Indira bats for merit
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has directed that “the tyranny of seniority” should go and that appointments to senior posts should be on the basis of merit. A note has gone to Central ministries that “the implementation of this directive is of crucial importance and needs constant watch”. The report says the ministries have been told that many top posts are expected to fall vacant in the next 20 months and that people should be shortlisted for these. The prime minister wants to identify younger and more dynamic officers to fill these vacancies. However, no criteria has been indicated to judge merit, the report adds.
Gujarat goes to polls
Indira Gandhi told a Congress parliamentary party meet that the party would win the Gujarat election “because there was complete unanimity and unity of purpose”. However, 115 of the 176 candidates announced by the party were new faces.
Two Naxals to hang
Two Naxalite prisoners, Bhoomiah and Kista Gowd, will be hanged on Sunday morning at Musheerabad district jail, following the rejection of their second mercy petition by the president. Bhoomiah and Gowd, both tribals, were charged with the murder of landlords in Adilabad in 1970. The report says the hanging will be a first in the state since the movement began five years ago.
Fiat’s mess
An indiscreet utterance of Minister of State for Finance Pranab Mukherjee that the Union government was going to reduce the excise levy on cars has led to the accumulation of Fiat cars in the factory and in showrooms, says a report. Fiat has a waiting list, months long, because of high demand. But as of today, 560 cars had accumulated and every day 60 cars would be added to the number. This has created a problem for the factory, which has no money to pay to its labour, the report adds.
