TUESDAY 23 APRIL 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR P5 SENSEX 73,648.62 Partly cloudy sky. Hot and humid conditions very likely. Maximum and Minimum Temperature most likely be around 39°C and 29°C respectively. RAINFALL: 0.0 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY GUKESH EMERGES YOUNGEST-EVER FIDE CANDIDATES WINNER P9 NIFTY 22,336.40 WEATHER ‘PUT ALIGARH LOCK ON THE FATE OF CONGRESS, SP-BSP’ ‘PUTIN UNPREDICTABLE, COULD USE NUCLEAR WEAPON’ ‘SIACHEN IS INDIA’S CAPITAL OF VALOUR & BRAVERY’ P10 ` vs $ 83.37 GOLD 75,315.00 P12 SILVER 85,500 School job case: HC cancels 25,753 SSC appointments BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 86.83 How could someone predict verdict in school job case: CM CBI also could take into custody anyone they feel necessary for interrogation, the bench observed Max. 91% Min. 28% Max: 40.3°C (+4) SUN RISES 05:11 hrs MOON RISES 16:42 hrs Min: 29.6°C (+3) SUN SETS 18:00 hrs MOON SETS 04:50 hrs TEMPERATURE The Division Bench also directed that the candidates from the expired panels, who got appointments, have to return the entire salary drawn by them within the next four weeks. They will have to return the amount along with an annualized interest of 12 per cent. Full Moon on 24 April THUMBNAILS SLST 2016 candidates posing a victory sign after the verdict of Calcutta High Court that has declared 2016 SSC recruitment null and void. ANI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 22 APRIL Devotees in large numbers take part in a religious procession on the occasion of Chithirai car festival, in Tiruchirappalli on Monday. ANI RBI asks payment firms to report suspicious fund transfers during LS polls: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked non-bank payment system operators (PSOs), to track high-value or suspicious transactions through electronic modes of payment during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections to prevent any misuse of funds to influence voters. n a major setback for the Mamata government, the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Monday, cancelled all the appointments in the teaching and non-teaching categories made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016. The Division Bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi cancelled a total of 25,753 appointments made by WBSSC, which include secondary and higher secondary teachers and non-teaching staff in I Group-C and Group-D categories. The Division Bench also directed that the candidates from the expired panels, who got appointments, have to return the entire salary drawn by them within the next four weeks. They will have to return the amount along with an annualized interest of 12 per cent. Besides directing the WBSSC to start a fresh recruitment process, the Bench also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to carry on with its investigation into the matter. CBI also could take into custody anyone they feel necessary for interrogation, the bench observed. The court also took cognizance of the state cabinet’s decision for the creation of super-numeric posts. As per the order of the Bench, the CBI, if necessary, can also question the masterminds behind the creation of the supernumeric posts, which had been under the cloud since the beginning. It was perceived that the supernumeric posts were created to provide rooms for the ineligible candidates recruited illegally. The only exception was made in the case of one candidate Soma Das on humanitarian grounds. Her recruitment will not be cancelled as she is a cancer patient. As per the order of the Division Bench, WBSSC will also have to upload all the optical mark recognition (OMR) sheets on its website, so that the common people will be able to access them. The Bench of Justice Basak and Justice Rashidi was constituted to hear all the cases related to the multi-crore cash-for-school job case in West Bengal following a direction from the Supreme Court, which also directed the Division Bench to complete the hearing process in a time-bound manner. Although the hearing in the matter concluded on 20 March, the Division Bench had kept the verdict on reserve. On that day, Justice Basak made a significant observation that there was nothing good in the entire recruitment process. He also observed that recruitments had been made more than the vacant posts and those extra appointments needed to be terminated. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 22 APRIL Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today termed the order by the Division Bench of Calcutta High Court led by Justice Debangsu Basak “illegal”. She said she will challenge the HC order and move the Supreme Court. Addressing a public meeting at Chakulia in favour of Trinamul Congress candidate Kishan Kalyani, who is contesting Lok Sabha Polls from Raiganj, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said: “I am not commenting on the Justices. But I can speak about judgement. I have the right to say. I am challenging the ‘total order’. Since around 26,000 candidates’ services have been cancelled by the court, at least 1.5 to 2 lakh family members will be affected. Even they have been asked to return the salary they received in eight years, within four weeks. Is it possible? Is it possible for those of you, who are pronouncing such an order to refund the salary you have Soumya Vishwanathan murder: SC Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal