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 | NEW DELHI | BHUBANESWAR | MUMBAI | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI Govt: Trade deal opens US market BRIEFLY Sharad Pawar unwell, taken to Pune hospital: Epstein files: Starmer faces leadership crisis NATION SC questions delay in reviewing Sonam’s detention Page 9 Page 10 Page 5 Won’t allow any impediment in completion of SIR, says SC PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 9 February T New Delhi: NCP founder president Sharad Pawar was admitted to Ruby Hospital in Pune for examination after he complained about cough as well as chest congestion on Monday, but his condition is stable, doctors said. Earlier, a team of doctors had gone to his residence at Govind Bagh in Baramati to examine him after which he was hospitalised. Speaking about his illness, Sharad Pawar-led NCP leader Rohit Pawar said, “I request all NCP workers not to come to the hospital. His condition is stable. There is no reason to worry. You should not come here. He has a slight cough. He will be kept here for a few days. He is not in the ICU but in a private room.” he Supreme Court on Monday extended by a week the time for considering claims and objections in respect of questionable voters that have surfaced in the course of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in West Bengal and directed the State government to ensure that 8505 of its officer offered by it to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to report to the District Electoral Officer by 5.00 pm Tuesday. The court said that the ECI will have the discretion to use these officers, if found suitable. In a slew of additional directions passed on Monday after more than an hour-long hearing, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice N.V. Anjaria also directed the Director General of the State Police to file a personal affidavit relating the to the non-registration of FIRs against Police register FIR over circulation of unpublished book of former Army Chief STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 9 February The Delhi Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) after taking cognisance of reports that a pre-print copy of an unpublished book titled Four Stars of Destiny, authored by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane, is being circulated online without mandatory official clearance. According to police sources, information surfaced on social media platforms and several news forums claiming that a pre-print version of the book was available on the internet, even though the necessary approvals from the competent authorities for its publication had yet to be obtained. A preliminary verification by the police revealed that a typeset PDF copy of the book, bearing the same title and apparently prepared by Penguin Random House India Private Limited, was accessible on certain websites, sources said. In addition, some online shopping platforms were found displaying the final cover of the book, giving the impression that it was already available for sale. Investigators are examining how the manuscript was leaked and whether any organised network was involved in circulating the unauthorised material. the individuals interfering and obstructing the SIR work including the destruction of the material relating to the claims and objections. Issuing directions, the bench said it would ensure that there are no impediments in the conduct of the SIR. “We will not allow any impediment in the conduct of SIR. This must be clear to all States,” Chief Justice Surya Kant said. The bench recalled its January 19 order wherein it had instructed the West Bengal Director General of Police, Superintendent of Police of each district, and the Collector to ensure that there are no Chandigarh, 9 February In a horrifying incident, a first-year law student allegedly shot dead a woman classmate in the classroom of a private college in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district on Monday, before turning the gun on himself. While the accused Prince Raj sustained injuries, the victim Sandeep Kaur died on the spot, said police. The incident occurred at Mai Bhago Law College in Usma village moments before the class began. Deputy Superintendent of Police Jagbir Singh told the media that Raj fired at Sandeep in the classroom, leading to her death, and he later shot himself. He said an investigation BOTH STUDENTS WERE AROUND 19-20 YEARS OLD. THE INCIDENT HAS SHOCKED THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND IS BEING LINKED TO POSSIBLE ONE-SIDED ROMANTIC FEELINGS. is underway to determine the cause of the killing. CCTV footage showed Prince, who entered the classroom with a bag on his back, Sandeep Kaur, and another woman student in the classroom. After speaking briefly, they sat on benches at the rear of the classroom. After a few minutes, Raj opened the bag, took out a firearm, pointed it towards Sandeep Kaur and shot her at point-blank range. As she collapsed to the floor, the accused placed the law-and-order problems at the location where claims and objections are being considered and that the entire activity proceeds smoothly. Clearing all confusion and doubt as to who will take a final call on the claims and objections, the court made it clear that officers being provided by the West Bengal government including those already working and the micro-observers will only be assisting the Electoral Returning Officer (ERO) - who will take the final decision. Referring to the two affidavits filed by the Election