THURSDAY 21 MARCH 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘CASTE CENSUS EVERY 5 YRS IF INDIA BLOC VOTED TO POWER’ P4 P7 SENSEX 72,101.6989.64 WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 32 AND 15 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 89 % ` vs $ 82.89 Min: 13.7 °C (-3) SUN SETS 18:33 hrs MOON SETS 04:57 hrs THUMBNAILS People enjoy rain in Kolkata on BISWAJIT GHOSHAL Wednesday. Seven shot dead following armed assault on Gwadar Port: Seven armed assailants were shot dead by police and security forces on Wednesday after they forcibly entered the Gwadar Port Authority Complex and began firing, according to officials. Makran Commissioner Saeed Ahmed Umrani told Dawn.com that multiple blasts were also reported in the attack, adding that the clearance operation against the perpetrators was still under way. P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday commended India’s youth for choosing the path of becoming job creators rather than job seekers and giving the country the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world, with 1.25 lakh start-ups involving 12 lakh youth. He was inaugurating a Start-up Mahakumbh at Bharat Mandapam here. Mr Modi said the presence of investors, incubators, academicians, researchers, industry members, and present and future entrepreneurs made the gathering a “Mahakumbh in its truest form creating unprecedented energy and vibe.” The Prime Minister said the youth had contributed to making India the fifth largest economy in the world, up from the 11th position, and the start-ups were playing a role in fulfilling the guarantee to make India the third largest economy in his third term in PM Narendra Modi speaks with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal during the 'Start-up Mahakumbh' at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Wednesday.  ANI office. Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said start-ups are launched by many, and often in politics too, with many of them requiring relaunches. “The difference between you and them is that you learn from experiment and shift to other ventures, if one fails,” he told the start-up entrepreneurs. Mr Modi said “right policies” had helped in the growth of the start-up ecosystem in the country. There was an initial reluc- tance and indifference towards the concept, but innovative ideas found a platform under Startup India over a period of time, he said. He said the ecosystem developed by connecting ideas with funding sources, and incubators in academic institutions helped the youth of tier 2 and tier 3 cities. “Start-up has become part of the social culture and no one can stop it,” he said. Looking at the Mahakumbh gathering, he said, the start-up entrepreneurs were undeterred PM speaks to Putin, Zelenkskyy, calls for early end to Russia-Ukraine conflict PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 20 MARCH The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on Thursday, a public interest plea against the practice of political parties promising freebies during elections. “This is important. We will keep this on board tomorrow,” said Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud heading a bench also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra after a mentioning by the PIL petitioner’s lawyer for an early hearing of the matter. The PIL states that there should be a total ban on the promise of populist measures to influence the voters and gain votes as such promises violate the Constitution, and the Election Commission should take suitable deterrent measures to curb such practices. The top court already has before it a batch of pleas against freebies promised by political parties. The court had earlier said that the issue of freebies promised by the political parties during election campaigns requires extensive debate, and referred the case to a three-judge bench. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 MARCH In a significant diplomatic initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the phone and conveyed India's consistent support for all efforts for peace and for bringing to an early end the ongoing conflict between their two nations. During the phone conversation with Mr Putin, Mr Modi congratulated him on his reelection as the Russian President and conveyed his best wishes for peace, progress and prosperity for the friendly people of Russia. “The two leaders agreed to make concerted efforts towards further strengthening the Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries in the years to come,” the Ministry of External Affairs said. The leaders also reviewed progress in various issues of bilateral cooperation, and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. “While discussing the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the PM reiterated India’s consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch,” the MEA added. The PM had sent a congratulatory message to Mr Putin on Monday soon after his re-election, reflecting India's keenness to continue to maintain strong ties with Moscow despite the Western world's attempts to isolate the Russian President. Meanwhile, the Kremlin said the two leaders expressed satisfaction with the consistent and dynamic development of mutually beneficial ties in trade, economy, investment, energy and transport. They affirmed their commitment to coordinating their countries' actions within multilateral formats, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS. Hours later, the PM spoke to the Ukraine President and told him that India will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to his warravaged nation. “Had a good conversation with President @ZelenskyyUa on strengthening the IndiaUkraine partnership. Conveyed India’s consistent support for all efforts for peace and bringing an early end to the ongoing conflict. India will continue to