bengaluru l friday l october 16, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 44 l late city EDITION PM modi meets Asian Games medal winners in new delhi India’s hosting power on the rise, says PM At a function at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, PM Narendra Modi lauds athletes & also reiterates country’s bid to host 2036 Olympics ‘country’s resolve will host the 2036 oly’ The PM was presented with memorabilia ranging from signed jerseys to a bow from 17-year-old archery sensation Kumkum Mohod, who won two gold medals and a silver at the recently-concluded Games. The PM said the country is not just becoming a stronger force in terms of performance but also evolving into a “credible host” for major international events ■ ■ The PM also reiterated country’s resolve to host 2036 Olympics. “We are bidding for the 2036 Olympics and it is our resolve that we will host the games,” he said Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, ICC chairman Jay Shah & IOA president P T Usha were also present during the interaction 85 India won 85 medals at the Asian Games, including 21 gold 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 SC notice to ECI, CEC on Rahul’s plea against SIR irregularities Mulls all-women panel to probe alleged sexual violence against journalists S U CHI T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to the Election Commission of India and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on a batch of pleas filed by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders over alleged large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of poll rolls. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also tagged the pleas with petitions already pending before the court challenging the validity of SIR. With this, all SIR-related matters will be heard together at a later date, likely on October 28. The SC also took note of submissions that attempts were made by Rahul and others to browbeat the judiciary by undertaking a march on October 12. “Nobody can browbeat the judiciary the CJI said, adding “We know ,” what statements they are making outside and what they are saying in court.” The bench, while hearing Govt clarifies on another plea filed by Network home secy’s apology of Women in Media, India On reports that Home over the alleged sexual vioSecretary Govind Mohan lence against female journalapologIsed to SC in a ists covering the protests, contempt case, the said it would consider setting up an all-women panel to MHA clarified it’s a usual practice. “...It look into such complaints. “It may comprise a former is required that the party responding woman judge, a former womto the notice must an IPS officer, a former wombegin their affidavit an social worker or a social with an unconditional activist with a known track apology. Only thereafter all record,” said the CJI. other facts and arguments The bench also agreed with are presented,” it said senior advocate Indira Jaising’s submission that there should be clear guidelines on law-enforcement authorities’ interaction with journalists during protests. “We would like to lay down guidelines,” the bench said while issuing notice on the plea seeking responses from the Centre and the Delhi Police. Jaising said women reporters are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse while covering protests when they are pushed around by male police officers. The bench also directed that no coercive action be taken against a woman journalist against whom a case has been filed by a Delhi Police officer under the stringent SC/ST Act alleging casteist remarks and public humiliation against him during a protest.  P11 Express exclusive Decade later, fake marks cards of 52 Group D staff exposed A s h w i n i M S r i pa d @Bengaluru Ten years after their recruitment, 52 Group D employees appointed to the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department (KHFWD) under the Hyderabad-Karnataka cadre have been suspended for allegedly submitting fake SSLC marks cards. Officials have been directed to file criminal cases against them. The department issued a notification for the recruitment of Group D employees in March 2015. The age criteria were between 18 and 40 years, depending on the caste, and the educational qualification required was SSLC or equivalent from a recognised board. The selection was to be based on the candidates’ academic marks. The final list of candidates was published in November the same year. However, appointment orders were issued in June 2016. These candidates were recruited and posted in various district hospitals, primary health centres and community health centres across the Kalyana Karnataka region.  P7 Single notification to fill SC/ST vacancies The Karnataka government has decided to issue a single, statewide notification to fill backlog vacancies reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) across various government departments, keeping them separate from ongoing recruitment processes | P4 No Delhi HC bar on CJP’s protest today at Connaught Place U D AYA N KISH O R E & A d i t i Ray C h o w d h u r y @ New Delhi THE Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to bar a protest called by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on October 16 at Central Park in Connaught Place, while taking on record Delhi Police’s assurance that all possible steps would be taken to regulate and control the protesters. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma Summary revision of was hearing a plea by a Connaught Place vendor seeking a poll rolls from Jan 1 fiat to police to regulate the The Election Commission protest. Called “Lehra do Tion Thursday announced ranga”, the protest kicks off at that Special Summary 5 pm on Friday Heavy securi. Revision (SSR) of ty is likely in and around CP electoral rolls will and Jantar Mantar ahead of be conducted in 17 the agitation. Late on Thursstates and Union day the New Delhi Municipal , territories, Council issued a notice barincluding those ring general public from visitwhere assembly polls ing Central Park in Connaught are due next year. The ECI Place on October 16 and 17. said January 1, 2027, will be The petition claimed that the qualifying date for the traders and vendors would be summary revision “on the streets” if they lost another weekend to closures due to protest in central Delhi during the festive season. “This is the Dussehra weekend. This protest has to be stopped,” the petitioner’s counsel submitted. The bench refused to pass a “specific” direction restraining CJP protesters as urged by the petitioner. “Don’t insist. We have passed the order,” the bench said. Addressing a press conference on Thursday along with All India Students’ Association (AISA) leader Neha Bora, Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader Aishe Ghosh and actor Prakash Raj, Dipke criticised the police action against demonstrators and alleged that the government was using state machinery to shield Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. HDK drags Surjewala into sting op row, shows photos E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Bengaluru Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy escalated his attack on Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Thursday, drawing AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala into the controversy surrounding the alleged sting operation against former CM Siddaramaiah. He released photographs of Surjewala with a person allegedly involved in the sting. He also accused the state government of targeting JDS workers in connection with the case, alleging that some of them were kept at an undisclosed location for several hours on Wednesday . Kumaraswamy alleged that Shivakumar, journalist Rakesh Shetty, Shetty’s associate Bagepalli Prashanth, and Congress leader Krupa Alva were involved in the conspiracy to tarnish Siddaramaiah’s image. “Instead of arresting these people, the government is harassing our workers,” he alleged. Later, Kumaraswamy gave the state government and police a two-day deadline to arrest those involved in the alleged sting operation. He met Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, and He (DKS) wanted to divert attention from NICE allegations, and brought up the sting operation issue before the media HD Kumaraswamy staged a dharna on the steps of the Commissioner’s office for nearly an hour with JDS leaders and workers, demanding a fair investigation and action against those involved. He resorted to the protest a day after he accused the police of targeting two members of the party’s social media team. “If the accused are not arrested within this period, I will not be responsible for the consequences. The government itself will have to take responsibility he said.  P4 ,” E x p r e s s Re a d HC sets aside order on Mallya’s UBL shares Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court allowed writ petitions filed by Diageo Holdings Netherlands BV, challenging orders passed by the Debt Recovery Tribunal in favour of the Consortium of Banks over the pledge of United Breweries (Holdings) Ltd shares by Vijay Mallya and his son, to recover outstandings from the defunct Kingfisher Airlines | P7 press Intake Converts can’t get quota on prior caste, says SC | P12 WITH THIS ISSUE BEST WEEKEND GUIDE Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy and JDS leaders stage a protest at the City Police Commissioner’s office in Bengaluru on Thursday | Nagaraja Gadekal 44 PAGES, INCLUDING 24 OF INDULGE (TABLOID)