HYDERABAD  SATURDAY  JULY 26, 2025  `9.00  PAGES 18  LATE CITY EDITION MODI BECOMES SECOND LONGEST SERVING PM SURPASSING INDIRA Narendra Modi has reached what the NDA described on Friday as a “historic milestone”, consecutive terms of 11 years as prime minister BJP leaders said Modi is the first and only Prime Minister born after Independence to become the longest-serving non-Congress PM NO MEAN FEAT: 4,078 DAYS IN HIGH OFFICE VAJPAYEE TOO HAD THREE SHOTS AT PM POST After completing 4,078 consecutive days in office, PM Modi has now surpassed former prime minister Indira Gandhi, who served for 4,077 days from 1966 to 1977. Throughout his uninterrupted 24 years in office, Modi was Gujarat chief minister for 13 years from 2001 before seamlessly occupying the post of PM after winning the general elections in 2014 ■ ■ Modi has already matched first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who had won three consecutive general elections | P9 BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee too did three stints as prime minister after elections in 1996 (13-day government); 1998, when he headed the government for 13 months; and in 1999 for a full term Six CONSECUTIVE ELECTIONS WON BY MODI IN 2002, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2024 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 Phase 1 over, 65.2L out of Bihar poll roll MUKESH RANJAN AND RAMASHANKAR @ New Delhi/Patna DRDO TESTS DRONE GUIDED MISSILES Flight trials of V3, equipped with high definition dualchannel seeker that can strike a wide variety of targets, were carried out in Kurnool in AP | P7 AS many as 65.2 lakh names have been excluded from the Bihar election rolls months ahead of the assembly polls, whose controversial voter enumeration phase ended on Friday Voters and political parties . have till September 1 to challenge the deletion or addition of names after the Election Commission of India (ECI) publishes the draft rolls on August 1. Of the total 7.9 crore registered voters in Bihar, 22 lakh were weeded out as they were dead, 35 lakh permanently migrated, 7 lakh had registered at more than one place, and 1.2 lakh are untraceable, the ECI said. The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) made a mockery of the summery revision of poll rolls in Bihar in January this year, which had arrived at the figure of 7.9 crore voters in the state. The RJD, Bihar’s main opposition party, said it will continue its protest against the SIR exercise. Former chief minister Rabri Devi, mother of former deputy chief min- ister Tejashwi Yadav, wondered how four crore Biharis living outside the state would be able to complete the SIR formalities within the short span of two months. She went on to allege a political plot to eliminate Tejashwi. The RJD and the Congress have already hinted at the possibility of boycotting the state polls due in October-November if the discrepancies pointed out by them in the SIR are not properly addressed. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently warned of action against ‘partisan’ poll officials involved in conducting the SIR exercise in Bihar. A couple of days ago, Tejashwi said, “We are keeping the option open for boycott of the assembly polls. When the time comes, we will take a decision following a discussion with our alliance partners.” Krishna Allavaru, AICC in-charge of Bihar, said: “Talks are on for every option…. This process (SIR) was not acceptable to the INDIA bloc from the beginning, and we won’t accept it in the future.” TG caste survey cutting-edge: Rahul E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Hyderabad LEADER of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday praised the Telangana government for conducting a comprehensive caste-based socio-economic survey , describing it as a model for datadriven governance. Speaking at the Congress OBC Leadership - Bhagidari Nyay Mahasammelan in New Delhi, Rahul called the Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste Survey a “cutting-edge tool of empowerment in the digital age”. He said the detailed data collected would allow Telangana to design targeted welfare and development policies, claiming that no other state currently matches its governance capacity . “No other state in India today has the ability to target development the way Telangana has,” he told an audience of OBC leaders and Congress workers. In a social media post later in the day Rahul connected the survey to , the Congress’s role in the creation of Telangana. He wrote: “Sonia ji’s fight to create the state of Telangana cemented our emotional connection to the people, the language, and the culture of this beautiful state. I am filled with immense pride as I witness the efforts of the Congress government in conducting the caste survey Their commitment to a sin. cere, inclusive and consultative process has set a new benchmark, one that should guide future Census exercises across the country .” The former AICC president described the survey as laying the foundation for what he termed “Social Justice 2.0”, a framework for equitable governance based on data. “This is how India must move forCONTINUED ON P4 ward,” he said. ISRO chief: India must triple satellite fleet in three years