KOCHI l friday l july 25, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE city EDITION No plan to remove ‘secularism’, ‘socialism’ from Preamble: Govt The Centre told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday it has “no plan or intention” to remove the words ‘socialism’ and ‘secularism’ from the Preamble debates in public circles only: meghwal In a written reply, law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said while there may be debates in public or political circles, “no formal decision has been announced by the government” regarding amendments to these terms. Last month, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale called for a national debate on whether the two terms should remain in the Preamble ■ 42nd Dhankhar called them ‘festering wound’ ■ Hosabale’s comments had kicked off a political row. Wading into the controversy created by Hosabale, then Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar had said the added words were a “festering wound” The Supreme Court last year had said “socialism” does not impede private sector growth, while “secularism” is integral to basic structure consitutional amendment in 1976 introduced socialism, secularism 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 7/11 Mumbai train blasts: SC stays Bombay HC verdict Landmark free trade deal with UK signed in the presence of PMs Modi and Starmer slashes most tariff lines to zilch the POWER OF ZERO 0% Duty on the following, down from 4-20% now Marine products Arms and ammunition Over Base metals Chemicals & Minerals Electrical machinery Plastic/Rubber Furniture/Sports goods Gems & jewellery Headgear/Glass/Ceramic Instruments/Clocks Wood/Paper Mechanical machinery Textile/Clothing Indian farmers to get preferential access to UK’s $37.5 billion agriculture market Sensitive Indian sectors like dairy, vegetables, apples, cooking oils, oats fully protected under the deal tariff lines down to zero duty for Processed food Zero duty on major sectors Massive gain for rural India and exporters with zero duty on processed foods as against up to 70% earlier J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi 75,000 Indian workers in UK will benefit from Double Contribution Convention, as it exempts workers from social security contribution for three years Professionals to get better mobility access to the UK. Up to 1,800 Indian chefs, yoga instructors and classical musicians can move temporarily to Britain to provide services India–UK economic partnership,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “CETA reflects our shared commitment to enhancing trade, driving inclusive growth, and creating opportunities for farmers, MSMEs, women, youth, and professionals,” Modi said at Chequers , his British counterpart Keir Starmer’s countryside residence 50 km northwest of London. For India, the deal delivers duty-free access on 99% of its exports, spanning labour-intensive sectors such as apparel, marine products, footwear, and engineering goods. High-growth sectors like electronics, chemicals, and auto components are poised for major export gains. In return, India will slash tariffs on 90% of UK goods. The average tariff on UK exports will drop from 15% to 3%. The UK, facing slower postBrexit trade momentum, has touted the deal as its biggest trade success since leaving the EU. “This is the biggest and most economically significant trade deal the UK has made since Brexit,” British PM Keir Starmer said. “Our landmark trade deal with India is a major win for Britain. It will create thousands of British jobs across the UK, unlock new opportunities for businesses and drive growth in every corner of the country, delivering on our Plan for Change,” he said. Scotch whisky tariffs will be halved from 150% to 75%, and will fall further to 40% over 10 years. Auto tariffs will be phased down to 10%, while Indian EVs will gain access to the UK under a quota system. The deal enhances cooperation in services, clean energy, and finance. UK firms will gain locked-in access to insurance and financial sectors, while British clean energy companies will enter India’s public procurement market. While the economic gain for the UK of an estimated 6.51 billion USD boost by 2040 is modest relative to losses from exiting the EU, the deal signals Britain’s pivot toward the IndoPacific. The pact indicates India’s growing leverage in shaping fairer, balanced trade terms with developed economies. Minibuses vanishing from Kerala roads as demand goes up in TN retary of the Kerala State Private Bus Operators Federation (KSPBOF). Kerala is witnessing a sharp exodus He said minibuses disappeared from of minibuses. the capital city nearly eight years ago Around 300 of these vehicles, prima- and warned that other districts, includrily 23 to 33-seaters, that operated in Ker- ing Malappuram, Kozhikode, Palakkad, ala were sold to buyers in Tamil Nadu in Cherthala and Alappuzha, where the a year between June 2024 and June 2025, buses are still active, are heading in the according to multiple sources in the pri- same direction. vate bus sector. Industry insiders said if “This trend directly affects the livelithe trend continues, the remaining 800- hood of bus workers. If 300 buses leave, odd minibuses operating in the state it impacts more than 600 people. These could vanish from the roads within two are not just numbers, these are jobs to three years. lost,” he said. Most of the buses were sold as Tamil Many buses were reportedly sold after Nadu offers quick permits for private obtaining No Objection Certificates services on rural and interior routes, (NOC) for re-registration in Tamil Nadu, unlike Kerala where operators often face while others were sold off without propbureaucratic hurdles and financial er documentation to quickly cut losses. strain. The minibuses