FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | No discrimination in delimitation, says PM VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 16 April P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday assured Opposition parties that there would be no discrimination in the proposed delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census data linked to the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. PM Modi said that if the word “guarantee” is required, he was willing to use it. “If you talk about a promise, I use the word ‘promise’. If there is a better word in Tamil, I am also ready to use that. If the intent is clear, we do not need to play games with words,” he said, pitching for the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill and allied legislations as a defining moment for India’s parliamentary democracy. He called on all parties to rise above politics and seize a “historic opportunity” to reshape governance with greater inclusivity. At the same time, he also warned that those opposing the amendments “will have to pay the price for a long time.” “Women have not forgotten those who stood against their rights,” he said, seeking unanimous support for the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill being discussed in the House. “Jo aaj virodh karenge, unko lambe samay tak keemat chukani padegi,” he said, urging Opposition parties not to create a “bavandar” (tornado) for political gains. Stressing that the delimitation process would not discriminate against any region or group, he said: “I want to say responsibly today that this will not discriminate against anyone. This decisionmaking process will not be unfair. The ratio that has been in place since the earlier government’s delimitation will remain unchanged.” He also reiterated that the purpose of the amendments was solely to ensure women receive their rightful share. “We should not live in the illusion that we are giving something to women. I use the word ‘we’ and not ‘I’ and ‘you’. It is their right, and we have kept it pending for several decades. Today is our opportunity to correct that,” he said. “I am ready to give a blank cheque of credit to the Opposition for their support to the women’s reservation. Do not weigh it on a ‘rajneeti ka tarazu’ (political scale). This will strengthen the country’s democracy and collective decision-making, and we will all be entitled to the credit,” he said. • Amit Shah: Delimitation will benefit southern states (Page 8) Oppn forces division as women’s bill introduced STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 16 April The Lok Sabha on Thursday approved the introduction of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, setting the stage for a high-stakes political battle over women’s reservation and delimitation, after the Opposition forced a division of votes to formally register its dissent during the ongoing special session of Parliament. The Bill was moved by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, marking a key step in advancing the government’s proposal to provide one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, alongside a THE INTRODUCTION TRIGGERED SHARP RESISTANCE FROM THE OPPOSITION, WHICH ACCUSED THE CENTRE OF ATTEMPTING TO DELAY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WOMEN’S RESERVATION BY LINKING IT TO THE COMPLETION OF THE CENSUS AND A SUBSEQUENT DELIMITATION EXERCISE. nationwide delimitation exercise. The motion for introduction was carried through a formal vote after Opposition members demanded a recorded division, reflecting the contentious nature of the reform. In addition to the Constitution Amendment Bill, the government introduced the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabling the latter. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Mr Shah clarified that the Bills were only being introduced at this stage, with detailed discussions to follow in the House. Collectively, the three legislations propose sweeping structural changes to India’s electoral framework, including increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 seats to a maximum of 850 and reserving one-third of seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies ~ moves the government has described as historic steps toward more inclusive representation. However, the introduction triggered sharp resistance from the Opposition, which accused the Centre of attempting to delay the implementation of women’s reservation by linking it to the completion of the Census and a subsequent delimitation exercise. Congress leader K C Venugopal opposed all three Bills in the House, formally placing his party’s objections on record and alleging that the government was undermining constitutional principles. “The government wants to completely hijack the Constitution,” he said, as Opposition members pressed for clarity on timelines and intent. MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 16 April The Supreme Court, invoking powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, has directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that wherever claims of excluded voters are allowed by the Appellate Tribunals before the polling dates between 23 and 29 April, their names are incorporated in a supplementary revised electoral rolls to entitle them to exercise their right to vote. The decision, originally pronounced during the 13 April hearing in the West Bengal SIR case, has been formally affirmed today through a detailed order uploaded on the Court's official website. In its order, the bench led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant also clarified that merely having an appeal pending before the Appellate Tribunal would not entitle an excluded person to vote. "Therefore, invoke our powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India and direct International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva (photo) on Thursday said India's growth rate is more than two times higher than the average global growth.