Tag: policy

Delhi excise policy case: ED names Raghav Chadha in supplementary chargesheet

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New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday said that reports stating that his name was mentioned in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) chargesheet in the liquor policy case are “malicious propaganda” to harm his credibility”.
Chadha said that he has not been made an accused or a suspect in any complaint by the central agency.
“I have not been named as an accused or even a suspect in any of the complaints filed by ED. There are no allegations whatsoever against me in the said complaints. It appears that in the complaint my name is mentioned as an attendee to some meeting, though the basis of making such an allegation is not clear,” the AAP MP said.
According to the chargesheet filed by ED, C Arvind, the then Secretary of Manish Sisodia in his statement said that Raghav Chadha was also present in the meeting held at Sisodia’s residence.

“Arvind’s statement said in the meeting held at former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s residence, in which Raghav Chadha, ACS Finance of Punjab Govt, Excise Commissioner, Varun Roojam, FCT and officers from Punjab Excise and Vijay Nair was also present”, the chargesheet said.
“News articles/reportage stating that I have been named as an accused in a complaint filed by the enforcement directorate are factually wrong, and incorrect and appear to be part of malicious propaganda to harm my reputation and credibility,” he added.
Chadha also appealed to the media to clarify the issue and said that failing which he would take legal action.
“I vehemently and unequivocally deny the commission of any alleged offence in any manner, in relation to the said meeting or otherwise. I request the media and publication houses not to cause any incorrect reporting and clarify this issue, lest I will be constrained to take legal action,” Chadha said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday named Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha in Delhi’s excise policy case supplementary chargesheet.

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#Delhi #excise #policy #case #names #Raghav #Chadha #supplementary #chargesheet
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 2, 2023
Meet 5 AAPI power players shaping politics and policy in America

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We featured them in March in our annual Power List of 40 people with undeniable sway over key policy battles — from abortion to environmental justice to elections to tense negotiations with geo-political foes.
Kamala Harris

Selected on The Recast Power List for leading the White House’s abortion access fight during the midterm elections, the vice president herself pushed the administration to keep talking about the abortion issue, arguing it was an issue of personal freedom and would resonate with voters of any gender.
With Biden announcing his reelection bid last week, look for Harris to play a prominent role, making the case why voters should give the Biden-Harris administration four more years.
Diana Hwang

Hwang is nothing short of a change agent. Years ago she founded an incubator program aiming to identify and elevate progressive AAPI women in political leadership. In the past year she upped her game, with the Asian American Women’s Political Initiative creating a fellowship program focusing on giving women up to $10,000 for civic impact projects.
With upcoming elections next year and a growing AAPI influence in politics, we predict you’ll be hearing much more about her in the years to come.
Kimberly Yee

Nothing beats a politician that can connect with their voters. Yee demonstrated this like no other Arizona Republican could last cycle. In a year featuring election deniers like Kari Lake and Blake Masters sharing the same ticket — and losing their respective races – Yee won the race for state treasurer, easily. She attributed it to her campaign’s focus on not getting distracted by “side issues.”
Yee is now one of the few Asian American women to hold statewide office in the nation. Expect her profile to grow among National Republicans in the coming year.
Todd Kim

If you care about making polluters pay, then Kim is the one you call. Taking companies to court and compelling them to pay to limit toxic chemicals being spewed into the air and filing complaints in cities like Jackson for violating safe drinking water rules for their residents – that’s all part of Kim’s jam.

Keep an eye out for the DOJ attorney as he continues this fight — environmental justice is a key pillar of the Biden administration’s platform.
Lindsay Kagawa Colas

Paired on our list with Cherelle Griner, the wife of formally-detained WNBA star Brittney Griner, Colas played a pivotal role in helping secure the hooper’s release from a Russian prison. Colas used her bullhorn to highlight why Griner was in Russia to begin with: the huge pay disparity between WNBA stars and those in the NBA.
Look for Colas, who serves as Griner’s agent, to assist Griner as she navigates her way back to the court while advocating for other Americans detained in Russia.
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#Meet #AAPI #power #players #shaping #politics #policy #America
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

May 1, 2023
DSEK To Conduct Survey On Implementation Of National School Bag Policy 2020

