FRIDAY 21 JUNE 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR CONGRESS ENTITLED TO L.O.P . POST, SAYS PAWAR KERALA CPI-M GIVES CLEAN CHIT TO CM VIJAYAN P4 SENSEX 77,478.93141.34 WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY.POSSIBILITY OF DUST STORM/THUNDERSTORM/LIGHTNING WITH VERY LIGHT RAIN ACCOMPANIED WITH GUSTY WINDS (SPEED 30-40 KMPH) TOWARDS EVENING/NIGHT. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 40 AND 29 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. GOLD 72,440220 ` vs $ 83.62 ‘J&K’s people will soon choose their own govt’ Min. 43 % Max: 40.0 °C (+1) SUN RISES 05:25 hrs MOON RISES 19:04 hrs Min: 29.6 °C (+2) SUN SETS 19:22 hrs MOON SETS 05:11 hrs THUMBNAILS President Droupadi Murmu celebrates her 66th birthday with specially-abled staff members of MITTI Cafe, at the President's Estate in New Delhi on Thursday.  ANI Bangladesh PM arrives today for talks with Indian leaders: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will arrive on a two-day state visit to India on Friday at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This will be the first incoming bilateral state visit of a foreign leader after the formation of the new government led by Mr Modi. During the visit Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to call-on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. S tating that he was constantly endeavouring to remove “Dil ki doori and Dilli ki Doori” between Kashmir and Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Thursday that preparations for Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir have begun and the people would soon choose the government through their vote. Indicating that the statehood of J&K will be restored, he said: “The day will also come soon when Jammu and Kashmir will once again make its future better as a state”. In a warning to perpetrators of terrorism sitting across the Line of Control (LoC), Mr Modi said: “The government has taken the recent terror attacks very seriously. I assure you that we will not hesitate to teach a lesson to the enemies of peace in Jammu and Kashmir.” On holding of the Assembly elections, Mr Modi said; “You’ll choose your government through your vote soon. As a state, very soon Jammu and Kashmir will make a better Prime Minister Narendra Modi being presented with a memento by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha during the 'Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K' event, at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre in Srinagar on Thursday.  ANI future”. “Through the elected representatives you will find ways to solve the problems, what can be better than this, " he added. Mr Modi was launching projects worth Rs.1,500 crore and a Competitiveness Improvement in Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP) worth Rs 1,800 crore during his first visit to J&K after being sworn in as PM for the third successive term.He Big relief to AAP as court grants bail to Delhi CM STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 JUNE chief minister will likely come out of jail, he added. Taking to social media platform X, AAP Chief National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar wrote, "BJP lost again!" while AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi wrote, "Satyamev Jayate." Taking to X Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann wrote: “ We have faith in the court..Bail for Kejriwal ji..victory of truth..” The Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought a 48-hour deferral in signing the bail bond following the court's pronouncement of the order, to allow sufficient time to challenge it before the appellate court. However, the presiding judge firmly denied the ED's plea for a stay on the order. The trial court said the bail bond must be presented before the duty judge on Friday as per the court's directive. The court had on Wednesday extended Mr Kejriwal's judicial custody in the excise policy case till 3 July after hearing arguments at length on his regular bail plea. The Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener was arrested by the ED on the night of 21 March from his official residence after questioning in connection with a money laundering case relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy of 2021-22. On 10 May, Mr Kejriwal was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court till 1 June, to allow him to take part in campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls, and he had surrendered on 2 June at Tihar jail to the concerned authorities. struck a chord with the people when he recalled the famous phrase of the former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee “Insaniyat,Jamhooriat and Kashmiriat”. He said it was his endeavour to remove the distances between the hearts and the distance between Kashmir and Delhi. He said the people of Kashmir are victorious in keeping the flag of democracy flying high by overwhelmingly partici- pating in the recent Lok Sabha elections. “I have come here to thank you for keeping the flag of democratic process flying high. It would have been encouraging had the opposition also praised this development”. “The whole world is witnessing the changes in the Kashmir Valley...Humara Kashmir kitna aage badh gaya hai'...You will see that the International Yoga Day celebration will also become an attraction for tourists,” he said. The changes we are seeing in Jammu & Kashmir today is the result of our work in the last 10 years,” he said. “India's aspirations are at an all-time high. Hence its expectations from its government are also at an all time high,” he said. “An aspirational society has only one parameter – performance. The country saw the performance and it is the result of this performance that the government has got a chance for the third time. Our government performs and delivers results. Forming the government for the third time has given a message of stability to the world,” Mr Modi stressed. Patna High Court scraps Bihar govt’s quota hike AGENCIES PATNA, 20 JUNE In a major setback for Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Patna High Court on Thursday set aside the state government's decision to increase reservations for Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes, Scheduled Tribes, and Scheduled Castes in jobs and educational institutions