SAMBALPUR l monday l november 10, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l CITY EDITION Judiciary exploring AI tools, says CJI-designate surya Kant Justice Surya Kant said on Sunday the judiciary has begun exploring AI-based tools with a view that tech must augment, not replace, the human mind ‘Humanity gives justice its moral core’ AI can help improve justice delivery: Kant The Chief Justice of India-designate emphasised that technology must be harnessed as a tool, without surrendering the humanity that gives justice its moral core. Kant said, “The law, after all, is not a mere algorithm. It is a reflection of human conscience, shaped by empathy, moral reasoning, and an understanding of context that machines cannot replicate” transcription and data analytics. He added that they could help improve efficiency and analytical precision in the delivery of justice ■ He was speaking at the valedictory function of the Sixth Full Meeting of the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts in Delhi ■ Justice Kant said AI-based tools are being considered for research, Nov 24 when justice surya kant will take charge as the 53rd cji 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 All eyes on Bihar women voters as final phase campaigning winds up In NDA, BJP is contesting 53 seats, JD(U) 44, while INDIA bloc’s RJD is up on 72, Cong 37 R a j e s h K u m a r Th a k u r and Ramashankar @ New Delhi/Patna CAMPAIGNING for the second and final phase of the Bihar Assembly elections concluded on Sunday evening, capping nearly a month of intense canvassing and clamorous exchanges between the ruling NDA and the opposition Mahagathbandhan. Polling will take place on November 11 across 122 constituencies in 20 districts, marking the decisive round of a highstakes contest. The first phase on November 6 saw a record voter turnout of 65.08 percent, the highest in the state’s history with women out, numbering men at poll booths. The turnout of women voters in this phase may well decide whether, as many put it, “Rajnitik badlav ki hawa chali ya nahi (if a political wind of change has blown).” Among key seats going to polls in this phase are Chakai, from where JD(U) minister Sumit Kumar Singh is seeking re-election, BJP MLA Shreyasi Singh’s Jamui, JD(U) minister Total voters 3,70,13,556 Women voters Decisive round Polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm on Tuesday, though it will end an hour early in select booths General: 101 SC: 19 Total seats 122 St: 2 Total booths- 45,399 (40,073 booths are in rural areas) 1,303 136 Total candidates Total women candidates Leshi Singh’s Dhamdaha, and BJP minister Neeraj Kumar Singh’s Chhatapur. In the second and final phase of Bihar Assembly elections, all eyes are on women voters— 1.74 crore of them out of 3.70 crore total electors—are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the outcome. “Women voters have certainly become a segment that could determine the fortunes of both 1,74,68,572 Male voters 1,95,44,041 New voters in the total voters 5,28,954 the ruling NDA and the opposition Mahagathbandhan (MGB),” said Ravi K Sinha, a Patna-based political analyst. Both alliances have aggressively courted women voters. Nitish Kumar has leaned on elfare schemes such as the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, under which `10,000 was directly credited to over two crore women to promote financial independence. During his 71 rallies, the chief minister framed his campaign around women’s empowerment and safety contrasting , his record with the “Jungle Raj” years under the RJD. Tejashwi Yadav’s campaigns sought to link women’s vote with the twin concerns of unemployment and rising prices. Women account for nearly 47% of Bihar’s electorate. According to Election Commission figures, 1,302 candidates, including 136 women, are contesting the final phase, which covers 19 constituencies reserved for Scheduled Castes and two for Scheduled Tribes. Sashastra Seema Bal forces have been roped it to tighten security in districts bordering Nepal, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand untill polling ends. Eleven ministers are in the fray in the final phase, including Bijendra Prasad Yadav (Supaul) and Prem Kumar (Gaya Town), each seeking a ninth consecutive term. Other prominent contestants include Renu Devi, Nitish Mishra, Leshi Singh, and Mohammad Zama Khan. Suspected ISIS-K ricin terror plot averted by Guj ATS, doc among 3 held 2 top Haryana gangsters detained in Georgia & US D i l i p S i n g h K s h at r i ya H a r p r e e t B a j w a @ Chandigarh @ Ahmedabad The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) thwarted a chilling terror plot to unleash mass casualties in the state using ricin and arrested three suspected Islamic State operatives from the state’s Gandhinagar and Banaskantha districts. The first of the three to be arrested was Dr Ahmed Mohyuddin Syed, a Hyderabad-based MBBS graduate who studied in China. Syed, the alleged mastermind of the plot, had allegedly begun synthesising a deadly poison from cyanide and ricin, a lethal toxin that can be used as a biological weapon. According to ATS Deputy Inspector General Sunil Joshi, intelligence inputs indicated that Syed entered Gujarat to