THURSDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 16 |` 5.00 | LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR D K SHIVAKUMAR DISMISSES RUMOURS OF JOINING BJP ‘INTERESTS OF GLOBAL SOUTH MUST BE FULLY REPRESENTED’ P5 WEATHER Generally clear. Hazy in the evening. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 30°C and 22°C respectively. TRUMP PROPOSES ‘GOLD CARDS’ FOR $5 MILLION PATH TO CITIZENSHIP P6 P10 ‘Life ban for convicts in politics Parl’s business’ Matter falls outside power of judicial review, Centre tells apex court RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY AGENCIES Max. 84% Min. 70% NEW DELHI, 26 FEBRUARY Min: 29.3˚C SUN SETS 17:36 hrs MOON SETS 11:05 hrs T TEMPERATURE Max: 36.2˚C SUN RISES 06:04 hrs MOON RISES 00:18 hrs New Moon on 28 February THUMBNAILS Ibrahim Zardan top-scored with 177 as Afghanistan beat England by 8 runs in their ICC Champions Trophy cricket match in Lahore on Wednesday. n AP (Match report on Page 16) Rat miners reach end of Srisailam tunnel but find no trace of trapped men: A 20-member rescue team comprising rat miners and NDRF and SDRF personnel was able to reach the last point of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel on Tuesday night, but could not locate anyone among the eight trapped workers. However, with the sludge solidifying the rescuers are hopeful of using sniffer dogs to locate the men who might be trapped under the debris of the broken-off part of the Tunnel Boring Machine. (Page 6) he central government on Wednesday filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing a plea seeking a lifetime ban on convicted politicians from contesting elections. In its response, the central government stated that acceding to the prayer sought in such a plea is beyond the powers of the judiciary as the same would require a new law, which could only be considered by Parliament. In other words, considering whether there should be a lifetime ban on convicted politicians is a matter that would fall only within the domain of Parliament, and the same is beyond the power of judicial review, the Centre said. Opposing the prayer for a permanent ban on convicted politicians, the Centre also stated that disqualification or penalties in such matters are subject to certain limitations under various laws and that there is PARLIAMENT’S DOMAIN Opposing a petition seeking a lifetime ban on politicians from contesting elections after being convicted in criminal cases, the Central government said that the duration of disqualification falls strictly within the realm of legislative policy. ∙ Lawyer Ashwini Upadhyaya ∙ "The question whether a had in 2016 filed a petition challenging the constitutional validity of Sections 8 and 9 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. nothing "inherently unconstitutional" in it. Under judicial review, the Centre further argued, the Supreme Court could only strike down the laws as unconstitutional but not grant the relief of lifetime ban sought by the petitioner. Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay filed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in 2016, seeking that politicians who are convicted criminals be permanently disqualified from contesting elections. In his plea, Mr Upadhaya challenged the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951. The relevant Nitish Kumar expands Cabinet, inducts 7 new ministers from BJP IMRAN MOJIB PATNA, 26 FEBRUARY ∙ The duration o disqualification is decided of lifetime ban would be appropriate or not is a question that is solely within the domain of the parliament," the Centre said in its counter-affidavit. by Parliament taking into account the t, principles of proportionality and reasonableness. "By confining the operation of the penalty to an appropriate length of time, deterrence is ensured while undue harshness is avoided," the Centre said. provisions of the act impose the penalty of disqualification on politicians who are convicted of certain offences, but the same is limited to a maximum period of six years. Mr Upadhaya sought that such disqualification should be made permanent. “The question whether a lifetime ban would be appropriate or not is a question that is solely within the domain of the Parliament,” the Centre said in its counter-affidavit. The duration of disqualification is decided by Parliament, taking into account the principles of proportionality and reasonableness, it said. “By CBSE confirms Punjabi will continue in Board Exams PARWINDER SANDHU Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expanded his Cabinet on Wednesday by inducting seven new faces from the BJP, raising the number of ministers to 36, the maximum permissible limit in the state with a 243-strong Legislative Assembly. With this expansion, the number of BJP ministers has increased to 21 against the JDU’s 13. One minister is from the Hindustani Awam Morcha (S) while another is an Independent MLA, Sumit Kumar Singh. Through the expansion, the state chief minister has tried to give representation to every caste and region with an eye on the upcoming elections in the state. The new ministers are Raju Singh (Rajput), Jivesh Mishra (Bhumihar), Vijay Mandal (backward class), Krishna Kumar Mantu (Kurmi), Sunil Kumar (Kush- NEW DELHI, 26 FEBRUARY waha), Sanjay Saraogi (Vaishya) and Motilal Prasad (Teli). Two MLAs from the Darbhanga district have been made ministers. Similarly, two other MLAs have been made ministers from the Tirhut division. Apart from this, one MLA each from Patna, Purnia, and Saran divisions has got a place in the Nitish Cabinet. The Cabinet expansion, which was long overdue, had been delayed due to the preoccupation of the Central BJP leadership with parliamentary and assembly elections in various states. The party decided to induct seven new faces in the Cabinet after a meeting with BJP President J P Nadda during his Patna visit on Tuesday. One of the reasons for the delay in the Cabinet expansion was that the decision on the assigning of departments to new ministers was not an easy task. It needed a major reshuffle in the departments of the existing ministers. Following a massive backlash over the alleged removal of Punjabi as a language option in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) draft scheme for the biannual