from 50 to 65 per cent. A division bench of Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Harish Kumar set aside the Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (Amendment) Act, 2023, and The Bihar (In admission in Educational Institutions) Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2023 as ultra vires and violative of the equality clauses under Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution of India The Bihar government had in 2023 amended both Acts and increased the reservation from 50 per cent to 65 per cent in jobs and higher educational institutions. Based on the findings of the caste survey in the state, the state government increased the quota for SC to 20 per cent, Scheduled Tribes to two per cent, Extremely Backward Classes to 25 per cent, and Backward Class to 18 per cent. With the enactments, Bihar had one of the highest reservation percentages among larger states, reaching a total of 75 per cent. This included 20 per cent for SCs, 2 per cent for STs, 25 per cent for Extremely Backward Classes, 18 per cent for Other Backward Classes (OBC)and 10 per cent for Economically Backward Classes (EWS) among the upper castes. Notably, at that time Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United was part of the Mahagathbandhan, comprising RJD and the Congress party. A plea was filed in the Patna High Court by petitioner Gaurav Kumar, challenging the decision of the Nitish Kumar government. TN hooch tragedy claims 38 lives, Opp corners DMK govt M C RAJAN CHENNAI, 20 JUNE A pall of gloom has descended on Karunapuram locality in Kallakurichi town, 244 km from Chennai, where 29 of 38 people who died in Wednesday’s hooch tragedy hailed from. With the condition of 24 people who are undergoing treatment in hospitals remaining critical, the toll is expected to go up. The victims, including two women and a transgender, and those hospitalised had consumed spurious liquor since Tuesday and the first three deaths were reported on Wednesday. The massive toll has rocked the state and Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday ordered a judicial enquiry headed by retired High Court Judge, B Gokuldas, besides entrusting the probe to the CB-CID police. While the District Collector of Kallakurichi, Sravan Kumar Jatavath, has been transferred and the Police Superinten- P12 SILVER 92,5001,500 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 82.740.19 NEET: Supreme Court stays proceedings before 3 HCs PM Modi, in Srinagar, also indicated that J&K statehood would be restored SRINAGAR, 20 JUNE Max. 67 % A Delhi Court on Thursday granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. The Directorate of Enforcement's counsel had requested a stay of the order; however, the court refused to allow it. The order granting bail to Mr Kejriwal on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh was passed by Vacation Judge Niyay Bindu of the Rouse Avenue Court after reserving it earlier on Thursday. The bail bond is to be produced before the duty judge on Friday.AAP legal team Advocate Rishikesh Kumar, in a video message, said that the order granting bail to Delhi CM was pronounced at Rouse Avenue court at 8 pm on Thursday. On Friday morning, the bail proceedings will be carried out and by afternoon, the Delhi P8 SP SHARMA RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY TEMPERATURE P5 NIFTY 23,567.0051.00 CRICKET OVERDOSE CONTINUES AS BCCI UNVEILS SCHEDULE ‘INDIA’S FINANCIAL SYSTEM IS IN STRONG POSITION’ Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare minister Udhayanidhi Stalin pays his last respects to the victims of the Kallakurichi tragedy on Thursday.  ANI dent, Samay Singh Meena, suspended, a host of police personnel, including two DySPs, in the Prohibition and Enforcement wing have been placed under suspension. The Chief Minister has also announced a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each for the victims’ families and Rs 50,000 for those undergoing treatment. Most of the victims and those battling for life at hospitals are daily wagers. Some of them had consumed the illicit liquor while attending the funeral of a relative. All of them complained of diarrhea, burning sensation in the stomach and loss of vision and were rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kallkurichi and many of them were shortly referred to JIPMER, Puducherry, Salem Government General Hospital and Villupuram Government Medical College Hospital at Mundiyambakkam. According to officials, 24 of those who had consumed the illicit arrack and are hospitalised are critically ill. Even as Tamil Nadu Highways Minister EV Velu and Health Minister Ma Subramanian are camping at Kallukurichi to monitor the situation, the state Sports Minister and the Chief Minister’s son, Udhayanidhi, rushed to Kallakurichi. After visiting the families of the victims and handing over the solatium, he visited those being treated at the hospital. Health Minister Subramanian told the media that the CB-CID had commenced the investigation. He also said the prime accused Govindaraj alias Kannukutty, his wife Vijaya abd brother Dhamodharan have been arrested and 10 others are being questioned in connection with the sale of spurious arrack. The Opposition parties have cornered the DMK government on the issue. AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Edappadi K Palaniswami, demanded that Chief Minister MK Stalin step down owning moral responsibility for the deaths.He also alleged a connection between local DMK functionaries and the liquor mafia. The AIADMK had also moved Madras High Court, seeking a CBI probe into the hooch tragedy which is expected to come up for hearing on Friday. Police detain members of the All India Students Association for protesting over the NEET issue outside Shastri Bhawan, in SUBRATA DUTTA the Capital on Thursday. PARMOD KUMAR the advocate appearing for the NTA to inform the High Courts that notice has been issued on the transfer of matters to the top court. “Please tell the High Courts that notice has been issued now”, the bench told the advocate appearing for the NTA, and ordered, “In the meantime, the further proceedings before the High Court shall remain stayed.” The bench tagged the NTA’s transfer plea with the other matters seeking the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2024 and its reconduct on the