HYDERABAD l saturday l april 05, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE CITY EDITION Supreme Court rejects Petition to seize Electoral Bond Funds Supreme Court has rejected a review of its fiat rejecting petitions for confiscating money received by parties under electoral bond scheme no roving inquiry into electoral bonds No alternative mechanism yet, says govt A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra dismissed the review plea filed by Khem Singh Bhati against the court’s decision of August 2, 2024, when the Supreme Court had rejected several pleas, including one filed by Bhati, for a court-monitored probe into electoral bonds and observed it couldn’t order a roving inquiry ■ ■ A five-judge Constitution bench led by former CJI D Y Chandrachud on February 15 last year scrapped the electoral bonds scheme of anonymous political funding introduced by the BJP government The govt on Friday said there is no proposal under consideration to have an alternative mechanism to the electoral bond scheme `16,518 cr amount that the plea sought to be confiscated from political parties 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 Congress MP, AIMIM president file petitions Fight against the Waqf bill in SC P r ee t h a N a i r @ New Delhi Hours after the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 received Parliament’s approval, the Congress and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) moved the Supreme Court on Friday challenging its validity , , arguing that it violates constitutional provisions. The development came a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin announced in the state assembly that the DMK will move the SC to challenge the bill. In his plea, Congress MP Mohammad Jawed held that the bill imposes arbitrary restrictions on waqf properties and their management, undermining the religious autonomy of Muslims. The petition claimed that the proposed law discriminates against Muslims by imposing restrictions that are not present in the governance of other religious endowments. Jawed, an MP from Bihar’s Kishanganj, was also a member of the JPC that scrutinised the bill. While the Lok Sabha cleared the bill 288:232; in the Rajya Sabha its was 128:95. Both Houses witnessed 12-hour Rajya Sabha approves legislation 128:95 AIMPLB knocks prez door The All India Muslim Personal Law Board sought an urgent appointment with President Droupadi Murmu to express their concern before her assent to the Waqf Bill marathon debates. The bill will now go to the President for assent before becoming law. Earlier in the day AICC gen, eral secretary Jairam Ramesh said his party will soon challenge the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Supreme Court. Challenging the bill in the top court, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi in his plea argued that it removes various protections that were previously accorded to waqfs as well as to Hindu, Jain, and Sikh religious and charitable endowments. “This diminishing of the protection given to Waqfs while retaining them for religious and charitable endowments of other religions constitutes hostile discrimination against Muslims and is violative of Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution, which prohibit discrimination on the grounds of religion.” Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM MP Policemen detain a protester against the Waqf bill in Ahmedabad on Friday | PTI Protesters hit the streets demanding its withdrawal D i l i p S i n g h K s h at r i ya @ Ahmedabad Protests erupted in parts of the country hours after Parliament passed the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the wee hours of Friday . In Ahmedabad, protesters poured into the streets, denouncing the bill saying it is an assault on minority rights and religious autonomy They held . placards that read “Withdraw Waqf Bill” and “Reject UCC” and sported black armbands. Police intervened and detained at least 50 protesters. Protests were also reported in pockets of Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Manipur and Jharkhand. Heavy police presence is sensitive localities of UP ensured the state was peaceful. In Delhi, students of the Jamia Millia Islamia staged a protest in front of the university. They condemned the bill as “unconstitutional and communal” and criticised the university administration for attempting to suppress dissent. In Kolkata, hundreds of Muslims took to the streets to express their opposition to the contentious legislation, with several minority organisations joining the agitation. There were reports of protests in parts of Imphal Valley . They raised concerns about the autonomy and administration of Waqf properties. Want positive, constructive ties with B’desh: PM to Yunus j ayan t h j a c o b @ New Delhi IN his first meeting with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus after tensions following Sheikh Hasina’s government exit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised India’s desire to build a positive, constructive ties with Bangladesh based on pragmatism and highlighted New Delhi’s people-centric approach to the relationship. During the 45 minutes meeting on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Thailand, Modi underscored India’s concerns on safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed an expectation that the Bangladeshi government would ensure their TG to move SC against AP projects en s @ Hyderabad The state government has decided to approach the Supreme Court against two major river interlinking projects proposed by the Andhra Pradesh government — Godavari-Banakacherla Link Scheme, and Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS). Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday announced the decision, following a high-level review meeting held at Jala Soudha, maintaining that the Telangana will contest the schemes to safeguard its rightful share in Godavari and Krishna river waters. “We will not allow AP to divert our rightful share of Godavari and Krishna waters. We are preparing for a strong legal battle. Our case in the Supreme Court will be based on facts, law, and the fundamental rights of the people of Telangana,” he said.  CONTINUED ON P4 protection, particularly by investigating incidents of atrocities against them, while urging that rhetoric that vitiates the environment should be avoided. “Enunciating India’s people-centric approach to the relationship, Prime Minister highlighted that cooperation between the two countries has brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries. He underlined India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on pragmatism,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said after the meeting. In the context of comments including Yunus’ statement about Bangladesh remaining the ‘guardian of the ocean’ for India’s north eastern states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets Muhammad Yunus in Thailand | PTI Modi urged Yunus that “rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided.” Modi also stressed on the need for a strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossings. Incendiary comments made by Hasina in India was raised during the meeting Shafiqul Alam, Yunus’ press secy India has got a China problem from US tariffs D IPA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi AS US President Donald Trump’s new tariff regime takes off, Indian businesses are facing a dragon-sized threat. India has a $100-billion trade deficit with China. With the US imposing a 54% tariff on Chinese imports, India could become a dumping ground for surplus Chinese goods. In 2024, China exported goods worth $440 billion and maintained a trade surplus of $295 billion with the US. With the additional tariff, Chinese goods will become uncompetitive in the US market. China’s usual back-channel exports through Vietnam and Bangladesh may not work this time, as they too have been tariffed. China’s top exports to the US are electrical and electronics items, machinery toys, apparel, , etc. India imports electrical & electronics items, heavy machinery, and iron & steel from China. This diminishing of the protection given to Waqfs while retaining them for religious and charitable endowments of other religions constitutes hostile discrimination against Muslims and is violative of Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution, which prohibit discrimination on the grounds of religion According to the Indian Steel Association, as the US shuts its doors to global steel, surplus steel from China— the world’s largest steel producer—could be redirected to India, leading to market distortions. Electronics, apparel and footwear sectors may also be hit similarly . “In 2024, Directorate General of Trade Remedies registered 43 anti-dumping cases against China. Chinese manufacturers may now escalate dumping,” said Debopam Chaudhuri, chief economist, Piramal Enterprises. “While we negotiate with the US, we must also guard against China’s reaction,” said Madhavi Puri, chief economist at Emkay Global Financial Services. China hits back with 34% tariff on US Beijing: In a titfor-tat response, China on Friday slapped a 34% additional tariff on all imports from the US, effective April 10. Beijing also announced export controls on certain rare earth metals, aiming to hit American defence, computer, and smartphone industries | P9 It’s BJP vs MIM for MLC seat A fierce contest is shaping up in the Hyderabad Local Authorities MLC elections as the BJP and the AIMIM fielded their candidates on Friday. Ruling Congress and BRS have opted out of the contest | p4 TG mulls ESZ in Kancha Gachibowli land E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Hyderabad In a significant move aimed at addressing concerns raised by the agitating students of the University of Hyderabad (UoH), the state government is likely to propose declaring the 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). The proposal may also extend to include the UoH campus itself, amid growing public outcry over environmental and wildlife conservation. According to sources, the government is prepared to pro- fir against 54 UoH students Police registered a case under Section 170 of the BNSS against 54 students of the University of Hyderabad for “illegally” protesting against the government in the Kancha Gachibowli land issue p4 vide world-class facilities to preserve the wildlife and ecological balance in the region, which is widely regarded as the “lung space” of Hyderabad. Sources privy to the developments told TNIE that the government is preparing a detailed proposal to be discussed with the UoH administration, the Joint Action Committee (JAC), student delegations, civil society g roups, and other stakeholders. It is noteworthy that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has already announced the formation of a ministerial committee to address and resolve the Kancha Gachibowli land issue. The committee includes Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu, and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy . Continued on p4