Even as about 70 per cent of Gujarat’s estimated seven lakh state government employees in Gujarat began an indefinite strike the government had a breakthrough in talks with the Sachivalaya staff at Gandhinagar. Class 1 officers of the Sachivalaya have agreed to withdraw from the strike and the government is hopeful of continuing talks with other sections of the staff.

Judges On Transfers

For the second time in a fortnight, three judges of the Supreme Court expressed strong feelings that “a lot of pick and choose” is being done in the transfer of judges of the high courts. “The impression has to be cleared by the government that they want to help their men, who toe their line. Sycophancy is the antithesis of the independence of the judiciary,” the presiding judge, V D Tulzapurkar, said. These observations came when a writ petition challenging the haphazard implementation of the “one-third” policy was being heard by a division bench.

Congress Centenary

Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi launched the centenary celebrations of Congress by rededicating the party to the ideals of democratic socialism and pledging for the preservation of the unity and integrity of the country. At the packed hall of the Indira Gandhi Stadium, where Gandhi lit a lamp beginning the eight-month-long celebrations, none of the former senior Congress leaders were present.