exam format for Class 10, the board has issued a clarification, reassuring that the language will continue to be offered. The clarification came after political leaders and social media users raised concerns over the apparent exclusion of Punjabi from the regional languages list for the 2025-26 examinations. In a statement posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Dr Satyam Bhardwaj, the Controller of Examinations at the CBSE, clarified that the list of languages mentioned in the draft scheme was merely indicative. Mahakumbh concludes with final holy dip on Mahashivratri STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE MAHAKUMBH NAGAR, 26 FEBRUARY The 45-day-long Mahakumbh ended on Mahashivratri here on Wednesday with a record 66 crore plus devotees converging at the sacred Sangam. Beyond caste distinctions, this event stood as a powerful emblem of the eternal beauty and unity of Sanatan Dharma. On the concluding day on Wednesday, the India Air Force (IAF) held an impressive air show over Sangam as helicopters showered flower petals on devotees. Many devotees said that the ‘144year factor’ played a major role in their decision to attend this Mahakumbh at all costs. Amid a surge of pilgrims, the Mahakumbh witnessed a number of tragedies in which more than 150 people lost their lives. Opposition leaders were on their toes over these tragedies and slammed the government for covering up the deaths and not disclosing the names of the victims. The major tragedy was struck in the pre-dawn of 29 January on the main Amrit Snan of Mauni Amavasya, when 30 pilgrims lost their lives and 60 were injured during a stampede at the Sangam Nose. Though there were reports of two more stampedes on that day at other ghats when over 8 crore people thronged the Mahakumbh, there was no official confirmation of it. On 15 February, at least 18 people were killed and 15 others sustained injuries at the New Delhi railway station when some passengers headed for Prayagraj to attend the Mahakumbh slipped on a footbridge between platforms 14 and 15, leading to a stampede at the already overcrowded station. Besides, more than 100 people either on their way to Mahakumbh or returning also lost their lives in road accidents in Uttar Pradesh during the period. The Mahakumbh commenced on 13 January on Paush Purnima and featured four Amrit Snans ~ on Makar Sankranti, Mauni Amavasya, Basant Panchami, and Magh Purnima, concluding on Mahashivratri on Wednesday. From the break of dawn, devotees immersed themselves in the divine confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mystical Saraswati, with each dip considered a step towards spiritual merit. Amidst the resonating chants of Vedic mantras and the strains of devotional music, the scene unfolded as a breathtaking testament to the vibrancy and devotion of Sanatan culture. With meticulous arrangements by the administration ensuring security and order, Mahakumbh 2025 transcended beyond being just a religious gathering ~ it emerged as a profound symbol of unity and the spiritual strength of Sanatan society. JASPRIT BUMRAH REFLECTS ON STELLAR 2024 confining the operation of the penalty to an appropriate length of time, deterrence is ensured while undue harshness is avoided,” the Centre said. The entirety of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, or penal law provide for imprisonment or fines up to certain limits and the rationale behind it was that the punitive measures would co-relate with the gravity of offence, the affidavit stated. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had sought the Centre’s response to Mr Upadhaya’s plea and had flagged that the criminalisation of politics is a serious issue. P16 Mamata expected to outline roadmap for 2026 polls in Trinamul Congress meeting Miss Banerjee is expected to instruct senior leaders to ensure that internal squabbles between the old guard and new entrants are resolved so they can present a united front against the BJP. She is also likely to address the issue of false propaganda on social media spread by some political parties STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 26 FEBRUARY The much-awaited organisational meeting of the Trinamul Congress, called by the party’s chairperson Mamata Banerjee, will be held at Netaji Indoor Stadium in the city tomorrow. The party’s MLAs, MPs, and district leaders up to the block level have been asked to attend. Miss Banerjee is likely to discuss the party’s roadmap for the 2026 Assembly elections during the meeting. Senior party leaders said four major issues are likely to be discussed at the meeting tomorrow. The party is expected to discuss the induction of new voters in different areas in detail. Mr Biman Bandyopadhyay, Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and an MLA from Baruipur in South 24-Parganas, alleged that 8,000 ghost voters have been identified in the areas under 10 gram panchayats and Baruipur. Senior party leaders said Miss Banerjee is likely to give instructions on scrutinising the voters' list to ensure that ghost voters are identified and reported to the Election Commission. Miss Banerjee is also likely to address the issue of false propaganda on social media. Recently, political parties have been attempting to turn nonissues into major political issues. The BJP recently criticised the state government for not allowing Saraswati Puja in certain areas. The matter, however, only related to a dispute over holding Saraswati Puja at the Jogesh Chandra Chowdhury Law College, and Jogesh Chandra Chowdhury College, which Calcutta High Court had resolved by ordering two Saraswati Pujas to be organised. Miss Banerjee stated in the Assembly that the information uploaded by the BJP on social media was full of lies. She may ask leaders to protest against any false news posted on social media. Miss Banerjee is likely to instruct senior leaders to ensure that internal squabbles between the old guard and new entrants are resolved so they can present a united front against the saffron party. She is also expected to urge leaders to intensify their contacts with local people, with the party planning to field candidates based on their clean image in the areas. Miss Banerjee has already announced that she will oversee the organisation in all 294 Assembly seats.