KOCHI l wednesday l may 21, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE city EDITION Fresh law graduates can’t appear in judicial services exam, rules SC The Supreme Court on Tuesday held that only those with a minimum of three years of experience as lawyer can enter judicial service High courts to amend norms in 3 months Fresh norms applicable prospectively The judgment was pronounced by a bench of Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and justices A G Masih and K Vinod Chandran. The bench said that such amendments to the rules must be carried out by High Courts within three months, and that these amendments must then be approved by the state governments within a further period of three months ■ ■ “The appointment of fresh law graduates has led to difficulties, as noted by multiple high courts. Practical experience in court is essential for ensuring judicial efficiency and competence,” the CJI said SC clarified that the three-year experience requirement will not apply to ongoing judicial recruitment but will only apply prospectively One-year Training must before candidates are permitted to preside over a court 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 BSF Retreat No interim order on Waqf without glaring case: SC ceremony at border resumes Law is presumed Constitutional unless otherwise proven, says CJI H a r p r ee t B a j w a @ Chandigarh In a further indication of the Indo-Pak border returning to normalcy the BSF re, sumed its retreat ceremony at all three joint check posts of the Punjab frontier — Attar in Amritsar, Hussainiwala in Ferozepur and Sadqi in Fazilka. Tuesday’s ceremony was exclusively for media personnel and a select gathering; it will be open to public from Wednesday . However, BSF troops will not shake hands with Pakistan Rangers and the gates will not be opened during the flag lowering process, as announced earlier in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, said sources. The BSF had halted the retreat ceremony on May 8 following Operation Sindoor to avenge the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. During the suspension of the ceremony the flag-lower, ing continued without public attendance. The resumption of the event is expected to rejuvenate the local economy that relies on tourism. Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal had on Monday visited the Shahpur border outpost near Ajnala and discussed the concerns of local farmers whose lands lie beyond the barbed wire fence, with BSF officers deployed along the border. Following the meeting, Dhaliwal announced that the gates would be opened for farmers shortly, allowing them to access their fields without restrictions. SUCHITRA K ALYA N MOHA N T Y @ New Delhi BSF personnel participating in the retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border near Amritsar on Tuesday | PTI Pak gets 2nd Field Marshal in Munir Govt blinks as TMC nominates Abhishek stan.” In 1959, General Ayub Khan had self-promoted himDays after Operation Sindoor self as Field Marshal when he exposed Pakistan military’s was Pakistan’s President. vulnerability, its army chief The four-day clash under MuAsim Munir was promoted as nir’s watch that paused after Field Marshal, the second in India struck at Pakistan’s air the country to occupy the high- bases under Operation Sindoor, est military position. was widely seen as a major mil“The Government of Paki- itary setback for Pakistan. stan has approved the promoIndia had launched Operation of Gen Asim Munir tion Sindoor to take out (Nishan-e-Imtiaz Militerror infrastructure in tary) to the rank of nine locations in PakiField Marshal for enstan and Pakistan-occusuring the security of pied Kashmir in rethe country and defeatsponse to the killing of ing the enemy based on 26 civilians in a terrorthe high strategy and ist attack in J&K’s Pacourageous leadership,” Gen Asim Munir halgam on April 22. Prime Minister ShehFrom being sacked as baz Sharif ’s office said. The de- ISI chief by the then prime cision was taken at a cabinet minister Imran Khan, Munir meeting chaired by Sharif. managed to rise from the ashes For his part, Munir said, after Sharif was elected PM. “This is not a personal achieve- Munir is trying to salvage the ment, but a tribute to the armed army’s reputation as it lost face forces and the people of Paki- following Imran’s arrest. MAYA N K SI N GH @ New Delhi A day after TMC’s Yusuf Pathan, named by the Centre in one of the global outreach delegations, opted out, the party replaced him with Abhishek Banerjee after Union minister Kiren Rijiju called TMC chief Mamata Banerjee | P7 Pak army suffered significant losses Poonch Brigade Commander Brigadier Mudit Mahajan on Tuesday said the Pakistani army suffered significant losses during Operation Sindoor not only in terms of numbers but also in morale and credibility French Senate team expresses solidarity A delegation from the French Senate on Tuesday extended strong support to India in its ongoing fight against terrorism and expressed solidarity in the aftermath of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir More stretches of NH 66 damaged E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kozhikode The service road along NH 66 that caved in at Chemmattamvayal near Mavungal in Kasaragod on Tuesday Raising concerns about the safety of motorists, cracks