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 | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | Tuesday, 19 May 2026 SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS ‘India to achieve exports worth $1 tn this year’ Page 10 José Mourinho to rejoin Madrid Iran says revised terms for peace treaty with US conveyed NATION Amit Shah in Bastar for key security meet PM Modi pushes tech, green ties in Norway STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 18 May P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held wide-ranging talks with his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store, with the two leaders unveiling an ambitious Green Strategic Partnership aimed at deepening cooperation in clean energy, maritime security, climate resilience, Arctic research, technology and global development. Addressing a joint press meet after the meeting in Oslo, Modi said India and Norway were entering a “new golden era” in bilateral ties at a time of growing global uncertainty and conflict. He described Norway as “a beautiful example of harmony between nature and human progress” and thanked Prime Minister Store for the warm welcome extended to him during the visit. Modi also recalled that his planned visit to Norway last year had been postponed Power Shift following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. “During that difficult time, Norway stood firmly with India against terrorism and demonstrated the spirit of true friendship. Today, as I arrive in Norway, I sincerely thank the country for that solidarity,” he said. Highlighting the changing Page 12 Page 5 Page 9 global geopolitical landscape, Modi said India and Europe were strengthening strategic engagement amid conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. “India and Norway both believe in a rules-based order, dialogue and diplomacy. We agree that no issue can be resolved solely through military conflict,” he said, adding that both countries would continue supporting efforts for peace and the early end of conflicts. A key focus of the discussions was the implementation of the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement signed last year between India and the European Free Trade Association. Modi described the pact as “a blueprint for ensuring shared progress and prosperity between India and Norway.” Under the agreement, EFTA countries have committed to facilitating investments worth 100 billion dollars in India over the next 15 years with the potential to generate one million jobs. Modi said both sides had taken “several important decisions” to translate the agreement into concrete outcomes. The two countries also elevated their relationship into a Green Strategic Partnership, with cooperation planned across clean energy, climate resilience, green shipping, blue economy initiatives and sustainable development technologies. PM receives Norway’s highest honour: New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Norway’s highest civilian honour, the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, in Oslo on Monday, marking his 32nd international recognition and capping a two-day Nordic outreach that underscored India’s deepening ties with the region. The honour was presented during Modi’s meeting with King Harald V and Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace. The Grand Cross is the highest grade of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit and is reserved for exceptional service in advancing Norway’s interests and international relations. Congress leader V.D. Satheesan takes oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala at Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. (See Page 8) SNS Judges inquiry panel submits report on Justice Yashwant Varma to Lok Sabha Speaker STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 18 May The Judges Inquiry Committee constituted to examine allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma on Monday submitted its report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at Parliament House, marking an important development in the statutory process related to judicial accountability. In an official statement, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said the report was submitted under the provisions of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, and would be placed before both Houses of Parliament at an appropriate stage. “The Judges Inquiry Committee, investigating allegations concerning Justice Shri Yashwant Varma, submitted its report to the Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha Shri Om Birla in Parliament House today,” the release stated. The committee had been set up by the Speaker on August 12, 2025, in accordance with the procedure laid down under the Judges (Inquiry) Act to investigate allegations against members of the higher judiciary. While the Secretariat did not reveal the contents of the report or indicate whether the panel made any recommendations, the submission effectively brings the committee’s inquiry phase to a close. Under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, such committees are constituted after the initiation of the prescribed parliamentary process to probe allegations of misbehaviour or incapacity against judges of the Supreme Court or High Courts. The committee’s findings are later presented before Parliament and may form the basis for any further action under the law. The development is considered significant as inquiries involving judges of the higher judiciary are uncommon and operate within a detailed constitutional and statutory framework designed to preserve judicial independence while ensuring accountability. Smaller Benches cannot override larger Bench rulings, says SC PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 18 May Holding that bail remains the rule and jail the exception even in cases