villupuram l tuesday l september 16, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l city EDITION three ministers inducted by nepal’s new PM Karki sworn in Nepal’s new ministers (from left) Kulman Ghising, Om Prakash Aryal and Rameshwor Khanal after being sworn in on Monday in Kathmandu | PTI seasoned advocate is new home minister Om Prakash Aryal, an advocate known for cases tackling corruption and human rights, takes the critical home minister post, as well as law, justice and parliamentary affairs. Kulman Ghising, former director of Electricity Authority, has energy, infrastructure, transport and urban development, while Rameshwor Khanal, was handed the finance minister post | P11 Nepal’s interim PM unveiled her first ministers on Monday, as the nation seeks to restore order after deadly clashes ousted PM KP Sharma Oli parliamentary polls in six months ■ ■ The Cabinet, mandated to hold parliamentary polls within six months, now has four members, including Prime Minister Sushila Karki, who will oversee the remaining ministerial portfolios President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office to the new ministers at a ceremony at the President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas 10.5% is the most recent unemployment rate of nepal, as per an estimate 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 PMK dispute: Anbumani bloc says it got ECI recognition `2K for 6K children in phase 1 tn holds out ‘Anbu Karangal’ to orphaned kids E X PRESS NEWS SER V ICE @ Chennai The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) faction led by Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday said that it has received a letter from the Election Commission of India (ECI), accepting the resolution passed at the party’s general council convened on August 9 in Mahabalipuram extending Anbumani’s tenure as party president until August 2026. The PMK bloc headed by founder Dr S Ramadoss, however, has disputed the claim. Anbumani faction’s spokesperson and advocate K Balu, speaking to reporters in Chennai, contended that the ECI’s letter was a recognition that Dr Anbumani is the president of PMK. “There should not be any confusion over factions. The party led by Anbumani is the PMK. No one should refer to this group or that g ro u p, ” h e said, while reAnbumani iterating that Ramadoss the par ty’s founder remains its guiding force. Reading out from the ECI’s letter, dated September 9 and signed by under secretary Love Kush Yadav, Balu said, “... the party’s request for extension of the term of office bearers till August 2026, has been acceded to by the competent authority.” ECI has also sent the letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, TN, he said. On Thursday, when party founder Ramadoss announced the expulsion of his son Anbumani from the party, further precipitating the inter nal feud, Balu had said that ECI had recognised Anbumani’s leadership, but did not provide any specifics. Soon after Balu met the press on Monday, Salem West MLA R Arul, a loyalist of senior Ramadoss, rejected Balu’s claim.  P5 Chief Minister MK Stalin launches Anbu Karangal scheme, which provides financial support for orphans, at a function in Chennai on Monday | P Jawahar Ex p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Chennai Asserting that DMK government’s welfare schemes are not driven by vote-bank politics but by a commitment to use power as an opportunity to uplift the marginalised, Chief Minister MK Stalin launched the Anbu Karangal scheme on the birth anniversary of former chief minister CN Annadurai on Monday . Describing votes as a symbol of the people’s trust in his party Stalin said the DMK was using that mandate to fulfil , people’s needs and drive social change. He was speaking after inaugurating the scheme under which a monthly assistance of `2,000 will be provided in the first phase to 6,082 children, who have lost both parents or cannot be cared for by a surviving parent, until they turn 18. Expressing delight in inaugurating the scheme on the birth anniversary of Perarignar Anna, who gave the principle of Dravidian politics — ‘God can be seen in the smiles of the poor’ — Stalin said, “The smiles of these children are our tribute to him.” He further said the Dravidian movement is the uprising of the common people who were long oppressed, and its ideals continue to resonate with people because of that. While many believe politics is about holding on to government with the desire for power, introducing some attractive schemes and then seeking re-election with the same desire, the DMK’s guiding principle is the responsibility placed on it and not position or power, he added.  