have appeared on two sections of the under-construction NH 66 in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts while a service road caved in at Kasaragod. The damage happened a day after a portion of the retaining wall of the national highway collapsed at Kooriyad in Malappuram on Monday, causing damage to three cars parked on the service road. Following heavy rain on Tuesday, cracks were visible — extending upto around 100 metres — on the NH at Thalappara in Malappuram. The damage prompted authorities to divert vehicles through service road. Cracks have also developed on the NH 66 at Malaparamba in Kozhikode, T’Puram: The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall across Kerala over the next seven days, issuing alerts across several districts. An orange alert has been issued for Kannur and Kasaragod and a yellow alert for Kozhikode and Wayanad on Wednesday. Thunderstorms are likely at isolated places until Thursday, with strong westerly winds expected to persist over Kerala and the Lakshadweep region throughout the week. P5 16 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express Pinarayi Vijayan, CM where the widening process is in the final stage. The service road also suffered damage there. At Chemmattamvayal near Mavungal in Kasaragod, a service road along the NH caved in around 4 am due to heavy rain, severely impacting flow of vehicles in the area. Maintaining that the NH development work is progressing well across various parts of the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, said: “However, some recent incidents related to the construction are Senior advocate Kapil Sibal said the law provides for “creeping acquisition” of waqf properties, adding that by altering the composition of central and state waqf boards to include nonMuslims, it also attempts to “dilute community control” Sibal said that the Waqf Act was designed in such a way as to capture waqf properties without due process. “Private properties are being taken away only because of dispute. The officer above collector is appointed to see the dispute, and meanwhile the property is taken away he said. ,” Terming the legislation unconstitutional, Sibal said waqf is an endowment to God. “This dedication cannot be transferred to anybody Once a waqf, . always a waqf,” he argued. “They capture the waqf, expropriate the waqf. Then there is also a violation of Article 26 and 27. Then comes the CEO of the board, who shall be appointed by the state and also shall be non-Muslim,” Sibal said. Christian community should be wary of RSS designs, says Pinarayi E XPR E SS N E WS S E RVIC E @Kochi In a clear move to prevent the BJP from making inroads into the Christian minorities in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan issued a pointed warning to the community to be wary of RSS’ attempts to influence them. “A few Christian leaders have occasionally expressed support for communal forces, often driven by personal motives,” Pinarayi said in an exclusive interaction with TNIE as part of ‘Express Dialogues’, in connection with the LDF government’s fourth anniversary . “There is a serious attempt by the RSS to influence sections of the Christian community to take a communal stance. There is even a particular organisation working towards this. These campaigns are well-supported and well-funded,” he cautioned. While acknowledging that the Christian community is not unaware of the happenings, Pinarayi stressed the need for deeper understanding of the threat. “They should understand the actual danger in this. Secularism must be upheld unconditionally and any form of , communalism should be opposed,” he said. Pinarayi was also highly critical of the Congress party’s approach towards the Opposition unity at the national level. He said the Congress has failed to effectively lead the INDIA bloc, which was expected of it. He also accused the grand old party of prioritising its own interests over the c o l l e c t ive f i g h t against BJP. The veteran leader said the CPM never viewed the INDIA bloc as a formal alliance but as a platform to build common ground against the BJP’s policies, guided by state-specific contexts. “Congress, being the bigger party in the INDIA bloc and with its wider presence, has the most significant role to play. But the experiences so far show that the party and its leadership have no clear understanding about it at all,” the chief minister said.  Full interview: P4  o v e r P a k i s t a n s u pp o r t E X P RESS REA D Heavy showers likely across Kerala: IMD unfortunate and a cause for concern. In light of these incidents, we will convene a meeting with officials of the National Highways Authority at the earliest,” he told reporters in Kozhikode on Tuesday . He said it is crucial to ensure that the construction aligns with the geological characteristics of the state. “During the meeting, we will thoroughly examine whether there are any issues or structural flaws in the ongoing work and take necessary steps to address them,” he said. In the wake of the road collapse incident at Kooriyad, an urgent meeting was held under the chair manship of Malappuram Collector V R Vinod in which MLAs, officials, and NHAI representatives participated. The collector said the incident was a cause for concern. ● More on P5 Some recent incidents related to the NH construction are unfortunate and