NAGAPATTINAM l sunday l april 06, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l CITY EDITION Justice Yashwant Varma takes oath of office away from public gaze Justice Varma, who was transferred to his parent Allahabad HC, was allegedly administered the oath of office on Saturday in a “clandestine” manner fallacious, unacceptable: BAR association Sworn in at Chief justice’s chamber The Allahabad High Court Bar Association, which had opposed the repatriation of the judge from Delhi HC, questioned why his oath was not notified to the Bar and alleged that this act has once again eroded the trust of people in the judicial system. “Legally, the oath administered to Justice Varma is fallacious and unacceptable,” said the Bar association ■ ■ An in-house inquiry was ordered by the CJI after sacks of partially burnt currency notes were found in the New Delhi residence of Justice Varma following a fire incident last month, leading to his transfer According to sources, Justice Varma was sworn in by Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Arun Bhansali in his chamber at 9.30 am 3 member panel formed by supreme court to inquire ‘cash burn’ case 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, Lanka ink first-ever defence cooperation pact Security of both countries interlinked, co-dependent, says Modi J aya n t h j a c o b @ New Delhi INDIA and Sri Lanka on Saturday signed an ambitious defence cooperation pact, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlining a comprehensive roadmap for deeper bilateral ties and highlighting the interconnected security of both nations, a sentiment reciprocated by president Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The first defence agreement between the two countries serves as an umbrella framework to restructure existing defence cooperation, focusing on enhancing high-level visits, joint exercises, capacity build- Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a press meet in Colombo Saturday | PTI ing, exchanges in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), increasing naval port calls, and exploring defence industry cooperation. “We believe we have shared security interests. The security of both countries is intercon- nected and co-dependent,” Modi said after meeting Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The two countries have agreed to work together on the Colombo Security Conclave and Security Cooperation in the Indian Ocean, Modi said. Dissanayake assured Prime Minister Modi that Sri Lanka will not allow its territory to be used in any way that threatens India’s security interests and conveyed to him that Sri Lanka values India’s assistance. India also signed a trilateral MOU for developing Trincomalee as an energy hub along with the UAE. Nobody happy when Naxal is killed, says Shah E J AZ KAISER @ Raipur Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday in Dantewada made an appeal to Maoists to surrender and join the mainstream. “Nobody feels happy when a Naxalite is killed,” Shah said while reiterating the government’s commitment to eliminating left-wing extremism by March 2026. Speaking at the closing ceremony of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar Pandum festival in Dantewada, Shah said the region had suffered from violence for decades, but the time had come for Bastar to be known for its tribal heritage, folk traditions, and development rather than Naxalism. “The days of bul- lets and bombs in Bastar are over. I appeal to Naxalite brothers to surrender. You are our own people. No one feels happy when a Naxalite is killed. Just lay down your arms and join the mainstream,” he said, offering an olive branch to the outlawed Naxal movement.. Shah emphasised that those who surrender will be fully protected by both the Union and state governments and integrated into the region’s development. He said 521 Naxalites surrendered in 2025 following 881 in 2024. Villages aiding surrenders will get `1 crore for development, he said, apart from announcing that Bastar Pandum featuring tribal artists will go national next year. New rules for foreign univ degree recognition K a v i ta B a j e l i - D at t @ New Delhi With the aim of promoting internationalisation in Indian higher education, the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Saturday introduced a new set of regulations for the easy recognition and equivalence of foreign qualifications. UGC Chairman Prof M Jagadesh Kumar said, “Many students return with international qualifications to seamlessly integrate into India’s higher education system or workforce. Such students need a structured procedure to evaluate foreign credentials without unpredictable delays and procedural ambiguity .” Acknowledging this challenge, he said, the UGC has decided to establish a standardised equivalence framework by bringing in a new regulation. “This move is crucial given the National Education Policy 2020’s vision of transforming India into a global study destination. If Indian institutions are to attract international students, we must ensure fair recognition of degrees earned abroad,” he said. The rules are expected to benefit Indian students who study abroad and seek to continue their academic or professional journey in India. e x p r ess r e a d PM to open Pamban Sea Bridge today Centre gives `552 cr flood relief for TN Rameswaram: PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate India’s first vertical lift sea bridge in Rameswaram on Sunday and flag off train service between Rameswaram and Tambaram. He will dedicate to the nation various rail and road projects worth over `8,300 crore | P4 Chennai: The Union Home Ministry said it has approved `552.34 crore of ‘additional central assistance’ for TN to tackle the impact of floods. This is part of `1,280.35 crore approved for Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Puducherry also. The Union Territory will get `33.06 crore | P4 WITH THIS ISSUE The Revivalists PLUS 12 PAGES