SAMBALPUR l monday l October 06, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l CITY EDITION S.I.R. ‘Purified’ bihar’s voter list, says chief election commissioner Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has ‘purified’ Bihar’s voter list after 22 years, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said on Sunday Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar (C) with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi during a meeting in Bihar | PTI 17 initiatives taken in bihar to go pan-india Elections to be completed before nov 22 “The voters list in Bihar has been purified. This cleansing exercise has taken place after a gap of 22 years and will now be carried out across the country,” Kumar told reporters in Bihar. The CEC added that 17 new initiatives are being implemented for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls, which will also be replicated across the country in due course within 15 days of registration, a cap of 1,200 voters per booth, and mandatory VVPAT slip verification in case of mismatch complaints ■ Kumar, who is in Bihar to take stock of poll preparations, said the election process in the state will be completed before November 22 ■ The 17 initiatives include a new SOP to ensure EPIC cards are delivered 100% webcasting at all booths is among the initiatives listed by CEC 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 Landslides triggered by rain kill 20 in Darjeeling, 51 in eastern Nepal Express news service @ New Delhi Kiosks of street vendors set on fire in Dargha Bazar area; Protesters take out a rally before clashing with police personnel, in Cuttack on Sunday | RashmiRanjan Mohapatra Curfew imposed, internet off in Cuttack as unrest over immersion violence intensifies A r a b i n d a Pa n d a @ Cuttack Day before the Cuttack bandh call given by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) against the violence during Durga Puja immersion procession, the Commissionerate Police imposed a curfew on major parts of the city following fresh tension and arson by protesters in Dargha B a z a r a re a o n S u n d ay evening. Police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said the 36-hour curfew from 10 PM on Sunday will encompass 13 police station areas of Dargha Bazar, Lalbag, Bidanasi, Purighat, Badambadi, Mangalabag, Cantonment, Malgodown, CDA Phase-II, Markat Nagar, Sadar, Jagatpur and 42 Mouza. Medical and other essential services have been exempted from the curfew, he said. The commissioner said the decision was taken after a thorough assessment of the ground situation and to ensure the safety and security of the citizens. Additional forces have been deployed to maintain law and order, he said. The state government has also suspended all internet services and social media platfor ms in order to prevent spread of false and inflammatory messages to disturb the public order and peace in Cuttack city and adjoining areas, till Monday evening. The action was taken after a mob of protesters went on a rampage in the Dargha Bazar area and clashed with police and security personnel. While police resorted to lathi charge and used teargas to disperse them, the mob managed to break through and allegedly set a few cabins of street vendors on fire besides vandalizing some shops and two-wheelers in the area. Singh said, the protesters had applied for holding a rally but permission was not given in apprehension of trouble. “When police prohibited them from entering Dargha Bazar area, they pelted stones at police. Around 36 people including eight police personnel have been injured in the attack. CCTV footages are being verified for initiating action against the anti-social elements,” he said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi urged the citizens to maintain peace and harmony and directed DGP YB Khurania to maintain a close watch on the situation. He assuring that stringent action action will be taken against elements behind the communal Continued on P5 tension.  SI exam scam: Intel report flags cop-firm nexus senior police officers were frequently visiting the offices of the private Alleged nexus of senior police of- agencies tasked to carry out CPSE for ficers with private firms contracted different reasons and might have nexfor the police sub-inspector (SI) re- us with their owners and directors. cruitment examination coupled with The report pointed out that Panchabsence of due dilisoft Technologies, gence has been by one of the private press flagged as reasons firms, was headed behind the massive clusive by Sankar Prusty, a scam in the nownative of Kabisurypostponed Combined anagar and he ran Police Service Examination (CPSE) the firm in his wife’s name. The re2024, according to a confidential intel- port suggested that Prusty was allegligence report accessed by The New edly involved in several malpractices. Indian Express. “It is learnt that he (Prusty) in colluThe report was submitted to DGP sion with Silicon Techlab was planYB Khurania a day after the scam ning to engage in large-scale organcame to light. It indicated that some ised malpractices during CPSE,” the A s i s h Me h ta @ Bhubaneswar report said. Prusty also runs another firm named Kedarnath Technologies under Chamakhandi police limits of Ganjam. Both Panchsoft and Silicon Techlab have their offices in Bhubaneswar’s DLF Cyber City and were found to be locked ever since the scam came to the fore on September 30, it said. “Intelligence suggests that some high police officers are frequently visiting these offices for different reasons and might be having some nexus with the owners and directors of the said firms. The owners and directors of the said firms may be investigated into for their involvement in the crime/racket,” stated the Continued on P5 report.  