BELAGAVI  FRIDAY  SEPTEMBER 22, 2023  `9.00  PAGES 12  LATE CITY EDITION AADHAAR NOT MANDATORY FOR ELECTORAL ROLL AUTHENTICATION ECI PROMISES TO MAKE CLARIFICATORY CHANGES The Election Commission told the Supreme Court that it is not mandatory to provide Aadhaar number for electoral roll authentication Rule 26B of the Registration of Electors (Amendment) Rules 2022, notified last year, said “every person whose name is listed in the roll may intimate his Aadhaar number to the registration officer in Form 6B”. Lawyers for the poll panel argued that providing Aadhaar number was not mandatory under Rule 26B, and it will make clarificatory changes in Forms 6 and 6B ■ 66.2 crore NOT MUST EVEN FOR E.W.S. ADMISSIONS: HC ■ Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court ruled that Aadhaar number is not mandatory for admission to a private unaided recognised school under any of the categories of economically weaker section (EWS) The court upheld an order by a single-judge bench staying the Delhi government’s decision to make Aadhaar must for EWS admissions AADHAAR NUMBERS ALREADY UPLOADED FOR FINALISING ELECTORAL ROLLS: ECI 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 Canada loses Indian visa power It’s safe haven for terrorists, says MEA; Ottawa told to downsize its diplomatic headcount Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi Farmers block Mysuru-Bengaluru highway in protest against the Supreme Court’s decision on release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu on Thursday | EXPRESS SC: Won’t interfere with CWMA, CWRC orders on Cauvery EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Thursday refused to interfere with the orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) directing the Karnataka government to release 5,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. The court said that the factors taken into consideration by the two authorities while issuing the orders were not “extraneous.” Meanwhile, activists of various Kannada and farmers’ organisations launched massive protests in the Cauvery basin districts in Karnataka against the SC’s decision. A bench of justices BR Gavai, PS Narasimha and PK Mishra took note of the fact that CWMA and CWRC, which hold meetings every 15 days to reassess the situation pertaining to release of Cauvery water, had directed Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to TN after studying various factors.“We are thus of the view that factors Further release will lead to water crisis in K’taka: CNNL taken into consideration by the authorities are not extraneous,” the bench said in its order. The judges remarked that the SC cannot ascertain the quantum of water needed by each state since it was not the competent authority and that CWMA’s order was “interim in nature.” “We are not the competent authority We have told you ear. lier also. There is CWMA. We sitting in court 4 of the SC cannot ascertain how much water each state needs,” Justice BR Gavai, the presiding judge of the bench, said. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for TN, submitted that though CWMA and CWRC at their meeting on August 20 considered the drought situation and observed that TN was entitled to 7,200 cusecs of water per day, they later reduced the quantum of water to 5,000 cusecs. Senior advocate Shyam Divan, who represented Karnataka, urged SC to reconsider CWMA’s September 18 order. He argued that the authorities should not have directed Karnataka to release more than 3,000 cusecs of water per day . Oppn: Govt failed in protecting state’s interests P4 BILATERAL tensions escalated further on Thursday as India ordered suspension all visa services to Canadian citizens and asked the Canadian High Commission in India to downsize their staff to bring parity with Indian diplomats. India went on to describe Canada as a safe haven for terrorists, with Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi revealing that extradition of 20-25 individuals had been sought based on their antecedents but there was no response to the demand. The foreign office also said Canada did not share any specific information on the killing Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June on its soil, which triggered the stand-off. Gangster Sukhdul Singh Gangster Sukhdul Singh a.k.a Sukha Duneke, a wanted criminal in Punjab, was killed in the Canadian city of Winnipeg by unidentified people, in what is believed to be due to inter-gang rivalry. He had 18 cases against him, including that of murder It added that there was a degree of prejudice in Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations on Indian role in Nijjar’s murder. As for the visa suspension, Bagchi said, “Our diplomatic staff in the High Commission and Consulates in Canada are working under threats and in that situation it would not be viable to continue issuing visas. Therefore, we have decided not to provide visa services for the time being. Canadian citizens from third countries too cannot apply for visas.’’ India expects Canada to downsize its staff at its High Commission and Consulates. “We need diplomatic parity. Their numbers are higher here than ours in Canada. Canadian diplomats also interfere in our domestic affairs,’’ said Bagchi. Giving it a different spin, the Staggering 214-0 for women’s bill R A J E S H K U M A R T H A K U R @ New Delhi HISTORY was made in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday with all 214 members present in the House voting in favour of the Women’s Reservation Bill after a 11-hour debate. There was no vote against it nor was there any abstention. Expressing his gratitude, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his reply to the bill said it will create a new confidence among the people. All members of all parties played a significant role in empowering women and enhancing nari shakti, the Prime Minister observed. He urged the members to vote for the bill collectively, thus sending a new message to all the women. In all, 72 members participated in the discussions. Some from the Opposition called it a postdated cheque, while others panned it as an election gimmick aimed at electoral gain in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Opposition also sought the carving out of an OBC quota within the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in his address, demanded that the legislation be made effective immediately instead putting it off till the Census and delimitation exercises are completed. FinMin: Low household savings due to high consumer spending E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ New Delhi NET HOUSEHOLD SAVINGS AT 5.1% Net household savings declined to a 47-year low of 5.1% of gross domestic product in FY23 as compared to 7.2% recorded in the previous year, as per the data released by the Reserve Bank in its latest monthly bulletin THE government has refuted claims of distress after a recent RBI data showed the net household financial savings have fallen to a 50-year low of 5.1% in 2022-23. In a clarification issued on Thursday the finance ministry said the , fall in household savings is because of higher borrowings for purchase of real estate and vehicles. “Changing consumer preference for different financial products is the real reason for fall in household savings and that there is no distress as is being circulated in some circles,” read a statement. The ministry added that the concern over the drop in net household savings is unwarranted as the figures cited are ‘flow’ numbers (or net additions in FY23), and that the overall household EXPRESS READ RBI proposes stringent norms for wilful defaulters Mobs attempt to storm police stns in Manipur Mumbai: The RBI on Thursday proposed tighter norms for wilful defaulters under which banks and other lenders will have to examine all accounts with outstanding amount of Rs 25 lakh and more to see if the borrower is deliberately not repaying the loan. It issued a ‘Draft Master Direction on Treatment of Wilful Defaulters and Large Defaulters’ on which comments have been invited till October 31 | P10 Guwahati: Protestors, mostly women, attempted to storm police stations in parts of Manipur’s Imphal valley on Thursday to court arrest as five youths nabbed by the police last week for carrying weapons were not released by the state government | P8 MEDICAL graduates from India will now be able to practice and pursue post-graduate studies abroad as the National Medical Commission, India’s top regulatory body for medical education and professionals, said it has received the coveted World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) Recognition Status for 10 years. “The National Medical Commission (NMC) has achieved the remarkable feat of being granted the coveted World Federation for Medical Education Recognition Status for a re- markable tenure of 10 years,” the Union health ministry said. All 706 existing medical colleges in India will become WFME-accredited. Medical colleges that will be set up over the next 10 years will also receive WFME accreditation. Medical graduates from India can now practice or pursue post-graduation in countries like the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the health ministry statement said. “With NMC being WFME accredited, all the Indian medical students will become eligible to apply for the Education Commission on Foreign Medical Education (ECFMG) ISRO scientists are confident of successfully ‘waking up’ C h a