kochi l tuesday l august 19, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION India’s job market shows relief as unemployment rate falls A government survey on Monday said the unemployment rate dipped to 5.2 per cent in July, down from 5.6 per cent in June marginal rise in urban youth joblessness labour participation rate sees a spike The Periodic Labour Force Survey released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said the pace of joblessness among men stayed slightly higher at 5.3 per cent compared to that of women at 5.1 per cent. The rate of unemployment in urban areas for 15-29 age group saw a marginal increase to 19 per cent in July from 18.8 per cent June | P10 ■ ■ The Labour Force Participation Rate among persons of all age groups rose to 41.4 per cent in July 2025 as compared to 41 per cent in June In rural areas, the Labour Force Participation Rate of all age groups was 42 per cent, as against 41.5 per cent in the preceding month. In urban areas, it was 40.1 per cent in July, up from 39.8 per cent in June 89,505 Households were covered by The periodic labour force survey 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 INDIA parties mull impeaching CEC p r eeth a n a i r @ New Delhi AS the face–off between the Election Commission Of India (ECI) and the Opposition intensifies over allegations of ‘vote theft’ and poll rigging, the INDIA bloc on Monday said it is mulling an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The move comes a day after the CEC asked Rahul Gandhi, leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, to either file an affidavit substantiating his vote theft allegations or apologise. The pro- posal for an impeachment motion was discussed at the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday morning. Several Opposition leaders met in the chamber of Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, and held discussions on how the CEC on Sunday addressed a press conference without answering any of the questions raised by them, according to a leader who attended the meeting. The Opposition also decided not to cooperate with the gov- ernment on the special discussion on the impact of astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s space mission. The Lok Sabha is having a two-day special discussion on the issues. Some opposition MPs said they feel this fight has to be taken forward and suggested an impeachment motion against the CEC, sources said. Addressing a joint press conference on Monday representa, tives of eight opposition parties including Congress, TMC, SP DMK and RJD hit out at the , Trump floats security guarantee for Ukraine Signals flexibility on NATO role; Putin briefs Modi on Alaska summit CEC, alleging that instead of responding to questions raised by them, he chose to attack them at his presser on Sunday . TMC’s Mahua Moitra said the Lok Sabha should be dissolved as the last elections were held on “faulty” voter list. When the Lok Sabha met at 11 am on Monday, opposition MPs, including those from the Congress, were on their feet, raising slogans and showing placards with demand for discussion on the Special Intensive Revision in Bihar. Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House following the bedlam. Minimum city Commuters wade through a waterlogged road following heavy rain in Mumbai on Monday. The civic body was forced to order closure of all schools and colleges. Across Maharashtra, seven people were killed and more than 200 stranded | PTI IMD issues red alert for rain in Konkan, South J i ten d r a Cho u bey @ New Delhi THE India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a ‘red alert’ for extremely heavy rains in the next 24 hours in Central and Southern India along with the Western Ghats. The alert said there was a risk of flash floods in Maharashtra, South Interior Karnataka, and isolated areas of Chhattisgarh. The IMD forecast indicates a higher possibility of extremely heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh, southern Chhattisgarh, southern Odis- wangON yi In India TWO-DAY VISIT The Chinese foreign minister on Monday held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who called for “a candid and constructive approach” to reset ties. Wang will meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday 16 pages, including 4 pages of kochi Express ha, Telangana, South Interior Karnataka, the Konkan region (including Mumbai), Goa, the Western Ghats area of Madhya Maharashtra, and coastal Karnataka and Gujarat in the next two days. IMD’s bulletin predicted flash floods over several watersheds in north Interior Karnataka, Telangana, Konkan-Goa, and Maharashtra in the next 24 hours. Besides, there is a low to moderate risk of flash floods in some watersheds in south Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and Marathwada during the same period. US President Donald Trump on Monday said Washington would ensure any future peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia “works”, offering what he described as “very good protection” for Ukraine but left open the question of whether NATO would play a central role. In a