AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s astounding comeback in the Delhi Assembly polls is inspiring the students of IIT-Kharagpur, where the Delhi Chief Minister had studied, to take up politics as a career.

“Making a career in politics is one of the options before me now after graduating from IIT. Kejriwal has proved that even those from IIT and engineering background can be successful in politics,” said Atal Ashutosh Agarwal, a third year student of mechanical engineering of IIT-Kharagpur.

Originally from Delhi, politics caught his fancy after he saw the IIT alumni waging a war against corruption along with his one-time mentor, social activist Anna Hazare.

“Kejriwal has made it easier for us to enter politics. He has shown us the path and is an inspiration,” said Mr. Agarwal, who has already joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Lokesh Deshmukh, a second-year geophysics student who helped AAP carry out online and phone campaigning during Delhi polls, said the number of those from the campus of the top engineering institute joining as volunteers of the party was increasing.

“It is all because of Kejriwal as everyone on the campus has a soft corner for him. He is one of us,” he said.

On Facebook, hundreds of young IITians come together on the community page ‘AAP IIT Kharagpur’ to discuss political developments and issues related to the party. The page has already crossed over 2,000 ‘likes’.

Politics, otherwise, is taboo on the IIT campus as political activities are not permitted inside.

Kejriwal had studied mechanical engineering at Kharagpur from 1985. The Nehru Hall hostel, where Kejriwal stayed for five years, is known for its social and cultural activities.

“He was a regular at Hindi dramatics society meets and was active in events related to public speaking, debating, etc. That gave him a good exposure which is helping him now in the political world,” Mr. Agarwal said, adding that the IIT culture makes them go beyond the world of textbooks and classrooms.

Professor Shankar Kumar Shome, a former director of the institute, who had taught Kejriwal, said they provide holistic education which pushes students to achieve the pinnacle of success.

“After they pass-out, they can take up whatever careers they want to,” he said.

Demand for dowry can be made at any time and not necessarily before marriage, the Supreme Court has said while upholding the life term awarded to a man for poisoning and burning his wife to death in 1997.

A bench of justices MY Eqbal and Pinaki Chandra Ghose rejected the plea that the accused did not demand any dowry before marriage and seeking it after tying the nuptial knot was out of question.

Referring to an earlier judgement, it said the social evil of dowry is prevalent in Indian society and the defence that it was not sought before the marriage “does not hold water. The demand for dowry can be made at any time and not necessarily before marriage.”

The apex court dismissed the plea of Uttarakhand native Bhim Singh and his family members noting that there was no missing link in the circumstantial evidence brought by the prosecution.

“There must be a chain of evidence so complete as not to leave any reasonable ground for the conclusion consistent with the innocence of the accused and must show that in all human probability the act must have been done by the accused.

“Whenever there is a break in the chain of circumstances, the accused is entitled to the benefit of doubt… There is no missing link in circumstantial evidence put forth by the prosecution, and hence the accused are not entitled to benefit of doubt,” the bench said.

According to the prosecution, Bhim was married to Prema Devi in May, 1997.

When she went to her in-laws’ house after marriage, her husband and in-laws taunted and tortured her by saying that she had brought nothing in dowry, it said.

On September 26, 1997, Prema was administered some toxic substance due to which she died and later on she was burnt, it added.

The trial court had held Bhim and his brother guilty of offence 304-B (dowry death) of IPC and sentenced them to life, Section 498-A (cruelty) of IPC and Sections 3 & 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday took to social-networking site Twitter and hinted at RSS’ alleged backing to Arvind Kejriwal to wipe out Congress.

Digvijaya, who is quite vocal on Twitter, wrote, “Arvind Kejriwal is a part of the overall plan of RSS for a Congress Mukt Bharat.”

He further added that when he had earlier claimed that RSS was behind Anna movement, no one had believed him. But, later he was proved right, claiming he would be right this time as well.

In the recently held Delhi Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party emerged victorious by winning 67 seats out of total 70 seats, reducing the BJP to 3 seats. The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years consecutively, failed to win even a single seat in Delhi Assembly.

Chief Election Commissioner HS Brahma has announced that the Election Commission will launch the Mission of Electoral Roll authentication and purification drive from March 1.

Inaugurating a workshop on “Linking of Aadhaar with Electoral Roll Database and Launching of Electoral Roll Authentication and Purification Drive”, at Dr. MCR HRD Institute, Hyderabad on Saturday, he advised all officers to come up with suitable action plan to expedite so that the mission could be completed by August 15th, 2015.

The Chief Election Commissioner appreciated the efforts put in by District Election officers in taking a step forward and carrying out the proof of concept so effectively to generate advantages and challenges clearly.

Speaking on the occasion, Election Commissioner Dr. Nasim Zaidi appreciated C-DAC for creating search and other facility at a National Level for NVSP. He insisted that electoral rolls are to be purified with the help of technology for which all concerned officials need to work hard and put in collective efforts nationwide.

The DG and Mission Director of UIDAI, Dr Vijay S Madan assured all necessary support from UIDAI.

The workshop was organised by CEO Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It was inaugurated by Shri. HS Brahma, Chief Election Commissioner in the presence of Dr. Nasim Zaidi, Election Commissioner and Dr Vijay S Madan, DG and Mission Director UIDAI. It was attended by officials of ECI, CEOs of States, DEOs of the districts.

Four District Election Officers were given away Best Electoral Practices awards for South Zone.

During the workshop all participants deliberated on issues and advantages of various actions those could be taken for purifying the roll, in which feeding and seeding of Aadhaar is one of the way.