P5 MBBS-BAMS proposed integrated course PUT OFF The proposed integrated medical course, combining MBBS and BAMS at JIPMER in Puducherry, has been put on hold following strong protests | P9 US team arrives for trade talks today PUSHPITA DEY @ New Delhi US TikTok deal done, Trump-Xi talks on Friday US chief negotiator and Assistant Trade Representative for south and central Asia Brendan Lynch arrived in Delhi on Monday night to revive the trade talks that were stalled after the Trump administration waged a tariff war on Indian goods ostensibly to penalise India over its trade ties with Russia. Lynch and his team of negotiators will hold formal talks with Indian officials on the India-US bilateral trade agreement on Tuesday, confirmed US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that Washington has reached a ‘framework’ deal with China on the ownership of TikTok’s American operations. US President Donald Trump will speak with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday to finalise the deal, he added | P11 Rajesh Agarwal, India’s chief negotiator and a special secretary commerce ministry , . This will be the first in-person discussion between the representatives of the two countries after the US levied a 50% tariff on several Indian goods. While the exact agenda of the meeting has not been SC stays a few provisions of Waqf Amendment Act Abolition of ‘waqf by user’ prima facie not arbitrary: Interim order SUCHITRA K ALYAN M OHANTY What ’s in, what ’s out @ New Delhi The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the operation of the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, in its interim orderbut stayed the implementation of certain parts of the law to ‘balance the equities’ and ‘protect the interests of parties’, including the criteria of fiveyear practice of Islam for dedicating property towards waqf. “Section 3 of the Amended Waqf Act (AWA), which says, ‘any person showing or demonstrating that he is professing Islam for at least five years’ shall stand stayed” until rules are framed on how to determine whether a person has been practicing Islam for at least five years, a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih ruled. However, it is nondescriminatory the court said. , The bench stayed a provision on the District Collector adjudicating on the rights of individual citizens, saying it would violate the principle of separation of powers. Till a tribunal adjudicates on the matter, no SC says law can be stayed only in the rarest of rare cases Says number of non-Muslims in central waqf councils cannot exceed 4 out of 22 third party rights can be created against any parties, the court said. As for appointing nonMuslims to manage waqf properties, it allowed the Centre to nominate not more than three of them into the 11-member Central Waqf Council constituted under Section 14 of the AWA, and four non-Muslims out of 22 under Section 9 of AWA. The court refused to stay an amendment allowing the appointment of a non-Muslim as a CEO for the board, but suggested that every effort should be made to appoint a Muslim to the post. Refusing to stay the provision abolishing the concept of Custodial torture: Balveer to stand trial after 30 months appeared before Judicial Mag@ Tirunelveli istrate No 1 K Sathya. Charges were framed and explained to Thirty months after the cus- them in Tamil. After Singh and todial violence in which former his team members — MurugAmbasamudram ASP esh, Karthik Babu, EsBalveer Singh and 13 akkiraja, Sadham Husother police personnel sein, Manikandan, allegedly removed the Rajakumari, B Rajakuteeth of suspects with mari, Abraham Joseph, pliers and crushed the Ramalingam, Sudalai, testicles of two of them, Vignesh, Muthu Selvaand nearly two years afkumaran and Vivek Anter a magistrate court Balveer Singh drews — pleaded not started hearing the matguilty the court ordered , ter, the four cases registhe prosecution to open tered against the IPS officer its case and directed summons and others will enter trial on to be issued to all the witnesses. October 13. The victims included a On Monday, all 14 suspects juvenile.  P5 disclosed, the visit makes it clear that both sides want the talks to resume at the earliest. Negotiations were put on hold after US President Donald Trump announced higher tariffs on several Indian goods and India termed the move a ‘unilateral’ decision. The resumption of talks Provision on five-year practice of Islam for dedicating property as waqf stayed for want of rules, but it is not arbitrary or discriminatory Provision barring declaration of tribal lands as waqf properties upheld Deletion of ‘waqf by user’ provision prima facie not arbitrary ‘waqf by user’, the court said, the requirement of registration came in from the Waqf Act of 1923. If waqfs were not registered since 102 years, they cannot raise their grievance now, the court said. “If the legislature, on noticing misuse of the waqf properties, finds that after the enactment of the impugned Act all such applications should be accompanied by a copy of the waqf deed, the same cannot be said to be arbitrary the court observed. ,” If ‘waqf by user’ is abused to encroach government properties, the legislature can take steps to delete it. It approved the provision to abolish ‘waqf by user’ prospectively . express read Sengottaiyan defends AIADMK unity comment Erode: After his 10-day deadline to AIADMK chief EPS over party unity ended on Monday, former minister KA Sengottaiyan said the views he expressed on September 5 were intended to strengthen and unite AIADMK to ensure that the party returns to power | P4 THINA K ARAN RA J A M ANI Row as Centre denies nod for Sikh jatha to Pak pole