hyderabad l saturday l February 21, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 18 l late city EDITION No cash payments at national highway toll plazas from April Starting April, cash transactions may not be accepted at NHAI toll plazas, aiming to create a fully digital National Highway toll ecosystem will aid transparency, says centre The ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) on Friday said the transition will help to enhance ‘Ease of Commuting’ for highway users by improving lane throughput, reducing congestion at fee plazas and bringing greater consistency and transparency in toll transactions. Users are most likely to only be allowed to pay the road toll through digital or UPI mode ■ 1,150 looking at cutting cash transactions ■ As per current National Highway fee rules, vehicles entering a toll plaza without a valid, functional FASTag are charged twice the applicable user fee, if paid in cash, and 1.25 times from UPI mode These initiatives have collectively advanced the objective of reducing dependency on cash transactions and digitizing the toll framework toll plazas across the country are likely to be affected 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 US SC strikes SC directs use of judicial officers in Bengal SIR down Trump’s global tariffs s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a n t y Trinamool says it’s a blow to eci @ New Delhi US President denounces the adverse ruling, announces new 10% global tariff P u s h p i ta De y & J aya n t h j a c o b @ New Delhi IN a landmark judgment with significant implications for India’s trade outlook, the US Supreme Court has ruled that President Donald Trump acted beyond his legal authority in imposing sweeping global tariffs under emergency powers. The court held that tariffs are effectively taxes and the Constitution assigns taxation powers to the Congress, not the President. In a 6-3 decision authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court held that the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to introduce broad-based tariffs lacked Congressional authorisation. The justices ruled that IEEPA did not grant the power to the President to impose tariffs on trading partners. The court emphasized that the law of imposing tariff is only meant for use in national emergencies. Trump reacted furiously alleging that the , court was influenced by “foreign interests”. He also announced a 10% “global tariff ” under a trade law known as Section 122. In light of the US court ruling, more than half of the Indian exports will not have to pay even the 18% tariff and, therefore, India may choose not to rush to sign the Bilateral Trade Agreement, say experts. “Removal of reciprocal tariffs will free about 55% of India’s exports to the US from the 18% duty, leaving them subject only to standard MFN (most favoured nation) tariffs. On the remaining exports, Section 232 tariffs will continue — 50% on steel and aluminium and 25% on certain auto components — while products accounting for roughly 40% of export value, including smartphones, petroleum products and medicines, will remain exempt from US tariffs,” said Ajay Srivastava, founder of Global Trade Research Initiative. “The US had agreed to reduce reciprocal tariffs on India to 18%, which shall no longer remain relevant following the Court’s decision. This is also likely to pave the way for potential refunds of tariffs collected without adequate legal basis,” said Manoj Mishra, partner and tax controversy management leader at Grant Thornton Bharat.  (With agency inputs) I’m ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed, for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country Donald Trump Refunds could be a mess The Treasury had collected more than $133 billion from the import tariffs Trump imposed. But Supreme Court did not clarify whether companies that paid tariffs can get a refund Critics welcome SC ruling Opponents of the tariffs are cheering it. ‘We Pay the Tariffs’ a coalition of businesses, called it a tremendous win IN a dramatic turn of events, the Supreme Court on Friday directed the deployment of judicial officers, including retired judges, for easy and smooth conduct of the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal, after noting that there was a clear lack of cooperation between the State government and the Election Commission of India (ECI). The court said it had to pass the “extraordinary order” due to “extraordinary circumstances.” The court requested the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujoy Paul to allot serving We are left with hardly any option but to request Calcutta HC CJ to spare serving judicial officers along with former judicial officers who can aid in disposal of claims under logical discrepancy list — SC and former judicial officers in the rank of district judges or above for SIR duties. Chief Justice Paul has been asked to convene a meeting on Saturday, to be attended by Chief Secretary, DGP, official from the EC, Advocate General of the state, Additional Solicitor General of the Centre and Registrar General of the high court on the issue. “There is an unfortunate blame game of allegations and counter allegations which shows trust deficit between the MHA invokes Official Secrets Act to secure note printing press HQ m u k e s h r a n j a n @ New Delhi All about OSA THE Centre has designated the headquarters