In Brief

The assembly witnessed a heated exchange between Virsa Singh Valtoha and Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira after Khaira repeatedly got up to interrupt the Deputy CM.

Congress MLA Razia Sultana sought a reply from the Deputy CM on why Muslim girls were kept out of the Shagun scheme. The deputy CM said he would convey her sentiments to the CM.

Sukhbir Badal’s smiling face on the floor of the House,despite endless interruptions,drew applause from Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira. Pointing out to other MLAs in the treasury benches,he said,“You need to learn to smile from Sukhbir. You always wear a sullen face,” he said.

Supreme Court stays civil imprisonment of Chahal
The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the civil imprisonment order passed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to B I S Chahal,adviser to former chief minister of Punjab,Captain Amarinder Singh,in a contempt case.

On January 21,a full bench,comprising Justice Mehtab Singh Gill,Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice Surya Kant,had awarded seven days civil imprisonment to Chahal holding him guilty of contempt of court. On May 29,2009,the full bench of the high court held him guilty of interfering and obstructing the process of judicial proceedings as well as the administration of justice by preventing the production of records of the Sports department before the court on May 28,2004.

According to the charges,Chahal had misused his office,manoeuvred the selection process and wielded influence for his son’s selection as the DSP in the Punjab Police from the sports quota.

“No charges of contempt of court were framed by the high court despite holding Chahal guilty. The Supreme Court has stayed the civil imprisonment awarded to him and also admitted the appeal filed,” Advocate Karambir Singh Nalwa,counsel for Chahal,said.

Relief to ex-servicemen
In a sigh of reprieve for ex-servicemen with professional training of three months as “unit education instructor”,granted by the Army authority,the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that the course is equivalent to junior basic trained (JBT) teachers. The decision pronounced by Justice V K Sharma on Tuesday will be of significance for all ex-servicemen who were being denied appointment as JBT teachers in the state by the Haryana government.

Justice Sharma took the decision on a joint petition filed by six ex-servicemen. The petitioners were appointed as JBT teachers on recommendation of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission in February 2005.

Their services were,however,terminated on June 2,2005,by the government on the ground that the three months’ diploma was not equivalent to JBT course.

Justice Sharma quashed the termination orders of the six petitioners and the state has been directed to reinstate them and ensure that they are entitled to consequential benefits.