Page 44 - Aam Aadmi Party

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AAP's National Executive meeting to be held today via video conferencing

The meeting holds significant importance as it is being held amidst the 3rd notice by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to CM Kejriwal

Delhi 'fake' drugs row: AAP govt issues direction to replace failed drugs

Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday directed the health secretary to make alternative arrangements for the five drugs that failed quality standard tests and will be withdrawn. In an official communication, the minister also asked the official to prepare within a fortnight a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure that drugs and consumables procured by the Central Procurement Agency and through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal are of standard quality. It should also ensure that all essential medicines are available at hospitals, Aam Aadmi Party Mohalla Clinics and dispensaries, Bharadwaj said. The Directorate of Vigilance of the Delhi government has written to the health department to withdraw the drugs that failed the quality tests after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI inquiry into the matter. Saxena had recommended the probe into the alleged supply of drugs that "failed quality standard tests" and have the "potential of endangering live

Delhi govt hospitals drugs quality row: Vigilance dept seeks clarification

Earlier on Saturday, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI inquiry into "Not of Standard Quality" drugs being supplied in Delhi government hospitals

Delhi excise 'scam' case: Court rejects AAP MP Sanjay Singh's bail plea

A Delhi court on Friday dismissed the bail application of AAP leader Sanjay Singh in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Special Judge M K Nagpal rejected the bail plea of Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP. A detailed order from the court is awaited. Earlier on Thursday, the court had adjourned its proceedings and said it will pronounce the verdict on Singh's bail application on December 22. During the arguments on Singh's bail application, his counsel had said there were contradictions in the statements of accused-turned-approver Dinesh Arora and other witnesses about paying bribes to Singh. The ED had opposed Singh's application, asserting the probe was still underway and, if released on bail, he could hamper the investigation, tamper with evidence, and influence the witnesses. The anti-money laundering agency had arrested Singh on October 4. The ED has alleged that Singh played a key role in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped 2021

Kejriwal replies to ED, says summons politically motivated, illegal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sent his reply to the ED summons, calling them illegal and politically motivated, AAP sources said on Thursday. Kejriwal was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in the excise policy-linked money laundering case on Thursday. However, he left for an undisclosed location for a 10-day Vipassana meditation course on Wednesday. "Kejriwal called the fresh summons politically motivated and illegal. In his reply, he said that he has lived his life through transparency and honesty and has nothing to hide. He said he is ready to accept any legal summons," sources said, citing his reply. Kejriwal was scheduled to leave for the Vipassana course on Tuesday but could not do so as he was busy with the INDIA bloc meeting. He left at around 1.30 pm on Wednesday for the pre-scheduled meditation course, officials said. The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday questioned the timing of the summons, saying the party's lawyers are studying the notice and

Kejriwal leaves for 10-day Vipassana session; to skip ED questioning

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, summoned by the ED for questioning on December 21, left for an undisclosed location for a 10-day Vipassana meditation course on Wednesday, officials said. The Enforcement Directorate on Monday issued fresh summons to the Delhi chief minister for questioning in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. Kejriwal was scheduled to leave for the Vipassana course on Tuesday but could not do so as he was busy with the INDIA bloc meeting, officials said. He left at around 1.30 pm on Wednesday for the pre-scheduled meditation course, they added. The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday questioned the timing of the summons, saying the party's lawyers are studying the notice and "legally correct" steps will be taken. They said Kejriwal's Vipassana session was "pre-scheduled" and the information was in the public domain. "Everyone knows the chief minister is leaving for Vipassana on December 19. He regularly goes for this meditation course. It's a pre-schedu

We'll not be scared by threats.: Atishi on ED's fresh summon to CM Kejriwal

Hitting out at the BJP, Atishi said that the party fears Arvind Kejriwal's model of governance that's the reason why the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party are being sent to jail

Excise policy case fake, bogus: AAP after ED summons Arvind Kejriwal

The Aam Aadmi Party Monday dubbed the excise policy case fake and bogus after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning on December 21 in a related money laundering case. Talking to reporters, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak said their lawyers are studying the notice. "Anybody who questions Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets suspended or arrested. Modi fears and hates Arvind Kejriwal. Modiji is most scared by Kejriwal's politics and his Delhi model of governance. This is a bogus and fake case," he told reporters. Kejriwal is scheduled to go to an undisclosed place to attend a 10-day Vipassana meditation course from Tuesday. "Our lawyers are studying the notice and we will see what has to be done," he added.

Punjab CM announces 4% dearness allowance hike for govt employees

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday announced a 4 per cent hike in dearness allowance of government employees with effect from the ongoing month. Following the hike, the DA will increase to 38 per cent, Punjab State Ministerial Services Union (PSMSU) President Amrik Singh said. A decision in this regard was taken following a meeting with the representatives of the PSMSU here. During the meeting, Mann discussed various demands of the employees. "Had a meeting with the representatives of Punjab State Ministerial Service Union today and discussed their issues in detail... Sharing the good news that we are going to give a new year gift to the employees... DA is increased by 4% which will be effective from 1st December 2023," Mann said in a post on X. After the meeting, the PSMSU president said the CM announced 4 per cent DA hike to state government employees. He further said the CM assured that the remaining 8 per cent DA will also be given. The employees had been demanding

AAP lists pro-farmer policy in response to BJP's memorandum to CM Kejriwal

This is the first government to award Rs 50,000 per hectare as crop compensation during crop damage universally to all farmers, and this is the highest among all states in the country, AAP said

