18092024-TT-01.qxd 9/17/2024 11:32 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 259 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH INDIA BEAT CHINA, WIN 5TH ASIAN CHAMPIONS HOCKEY TITLE SPORT /thetribunechd SECURITY BEEFED UP IN KISHTWAR, DODA AMID TERROR THREAT J&K TRADE DEFICIT WIDENS IN AUGUST, EXPORTS DECLINE 2.4% BUSINESS wednesday | 18 september 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Kejriwal quits, picks Atishi Set to be youngest woman CMof Delhi |Meets L-Gto stake claim to form govt MLA to CM-designate, meteoric rise in 4 years Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 17 Almost six months after he was arrested for his alleged involvement in the excise policy “scam”, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday tendered his resignation to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, making way for Atishi who staked claim to form the government. Atishi was elected Kejriwal’s successor at an AAP legislative party meeting held at the latter’s residence this morning. After the AAP chief proposed her name, the endorsement was unanimous. Later in the day, Kejriwal and CM-designate Atishi visited the L-G’s residence to formalise the transition, with Atishi describing the moment as “emotional”. Accompanying the duo were Delhi Cabinet ministers Imran Hussain, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Kailash Gahlot and Gopal Rai. “Today, Arvind Kejriwal has submitted his resignation. This is an emotional moment for the party and the people of Delhi. Equally, the people are resolved to make Arvind Kejriwal the CM again. Until the next elections are held, continued on page 10 7 agents booked after US Embassy flags fake papers Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 17 In a rare development, the US Embassy has got a case registered against visa consultants of Punjab for processing US visa files by attaching fake work experience and education certificates, with a motive to mislead the US government. Owners of various private firms of Punjab have also been booked for issuing fake work experience and education certificates. The agents are suspected of submitting fraudulent information to cheat the US Embassy in India and the US continued on page 11 Collegiumsuggests Sandhawalia as CJ of Himachal HC New Delhi, September 17 Making changes in its earlier resolution, the Supreme Court on Tuesday recommended Justice GS Sandhawalia, Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Suresh Kumar Kait to be appointed as chief justices of the high courts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and Madhya Pradesh. The development came barely four days after the Centre told the top court that certain “sensitive information” available with it was delaying forward movement on the Collegium’s July 11 recommendation for appointment of CJs of the high courts of Delhi, HP J&K and Ladakh, Kerala, , MP Madras and Meghalaya. , In supersession of its earlier recommendation, the Collegium named Justice Tashi Rabstan of the HC of J&K and Ladakh be appointed as the Chief Justice of his parent high court. INSIDE Samad Hoque Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 17 Elected MLA for the first time in 2020, Atishi, 43, is set to assume charge as Delhi’s youngest CM, and only the third woman CM of the city state after BJP’s Sushma Swaraj and Congress’ Sheila Dikshit. The AAP founder member will also be the second woman CM at present in the country after West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee. A Delhi University alumna, Atishi received her bachelor’s degree in history from St Stephen’s College and topped the batch. A Rhodes scholar, she went on to study postgraduation in education and history from the University of Oxford, and returned home to work for seven years with community-building organisations in Madhya Pradesh. It was through these NGO circles that Atishi first touched base with AAP workers and went on to join the party as a founder member. In 2019, she contested her first election — Lok Sabha continued on page 10 AAPchief to focus on Hry Tribune News Service Arvind Kejriwal with Atishi at the L-G’s residence in New Delhi. PTI New Delhi, September 17 Arvind Kejriwal, who on Tuesday resigned as Delhi Chief Minister for the second time in a decade, is all set to focus on boosting demoralised Aam Aadmi Party cadre and campaigning for the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana. All ex-Agniveers to get jobs: Shah slams Cong for spreading lies BijendraAhlawatand Deepender Deswal Tribune News Service Hisar/ Faridabad, September 17 Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the Agnipath recruitment scheme, saying he is playing politics over the issue. Shah also alleged Leader of Opposition Rahul and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah wanted to release all terrorists after the elections and hold talks with Pakistan. The Home Minister was addressing his first rally for the October 5 Haryana elections in the Loharu Assembly segment of Bhiwani district. Accusing the Congress of launching a misinformation campaign, the Home Minister said that none of the Agniveers would remain jobless after completing service in the armed forces. “The BJP will ensure that all Agniveers after their stint in the forces will get jobs,” he said while accusing former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda of spreading lies. Shah lashed out at the Congress for not implementing the “One Rank, One Pension” scheme and said it was Prime PRESIDENT LEADS GREETINGS AS MODI TURNS 74 BACK PAGE AAP sources said Kejriwal would meet party workers and hold door-to-door campaigns in Delhi where he hopes to retain power for the third consecutive time in the next election. The former Delhi CM also plans to hold extensive rallies and campaigns in Haryana, the state of his birth where continued on page 10 CBI files Kolkata probe report, SCsayscontenttoodisturbing Agency looking into involvement of more persons Can’ttellwomen nottoworkat night:SCtoWB Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 17 Terming the CBI’s report on the probe into the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata as “worse” and “really disturbing”, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said the agency was investigating if there was complicity of other persons in the case. A Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud, however, refused to divulge further details, saying it would jeopardise the probe. “Making a disclosure today of what the CBI is investigating will jeopardise the process, the line which is taken by the CBI is to unearth the truth...The SHO has been arrested himself.... we have seen status report and the CBI has responded to all of the issues we have raised, including whether the challan was given, what was the process of PMR (post-mortem report), whether evidence was destroyed… if any complicity by other persons, etc…” said the Bench, which also included Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra. After perusing