chennai l Thursday l September 24, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 20 l late city EDITION Germany ready to sign $8 billion submarine agreement with India The India-Germany deal to build six submarines under Project 75(I) has been finalised on the German side, its envoy to India Dr Jasper Wieck said Waiting for India’s green light: German envoy Review of tech transfer package pending “It has already been finalised and the German side has agreed to it. It is now up to the Indian side to complete and conclude its internal processes,” Wieck said. The proposed deal, estimated at roughly `90,000 crore, sees India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders partnering with Germany’s Thyssenkrupp to build six conventional submarines in India, with technology transfer ■ ■ A review of the proposed technology-transfer package remains among steps before the project can get final approval in India A key aspect of the proposed deal is the transfer of fuel-cell Air-Independent Propulsion technology, which allows conventional submarines to operate longer without the need to access surface air 2023 When Germany stepped in as foreign partner for project 75 (i) 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 Constitution bench to hear case on axing CJI from ECI pick panel In split verdict, Justice Dipankar Datta raps ’23 law dropping CJI from selection committee CM C Joseph Vijay, along with Power Minister C T R Nirmal Kumar, at the TNEB headquarters on Anna Salai in Chennai on Wednesday | Ashwin prasath Vijay makes surprise visit to EB HQ, state to get 600 new substations E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ Chennai Amid continuing complaints of power outages and preparations for the upcoming northeast monsoon, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay made a surprise visit to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) headquarters on Anna Salai and inspected power generation, transmission and distribution control centres on Wednesday . Vijay directed the officials to ensure uninterrupted and reliable power supply and to take immediate action on complaints relating to power cuts, voltage fluctuations and damaged electricity poles and wires. The CM reviewed preparations to meet the anticipated increase in power demand during the summer of 2027 and discussed meas- ures to ensure adequate availability . Electricity Minister C T R Nirmal Kumar, who met reporters after the CM’s visit, said that field officers have been permitted to engage up to 18,000 contract workers directly to address power-related issues expeditiously Tamil . Nadu would additionally require around 600 new substations to strengthen its distribution network, which would be established in phases over the next five years, he said. Up to 6,000 transfor mers would be installed or upgraded to meet the power demand, the minister added. The CM’s review focused on critical distribution network challenges, including ageing infrastructure, network congestion, major outages, and poor power quality  . P7 express read 5 police teams search Veeramani’s properties State forms panel on paid menstrual leave Chennai: Five police teams conducted searches at places linked to GEM Granites owner R Veeramani on Wednesday in the Pocso case. An LoC was issued against a businessman allegedly linked to the baron | P2 Chennai: TN on Wednesday told Madras HC that it has formed a 13-member panel to examine the feasibility of framing a policy to grant paid menstrual leave for women working in government and private sectors | P2 v Union of India case directed that appointments to the poll panel be made on the advice of T H E S u p r e m e C o u r t o n a committee comprising the Wednesday directed that a Prime Minister, Leader of Opbatch of petitions challenging position (LoP) in the Lok Sabthe 2023 law governing the ap- ha, and the Chief Justice of pointments to the Election India until Parliament enacted Commission be decided by a a law. Constitution bench after a diviWhile the law—the Chief sion bench delivered a split ver- Election Commissioner and dict on whether the matter other Election Commissioners should be referred to a larger (Appointment, Conditions of bench as sought by the Centre. Service and Term of Office) Justice Dipankar Datta re- Act, 2023—retained the format jected the Union’s plea for a ref- of the panel, it replaced CJI erence to a larger bench, while with a Union minister. Justice Satish ChanJustice Datta made dra Sharma saw the strong observations need for substantial about the composition interpretation of law. of the selection panel, Justice Sharma said saying it hands the exin his separate opinecutive a veto in apion that the arguments pointments. He said advanced on behalf of the Union minister, the Centre by the Atserving at the pleasure Justice Dipankar tor ney General R of the PM, cannot act Datta Venkataramani and as a neutral check in Solicitor General the selection panel. Tushar Mehta for re“Free and fair elecferring the issue to a tions depend on a truly larger bench are wellindependent ECI. It is founded. not enough for the ECI Despite the differto be independent; it ences in opinion, both must appear to be injudges directed that dependent,” he said, Justice Satish the papers be placed adding a “PM’s nomiChandra Sharma before the Chief Jusnee cannot be expected tice of India for setting to defy the PM.” up a Constitution bench of not Consequently, Justice Datta less than five judges, noting also said, the LoP becomes a that