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SRINAGAR: The School Education Department Friday proposed for conducting a survey on implementation of National School Bag Policy 2020 and Rule 8A of J&K School Education Act, 2002.
Director of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) in a communique to Director of Jammu and Kashmir State Council of Education Research and Trainings (JKSCERT) has requested to conduct of survey on the implementation of Rule 8A of JK School Education Act, 2002, Rules & National School Bag Policy 2020 for reduction of school bag weight and homework burden.
“As the School Bag weight and homework burden beyond the recommendations of Rule 8A of JK School Education Act, 2002 Rules and National School Bag Policy 2020 is depriving the children of their happy childhood and impede their different developmental domains to a greater extent,” reads the official communique.
The director said that in this regard, a survey needs to be conducted as desired by School Education Department, as to whether the guidelines in Rule 8A of JK School Education Act, Rules 2002 and National School Bag Policy 2020 are being followed in the schools or not.
DSEK has requested that a survey may be conducted in six schools including two government and four private institutions in each district and 12 Schools in Srinagar district that includes four government and eight Private schools.
“The survey shall be involving DIETs of the Kashmir division in collaboration with Chief Education Officers so that the findings are shared with Administrative Department,” DSEK said. (KNO)

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#DSEK #Conduct #Survey #Implementation #National #School #Bag #Policy

( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

April 30, 2023
Delhi court extends Sisodia’s ED custody in excise policy case

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New Delhi: A court here on Saturday extended former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia’s custody till May 8 in connection with the excise policy case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
On Friday, Special Judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court had denied bail to Sisodia holding that that the evidence, prima facie, “speaks volumes” of his involvement in commission of the offence.
The judge had also said that the purported medical condition of Sisodia’s wife was not a reason to grant him bail in this case.

Additionally, he stated that it was impossible to rule out the potential of Sisodia influencing key witnesses in the case.
The judge noted that the alleged offence against Sisodia was a “serious economic offence of money laundering” and that he has not been accused of committing the offence in his personal capacity, but rather in his official capacity as a public servant overseeing the Excise Ministry and serving as Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister.
On Thursday, the same court extended Sisodia’s judicial custody till May 12, in the case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The ED had earlier submitted before the judge that Sisodia had planted fabricated emails to show that there was public approval for the policy.
The directions to send these pre-drafted emails were given to Zakir Khan, Chairman of Delhi Minorities’ Commission, who then asked his interns to send the emails, the ED claimed.

The probe agency had also said that the 60 days given to complete the investigation against Sisodia are not over yet.
It said that it has found fresh evidence indicating Sisodia’s involvement in the alleged scam, and the investigation is at a crucial stage.
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#Delhi #court #extends #Sisodias #custody #excise #policy #case
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 29, 2023
Excise policy scam: Sisodia denied bail in ED case

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New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday denied bail to AAP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the Delhi excise policy case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Special judge, Rouse Avenue Courts, M.K. Nagpal pronounced the order after having reserved it on April 18.
The court had, a day before, extended Sisodia’s judicial custody by two weeks in the case.

On Thursday, the same court extended Sisodia’s judicial custody till May 12, in the case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The ED had submitted before the judge that Sisodia had planted fabricated emails to show that there was public approval for the policy.The directions to send these pre-drafted emails were given to Zakir Khan, Chairman of Delhi Minorities’ Commission, who then asked his interns to send the emails, the ED claimed.
The probe agency had also said that the 60 days given to complete the investigation against Sisodia are not over yet. It said that it has found fresh evidence indicating Sisodia’s involvement in the alleged scam, and the investigation is at a crucial stage.
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#Excise #policy #scam #Sisodia #denied #bail #case
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 28, 2023
Google’s content removal policy applies universally: Top executive

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Seoul: Google’s policy to respect local laws and culture when removing harmful, illegal content from its platforms, like YouTube, applies universally to creators and uploaders across the world, including in South Korea, a senior executive of the US tech giant said on Thursday.
“We comply with the law in each country in which we operate, and we remove illegal content after review and in accordance with the laws that apply in that country,” Jean-Jacques Sahel, head of content policy in Asia Pacific at Google, said in an online press conference for Korean media.
“There are obviously social, cultural differences from one country to another, which results in different laws, and we have to respect that.”