being sold are George Antony, a former bus owner, mostly 8-10 years old and have said he was spending nearly `8,000 a day become economically unon his minibus while making only sustainable for many `3,000 in return, an unsustainable owners. situation worsened by high main“About 300 mini tenance costs. “My father bought buses have already the bus eight years ago for `12 minibuses that operated been sold to Tamil lakh. I recently sold it for `5 lakh in Kerala were sold to Nadu. Unlike Kerala, and gave `1 lakh each to three buyers in TN between the gover nment employees,” he said. June 2024 and June 2025, ● More on P4 there gives route peraccording to sources mits without much delay. We saw a similar trend in 2003 when our state stopped renewing permits for buses older than 15 years. Even then, many buyers came from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The same is now happening with mini buses,” said Hamsa Erikunnan, general secJ o s e K J o s e p h @T’Puram 300 Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his UK counterpart Keir Starmer | PTI Modi, Starmer rap democratic space abuse by Khalistanis Big boost for UK job creation as labourintensive sectors get competitive edge Veggies, fruits, spices, cereals & oils India and the UK signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Thursday during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to London, sealing the most significant trade pact for Britain since Brexit and marking a major breakthrough in India’s global trade strategy . The deal, finalised after three years of stop-start negotiations, cuts tariffs on key goods like textiles, whisky, automobiles, and electronics, and is expected to double the current bilateral trade of 56 billion by 2030. Negotiated amid shifting global trade dynamics and rising protectionism, the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Ag reement (CETA) opens up one of the world’s fastest-growing markets to UK firms while giving Indian exporters critical access to one of the G7’s leading economies. The agreement is set to take effect after a formal ratification process in the UK, likely within a year or less. “This is a new chapter in the BIG TAKEAWAYS 99% Transport/Auto J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi @ New Delhi Big catch for Indian fishermen as the $5.4 billion British market opens for marine exports with zero duty as against up to 20% now Animal products Leather/Footwear s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a n t y India and the United Kingdom on Thursday sent a strong, united message against terrorism, with both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Star mer agreeing that there can be no double standards in tackling extremism. Following a bilateral meeting at the Chequers Estate, Modi thanked Starmer for the UK’s strong condemnation of the April terrorist attack in J&K’s Pahalgam that had claimed 26 lives. “We are united in our view that there can be no place for double standards in the fight against terrorism,” Modi said. “We also agree that forces with extremist ideologies must not be allowed to misuse democratic freedoms. Those who misuse democratic freedoms to undermine democracy itself must be held to account.” The statement is also seen as a veiled reference to pro-Khalistani activities abroad, amid growing Indian concern over threats to Indian diplomats and missions in the UK. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later said that India had raised the issue during the bilateral talks. Both sides reaffirmed commitment to enhancing cooperation between their security agencies, including on extradition of economic offenders, a longstanding demand from India involving several high-profile fugitives residing in the UK. They also discussed regional and global challenges. EXPRESS READ Coconut oil price crosses L500/l Kochi: As Keralites start preparations for Onam celebrations, the rising prices of essentials, especially coconut and coconut oil, are worrying families. The price of coconut oil which hovered around J160 per litre a year ago has now crossed J500 per litre. P5 Move to extend prez rule in Manipur Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to move a resolution in the Rajya Sabha on Friday proposing extension of President’s Rule in Manipur by six months. The extension will take effect from August 13. P7 16 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express THE Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Bombay high court verdict of July 21 acquitting all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bomb blasts case, but said they need not return to jail. A two-judge bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh issued notice to all the accused in the case and sought their responses on the appeal filed by Maharashtra challenging the Bombay HC judgment. During a brief hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra, requested the court for a stay of the judgment, citing that some observations made by the high court in its verdict of July 21 can impact other pending trials under the MCOCA. Mehta also clarified that he File photo was not seeking an order from the court to direct the accused, who were released from prison fo l l ow i n g t h e r u l i n g , t o surrender. The bench said it had been informed that all respondents have been released and there was no question of bringing them back to the prison. “Taking note of submissions made by the SG on the question of law, we are inclined to hold that the impugned judgment shall not be treated as a precedent. Foot broken but not heart, Pant bats again To that extent, there is a stay of the judgment,” said the court. On July 21, a special bench of the Bombay high court of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak acquitted all