Latest news with #ASG
Time of India
2 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Cal HC bats for more centres of excellence for rare diseases in state
Kolkata: Persons suffering from rare diseases should be treated as a "class of themselves", the Calcutta High Court observed while suggesting the state increase the monthly stipend from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000. The division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee (Das) has now requested Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Ashoke Kumar Chakraborti to examine the policy by the central govt on the establishment of more than one centre of excellence for rare diseases in a state. There is only one centre of excellence for rare diseases in the eastern region — IPGMER. The division bench was hearing a PIL filed by parents of children suffering from muscular dystrophy, a rare disease. On the court's inquiry, the state informed that they pay a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 to people suffering from rare diseases, the same as the amount paid to persons with disabilities. "...Assist the court as to what directions can be issued so that another centre of excellence can be established in Bengal since the court is informed that not only patients from Bengal come here but also from the neighbouring states" the CJ told ASG. "So far as persons suffering from rare diseases are concerned, they cannot be equated to a person who is normally classified as a person with disability. Though the person suffering from rare diseases is undoubtedly a person of rare disability, the disability is more severe as it is a degenerative disease," the bench observed. The court suggested that the tablet "Deflazecort," which is the approved therapy for DMD, be given to the patients to cover the dosage for a minimum of two months. If the tablets dispensed are for a lesser period, then each time the patient needs to travel to the hospital, which is a herculean task for persons suffering from rare diseases. One of the parents of the patients in court, who happens to be an employee of the High Court, stated that his son recently became very sick, and since no ICU bed was available, he admitted his son to a private hospital. He was kept in the ICU for 10 days, and the cost incurred was very high and unmanageable. The state was directed to submit a report on June 27 on the establishment of three ICU units in the police hospital, which will provide exclusive care to persons suffering from rare diseases, apart from the facility available in the SSKM hospital and the other hospitals situated in and around the police hospital. "This is so required because high-speed oxygen is required for the patients, and in the event there is no bed available in the SSKM hospital main campus, then the patient will be put to irreparable hardship," CJ stated. The state was also directed to take expeditious decisions and ensure that the five mechanised wheelchairs are procured and supplied to the hospital no later than June 13. The court also asked the state whether a subsidy can be given for the purchase of a mechanised wheelchair.
New Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Madras HC reserves order on NEET-UG retest plea over power outage, refuses to extend stay on releasing results
CHENNAI: The Madras HC on Tuesday reserved orders on the petitions filed by the candidates appearing for the NEET-UG examination at three centres in the city and its suburbs seeking retest as they were allegedly affected by the power outage caused by sudden storm and heavy rains. Justice C Kumarappan, before whom the petitions came up for hearing, refused to extend the interim stay, granted already by the court, on the release of the results. As a result, there is no legal bar on publishing the results which was scheduled for June 14. The petitions were filed by some of the candidates who appeared for the examination at the Kendriya Vidyalaya at Avadi, Government Higher Secondary School in Kundrathur and Padma Seshadri School in KK Nagar. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) ARL Sundaresan, appearing for the Centre, filed a report on behalf of the National Testing Agency (NTA), saying inquiries revealed that a brief power outage was caused by sudden natural storm and rain in the respective places, but the power supply was restored quickly. During this period, there was sufficient natural daylight in the classrooms; no contemporaneous complaint or representation was raised by any of the candidates including the petitioners regarding lighting or adverse conditions. Neither the centre superintendent nor any observers or invigilators recommended for compensatory time or reported any procedural irregularity; the examination was conducted strictly as per the NTA protocols, the ASG stated. He also informed the court that an independent committee of statisticians was constituted to carry out an analysis of the performance of the centre and the students. The committee found no abnormal variation or decline in the number of attempted questions that would suggest disruption or disadvantage.
New Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Madras HC reserves order on NEET-UG retest plea over power outage, allows result release
CHENNAI: The Madras HC on Tuesday reserved orders on the petitions filed by the candidates appearing for the NEET-UG examination at three centres in the city and its suburbs seeking retest as they were allegedly affected by the power outage caused by sudden storm and heavy rains. Justice C Kumarappan, before whom the petitions came up for hearing, refused to extend the interim stay, granted already by the court, on the release of the results. As a result, there is no legal bar on publishing the results which was scheduled for June 14. The petitions were filed by some of the candidates who appeared for the examination at the Kendriya Vidyalaya at Avadi, Government Higher Secondary School in Kundrathur and Padma Seshadri School in KK Nagar. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) ARL Sundaresan, appearing for the Centre, filed a report on behalf of the National Testing Agency (NTA), saying inquiries revealed that a brief power outage was caused by sudden natural storm and rain in the respective places, but the power supply was restored quickly. During this period, there was sufficient natural daylight in the classrooms; no contemporaneous complaint or representation was raised by any of the candidates including the petitioners regarding lighting or adverse conditions. Neither the centre superintendent nor any observers or invigilators recommended for compensatory time or reported any procedural irregularity; the examination was conducted strictly as per the NTA protocols, the ASG stated. He also informed the court that an independent committee of statisticians was constituted to carry out an analysis of the performance of the centre and the students. The committee found no abnormal variation or decline in the number of attempted questions that would suggest disruption or disadvantage.
