Elated over grant of bail to her human right activists son Dr Binayak Sen, by a Supreme Bench on Friday, who was convicted in a sedition case, his octogenerian ailing mother Anusuya Sen said that the order has restored her confidence in the country’s judiciary.

It is only half-the-battle won by the celebrated rights activist Binayak Sen, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Rai-pur court on December 24, 2010 on charges of sedition, when the SC granted him bail on Friday. Mr Sen is expected to move the trial court at Raipur on Monday to get the nod for the execution of the bail order by the apex court, since Saturday is a holiday for the court.

The BJP on Friday said it respects Supreme Court’s decision granting bail to Binayak Sen but maintained that the case in connection with his alleged involvement in Naxal activities is still on in the Chhattisgarh high court and hoped that the trial will be held on merit. A Chhattisgarh court had convicted Sen and sentenced him to life

The fear of Maoists has forced about 1,000 candidates for Bihar’s panchayat polls to withdraw their nominations and many other aspirants to not file nomination papers at all in two southern districts after the left-wing rebels threatened dire consequences if they participated in the democratic exercise.

The unexpected defeat of a veteran Congress leader, Prof. Arun Kumar, in the latest round of polls for the Bihar Legislative Council has come as a shock to both chief minister Nitish Kumar of the JD(U) and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav as much as it shocked the Congress.

The central leadership of the BJP, which faced major embarrassment after seven of its 11 MLAs in the J&K Assembly indulged in cross-voting during the Legislative Council polls, has summoned all its MLAs to Delhi. The party said it has asked its MLAs to tender their resignations. However, the resignations, addressed to the state Assembly Speaker, are with party chief Nitin Gadkari.

Sharp divisions were witnessed on Friday in the Public Accounts Committee over its continuing the probe into the 2G spectrum scam.

The CPI(M) has attacked anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare for his remarks that he will not contest elections because “ordinary voter does not have awareness. They cast their vote under the influence of `100 or a bottle of liquor, or a saree offered by the candidates. They don’t understand the value of their vote.”

Newly appointed Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kantilal Bhuria arrived at the Raja Bhoj airport here on Friday to a warm welcome from a large number of party leaders and workers.

Social activist Anna Hazare’s emegence as a crusader against corruption at the national level is making some leaders in the Hindi heartland restive.
They have started branding him as pro-Narendra Modi through suggestive comments and private conversations despite the fact that he has also praised Bihar chief