the 12 accused, saying the prosecution utterly failed to prove the case and it was “hard to believe the accused committed the crime”. The Maharashtra government on July 22 knocked the doors of the Supreme Court challenging the verdict. More than 180 people were killed when seven blasts ripped through Mumbai local trains at various locations on the western line on July 11, 2006. The Maharashtra government challenged the Bombay high court judgment on several grounds, including that the recovery of RDX from an accused was disbelieved on a “hypertechnical ground” that the seized explosives were not sealed with a lac seal. Shwetha Menon, Jagadish & four others in fray for AMMA prez post F i r o z M i r z a @ Manchester E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @Kochi On Wednesday Rishabh Pant , had to be driven off the field on a yellow ambulance (a makeshift buggy). His right foot, just below the small toe was swollen and blood was dripping from the wound. He was grimacing in pain both body and mind. On Thursay, what seemed inevitable trickled in, the news of Pant; he has broken his right foot and will be out of the England Test series. Later, pictures of him with moonboot on his right foot went viral and everyone thought he would no longer be a part of fourth Test. Pant was an embodiment of stoic human resistance. The entire Old Trafford stadium rose when he wobbled down the stairs of the pavilion to bat. For a man who has endured the most harrowing of life’s pain, a near-fatal car crash end of 2022, this injury seemed bearable. Pant the fighter would not have missed the opportunity to bat and add few more runs. Unbeaten on 37 off 48, Pant faced seven balls adding two runs to his overnight total and ran three for his partner Washington Sundar before Actors Jagadish, Shwetha Menon and four others submitted their nominations for the post of president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) on Thursday as Mohanlal stepped down after being at the helm of the association for seven years. The election will be held in August. The AMMA executive committee had resigned following the release of the Justice Hema committee report, which revealed harassment and abuse of women in cinema, last year. The election will be held to choose the president, two vicepresidents, general secretary, joint secretary, treasurer and 11 executive members, and several actors have come forward to contest. Anoop Chandran, Devan, Anseba Hassan and Raveendran have also filed nominations for the president post. If Shwetha wins, the association will get its first woman president. “We have received 74 nominations. Several members have filed nominations for multiple posts. We will be scrutinising the nominations to prepare the final list of candidates,” said an official ● More on P4 with association.  Rishabh Pant bats with fractured foot in 4th Test on Thursday | AP light drizzle forced an early lunch. India, however, lost two quick wickets to be reduced to 337/8 when Pant decided to open his arms and collect as many boundaries as he can. Incidentally, Pant had injured his left index finger during the Lord’s match. India lost two wickets after lunch when Pant decided to open his ar ms. He first smashed Jofra Archer to over midwicket for a six to equal Virender Sehwag’s record of 91 sixes — the most by an Indian in Tests. Pant then drove England captain Ben Stokes’ full delivery to covers for a four completing his halfP11 century  . HISTORIC Koneru Humpy takes out top-seed, will face All-Indian women’s Divya Deshmukh in chess WC final two-match final Q u i c k & H ass l e f ree Marriage registrations get a whole lot smarter R a je s h R a v i @Kochi Bid farewell to tedious paperwork and long queues – now you can register your marriage in just a few clicks. Upload your certificates, and K-Smart will take care of the rest, ensuring a seamless and hassle-free experience. Ajeesh R and Krishnapriya, who got married on May 1, 2025, in Kollengode, Palakkad, described the registration process on K-Smart platform as remarkably simple, completing it over a cup of tea, two days after their marriage. “We received our certificate within minutes. The process was straightforward and user-friend- K-Smart interface K-Smart e-governance platform was introduced in urban local bodies on January 1, 2024, and in rural local bodies on April 1, 2025. Total marriage registrationrelated files: 1,28,378 Total files approved: 1,11,294 ly Ajeesh said. He explained that ,” one witness was present with them during the registration, while the second witness, located some distance away provided the required , OTP over the phone. “The witnesses didn’t need to be physically present at the panchayat office, which was a huge help,” he said. Ajeesh also highlighted the ease of uploading documents, as the KSmart platform quickly accepted a JPG photo without requiring resizing or conversion to PDF. Ayana R Nair and Ajeesh Chandran, residing in Ontario, Canada, also lauded the K-Smart interface, which they felt was user-friendly . The couple — hailing from Muvattupuzha — had just two weeks after their marriage on April 25, 2025, for other commitments before returning on May 9. “We didn’t have to visit any office, but re- ceived the certificate in a day Ay,” ana said. K-Smart was introduced in urban local bodies on January 1, 2024, and in rural local bodies on April 1, 2025. Kerala was the first state in India to launch a video KYC facility for marriage registration, enabling couples to use the K-Smart website or mobile app from anywhere at their convenience. Dr K P Noufal, chief architect of K-Smart, said, “We re-engineered the entire digitalisation process to make it people-friendly . Now, weddings solemnised anywhere can be legally recognised through our platform with just a ● More on P4 few uploads.”