a cause for concern. We will convene a meeting with officials of the NHAI at the earliest THE Supreme Court on Tuesday said the petitioners challenging the Waqf law would need a very strong and ‘glaring’ case for interim relief. Citing the “presumption of constitutionality in favour of law”, a bench of Chief Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih orally observed that for a stay of the statute, a strong case has to be shown. “There is a presumption of constitutionality in favour of every statute. For interim relief, you have to make out a very strong and glaring case. Otherwise, presumption of constitutionality will be there,” CJI Gavai said while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the petitioners, told the bench that they have a strong prima facie case and asserted that “irreparable injury will be caused if the provisions are activated”. Pleading for interim orders, ‘Creeping acquisition of waqf properties’ IIM Kozhikode cuts ties with Turkey varsity, cites nat’l interest E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @Kozhikode As India recalibrates its international academic collaborations in line with national interests, the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) has taken a decisive step by terminating its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sabanci University , Turkey . The move comes in response to Turkey’s public support for Pakistan amid heightened dip- lomatic tensions with India, prompting a firm reaction from Indian academic institutions. Originally signed in September 2023 for a five-year ter m, the MoU had aimed to foster academic collabor at i o n , p r i m a r i ly through student exchange programmes between the two institutions. However, given the evolving geopolitical landscape, IIMK has chosen to unilaterally ter- minate the agreement. In an official statement, IIMK said the suspension of ties was a direct consequence of the “current geopolitical situation involving Turkey”. The institution has also formally communicated its decision to Sabanci University and has requested the immediate removal of IIMK’s name and association from all Turkish university records, websites, and affiliated platforms. Commenting on the development, Professor Debashis Chatterjee, director of IIMK, said: “At IIM Kozhikode, we place utmost importance on aligning our global engagements with the national interest. The decision to annul the MoU with Sabanci University has been taken after careful consideration and is in keeping with our institutional responsibility to uphold the values and priorities of our nation. We remain committed to fostering interna- tional collaborations that reflect mutual respect, strategic alignment, and shared national values.” The move comes as several other Indian academic institutions are reassessing international collaborations in light of national security and diplomatic sensitivities. IIM Kozhikode’s firm stance underscores a broader trend of Indian institutions prioritising geopolitical awareness in shaping international academic partnerships. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, urged the court to confine the hearing to the three issues earmarked by the court earlier— waqf by user, nomination of non-Muslims to Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards, and identification of government land as waqf. Mehta said the written submissions of the petitioners cover several other issues. However, Kapil Sibal and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for some petitioners, objected to it, saying “there cannot be any piecemeal hearing”. The arguments were inconclusive on Tuesday and would continue on Wednesday, when the Centre will present its defence of the Waqf Act. sc hearing Ashoka Univ asst prof sent to judicial custody HARPR E E T BAJWA a n d If r a h M u f t i @ Chandigarh / New Delhi A district court in Haryana’s Sonipat on Tuesday sent Ashoka University assistant professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad to judicial custody and posted the matter to May 27. Mahmudabad was arrested on Sunday after Haryana Police registered two FIRs against him on charges of “endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country” through his social media posts on Operation Sindoor. Sonipat police produced him in court on Tuesday after the two-day remand ended. They sought another seven days remand but the court decided to send Mahmudabad to judicial custody . The development comes when the Supreme Court is seized of the matter. A bench Prof Ali Khan o f j u s t i c e s Mahmudabad Surya Kant and N Kotiswar is likely to take up the case on Wednesday the top , court’s cause list showed. The professor’s arrest triggered widespread outrage from academics as well as political parties. The students and faculty of Ashoka University termed the arrest a violation of academic freedom. The faculty association described Mahmudabad as a highly responsible citizen and the students demanded his immediate release. Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday representatives of various , teachers’ bodies condemned the ‘unlawful arrest’. The Haryana police, which arrested the professor, had registered two cases against him based on complaints filed by BJP Youth Morcha leader Yogesh Jatheri and Renu Bhatia, chairperson of Haryana State Commission for Women.