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 LC | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW NATION Silent austerity China’s Xi signals ‘new era’ in US-China ties, issues warning on Taiwan Page 6 Page 9 Page 5 BRIEFLY First-time MLA Rathindra Bose named for Speaker’s post: Kolkata: The ruling BJP on Thursday named first-time party legislator Rathindra Bose as the nominee for the post of Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Mr Bose is the newly elected MLA representing Cooch Behar (Dakshin) Assembly constituency in Cooch Behar district. “Shri Rathindra Bose; Bharatiya Janata Party MLA of the Cooch Behar Dakshin (South) Constituency has been nominated as our Candidate for the Post of Hon'ble Speaker of the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly. I hope that his Candidature is supported by one and all and he gets elected unanimously,” a social media statement issued by the Chief Minister in the morning read. Unless an Opposition party fields a candidate for the Speaker’s post, Mr Bose, a first-time legislator, will be unanimously elected as Speaker. Page 3 SILIGURI | Anti-India voices gets louder as India sends new envoy to Bangladesh Sinner breaks Djokovic’s record with 32nd straight Masters win to reach Italian Open semifinals Page 12 India voices concerns over W Asia crisis at BRICS meet NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 14 May E xpressing serious concern over the West Asia crisis, India on Thursday stressed that BRICS nations must work together to shape a more stable, equitable and inclusive international order, adding that “stability cannot be selective, and peace cannot be piecemeal”. India is hosting the two-day BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting, which commenced on Thursday in the national capital. Several foreign ministers, including Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and senior representatives from BRICS nations and partner countries, are attending. Delivering India's national statement at the meet, External Friday, 15 May 2026 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL | Iran’s FM calls on BRICS to ‘unequivocally condemn violations of international law’ by USA, Israel: New Delhi: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday called on BRICS member states and the international community to “unequivocally condemn violations of international law” by the United States and Israel, amid the conflict in West Asia. Addressing the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Mr Araghchi said Iran views BRICS as a symbol of an emerging global order led increasingly by countries of the Global South. “What was once an ambitious ideal has become a reality, but it is a fragile one. Declining imperialist powers are seeking to turn back the clock and are reacting with desperation and aggression as they seek to downgrade,” Mr Araghchi said. Separately, Mr Araghchi, in a Telegram post, accused the United Arab Emirates of being an active participant in the joint US-Israel military campaign against Iran, alleging that Abu Dhabi had contributed to acts of aggression against his country. Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said: “The conflict in West Asia merits particular attention. Continuing tensions, risks to maritime traffic, and disruptions to energy infrastructure highlight the fragility of the situation.” Mr Jaishankar further stated that safe and unimpeded maritime flows through international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea, remain vital for global economic well-being. India’s wholesale inflation rises to 8.3 pc BRICS gives voice to Global South: PM Modi New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that BRICS has emerged as an important platform for giving voice to the aspirations of the Global South. In a post on X after interacting with Foreign Ministers and Heads of Delegation of BRICS countries, PM Modi said: “Under India’s Chairmanship this year, we will work together to strengthen multilateralism, promote sustainable development, enhance economic resilience and build a more inclusive world order.” Among other leaders, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on PM Modi and discussed various issues of mutual interest. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 14 May The wholesale price inflation in April rose sharply to 8.3 per cent from 3.88 per cent in March, driven mainly by a steep rise in fuel and energy prices, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Thursday. As per the data, the fuel and power category recorded the highest inflation among major groups at 24.71 per cent in April, compared with 1.05 per cent in March. The index for the segment rose 18.22 per cent month-onmonth, mainly due to higher prices of mineral oils. The WPI-based inflation was pushed higher by rising prices of mineral oils, crude petroleum and natural gas, basic metals and other manufactured products. The overall fuel and power index increased to 181.7 in April from 153.7 in March. Crude petroleum and natural gas inflation surged to 67.18 per cent year-on-year in April while crude petroleum alone recorded inflation of 88.06 per cent. Further, petrol inflation stood at 32.40 per cent, while high-speed diesel (HSD) inflation came in at 25.19 per cent during the month. LPG prices also rose, with inflation at 10.92 per cent. Congress ends Kerala cliffhanger, picks ECI launches SIR Phase III across 16 states, 3 UTs covering 36.74 crore electors Satheesan to lead UDF’s historic comeback STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 14 May The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday announced the rollout of Phase III of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 16 states and three Union Territories, launching one of the country’s largest voter verification exercises ahead of upcoming elections with nearly 36.74 crore electors set to be covered. In a statement, the poll panel said the exercise would involve extensive house-to-house verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) along with active participation from political parties through Booth Level Agents (BLAs), in what the Commission described as a “participative exercise” aimed at ensuring transparency and accuracy in electoral rolls. “The Commission considers the Special Intensive Revision a participative exercise and requests all political parties to appoint BLAs for each polling booth to ensure transparency and full participation,” the ECI said. According to the Commission, the revision drive will be carried out across the country except in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, where the schedule will be announced separately at a later stage. The deferment, the ECI said, was necessitated by the ongoing Phase-II Census activities and weather-related constraints in snow-bound regions. The Commission said around 3.94 lakh BLOs would undertake door-to-door visits to verify voter details, identify shifted or duplicate entries and facilitate enrolment of newly eligible voters. More than 3.42 lakh BLAs appointed by recognised political parties are also expected to participate in the process. As per Commission data, the Thunderstorms, hailstorms pummel UP; at least 104 dead In this screengrab from a video, a man is suspended mid-air after strong winds lifted him along with a tin shed during a severe storm in Bareilly on Thursday. He was thrown nearly 100 metres before crashing into a field and injuring his