He said when Google receives a notification from a proper authority to remove illegal content, it blocks it locally after reviewing the legality of the content, reports Yonhap news agency.
For example, more than 80 per cent of removal requests from the South Korean authorities in the first half of 2022 were related to privacy and security issues, the Google official said.
“Various content that would be totally acceptable to people in Korea or Northern Europe, that might be far less acceptable to people in parts of Africa or Asia, for instance,” he said. “So we have to respect the particular countries and related laws, and we do that.”
On top of that, Google’s own platform policies apply globally, banning hate speech, sexually explicit content, threats and others.
To enforce its policies at scale and in an effective way, the Google official said the U.S. tech giant has adopted a machine learning programme.

More than 94 of violative videos removed in the fourth quarter of 2022 were first flagged by machines, and more than 71 percent of the violative videos first detected by machines received fewer than 10 views before they were removed from YouTube, he added.
“We now have over 20,000 people across Google working on content moderation and on removal on our platforms,” he said. “And that includes reviewers that are fluent in multiple languages, including Korean, and they carefully evaluate illegal removal requests and user flags or machine flags 24 hours a day, across time zones around the world.”
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#Googles #content #removal #policy #applies #universally #Top #executive
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 27, 2023
Transfer Policy: Edu Deptt Likely To Consider Inter-Cadre Transfer Of Married Female Teachers

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SRINAGAR: The School Education Department has said that it may consider inter-cadre transfer of married female teachers provided they have served five years in their parent cadre.
Principal Secretary, School Education Department, Alok Kumar has mentioned it in a newly announced transfer policy for employees of the department.
“In case of marriage, inter-cadre transfer of a lady employee shall be considered by the Administrative Department on the recommendation of the Designated Committee constituted for the purpose, provided she has served five years in her parent cadre,” Kumar said.
Stating the special considerations to be accorded to its employees is subject to administrative efficacy, the principal secretary said it will consider transfer of both the husband and wife who are in Government service. “They may be posted conveniently as far as practicable, subject to availability of posts.”
Kumar further said that the employees attaining the age of superannuation within six months, shall preferably be posted nearby their residence as far as practicable.
“Employee in the age group of 58 years and above shall not be posted in Zone-IV and V as far as practicable,” he said.
The principal secretary further said that the physically challenged employees may be given convenient posting subject to the availability of posts.
“However, this would be subject to availability of vacancies, department’s requirement, and seniority of the official and on production of Domicile of both husband and wife and Marriage certificate documents,” reads the transfer policy—(KNO)

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#Transfer #Policy #Deptt #InterCadre #Transfer #Married #Female #Teachers
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

April 26, 2023
Excise policy scam a deep-rooted conspiracy, CBI tells Delhi HC

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New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that the excise policy scam it is probing is a “deep-rooted conspiracy” and that it is not as simple as depicted.
As Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma heard submissions in the bail plea filed by AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the CBI, said: “Yesterday (April 25), we filed the charge sheet in the case. Cognizance is yet to be taken.”
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) D. P. Singh also appeared for the CBI.

Raju said: “The main players being, the accused (Manish Sisodia), Vijay Nair who was closely related to the Aam Aadmi Party and was in fact occupying a Ministers Bungalow, one Kailash Gehlot’s, side by side to the CM (Arvind Kejriwal). Nair was the communication in charge of AAP, and had access to party meetings.
“Our case is that at the behest of the ‘South Group’, the 5 percent interest was increased to 12 per cent, right after a meeting that happened with the members of the South group.”
While the “South group” was residing in the Oberoi Hotel in the national capital from March 14 to 17, 2021, they had prepared a note and taken the printout from Sisodia’s computer, according to the ASG.
He added that Sisodia is capable of pressurising persons and the day the CBI arrested him, he destroyed his phone.
After hearing the matter at length, Justice Sharma said: “At the stage of bail, we cannot go into much details. Please show me evidence on which you (CBI) are relying in the present case.”

