FRIDAY 18 APRIL 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 16 |` 5.00 |LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘INDIA WILL BE THE NO. 1 COUNTRY BY 2047’ KANCHA GACHIBOWLI CASE: BRS DEMANDS INDEPENDENT PROBE P5 SENSEX 78,553.20 p1,508.91 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky. Thunderstorm with light to moderate rain and strong gusty wind very likely to occur. RAINFALL: 0.0 mm (till 17:30 hrs) RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 88% Min. 52% NIFTY 23,851.65 p414.45 P6 ` vs $ 85.41 SUN SETS 17:58 hrs MOON SETS 07:43 hrs New Moon on 28 April THUMBNAILS AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 17 APRIL T A purple-rumped sunbird feeds her baby, in Akola on Thursday. n ANI Pak needs to act and bring to justice other perpetrators of Mumbai attacks, says govt: The government on Friday came down heavily on Pakistan after it dissociated itself from Pakistani-Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the 26/11 terror attacks, saying his extradition is a reminder to the neighbouring country to act and bring to justice at the earliest other perpetrators of the Mumbai mayhem. GOLD `97,945.00 Court asked WBSSC to complete the recruitment process by 31 December Max: 34.3˚C (-1.3) Min: 26.8˚C (+0.7) SUN RISES 05:15 hrs MOON RISES 21:54 hrs P8 SC extends tenure of ‘untainted’ teachers TEMPERATURE he Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the “untainted” assistant teachers in West Bengal, whose appointments were cancelled due to large-scale irregularities in the 2016 selection process, to continue in their positions till fresh recruitment is completed. Stressing that students must not suffer, a bench headed by CJI Sanjiv Khanna extended the relief for only such class 9-12 teachers, whose names were not linked to any irregularity. The CJI Khanna-led Bench asked the West Bengal School Service Com- mission (WBSSC) to issue fresh advertisements latest by 31 May and complete the recruitment process by 31 December of this year. The court clarified that its order won’t benefit Group C and Group D employees and cautioned that if there is any delay in conducting the recruitment process, it will vacate its order in relation to class 9-12 assistant teachers. Recently, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta HC order cancelling 25,753 appointments in teaching and non-teaching posts made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016. In an order passed in April last year, Calcutta High Court had nullified RCB TAKE ON HIGH-FLYING PUNJAB KINGS ENIGMA THAT IS MUSK the appointment of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching jobs in state-run schools and asked the candidates selected from the expired panels to return the entire salary drawn during their tenures, along with an annualised interest of 12 per cent. The top court, however, set aside the direction passed by Calcutta High Court, which had ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the creation of supernumerary posts in state-run schools. These teaching and nonteaching posts, which have remained under a cloud since the beginning, are perceived to provide room for ineligible candidates recruited illegally. With the decision of the apex court, the probe agency will not be able to investigate the sanctity of the decision approving the creation of supernumerary posts. The SC clarified that its order will not preclude the CBI from probing other aspects of the school job scam case in terms of the Calcutta High Court’s decision. CM Mamata expresses relief after SC order STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 17 APRIL West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday expressed relief after the Supreme Court ruled that assistant teachers in the state who were not ‘tainted’ but lost their jobs following an earlier court order can continue teaching. She remarked: “The verdict has come as a significant relief to us, as a resolution to this impasse will be found within the legal framework." Elaborating, the Chief Minister: “It is good news and a matter of great relief that the teachers can now return to schools. This relief will undoubtedly lead to further positive developments in the future." Miss Banerjee added: “The verdict will now pave the way for timely disbursal of salaries to the teachers.” P16 SILVER `1,00,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 66.81 Waqf row: SC orders interim status quo till 5 May PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 17 APRIL Faced with an unambiguous position of the Supreme Court on three contentious aspects of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, the Central government on Thursday assured the top court that the key provisions of the Act, including the nomination of non-Muslims in the Central Waqf Council and Waqf Boards and provisions on de-notifying Waqf properties will not be given effect to, for now. Recording the statement by the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Central government, that till the next date of hearing, Waqf, including ‘Waqf by user’, which is declared by notification or registered, will not be denotified, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, heading a bench also comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan, posted the matter for hearing in the week commencing on 5 May 2025. The central government also assured the top court that no appointments will be made to the Waqf Council or Waqf boards. Giving a week’s time to the central government, as sought by it, to file its reply to the petitions chal- lenging the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, the court in its order said: “During the course of the hearing, the Solicitor General states that the Union would like to put a response within seven days. He further assures the court that no appointments will be made to the Council and the Board. Till the next date of hearing, Waqf, including Waqf by user, already registered or declared by way of notification, shall not be de-notified. We take the statement on record.” As the matter was taken up for hearing during the post lunch session, Mr Mehta urged the bench not to stay the provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, saying that the law was enacted after taking into account many representations and suggestions. “The Government is answerable to the people. The Government received lakhs and lakhs of representation. Villages and villages are taken as Waqf. So many lands are claimed as Waqf. It is a considered piece of legislation,” he told the bench. Mr Mehta said that the appointment of Waqf Board and Council members is in his hands and it will not happen. “If any state makes any appointment till the court decides the case, it will be treated as void,” he added, addressing the concerns expressed by the court. The bench also segregated the cases filed by some Hindu parties challenging the earlier 1995 Waqf law and the amendments made in it in 2013. The court said that they will be listed separately. Yesterday (Wednesday, 16 April) the top court had proposed to pass an interim order, indicating that it may stay certain key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act including the inclusion of non-Muslims in Central Waqf Council and Waqf Boards, and provisions relating to denotification of properties declared as Waqf and the powers of Collectors on deciding disputes over Waqf properties.