tirupati l saturday l january 23, 2021 l `7.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Sebi penalises HDFC Bank for violating its order Sebi has directed HDFC Bank to deposit `158.68 crore along with interest in an escrow account and pay `1 crore penalty Lender invoked pledged shares To sort out outage issue in 3 months The action comes after a probe by the Securities and Exchange Board of India found the lender unilaterally invoked securities pledged by stock broking firm BRH Wealth Kreators to the extent of `158.68 crore. This violated an interim order by Sebi restraining BRH from accessing the securities market and buying or selling in securities, directly or indirectly ■ ■ Meanwhile, HDFC Bank has submitted a detailed plan of action to RBI to address repeated service disruption issues due to outage The action plan will take 10-12 weeks for implementation. Last month, RBI had temporarily barred the bank from launching new digital banking initiatives and issuing new credit cards | P10 2% Bank’s shares FELL `30.25 apiece TO `1,443.65 ON the B.S.E. ON FRIDAY CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ WARANGAL ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Revise pr poll schedule in view of covid vaccination, CS writes to SEC E x press Ne w s S er v i ce Govt arguments against elections @ Vijayawada Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar (R) and Piyush Goyal during talks with farmer unions, in New Delhi on Friday | Pti Best offer rejected, talks slip below freezing point Both sides meet for just 20-25 mins; no fresh date for dialogue set; govt asks unions to give final response to proposals today E x press Ne w s S er v i ce @ New Delhi/Chandigarh After protesting farmers rejected the government offer to keep the three farm laws in abeyance, differences between the two sides widened with the Centre saying it had nothing more to offer and blaming the farmers for the failed talks on Friday . No date was set for the next meeting, indicating there was no common ground. Sources said ag riculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar expressed unhappiness at the farmers sharing with the media their decision to reject the government’s offer on Thursday Tomar said the farmers did . not have their own welfare in mind even as they were threat- Govt to share probe info on deaths after jab to build trust S u m i S u k a n ya D u t ta @ New Delhi The Centre has decided to make public the findings of probes into all serious adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) for Covid-19 from next week to build confidence around the vaccines, as they have received less than enthusiastic response from beneficiaries so far. Ever since the rollout of the vaccines a week ago, five deaths have been reported, but their AEFI reports tied them to comorbidities and not the vaccine. But the fatalities seem to have exacerbated the vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers. “It is an attempt to improve communication with the targeted groups and build trust,” said a health ministry official. A member in the ICMR’s ethics panel explained that as the rollout advances, particularly in those who are in their 70s and 80s, there could be more such deaths. “People need to understand that because there is a rigorous AEFI tracking mechanism, it will capture all of these deaths,” he said. “There is a background death rate in all age groups — a U-shaped curve, high between 0 to 1 years, then falls, the lowest in the 20 to 40 age group, then rises after 40, and sharply rises in older age groups. The AEFI plan will capture all these deaths among vaccine recipients,” he added. ening to intensify their stir. “The talks remained inconclusive as farmers’ welfare was not at the heart of the talks from the unions’ side. It’s sad,” he said. Tomar urged the farmers to reconsider the proposal as it was in the interest of farmers and the country and threw the , ball in their court. “The unions said they only want the repeal of the laws despite the Centre seeking alternative suggestions. We asked them to recon- Threat to leaders At least three farmers leaders were allegedly threatened over the phone or through social media while one of them accused the police of damaging his car’s windscreen sider our proposal and convey their decision tomorrow,” he said. “The government has made it clear that the three laws will not be repealed and that it had made its best offer. They told us to reconsider their proposal,” Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said. The farmers said although they were at the venue for five hours, the two sides were faceto-face for less than an hour. “The meeting actually happened for only 20-25 minutes. The Centre kept saying we should accept their proposal,” said Shiv Kumar Kakkaji Sharma of the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh. With the talks deadlocked, f ar mers are now preparing for the tractor rally P7 on Republic Day  . Anti-govt social media posts a crime in Bihar RAJ ES H KUMA R T HAKU R @ Patna If you are in Bihar, an offensive social media post can land you in trouble. A circular issued by the