grounds of the alleged paper leak and other irregularities that are listed for hearing on 8 July 2024. However, the vacation bench refused to put on hold the NEW DELHI, 20 JUNE The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the proceedings before the Bombay, Calcutta and Rajasthan High Courts relating to alleged paper leak and other irregularities in the conduct of the National Eligibility-cum- Entrance Test Undergraduate 2024 (NEETUG 2024) exam on the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) plea. Staying the proceedings in the NEET-UG 2024 related cases before three High Courts and issuing notice on their transfer to itself (top court), a vacation bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice SVN Bhatti asked counselling for admission to various medical colleges scheduled to commence on 6 July, stating: “No stay on counselling. If examination goes after final hearing, then counselling also goes.” The court also refused to stay the re-test scheduled on 23 June for the 1,563 candidates who were granted grace marks in the NEETUG 2024 Exam. There are more than 30 petitions before the SC, including a fresh petition by a group of 20 students, who had appeared in the NEET-UG 2024, seeking a direction for scrapping of the NEET-UG 2024 exam and an top court monitored probe by the CBI or any other independent agency into the alleged irregularities in conducting the entrance exam held on 5 May 2024. The fresh petition by 20 students who had appeared for the medical entrance exam, has also sought that the NEET-UG 2024 should be held afresh. The plea further sought a direction for a court-appointed Committee, or any independent agency to conduct a post-exam analysis, including academic background check, forensic analysis, and investigation of all such candidates who have scored 620 and above, under the supervision of the top court. ‘Govt committed to protecting interests of students, strict action will be taken’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 JUNE Amid allegations of rigging in the 2024 NEETUG exam, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said the government is committed to protecting the interests of students and added that strict action will be taken against any culprits. Addressing a Press conference, Mr Pradhan, while referring to the NEET exam row, said: “The government is committed to protecting the interests of students. Their interest is our priority. We will not compromise on transparency.” Informing that he is in touch with the Bihar government, he said: “Patna police are investigating (NEET paper leak) and a detailed report will be submitted by them very soon. Strict action will be taken against the guilty.” He said the government will constitute a high-level Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan addresses a Press conference regarding the UGCNET exam cancellation, at the National Media Centre on Thursday.  ANI committee which will give recommendations to further improve the National Testing Agency (NTA). “Government will constitute a high level committee to seek recommendation ... to further improve NTA’s structure, functioning, examination process, transparency and data security protocol. Very soon we will notify that committee,” Mr Pradhan said. On the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam, the minister said the exam was compromised, “so we cancelled it”. “We will come up with a new date very soon,” he added. The CBI, meanwhile, registered a case against unknown individuals a day after the Ministry of Education ordered the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam due to concerns that its integrity might have been compromised, According to a complaint filed with the CBI by the Secretary of the Department of Education, Government of India, on 19 June, the University Grants Commission received inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analysis Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre indicating that the integrity of the UGC Net-2024 examination, conducted by the NTA across various cities in the country, may have been compromised. ‘11 applications received for verification of burnt memory or microcontroller of EVMs post polls’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 JUNE The Election Commission on Thursday said it has received 11 applications for checking/verification of burnt memory/microcontroller of voting machines after the announcement of results of the recently-concluded Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. In a statement, the EC said: “In pursuance of the Election Commission’s standard operating procedure (SOP) dated 1st June, a total of eight applications for the General Election to Lok Sabha and three applications for General Election to State Legislative Assemblies have been received for checking/verification of burnt memory/microcontroller of EVMs post the announcement of results.” The poll panel said in its order it had issued a detailed administrative SOP for the application process, protocols for units to be checked, safeguards and controls for conduct of checking/verification process and required documentation. As per the said SOP, the concerned State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) is required to communicate to the manufacturers, the consolidated list of applicants under intimation to the Commission, within 30 days of the date of declaration of results i.e. by 4th July, it said. “Candidates who are at Sl.No.2 or SL.No.3 ('eligible candidates') behind the highest polled candidate, may request for checking and verification of burnt memory/microcontrollers for any tampering or modification in five per cent of EVMs, that is, the Control Unit, Ballot Unit and VVPAT per Assembly Constituency (AC)/Assembly Segment (AS) of a Parliamentary Constituency,” read the SOP issued on 1st June. The ECI said the CEOs have already conveyed the same to the manufacturers 15 days ahead of schedule. “According to the SOP issued and the legal position, the checking and verification process can be initiated within four weeks of verification of status of Election Petition (EP) filed in the respective constituencies, from the Registrars of the respective High Courts by CEOs. Timeline to file EP is 19th July for the current cycle of election i.e. 45 days from date of declaration of results,” the poll panel said.