high-stakes Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump signalled his willingness to support long-term security guarantees. “We’ll give them good protection,” he said, though when pressed on whether that would resemble NATO’s Article 5 collective defence commitment, he replied: “It hasn’t been discussed yet.” Zelenskyy, asked what guarantees he needed, replied: “Everything” from equipment to intelligence. But the most striking development came near the end of the meeting, when Trump announced he would be speaking to Vladimir Putin again soon, following discussions with European leaders also gathered at Zelenskyy’s wife writes to Melania In a curious development, Zelenskyy delivered a personal letter from his wife Olena to First Lady Melania Trump, thanking her for all the good efforts to help return Ukrainian children taken to Russia the White House. The call would mark his second direct engagement with the Russian leader in four days, an indication that Trump is attempting to personally steer negotiations toward a resolution. “I just met with Zelenskyy, and we covered a lot of territory,” Trump said. “I plan to speak with President Putin again later today .” That statement reframed the INDIA BLOC Vice-President pick to be decided today P r eeth a N a i r @ New Delhi THE Opposition INDIA bloc is likely to announce its candidate for the Vice Presidential election on Tuesday after noon. According to sources, though top leaders of the bloc discussed a few names at a Zoom meeting on Monday the final call will be , taken on Tuesday . “A meeting of leaders of all Opposition parties in Parlia- ment will be held at 12.30 PM Tuesday Aug 19 at 10, Rajaji Marg,” wrote Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on X. Sources said names that came up in the meeting include former ISRO scientist and Padma Shri awardee M Annadurai and Tushar Gandhi, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi; and DMK leader M Annadurai. The Opposition’s candidate will be vying with NDA pick Maharashtra Gover nor C P Radhakrishnan. Sources said the Opposition wants to field a non-political face who has national standing and stature senior DMK leaders have proposed the name of M Annadurai, who hails from Tamil Nadu and is well respected, for the vice-president’s post. day’s diplomacy Trump’s move . to keep direct lines open with Moscow even as European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Star mer and French President Emmanuel Macron, advocate a tougher approach underscores his central role in shaping the next phase of the conflict. “I don’t think you need a ceasefire to end the war,” Trump said—a position more closely aligned with Moscow’s narrative than Kyiv’s. Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to brief him on his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska. Putin’s telephone call to Modi—their second call in the past 10 days—came amid mounting pressure from the US over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. During the call with Modi, Putin shared his take on his meeting with Trump and Modi responded by reaffirming India’s position: support for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict through diaP9 logue and diplomacy  . SUC H I T RA K ALYA N M O H A N T Y Amid the tussle between the Kerala government and the governor, the Supreme Court on Monday appointed Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia — a former SC judge — as the chairperson of the search-cum-selection committee to shortlist candidates for appointment as regular vice-chancellors of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and the University of Digital Sciences Innovation and Technology . A two-judge bench of the top court, comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice K V Viswanathan, made the decision after hearing the governor’s petition. The Kerala Governor, in his capacity as the chancellor of universities, had moved the top court after the High Court quashed the chancellor’s appointment of a temporary vice-chancellor at the Technological University without the state government’s recommendation. The SC said the committee will have five members, comprising two nominees each from the lists provided to the EXPRESS READ Woman’s suicide: Parents of prime accused held Kochi: The special investigation team probing the suicide of a 23-year-old woman in Kothamangalam, on Monday arrested three persons, including prime accused Ramees’ parents Raheem Mon, 56, and Shareena, 45. The third person arrested is Ramees’ close associate Abdul Sahad, 24, a native of Aluva. In a note, the woman had reportedly stated that she was pressured by Ramees and his father to convert to their faith and that she was assaulted over it. P5 Film director Nizar passes away at 65 Kottayam: Film director Nizar, 65, passed away on Monday. He had been under treatment for illnesses related to liver and lungs. Active in Malayalam cinema since 1994, Nizar directed a total of 27 films. His debut film was ‘Sudinam’. Primarily known for his comedy films, he had a unique ability to evoke laughter through productions crafted on small budgets. Snarl-ups, accidents... Aroor-Thuravoor NH