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 | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | Stage set for Modi-Trump bilateral STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 16 June P rime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump shared a closely watched handshake and brief exchange at the G7 Summit in Evian, France on Tuesday, setting the stage for their first formal bilateral meeting in nearly sixteen months and underscoring the continuing importance of the India-US partnership at a time of mounting geopolitical and economic challenges. The interaction between the two leaders took place as heads of state and government gathered for the opening session and traditional family photograph of the 52nd G7 Summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting marked the first face-to-face interaction between Modi and Trump since February 2025 when Prime Minister Modi visited Washington shortly after Trump's return to the White House following his second presidential inauguration. A full-fledged bilateral meeting between the two leaders is scheduled on the sidelines of the summit on Wednesday, where discussions are expected to focus on trade, strategic cooperation, emerging technologies, defence collaboration and regional security issues. Officials familiar with the agenda indicated that both sides are keen to accelerate negotiations on trade and investment frameworks while exploring avenues for deeper cooperation in critical sectors such as Mamata Banerjee moves Calcutta HC challenging Assembly election results STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 16 June Trinamul Congress chairperson and former chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday moved the Calcutta High Court, challenging the Assembly election results of the Bhowanipore constituency. She reached the High Court on Tuesday afternoon and filed an election petition, challenging the victory of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in the seat. She was accompanied by Trinamul MLA Kunal Ghosh and party leader Dola Sen. She was present at the High Court for a brief time and left after filing the petition. In this year’s Assembly elections, Miss Banerjee was defeated by Suvendu Adhikari in Bhowanipore by a margin of 15,105 votes. Kalyan Banerjee, counsel for Miss Banerjee, told newspersons that she was challenging the Bhowanipore results because the counting of votes in the constituency was manipulated after the completion of 12 rounds. Also, Mr Banerjee said, the person who was the returning officer in the 2021 Assembly polls for Nandigram Assembly Constituency where Miss Banerjee was defeated by Suvendu Adhikari, had been tasked with the job of returning officer at Bhowanipore for this year’s elections. Further, Miss Banerjee and her election agents were beaten and thrown out, Mr Banerjee said. artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and resilient supply chains. The upcoming talks are also expected to address developments in the Indo-Pacific region, defence partnerships and broader geopolitical concerns affecting global stability. Issues relating to energy security, mobility of skilled professionals and maritime safety are likely to feature in the discussions as both nations seek to strengthen coordination on shared interests. The Modi-Trump interaction comes against the backdrop of an increasingly complex New Delhi, 16 June The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from the Central government, state governments and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a petition seeking directions that Aadhaar be treated only as proof of identity and not as proof of citizenship, domicile, residential address or date of birth. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice V. Mohana issued notice on a public interest litigation filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, who contends that the use of Aadhaar beyond identity verification is contrary to the Aadhaar Act, 2016, and the clarification issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). The petition relies on Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act, which states that an Aadhaar number or authentication thereof shall not, by itself, confer any right of citizenship or domicile. It also refers to a UIDAI notification issued in August 2023 clarifying that Aadhaar serves only as proof of identity and is not proof of citizenship, address or date of birth. Section 9 of the Aadhar Act, 2016 states that the Aadhaar number is not evidence of citizenship or domicile, etc. It reads: “The Aadhaar number or the authentication thereof shall not, by itself, confer any right of, or be proof of, citizenship or domicile in respect of an Aadhaar number holder.” According to the plea, despite these statutory limitations, | SILIGURI | Wednesday, 17 June 2026 CM Suvendu targets Mamata at Kurseong, announces hill measures MANAS R BANNERJEE Siliguri, 16 June Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while addressing a large public gathering at Monteviot Ground in Kurseong, accusing her government of neglecting the Darjeeling Hills, the Terai and Dooars regions and the tea garden economy of North Bengal. Addressing the gathering, Mr Adhikari contrasted his visit to the hills with those of his predecessor. “The former Chief Minister used to come