Chaos outside banks across the country for 3rd day

New Delhi, Nov 12, 2016 (PTI)

 A glass door of a bank in Kerala was broken and clashes with bank officials erupted in Gujarat sparking police action as the weekend rush added to the chaos over demonetisation across the country for the third day today with serpentine queues outside bank branches growing longer.

The endless wait to get valid currency notes was also taking a toll on people waiting for hours in long queues as there were reports of many elderly people collapsing out of fatigue.

Security was beefed up outside bank branches as millions of anxious people struggling to buy daily items waited for hours to exchange the banned Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes even as the ATMs went dry soon after they were stocked due to the huge rush.

"The crowd is more since it's a weekend and many people have an off today. The crowd is swelling by the hour," a senior police officer said in Delhi.

Enraged over not getting ration from a fair price shop due to shortage of cash, people at Bardaha village in Chhattarpur in Madhya Pradesh allegedly looted groceries from the outlet in protest. Police claimed there was no such incident.

To add to the misery of cash-strapped people, several ATMs were non-functional.
Angry customers waiting outside a branch of the State Bank of Travancore at Vavvakkam in Kollam district allegedly broke a glass door after it decided to down shutters due to heavy rush when around 200 persons were inside the premises.

Apparently angered over this, more than 200 persons who were waiting in the queue outside the branch allegedly broke a glass door of the bank, officials said, adding the situation is now under control.

At several places in Gujarat, people clashed with bank officials leading to police action including lathi-charge and detention.

At a bank branch at Shihori in Banaskantha district, police resorted to lathi-charge after people clashed with bank officials when they refused to dispense money.

Similar incident was reported at a bank branch in Abdasa in Kutch when people clashed with bank officials.

In the national capital, Delhi Police deployed more forces to maintain calm and warned of strict action against those trying to spread rumours on social media.

To manage anxious crowds, as many as 3,400 personnel of paramilitary and Delhi Police along with 200 quick reaction teams were deployed at ATMs.

In addition to this, RAF jawans were also deployed at certain points to monitor the situation. Senior officers of Delhi Police were also present at important junctions to oversee the security arrangements.

People complained of difficulties with several ATMs remaining closed, and banks exchanging the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes with coins and small denomination currency.

"Nobody is accepting old currency notes, even hospitals are now refusing to do so because of which we are facing difficulty. Several ATMs still remain closed," said Ramesh Agarwal, who came to exchange his old notes at a bank in Ahmedabad.

A bank in Mumbai is said to have floated a mobile ATM to dispense money to customers.

Shrikant Manohar, who drew money from the mobile ATM said, "It was no less than a surprise. People lined up for hours, while I got cash with this mobile ATM as it came to my doorsteps."

BJP informed 'friends' beforehand about demonetisation: Kejriwal

New Delhi, Nov 12, 2016, PTI:

Dubbing the demonetisation of high currency notes as a "huge scam", Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today alleged BJP had told all its "friends" about the move much before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement and demanded its immediate roll back.

He termed the Centre's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as "surgical strike" on common man's "small savings" and not on "black marketeers".

To substantiate his claim, Kejriwal alleged that Sanjeev Kamboj, who heads BJP's Punjab legal cell, was seen with new notes of Rs 2,000 on social media days before the Prime Minister announced withdrawing high value currency.

"From July to September, there had been a sudden jump in deposits of money in banks which clearly indicates that BJP had told all its friends much before the announcement of demonetisation by the PM. It is a huge scam," he said in a press conference.

He claimed that black money would not come in the system by demonetisation.

The Chief Minister also showed a news channel's report which claimed high jump in deposits in banks during July-September quarter, adding that before that period, deposits in banks were "very low".

"In the name of black money, a huge scam is operating in the country. People are suffering as there is no cash in ATMs. Since early morning, they have to stand in long queues outside banks and ATMs. Through demonetisation, black money will not come in the system," he said.

Kejriwal also posed three questions to the Prime Minister and BJP president Amit Shah on withdrawing higher currency notes.

"What according to the Prime Minister is the definition of black money? Have India's top industrialists - Ambani, Adani, Sharad Pawar, Subhash Chandra and Badal amassed black money or the common man like farmers, rickshaw-pullers, shopkeepers and labourers did.

"BJP should disclose a list of all its friends whom it had told about the demonetisation much before the Prime Minister's announcement and that settled their black money," he said.

Kejriwal said BJP should also come out with a list of touts who are taking commission from common people in exchanging their invalid notes with new ones, cashing in the situation and where is the money collected by them going?

