Former speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha and leading lawyer Rana Kultar Chand died on Tuesday night at a private hospital in Chandigarh. He was 87. Rana had developed a vascular problem a couple of days ago after which his family moved him to Chandigarh,said family sources. His last rites were performed at Dharamshala on Wednesday. Rana has two daughters. His wife had passed away a few years ago. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal,Leader of Opposition Vidya Stokes,state Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur and CPIM secretary state Rakesh Singha mourned his death. The High Court Bar Association held a condolence meeting and abstained from work. Chand was elected to HP Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 1967 from Shahpur constituency of Kangra district and served as parliamentary secretary from 1970-72. Secretariat staff opposed to promotions banThe Himachal Pradesh Secretariate Services Employees Association lodged their protest against the ban on promotions. They threatened of direct action if the government did not revoke its decision. A delegation of the association led by president Manmohan Jassal held a meeting with Secretary (Personnel) Daljit Dogra and Secretary (GAD) Ajai Bandari on Wednesday and asked them to withdraw the circular.