of the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) in the national capital as a “prohibited place” under the provisions of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. The decision is aimed at reinforcing security at the strategic installation and preventing any unauthorised access that could compromise sensitive information or cause damage to the premises, officials said. They said that the move is preventive in nature and intended to strengthen safe- Under the OSA, areas designated as prohibited are subject to heightened security restrictions. Unauthorised access, photography, sketching, or collection of information in such premises can attract stringent penal provisions under the Act guards around the facility and noted that any breach of information or harm to the headquarters could potentially be exploited by forces inimical to India’s interests. By bringing the premises under the ambit of the Official Secrets Act, authorities have sought to create a stronger legal deterrent against trespassing, espionage or other security violations. The order also clarified that it supersedes an earlier notification dated February 15, 2022, except in cases where actions have already been taken under the previous directive. The notified premises comprise the SPMCIL Headquarters Office located in Tower-G of the World Trade Centre at Nauroji Nagar in Delhi. A wholly owned Schedule ‘ ’ A Miniratna Category-I company , SPMCIL was incorporated on January 13, 2006, and manufactures currency notes coins. express read Draft nuclear deal in 2-3 days: Iran Andrew property searched for 2nd day Paris: US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was considering a limited strike on Iran after ordering a major naval buildup in West Asia. The threat came soon after Iran’s foreign minister said a draft proposal for an agreement with Washington would be ready in a matter of days following negotiations between the two sides in Geneva | P11 London: Police were on Friday searching the former home of ex-prince Andrew for a second day, as his sensational arrest tipped the UK monarchy into a crisis unprecedented in its modern era. The disgraced royal, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was “released under investigation” late Thursday | P11 Hailing the SC order to deploy judicial officers for SIR exercise, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) said that it is a blow to the Election Commission, which has failed in discharging its constitutional responsibilities. “SC just delivered the knockout punch... all logical discrepancy cases will be handled by judicial officers,” said TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee WB government and the ECI. Now the process is stuck at the stage of claims and objections of the persons who have been included in the logical discrepancy list,” said a three-judge bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipin Pancholi. Directing to appoint judicial officers to adjudicate claims and objections in the SIR process in WB, the top court clarfied that it was left with no other option but to involve the state judiciary for conclusion of the SIR exercise in Bengal. The court was hearing a batch of pleas challenging the ECI’s exercise of electoral rolls in West Bengal, where ECI submitted that they were not being provided well-qualified officers to conduct SIR. SHIRTLESS PROTEST eXPR E SS N E WS S E RVIC E @ New Delhi A group of Indian Youth Congress workers on Friday staged a bizarre, shirtless protest at the India AI Impact Summit, shouting slogans against the government and the India-US trade deal before being confronted by members of the public and escorted away by security personnel. The protesters were seen waving white T-shirts printed with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. Police said they had registered online and obtained QR codes to enter the venue. They allegedly concealed the T-shirts under their jackets and pulled them out dramatically when they reached Hall No. 5. The protest drew a sharp reaction from the BJP with party , spokesperson Sambit Patra saying, “For the Congress, I have just three words—topless, brainless and shameless.” IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib defended the action, saying, “Peaceful protest is our right in a democracy, and we will continue to raise the voice of the youth.” AI ‘mankind’s greatest invention’, needs a national war room: CM Idli steamer Pressure point E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e Today’s Match 7pm: New Zealand vs Pakistan (Colombo) India joins US-led ‘Pax Silica’ alliance Express news service @ New Delhi INDIA on Friday for mally joined the Pax Silica coalition, which seeks to ensure strengthen strategic technology and supply chain cooperation between India and the US, while addressing China’s dominance in the critical minerals sector. The alliance is expected to bolster India’s growing role in the semiconductor sector. “The semiconductor industry will require one million new skilled professionals, and this is a very big opportunity for India,” said Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw. In a joint statement, India and the US said they plan to deepen cooperation under the Pax Silica framework to support future supply chains. “The initiative seeks to reduce overconcentration in global supply chains, prevent economic coercion,” a government statement said.  