WEDNESDAY 08 NOVEMBER 2023 www.thestatesman.com twitter.com/thestatesman facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR `66.60 CR PENALTY ON GOLD SMUGGLING CASE ACCUSED ‘ISRAEL WILL HAVE OVERALL SECURITY ROLE IN GAZA INDEFINITELY’ P4 P9 SENSEX 64,942.4016.29 WEATHER MAINLY CLEAR SKY BECOMING PARTIALLY CLEAR SKY TOWARDS AFTERNOON/EVENING. MIST/SHALLOW FOG IN THE MORNING. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 31 AND 16 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY ` vs $ 83.22 TEMPERATURE Min: 14.9°C (+1) SUN SETS 17:25 hrs MOON SETS 14:11 hrs THUMBNAILS A Metro train runs amidst a thick layer of smog as the air quality went down to the 'Very poor' category amidst rising air pollu(P2) tion, in the Capital on Tuesday. SNS DGCA slaps AI with fine of `10 lakh for civil aviation requirements violation: Air India has been slapped with a fine of Rs 10 lakh for violation of civil aviation requirements by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday. The DGCA also issued a show cause to Air India for inadequate compensation to provide protection to travellers in case of flight disruptions. P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday dubbed the opposition Congress "antiDalit" for not attending the meeting of the selection committee to choose the chief information commissioner. His remarks come a day after Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claimed that he was kept in the dark about the appointment of Heeralal Samariya as the new chief information commissioner (CIC) despite being a member of the selection panel. Addressing a massive rally at Sidhi district in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, the Prime Minister said: "The Congress has only one job and that is to hurl abuses at Modi day and night. By this, they are abusing the other backward classes (OBC) community.” “They hate Dalits. When we made a tribal AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 7 NOVEMBER PM Narendra Modi being felicitated with a 'Dhol' at a public meeting during the first phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, in Surajpur on Tuesday.  ANI woman the President of the country, the Congress opposed it. Now, when a Dalit has been made the CIC, they disapprove of him too. Moreover, they remaining three. He added that this trend was reflected in several other appointments made by the Centre which disturbs interse seniority. "This pick-andchoose must stop," Justice Kaul told Attorney General R. Venkataramani. He further told the AG that this must not be taken as an off-hand remark as he has discussed this with the collegium. While passing the order, the bench warned the AG that it might pass orders that may not be "palatable" on the judicial side if the problem is not taken care of by the Centre. It also said in its order that 14 names are pending with the Centre and five names are pending despite the reiteration by the collegium. Dictating the order the bench said: "We have expressed our concerns to the AG over the lack of progress since the last date. Pendency of transfer matter is an issue of great concern as it is being selectively done...AG submits that the issue is being taken up by him with the government. "There are 14 pending recommendations to which there has been no response. In recommendations made recently, selective appointments have been made...This is hardly conducive to persuading successful lawyers to join the bench." Justice Kaul asked the government to show some progress on the issue of transfers and selective appointments as the delays create huge anomalies in the system. The court was hearing a plea seeking contempt action against the Centre over delays in notifying the appointment of judges after recommendations were forwarded by the Collegium. SC: Seizure of journalists’ digital devices serious matter, better guidelines needed STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 7 NOVEMBER The Supreme court on Tuesday said that the search and seizure of digital devices of media professionals is a “serious matter” that concerns the protection of the sources of media professionals and their right to privacy. A Bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia said this while asking the Central government to frame better guidelines to regulate the accessing of information from seized digital devices of media professionals. “These are media professionals, they will have on their phone’s sources, contacts. So, there must be some guidelines. This is serious,” Justice Kaul observed. Appearing for the Central government, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju said: “But there are anti-nationals who may... We cannot be shut out completely. Media cannot be above the law.” Stating that there has to be a balancing of GOLD 61,360110 After Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claims that he was unaware of new CIC’s appointment Will pass unpalatable order: SC The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to stop the selective 'pick and choose' approach in appointments to the top court, high courts and transfers between high courts, warning it of of "an unpalatable order" if the delay and selectivity continue while making appointments recommended by the SC collegium. A Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia expressed great concern against the delay by the Centre in clearing names proposed or reiterated by the Collegium for appointment to the Supreme Court and high courts, or transfer between high courts. Citing a recent example, Justice Kaul said that even when the SC collegium had recommended the elevation of five advocates as the Punjab and Haryana High Court judges, the Centre skipped the first two and cleared the P10 Congress anti-Dalit, says PM Modi in MP STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BHOPAL, 7 NOVEMBER Max.98% Min. 42% Max: 31.7°C (+2) SUN RISES 07:02 hrs MOON RISES 03:16 hrs NIFTY 19,406.705.05 PRIVACY CONCERNS  The SC on Tuesday expressed grave concern over the seizures of digital devices of journalists and asked the Centre to bring in better guidelines to regulate the powers of investigating agencies.  