kozhikode l thursday l november 24, 2022 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Scottish govt loses court battle for referendum Britain’s Supreme Court has ruled that Scotland’s government can’t hold an independence referendum without UK’s consent Nicola Sturgeon, SNP leader and first minister of Scotland | AP U.K. Parliament REFUSES TO GIVE CONSENT Rishi Sunak welcomes ‘Definitive ruling’ The Scottish National Party (SNP) wanted a second referendum on October 19, 2023 but the UK Parliament refused to grant a formal consent. Supreme Court president Lord Reed said the laws that created the devolved Scottish Parliament in 1999 meant it does not have power over areas of the constitution including the union between Scotland and England | P9 ■ ■ Welcoming the verdict, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak termed it a “clear and definitive ruling from the Supreme Court” SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said her party respects the court’s decision but added that the next general election in 2024 will be a ‘de facto referendum’ where people will express their will 2014 THE sCOTS REJECTED THE FIRST REFERENDUM, HELD WITH THE U.K.’S APPROVAL, BY 55-45% 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 SC seeks files related to EC Arun Goel’s appointment From December Liquor to cost 2% more; beer, wine exempted Constitution bench says it wants to know if there was any ‘hanky panky’ in the process; government has to submit the papers today E x press N ews S ervice @T’Puram Alcohol will become costlier from next month as the Kerala cabinet on Wednesday decided to hike the sales tax on liquor by 2% of the market price. The hike only applies to Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). Beer and wine have been exempted. The move aims to cover the losses arising from the same meeting’s decision to waive the 5% turnover tax levied from Kerala-based distilleries. The price hike will come into effect after the assembly, which convenes on December 5, passes an amendment to the Kerala General Sales Tax Act, 1963, and a notification is issued. “Most moving brands, those in low and medium price category, will see the price rise by `10 to `20. The minimum hike would be `10 while the maximum would be 2% of the current price,” said a source with Bevco (Kerala State Beverages Corporation). The popular Jawan Rum, produced at the state-run Travancore Sugars and Chemicals Ltd, will get dearer by `10. Japan’s Ritsu Doan scores his team’s first goal against Germany at the Khalifa International Stadium on Wednesday | afp Land of rising sons E x press N ews S ervice Silence speaks louder Germany’s players covered their mouths for their team photo before the match in an apparent rebuke of FIFA’s clampdown on plans to wear armbands to protest discrimination in Qatar | AP Japan’s players did not know what to do apart from run in all directions. Some of them were going right, some were going straight, others left. All of them, though, had their arms outstretched. You didn’t need to know the scoreline. Japan had upset World Cup royalty, Germany The four-time champions . failed to kill the match and the Asian powerhouse won 2-1. Il- Tharoor emerges stronger as Satheesan’s strategy backfires C ynthia C handran @ T’Puram Shashi Tharoor seems to be emerging stronger in the state Congress with each passing day Leader of Oppo. sition V D Satheesan’s attack on Tharoor has apparently backfired with senior leaders, including K Muraleedharan and Mullappally Ramachandran, coming out in support of the latter. Moreover, members of the now defunct ‘ ’ group are gradually A gravitating to the Thiruvananthapuram MP . Tharoor returned to the state capital on Wednesday after completing his four-day Malabar tour, which observers feel was a runaway success. Interestingly both Tha, roor and Satheesan flew back in the same flight. Talking to reporters on arrival, Tharoor chose not to kick up any controversies even as he subtly responded to Satheesan’s tirade against him on Tuesday . Tharoor said he doesn’t un- Back in T’Puram Tharoor returned to T’Puram after completing his four-day Malabar tour, which observers feel was a runaway success derstand why his Malabar visit and the NSS’ invitation to him to inaugurate Mannam Jayanti have courted controversy “I see the invita. tion from the NSS leadership to inaugurate the Mannam Jayanti as a recognition. Whose loss is it if I attend the Mannam Jayanti? It should be checked whether the Leader of Opposition has got the needle to prick the balloon? These questions should be posed to those who raked up the controversy he said. ,” Replying to a question, he said “I met Satheesan on board my flight. I said hello. Since our seats were not near, we couldn’t talk to each other.” Satheesan did not speak to the media at the airport. Tharoor’s supporters assess that the opposite camp’s strategy to isolate him has misfired. It was the Youth Congress Kozhikode district committee’s last-minute decision to withdraw from hosting Tharoor that brought his Malabar tour to limelight. Had they continued with the scheduled programme, it would have passed as a mundane affair, they feel. Tharoor has reasons to feel elated as he now has the privilege to be invited by the NSS. For quite some time, NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair has shut his doors before AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Satheesan and even senior leader Ramesh ● More on P4 Chennithala.  