to the hills as a tourist. I have come here within months of assuming office to work, to deliver development and to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the hills,” he said. The Chief Minister repeatedly referred to Miss Banerjee as the “former Chief Minister” and alleged that she had little interest in the development of the hills because the region did not traditionally vote for her party. “The people of the Ahead of NEET re-test, govt blocks Telegram to curb leak rumours and cheating frauds MUSKAN BHATIA New Delhi, 16 June The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has temporarily suspended access to the Telegram app in India until 22 June, as fresh rumours of a paper leak linked to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET-UG) re-examination surfaced recently. The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday welcomed the decision taken by the government as a precautionary measure to curb examination-associated malpractices less than a week before the re-test of the national-level medical exam, scheduled on 21 June. The original exam conducted on 3 June this year was cancelled following the widespread allegations of a question paper leak. Apex court seeks Centre, states and ECI response on plea against use of Aadhaar as proof of citizenship, domicile and age PARMOD KUMAR international environment marked by conflicts in different regions, concerns over global economic growth, disruptions in supply chains and debates over the governance of emerging technologies. Both India and the USA have consistently emphasised the importance of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and have expanded cooperation through bilateral and multilateral frameworks over the past decade. Soon after arriving in the French resort town, Mr Modi highlighted the importance of international cooperation in addressing contemporary challenges. “Reached Evian, France, for the G7 Summit. Looking forward to engaging with world leaders and exchanging views on key global issues,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X. India is attending the summit as a special invitee, continuing a trend that has seen New Delhi emerge as an increasingly influential voice in discussions on global governance, climate action, economic resilience and development. Modi's participation marks his seventh consecutive appearance at a G7 gathering, reflecting India's growing role in international decision-making and the recognition among major economies of the country's strategic importance. Beyond his interaction with Mr Trump, Mr Modi engaged with several world leaders during the summit and participated in a working session focused on key global issues. The PM's engagements reinforced India's emphasis on collective action, inclusive growth and collaborative solutions to transnational challenges. LUCKNOW Aadhaar is routinely accepted as proof of age, residence, citizenship and domicile for a range of purposes, including school admissions, issuance of birth certificates, ration cards, driving licences and property transactions. A specific challenge has been raised to the acceptance of Aadhaar as proof of date of birth and residence in Form-6, which is used for fresh voter registration. The petitioner argues that Aadhaar enrolment is available to all “residents”, including foreign nationals who have resided in India for at least 182 days in the preceding year. The plea further states that Aadhaar can be obtained on the basis of relatively simple documents, including rent agreements or certifications from local elected representatives. In a statement, the NTA said that the government has directed the app to disable the message-editing feature of the app for previously posted messages until 30 June. This measure was aimed at preventing the abuse of the platform to fabricate the “paper leak” evidence after the conduct of the exam, stated the agency. The agency further added that both measures have been taken in the “interest of public order, in response to the organised use of the platform by cheating rackets to defraud candidates.” Investigations by NTA, Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), and state police forces have found Telegram channels, groups and bots, spreading fraudulent claims regarding access to NEET UG papers and misleading candidates, which hills have waited for years for change and development. Their aspirations will now be fulfilled,” he said. Claiming that the atmosphere in the hills had changed, Mr Adhikari said: “There is no fear in the hills anymore. Fear is out. Trust has returned. The BJP government is a government people can rely upon.” Referring to the devastating landslides that struck the hills in 2025, the Chief Minister alleged that Miss Banerjee had failed to visit the affected areas and remained occupied with the Durga Puja Carnival in Kolkata. He further accused the previous government of obstructing the implementation TCS to pay $70 million after setback in US legal dispute STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 16 June Members of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) stage a protest over the alleged NEET paper leak issue outside the National Testing Agency (NTA) office in New Delhi in May. FILE PHOTO have been taken down by the government, noted the officials from the agency. In a statement, NTA stated that