the status report submitted by CBI Tribune News Service Junior doctors after their meeting with CM Mamata in Kolkata. PTI KOLKATA GETS NEW POLICE COMMISSIONER Senior IPS officer Manoj Kumar Verma was appointed the new Commissioner of Kolkata Police, replacing Vineet Goyal, on Tuesday. Director of Health Services, Director of Medical Education and Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police’s North Division were also removed, as promised by the CM. DIG Satya Veer Singh, the Bench noted that the CBI was not sleeping over the probe and that the agency needed time to “unearth the truth”. The CBI was also examining if the crime scene continued on page 11 New Delhi, September 17 The Supreme Court on Tuesday told the West Bengal Government that it can’t prevent women doctors from working night shifts or beyond a 12-hour shift. As senior counsel Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal Government, said that as part of security measures the state government had notified that women doctors’ night duty may be avoided, a Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud expressed surprise over the move. “How can you say women cannot work at night? Why limit the women doctors? They don’t want a concession... women are ready to work at exactly the same time shift… They must work in all conditions,” said the Bench, which also included Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra. “Mr Sibal, you have to look at it. The answer to it is that you continued on page 10 J&K votes after 10 years today 24 16 8 7 constituencies going to thepolls in the first phase seats are in Kashmir division segments fall in Jammu division districts, four in Kashmir and three in Jammu, covered 219 23.27 lakh nominees voters eligible to in the fray exercise franchise PROMINENT CANDIDATES J&K Cong ex-chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija, CPM’s Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, PDP’s Waheed Para, Jamaatbacked Sayar Ahmad Reshi Home Minister Amit Shah at a rally in Loharu, Haryana. PTI 13 CR FARMERS, ONLY 750 AT SHAMBHU ■ Shah on Tuesday said the BJP government in Haryana had been engaging with farmers sitting at Shambhu ■ He said India had nearly 13 crore farmers, of which about 750 were protesting on the border Minister Narendra Modi who implemented it. Alleging that Rahul had talked about abolishing reservation during his recent US visit, Shah said the BJP would not allow anyone to tamper with the reservation system. “As long as the BJP is in power, no one can touch the reserva- tion for SCs and STs,” he said. Claiming that Congress leaders were fighting amongst themselves for the CM’s post, he said the BJP did not face any competition from the grand old party. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, party’s Haryana incharge Biplab Kumar Deb, MP Kiran Choudhary and other senior leaders were also present at the rally. Later, addressing a rally in Faridabad, Shah alleged that the Congress was making baseless claims about its achievements during the past 10 years, and the BJP cadre would expose the lies of the rival party. Officials check EVMs on the eve of J&K Phase-I polling in Kishtwar on Tuesday. PTI INSIDE SC halts ‘bulldozer justice’ for two weeks Bars demolitions without its nod, invokes special powers under Article 142 Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 17 In the wake of “bulldozer action” against alleged illegal houses and shops of offenders in BJP-ruled states, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that no demolition of properties of persons accused of crimes can take place without its prior permission. A Bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan, however, clarified that the order wouldn’t apply to encroachments on public roads, footpaths, railway lines and water bodies. “Till next date, there shall be no demolitions without seeking leave of this court. However, the order would not be applicable to unauthorised constructions on public streets, footpaths, abutting rail- VIOLATES CONSTITUTION if ❝ Evenof there’s one instance illegal demolition, it’s against ethos of the Constitution. SC Bench way lines or public spaces,” the Bench said in an interim order and posted the matter for further hearing on October 1. “Even if there’s one instance of illegal demolition, it’s against ethos of the Constitution,” said the Bench, which invoked its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution (which empowers it to pass any orders to do complete justice) to halt “bulldozer justice”. As Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the hands of statutory authorities couldn’t be continued on page 11 After Kuno park trial, Centre mulls larger habitat for endangered cheetahs Aksheev Thakur Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 17 As the Project Cheetah completed two years on Tuesday, the Centre has sped up efforts to bring a new batch of big cats from Kenya to Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. This will be the second sanctuary dedicated to cheetahs. The government is also planning to establish a larger cheetah habitat, spanning the territorial divisions of Neemuch (about 1,000 sq km) and Mandsaur (500 sq km) in Madhya Pradesh, along with the Bhainsrorgarh Wildlife Sanctuary (208 sq km) and Chittorgarh (around 1,000 sq km) in Rajasthan. The government will also set up a breeding centre at the Banni Grasslands Reserve in Gujarat. “Meticulous preparations are underway for creating a second sanctuary for the iconic big cats. Enclosures are being constructed to Project Cheetah completes 2 years ensure a suitable and secure habitat for the cheetahs upon their arrival. Additionally, a comprehensive status assessment of herbivores and predators within the c m y b sanctuary is underway to gauge the existing ecological dynamics,” an official of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) said. Recently, members of the Cheetah Steering Committee have conducted a review of the sanctuary. The government is also planning to develop Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh and Shahgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Desert National Park in Rajasthan as potential land- scapes for cheetahs. Presently, 24 cheetahs, which include two Indianborn cubs and 12 adults, are in Kuno National Park. Recently, the NTCA had also approved a proposal to create a four-part web series on Project Cheetah. However, the project received backlash after an audit report of the Madhya Pradesh Government said Kuno National Park was originally identified as a second habitat for Asiatic lions and there was no mention of reintroduction of cheetahs in the national park’s management plan. The report said as of November 2023, no efforts had been made to reintroduce Asiatic lions. The report revealed 43 of 255 sanctioned posts remained vacant. The shortage could affect the protection and management of both forests and wildlife at Kuno National Park. The report was given to the wildlife activist Ajay Dubey in an RTI response.