Kejriwal said, "In the coming days, demonetisation move is going to be like a huge blow to the Indian economy and will only lead to joblessness. There is nervousness among people. If people lose their faith in system, it will then not be right."

Crores of rupees had been deposited in banks during July-September quarter at a massive level. However, some people would attribute that the huge cash deposit were done because of recently-concluded Income Tax Declaration Scheme (ITDS), he said.

"Under ITDS, money had to be deposited in the treasury of the central government. But when we talk about demonetisation, cash has been deposited by certain people at massive level in their bank accounts as they were told by the BJP much before the announcement on withdrawing high currency notes.

"Demonetisation will only lead to re-distribution of black money," Kejriwal said.

There is no cash in ATMs due to which people are suffering, he claimed.

"Current ATMs are not designed for new notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. How will Centre change ATMs now at big scale? Were not they aware about it? They knew it very well and they deliberately created crisis today," Kejriwal further claimed.

He said, "For instance, if you deposit Rs 10 crore black money in your bank, government is saying that it will impose 30 per cent tax besides 200 per cent penalty (60 per cent) which means you will have to give Rs nine crore to government and your balance will be Rs one crore. I don't think that people will do that.

"People, who have black money, are now buying a dollar for Rs 120. If you buy gold as per existing rate, it will be available at Rs 30,000 per tola (10 gm), but people who have black money are buying gold at 60,000 per tola in cash. These people are also buying property.

"Property dealers who have notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 in huge numbers. They are exchanging with new ones through touts. In markets, touts are ready to exchange their money with new ones. Huge scam is operating in the country," he said.

He said, "the Centre is threating that if one deposits above Rs 2.5 lakh, it will impose a penalty of 200 per cent. what does it mean? People should not deposit money in banks?"

"Who is standing in long queues outside banks and ATMs? They are housewives, small traders, farmers and labourers. They are not evading tax.

"Yesterday, BJP president Amit Shah had said that government will not spare those who deposit above Rs 2.5 lakh, but he did not say anything on deposit on Rs 2,500 crore," he further said. 

Two prisoners escape from Warangal jail

Warangal (Tel), Nov 12, 2016, PTI:

Two prisoners escaped from Warangal Central Jail in the wee hours today, a senior official said.

According to the DIG Kesava Naidu, Rajesh Yadav and Saink Singh escaped by using bedsheets as a rope.

Rajesh Yadav and Saink Singh belong to Bihar. While Yadav was convicted in a murder case, Singh was in jail in connection with a court martial.

They were shifted from Cherlapalli jail in Hyderabad to Warangal Central jail two months ago.

Police is on the lookout for them.

No file on appointment of judges pending: govt to SC

Ashish Tripathi, New Delhi, Nov 12, 2016, DHNS:

In an apparent sign of confrontation, the Union government on Friday told the Supreme Court, out of 77 names recommended for the appointment of high court judges, 34 have been cleared and 43 were returned to the  Collegium for reconsideration.

“As on date, not a single file related to the appointment of judges is pending with the government,” Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi submitted before a bench of Chief Justice
T S Thakur and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh.

The response came after the apex court rebuked the government for “sitting over” proposals for the appointment of judges in high courts, saying “we will not allow the entire justice system to be decimated by the executives”.

Rohatgi furnished a chart, explaining that the government had cleared files relating to 34 appointments.

No shortage of salt in the country; price ruling normal: Govt

New Delhi, Nov 12, 2016, PTI:

Rubbishing rumours of shortage of salt in the country, the Union government today said there has been no increase in prices of the commodity which is being sold at Rs 14-15 per kg in retail markets.

"This is rubbish. There is no truth in this rumour. There is no shortage of salt in the country. On an average, salt prices are ruling at Rs 14-15 per kg same at last year's level. There has not been increase in prices," Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan told PTI.

Uncessary panic is being spread that salt is being sold at Rs 200 per kg. "Those who have sold at Rs 200, the UP government should take action and arrest them," he said.

If anyone is selling at such high rates in any parts of the country, the state governments should take immediate action, he added.

In a series of tweets, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman too said there was no shortage of edible salt.

"Baseless rumours being spread. Salt Commissioner & Jt. Secretary Shri Raghavendra monitoring the situation. Asst.Salt Commissioners reporting from the field. No shortage. Monitoring will be on-going," she tweeted.

