Delhi Confidential: Firefighting

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is facing uncomfortable questions on the Vyapam scam, was one of the key participants at a preparatory meeting held by the Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday. The meeting was about the 10th World Hindi Conference (WHC), which is being organised in Bhopal from September 10-12 by the MEA in partnership with MP government. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj chaired the meeting.

Caribbean Visitor

The five-judge Constitution Bench hearing the NJAC case had a new member on the dais on Wednesday. Sir Charles Michael Dennis Byron, president of the Caribbean Court of Justice, was offered a chair next to the five judges. Sir Byron was in the court on Tuesday also, but sat with the lawyers. The bench had then asked senior advocate Fali S Nariman how to welcome a judge from a foreign court who was interested in attending a hearing. “Welcome him… give him a chair,” Nariman had said. On Wednesday, when the bench resumed hearing, Sir Byron sat as the sixth judge on the dais.

Missing V-C

The big question surrounding the meeting of vice chancellors of central universities, convened by the HRD Ministry on Tuesday, was whether Visva Bharati V-C Sushanta Dattagupta would make an appearance. However, Dattagupta, who was issued a showcause notice by the ministry earlier this month for alleged financial and administrative irregularities, chose to stay away. Meanwhile, his writ petition filed before the Calcutta High Court, challenging the findings of a fact-finding committee appointed by the HRD Ministry, was heard on Tuesday.