execute a terror strike under the ISIS-K or ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province) banner. Multiple ATS teams were mobilised to track him down. The team intercepted a silver Ford Figo on the Ahmedabad-Mehsana highway. Inside, they found Syed with two Glock pistols, one Beretta pistol, 30 live cartridges, and four litres of castor oil, a precursor to ricin The three suspects arrested by the Gujarat Anti Terrorism Squad | PTI poison. Police said Syed’s interrogation revealed transnational links. He reportedly confessed to receiving instructions from Abu Khadija, an Afghan-based ISKP handler with Pakistani contacts. He had also procured raw materials and lab equipment to produce chemical toxins. Joshi said the digital evidence on Syed’s phone confirmed his research into ricin production. The probe widened after authorities traced a number found on Syed’s device to Banaskantha, where two other suspects, Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail, both from Uttar Pradesh, were nabbed. ATS sources said the duo had procured foreign-made weapons from Hanumangarh in Rajasthan and hidden them in a graveyard near Kalol in Gandhinagar for Syed to collect. Before he could retrieve them, the ATS intervened. RSS identified as a body of individuals, says Bhagwat EXPRESS NEWS SER V ICE @ Bengaluru IN a veiled remark against Congress leaders criticising the RSS for operating without registration, the Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said his organisation is recognised as a body of individuals. “The RSS was established in 1925. Do you expect us to have registered with the British government?” Bhagwat asked, replying to a question during an in-house question and answer session organised by RSS. After Independence, the Government of India did not make registration compulsory, he said. “We are categorised as a body of individuals, and we are a recognised organisation,” Bhagwat explained. On whether Muslims are allowed in the Sangh, he said anyone can join. The Sangh identifies individuals as Hindus beyond denominational lines. “Individual identities — Brahmin, Muslim, or Christian — RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addresses ‘100 Years of Sangh Journey: New Horizons’ event, in Bengaluru on Sunday | pti ‘Can be a Hindu Rashtra tomorrow if people wish’ India can become Hindu Rashtra “tomorrow morning” if 1.4 billion people take a collective decision, Bhagwat said. “Hindu rashtra is the essence of Bharat’s identity, which means harmony, equality and unity, not domination” are dissolved in the shakha,” he said. Obliquely referring to Pakistan, he said that whenever the neighbouring country has tried to harm India, it has hurt itself. “Bharat always desires peace. Whenever Pakistan attacks, we must give it a befitting reply .” Appreciating India’s foreign policy, he said it has managed to strike a balance with China. “We want friendship with everyone, but China cannot digest a strong Bharat. While being polite, we must safeguard our sovereignty he said. ,” On RSS’s political involvement, he reiterated that the Sangh unites society and does not engage in politics but supports policies beneficial to the nation. “We support rashtra neeti, not rajneeti,” he said, adding RSS supports all parties working for India’s welfare. On the reservation system, Bhagwat said it should continue till equality is achieved. “Discrimination can be removed through affection and cooperation,” he stated, adding that what exists today is not caste system but caste confusion. “Caste influence should be overcome through mutual love and respect.” symphony of moves Artistes performing at the cultural event of Indian Road Congress at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar on Sunday | Shamim Qureshy e x p r e ss r e a d Cuttack mishap: Probe panel formed Cattle trader shot dead, `1.5L looted Cuttack: A day after the balcony of an old apartment caved in, claiming the lives of three members of a family including a four-year-old child near Hadi Bandhu School in Mani Sahu Chhak area, Cuttack collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde on Sunday constituted a four-member committee to probe the incident | P2 Baripada: Three bike-borne armed miscreants reportedly shot dead a 46-year-old man returning from a cattle market and looted `1.5 lakh cash from him in Ghagarbedha area of Mayurbhanj district on Sunday. The deceased was identified as Harananda Mohanta, a cattle trader of Khuntapada in Keonjhar town | P7 Cautious optimism World runs out of excuses as UN’s 30th climate conference kicks off in the Amazon SOUMYA SAR K AR @ Belém (Brazil) In Belém, the tropical rain drifts in from the river and settles over a city of fishing boats and mango trees. The quiet streets of the city, known in Brazil as the Amazon’s capital, will over the next two weeks be a microcosm of the world as nearly 200 national delegations arrive for COP30, the UN’s 30th climate conference. The Amazon’s gateway city will once again find itself at the centre of a global reckoning. The UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2025 warns that planetwarming greenhouse gases are still rising, with global emissions 7% higher than in 2020. Despite countless promises, the