Delhi riots: Court dismisses Tahir Hussain's plea seeking stay on PMLA case

A court here has dismissed former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain's plea seeking a stay on proceedings in a money laundering case against him till charges are framed in another case related to alleged conspiracy behind the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. Twenty people, including Hussain and activists Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi, have been arraigned as accused in the case related to the larger conspiracy to incite the riots. The money laundering case, registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), emanates from the larger conspiracy matter. The agency has alleged that Hussain laundered several crore rupees using shell or dummy companies to fuel protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the communal riots. Underlining that charges in the ED case were framed in January this year and Hussain's appeals against the order on charges were dismissed by the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat rejected the former councillor's

Govt mowed down democracy with this 'billdozer': Raghav Chadha on CEC bill

Further, Chadha underscored the pivotal role of an independent Election Commission in ensuring unbiased elections

Delhi govt plans to provide parents with live-feed of CCTVs in classrooms

The Delhi government has developed an app, called 'DGS Live', through which parents can get a live view of cameras installed in classrooms for about five minutes per class

Delhi to create separate budget head for funds to NCRTC for RRTS project

The Delhi government will create a separate head in its Budget Estimate for allocation of funds to the NCRTC for the RRTS project, days after the Supreme Court came down heavily on it for not coming up with funds for the rapid transit corridors to Alwar and Panipat. The city government released Rs 415 crore to the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project following the top court's rap. According to an official, the Delhi government's transport department had not allocated funds for the project under any budget head in 2023-24. "The allocation of funds to the RRTS project was nowhere mentioned in the Budget Estimate that was sent before the budget and even in the subsequent discussions between the finance and the transport departments. It meant that it was completely missed," said the official. In order to avoid such a recurrence, the finance department has directed the transport department to keep a budget head for th

Keeping me in custody serves no purpose, AAP's Sanjay Singh tells court

AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Saturday urged a court here to release him, saying no purpose will be served by keeping him in further custody in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise scam. Singh's counsel made the submission before Special Judge M K Nagpal during the hearing of his bail application. He told the court that he was not required for further investigation and that the probe against him was over. "The ED has already filed its charge sheet against me after the completion of the investigation. I'm not required for the custodial interrogation any further. There is no purpose to keep me in further custody," Singh's counsel told the court. During the arguments, the ED said the probe was ongoing and if released on bail, Singh could hamper the investigation and tamper with the evidence as well as influence the witnesses. In the course of hearing on bail application, the fifth supplementary prosecution complaint filed against Singh was also taken out from a se

Day after Delhi LG recalls files, Gahlot loses law portfolio to Atishi

Kailash Gahlot was divested of the Law and Justice portfolio in the AAP government on Friday, a day after LG V K Saxena recalled files related to judicial infrastructure and administration in the city as they remained pending with him for months, officials said. They said the Chief Minister's Office wrote to the LG office recommending to assign the charge of the law ministry to Atishi and it has received Saxena's nod. The AAP government has not officially responded to queries. With this change, the number of portfolios held by Atishi has increased to 14, the highest among the ministers of the Kejriwal government. Earlier in October, she was handed over the charge of water department. In June, Atishi was given charge of the Revenue, Planning and the Finance Departments, the portfolios earlier held by Gahlot. Gahlot now holds the charge of Transport, Home, Administrative Reforms and Information Technology departments. Saxena on Thursday recalled files related to courts, judicial .

Delhi govt report shows decline in sex ratio, rise in birth rate in 2022

The sex ratio in the national capital dropped to 929 in 2022 from 932 a year back, according to a report published by the Delhi government. The 'Annual report on registration of births and deaths in Delhi, 2022' showed that the birth rate in Delhi increased to 14.24 per thousand of population during 2022 from 13.13 in 2021. The death rate declined to 6.07 per cent in 2022 from 8.28 per cent in 2021. It also revealed a significant jump in the average number of births per day in Delhi i.e. up from 745 in 2021 to 823 in 2022. The sex ratio declined to 929 per thousand males in 2022 from 932 in 2021, the report said. The report said 1,55,670 (51.83 per cent) of the total births registered were males and 1,44,581 (48.14 per cent) were females and 99 (0.03 per cent) belonged to the "others" category. Out of the total births, 2,82,389 (94.02 per cent) were institutional -- 1,86,905 (66.19 per cent) of them in government hospitals -- and 17,961 (5.98 per cent) were domiciliary in nature.

Punjab Guv Purohit reserves 3 Bills for President Murmu's consideration

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit has reserved three Bills, including the one which aims to replace him with the chief minister as the chancellor of state-run universities, for the consideration of the President. The Bills were passed by the state assembly during the June 19-20 session which the governor had earlier termed illegal. "The Hon'ble Governor, Punjab has reserved the following three bills for the consideration of the Hon'ble President of India as per article 200 of the Constitution of India," said a Raj Bhavan statement issued on Wednesday. The three bills, which will be sent to President Droupadi Murmu, are the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023. One more Bill -- the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2023 -- was also passed during the June session. While the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill was aimed at ensuring a free-to-air telecast of .

Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha's Rajya Sabha membership revoked

The membership of Chadha was suspended during the Monsoon session of Parliament, was revoked after a motion moved by BJP Member of Parliament GVL Narsimha Rao