writes letter to Tihar Jail superintendent, questions jail’s statement on insulin notice on plea against bail to convicts STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE In his letter, the Delhi CM expressing his displeasure has mentioned, "Today I read in the newspapers that you have made certain false and misleading statements regarding my health." NEW DELHI, 22 APRIL Amidst the ongoing tug of war between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Tihar jail administration over Delhi Chief MInister's diabetes status and the Insulin matter, Arvind Kejriwal has written to the Jail Superintendent, expressing concern on the statements given by the Tihar administration and regarding his insulin and AIIMS doctors, party sources said on Monday. In his letter, the Delhi CM expressing his displeasure has mentioned, "Today I read in the newspapers that you have made certain false and misleading statements regarding my health." Refuting claims of jail administration that, ‘The issue of insulin was never raised by Kejriwal', Delhi CM has said that Insulin not being asked by him was false, rather the CM mentioned that he has been raising the issue of insulin for the past ten days, everyday and multiple times. According to party sources, CM's letter further says, "I showed my high sugar levels to every doctor who came to see me. I showed them that there were 3 peaks in the sugar level every day - between 250-320. I also showed them that my fasting sugar level was in the range of 160-200 every day," and he has further said that almost every day he demanded insulin, further questioning the jail administration as to how they could make a statement that the issue of insulin was never raised by him. The Delhi CM also raised concern over what AIIMS doctors are reportedly saying on his sugar levels that there was nothing to worry about, and in his letter mentioned that, "AIIMS doctors have never assured of any such thing. They said that they will see all the data and then give their advice". He further said that all false talk that the jail administration was doing, is being said under "political pressure." "I hope that you will follow the law and constitution," the Delhi CM further said. Meanwhile on Sunday, Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi with other AAP leaders and party workers carrying insulin for the Delhi CM, protested outside the Tihar Jail, and raised slogans of ‘Give insulin to Kejriwal’. PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 22 APRIL The Supreme Court on Monday sought a reply from the Delhi government and the four convicts, serving life imprisonment, in 2008 Soumya Vishwanathan murder case to a plea by her mother challenging the Delhi High Court order suspending their sentence and granting them bail. A bench comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal gave both the Delhi government and the four convicts four weeks’ time to file their response. Soumya Vishwanathan’s mother, Madhavi Vishwanathan, has challenged the February 12, 2024 high court order suspending the sentence of four convicts and granting them bail during the pendency of their appeal against the trial court order of conviction and life imprisonment. The high court had sus- pended the sentence of the four convicts - Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Baljeet Singh Malik, and Ajay Kumar - noting that they have been in custody for 14 years. Kapoor, Shukla and Malik were also convicted in the 2009 Jigisha Ghosh murder case. Soumya Vishwanathan, who worked with an English news channel, was shot dead in the early hours of September 30, 2008, on Nelson Mandela Marg in south Delhi while she returning home from work in her car. In 2023, almost 15 years after Soumya Vishwanathan was shot, a special court awarded double life sen- tence to Kapoor, Shukla, Malik and Kumar under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 3(1)(i) (committing organised crime resulting in the death of any person) of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Both the life sentences, the Special Court had said, were to run “concurrently”. The Section of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act provides for punishment for organised crime and Section (1) (i) says, “If such offence has resulted in the death of any person, be punishable with death or imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to a fine, subject to a minimum fine of rupees one lac.” Challenging the trial court order of conviction and sentence of life imprisonment, the convicts moved the Delhi High Court. They had also sought the suspension of sentence during the pendency of the appeal. Virat Kohli docked for breaching IPL code of conduct STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 22 APRIL Star batter Virat Kohli has been fined 50 percent of his match fee for violating the IPL Code of Conduct during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 1-run loss to Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday. Kohli was sanctioned for his outburst against the onfield umpire after he was adjudged out on the first ball of the third over when he was caught by surprise by a full toss from Harshit Rana and ended up edging a simple return catch. As the KKR team celebrated the prized scalp, Kohli went up to the umpire to review the call as he felt it was a waist-high no-ball. However, based on ball track- ing technology, which this season also takes into