Fee on UPI transactions above L2K postponed till diwali fest In a major relief to UPI users, the decision to levy a Merchant Discount Rate of 0.4 per cent on transactions over J2,000 has been deferred The Confederation of All India Traders said the government’s move to defer the proposed MDR charges on UPI transactions is “timely and pragmatic”, particularly during the crucial festive and wedding season KOLLAM l wednesday l october 14, 2026 l `10.00 l PAGES 14 l city EDITION The National Payments Corporation of India said on Tuesday that the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions shall be implemented immediately after Diwali on a date to be notified separately. The decision to defer has come amidst protests by the Opposition that termed it a tax, and said the MDR imposition above J2,000 will burden consumers, traders 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 Rahul asks Oppn leaders to be ready to reach Delhi at 24-hr notice; Shah says Cong will lose again in 2029 ‘Resistance’ Introspect, to continue, don’t blame says Rahul SIR: Shah P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi R A J E S H K U M A R T H A K U R @ New Delhi A mock impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi Metro train rides by MPs to challenge travel restrictions, and protest programmes at the denotified Jantar Mantar were among the proposals discussed in the meeting of INDIA bloc leaders and representatives of civil society and students on Tuesday . According to sources, the meeting explored ways to keep the protests going and decided to sustain the agitation. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi told the leaders that they could go back to their constituencies but should return to Delhi at 24 hours’ notice. Speaking to reporters, Rahul said those responsible for the alleged ‘vote theft’ would be brought to justice. Among those who attended the high tea meet at Rahul’s residence on Sunehri Bagh Road were Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi; RJD leaders Tejashwi Yadav and Manoj Jha; SP leaders Harendra Malik, Anand Bhadauria and Mohibullah Nadvi; Left leaders M A Baby and D Raja; JMM’s Mahua Maji; and TMC MP Mahua Moitra. AISA chief Neha Bora and CPI(ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya were also present. UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to introspect why his party has been losing elections rather than playing negative politics over the Special Intensive Revision. In his first public comments on the ongoing protests, Shah said electoral credibility and public confidence can’t be secured through wild allegations and street protests. Instead, he said, opposition parties need to demonstrate their acceptance among voters through sustained public engagement and service. “I want to ask Rahul Ji: Is this (election defeat) the result of SIR? The SIR started only after 2024,” Shah said, adding the Congress and its allies would face a crushing defeat for the fourth consecutive time in 2029. Shah cited the BJP’s performance in the recent municipal elections in Gujarat as evidence of the electorate’s enduring faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Lighting into the Congress leader, Shah said Gandhi is trying to manufacture political momentum through media events and baseless allegations. Such tactics, Shah said, would not help the grand old party regain public confidence. Reshuffle buzz as MoS Murugan resigns RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi UNION Minister of State L Murugan resigned from the council of ministers and the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, stating he wanted to return to Tamil Nadu to strengthen the BJP’s state unit ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The move has fuelled speculation of an imminent Cabinet reshuffle. In a four-page letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, re- EXPRESS READ Ladakh integral part of India, says MEA New Delhi: Reiterating that the Union Territory of Ladakh is an “integral and inalienable part of India,” New Delhi on Tuesday rejected China’s assertion that it has “never recognised” the region. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said “no amount of denial by the Chinese side can change this established fact”. Payoff case: State backs Pinarayi’s arguments Kochi: The government informed the HC that there was nothing wrong with conducting a preliminary inquiry before registering an FIR in the CMRL payoff case. The submission came after the counsel for Pinarayi Vijayan and others made a similar argument before HC, in an appeal against an order directing the VACB to register an FIR against them. P4 quested to be relieved of his ministerial duties and allowed to give up his RS seat. “I want to go to every village (in TN), meet our people, stand beside our karyakartas,” he wrote. Recalling his journey as the son of daily wage labourers, he called his five years in government as the “greatest honour” of his life. Murugan was elected to the RS in September 2021 and reelected from Madhya Pradesh in April 2024. His term runs till April 2030. The vacation of his seat set off speculation on who it was meant to accommodate. Murugan is the third MoS to quit in recent months, after George Kurian and Ravneet Singh Bittu, who resigned in June and July respectively . Other possible exits include Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Giriraj Singh and Annapur na Devi. However, there is no official word yet. Those who failed to get an RS berth include Consumer Affairs MoS BL Verma. MoS Pankaj Chaudhary and Harsh Malhotra, too, are holding ministerial posts while serving as BJP presidents of UP and Delhi respectively . Keeping more than three pet dogs in a household could invite penalties in Keralam, as the government prepares stricter rules to regulate pet ownership, breeding and abandonment. The proposed rules will come into effect immediately . Local Self-Government Minister K M Shaji told TNIE that the gover nment is introducing stricter regulations for pet animals, including mandatory registration of dogs and capping the number of pets in individual households. “We are considering a limit of three dogs per household, primarily to prevent indiscriminate breeding and ensure responsible pet ownership. Currently, the number of pet dogs in the state is estimated to be more than twice the stray dog population, but the lack of a comprehensive registration system Nilekani bats for tech to make exams secure P ushp i ta D e y @ New Delhi Back to grassroots In his letter to PM Modi, Murugan said there is a lot more that the party can achieve in Tamil Nadu Three dogs per household: State to tighten pet ownership rules S ha i n u M o ha n @ T’Puram Plugging leaks makes it difficult to get exact numbers. Registration will help us get accurate figures and improve regulation,” said Shaji. He said keeping a pet dog without registration will be an offence under the new provisions. “We are also working on measures to address instances of illegal breeding and households breaching the cap on pet dog numbers. A fine of Rs 10,000 has been stipulated for abandoning pet animals. We need to make pet owners more accountable,” he said. “The stray dog adoption policy is another important component of the overall framework,” the minister said, adding that a handbook detailing the rules and procedures will be issued this week. The LSGD is also gearing up to issue a separate licence for dog breeding. “The proposed rules also make sterilisation mandatory for pet dogs, including the ones that are adopted,” an LSGD official said.  ● More on P4 INFOSYS co-founder Nandan Nilekani on Tuesday said exam paper leaks can be prevented through a systematic approach that addresses the root causes of the problem, advocating the use of technology to make examinations more secure. Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026 in New Delhi, Nilekani, who heads the high-powered task force on exam reforms, said paper leaks were a solvable problem. “The way to do that is to really have a massive bank of questions. And only at the last minute generate the question paper for that day he said, adding that this ,” would reduce the scope for leaks and eliminate the economic incentive to obtain question papers in advance. He said computer-based testing could further strengthen the process. On the impact of AI on employment, Nilekani dismissed concerns that AI would lead to widespread job displacement, calling it “hogwash”. While AI is automating tasks such as coding, he said, it would also create demand for new skills and generate more work in enterprise transformation. However, companies would need to reskill their staff, he said.