Accordingly, the court adjourned the matter and scheduled it for next hearing on April 27.
During the last hearing, Sisodia had told the High Court that the CBI has no evidence to show his involvement in the alleged Delhi excise policy case, and that he is being singled out so that he could be kept in jail.
On April 5, Sisodia had moved the high court challenging the March 31 order of CBI Judge M.K. Nagpal (Rouse Avenue Court) dismissing his bail plea.
Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, appearing for the AAP leader, had submitted before the bench of Justice Sharma that all the other accused in the CBI case have been released on bail except Sisodia.
He had also said that the probe agency has no proof to show that the AAP leader has tampered with evidence.
“They say that I do not cooperate. This can never be the ground to deny me bail. I am not required to cooperate, confess, or answer questions in the way they want. I am required to answer in the way I want, that is the Constitutional guarantee,” Krishnan had argued.
Another counsel for Sisodia, senior advocate Mohit Mathur, had said that CBI’s figures are just on paper and no money trail has been found.
“They have made me the chief architect of this alleged conspiracy through Vijay Nair. But Vijay Nair was arrested in September 2022 and was released in November, even before the charge sheet was filed. I was only called for questioning for the second time in February 2023. So, all these allegations about me being capable of influencing the witnesses is totally wrong,” Mathur contended on behalf of Sisodia.
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#Excise #policy #scam #deeprooted #conspiracy #CBI #tells #Delhi
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 26, 2023
EU to deploy mission to Moldova to combat threats from Russia

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The EU will send a civilian mission to Moldova to help the Eastern European nation combat growing threats from abroad, officials have confirmed, following a string of reports that the Kremlin is working to destabilize the former Soviet Republic.
In a statement issued Monday, the bloc’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said that the mission, under the Common Security and Defence Policy, would step up “support to Moldova [to] protect its security, territorial integrity and sovereignty” against Russia.
Officials confirmed that the mission will focus on “crisis management and hybrid threats, including cybersecurity, and countering foreign information manipulation and interference.”
In February, the president of neighboring Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Kyiv’s security services had intercepted Russian plans to “break the democracy of Moldova and establish control over Moldova.” The country’s pro-EU leader, President Maia Sandu, later alleged that “the plan included sabotage and militarily trained people disguised as civilians to carry out violent actions, attacks on government buildings and taking hostages.”
According to Vlad Lupan, Moldova’s former ambassador to the U.N. and a professor at New York University, Brussels’ move comes after “multiple signals Moldova would not be able to deal with Russian influence operations alone.” He told POLITICO that the mission would now have to focus on “communicating why the EU’s rule of law and democracy brings both respect and prosperity to the people compared to the Russian autocratic model.”
Home to just 2.6 million people, Moldova was for decades one of Moscow’s closest allies, and 1,500 Russian troops are currently stationed in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Elected in 2020, Sandu has repeatedly condemned the Kremlin for invading Ukraine and called for the withdrawal of its forces from her country. In June last year, EU leaders announced Moldova, as well as Ukraine, would be granted candidate status, beginning the process for its accession to become a new member state.
However, Moscow still maintains a significant hold on the country, operating several popular Russian-language state media outlets and supplying almost all of its natural gas. After the Russian energy giant Gazprom announced last year it would raise prices, as well as turn off the taps unless past debts were paid in full, Moldova, one of the Continent’s poorest countries, has turned to Brussels for support in diversifying its supplies.

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#deploy #mission #Moldova #combat #threats #Russia
( With inputs from : www.politico.eu )

April 26, 2023
Delhi HC seeks ED’s response on liquor bizman’s bail plea in excise policy case

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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s response on liquor businessman Sameer Mahendru’s plea seeking bail on medical grounds in the money-laundering case pertaining to the now-scrapped liquor excise policy.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma asked the ED to submit a status report and a verification report regarding Mahendru’s health claims.
Mahendru must appear in court on May 1 while on interim bail that was already granted by a trial court on medical grounds. He has requested regular bail as well as an extension of the interim bail of at least 12 weeks, claiming that his surgery is scheduled for May 5 and that he needs to get post-surgery care.

His lawyer claimed that the trial court later prolonged the businessman’s interim bail, which had been granted on February 28 and the accused is still in poor health and that he has placed on record the most recent medical documents.
On February 28, the court had granted interim bail to Mahendru on medical grounds for a period of 30 days after he claimed he was suffering from various ailments.
Later, on March 29, the trial court had extended Mahendru’s interim bail.
Earlier this month, the court had again extended the interim bail granted to Mahendru for a period of seven days while adjourning the matter due to the ongoing protest by advocates.
The ED had earlier alleged that Mahendru is the kingpin and the focal point around which the entire criminal conspiracy developed and he was essential to the cartel’s establishment and ensuring the repayment of the kickback amounts.

Mahendru has been chargesheeted by both the investigating agencies
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#Delhi #seeks #EDs #response #liquor #bizmans #bail #plea #excise #policy #case
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 25, 2023