Economic Offences Unit of Bihar Police to the principal secretaries and secretaries of various departments states any derogatory post against the state government, ministers, MPs, MLAs and bureaucrats will be treated as ‘punishable cyber offence’. The circular signed by ADG of EOU, N H Khan, adds that those found guilty will be treated in accordance with the law. It caused an uproar from the Opposition with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav hitting out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and calling the decision an attack on freedom of speech. “I challenge the CM to arrest me under this new order. I say it again that Bihar police sells liquor, saves criminals and implicates the innocent,” he said. Kumar had recently spoken out against the misuse of social media platforms. The ruling NDA defended the move, saying restraining those trying to disrupt harmony had become necessary. “Healthy criticism is not treated under the IT Act as a punishable offence. Those who got scared by the legal order must stop making false posts and making unhealthy criticism through social media,” said BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand. “It has come to light that certain people and organisations have been sharing defamatory and offensive posts on social media against the government, respected ministers, MPs, legislators and government officers. This is totally against the law and falls under the category of cyber crimes,” read the circular issued by ADG Khan. Khan added this is not a new order. “It already exists to safeguard the dignity of anyone and any organisation from malicious and defamatory posts.” The State government has urged the State Election Commission to revise the panchayat election schedule stating that it will be difficult to conduct Covid-19 vaccination and local body elections simultaneously . In a letter written to State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar on Friday, Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das stated that considering the apprehensions raised by the police department and various employees’ organisations, they examined issues pertaining to Covid-19 vaccination and made an appraisal of polling personnel, who form part of the first and second batches of the vaccination drive. He said it was found that effective immunity would develop only after taking the first and second doses of vaccine after the fourth week and another four weeks as notified by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. After appraising all aspects it was concluded that it will be difficult for both vaccination of the polling personnel as well as put them on poll duty . If the vaccination is post- Govt raises all concerns in petition filed in SC All the concerns have been raised in the Special Leave Petition filed by government in the SC. The SLP filed by the government has been numbered as Diary No 1796/2021 by the SC Registry and it may come up for hearing shortly, said the CS Employees refuse to attend election duties Leaders of employees’ unions met the Chief Secretary and made it clear that they could not discharge poll duties until they were administered vaccine. They found fault with the SEC for issuing the poll schedule while vaccination drive is on  Effective immunity will develop only after taking the first dose and second dose of vaccine after the fourth week and another four weeks as notified by the Ministry of Health  If the vaccination is postponed it will be a violation of the Centre’s guidelines as it mandated that all frontline staff be covered in the first phase Panchayat Raj Principal Secretary Gopal Krishna Dwivedi leaves the State Election Commissioner’s office in Vijayawada on Friday | Prasant Madugula poned it will be a violation of the Centre’s guidelines as it mandated that all frontline staff be covered in the first phase, the Chief Secretary stated, mentioning that the government is ready to conduct elections after 60 days of completion of the first round of vaccination of frontline staff, who will be involved in the polls. “The State government, in compliance of the High Court order will like to request the SEC that he may arrive at a revised schedule, which will be in compliance with the High Court order in letter and spirit that ‘the parties will make all endeavour to ensure that both programmes are conducted smoothly and successfully he said. ,” Stating that all these concerns have been raised in the Special Leave Petition filed by the government in the Supreme Court, the Chief Secretary disclosed that the SLP filed by the government has been numbered as Diary No 1796/2021 by the Supreme Court Registry and the matter may come up for hearing P4 shortly  . SEC removes 2 District Collectors, SP E x press Ne w s S er v i ce @ Vijayawada State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, who is all set to issue a notification for the first phase of panchayat elections on Saturday, issued proceedings on Friday removing the District Collectors of Chittoor and Guntur and the SP of Tirupati Urban, besides some subordinate police officers from their positions with immediate