n d r aya a n - 3 ’s rove r Pragyaan and lander Vikram on Friday, after being put in a ‘sleep mode’ on September 2 and 4, respectively, to survive the 14-day lunar night. Pragyaan and Vikram have been exposed to extreme cold temperatures of about -200 degrees Celsius through the lunar night at Shiv Shakti Point near the Moon’s south pole. The ground station at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network will try to revive the lander and rover modules after optimum sunshine is available to adequately recharge the lithium-ion batteries. “The chances of resurrecting the two are bright because of the extensive simulations that were carried out by ISRO before the mission launch on July 14. During the simulation tests, Vikram and Pragyaan were exposed to lower than -180 degrees Celsius for more than 14 days, and were yet successful in restarting them,” said a scientist involved with developing and testing the batteries of the P8 lander and rover. And FILMMAKERS WHO PROVOKE Discover the world of New ideas, Enduring Icons and Diverse Identities savings remain almost static. In the clarification, the ministry said households added net financial assets of `22.8 lakh crore in FY21, nearly `17 lakh crore in FY22, and `13.8 lakh crore in FY23. “So, they added less financial assets to their portfolio than in the previous year and the year before, but it is important to note that their overall net financial assets are still growing,” it said. The drop in net financial assets (net financial savings of households) in FY23 is due to a sharp rise in additional financial liabilities, which grew from `5.9 lakh crore in FY22 to `15.8 lakh crore in FY23. “They added financial assets by a lesser magnitude than in the previous years because they have now started taking loans to buy real assets such as homes,” it added. and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). The recognition will further enhance the quality and standards of medical education in India by aligning them with the global best practices and benchmarks,” the ministry said. It will also facilitate academic collaborations and exchange, the statement said. “WFME’s recognition underscores that the quality of medical education in India adheres to global standards. This accolade empowers our students with the opportunity to pursue their careers anywhere in the world,” Dr Yogender Malik, member of the Ethics and Medical Registration Board Partner Presenting and head of media at NMC, said. BALA CHAUHAN & P U R A N C H O U D H A R Y @ Bengaluru POLITICIANS WHO THINK NOVELISTS WHO THRILL MYTHOLOGISTS WHO MESMERISE ACTORS WHO INSPIRE NAVEEN PATNAIK DHARMENDRA PRADHAN Odisha Chief Minister Indian med grads can now practice abroad K A V I TA B A J E L I D AT T @ New Delhi Canadian High Commission in Delhi said it will temporarily adjust its staff presence to ensure safety of its diplomats. “With some diplomats receiving threats on various social media platforms, Global Affairs Canada is assessing its staff complement in India,” the High Commission said. For his part, Trudeau said in New York — on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly — that he had a direct and frank conversation with his counterpart Narendra Modi in Delhi, in which he shared his concerns. “We call upon India to work with us with full transparency for accountability and justice. We are a country of the rule of law. We are going to continue to do the work necessary to keep Canadians safe and to uphold our values.” WANTED CRIMINAL KILLED IN WINNIPEG Chandrayaan-3 might wake up again today Bibek Debroy Mani Shankar Aiyar Anand Ranganathan Hansal Mehta Union Minister Nila Madhab Panda Mita Vasisht Abhiram Biswal Parakala Prabhakar Anirudh Kala Nivedita Mohanty Gourav Mohanty Gourahari Das Satyarth Nayak ODISHA SEPTEMBER 23 & 24 2023 BHUBANESWAR MAYFAIR CONVENTION LITERARY FESTIVAL Associate Partners Outdoor Partner Associate Partners Gold Partners Presenting Partner Gold Partners Presenting Partner Gold Partners Presenting Partner Presenting Partner Presenting Partner Radio Partner Associate Pa Hospitality Partner Hospitality Partner Associate Partners Leading Out-Of-Home Media Owners GoldPartners Partners Gold Associate Partners Hospitality Partner Outdoor Partner Radio Partner Print Partner Hospitality Partner Book Partner Book Partner Outdoor Partner Leading Out-Of-Home Media Owners TV TV Partner Partner TV Partner Radio Partner Print Partner Print Partner Print Partner Print Partner TV Partner TV Partner Leading Out-Of-Home Media Owners Associate Partners Hospitality Partner Outdoor Partner Radio Partner Print Partner TV Partner Leading Out-Of-Home Media Owners Book Partner Leading Out-Of-Home Media Owners Outdoor Partner Book Partner