over the recent weeks, channels operating openly on the platform under names such as PAPER LEAKED NEET”, “Re-NEET 2026”, “Private Mafia”, “REE NEET MAFIAA” allegedly demanded amounts ranging from a few thousand to several lakhs of rupees from candidates and their families, in exchange for purported access to the re-examination paper. The agency reiterated that there is no such paper available outside the secured examination chain. “The promise of any such material is, in every instance, a fraud,” it added. of welfare initiatives for tea garden workers. Mr Adhikari alleged that the Prime Minister’s welfare scheme for tea garden workers could not be implemented in the tea estates of the Hills, Terai and Dooars due to opposition from the previous state government. Drawing a comparison with Assam, he said that while the neighbouring state had implemented tea garden welfare projects worth Rs 370 crore, similar benefits had not reached North Bengal. Highlighting the crisis in the tea industry, he said that 25 tea gardens in North Bengal remain closed, including 12 in the Darjeeling Hills. He announced that a Rs 330-crore package would be implemented under the PM Cha Samriddhi Yojana to address the problems of closed tea gardens and support affected workers. The Chief Minister also announced recruitment of 1,000 personnel in the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR), with 30 per cent reservation for women candidates. IT services major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Tuesday said it will make an additional provision of $70 million towards damages, interest and legal costs after the United States Supreme Court declined to review a lower court judgment in its long-running legal dispute with Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), now known as DXC Technology. In a regulatory filing, the company said the US Supreme Court denied its petition for a writ of certiorari seeking a review of the judgment passed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on 15 June. The latest development marks another setback for TCS in the litigation involving DXC Technology. TCS said it had already provided $150 million in relation to the matter in its books of accounts in accordance with applicable accounting standards. Following the Supreme Court's decision, the company will now make an additional provision of $70 million towards damages, interest and legal costs as a one-time exceptional expense in the first quarter of FY2026-27. The company had earlier updated investors on the case through regulatory filings in June 2024 and November 2025. Earlier, TCS had suffered a legal setback after the Fifth Circuit upheld a damages award of $194.2 million and ruled in favour of CSC in a long-running trade secrets dispute. Govt bans over-the-counter sale of cough syrups, doc’s prescription mandatory Junior doctors from Gandhi Medical College stage a protest against the arrest of a doctor in connection with the deaths of 20 children from cough syrup in Chhindwara, in Bhopal on 8 October 2025. FILE PHOTO STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 16 June The Central government on Tuesday banned the over-the-counter (OTC) sale of syrup-based medicines, including cough syrups, without a doctor's prescription. The change comes after the government amended the Drugs Rules, 1945, through the Drugs (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified on 9 June. The move is aimed at strengthening regulatory control over the manufacture, sale and distribution of syrup formulations. The amendment removed the word “syrups” from a category of exempted drugs under Schedule K. Schedule K lists categories of medicines that are exempt from certain provisions of Chapter IV of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, governing their manufacture, sale and distribution, subject to specified conditions. These exemptions were originally introduced to facilitate easier access to certain medicines by relaxing some compliance requirements under defined circumstances. With the omission of syrups from the list, such medicines will now be subject to the applicable regulatory requirements. Consumers will now need a valid prescription from a registered medical practitioner to purchase such medications. Furthermore, before the amendment, the provision allowed cough syrups to be sold in villages with a population of less than 1,000 without requiring compliance with certain retail sale licensing norms. With the latest change, the exemption will no longer apply to cough syrups. Accordingly, the sale and dispensing of cough syrups in villages will now be allowed through licensed pharmacies in accordance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the Drugs Rules, 1945. The Health Ministry said the amendment has been introduced to strengthen regulatory oversight of syrup formulations and align the exemption framework with current public health and safety requirements. It said the measure is expected to promote responsible distribution and sale of cough syrups while ensuring greater compliance with regulatory standards across the country. The ministry advised manufacturers, distributors, and retailers dealing in cough syrups to ensure strict adherence to all applicable licensing and regulatory requirements under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the Drugs Rules.