stretch nightmare for travellers B i j u E Pa u l @ Alappuzha A commute through the AroorThuravoor stretch of NH 66 is nothing short of a nightmare for travellers. Pothole filled service and parallel roads are resulting in heavy congestion on the highway between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram, leading to immense hardships to commuters. Locals residents blame the contracting company and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for their lackadaisical attitude towards making alternative arrangements during the ongoing construc- tion of the 12.5km elevated highway . The absence of proper diversions, coupled with poor road condition and unsafe construction practices, has led to frequent accidents and severe snarl-ups on the stretch. K P Suresh, a resident of Thuravoor, said the ordeal has persisted for more than two years since the project began. “Before starting construction, the company and NHAI officials assured us that proper alternatives would be arranged. They promised heavy vehicles would be diverted to avoid congestion. But even now, contain- The steel beam that collapsed while being lifted onto girders as part of the construction of elevated highway on NH 66 at Thuravoor on Sunday er lorries and trucks carrying heavy loads ply through the stretch, causing daily traffic blocks. Service roads were also promised, but in most places, they don’t exist. Where they do, they are filled with huge potholes, often waterlogged, making it risky for two-wheelers and pedestrians,” he said. The construction itself has worsened matters. Heavy machinery occupies much of the carriageway, often halting vehicle movement for hours. Accidents are also frequent. On Sunday a 24m-long, 50-tonne , iron beam collapsed while being lifted onto girders. Though no one was injured, the incident highlighted the dangers of ongoing works. Just weeks earlier, another beam had slipped during placement. “Such accidents are regular, and nobody seems concerned about the safety of thousands who travel daily,” said Josemon, a native ● More on P4 of Pattanakkad.  Patna: A day after chief election commissioner asked Rahul Gandhi to submit an affidavit on his vote theft slur or apologise in a week, the Congress leader on Monday said he was not afraid of such threats | P7 BJP throws a dare at opposition parties New Delhi: BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra on Monday dared INDIA bloc parties to dissolve state assemblies where they are in power if they doubt the Election Commission’s fairness. Apex court appoints ex-SC judge as head of V-C search committee @ New Delhi JAYA N T H JAC O B @ New Delhi We’re not afraid of poll panel’s threat: Rahul ‘Why pay toll if stuck in traffic jam for hrs’ New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the NHAI why should a commuter be asked to pay Rs 150 toll if it takes 12 hours to cover a 65-km highway stretch in Thrissur. A threejudge bench made the remark after hearing an appeal filed by the NHAI challenging the Kerala HC order suspending collection of user fee at the Paliyekkara toll plaza. The court reserved its verdict on the petition. P4 court by the chancellor and the state government, besides the chairperson. Justice Dhulia will have the discretion to either constitute a common committee or separate committees for the two universities. The top court had earlier said that it would constitute the search committee to resolve the impasse and asked both sides to give four names each, with one nomination to come from the University Grants Commission (UGC). On Monday sen, ior advocate Jaideep Gupta, appearing for the state government, submitted a list of four names while P Sreekumar, appearing for the governor, submitted eight names each for the two universities. The court subsequently asked Justice Dhulia to constitute the committee within two weeks. The committee has been tasked with preparing a panel of at least three names for each university The devel. opment is deemed a partial victory for the state government as the earlier proposition of bringing in a UGC nominee would have tipped the scales ● More on P4 against it.  Governor calls for compulsory military training for youngsters E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @T’Puram Governor Rajendra Arlekar has called for compulsory military training for youngsters, pointing out that it would instill a sense of discipline and patriotic feeling among them. He was addressing the veterans’ felicitation ceremony at Pangode Military Station in T h i r u va n a n t h ap u r a m o n Monday . “The sense of discipline, motivation and selflessness of our armed forces personnel should not be frittered, but preserved and infused in the next generation. Armed forces are a model for the entire society. They set very high standards and inspire others. Hence, it is the duty of the nation and society at large to honour them,” said the governor. He added that honour comes naturally to the armed forces, as they have put the nation first before anything else and they dedicate their lives for the entire nation. “The armed forces choose to be awake so that all of us can sleep in peace,” he said.