The screening committee of Rajasthan Congress Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) led by PCC president CP Joshi would deliberate on the issue of allotment of tickets to the candidates for general elections in Rajasthan on February 28.

AICC general secretary and state in charge Mukul Wasnik, chief minister Ashok Gehlot, state screening committee president Satyavrat Chaturvedi and other members would also take part in the deliberation.

Senior leaders of the Congress mentioned that the names of shortlisted candidates will be sent to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi after scrutiny at various levels.

Congress spokesperson Satyendra Raghav said the candidates for 25 parliamentary seats were being scrutinised at different levels.

In an angry outburst against the Ashok Gehlot government, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje called its functioning as "autocratic" which has choked democratic values to such a suffocating extreme that it warrants intervention of the president of India, since the governor of Rajasthan, SK Singh did not inspire confidence with his bevy of "unconstitutional remarks".

The BJP slammed the government for deliberately sabotaging the laws brought by the Vasundhara Raje government. It vehemently protested against the decision to reinstate a civic law, almost 50-year old, when the Congress government had the opportunity to introduce the new bill prepared by the Vasundhara Raje government.

BJP leader Ghanshyam Tiwari said the state government has dumped the new law without any debate or even opening the issue for a discussion which is highly unconstitutional. He said the fate of three universities which were scheduled to be opened in Alwar, Bharatpur and Sikar also hangs in balance. Tiwari also unfailingly mentioned the deadlock over the approval of the Bill for reservation to the Gurjar community and the economically backward classes.

The privatisation plans of the Amber Development and Management Authority (ADMA) seem to be going beyond the boundaries of protected monuments.

The officials behind the plans are allegedly keeping an eye on leasing out government-run restaurants to private hands. In the name of restoration, two prime restaurants of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) – Maotha in Amber Fort and Padao in Nahargarh Fort – have been closed down without any written information to the corporation.

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation filed by Belle Ravivarma against the Union government for carrying photographs of UPA president Sonia Gandhi in its advertisements.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice PD Dinakaran and Justice SR Bannurmath dismissed the PIL, observing: “There is no virtue in criticising the leadership of an individual as political sycophancy. There is no sin in acknowledging the leadership of a political or national leader.”

Nerul Sree Ayappa Seva Samiti conducted the ceremonial ritual of 'Shadadharam Pratishtha' at the temple premises recently. The ritual conducted prior to the construction of the temple and installation of the idol is of utmost significance in sanctifying and infusing energy within the temple. "The temple
should always tower from that of any other construction.

Since the hall within the temple premise was taller than the temple, the management was advised to carry out the necessary changes. It's been six months into the construction and the ritual of shadadharam was a prominent one towards the construction of the temple," said a member of the trust Ravi Kumar.