kay Gundogan had converted a first-half penalty and it was smooth sailing until Japan, who had the reached the last 16 in 2018, went for the jugular in the second half. They rung in the changes and drove at the heart of Germany’s creaking midfield till it crumbled like a house of cards. The defeat leaves Germany needing a result against Spain on Sunday. Or, it could be an early exit. More on: P11  Drug addict out of rehab kills 4 of his family in Delhi U jwal J alali @ New Delhi A drug addict just out of rehab allegedly went on a killing spree, stabbing four members of his family in southwest Delhi’s Palam area, the police said on Wednesday . The mass murder took place late on Tuesday night. “A person made a PCR call around 10.30pm claiming he was hearing sounds of quarrel in his neighbourhood after which the police immediately rushed to the location,” Deputy Police Commissioner (Southwest) Manoj C said. The Kerala Police are planning to form a dedicated wing to operate drones to cover highrush events like makaravilakku during Sabarimala pilgrimage and movement of VVIPs visiting the state. The move aims at enhancing security cover during festivals and programmes that see a huge turnout and also aid in security profiling. Though drones have been used to monitor the rush during festivals like Thrissur Pooram and sometimes even the Sabarimala pilgrimage, this is the first time the police are looking to set up a team of trained officials to handle the gadgets. devotees, triggering a stampede and claiming 102 lives. “ T h e idea is to train at least three officers in drone handling in each of the 20 police districts. Private firms with expertise in handling drones will provide the training. We are in talks with some firms and will finalise one for the training,” a senior police officer told TNIE. The idea is to train at least three officers in drone handling in each of the 20 police districts. Private firms with expertise in handling drones will provide the training — A senior police officer (Clockwise from top left) Accused Keshav, his mother, grandma, father and sister | PTI Guv Khan returns 1st detention centre New twist in Delhi ‘irrelevant’ ordinance for foreigners opens murder case T’Puram: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has returned to the government the ordinance removing him as the chancellor of universities in the state and said it has become irrelevant. Speaker A N Shamseer said that there was nothing unnatural about it. The governor sent the ordinance back as the assembly is scheduled to be held from December 5 | P4 Spl drone wing to watch over pilgrims, VVIPs As per the proposal floated by the police drone fore n s i c l ab and research centre, 60 officers will be handpicked from different wings of the department and given advanced training in handling drones. The team will also help the police prevent mishaps like the Pulmedu tragedy of 2011 when a jeep carrying Sabarimala pilgrims ploughed into a crowd of Accused Keshav (25) was caught by neighbours and the police while he was trying to bolt. He hacked his 75-year-old grandmother Diwano Devi, parents Dinesh and Darshan, and sister Urvashi with a sharp-edged weapon. One of the family members, while speaking to this newspaper, said the accused spent more than 30 months at a rehabilitation centre and had recently come out of it. “He was a drug addict and had frequent fights with his family He used . to nag them for money,” said Keshav’s cousin Kuldeep Saini, e x p r ess r ea d p o l i ce ’ s n e w i d ea S han A S @T’Puram the bench that Goel, a 1985 you are claiming that everybatch IAS officer of Punjab thing is going on smoothly We . TAKING note of the alacrity cadre and a secretary-level of- don’t think it’s a matter where with which the government ficial, was given VRS on Friday we should be withholding ingranted VRS to former bureau- and appointed as EC on Satur- formation. This is not a matter crat Arun Goel and appointed day to enable him to start work- related to appointment of a milhim as election commissioner, ing from Monday . itary person.” a five-judge Constitution bench “The government appointed The bench also observed that of the Supreme Court on someone in a single the Chief Election Wednesday ordered the Centre day and no one knows Commissioner should to submit all the original files what process was folbe a strong-willed perrelated to the appointment. lowed or what safeson who will not hesiThe five-judge bench headed guards were taken,” tate to act even against by Justice K M Joseph said it Bhushan said. the Prime Minister, if wants to know if there was any Asking attor ney need be. “hanky panky” because Goel’s general R Venkatara“Suppose there is appointment happened while it mani if the governsome allegation Arun Goel was hearing a plea seeking a ment has any hesitaagainst the Prime Mincollegium-like system for the tion in presenting the file, the ister and the CEC has to act. Election Commission of India. bench observed that the ap- But the CEC is weak-kneed. He The Centre