E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Hyderabad ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan on Friday said India would need to nearly triple the number of its operational satellites in space, from the current 55 to around 150, within the next three years to meet growing national demand. Speaking at the GP Birla Memorial Lecture on Indian Space Programme – Accomplishments, Challenges and Future Perspectives, Narayanan said ISRO aims to match global standards in space technology applications and infra, structure by 2040. Narayanan was bestowed with the GP Birla Memorial Award at the event. Recalling ISRO’s achievement in placing 100 satellites in a single launch, Narayanan highlighted how the data accumulated by the organisation benefits everyday sectors such as agriculture and fisheries through accurate weather alerts and resource mapping. He confirmed that 12 launch vehicle missions are scheduled for this year, including the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), which will be launched using India’s GSLV F16 rocket on July 30. “Now we are working on building our own space station. We are going to have our own Chandrayaan landing. At present, 55 satellites are in orbit serving the common man. In the next three years, that number has to become nearly three times,” the ISRO chairman CONTINUED ON P7 said. Locals remove bricks and cement slabs by hand to rescue students trapped under debris | PTI 7 students killed, 25 hurt as Rajasthan school collapses R A J E S H A S N A N I @ Jaipur SEVEN students were killed and over 25 others were injured when a government school collapsed on Friday morning at Piplodi village in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district. The students, mostly from Class 7, were inside the school when the structure gave way burying the stu, dents under piles of concrete slabs, bricks and stones. Five children died on the spot, while two succumbed to injuries in hospital. The tragedy occurred at 8 am on Monday. Moments before the collapse, students noticed debris falling from the ceiling and alerted teachers, who allegedly ignored the warning signs. Locals said a portion of the school building collapsed with such force that it sounded like an explosion. Villagers who rushed to the site and the school staff conducted the initial rescue operation. The villagers said the children were taken out with great difficulty . The injured were initially taken to Manohar Thana Hospital. “Thirty-five injured children were brought in. Eleven were critical and they were referred to the district hospital in Jhalawar,” said Dr Kaushal Lodha, medical officer, Manohar Thana Hospital. “There were about 50 children in the school when it collapsed. I had alerted the teachers several times about the poor condition of the building, but no repairs were done,” said Badrilal, father of a student. Jhalawar district collector Ajay Singh Rathore said the school was not listed among structurally unsafe buildings. The Education Department suspended five teachers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu and Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma expressed condolences over the loss of lives. INDIA AND MALDIVES RESET BILATERAL RELATIONS Modi gives Muizzu L4,850 crore lifeline; FTA on the table Defence and security cooperation is a testament to mutual trust. The roots of our relationship are older than history and as deep as the sea… Narendra Modi, Prime Minister India’s continued assistance to the Maldives through the export of essential commodities is a key facet of our bilateral cooperation under the longstanding trade agreement Mohamed Muizzu, Maldivian President Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu during the exchange of an MoU and virtual inauguration of the projects, in Male | PTI J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi INDIA and the Maldives on Friday unveiled a significant reset in bilateral relations, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing a `4,850 crore line of credit (LoC) and a new framework for expanding cooperation in trade, defence, infrastructure, and digital connectivity among others. , Modi’s visit, his first to the Maldives in his third term, marks a sharp turnaround in bilateral ties, which had faced strain early in President Mohamed Muizzu’s tenure when the latter tried to strengthen relations with China by moving away from India. Reflecting the renewed warmth, Muizzu and his ministers welcomed Modi at Velana airport. After delegation-level talks, Modi said: “India is proud to be the most trusted friend of the Maldives. For us, it is always friendship first.” He added that the Maldives holds a central place in India’s Neighbourhood First policy and the MAHASAGAR vision for regional maritime cooperation. “India will always stand by the Maldives in strengthening its defence capabilities,” Modi said, adding that deepening security ties reflect the trust between the two nations. “Our defence and security cooperation is a testament to mutual trust. EXPRESS READ Retired HC judge apppointed to supervise HCA functioning Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Friday appointed retired judge Justice P Naveen Rao to supervise the functioning of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). Justice Naveen Rao is currently overseeing the conduct of the HCA league matches for the 2025–26 season | P3 ROOT RECORD Joe Root celebrates his hundred against India at Old Trafford on Friday. He became the second-highest run-getter in Tests behind Sachin Tendulkar | AP The roots of our relationship are older than history and as deep as the sea… our friendship will remain bright and clear,” the prime minister said. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described the visit as “a demonstration of trust and strategic convergence.” On India’s concerns about foreign military presence in the region, Misri said: “Security is a mutual concern. Both sides reaffirmed that peace and stability in the Indian Ocean are shared responsibilities.” The two nations agreed to move swiftly on finalising a bilateral investment treaty and launched negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA). “We hope to conclude the India-Maldives FTA quickly Misri said. ,” Modi’s two-day visit also aims to reinvigorate India’s development partnership with the Maldives, with the `4,850 crore LoC at its core. “This will support infrastructure projects aligned with the priorities of the Maldivian people,” Modi said. India also agreed to ease Maldives’ debt repayment obligations on existing Indian lines of credit — a move that signals New Delhi’s willingness to support Male’s economic recovery . Muizzu, who once distanced from New Delhi, appreciated India’s help. He also condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, expressing solidarity with India on its counterterrorism efforts. CHANGES ‘HARSH’ Prez sends back Aparajita bill to WB K A U S H I K P R A D H A N @ Kolkata IN what appears to be a setback for the West Bengal government, President Droupadi Mur mu recently sent the ‘Aparajita Bill’, passed in the state assembly last year, back to Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, after raising a few questions, sources said on Friday Subsequent. ly West Bengal Governor C V , Ananda Bose sent back the bill to the assembly Speaker. Governor Bose had reserved ‘The Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024’ for consideration of the President. The Centre has since conveyed its observations on certain amendments proposed to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) through this bill, highly placed sources in Raj Bhavan informed. One of the proposed amendments seeks to enhance punishment for rape, raising it from the existing 10 years to life imprisonment for the remainder of one’s life or death. The Union home ministry termed this change as “excessively harsh and disproportionate,” sources said. Another proposed amendment seeks to delete Section 65 of the BNS, 2023. “Thereby it is removing the distinction in punishment for rape of women under 16 and 12 years of age. The Union home ministry observed that the removal of such classification violates the principle of proportionality in sentencing,” sources revealed. Additionally the bill propos, es to make death penalty mandatory for cases involving the victim’s death or persistent vegetative state under Section 66 of the BNS. “The Union home ministry has raised concerns over the removal of judicial discretion in such cases,” sources added. 10-MEMBER PANEL SET UP ON REGULATION OF FEES in private unaided professional institutions. The committee will be chaired by TGCHE Chairman Prof G Balakista Reddy | P2 SC issues 15 guidelines to prevent student suicides S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Friday issued 15 pan-India guidelines to curb the rising trend of suicides among students in educational institutions. The guidelines were part of its verdict on an appeal against an Andhra Pradesh High Court order that rejected a plea to transfer the probe into the death of a 17-year-old National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) aspirant in Vishakhapatnam, to the CBI. Quashing the order, the bench directed the CBI to probe the case. A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, while issuing the guidelines, said they will be binding till an appropriate law or regulatory framework is enacted. The court mandated that all educational institutions shall adopt and implement a uniform mental health policy, drawing cues from the UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Man- age, Empathise, Empower, and Develop) Draft Guidelines for the Prevention of Student Suicide, the MANODARPAN initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2022. The policy shall be reviewed and updated annually and made publicly accessible on institutional websites and notice boards. “All educational institutions with 100 or more enrolled students shall appoint at least one qualified counsellor, psychologist, or social worker with demonstrable training in child and adolescent mental health. Institutions with fewer students shall establish formal referral linkages with professionals,” it added. The bench directed all institutions to ensure optimal student-counsellor ratio. Suicide helpline numbers shall be prominently displayed in hostels, classrooms, common areas, and on websites, the order said.