The observations came in the course of the hear- ing of a public interest plea by the Foundation for Media Professionals seeking framing of the guidelines for the search and seizure of digital devices by law enforcement agencies. interest including the right to privacy, the Bench gave the Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju time till 6 December 6 ~ the next date of hearing ~ to work on the issue and come back. “...There has to be a balancing of interests and better guidelines need to be in place to protect media professionals. We would like ASG to work on this and come back on this issue. In view of the aspect that privacy is held to be a fundamental right”, the Bench said in its order. In the course of the hearing, as ASG Raju said that the matter involves complicated legal issues, Justice Kaul said: “It's a serious matter. These are media professionals who will have their own sources. There must be some guidelines.” “You must have better guidelines. You want us to do it, we'll do it. But my view is that you ought to do it yourself. It can't be a State that's run through its agencies. You must analyse what kind of guidelines are necessary to protect... This is not adversarial. We'll give you time,” Justice Kaul told the ASG. spread lies to gain sympathy,” he said. Countering Mr Chowdhury's claims, Mr Modi said: “The Congress was informed well in advance, Over 70 pc turnout recorded in Chh’garh & Mizoram Mizoram CM Zoramthanga shows his ink-marked finger after casting his vote for the Mizoram Assembly elections, at a polling station, in Aizawl on Tuesday.  ANI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 7 NOVEMBER Over 70 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Mizoram and Chhattisgarh where polling for the Assembly seats were held on Tuesday. According to the Election Commission's data, at 5 p.m, 77.04 per cent of voters had exercised their franchise in the north-eastern state, while Chhattisgarh saw 70.87 per cent voting in the first phase of its Assembly elections. Mizoram voted in all 40 Assembly seats in the state on Tuesday. The elections in Mizoram and the first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh heralded the start of the voting process in this round of Assembly polls, with three other states ~ Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana ~ slated to go to the polls later this month. Several constituencies in Mizoram recorded high polling percentages. According to poll data till 5 pm, Serchhip seat reported a voter turnout of 83.96 per cent, Mamit 83.42 per cent, Hnahthial 82.62 per cent, Khawazawl 82.39 per cent and Kolasib 80.13 per cent. The polling to elect a new Assembly started at 7 a.m. and concluded at 4 p.m, officials said. The first phase of polling for 20 seats in Chhattisgarh Assembly polls was also held on Tuesday. Chief minister Zoramthanga, who heads the Mizo National Front, is seeking re-election from Aizawl East-I. ‘HUMONGOUS WHEN INDIA QUALIFY FOR FOOTBALL WC’ WORLD RECORD OF PAPER LEAKS, CORRUPTION: SHAH and we had a talk with them over phone. They had to come to the (selection) meeting but did not.” “Knowing that a Dalit is going to be made the CIC, they boycotted the meeting,” he said. He further said: “The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) respects the aspirations of Dalits, tribals and OBCs. I cancelled my election tour and reached Delhi (to attend the selection meeting)." Mr Modi said his government framed welfare schemes for the poor after preventing many scams in the country. “An amount of Rs 13,000 crore is being spent on the 'PM Vishwakarma' scheme for traditional artisans and craftspeople. The BJP government is also developing a major solar power centre of the country in the Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh," he added.Voting for 230 seats in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls will take place on 17 November. P12 SILVER 74,500700 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 82.922.26 SC orders immediate halt to stubble burning over Delhi’s rising pollution PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 7 NOVEMBER In a firefighting measure to combat alarming levels of air pollution in the national capital, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a halt to stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and some parts of Delhi. Ordering an immediate halt to stubble burning in the four states adjoining the national capital, a Bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia saddled the local SHOs of police stations with the responsibility of enforcing the ban on stubble burning. The Bench also asked the chief secretaries of these states to oversee the effective enforcement of the ban on stubble burning ~ which in the view of the Bench, though, was not the only source of air pollution but an important contributor to the toxication of the air. “We direct the State government of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and some parts of Delhi to ensure the crop burning is stopped forthwith and the EMERGENCY MEASURE  In a firefighting measure to combat alarming levels of air pollution in the national capital, the SC on Tuesday ordered a halt to stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan and some parts of Delhi. The Bench further directed the Delhi government to monitor and ensure that the municipal solid waste is not burnt in the city or in the open as happening during this period as it has an impact.” local SHO is made responsible for it under the overall supervision of Chief Secretary for the time being.” The top court's direction for immediate action came as the Bench observed: “The residents of Delhi are struggling with health issues because we don’t seek to find a solution year after year to the aggravated problem of pollution at this time of the year. This has been an ongoing process for five years. It is time that something is done as of yesterday, than postponing it, as we do believe that the matter requires immediate attention and court monitoring irrespective of the fact whether the weather improves or not.” The court further said: “It is suggested that the realtime monitoring was to take place by the DPCC but the result has not been put in the public domain. We direct compliance forthwith and direct the chairperson DPCC to be personally present in the court on the next date of hearing – 10 November.”