star vaults to the sky Armand Duplantis created history by breaking his world record in pole vault again at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Monday. This is the 14th time the Swede has broken the world mark | AP Chandigarh: The Centre’s decision not to allow a Sikh jatha to Pakistan has triggered protests with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann saying cricket matches between with Pakistan were allowed but Sikhs are denied permission to access to their sacred shrines | P10 handshake gate Pakistan threatens to pull out of Asia Cup if match referee not removed F i r o z M i r z a @ Chennai A day after India refused to shake hands with Pakistan after recording a comprehensive win in the Asia Cup match, the issue snowballed into a major controversy . In a letter to the International Cricket Council, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) threatened to withdraw from the Asia Cup if their demand of immediate removal of match referee Andy Pycroft is not met. The letter was written soon after the match. Interestingly former , BCCI secretary Jay Shah is the ICC chair. “The ICC has been told specifically that if the match referee Pycroft will not be changed, Pakistan will not play any more Asia Andy Pycroft Cup match,” a PCB source told this daily Interestingly Pycroft . , was given the similar responsibility by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which incidentally is headed by PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, for the second match between Hong Kong and Sri Lanka on Monday . Besides, the PCB has also requested the comes days after Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanged positive assessment about the trade ties. The visit by the US team was originally scheduled for August 25-29, but it was called off amid high tensions over the massive US tariffs. Trump slapped an additional 25% tariff on August 6 and it became effective from August 27, taking the total tariffs on Indian goods to 50%. The US remains India’s largest trading partner with bilateral trade crossing $130 billion last year. ICC not to send the 69-year-old Pycroft, who is a former Zimbabwe player, to Pakistan for the upcoming tour of South Africa. The Pakistan board made the demand through a separate letter sent to the ICC on Monday morning. SA are scheduled to play two Tests, three T20Is and as many ODIs in Pakistan with the series starting with the fiveday match on October 12. The PCB held the match referee responsible for the ‘no handshakes’ fiasco wherein India players refused to shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts after Sunday’s match and alleged that Pycroft violated the spirit of cricket and MCC Laws hence failed in discharging his duties. The PCB alleged Pycroft took Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha to one side be- fore the toss and instructed him that there will be no handshakes at the toss. Pakistan may play India again and the PCB source said they have not decided on the future course of action. “We are waiting for ICC’s response. If that is accepted then we will decide on the future respecting the spirit of the game,” said the source. Final hearing on October 7, SC verdict for pan-India SIR s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a n t y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Monday said it was presuming that the Election Commission, being a constitutional authority , was following the law during the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and cautioned that the entire exercise would be set aside in case any illegality is found at any stage. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi fixed October 7 for hearing final arguments on the validity of SIR in Bihar, and refused to offer any “piecemeal opinion” on the exercise. The bench also emphasized that its “judgement in Bihar SIR will be applicable for pan-India SIR”. The court clarified that it can’t stop the poll panel from conducting a similar exercise for revision of electoral rolls across the country The bench, . however, allowed petitioners against the Bihar SIR exercise to also argue on the pan-India SIR on October 7. The publication of the final electoral roll on September 30 will not make any difference to the adjudication of the case, the bench said. “What difference will the final publication of the electoral roll make to us? If we are satisfied there is some illegality, we can set it aside,” the bench told the petitioners who have challenged the SIR exercise. The top court is currently hearing a batch of pleas — questioning the validity of SIR — filed by NGO ADR, People’s Union for Civil Liberties, activist Yogendra Yadav, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, RJD MP Manoj Jha, Congress leader K C Venugopal and Mujahid Alam. In another development in the same case, the court, while hearing a plea by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay refused to , modify its September 8 order directing the Election Commission to permit use of Aadhaar as the 12th document for proof of identity as part of SIR in Bihar. The bench said Aadhaar was made acceptable as an interim arrangement.