www.thestatesman.com | @TheStatesmanLtd FOLLOW US: India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 Editorial | @thestatesmanltd ` 5.00 | People’s Parliament, Always in Session thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR World | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | 09 August 2026 S P O RT S Top US general warns airpower alone won’t defeat Iran Page 6 No charges on UPI transactions for users, limited merchant MDR possible: Govt STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 8 August The government on Saturday clarified that consumers will not be charged for making payments through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), while any future merchant discount rate (MDR) will be limited to select transactions above a specified threshold. The Finance Ministry said that all person-to-person (P2P) UPI transactions will continue to remain free and there will be no blanket MDR on merchants. “If introduced, MDR charges will apply only to a limited set of merchant transactions above a certain threshold and at a nominal rate,” it said. The government further added that such charges would be significantly lower than the MDR applicable to debit or credit card transactions. The clarification comes amid debate over a recent amendment to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, with concerns being raised about the possibility of charges being imposed on UPI users. In addition, the government said the amendment is an enabling provision aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability, technological development and resilience of the UPI ecosystem. The proposed changes are part of the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Once Parliament passes the Bill, the ‘UPI and Services Steering Committee’ ~ headed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) ~ will decide on the MDR, if any, the government said. It said UPI’s rapidly increasing transaction volumes require continued investment in cybersecurity, fraud prevention and technology infrastructure. The government also said a sustainable revenue model is needed to encourage more companies to expand their operations in the UPI ecosystem and reduce reliance on subsidies. CBI charge sheet names three NTA experts as key links in NEET-UG 2026 paper leak STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Pune, 8 August The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that three subject experts associated with the National Testing Agency (NTA), P V Kulkarni (Chemistry), Manisha Hawaldar (Physics), and Manisha Mandhare (Botany and Zoology), played a key role in the alleged leaking of questions from the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper. The CBI has filed a 94-page charge sheet against 13 accused Rahul, Rijiju spar over women’s quota Bill STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 8 August Ahead of the crucial last week of the ongoing Monsoon Session, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju engaged in a war of words on social media over the implementation of the women’s reservation law. Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi said the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023, had already been passed unanimously with the “full support of Congress” and questioned why it had not yet been implemented. “Mr Rijiju, who would know better than you, as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, that the Women’s Reservation Bill 2023 has already been passed unanimously, with the full support of the Congress. “The question is, why has it still not been implemented even after three years, and why do you now want to unnecessarily link it to delimitation? Implement the 2023 law, without any conditions,” he said. The exchange began after Mr Rijiju referred to Mr Gandhi’s earlier remarks on women’s reservation, describing them as a “positive message” from the Congress. “There’s a visible change of heart in Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji about the Women’s Reservation Bill. Now, I hope Congress Party will support the Women’s Reservation Bill unconditionally,” Mr Rijiju posted on X. before a special court in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case. Investigators have relied on records from the access-control application of the housing society where Pune-based accused Kulkarni lived, besides biometric data, mobile call-detail records and location analysis. The charge sheet details how the three experts allegedly exploited security lapses in the NTA’s confidential section. There was no dedicated directrecording control unit for the confidential section, leaving the movements of the accused experts largely unmonitored. Ms Mandhare, who was responsible for translating the Botany paper from English into Marathi and retranslating the Zoology paper, allegedly marked relevant passages from NCERT textbooks after returning to her hotel. The CBI has claimed that her experience enabled her to easily link the examination questions with the textbook content. Ms Hawaldar, who was assigned the Physics translation work, allegedly made brief notes of the questions after returning to her residence in Delhi at the end of each da. The CBI has further alleged that the leaked question paper was passed on by Pune-based beautician Manisha Waghmare through intermediaries to Rajasthan and Haryana. The paper was allegedly sold for substantial sums through a chain of middlemen before eventually reaching a student. The student’s complaint to the NTA subsequently helped bring the alleged paper leak to light. Sri Lanka tour: Sudharsan ruled out; Padikkal likely No. 3 Page 9 Beyond the screen Page 12 India in spot after US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill ARTI BALI New Delhi, 8 August I ndia’s carefully crafted ties with the United States and Russia have came under pressure after the US Senate approved legislation that could expose countries buying Russian oil and gas to tariffs of up to 100 per cent, potentially placing New Delhi at the centre of a fresh economic and diplomatic confrontation. Passed by an 86-11 vote, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 gives US President Donald Trump the power to impose punitive tariffs on major purchasers of Russian energy, with India, China, Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia among the countries currently most exposed. The legislation also targets Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers and extends the Iran Sanctions Act for another five years. However, the Bill must first clear the US House of Representatives, which is currently on recess until September, before it goes to Mr Trump to be signed into law. The package would impose mandatory sanctions on top figures in the Russian government, including President Vladimir Putin, as well as Russian oligarchs, state-owned enterprises and foreign companies supporting Russia’s defence industrial base. There was no immediate reaction from New Delhi. With US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer determining the final tariff level, the Bill allows an exemption for countries that import less than 15 per cent of Russia’s total natural gas exports and are working to significantly reduce their use of Russian natural gas. For India, the biggest vulnerability lies in its dependence on Russian crude. Since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western sanctions and the withdrawal of several traditional buyers have enabled Indian refiners to secure Russian oil at discounted prices. Russia subsequently emerged as India’s dominant crude supplier, with its oil accounting for more than half of India’s crude imports in June. That has helped India contain energy costs and protect itself from wider fluctuations in global oil markets. But any significant disruption could have consequences well beyond the refining sector, affecting fuel prices, inflation, transportation, industrial activity and the country’s import bill. The challenge has increased as disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz have pushed India further towards Russian supplies. At the same time, continuing to buy Russian crude could expose Indian exporters to potentially crippling US tariffs. This creates a difficult economic calculation for New Delhi: reducing Russian purchases could lead to higher energy costs, while maintaining them could risk damaging trade with the USA, one of India’s most important economic partners. The timing is particularly sensitive because India and the USA are already negotiating a trade agreement. Officials from both sides have maintained regular contact, with US Trade Representative officials visiting India and Indian delegations travelling to Washington. A 100 per cent tariff would also hurt American businesses and consumers, giving Washington an incentive to consider the wider economic consequences before using the measure aggressively. The dispute also carries major geopolitical implications. Russia remains a longstanding defence and diplomatic partner, while India has moved closer to Washington in recent years, particularly as strategic competition with China has intensified.