provide humanitarian assistance guided by our people-centric approach,'' the Prime Minister wrote on X later. Independence of EC cannot be assured by having CJI on selection panel, says Centre STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 MARCH The Central government on Wednesday defended the recent appointment of two Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu - saying there was an attempt to create a controversy over the appointments, and asserted that the independence of the Election Commission of India cannot be assured by the presence of the Chief Justice of India in the Selection Committee. Stating that a political controversy is being created on the basis of “unsupported and pernicious statements”, the Centre sought to dispel any notion of bias or ulterior GOLD 66,330 Some in politics need ‘relaunches’: PM Modi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 MARCH Min. 26 % SC to hear pleas against poll freebies today NIFTY 21,839.1021.65 P5 PM takes swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at ‘Start-up Mahakumbh’ TEMPERATURE Max: 33.6 °C(2) SUN RISES 6:24 hrs MOON RISES 15:12 hrs HIMACHAL CONGRESS CHIEF DECLINES TO CONTEST L S POLLS RUSSOPHOBIA MAY EXPLAIN SUPPORT FOR PUTIN motives behind the appointment of Election Commissioners. It said that there are no allegations against the Election Commissioners. “A political controversy is sought to be created only on the basis of bare, unsupported and pernicious statements about certain vague and unspecified motives behind the appointment,” the Centre said in an affidavit filed in response to a batch of petitions seeking the presence of the Chief Justice of India in the selection panel to select the ECs and a stay on the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act 2023. On the exclusion of the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee the Centre has said: “… the independence of the Election Commission, or any other organisation or authority, does not arise from and is not attributable to the presence of a judicial member in the Selection Committee.” A five-judge constitution bench by a unanimous judgment on 2 March 2023 had directed that the Chief Election Commission and the Election Commissioners would be appointed on the recommendation of a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of opposition or leader of the largest party in opposition and the Chief Justice of India. However, the Centre brought in a law - The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act 2023 that excluded the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel. The CJI was replaced by a Central Minister to be nominated by the PM thereby giving the government a clear edge in the selection of the CEC and two Election Commissioners. by the announcement of elections, and were sure where the nation was destined in the next five years. The startup revolution is being led by small cities and that too in a wide range of sectors including agriculture, textiles, medicine, transport, space, yoga and ayurveda, he said. The Prime Minister said that Indian start-ups are working in more than 50 areas in the space sector, including the launch of the space shuttle. Mr Modi said the mindset about start-ups is changing. They have changed the psyche that a lot of money is needed to start a business. The GeM portal has provided more than Rs 20,000 crore to businesses and startups. The youth is venturing into new areas and the start-ups launched on the policy platforms are scaling new heights. The Prime Minister asked the entrepreneurs to be vigilant about filing their patents quickly. Underlining the impetus provided by Digital India to start-ups, he said it is a huge inspiration and suggested colleges to take it up as a case study. BUMRAH NEEDS BREAK TO AVOID INJURIES: MCGRATH P12 SILVER 77,000300 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 85.950.67 EC issues notification for 1st phase of Lok Sabha polls STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 MARCH The Election Commission on Wednesday issued notification for the first phase of voting in the 18th Lok Sabha election, kicking off the world’s largest electoral exercise. In the first phase, polling will be held in 102 Lok Sabha seats spread across 21 states and Union territories. According to the notification, 28 March is the last date for filing nominations for Bihar and 27 March for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry. The scrutiny of nominations will take place in Bihar on 30 March, and other states and Union territories on 28 March. The notification said the last date for withdrawal of candidature is 30 March for other states and for Bihar, it is 2 April. The 102 Lok Sabha seats GO FOR PHASE-1 According to the notification, 28 March is the last date for filing nominations for Bihar and 27 March for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.  Scrutiny will take place in Bihar on 30 March, and for other states and Union territories on 28 March; last date for withdrawal is 2 April for Bihar, 30 March for other states/Union territories in 21 states/Union territories going to the polls in the first phase include 39 parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu, 12 in Rajasthan, eight in Uttar Pradesh and six in Madhya Pradesh, five seats each in Uttarakhand, Assam and Maharashtra, four seats of Bihar, three seats of West Bengal, two seats each in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and one seat each in Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, J&K, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. The polling is scheduled to take place on 19 April. Polling in Manipur’s Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency will take place in two phases, on 19 and 26 April. The general election will be held in seven phases between 19 April and 1 June, with the results to be declared on 4 June.