under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Supreme Court on Monday expressed strong reservations over its January 5, 2026 judgment denying bail to Delhi riots accused Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, observing that the view taken therein appeared contrary to the law laid down by a three-judge Bench in the February 1, 2021 judgment in K.A. Najeeb case. The 2021 Najeeb judgment had held that where an accused has undergone prolonged incarceration and there is little likelihood of an early conclusion of trial, constitutional courts are obliged to consider grant of bail notwithstanding the rigours of Section 43-D(5) of the UAPA. A Bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, while deciding the bail plea of one Syed Iftikhar Andrabi, reiterated that the principle that “bail is the rule and jail is the exception” is not a mere statutory slogan flowing from the Code of Criminal Procedure, but a constitutional principle rooted in Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution and the presumption of innocence. Speaking for the Bench, Justice Bhuyan observed, “we have no manner of doubt in stating that even under the UAP Act, ‘bail is the rule and jail is the exception’; of course, in an appropriate case, bail can be denied having regard to the facts of that particular case.” The judgment further stated, “It is a constitutional principle flowing from Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution and the presumption of innocence which is the cornerstone of any civilised society governed by the rule of law. Statutes may undoubtedly calibrate the manner in which that principle is applied, particularly in cases involving national security or terrorist offences for which the UAP Act is meant, but those cannot altogether invert the constitutional relationship between liberty and detention.” Before dealing with Andrabi’s plea for bail, the Bench expressed reservations over the judgment in Gulfisha Fatima case, observing that it appeared to narrow the scope of the Najeeb ruling. The Court said the judgment in Gulfisha Fatima case gave an impression that Najeeb was only a limited exception to Section 43-D(5), whereas the real concern in Najeeb was the prolonged incarceration of undertrial prisoners and delays in completion of trial. The Court clarified that Najeeb did not hold that mere passage of time automatically entitles an accused to bail. Rather, it recognised that the rigours of Section 43-D(5) would “melt down” where there is no likelihood of trial concluding within a reasonable time and the accused has already spent a substantial period in custody. Stating that “We do not want to join issue any further with the two-Judge Bench … this Court has categorically held that Article 21 applies irrespective of the nature of the offence. Ideally, more serious the accusations are, the speedier the trial should be.” From Pokhran-I to Pokhran-II: India’s nuclear journey STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Jaisalmer, 18 May A 107-metre-deep shaft was dug, and a nuclear device of 1.25-metre diameter, placed on a hexagonal metallic tripod, was lowered to the bottom and packed securely by post-midnight on 17–18 May 1974. While the team of scientists spent that eventful night sleepless, giving final touches to the history-making task, in New Delhi, late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (photo left), who herself was monitoring the entire affair, was also more or less in the same state of mind. Waiting for the good news, she sat by the telephone in her chamber early in the morning, a revisit to memory lane reflects. Finally, in Pokhran at around 8:05 am on 18 May 1974, nuclear scientist Dr Pranab R Dastidar pressed the firing button of the 1,400-kg plutonium implosion fission device, to the jubilation of the team of India’s top scientists, who had been working in Pokhran throughout the night to script a golden chapter in the history of nuclear science. The earth shook with tremors and a deafening explosion made a loud announcement of India’s prowess, enabling the country to join the elite group of five nuclear-powered nations — the US, the UK, Russia, France and China. However, people from different walks of life interpreted the happenings at the army field range differently. While local residents in areas adjoining the army field firing range mistook it for a strong earthquake, the scientists monitoring the seismic instruments burst into joy at the grand success of Operation Smiling Buddha. Confirming the success and precision of the test blast, at around 8:10 am Dr Raja Ramanna, Director of India’s Nuclear Programme, telephoned Mrs Gandhi to convey the historic message: “The Buddha has smiled.” This is how the news broke to the world. Prior to this, the dream task of developing a nuclear device, though intended for peace, had remained strictly confined to the Prime Minister, around 75 selected top scientists, and senior army brass throughout the entire span of the project — from inception and research to coordination and preparation — which took almost six to seven years. Earlier, the foundation for India’s capacity-building in nuclear science and energy had begun with the formation of the Nuclear Energy Commission in 1948. This was further strengthened in phases and focused on the development of nuclear power plants. The aspiration to work on a nuclear device emerged after Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister in 1966. The political and strategic handling of the post “Buddha Smiled” situation gave India’s nuclear power programme the desired boost and accelerated the further evolution of the agenda. This received further recognition when then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (photo right) once again surprised the world in May 1998, turning the “Buddha’s Smile” into a “jolly laugh” by triggering five more nuclear tests under Pokhran-II.