world’s heating trajectory remains unchanged. “Current policies will reduce projected 2030 emissions by only 2% compared with last year’s estimates,” says the UN Environment Programme. “The path to a liveable future gets steeper by the day,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres has reminded gover nments. “But this is no reason to surrender. It’s a reason to step up and speed up.” Finance, the other side of the climate equation, looks equally fragile. The Baku-to-Belém Roadmap, unveiled ahead of the summit, sets a target of $1.3 trillion a year in global climate funding by 2035, with $300 billion to be channelled from wealthy nations to poorer countries. Yet, actual flows are scarcely a tenth of what is required. That shortfall, more than any speech or declaration, will shape the outcome of COP30. A decade after the Paris Agreement was adopted, implementation continues to lag. The UN’s 2025 report on national climate plans shows most countries have updated their commitments, but the combined effect still points to higher emissions by 2030, about 9% above 2010 levels. The State of Climate Action 2025 finds that none of the key sectors such as energy, transport, industry and agriculture is cutting emissions fast enough to bend the global curve. For developing economies, progress depends on money that has not arrived. The $100billion annual pledge, first made in 2009, was fulfilled only in 2023. India’s case shows the scale of the challenge. According to a CEEW (Council on Energy, Environment and Water) study achieving net-zero emis, sions by 2070 would require around $10 trillion in investment. Without low-cost international finance, the transition could stall long before it gathers pace. continued on P7  Two wanted Haryana gangsters, Venkatesh Garg and Bhanu Rana, have been detained in Georgia and the United States, respectively, and are expected to be deported to India soon, a top police official told this newspaper. “ team of Haryana police A is already in Georgia to bring back fugitive Venkatesh Garg, while deliberations are ongoing to bring back Bhanu Rana from the US,” the official said. Venkatesh Garg is associated with the Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang and hails from Narayangarh in Haryana. More than 10 criminal cases have been registered against him. He fled to Georgia after being implicated in the murder of a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader in Gurugram. He has been operating an extortion racket and recruiting youth from the state as well as from Rajasthan and Delhi, into his criminal network, sources said. Meanwhile, the other gangster, Bhanu Rana, a close associate of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang from Karnal, has been operating across Haryana, Punjab and Delhi. His name surfaced during investigations into a grenade attack in Punjab earlier this year. In June, when the Special Task Force in Karnal arrested two men carrying hand grenades and pistols, they reportedly confessed that they were acting on Rana’s orders. PM, Shah to meet top cops in C’garh for final Maoist blow With a special focus on the government’s target to completely eliminate Naxal menace in the country, the 60th edition of annual Director General of Police (DGP) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Conference will be held in Chhattisgarh’s Nava Raipur from November 28 to 30 | P7 Amid rise in sorcery-related crime, Odisha to tighten witch-hunting law Hemant Kumar Rout @ Bhubaneswar Amid a rise in sorcery-related violence and Odisha reporting at least 50 such killings every year, the state government has decided to comprehensively overhaul its decade-old witchhunting law. Sources said the Law department has begun the process to amend the Odisha Prevention of Witch-hunting (OPW) Act, 2013, following recommendations of the State Law Commission, which was tasked to review the existing legislation and plug gaps that have allowed perpetrators to evade punishment and victims to suffer without ade- quate legal support. According to reports, 606 people killed in sorcery-related incidents in the last 11 years with 12 districts under the grip of the menace. Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nabarangpur and Kandhamal districts are the worst-hit with as high as 67 per cent of murders triggered by witchcraft suspicion. In the last five years, as many as 408 cases were registered and 388 people arrested in connection with s u c h incidents. The draft amendment (accessed by TNIE) suggests making punishment more stringent, including invoking provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 for cases leading to death, imprisonment of seven years to life for abetment of suicide through witch-branding, and a minimum of five to 10 years imprisonment with fines up to `5 lakh for public humiliation such as stripping and parading victims naked. Punishment has also been provisioned for specific offences including some forms of torture, community involvement, abetment of offence, causing disappearance of evidence, use of criminal force for displacing a person from lawfully occupied property, damaging reputation and dignity, attributing misfortune and attempt to commit ofContinued on P5 fences.