should not have any pointment was inappropriate does not act. Is it not a complete problem submitting the rele- as the matter was being heard breakdown of the system? The vant files if everything was by the Constitution bench. CEC is supposed to be insulated done as per procedure, the When the AG objected to from political influence and bench observed. The court gave Goel’s appointment being should be independent,” the the Centre time till Thursday to dragged into a case where the bench remarked. produce all the relevant files. court is considering a larger isVenkataramani told the The direction came after ad- sue, Justice Joseph said, “We bench that there had to be a vocate Prashant Bhushan told would like to know… because trigger point for the top court to interfere in such matters. The AG also told the bench that ‘nEED A cec WHO CAN ACT EVEN AGAINST THE PM’ the appointments were on the The Constitution bench said the person appointed as the Chief Election basis on seniority and there Commissioner must be independent and should be willing to act even was no separate appointment against the Prime Minister in the event of serious allegations procedure for CEC. S H R U T I K A K K A R @ New Delhi Sources said officers having an engineering background and interested in working in the unit will be drafted. The team will be given a basic oneweek training. An additional week’s training will be given to team members looking for expertise in specific areas. Sources said security concerns prompted the police to plan the new unit. “Threats posed by drones have risen in recent times. Normally, we engage private drone operators to cover special events, including VIP visits. However, there is risk associated with it. So, we decided to form our own unit that will be solely responsible to cover high-profile, high-security events,” said a source. Kochi: The Kerala government launched the first transit home/ detention centre in the state to provide accommodation to foreigners, who have entered the country illegally, convicted foreigners waiting for deportation, and those whose visas might have expired, at Kottiyam in Kollam, on November 21 | P5 New Delhi: The horrific case of murder of a woman in Delhi by her live-in partner took a new turn on Wednesday after the copy of a letter she wrote to the police exactly two years ago revealing his threats to “kill and cut her into pieces” surfaced. Shraddha Walkar was killed in May, her body chopped into multiple pieces and disposed of | P8 Rooster injures 2-yr-old, doc says boy will require surgery E x press N ews S ervice @Kochi A two-year-old boy suffered serious injuries on his face after a rooster belonging to a local resident attacked him at Manjummel in Kochi last week. The Eloor police have registered a case against Jaleel, the bird’s owner. The doctor who examined the boy said he will require plastic surgery . The incident took place on November 18. Ahammed Salal, the son of Sheffi Mubarak of Choornikara, was attacked by the rooster while playing outside his uncle Fahim Hussain’s house at Manjummel. He suffered injuries on his head, forehead, cheek and also under the eye. “Upon hearing his cries, the family members rushed outside and rescued Ahammed. The wounds on the boy’s face are deep and the doctor has recommended plastic surgery The . child is yet to recover from the shock,” said a police officer. Jaleel was booked under IPC Section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) following a complaint lodged by Fahim, the boy’s uncle. “The child’s family alleged that the rooster had attacked people earlier too. Though the neighbours had urged Jaleel not to release the bird from its enclosure, he allegedly did not heed their demand,” said the ● More on P4 officer.  who stayed just a floor below. On Tuesday night, he heard a noisy quarrel and climbed the stairs to check. “I heard screams of my cousin Urvashi after which I rushed upstairs and started banging the door to know her welfare but none opened,” Kuldeep said. Keshav responded from inside asking him to buzz off as it was his family matter. “There was complete silence for 15 mins but in the meantime I had called the police. When the police arrived, Keshav jumped from the second floor to escape but we caught him,” Kuldeep said. Model code case: UP court declares BJP MP absconder N amita B ajpai @ Lucknow A district court in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur on Wednesday declared BJP parliamentarian Arun Sagar an absconder following no-shows in court in connection with a case of violation of model code of conduct during the last Lok Sabha polls in 2019. Sagar is accused of getting a wall of Shahjahanpur painted without seeking the administration’s permission. According to Nilima Saxena, special public prosecutor of the ShahjaArun Kumar Sagar hanpur MP/ MLA court, Sagar had used campaign material without permission of the concerned officials in the 2019 polls. He was repeatedly summoned to appear in court but he failed to turn up. While phone calls to Sagar drew no response, BJP leader Dr Chandra Mohan said, “This often happens during elections. I won’t say much about it since the matter is sub-judice. However, law will take it own course and the MP concerned would abide by it.”