sending the matter to a mere ornamental presence, unthree-judge bench could only able to further the purpose of delay adjudication. his inclusion as an independBoth judges also recorded ent voice. concerns over the pendency of Justice Datta also criticised Constitution bench matters the selective manner in which and requested the Chief Jus- the Central government clears tice to explore the possibility of Supreme Court collegium proforming a permanent Constitu- posals at times. He added that tion bench. the judiciary often chooses not The 2023 law was enacted by to confront the executive on Parliament after the Supreme such matters to avoid head-on Court’s Constitution Bench conflicts and avert a possible judgment in Anoop Baranwal Constitutional crisis. S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi Oppn renews demand to scrap SIR, impeach CEC Gyanesh Kumar PA R V E Z S U LTA N & M u k es h R an j an @ New Delhi Opposition parties on Wednesday lit into the Centre and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after a media report suggested that the two election commissioners—Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi—objected to some orders pertaining to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, even as the poll panel claimed all its decisions were unanimous. Citing the report, Opposition parties called for action against the CEC and demanded that SIR be scrapped. While the Congress renewed its demand for Kumar’s impeachment, the TMC, AAP, and Shiv Sena (UBT) called for his arrest. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said any wrongdoings committed by the poll body amounts to “treason” and should be treated as such. DMK president M K Stalin said CEC Kumar has no right to continue in office and must resign forthwith. He also demanded that the SIR exercise be halted and called for an impartial probe “into everything that transpired within the EC” and called for action against those responsible. Rejecting the claims made in the media report, the Election Commission said differing views are a normal part of deliberation in any institution and stated that all its orders “are an Gyanesh Kumar, outcome of the unanimous decisions of the full CEC Commission in the past one year”. According to the report, the two ECs’ objections were about the way the statutory voter registration Form 6 was amended, the handling of additions and deletions from voter lists, and centralised control over the electoral roll database. Speaking to this paper, former Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat said the way changes to Form 6 were brought about was “absolutely wrong and illegal”. According to him, the reported objections raised by the two ECs were ‘a very serious issue’. He said: “The way Form 6 has been amended is wrong and illegal.” Rawat, who served as CEC from January to December 2018, said the law did not permit such changes without following the prescribed procedure. He referred to Supreme Court rulings which, he said, have held that changes to the statutory framework governing Form 6 require action by the government. “Such a situation has perhaps rarely emerged in the Election Commission. I have also been there, but I saw that decisions were always taken unanimously Rawat said.  ,” P7 11 TN univs will get in-charge V-Cs soon: Min India raises concerns over Russia sanctions law with US V ivanes h Part h i b an @ Tiruchy Jayant h Jaco b @ New Delhi In a bid to address the issue of vacancies in vice chancellor (V-C) posts in 11 state universities, Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan on Wednesday said that as an interim measure and based on the decisions of the respective university syndicates, in-charge vice chancellors will be appointed across all universities under the Higher Education Department in Tamil Nadu soon. Addressing reporters in Tiruchy after a consultation meeting with professors and students at Bharathidasan University’s Khajamalai campus, the minister said that earlier V-C convenor committees have been constituted in universities where the V-C post is vacant. “These committees, along with the syndicate, will identify senior professors and prepare a panel of five names. From this panel, one senior professor will be selected and appointed as an in-charge vice chancellor on an interim basis,” he said. He added that such interim arrangements have already been made at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University and Alagappa University based on the decision of the respective syndicates, and similar steps are under way for the remaining 11 universities. Clarifying the nature of these appointments, he stressed that they are not fullfledged V-C positions.  