing the Delhi assembly in suspended animation and not dissolving it. The apex court gave 10 days time to the centre to respond the AAP plea and fixed the listing of the case on 7th of this month.

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The Delhi Police has arrested fourteen Aam Aadmi Party members after an FIR was registered against them in connection with clashes outside the BJP office in New Delhi yesterday. Police sources said, the FIR was lodged at Parliament Street Police Station last night against the AAP protesters including its leaders Ashutosh and Shazia Ilmi. They said charges of rioting, obstructing a public servant from performing his duty and damaging public property have been slapped against them.

Talking to AIR, Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Deepak Maheshwari said prominent educationist Prof Anand Kumar is also one of the arrested members. He said the party will lodge a formal complaint with the Election Commission on what he called unprovoked atrocities against the party members by the police. Maheshwari expressed surprise that no BJP member involved in the clashes has been arrested so far. He said the party will file a counter FIR against the police.

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Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal today apologized for his party workers' behavior in Delhi and Lucknow while protesting his detention and urged them to stick to non-violence. He was reacting to media queries at Bhuj in Kutch district during his four days tour to the home state of BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate. Meanwhile, the BJP has urged the Election Commission to take strict action against Aam Aadmi Party for yesterday's clashes in Delhi and Lucknow. A Party delegation led by senior leader Harsh Vardhan today met the Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath in New Delhi and complained that Aam Aadmi Party resorted to violence to derail election process.

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In Uttar Pradesh, Doctors in Kanpur today called off their six-day strike. The Uttar Pradesh Indian Medical Association President Dr. Ravi Mehra told AIR that the strike had been called off in the larger interest of public and after the intervention of Allahabad High Court. Meanwhile 24 junior doctors who had refused to come out of jail by furnishing the personal bond have now been released from the jail. The government has shifted SSP Kanpur Yashaswi Yadav and attached him to DGP office Lucknow.

Our Correspondent reports that faculty and doctors in most of the medical colleges and other medical Institutions across the state have joined their duty and OPD services have begun in most of the institutions.

"The agony and pain of the poor patients for six days came to an end today but only after the High Court intervened in the matter. Over forty precious lives of hapless patients were lost all over the state during these days as they had no other alternative except government hospitals. The government is closely monitoring the situation in the state run hospitals to ensure that all the services are provided to the needy. The patients, who were wandering here and there for medical care, have once again started rushing to the government hospitals. Merajuddin, AIR NEWS, Lucknow."

Taking suo motu cognizance, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court had directed a probe into the matter. However, the state government informed the court that it has set up a one member Commission headed by a retired justice of Allahabad High Court to inquiry into the incident which will submit its report in three weeks. The Court has fixed March 10 as next date of hearing into the matter.

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Nationalist Congress Party Bihar chief Nagmani today resigned from his post and party. Nagmani was seeking NCP ticket for Lok Sabha polls but the party could not accommodate him. He indicated he may join BJP. Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has dissolved Bihar unit of the party. NCP Spokesperson Anil Kumar Jha told AIR that Mr Pawar has dissolved the Bihar party unit with immediate affect. He also said that the party National secretary Mohan Agrawal has been appointed as the in-charge of Bihar unit.

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In Madhya Pradesh, the ruling BJP sponsored a half day bandh has evoked mixed response across the state today. The party has called bandh to lodge its protest against the centre’s alleged insensitive attitude towards farmers of the state. Our correspondent reports that chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is observing a four hour fast with his ministerial colleagues at capital Bhopal’s T T Nagar Dushera ground.

" The main markets and commercial establishments are closed in the major towns including Bhopal, Indore and Gwalior. Addressing the gathering during his fast, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan demanded a relief package of five thousand crore rupees from the centre for the hailstorm affected farmers. According to the state government, crops have been damaged in about 13 thousand villages during the recent spell of rains and hailstorms. The main opposition Congress has alleged that in place of providing relief to hail storm affected farmers, the ruling BJP is trying to get political mileage out of the natural calamity. Shariq Noor, AIR News, Bhopal."

