Northeast Platform

DUBAI: Legendary painter M F Husain, who was recently granted Qatari citizenship, has surrendered his Indian passport to the country's mission in Doha, a media report said on Monday. 95-year-old Husain, revered by many as India's Picasso, on Sunday went to the country's mission in Doha and surrendered his Indian passport, the Gulf Times reported. Husain, who has been living in self-imposed exile for nearly four years following a spate of cases in India over his controversial paintings of Hindu goddesses, had accepted Qatar's offer and would no longer be an Indian, his son Owais Husain said recently. India does not recognize dual citizenship. So, "in such a situation, surrendering passport by the person concerned is mandatory and Husain has only done that," an Indian Embassy official was quoted as saying by the paper. The artist has also applied for the Overseas Citizen of India card, the mission sources said, adding the embassy has facilitated all requ

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday filed an appeal before itself challenging the judgement of Delhi High Court holding that the office of the Chief Justice of India came under the ambit of the RTI Act and was liable to reveal information under it. The petition, which has been filed after CJI K G Balakrishnan had consultation with his fellow judges, raised the point that information held by the CJI is sensitive in nature and its revelation would hamper the judiciary's independence. The petition, though drafted more than a month ago, was filed on Monday by advocate Devdutt Kamat on behalf of the apex court registry and the case would be argued by the Attorney General G E Vahanvati. The apex court will be seeking immediate stay on the High Court rulings otherwise it would be under obligation to reveal information under RTI Act. In a path-breaking verdict, the Delhi High Court had on January 12 held that the office of the Chief Justice of India comes under the purview of th