CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on February 27THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) notes with concern the midnight transfer of Justice S Muralidhar to Punjab and Haryana High Court from his present position as the third senior most judge of the Delhi High Court.This transfer is part of a recommendation of the Supreme Court collegium, which was protested against by the Delhi High Court Bar Association for well-argued judicial-administrative considerations.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member has issued the following statement on February 22THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) mourns the passing away of Comrade Bajuban Riyan, former Central Committee member and veteran leader of CPI(M) in Tripura, on February 21, 2020 at ILS Hospital, Agartala. He was 80 years old.Bajuban Riyan was elected to the Central Committee of the Party at its 19th Congress in 2008 and was relieved  in 2018 at its 22nd Congress.

ON February 25, 2020, Brinda Karat, member, Polit Bureau of CPI(M) and K M Tewari, secretary, Delhi state committee of CPI(M) have written the following letter to Amit Shah, minister for home affairs, government of India on the serious situation in Delhi.  Below we publish the text of the letter.The tragic death of a police constable and the deaths of six citizens in the shocking incidents of violence in the capital are of deep concern. We strongly condemn those responsible for the death of the police constable and for the violence in Delhi.

A NATIONAL convention against privatisation of BPCL was held at the BPCL Kochi refinery premises on February 9, 2020 under the banner of all the three national federations, AIPWF, NFPW and PGWFI. Delegates from all over the country representing all the branches of oil and natural gas -  production, refining, pipeline and marketing representing ONGC, OIL, GAIL, IOCL, BPCL, HPCL, MRPL, Balmer Lawrie, Pawan Hans and more participated in the convention. Tapan Sen, general secretary-CITU inaugurated the convention.

THE novel coronavirus or COVID-19 epidemic appears to be under control in China, but could create new epicentres in South Korea, Italy and Iran. If this happens and creates multiple countries acting as new centres of the epidemic, we could be moving towards a pandemic. South Korea saw 214 new infections on February 24, though reports indicate a sharp drop in new infections. Northern Italy is now under lockdown, and has emerged as another centre of the epidemic, with people returning from Italy spreading the infections to other countries.