FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 14 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI CJP to begin ‘Kya Bolti Public’ campaign in September WORLD Iran, Oman close to deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz Page 5 Jobs first Page 6 BRIEFLY SC stays arrest of Sumit Roy, aide of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee: New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the arrest of Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamul Congress MP and the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, in connection with the alleged illegal grabbing and fraudulent transfer of government land in Salboni, while directing him to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Granting interim protection from arrest, a Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana passed the order after senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Mr Roy, assured the Court that his client would cooperate with the investigating agency. “Petitioner shall cooperate with the investigation. His arrest shall remain stayed,” the Court ordered. Page 3 Kolkata, 6 August Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Thursday that his government has ordered the removal of 5,299 loudspeakers from places of worship across the state as part of its drive to enforce noise pollution regulations. Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat, Nabanna, Mr Adhikari said the enforcement exercise had been carried out uniformly across religious institutions. LS passes Bill that opens the door for UPI payments levy STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 6 August T he Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2026, clearing a key piece of legislation that will, among other things, authorise the government to permit banks and other service providers to levy charges on payments through unified payments interface (UPI) and other notified electronic payment modes. The Bill, moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, was passed by a voice vote amid Opposition uproar. The Bill, introduced by Mrs Sitharaman on 4 August, replaces the Income-tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, promulgated on 5 June, and amends the Income-tax Act, 2025, the Finance Act, 2026, and the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. According to the govern- Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat, Nabanna, Mr Adhikari said the enforcement exercise had been carried out uniformly across religious institutions. Of the total, 4,203 loudspeakers were removed from mosques, while 1,096 were taken down from temples, he said. “The law is the same for everyone. The action has been taken without discrimination and strictly in accordance with the law,” the Chief Minister said. The state government has in recent months stepped up enforcement of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, with district administrations and the police directed to act against the unauthorised use of loudspeakers and public address systems. Sitharaman rejects UPI charge claim: New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday hit back at senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh over his criticism of the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, saying he should refrain from "spreading a canard" about the proposed changes related to UPI transactions. Mrs Sitharaman clarified that Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) applies only to merchants and not to end users or customers. The minister said the move would enable banks and fintech companies to invest more in infrastructure, innovation and security, with all UPI users ultimately benefiting from these investments. ment, the legislation forms part of its broader effort to modernise India’s taxation framework, streamline regulatory provisions, provide greater support to manufacturing and improve the investment climate. Among its more controversial aspects, the Bill amends the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, by removing the mandatory zero Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework, paving the way for marketdriven pricing of transaction processing fees. The government has maintained that the change would help ensure the long-term sustainability of the digital payments ecosystem while encouraging innovation and investment PM Modi, Netanyahu review India-Israel strategic ties, discuss W Asia developments STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 6 August Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a telephone conversation with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu during which the two leaders reviewed the progress of the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership, reaffirmed their commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on the evolving situation in West Asia. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the conversation focu- sed on strengthening ties between the two countries across a range of sectors while also addressing recent regional developments. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a telephone call from Prime Minister of Israel, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu,” the PMO said in the statement. The two leaders “reviewed sustained progress in IndiaIsrael Special Strategic Partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the bilateral cooperation across various sectors for the mutual benefit of the two countries,” it said. Ex-Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal’s acquittal in rape case reversed, sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Mumbai, 6 August The Bombay High Court on Thursday sentenced former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment in the 2013 sexual assault case involving a junior colleague, hours after setting aside his acquittal and convicting him of rape and other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A division bench of Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar announced the sentence and granted Tejpal two weeks' time to surrender before the jail authorities. Earlier in the day, the Justice Gokhale-led Bench had allowed the appeal filed by the Goa government against the May 2021 judgment of a sessions court in Mapusa, which had acquitted Tejpal of all charges. Gambhir challenges India to be ready for every situation in Sri Lanka Page 14 Page 9 CM orders removal of 5,200 loudspeakers from places of worship STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Friday, 07 August 2026 SPORTS NATION EDITORIAL | Pronouncing the verdict, the Bombay High Court convicted Tejpal under Sections 376(2)(f) and 376(2)(k) (rape), 354A (sexual harassment) and 354B (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to disrobe) of the IPC. It had then posted the sentencing for later in the day. During the hearing on the question of sentence, Tejpal’s counsel sought suspension of the conviction for eight weeks to enable him to approach the Supreme Court, submitting that the verdict had reversed an acquittal and highlighting that there was no other criminal case against him. Addressing the Justice Gokhale-led Bench, Tejpal also pleaded for leniency, stating that he believed himself to be a victim and requested the High Court to take a compassionate view while deciding the sentence. Opposing the plea, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the case required a strong message against sexual violence, contending that “when a girl says no, it means no”. The case stems from allegations made by a junior colleague that Tejpal sexually assaulted her inside an elevator of a luxury hotel in Goa during an event in November 2013. The Goa Police registered an FIR against Tejpal for offences including rape, following which he was arrested in November 2013 after a local court rejected his anticipatory bail plea. He was granted regular bail by the Supreme Court in July 2014. In May 2021, Additional Sessions Judge Kshama Joshi acquitted Tejpal, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and citing alleged lapses in the investigation, including failure to produce certain evidence such as CCTV footage. in payment infrastructure. Real-time payments made through RTGS and NEFT already entail a service charge. However, UPI transactions have been exempted from such charges so far. The Bill grants foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) exemption from income tax on interest earned from investments in government securities as well as capital gains arising from the sale, exchange or transfer of such securities. The legislation also expands tax incentives for foreign companies engaged in strategic sectors such as electronics manufacturing and the diamond trade. The Bill also substantially relaxes conditions governing offshore investment funds managed from India and further expands tax benefits for foreign companies using Indian data centres. ‘Consider the request’, Rajya Sabha Chairman tells Rijiju as Oppn persists with demand for Amit Shah’s presence STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 6 August Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan on Thursday asked the government to consider the Opposition’s request for Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s presence in the House and urged Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to convey the sentiments. The Chairman’s remarks came as Opposition members, led by Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, continued to press for Mr Shah to appear in the House and respond to questions over the alleged excesses by security forces during the crackdown on youths marching to Parliament on 20 July to protest paper leaks. “I request you to consider the request for the Home Minister to come to the House. As Parliamentary Affairs Minister, you can convey the sentiments of the Opposition to the Home Minister,” Mr Radhakrishnan told Mr Rijiju. The Rajya Sabha continued to witness stormy scenes as the Opposition persisted with its demand for a statement from Mr Shah. As the Chair attempted to take up Question Hour, Opposition members raised slogans, prompting repeated appeals from Mr Radhakrishnan to maintain order. Assuring the protesting MPs that they would get an opportunity to raise their concerns, he then allowed Mr Kharge to speak, triggering a heated exchange between the Treasury and Opposition benches. Mr Kharge reiterated the Opposition’s demand, saying it was raising genuine issues concerning the country and its people. Invoking late BJP leader Arun Jaitley, he said: “In this very House, Arun Jaitley ji himself said that disruption is a part of parliamentary democracy. You can raise any question relevant to the proceedings. But when we are asking genuine questions, they are escaping.” Mr Rijiju countered, saying: “The Leader of the Opposition did not quote any rule. He cannot direct the Chair, he can only make a request, not dictate.”