account player heights, the third umpire reckoned that the ball would've dipped below the waist had Kohli been batting from his crease. According to rule 41.7 of ICC regulations, any delivery, which passes or would have passed, without pitching, above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease, is to be deemed to be unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker. If the bowler bowls such a delivery the umpire shall immediately call and signal No ball. The third umpire thus upheld the on-field decision, much to the annoyance of Kohli. On his way back to the dug-out, an infuriated Kohli was seen expressing his CMYK anger against the decision. However, cricket experts are divided with their opinions regarding the issue with many including Mohammed Kaif and cricketer-turnedpolitician Navjot Singh Sidhu, criticising the decision. Meanwhile retired bowlers Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan, felt that the delivery was legal. Talking on his official X handle, Kaif says, “Now Virat Kohli has been dismissed on a beamer, you can add this mode of dismissal too. To give Virat Kohli out on a beamer is a very bad decision because the ball on your waist height cannot be controlled, it's not allowed. The ball accidentally slipped out of Harshit Rana's hand, it became a waist-high full toss and should have been a no-ball. Rana should have apologized, saying sorry the ball slipped out of my hand, there Virat Kohli was given out, that's a very bad decision because the trajectory doesn't matter,” Kaif said. “I understand that he was out of the crease but he played the ball on his waist, that cannot be controlled. The batsman always looks down where the ball is pitching, no one is ready for this kind of a delivery, so it was one of the worst decisions by the umpire to adjudge Virat Kohli out,” Kaif concluded. Meanwhile, the one-run loss to KKR, left RCB reeling at the bottom of the IPL points tally, with just a solitary win from their eight outings so far, as they now head to Hyderabad to take on the resurgent Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday. drawn throughout your service life?” “Government provides you with all facilities, including your car and security. People respect you.We also respect you. But mind it, unemployment problems are on the rise in India. When we are providing jobs, you arecancelling…This order is illegal. Challenging the order, not the Judges, we are going to the Supreme Court,” Ms Banerjee said, adding, “Don’t worry. When teachers and students get into trouble, I will be with you.” Without naming Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, she termed him a betrayer, Mamata Banerjee said: “He pointed out about a bomb explosion. How did you get the information about the judgement of the court?The verdict was pronounced on Monday and some predicted it on Saturday. How could this happen unless the one who made this projection himself drafted the order?” CM also said that her govt will move the Supreme Court of India against the Division Bench’s order. LS polls: EC takes steps to mitigate risk due to hot weather conditions STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 22 APRIL The Election Commission on Monday took several key decisions to mitigate any risk due to hot weather conditions during the remaining six phases of the Lok Sabha election. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu with the Additional Secretary Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Head of Department of NationalDisasterManagementAuthority (NDMA) and DG Meteorology of India Meteorological Department (IMD), in view of reports of above normal temperatures and heat waves in certain parts of the country. The poll panel decided that a task force comprising officials from ECI, IMD, NDMA and Ministry of Health and FamilyWelfare (MoHFW) will review the impact of heat wave and humidity, five days before each polling phase for any concerning developments and mitigatory measures, if necessary. It directed the MoHFW to issue necessary instructions to health authorities in states to prepare for and extend assistance in case of heatwave conditions affecting election operations. The ECI said it will hold a separate review with State CEOs to ensure adequate arrangements at polling stations including shamiyana, drinking water, fans, and other assured minimum facilities, etc as per its existing advisory dated March 16. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities shall be carried out among the public for precautionary measures (do’s and don’ts) to mitigate the heat wave impact in polling station areas, it said.The ECI said it has been closely monitoring the weather reports and will ensure the comfort and well-being of voters along with polling personnel and security forces, candidates and political party leaders.
The Statesman is one of India's oldest English newspapers. It was founded in Kolkata in 1875 and is directly descended from The Friend of India (founded 1818). The Englishman (founded 1821) was merged with The Statesman in 1934. The Delhi edition of The Statesman began publication in 1931. The Statesman Weekly is a compendium of news and views from the Kolkata and Delhi editions. Printed on airmail paper, it is popular with readers outside India. The Statesman (average weekday circulation approximately 180,000) is a leading English newspaper in West Bengal. The Sunday Statesman has a circulation of 230,000.