Tickets for Indo-Pak cricket series online: http://pcbtickets.cricket.org, http://pcb.cricket.org, www.cricinfo.com.

Polling on April 20, 26, May 5, 10; Result May 13 (Go To Top)

         New Delhi: The general elections will be held in four phases beginning April 20, the Election Commission announced here on Sunday after a meeting. With the announcement, the model code of conduct came into effect. This would be the first time when electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used throughout the country.

        The first day of polls will be April 20 that will cover 16 states and Union Territories. In this phase, 141 constituencies will go to the polls. On April 26, 11 states and Union Territories covering 137 LS seats will go to the hustings. In the third phase, polls will be held in seven states covering 83 seats on May 5. The last day of polling will be on May 10, when 16 states and Union Territories covering 182 seats will elect their MPs.

         Counting of votes will be on May 13, and is expected to be completed the same day. Voting in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on four days even as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will go to polls on three days. According to the announcement made, in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur and Orissa, elections will be held in two days. The CEC also requested the political parties to desist from personal attacks and field good candidates.

BJP, Congress welcome poll schedule (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: The BJP and the Congress have welcomed the poll schedule announced by the Election Commission today. BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said the party hoped the level of campaign by the Opposition parties would be kept decent and the elections would be held in a peaceful atmosphere. Senior Congress party leader Kapil Sibal said the party welcomed the EC decision to use Electronic Voting Machines for voting. He also welcomed the assurances given by the Election Commission that these machines cannot be "misused". Sibal said the party further welcomed EC suggestions of to all political parties to eschew violence, talk issue of governance, avoid personal attacks, adhere to expenditure limits, follow the code of conduct and give the best possible candidates to the constituencies.

India asks Pakistan to modify bilateral air services agreement (Go To Top)

         New Delhi: If sources are to be believed, India has urged Pakistan to modify bilateral air services agreement for operation of multiple airlines in the sector, to pave the way for the launch of scheduled operations by private carriers as also to enable them to fly cricket fans to the neighbouring country. Under the present agreement, the two Governments recognise only Indian Airlines and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for operations of the scheduled flights. The modification suggested is aimed at recognising Indian private carriers like Jet Airways and Air Sahara as the designated ones to enable them operate scheduled flights, official sources said here. The sources said the Ministry of External Affairs has sent a note to Islamabad in this regard.

          However, the private carriers could seek permission from the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation and its Pakistani counterpart to operate chartered flights for cricket fans. Stating that this would require them to furnish the list of passengers and the purpose of their travel at least a week in advance to the two authorities, the sources said the Pakistani authorities would have to give the final nod for these "non- operational chartered flights".

          When the aviation links between the two countries were resumed in January this year, both sides had agreed to allow operation of large aircraft, like Boeing 747s, to operate. The decision currently benefits only the PIA as Indian Airlines does not have such big aircraft. The bilateral negotiations are to be held in the next few months, the sources said.

Hurriyat charge against Centre (Go To Top)

          Srinagar: Kashmir's main separatist alliance Hurriyat Conference on Sunday accused New Delhi of not curbing human rights abuse in the troubled valley, after police cane- charged a religious procession during the day. The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has threatned to pull out of peace talks with the Central government, saying security forces were targeting innocent people, in the Himalayan region. "How can we make people believe that the government of India is sincere. A religious procession was cane charged", Hurriyat chairman Moulvi Abbas Ansari said in Srinagar.

          Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani and the moderate faction of the APHC started a dialogue in January, the first between the two sides since a revolt erupted in the disputed region in 1989. Advani allayed fears of a setback to the talks process but added New Delhi was bound to work within the delicate security framework of the region.

          Nearly a dozen militant groups are fighting New Delhi's rule in Kashmir where rebel violence has continued despite recent peace efforts by India and Pakistan. On Saturday, state chief Mufti Mohammad Sayeed survived a bid on his life after militants hurled a grenade at a rally he was addressing, near Srinagar. Officials say more than 40,000 people have been killed in 15 years of rebellion. India says Pakistan is fomenting militancy in the area, a charge Islamabad denies. The two countries agreed to a "basic roadmap" for peace in three days of preparatory talks, which ended last week.

JKLF activists protest against ban on Muharram rallies (Go To Top)

         Srinagar: Separatists in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday took to the streets in Srinagar angered by the state government's decision to impose a ban on Muharram processions. There has been a ban on religious rallies during the Muharram month in the state ever since the bloody rebellion broke out in 1989. However, when Mufti Mohammed Sayeed took over in 2002, the government had lifted the ban only to return it this year. The protestors belonging to the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) declared their solidarity with the Shia community. "Today we are again on the occasion of Moharram expressing our solidarity with our Shia brothers. We are participating in the procession," Javed Mir, a leader of JKLF, said.