Centre likely to take a call on Manipur govt formation this week R A J E SH K U M A R TH A K U R @ New Delhi India captain Harmanpreet Kaur (R) and her Pakistan counterpart Fatima Sana during the toss at Colombo on Sunday | afp Ind-Pak handshake gate spills over to women’s world cup g o m e s h s @ Colombo NO customary handshakes, no acknowledgement or conversation while sharing the field. That seems to be the new normal when it comes to India-Pakistan and sports. What started as a one-off gesture at the men’s T20 Asia Cup — the first cricket match after the Pahalgam terror attack and the crossborder tensions that followed — is now being followed by the Women in Blue at the ICC Cricket World Cup on Sunday . No one went on record and said they would not shake hands with the Pakistan captain or team in the lead-up to the match. No questions were permitted on the eve of the match. However, this was expected, especially after the fact that the BCCI had directed them before leaving for Sri Lanka. On Sunday, there were no pleasantries or handshakes between India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her counterpart Fatima Sana at toss. Later, India won the tie by 88 runs. Toss confusion There was confusion after the toss. While it seemed like Sana called tails, the match referee said heads and the toss went in favour of Pakistan, who opted to field. Neither Kaur nor the presenter objected to it, adding to the confusion. No official comment by ICC was given. THE Centre is expected to take a call this week on government formation in Manipur, which has been under President’s rule since February 13 this year. Several Manipur BJP leaders, including former chief minister N Biren Singh, are currently in the national capital to push for government revival in the ethnic strife-torn state. MLAs H Dingo, Th Robindro, S Ranjan, former minister Govindas Konthoujam, and Hill Areas Committee chairman Dinganglung Gangmei are also in Delhi. According to sources, the state leaders are scheduled to meet the BJP’s central leadership on Monday. Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla is also reportedly in Delhi. “The final decision after the meetings with central leaders, Union home minister, and finally the Prime Minister, would be taken in the next few days, which may take a week or longer,” said a senior BJP leader. Another party insider said that since the assembly has not been dissolved and remains in suspended animation, there are no major legal obstacles to forming the government. This technical status makes reinstallation of a BJP-led government a more straightforward process if the central leadership gives its approval. The development comes seven months after the imposition of President’s rule following the resignation of Biren Singh on February 9. Since then, no political party or coalition has staked a claim to form the government, resulting in the continued imposition of Central rule. With the law and order situation improving to a great extent, political observers expect a BJP-led government may soon come to power in Manipur. AT least 20 people, including children, were killed and several others injured as relentless rain unleashed landslides across the Mirik and Darjeeling hills in West Bengal on Sunday sweeping away homes, sev, ering road links, battering villages, and leaving hundreds of tourists stranded. According to NDRF and the district administration, fatalities were reported from Sarsaly , Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), Nagrakata and Mirik Lake area. Mirik was the worst affected, with at least 11 people killed, and seven injured, the NDRF said. In Darjeeling, seven people died due to a massive landslide triggered by heavy rain. Rescue operations are underway to evacuate the injured, Darjeeling Sub-Divisional Officer Richard Lepcha said. North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha said the situation is “alarming.” Hundreds of tourists, who had flocked to the Darjeeling hills to enjoy Durga Puja and post-Puja festivities, have been Rescue operation underway in Darjeeling in West Bengal after a bridge collapsed following heavy rainfall | PTI left stranded as heavy rainfall triggered massive landslides. Many of them, including families and groups from Kolkata and other parts of Bengal, were visiting popular spots such as Mirik, Ghoom, and Lepchajagat when the rains lashed the hills since Saturday . Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced compensation for the victims without specifying the amount and the number of deaths. She said she would visit north Bengal on October 6 to assess the situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the deaths and said the situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas is being closely monitored. In neighbouring Nepal, at least 51 people were killed till Sunday morning due to landslides and floods triggered by rain, an official of the Armed Police Force said. A red alert was issued for areas around the Bagmati and East Rapti rivers. PM Modi asserted that as a friendly neighbour and first responder, India remains committed to providing any assistance that may be required.