New Delhi: The Election Commission is likely to issue its notification for the Presidential election by mid-June, setting in motion the process of election to the country's top post. President Pratibha Patil's term ends on July 24 and the EC notification in this regard will be issued sometime in mid-June. "The notification for the last Presidential election was issued on June 13. The EC will be issuing a notification around...
03:22 PM, May 29, 2012
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday met President Pratibha Patil and discussed the just-concluded parliament session and his visit to Myanmar, beginning on Sunday. The meeting between the two lasted 40 minutes, a communique issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan said in New Delhi. "The two leaders discussed the just concluded budget session of the parliament, the state of the economy and the political situation," the statement said. The Prime...
08:42 PM, May 26, 2012
Chennai: UPA's key ally DMK on Monday said it would support the candidate put up by the ruling alliance in the Presidential election. "DMK is part of the UPA. Therefore, we will support the one who is fielded on its behalf," DMK president M Karunanidhi told reporters. The DMK chief had recently said his party would back Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for the top post. Incumbent Pratibha Patil's tenure...
10:08 PM, May 21, 2012
New Delhi: Defence Minister AK Antony will host a farewell dinner on Wednesday for Army Chief Gen VK Singh who retires on May 31. The Army Chief will be hosted by the Defence Minister at the Army Battle Honours Mess at Delhi Cantt on May 23 followed by a banquet by the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces President Pratibha Patil the next day. His last major function would be the...
09:40 PM, May 21, 2012
New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil on Sunday said Indian democracy "cannot be allowed to falter" at a time when democracies of the world are operating in the complex situations including fractured mandates and explosion of the media. "The big challenge is for democracy to proceed towards being a vibrant but health democracy. It is therefore necessary to walk ahead carefully, with determination," she said addressing a function in the historic...
06:57 PM, May 13, 2012
Seldom does the Indian media today act as the cronies of the commoners. However, when it does, especially in pelting stones at the castle, it ...
02:17 PM, May 12, 2012
New Delhi: Amid speculation on Presidential candidate, the Congress on Tuesday hailed Pranab Mukherjee, whose name has been doing the rounds, as a "praiseworthy personality" but said it was too early to say anything on who would be the successor to Pratibha Patil. "Pranab Mukherjee is a praiseworthy personality. That's why everybody is appreciating him. As far as Presidential nominees are concerned, we have clearly said that talks are going...
02:08 AM, May 09, 2012
On board special aircraft: President Pratibha Patil yet again came out with a strong defence of her foreign tours, saying she was forced to go public on the issue despite government clarifications. "Some things were explained in the briefing of the External Affairs Ministry. Commerce Minister Anand Sharma also said that it was very unfortunate to raise controversy over the President's visits. "Some things were such that I needed to...
03:51 PM, May 08, 2012
New Delhi: Facing criticism over her foreign visits, President Pratibha Patil on Sunday said there has been a "misconception" and wanted people to ascertain the factual position. "Right now, there has been a misconception so far as the visits of the President are concerned...The President does not go at his/her own will. The Government gives a suggestion on the places the President should visit," Patil said in an interview to...
11:14 PM, May 06, 2012
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to interfere with Thursday's biennial election to the two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand which was countermanded following allegations of use of money power and horse-trading. "We can't issue any mandamus to the President," a bench of justices Altamas Kabir and J Chelameshwar said while allowing withdrawal of the petition filed by former Jharkhand MP Salkhan Murmu for staying the election process....
04:44 AM, May 03, 2012
New Delhi: Government on Wednesday sought to put an end to a controversy, generated by President Pratibha Patil taking her two grandchildren on a 9-day state visit to Seychelles and South Africa, saying it is a "normal diplomatic practice". "It's a normal diplomatic practice that a visiting dignitary occasionally takes members of his/her family on visiting trips. Hospitality for such visiting dignitaries in such cases is usually provided by the...
06:20 PM, May 02, 2012
Victoria: President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday left for South Africa on the second leg of her nine-day tour after concluding her "landmark" visit to Seychelles which hailed India's support in tackling piracy and thanked New Delhi for extending a USD 75 million financial package for it. Seychelles President James Michel, who hosted a Cocktail Dinatoire in Patil's honour on Monday evening, said that whether it be in terms of defending...
02:29 PM, May 01, 2012
New Delhi: With reports suggesting that he is one of the candidates for the presidential post, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday parried questions on whether he is in the race for it. "Oh my goodness...oh my goodness..," a smiling Mukherjee told reporters outside Parliament House when asked that he was being projected as consensus choice for President's post. "Don't indulge in any speculation," he said when pressed again to...
05:21 PM, Apr 30, 2012
With presidential candidates being discussed in the circles of power, Panditji was wondering what the characteristics of the ideal presidential candidate would be. Back again ...
04:33 PM, Apr 30, 2012
New Delhi: As the UPA continues to consult its allies on who should be India's next President, Pratibha Patil on Sunday embarked on her last overseas tour as the Head of State. Patil left for the Seychelles and South Africa. This will be her 22nd overseas visit. She has dismissed criticism over the large number of her foreign visits, insisting that they were not on her own volition but at...
07:39 AM, Apr 30, 2012
New Delhi: As she embarked on her last tour abroad as President, Pratibha Patil on Sunday dismissed criticism over a large number of foreign visits undertaken by her, insisting that they were not on her own volition but at the request of the government to promote India's relations. "Government wanted me to visit two-three more countries, but it was not possible due to paucity of time," she told reporters accompanying...
11:49 PM, Apr 29, 2012
New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil plans to write her autobiography after she retires in July. India's first woman president will be completing 50 years in public life this year and is contemplating to tell her story in a book, Rashtrapati Bhawan sources said. In 1962, young Patil had become for the first time a Congress MLA from Jalgaon city constituency of Jalgaon district of Maharashtra. After her speech at a...
12:58 PM, Apr 29, 2012
Cyrus Broacha also talks about the Bofors scam, Abhishek Manu Singhvi's CD scandal and much more. ...
11:48 PM, Apr 28, 2012
New Delhi: Former President APJ Abdul Kalam has not ruled out the possibility of being in the race to be the next President of India. On being asked whether he was ready to become the President again, he said that one must wait. This came as many parties like the SP have pushed for his candidature. Interestingly, President Kalam had the last time refused a second term. The latest statement...
09:42 PM, Apr 28, 2012
Pune: President Pratibha Patil decided to give up the proposed post-retirement bungalow being constructed in Pune after allegations of grabbing defence land. The activists who highlighted the violations have claimed victory but the President said she was pained at such baseless allegations. Retired defence officers in Pune congratulated each other and were triumphant that their protest against the allotment of the plot of defence land in the Khadki area to...
07:43 PM, Apr 28, 2012