          Every year, Muslims across the world mourn the tragedy of Karbala on the tenth day of the month of Muharram according to the traditional Muslim calendar. It was on this day in 631 A.D. that Imam Husain was killed by the army of Yazid, who was said to be an usurper of the Caliphate or a self-appointed successor to the Prophet. Imam Husain was killed alongwith 72 of his relatives, friends and supporters. But his sister is reported to have escaped alongwith some children from settlements set on fire by the army of Caliph. The "martyrdom" day of Imam Husain is marked by prayers, processions and self-flagellation by devouts.

I'm not worried about my form: Ganguly (Go To Top)

         Mumbai: Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble and Ajit Agarkar are reported fit, according to Sourav Ganguly. The Indian captain who is in Mumbai to shoot for a commercial, said on Sunday that he expected Zaheer, Kumble and Agarkar would send their fitness certificates to the Board before it meets in Kolkata to finalise the team. Ganguly also said he was not worried about his form. "I can brush up the loose ends during the three-day camp in Kolkata" where a bowling coach was likely to be named for the tour.

Ehsan Mani, Dalmiya to witness Karachi ODI (Go To Top)

          Karachi: Presidents of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Ehsan Mani and Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) Jagmohan Dalmiya will watch the first One-day International between the two countries in Karachi on March 13, the News reported on Sunday. Sources in the Pakistan Board confirmed that the two would be flying into Karachi on March 11 along with PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan from New Zealand to watch the match. "All three would fly straight to Karachi from New Zealand where they are going to attend the ICC executive board meeting scheduled on March 8 and 9," the paper quoted a source as saying.

          It said Mani was specially coming down to watch the first match in Karachi as he wanted to see first-hand the response of the Pakistani people to the Indian team and the security and other arrangements made for the series. However, Dalmiya and other top BCCI officials would be the guests of the PCB for the one-day series and would watch the matches in Karachi and Lahore specially. It has been a while since any top BCCI official has visited Pakistan because of the strained relations between the two countries that have started improving from last year.

Rameez will do TV commentary (Go To Top)

         Karachi: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan on Saturday confirmed that Board Chief Executive Rameez Raja would be doing commentary during the coming series against India. Defending the decision to allow Rameez to carry on in his dual role as PCB chief executive and commentator in the India series, Khan said Rameez was not an employee of the Board and was working in an honorary capacity. "I had said before clearly that no Board employee could also work as a commentator. Rameez is not a employee of the board and commentary is his livelihood so there is no conflict of interest arising in this case," the News quoted Shaharyar as saying.

         He also defended the role of Rameez in the Board when asked at Saturday's news conference that it appeared as if the former Test captain was wielding unlimited power and authority in the board. "Let me tell you everyone works as a team in the Board. Rameez is an honest and hard working CEO who has been committed to his responsibility. I think he has also carried out a positive projection of Pakistan cricket in his role as a commentator. When the India series is held we will see how important this is," the chairman added. A lot of controversy has been generated by a section of the media questioning the dual role of the former Test captain and wanting to know if Shaharyar would allow him to continue in the same manner when India played in Pakistan. But the PCB chief clearly played his cards right on Saturday emphasising on the positive contribution Rameez was making to the Board as CEO and commentator. Sources have said that Rameez himself is planning to leave his position as CEO and concentrate on his profession as a commentator (where he is in high demand) after the India series.

Return series against Pak within a year: Dalmiya (Go To Top)

         Islamabad: The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) is contemplating to host a return cricket series against Pakistan within this year, the News reported on Sunday. "We're pleased with the restoration of cricket links with Pakistan and are hoping to host its team soon, probably within a year,'' the paper quoted BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya as saying while speaking to reporters. Dalmiya said the International Cricket Council's 10-year programme was choked, but India and Pakistan's officials would try to find a slot for a Test series in India. The ICC's Test series programme had been disrupted by the political rift between the South Asian arch rivals, forcing it to re-schedule the India-Pakistan series several times as the Indian government refused to sanction the encounters.

          India's March 10-April 18 visit to Pakistan features five one-day internationals and three Test matches. The tour will be a financial bonanza for Pakistan, which in recent years has been hit by cancellations and disruption of several tours. Dalmiya said the Indian cricket was not making any money on this visit. ``Under the current scheme of things the hosting board makes all the money, while the visitors actually incur lots of expenses,'' he said. "The Indian board will make money only when Pakistan tours India,'' Dalmiya said.