Quicktakes

Cong stakes claim to Dy Speaker post
NEW DELHI: Congress on Monday formally staked its claim for the post of Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker and asked the government to draw up a schedule for the election. Congress chief whip P J Kurien met Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana in the presence of Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi and told him of the party’s decision to field senior member P M Sayeed for the post. Kurien said, he conveyed his party’s desire that the election be unanimous with the government supporting Sayeed’s candidature.

Foreigners Act
JAISALMER: To check infiltration, the government proposes to amend the Foreigners Act and make registration all citizens and non-citizens residing in the country compulsory. The Union Cabinet had already approved the proposal and a necessary Bill would soon be brought in the Parliament to tackle the intruders problem, Home Minister L K Advani informed on Sunday. Issuing of multi-purpose identity cards to all citizens of 14 years andabove was also on the anvil and those below 14 years were proposed to be compulsorily registered under the Births &Deaths Act, Advani said.

Waugh arrives
CALCUTTA: Australian cricketer Steve Waugh arrived here on Monday morning to help raise funds for Udayan, a home for children suffering from leprosy. Waugh would be the star attraction at Udayan’s fund-raising dinner at a city hotel on Tuesday evening, christened "Foster a child night".

Teachers’ protest
NEW DELHI: Perturbed over the delay in implementation of UGC recommended pay scales, hundreds of teachers associated with the All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) will hold a protest march here on Tuesday, its general secretary Mrinmoy Bhattacharya said on Monday.