tirupati l friday l july 03, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION SC quashes verdict based on AI-generated ‘precedents’ fabricated case name, faulty citations The matter arose from an insolvency dispute involving Pooja Singh and J&K Bank and Essel Infraprojects Ltd. The appellant challenged an NCLT Mumbai order that had admitted a Section 7 insolvency application. The Supreme Court found that several “precedents” cited by NCLT did not exist. These included fabricated case names and wrong attributions Supreme Court set aside a verdict of the National Company Law Tribunal on Thursday, stating that courts must show zero tolerance to AI slop ai is methyl isocyanate of law, says sc ■ ■ The bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said, “The production of fake, non-existent, and hallucinated material as precedents is like release of methyl Isocyanate in law and justice...” The bench clarified that its judgment shall have no bearing on the rightful use of AI, but would only apply to fake AI-led case histories Two Tribunals, NCLT and NCLAT, relied on AI-generated fake citations CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Can’t force Hindu prayer in school: HC 1st def co-development E J A Z K A IS E R @Raipur IN a major development concerning the secular character of public education, the Chhattisgarh High Court on Thursday made it clear that school children cannot be forced to recite Hindu prayers in government-run educational institutions. The ruling was delivered by Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad on a writ petition challenging the constitutional validity of a circular issued by the State School Education Department on June 12. A controversy erupted after the BJP-led Chhattisgarh government issued the fiat mandating daily recitation of Vedic mantras, including the Gayatri Mantra and Saraswati Vandana, in all government schools from the new academic session. The legal challenge was filed by former Chhattisg arh Waqf Board Chairman Abdul Salam Rizvi, alongside Mahendra Chhabda and social activist Shafique Ahmed. The state government informed the court that the actual implementation of the ad- The proposal The C’garh directive proposed assembly recitations such as the National Anthem, National Song, Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra and readings from biographies of prominent historical figures. ministrative circular had not yet begun in any school so far. Taking note of the government’s submission, Justice Prasad disposed of the petition. However, the court left the door open for future judicial in- tervention, granting petitioners liberty to approach it again if any child is found to have been compelled to participate in the religious recitations. “There is no issue if students of a particular faith recite Hindu prayers in gover nment schools but students of other religions shouldn’t be coerced to follow it,” Aamir Khan, counsel for the petitioners, told this paper. The petitioners argued that the directive was a direct assault on the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Indian Constitution and a violation of secularism. Russia buying Indian gasoline? Not directly from refiners, says minister Rake s h K u ma r @ New Delhi HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh takes part in the inauguration of Sri City International University | Express Lokesh unveils roadmap to up AP’s economy to $2.4 trillion PETROLEUM Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday denied reports that Indian refiners are exporting gasoline to Russia, saying none of India’s public or private refiners are currently shipping fuel to the country While speaking to the . media, he said that any Indianorigin fuel reaching Russia could have been traded through intermediaries rather than sold directly by Indian frims. The clarification came after media reports claimed Russia had imported seaborne gasoline from India to meet domestic demand after Ukrainian attacks disrupted its refining facilities. According to reports, at least 60,000 metric tonnes of gasoline have already been dispatched from India, while another report said two tankers carrying 30,000-40,000 tonnes each had been sent.“None of the Indian refiners, including private refiners, are exporting gasoline to Russia. It may be some intermediary… Crude oil and refined products are often traded multiple times through intermediaries before reaching the final destination. Therefore, the original source of a shipment may differ from the immediate seller,” Puri said. He said India is one of the world’s largest refining and petroleum-exporting hubs. E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Tirupati Unveiling a massive economic roadmap, HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh has announced that the Andhra Pradesh government is working with a definitive resolution to scale up the State’s economy from the current $220 billion to a staggering $2.4 trillion by 2047. Inaugurating the Sri City International University (SIU) at the industrial mega-hub in Tirupati district on Thursday, Lokesh termed the world-class campus a game-changer for Andhra Pradesh’s youth. The HRD Minister set an ambitious target of generating 75,000 jobs through the university by 2029, effectively leveraging the ecosystem of over 200 global companies from 31 countries already operating within Sri City . Reflecting on his recent highlevel consultations with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Lokesh emphasised an urgent need to “reset” India’s higher education matrix. He noted that for decades, universities were judged merely by graduation rates, and the volume of degrees stamped. Moving forward, he asserted that institutions should be measured solely by the tangible societal impact and real-world problem-solving capabilities P4 they cultivate.  Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches the VB-GRAM G scheme from Mukkavaripalli village in Railway Koduru constituency on Thursday | Express Centre rolls out VB-GRAM G nationwide from AP village E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Tirupati In a defining milestone for rural development, Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan launched the prestigious Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-GRAM G) scheme from Mukkavaripalli village in Railway Koduru constituency on Thursday . The pan-India rollout marks a massive federal initiative to transform rural infrastructure and generate sustainable livelihoods. To mark the launch, the dig- nitaries initiated three foundational community projects at Mukkavaripalli, including a rainwater conservation pond, and a magic drain system, and distributed the initial VB-GRAM G job cards to local beneficiaries, while Union Ministers of State for Rural Development Pemmasani Chandrasekhar and Kamlesh Paswan unveiled the mission’s official promotional anthem. Chouhan said the Centre’s massive funding injection under VB-GRAM G is designed to completely uplift India’s villages by granting autonomy to local Gram Sabhas to execute their own deP4 velopment models.  HEALTHY Fizz Cola-veri as new entrant shakes up duopoly D IPA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi Kolkata-based ITC has opened a new front in India’s famed cola wars, traditionally waged by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. The Indian company’s latest coconut-based carbonated drink has reignited interest in the country’s soft drinks market, currently dominated by the two US giants that control nearly 90% of the market. Reliance Industries-owned desi brand Campa Cola, a distant third player, has been unable to make inroads into this highly entrenched market. ITC’s entry will add another layer of competition but may not disrupt the market. According to sources, ITC’s B Natural Coconut Cola lacks the conventional ‘fizz’ needed to make significant headway in the fiercely contested cola segment. Interestingly , ITC is not trying to compete with established cola brands; instead, it wants to create an entirely new category by blending coconut water with cola flavour. The drink is positioned as a healthier alternative, with lower calories and no added sugar. Industry executives point out that ITC has stayed away from the aggressive price wars. B Natural Coconut Cola is priced at `60 for a 250 ml can, compared with `38 for a 300 ml can of Coca-Cola. “It is being marketed as a premium product,” said the spokesperson for a quick-commerce platform. The product is available only on select quickcommerce platforms. A brokerage analyst tracking ITC said the launch is part of the company’s strategy to introduce innovative beverages, including Breakfast Smoothie with Oats, Mango Smoothie with Chunks and Berry Smoothie with Chia Seeds. Reliance recently said that Campa Cola has become one of India’s top four carbonated beverage brands in less than two years of its relaunch. project deal with Japan Agreement to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership J ayan t h J a c o b and P u s h p i ta D e y @ New Delhi India and Japan on Thursday elevated their global strategic partnership with a twin push on defence manufacturing and economic integration, signing their first-ever defence co-development project while agreeing to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), as Prime Minister Narendra Modi described “unbreakable mutual trust” as the bedrock of bilateral ties. The two sides also unveiled a roadmap on economic security , supply chain resilience, clean energy and biotech following the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit between Prime Minister Modi and his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi. “Today, we have signed an agreement on the first co-development project between India and Japan in the defence sector. This project for a naval radio antenna will open a new chapter in our defence technology partnership,” Modi said. The pact relates to the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) project, a next-gen- Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Japan counterpart Sanae Takaichi | PTI Widening trade deficit The CEPA review assumes significance as India’s trade deficit with Japan widened over the past decade — from $5.18 billion in 2015-16 to $15.4 billion in 2025-26. During the same period, imports rose to $21.43 billion, while India’s exports increased only modestly to $6 billion eration naval communications system designed to provide secure and reliable communications for warships. The joint statement said both PMs welcomed the conclusion in principle of the remaining technical issues on UNICORN and agreed to explore additional defence equipment and technology collaborations. Modi welcomed Japan’s review of its principles governing the transfer of defence equipment and technology, which New Delhi sees as opening new avenues for industrial collaboration. Both leaders also agreed to modernise the India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Ag reement (CEPA), which came into force in 2011 but has come under scrutiny over its limited benefits for Indian exporters. “Upgradation of the CEPA pact and review of its provisions were discussed....whether the agreement has become outdated in light of newer trade arrangements,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said. Sources said India has sought a review of several non-tariff barriers, particularly Japan’s stringent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, which have constrained Indian exports despite preferential tariff access.