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When will Selection Committee meet to select Lokpal, asks SC
New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday sought to know, within 10 days, the possible date for the Selection Committee’s meeting to finalise names for the Lokpal – a three-member, anti-corruption watchdog comprising a chairman, a judicial and non-judical member would take place.
The bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Justice Sanjiv Khanna told Attorney General K.K. Venugopal to inform them of the date after he said that the Search Committee, headed by former apex court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, had, on February 28, recommended three names each for the three posts.
The court had on January 17 asked the Search Committee to complete its deliberations for short-listing the candidates by February-end.
The bench, however, declined the plea by lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan to make public the panel of names shortlisted by the Search Committee.
“We have considered the matter. At this stage, the order which we consider appropriate to pass is to request the learned Attorney General to inform the Court within ten days from today about the possible date of convening a meeting of the Selection Committee for finalization of the names for constitution of the Lokpal,” said the order passed by the court.
The Selection Committee comprises Prime Minister, the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Chief Justice of India, the Leader of Opposition (which in the present instant, is the leader of the largest opposition party in Lok Sabha – the Congress) and an eminent jurist.
Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi is the eminent jurist on the selection panel.
Venugopal had told the court that Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, has to seek the availability of all members of the selection panel for convening the meeting.
On Bhushan’s plea for putting the names recommended by the Search Committee in the public domain, the court said, “It is our considered view that no direction from the Court should be issued in this regard. Rather the matter should be left for a just determination by the Selection Committee as and when the meeting of the Committee is convened.”
As Bhushan recalled that in the last hearing of the matter on January 17, the CJI had said that the names would shared with the petitioner, NGO Common Cause, the moment they get it, CJI Gogoi said, “We don’t have the names.”
Referring to the judgments from early 1970s, Bhushan said, “Transparency is essential in the appointments of such nature.”
However, the CJI said, “Selection Committee will have reasons for selecting one or the other. There will be no rule of thumb.”
Striking a note of caution, the Attorney General said, “Transparency would be opening a Pandora’s box.”
Bhushan, appeared for NGO Common Cause which had moved a contempt plea over failure of the government to act on the April 27, 2017 judgement holding that the “Act, as it stands today, is an eminently workable piece of legislation and there is no justification to keep the enforcement of the Act under suspension till the amendments, as proposed, are carried out”
The Attorney General urged the court that since the “Selection Committee would be in seized of the matter, this contempt petition may appropriately be closed”.
The court directed the listing of the matter for further hearing after 10 days.
–IANS
pk/vd
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
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