The Hindu
a day ago
- General
- The Hindu
‘Power outage in NEET centres did not impact students' performance'
There has been no impact on the performance of NEET candidates due to power outage at three different examination centres in and around Chennai on May 4, 2025, the National Testing Agency (NTA) told the Madras High Court on Tuesday. Appearing before Justice C. Kumarappan who was seized of writ petitions filed by a group of candidates, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AR. L. Sundaresan said, the NTA had conducted a scientific assessment and found no such impact. He said the examination was conducted in broad daylight, and hence, the power failure did not make much of a difference. Moreover, the students could not have marked the OMR sheet if there had been any impact, he added. Stating that the number of questions answered by the students before the court was compared with the district average, he said, such comparison showed that the students had answered a higher number of questions than the district average. However, the petitioners' counsel wondered how such a defence could be taken by the NTA against the helpless students who had undergone a great deal of anxiety due to power outage, and consequently, could not perform to the best of their abilities. After hearing both sides, the judge directed the High Court Registry to list the matter under the caption 'For Orders' on Friday. Though the petitioners' counsel insisted on restraining the NTA from releasing the NEET 2025 results till then, the judge refused to pass any such interim order. The ASG told the court that a summer vacation judge had directed the NTA not to release the results until the agency conducted an inquiry and found out whether the power outage in the three centres had any impact on the performance of the candidates. Now that the inquiry is over, there should not be any impediment on releasing the results, he said, and urged the court to dismiss all three writ petitions filed by students who had appeared for NEET at the centres in Avadi, Kunrathur, and K.K. Nagar in Chennai.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Allowed water to enemies': Central govt's counsel invokes Guru Gobind Singh in HC
10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh CHANDIGARH: Opposing Punjab govt's plea against allocation of additional water to Haryana from BhakraNangal dam project, the central govt's counsel on Monday invoked 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh, who had allowed water to even his enemies. During the resumed hearing of the matter, additional solicitor general (ASG) Satya Pal Jain, representing the Centre, narrated an incident in the courtroom where the Sikh Guru had summoned Bhai Kanhaiya to explain a complaint about his actions on the battlefield. Jain explained that when Guru Gobind Singh asked Bhai Kanhaiya about the Sikh soldiers' claim that he was serving water to the enemy, allowing them to recover and fight again, Bhai Kanhaiya responded to the Sikh Guru, saying: 'It is true, but I saw no Mughal or Sikh on the battlefield, I only saw human beings. ' Jain added the Guru was pleased with the reply, and he also gave some medicines to Bhai Kanhaiya, telling him: 'From now on, you should also put this medicine on the wounds of all who need it.' Jain also submitted to the bench that during the May 2 meeting chaired by Union home secretary on water dispute, two officers from the Punjab govt were also present and they had not come forward to dispute the decision taken in the meeting till date. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Contesting Jain's claims, senior advocate Gurminder Singh, while representing the Punjab govt, submitted that according to Article 166, the Union govt is required to record the conduct of business, but the same was not recorded. He claimed that the minutes of the May 2 meeting were recorded only on May 9. 'Farman-e-Shahi is not recognised by our Constitution,' the Punjab counsel submitted while objecting to the proceedings of the May 2 meeting. After hearing all parties, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel reserved the verdict. In this case, the Punjab govt had approached the high court to seek a recall or modification of its May 6 order, which directed the state to comply with the May 2 meeting decision, chaired by the Union home secretary, on releasing additional water to Haryana from the Bhakra dam. The state had claimed that the direction in question was passed on account of concealment of material facts by BBMB in the petition. According to Punjab's plea, in case of any policy decision or where the rights of any state is affected, the matter is to be referred to the central govt through the chairman of the Bhakra Beas Management Board. However, despite the matter being already referred to the central govt for deciding the issue under Rule 7 of BBMB Rules 1974 and no decision being taken on it, the board again convened a meeting on April 30, wherein, without any adjudication by the competent authority, it decided to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana.