Commission of India voicing grievance against the West Bengal government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that a message must go that the Constitution applies to all States. Poll panel told the court that it had recommended suspension of certain officers but nothing has been done by the State government. Asking the West Bengal government to look into the affidavit filed by the Election Commission, the court, however, said that the poll panel will be at liberty to change the officers who are not doing duties as expected. Referring to the instances where notices have been sent flagging a gap of 50 years in the age of the vote and the grandparent, Justice Bagchi said that these are the ground realities when marriages happen at the age of 20 years. Stating that the software being used by the ECI was very restrictive, Justice Bagchi said that Kumar is a middle name in Bengali families. He said that in Tapan Kumar Roy, Kumar is a middle name and notices have been sent to those who have mentioned their name as Tapan Roy. LS standoff: Oppn threatens no-confidence against Om Birla VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 9 February Amid allegations that opposition voices are being curtailed in Parliament, Congress on Monday indicated a no - confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, a move that has the backing of leading opposition parties At the same time, attempts are also underway to resolve the standoff through dialogue and, according to sources, any decision regarding the motion will be taken tomorrow after the Speaker has talked with the government’s side After the House was adjourned this afternoon, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, DMK’s T.R. Baalu, ‘Jilted’ law student shoots classmate dead in Punjab college, turns gun on himself AGENCIES Tuesday, 10 February 2026 SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS | gun to his head and fired. He fell on the ground with grievous wounds. While Sandeep Kaur died on the spot, Raj was critically injured and rushed to the hospital. Authorities are investigating the motive and how the weapon was brought onto campus. Both students were around 19-20 years old. The incident h a s sho cke d t h e l o c a l community and is being linked to possible one-sided romantic feelings. Sandeep Kaur's mother alleged Raj had been troubling her, and the matter was reportedly raised with college authorities, too. She questioned how Raj was allowed to walk into the college with a gun. She demanded the strictest action against the accused. TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee and K.C. Venugopal (Congress) met the Lok Sabha Speaker. “ The opposition MPs presented all their concerns before the Speaker, including the restoration of the suspended MPs. The Speaker said he will speak to the government and give his response tomorrow morning. It is after that the opposition will take the decision regarding the no-confidence motion,” they added Political observers described the move as a “pressure tactic” amid the deteriorating relations and mistrust between the Treasury and the Opposition benches. Historically, no motion for the removal of a Lok Sabha Speaker has ever succeeded, and the current effort, too, is seen as largely symbolic, aimed at sending a political message. The tensions stem from a series of incidents inside the Lok Sabha. The opposition accused the Speaker of bias after Gandhi was not allowed to quote from an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane on the 2020 India-China border standoff while BJP MP Nishikant Dubey was permitted to quote from books critical of former Congress’ prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. The suspension of eight opposition MPs for what was termed disruptive conduct has added to the resentment. The standoff escalated when the Lok Sabha passed the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address without a speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following repeated disruptions. Scotland power past Italy with 73-run win in T20 WC clash Page 12 PM announces $ 175 million spl economic package for Seychelles STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 9 February Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced a USD 175 million special economic package for Seychelles to support the developmental needs of the island nation, especially in the fields of public housing, mobility, infrastructure, capacity building, and maritime security. India and Seychelles also exchanged several MoUs in the fields of health, digital, meteorology, culture, ocean science, food and governance after wide -ranging talks between PM Modi and visiting Seychelles President Patrick Herminie here. ‘’India and Seychelles are connected not just by geography, but by history, trust and a shared vision for the future,’’ the Indian leader said at a joint press interaction with the Seychelles President. Modi welcomed Seychelles as a full-time member of the Colombo Security Conclave and said defence and maritime cooperation are important pillars of the relationship with the Indian Ocean Archipelago. He further noted that India and Seychelles would expand cooperation in the areas of renewable energy, resilience, and climate-adaptive solutions. As maritime neighbours, the blue economy is a natural area of cooperation between the two countries, and India will share its expertise in marine research and capacity building with Seychelles, he added. The PM observed that a digital transformation is taking