Lack of small denomination currency today triggered rumours of black marketing of essential commodities like salt as shopkeepers refused to provide change when offered with higher denomination notes.

In Uttar Pradesh, there were reports of panicked customers flocking to market as rumours flew thick and fast that salt has gone out of shelves and shopkeepers are selling at a premium -- a high as Rs 200 per kg.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Hem Pande said, "There is no truth in this rumour. It is all rumour mongering. There is no problem in supply, distribution and prices of salt in the country."

He said that the prices have been ruling stable at Rs 12 per kg in the wholesale markets and Rs 14-15 per kg in retail.

Asked if the Centre has spoken on this issue with the UP government, Pande said, "We have spoken to state officials and they too informed us that there is no truth in this rumour. Prices in UP are ruling on an average at Rs 16-17 per kg".

The centre has also checked the price situation of salt in other states as well and there has not been any increase in the rate of the essential commodity.

Meanwhile, Delhi government also appealed to Delhiites not to pay attention to rumours of shortage of salt in the city and assured that there is no scarcity of such essential commodity.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said teams of food supply officers and sub-divisional magistrates are rounding city's markets where salt is available in sufficient stock.

SC issues contempt notice against Katju

New Delhi,Nov 12, 2016, DHNS:

 In a first, the Supreme Court on Friday issued a contempt notice to its former judge, Justice Markandey Katju, for scandalising the judiciary by using “intemperate” language in his blog.

Justice Katju, who appeared before a three-judge bench presided over by Justice Ranjan Gogoi to explain his criticism of the judgement in the Soumya rape and murder case, was annoyed particularly when the apex court, after dismissing the review petition, went on to issue a contempt notice against him.

This led to an ugly verbal spat between Justice Katju and the bench, which at one point threatened to send him outside the courtroom. “I am not scared of it. Don’t give me a threat,” Justice Katju protested against the issuance of the notice.

“Mr Gogoi, you are provoking me. This is not the way to treat me. Don’t try to threaten me. Don’t act funny. I came here because of your request, out of respect. Am I to be treated like this?” he asked angrily.

To this, Justice Gogoi shot back, “You are provoking us. Your blog post is an assault, not only on me, but on the other judges on the bench.”

As Justice Katju again asked if he was to be treated like this, Justice Gogoi said, “Is there someone to escort Justice Katju (out)?” This caused a group of lawyers to shout “wrong, wrong”.

After the court’s notice on October 17, Justice Katju appeared before the bench, also comprising Justices P C Pant and U U Lalit, to say, “It is not that judges are born not to commit mistakes. I have also made several mistakes as a judge.”

The bench retorted, “Please don’t remind us about that. We know we are not infallible. You please tell us where have we committed mistakes in this (Soumya case) judgement.”
Justice Katju had claimed the judges did not apply “common sense” to conclude that the convict was not guilty of murder as the victim herself jumped out of a slow-running train after being sexually assaulted in 2011.

Unconvinced with Justice Katju’s plea, the bench dismissed the review petition against the September 15 ruling, acquitting Govindachamy of murder charge and sentencing him to life imprisonment for rape.

SC upholds validity of entry tax

New Delhi,Nov 12, 2016, DHNS:

The apex court on Friday upheld the Constitutional validity of entry tax imposed by states on goods coming from other states.

A nine-judge Constitution bench, presided over by Chief Justice T S Thakur, by a majority of 7:2, ruled in favour of the validity of a separate entry taxes on goods as mandated by statutes of different state governments.

“States are well within their right to design their fiscal legislations to ensure that the tax burden on goods imported from other states and goods produced within the state fall equally. Such measures, if taken, would not contravene Article 304(a) of the Constitution,” the bench said.

Justices A K Sikri, S A Bobde, Shiva Kirti Singh, N V Ramana, R Banumathi and A M Khanwilkar upheld the validity of entry tax..

Dissenting judgements
Justices D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan, however, passed separate dissenting judgements.

Several companies led by Jindal Stainless Steel Ltd had challenged the entry tax provisions of various states on the ground that they are against the concept of free trade and commerce under Article 301 (Freedom of trade commerce and intercourse) of the Constitution.

The decision to refer the case to the larger bench came in May during the hearing of matters filed by companies including Vedanta Aluminium Ltd, Essar Steel Ltd, Tata Steel Ltd, Adani Enterprises Ltd and the Odisha government.

In its judgement, the majority view held that the question whether the levies in the present case indeed would apply in the instant case was to be determined by the regular benches hearing the matters.