Mumbai Beat

Medical quota for disabled
MUMBAI, August 25: The state government today assured the Bombay High Court it would implement three per cent reservation rule for handicapped for admission to medical/dental courses in 1998-99. The government8217;s undertaking to implement the quota would increase manifold the seats reserved for handicapped students. The assurance was given by government pleader R V Govilkar on a writ petition filed by two handicapped students aspiring for admission to medical course. Accordingly, a division bench headed by Chief Justice M B Shah disposed of the petition. The petitioners, Satishkumar Jain and Vikram Chavan, said they had appeared before the medical board along with 34 others for admission under the handicapped category. The board verified their certificates and asked them to wait for a call.

Plea on Godse play dismissed
The Bombay High Court today summarily rejected a petition that sought directions to the state government to set aside its ban on staging of the controversial Marathi play Mee Nathuram Godse Boltoy and grant police protection for the performances of the drama. The petition was filed by Pradip Dalvi, the writer of the play whose performance was put off indefinitely following hue and cry by a section of the people on July 17 last leading to police lathi-charge outside Shivaji Mandir theatre, where it was being performed.

SSPP panel meets
The fate of the Shivshahi Punarvasan Prakalp SSPP still hangs in balance as the high-level committee set up to review the scheme at the instance of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray did not take any decision at its first meeting held today.

8220;We met informally to discuss the objections raised by the BJP. Since the discussions could not be complete, we will meet again on August 29,8221; Housing Minister Sureshdada Jain said.

Following a war of words between Jain and BJP leader Kirit Somaiyya, Thackeray had set up on August 19 a five member panel comprising Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, Deputy CM Gopinath Munde, Jain, Somaiyya and Housing Development and Finance Corp chief Deepak Parekh to review the project. The panel was asked to submit its report within a week to Thackeray.