place. Under this, India will share its successful experience with Seychelles. ‘’We will move forward together with Seychelles in ensuring the supply of affordable and quality medicines, promoting medical tourism, and developing health infrastructure," he said. He hailed how the Indian community settled in Seychelles has made remarkable contributions to the social and economic life of Seychelles, and also strengthened our friendship from generation to generation. "Through close cooperation in the field of technology, we are giving our partnership a futuristic direction", he added. In his remarks, the Seychelles President said that as key Indian Ocean States, maritime security and regional stability remain central to the India-Seychelles relationship. He noted that the collaboration between India and Seychelles in maritime surveillance, security and defence capacity development continues to play a vital role in countering transnational crime, piracy and other maritime threats. U-turn: India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match on AGENCIES New Delhi, 9 February Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has given the green light to the Pakistan men's team to play arch-rivals India in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Colombo on Sunday. An official announcement of the U-turn by Pakistan will be made later. The change in stance in the Pakistan government has come because of requests made by the Sri Lankan President, Telecom Asia Sport reported on Monday. After a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Pakistan government has finally relented and decided to allow the team to play the match. A hardline approach by the ICC, which had threatened severe action against Pakistan too has worked. The Pakistani cricket team should play the Pakistan-India match being held in Sri Lanka so as not to cause huge losses to Sri Lanka. That was the gist of the request by the Sri Lankan President to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said the report in www.telecomasia.net. The report said the Pakistan government decides to accept the request by the Sri Lankan President because during the period of suspension of international cricket in Pakistan, Sri Lanka had fully supported Pakistan cricket and also toured the country after normalisation of things. "Pakistan always gives priority to its long-standing relations with Sri Lanka above all, and despite terrorism (in Sri Lanka in mid 1990s), the Pakistani cricket team continued touring Sri Lanka to play cricket, the Sri Lankan President said during his conversation with PM Sharif, the Pakistan PMO said regarding the telephonic talk. The Telecom Asia Sport report said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the sentiments expressed by the Sri Lankan President and also noted that Sri Lanka also stood firmly by Pakistan during difficult times and continued playing cricket in Pakistan. According to the report. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that after consultations regarding the Pakistan-India match of the T20 World Cup, he would inform the Sri Lankan President of the final decision. PM Modi engages students nationwide in ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026’, inspiring vision for Viksit Bharat STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 9February In the second episode of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi connected with students from Coimbatore, Raipur, Devmogra, and Guwahati, continuing his interactive dialogue aimed at easing exam stress and motivating India’s youth. This special edition spanned multiple regions, reflecting the country’s rich diversity and vibrant spirit. Beginning in Coimbatore, the Prime Minister warmly greeted students with “Vanakkam,” appreciating their enthusiasm and inquisitiveness. Students described the encounter as humbling and inspiring, noting Modi’s approachable demeanour. Throughout the session, Modi emphasised integrating education with creativity. “Don’t see studies and art as separate,” he advised, encouraging students to use art as a means to relieve academic stress. He also urged young minds to engage with industry professionals and explore startups early on to gain practical insights. On India’s journey toward development by 2047, Modi stressed that small, disciplined actions by every citizen—such as not littering, obeying traffic rules, and avoiding food waste—are crucial. He promoted being “vocal for local,” highlighting the power of supporting indigenous products and cultural celebrations to strengthen the nation. Responding to questions about motivation, discipline, and technology, the Prime Minister noted that discipline forms the foundation for success, with inspiration enhancing it. He warned against becoming dependent on technology while encouraging its use as a valuable learning tool. Balancing academics with personal interests and sports was another key theme. Modi stressed that hobbies and physical activity foster resilience and holistic growth. He recommended hands-on study methods and peer support to deepen learning. Leadership qualities such as fearlessness, initiative, and clear communication were outlined as essential for future generations. Modi also emphasised environmental stewardship through simple daily habits that collectively drive sustainable progress. Concluding the episode, the Prime Minister reiterated, “Every small step will build Viksit Bharat @ 2047,” inspiring students to embrace the vision of a disciplined, inclusive, and developed India.