P7 Mirabai Chanu celebrates her silver medal on Wednesday | PTI Weight, wait off lifter Mirabai’s shoulders Indraneel Das Express @ asian games Nagoya F IRST, the news. Mirabai Chanu, 32, won her first Asian Games medal here on Wednesday: silver, India’s first in any weightlifting discipline at this level since Karnam Malleswari in 1998. It is like completing the Grand Slam for a tennis player or a treble with the World Cup for a footballer. But the story of her medal goes beyond the news. Mirabai’s lifting is no longer about barbells and weights. It has transcended that. Doctors, physios and nutritionists have become part of her life. Preparation no longer depends only on lifting weights and physical training. It goes beyond that. Every time she has been written off, she has found a way That is why this . medal would be rated among the biggest of her career. Not because it took her 12 years, but because of the timing — when the body is ageing, with aching bones and muscles because of multiple injuries and when the end is in sight. Just before the Paris Olympics, one of her coaches had narrated a poignant story Af. ter returning from the last Asiad, it seemed like the walls were closing. No one came to wish her. “When I lose, no one comes; it’s really sad,” the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist had said. She was hurt. Physical pain is part and parcel, but it was this disregard that had caused her more pain. On Wednesday she had some pro, found words to say “My life is . complete now.” And it’s easy to see why This was the only . thing missing from her CV. Now, she feels relieved. A burden has been lifted. Her support cast — head coach Vijay Sharma, physio Rohit Chhabria, nutritionist Tajinder Kaur, psychologist Mugde Bavare and doctor Dinshaw Pardiwala — has also played an integral part in her journey . External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has raised India’s “interests and concerns” over the United States’ new Russia sanctions legislation during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly . “Reiterated India’s interests and concerns with regard to SRIA. Also discussed the Gulf and Ukraine situations,” Jaishankar said in a post on X. The talks between the two leaders came after US President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law last Friday It gives the US Pres. ident the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries, including India and Chi- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar greets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the UN General Assembly | PTi na, that purchase Russian oil and gas. The legislation is widely seen as a rapid expansion of Washington’s sanctions framework targeting Russia. The White House said the law “authorises and expands statutory sanctions, tariffs, and prohibitions on Russia and extends existing sanctions on Iran.” India continues to purchase Trump backs IMEEC corridor US President Donald Trump said he strongly supports India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, saying there is a need to shift energy infrastructure away from Iranian checkpoints amid multiple strikes on West Asian countries Russian energy which has been , an important part of its strategy to secure affordable supplies amid disruptions. Jaishankar’s meeting with Rubio also covered the conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine. Sources said Rubio is likely to visit India on October 19. And he may travel to Australia for the QUAD foreign ministers meeting. IIT Prof sent on leave over student death, panel formed S u d h ir surya w ans h i @ Mumbai IIT Bombay Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who is an accused in the alleged suicide death of a 20-year-old second-year B Tech student Sahil Wakode, has been sent on compulsory leave to enable an impartial probe, sources said on Wednesday . Earlier, he was removed as the dean of Administrative Affairs. It comes as IIT Bombay’s Board of Governance formed a 10-member highlevel panel to examine the circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death on the campus. It will also look into the concerns raised by the student’s parents, including allegations of c a s t e based harassment at t h e institute. S Doolla The panel has a week to submit its findings. Prof Ramesh Venkateswaran, chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT-Palakkad, will head the panel, which has three students, members of the faculty an administra, tor, a former vigilance officer, and a psychiatrist. Meanwhile, Mumbai police crime branch revealed that after returning from the exam hall on September 18, Sahil went to his hostel room around 1.30 pm. He dialed a friend at 2.20 pm. In what was likely his last call, Sahil reportedly said, “I made a mistake. My earlier Thermodynamics paper did not go well either, and now this has happened.” Seafarer from India killed in ship attack off Oman An Indian seafarer was killed in an attack on a merchant vessel, MV Cape Dao, off the east coast of Oman while it was transiting towards India, the Indian Embassy in Oman said. The ship had 20 Indian seafarers into the wild from oct 1 Vellore’s greenery is now just a trek away N imis h a S P ra d eep @ Vellore Participants take part in a demo trek at Amirthi Reserve Forest | Express As the trail winds through Amirthi forest, bamboo plantations provide shade while the Kottar and Amirthi rivers cut through the greenery. A deep bellow from somewhere in the forest could suddenly signal the presence of an Indian gaur, while pangolins can sometimes be spotted along the trail. Further, trekkers may encounter wildlife including grey hornbills, jackals, pythons and various butterfly species and owls, making the newly introduced trekking trail organised by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department an opportunity to explore one of Vellore’s greener landscapes. From October 1, the initiative will open two organised trek- king routes to the public at Amirthi Reserve Forest, offering visitors a closer look at the riverine and wet deciduous forests of the eastern Jawadhu Hills. Spanning 2 km and 4 km, the routes take visitors through different parts of the forest. The shorter trail passes through Perumal Koil and tribal hamlets, while the longer one leads to the Amirthi waterfalls.  P7