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Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 9 more Tamil fishermen on charges of violating the maritime boundary early hours today. The Navy said, these fishermen and their boats are being taken to Talaimannar for handing over to the police authorities for further legal action. Our correspondent has filed this report:

"With the arrest of 9 more fishermen from Tamil Nadu by Sri Lankan Navy today, the number of Indian fishermen in Lankan custody has shot up to 172. Sri Lanka’s Fisheries officials say that the arrests are being made because intrusion by Indian fishermen continues despite recent agreement that both sides would stop violations and give ongoing talks a chance to succeed. In January, all fishermen and their boats were released by the two countries after a high level meeting in New Delhi. Later the first round of talks between fishermen associations in Chennai saw an agreement of one month moratorium on crossing of maritime boundary line. The matter will once again be discussed at the second round of talks which is scheduled to be held in Colombo on the 13th of this month. Abhishek Dayal/Air News/Colombo."

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A Nato air strike has killed five Afghan soldiers in eastern Afghanistan. A defence ministry spokesman said the air strike took place in the early hours of today in Charkh district of Logar province. Five members of the Afghan army were killed and another eight injured, the spokesman said. Nato said it was investigating reports of the incident but could not confirm details.

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European Union leaders are due to meet in Brussels today for an emergency summit on Ukraine. The new Ukrainian Prime Minister is expected to attend the meeting. EU leaders had hoped for greater progress by now, but Russia's foreign minister refused to meet his Ukrainian counterpart in Paris yesterday. Besides, Moscow is not complying with demands from the United States and Europe that its troops return to their bases in Crimea.

This emergency summit in Brussels will probably impose some very symbolic sanctions, but substantive measures are unlikely.

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Remaining firm in afternoon trade, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange had gained 109 points, to 21,386 a short while ago. Earlier in the morning, the Sensex had advanced 89 points, on sustained buying by investors, after a sharp fall in the country's current account deficit, and as regional markets gained ground. The Sensex had added over 330 points in the previous two trading sessions.
Rupee jumped 32 paise to 61.43 a dollar in early trade today at the Interbank Foreign Exchange on sustained selling of the US currency after a sharp decline in country's current account deficit in the third quarter.

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The Delhi High Court today agreed to hear the appeal of 'Gulaab Gang' film producers who have challenged its order staying release of the movie. A bench of Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice S Mridul agreed to hear the plea today. The court said it will hear the plea after the producers will file a compact disc of the film and other related documents before it. The Court yesterday stayed the release of the movie which is reportedly based on the life of activist Sampat Pal, who formed the Gulabi Gang, a group of pink sari clad women vigilantes in Uttar Pradesh.

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In Assam, security forces have gunned down one of the wanted militant of the banned outfit National Democratic Front of Bodoland ( Sangbijit group ) in Kokrajhar district this morning. IGP, L R Bishnoi said that the encounter took place at Odang area under Karigaon police station.

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India's ace shuttler Saina Nehwal will take on Beiwen Zhang of the United States in the pre-quarterfinals of the All England Open Badminton tournament in Birmingham today. World Number Seven Saina yesterday advanced to the pre-quarterfinals, beating Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland, 21-15, 21-6.

Saina is the only Indian left in the tournament, as all other Indian shuttlers, including world number nine PV Sindhu and P. Kashyap, bowed out after losing in their respective opening round matches yesterday.

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North Korea today rejected Seoul's request for talks on reunions for families separated by the Korean War. The North's negative response came as military tensions simmer, with South Korea conducting annual joint exercises with the United States. North Korea said the proper atmosphere has not been created to discuss family reunions.
Seoul had sent its request yesterday, proposing a meeting on March 12 at the border truce village of Panmunjom.
The two Koreas recently wrapped up the first such family reunion for more than three years, held at a mountain resort in North Korea in the last week of February.

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