P9 @ Hyderabad Describing AI as “mankind’s greatest invention”, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday proposed a national Artificial Intelligence (AI) war room with participation from the Union government and states to track rapid developments in the sector, alongside the creation of an India AI Council and a dedicated AI ministry at the Central and state levels. Addressing the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi, Revanth outlined five proposals, including the war room, an Apex AI Council on the lines of the GST Council or NITI Aayog, and the establishment of an AI startup hub in Hyderabad w i t h U n i o n g ove r n m e n t support. Calling for an urgent assess- We need to put in place a system to estimate job losses due to AI. India can no longer delay this. We must invest at scale in people who lose their jobs — A Revanth Reddy Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy delivers the keynote address at the AI Impact Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi ment of AI-led job losses, he said India must invest heavily in reskilling and support those displaced by automation. “India cannot delay this any more. We need a fund for AI startups so our youth can work across AI and aim to build unicorns. Telangana can set up an AI startup space for the entire country with Union government support,” he said. Addressing policymakers, technology experts and industry leaders, the chief minister described AI as “mankind’s greatest invention”, comparing its impact to the discovery of fire, the invention of the wheel and the Industrial Revolution. He congratulated the Union government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for organising the summit. Revanth said that unlike earlier inventions that enhanced physical labour, AI challenges human intellectual dominance and, combined with robotics, brings together cognitive and physical capabilities. He cautioned that India must not miss the AI transition as it did earlier industrial shifts, noting that while the country excelled in services and software, it failed to create global technology products. The chief minister said India must move from being a user of global platforms to a producer and owner of AI technologies, and should lead across the AI stack, including GPU chip manufacturing, green energy and data storage, platforms, core AI languages, applications and AI-driven services. Outlining a roadmap, the chief minister reiterated the need for a national AI war room, a world-class AI university with campuses across India focused on original research, and immediate steps to manufacture GPU chips and secure rare earth minerals as part of the global AI supply chain. He also proposed a national assessment of AI-driven job displacement, a national AI fund to back startups and youth-led innovation, and Telangana’s offer to host an AI startup village for the country . Revanth suggested hosting AI summits every six months in different cities to sustain momentum and invited global and national institutions to partner with Telangana on AI innovation and governance. Chemist killed in fire at reactor in Nalgonda chemical factory E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Nalgonda CCTV footage shows the situation before and after the fireball at the chemical factory in Dothigudem on Friday A chemist was killed after a fire broke out at VJ Sai Chemical Company in Dothigudem village of Bhoodan Pochampally mandal on Friday . The deceased, Dhara Praveen (39), a resident of Gattusingaram village in Kusumanchi mandal of Khammam district, was burnt alive while filling a reactor with solvent. He had been working at the unit for the past eight months. According to ACP Madhusudan Reddy, the incident occurred around 2.20 pm when Praveen was pumping solvent into the reactor using drums. During the process, sparks flew out, triggering a ball of fire that was so intense that it appeared like a blast. While Praveen was caught in the flames, another worker, Krishnaswamy, managed to run downstairs. Plant in-charge Shivanaray- ana attempted to extinguish the fire, but Praveen had already succumbed to his injuries by the time the flames were brought under control. Following the incident, Choutuppal RDO N Shekar Reddy and ACP V Madhusudan Reddy visited the site and questioned the management on safety measures at the plant. A Clues Team also inspected the spot and collected evidence. blast injures 4 at Chutneys E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Hyderabad Four workers were injured after an idli steamer exploded in the kitchen of Chutneys, a wellknown eatery, at LB Nagar on Friday afternoon. Police said three workers from Chhattisgarh sustained burn injuries, while another worker suffered a head injury after being struck by an iron utensil. The injured have been identified as Jogeshwar (20), Daya (23) and Sumith (21), who sustained burn injuries, and Sunil (21), who suffered a head injury . One of the workers sustained about 30% burns, while the other two suffered around 15% burns. All four were shifted to a nearby private hospital in NTR Nagar. Police said they are out of danger and undergoing treatment. According to police sources, the blast occurred as pressure inside the steamer built up uncontrollably . inside Rahul may lead protest over NREGA repeal I P4 ASAD holds cards in Bihar RS election I P10