arm. AGENCIES STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Lucknow, 14 May Thunderstorms and hailstorms, along with heavy rain, killed at least 104 people in Uttar Pradesh in the past 24 hours. Power was cut off in more than 2,000 villages across several districts, including Barabanki, Sitapur, and Deoria. Reports here on Thursday said in Bareilly, the storm blew a 50-year-old man, along with a tin shed, about 50 feet in the air. He landed 100 metres away in a field, breaking his arm. He was treated at the hospital and sent home. Prayagraj recorded the highest number of deaths, at 21 followed by Bhadohi at 17. Fifteen people died in Mirzapur due to thunderstorms and lightning. Six deaths were reported each in Fatehpur and Badaun, and four each in Pratapgarh and Bareilly. Over the past 24 hours, rains were witnessed in 30 districts, including Ghaziabad, Varanasi, and Ayodhya. Thunderstorms and hailstorms accompanied rain in Mathura, Unnao, and Prayagraj. Trees were uprooted in many places, power poles were uprooted, and vehicles were damaged by wall collapses. However, the weather has been clear since Thursday morning. The sun is shining brightly. The humidity in the air has neutralised the heat. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has issued a thunderstorm and rain alert for 51 districts today. Strong winds are also possible during this time. Lucknow meteorologist Atul Kumar Singh said: “The western disturbance will start weakening from today.This will lead to clearer weather in the state. Temperatures will gradually rise. It will become hotter both day and night. From 16 May, there is a possibility of heat waves and increased heat in Bundelkhand and southern districts”. exercise will cover 36,73,87,831 electors as on 12 May 2026. “The schedule has been fixed keeping in view the common field machinery engaged in the ongoing house-listing phase of the Census,” the Commission noted. The first set of states under the latest phase includes Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim and Manipur, where BLOs will begin house visits from 30 May. The exercise in these states will continue till 28 June, while the final electoral rolls are scheduled to be published on 6 September. Several other major states, including Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi will follow different revision timelines extending up to December this year. SHAHID K ABBAS New Delhi, 14 May The Congress on Thursday finally ended nearly ten days of uncertainty over the government leadership in Kerala by officially naming senior party leader and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan as the next Chief Minister. The announcement came after days of intense lobbying, closed-door consultations and multiple rounds of discussions involving the Congress high command and senior Kerala leaders in both Thiruvananthapuram and New Delhi. The decision was formally conveyed at a press conference by senior Congress leaders Deepa Das Munshi, Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik, who had been deputed by the party leadership to oversee the process and assess the mood within the newly elected Congress Legislature Party. Mr Satheesan’s elevation was sealed after a meeting between Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at Mr Kharge’s residence in New Delhi late on Wednesday evening. For the Congress, the announcement marks far more than a routine change of guard. It represents an effort to project organisational cohesion after an awkward phase of indecision that had threatened to overshadow the United Democratic Front’s spectacular electoral comeback. The Congress-led UDF secured 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, comfortably crossing the two-thirds mark and delivering one of the alliance’s biggest mandates in decades. The ruling Left Democratic Front, led by the CPI-M, was reduced to just 35 seats, suffering a dramatic reversal after ten years in power. Yet, despite the scale of the victory, the Congress struggled to quickly settle the question of leadership. Competing camps within the party had rallied behind different aspirants, with the names of senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala and K C Venugopal, in addition to Mr Satheesan's, repeatedly surfacing during deliberations. Party insiders said the prolonged consultations reflected not merely personal ambitions but also deeper organisational calculations involving caste equations, regional balance, generational transition and the future direction of the party in Kerala. Why no independent member on panel for selection of CEC, ECs, SC asks Centre STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 14 May The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Central government why no independent member has been included in the selection panel responsible for appointing top officials to the Election Commission of India (ECI), as it observed that the present selection mechanism appeared to place effective control with the executive and reduced the role of the Leader of Opposition to a mere “show of independence”. The current panel to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners comprises the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and a Union Cabinet Minister, giving control over the process to the executive. Hearing a batch of peti- tions challenging the constitutional validity of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma observed that while the Chief Justice of India was part of the committee appointing the CBI Director, no independent member had been included in the panel appointing Election Commissioners. During the hearing, the Bench repeatedly stressed that the independence of the ECI was integral to preserving free and fair elections, which form part of the Constitution’s basic structure. “I was wondering. For a CBI director, CJI is there. We can say for maintenance of law and order. Or you can stretch it to rule of law also. But not for maintaining democracy? Not for ensuring pure elections? We don’t say CJI should be there. But why shouldn’t there be an independent member?” Justice Datta observed. The Bench questioned the practical functioning of the selection committee, given the inclusion of a Union Cabinet Minister in it. “Today, if the Prime Minister picks one. And Leader of Opposition (LoP) picks another one. There is disagreement. Will the third member will go towards the LoP?” the court asked Attorney General (AG) R Venkataramani. “May not be in all practicality,” the AG admitted. “Then it is the executive who is controlling everything,” the court remarked. “Why do you then include the leader of the opposition? He’s ornamental. It will always be 2:1. Why do you put up this show of independence in the body? Will a member of cabinet go against the Prime Minister?” Justice Datta asked. “What troubles us prima facie is why there is an executive veto?” the Bench remarked, adding that the inclusion of the Leader of Opposition in the panel would become meaningless if the outcome was predetermined. During today's hearing, the Bench repeatedly stressed that the issue before it was whether the present law satisfied the constitutional requirement of an independent Election Commission under Articles 14 and 324 of the Constitution. “Free and fair elections have been held to be part of the basic structure. That can be accomplished by an independent ECI. Now ECI can only be independent if it has independent commissioners,” the Court observed.