“Look at India today. India's growth rate is more than two times higher than the average global growth. That is happening because the country has strong fundamentals,” said International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva. Ms Georgieva attributed India’s resilience to factors such as macroeconomic stability and robust domestic demand, which continue to support momentum. The IMF chief said there are no signs of a sharp slowdown in India’s growth path, even as the global economy faces headwinds from geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions linked to the West Asia conflict. The IMF had projected that the Indian economy is expected to grow at 6.5 per STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 16 April Noting that the world is passing through a very serious and tense situation that has affected STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 16 April cent in 2027 despite escalating tensions in West Asia. The 6.5 per cent growth projection makes India the fastest-growing major economy in 2026. She further cautioned that policymakers should remain attentive to developments in the financial sector, and pointed out that parts of the financial system appear to be holding substantial liquidity and relative strength, suggesting the need for close monitoring to ensure stability as conditions evolve. For the global economy, the IMF had lowered its forecast due to the West Asia tensions. It expected the global economy to grow by 3.1 percent this year, a slowdown from its earlier forecast of 3.3 percent. The IMF slashed its 2026 forecast for the Middle East and Central Asia by 2 percentage points to 1.9 per cent. The IMF has also warned that the countries should skip fuel subsidies to help their citizens deal with a shortage of oil and the corresponding surge in energy prices and opt instead for targeted, temporary cash transfers that do not obscure higher prices and keep demand high. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a telephonic conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron during which both the leaders discussed the situation in West Asia and agreed on the need to urgently restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on X, after the conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, PM Modi said: “Received a phone call from my dear friend President Emmanuel Macron. We discussed the situation in West Asia and agreed on the need to urgently restore safety and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.” “We will continue our close cooperation to advance peace and stability in the region and beyond,” Modi added in the post on X. Earlier on 14 April, PM Modi received a call from US President Donald Trump during which the two leaders discussed the situation in West Asia and stressed the | SILIGURI | Friday, 17 April 2026 Bengal CM Mamata hails Supreme Court verdict on cancelled voters, issues directive to party workers: Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling allowing previously excluded voters to cast their ballots, calling it a major victory for democracy. She congratulated the people of the state and expressed pride in the judiciary, while also issuing clear instructions to Trinamul Congress workers ahead of the polls. Speaking to reporters at a helipad in Cooch Behar after arriving from Dinhata as part of her campaign tour in North Bengal, Miss Banerjee said: “Congratulations to everyone. I received the good news while boarding the helicopter from Dinhata. I had been urging everyone to remain patient from the beginning. I am very happy and proud of the judiciary. I had filed the case myself, so no one is happier than me today.” Referring to the legal battle over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Chief Minister reiterated her role in approaching the Supreme Court on the matter. The case addressed concerns surrounding voters whose names were excluded from the rolls despite ongoing verification and tribunal processes. the ECI that, wherever the Appellate Tribunals can decide the appeals by April 21, 2026, or April 27, as the case may be, such appellate orders shall be given effect to by issuing a supplementary revised electoral roll, and all necessary consequences with respect to the right to vote shall follow. However, it goes without saying that the mere pendency of appeals preferred by excluded persons before the Appellate Tribunals shall not entitle them to exercise their right to vote", the Court noted in its order. The Court has listed the matter for the next hearing on 24 April. On 13 April, the Court had verbally remarked that the people whose names have been excluded from the voter list and whose appeals are pending to be adjudicated before the Appellate Tribunals would be allowed to vote if their names are included after final adjudication. The Court's remarks had come after it was informed by the counsels appearing for the petitioner, the West Bengal government, that the names of 34 lakh people had been excluded from the voter list. India, Austria support stable, sustainable, lasting peace in West Asia, Ukraine: PM navigation in Strait of Hormuz New Delhi, 16 April LUCKNOW SC directs ECI to allow claimants to vote in WB polls if tribunals clear names before polling day IMF chief says India growing two times PM, France’s Macron stress need to restore freedom of higher than average global growth STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE | importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure. They also reviewed the substantial progress achieved in bilateral cooperation across various sectors and expressed commitment to further strengthening the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership in all areas. In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Received a call from my friend President Donald Trump. We reviewed the substantial progress achieved in our bilateral cooperation in various sectors. We are committed to further strengthening our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership in all areas. We also discussed the situation in West Asia and stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure.” every nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India and Austria support a "stable, sustainable and lasting peace’’ in West Asia and Ukraine, underlining that military conflicts cannot resolve problems. "We also share the view that the reform of global institutions is absolutely necessary to resolve increasing global challenges. We are also committed to stamping out terrorism,’’ he said at a joint media interaction with visiting Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker. The two leaders also underscored the importance of ensuring safe and unimpeded maritime passage in West Asia. India and Austria signed as many as 15 documents, including pacts on cooperation in military matters, counter terrorism, cyber security, high technology and education. Mr Modi said he had held very productive discussions with Chancellor Stocker. "We in India are glad that he selected our nation as his first destination to visit outside Europe after he assumed office. This reflects his vision and commitment to India-Austria relations,’’ he added. He said that equally special is the fact that this is the first visit by an Austrian Chancellor to India in four decades and comes in the wake of the historic India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which ushered in a new chapter in ties between the two sides. In his remarks, the visiting leader noted that India has an impressive growth rate of about 7 per cent and Austrian companies will benefit from India’s dynamism. Chancellor Stocker said his visit marks a new chapter in the bilateral relationship. He was of the view that reliable partners connected by shared values are more important than ever in times of increasing geopolitical uncertainties.