effect. He sent a communication to the Chief Secretary and the DGP to this effect. “In the face of the continued intransigence and opposition of the State government, the SEC has no other option but to invoke the plenary powers vested with it under Article 243 (K) read with Article 324 to remove the tainted officers,” he said. Pursuant to these orders, the officers who stand removed should hand over charge immediately and relieve themselves for thwith, he added. The SEC mentioned that the said officials came under adverse notice of the commission for their contributory failure in preventing the aberrations in the election process. “The SEC’s unchanged view is that the continuance of poll tainted officers is not in the interests of free and fair polls as it will send a wrong signal and their partisan conduct will be counter-productive to f re e a n d f a i r polls,” he obP4 served.  CWC meet Provide unlimited internet to villages, YSR Jagananna Colonies: CM to officials Sparks fly, but Cong shifts poll E x press Ne w s S er v i ce @ Vijayawada Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed officials to take steps to provide uninterrupted internet to every village in the State. An unlimited internet network should be set up in every village and internet connection should be given to every house from the network point. Internet should also be provided to YSR Jagananna Colonies, which are coming up under the Pedalandariki Illu scheme. An action plan should be evolved in this regard, he said. Holding a review meeting with the officials at his camp office in Tadepalli on Friday, the Chief Minister said the inter net network should be developed using non-destructive cables to ensure uninterrupted connection and facilitate work-fromhome in villages. As part of measures to strengthen the power distribution system in the State, the Chief Minister said underground cables should be laid from the HT lines to substations and from there to villages. An action plan should also be evolved to give high tension and low tension power connections at the panchayat level as per the demand and requirement, Jagan said.  P4 Mystery illness 25 taken ill in another West Godavari village, 8 discharged E x press Ne w s S er v i ce @ Vijayawada Twenty-five people have been taken ill at Komerapalle village in Denduluru mandal of West Godavari district since Thursday late night with symptoms of headache, fainting and seizures, similar to the mystery illness that rocked Eluru in December last year. It came close on the heels of a similar incident at Pulla village in Bhimadole mandal a few days ago. A total of 29 people fell ill between January 17  The government is ready to conduct panchayat elections after 60 days of completion of the first round of Covid-19 vaccination of frontline staff, who will be involved in the poll process Deputy Chief Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas consoles a patient at Komerapalle village in Denduluru mandal of West Godavari district on Friday | Express and 19 and all of them were discharg ed by T hursday evening from Eluru government hospital. Soon after receiving the news that people at Komerapalle, a village with 700 population, in the early hours of Friday Denduluru MLA K Abbaya , Chowdary along with District , Collector R Mutyalaraju, DM&HO Sunanda and a team of doctors, rushed to the village. After administering first aid, people were shifted to the district hospital in Eluru in 108 ambulances. A total of 25 people were shifted by the evening and of them eight were discharged from hospital. The condition of 17 people undergoing treatment at the hospital is reported to be stable. Their condition is being monitored constantly by specialist doctors. A total 50 beds have been arranged for the cases of mystery illness. Deputy Chief Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas visited the houses of the people who fell ill and interacted with their family members to know P4 the situation.  calendar to June RI CHA S HARMA @ New Delhi The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Friday decided not to hold presidential elections in a hurry despite the growing dis, sent among a section of senior leaders over the delay in addressing leadership issues and organisational polls. Election to the post of party president will now be held in June, said AICC general secretary K C Venugopal. According to sources, the decision to delay party polls was taken keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections. The meeting witnessed heated moments with some leaders questioning the party’s reluctance to hold organisational polls. Several leaders, including those who wrote to interim party chief Sonia Gandhi about leadership vacuum, demanded organisational elections be held immediately but they were told that presidential elections will happen first. This group senior leaders like included Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidamabaram, Anand Sharma and Mukul Wasnik. In May, Sonia will complete two years as interim chief of the Congress after Rahul Gandhi decided to step down following the debacle in Lok Sabha elections P7 in 2019.