tadepalligudem l tuesday l april 21, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Bengal Sir tribunals allegedly non-functional, SC seeks report SIR The Supreme Court said it would seek a report from the Calcutta HC amid claims that appellate tribunals in West Bengal are non-functional Tribunals barring lawyers, petitioners say ‘One after the other’, CJI voices displeasure Advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for the petitioners, told a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi that the SIR appellate tribunals were not allowing lawyers to represent parties and were only accepting online applications. “We will get a report from the chief justice (of the Calcutta HC) today itself,” CJI Kant responded ■ ■ The chief justice expressed displeasure that almost every day, the matters related to SIR in West Bengal were being mentioned before the court. “Every day you people, one after the other...” he said The Calcutta High Court has set up 19 tribunals to decide appeals against the deletion or exclusion of names from the voters’ list Thursday When the first phase of assembly polls will be held in west bengal 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 On eve of inauguration by PM, `80K cr refinery up in flames Modi’s visit postponed after the fire incident; no casualties reported; investigation launched RA J E SH AS N A N I @ Jaipur A massive fire broke out at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL)’s new oil refinery at Pachpadra in Rajasthan’s Balotra district on Monday, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to inaugurate it. The entire refinery complex had to be evacuated following the blaze, which broke out near the crude distillation unit around 2 pm. There were no casualties. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said the PM’s programme would not take place on Tuesday and a new date would be announced. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been ascertained and a probe has been launched to find out what led to the blaze and take remedial measures, the ministry added. The fire incident on the eve of the PM’s programme has raised serious questions about the security arrangements and preparations in place. According to eyewitnesses, plumes of smoke from the re- E x p r e s s Re a d CM celebrates b’day at Anna Canteen Vijayawada: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu celebrated his 76th birthday with workers at an Anna Canteen here on Monday, On the occasion, he reviewed welfare schemes and food quality. Nara Bhuvaneswari donated `76 lakh to provide free meals across canteens statewide I P4 Five child marriages foiled in Kurnool dist Kurnool: Officials, including police, foiled five child marriages on Monday, rescuing minor girls across the district. Authorities produced victims before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), counselled parents, and warned of strict legal action under child protection laws I P4 1.5L devotees attend Chandanotsavam Visakhapatnam: Over 1.5 lakh devotees had Nijaroopa Darshanam during Simhachalam Chandanotsavam on Monday. Officials managed the rush with slot-based queues, heavy security and civic support. Officials said the festival concluded peacefully I P3 Firefighters douse the blaze at HPCL’s refinery in Balotra, Rajasthan on Monday | PTI Fire broke out near the ‘heart’ of the refinery The fire broke out near the crude distillation unit, the primary unit considered the heart of an oil refinery. According to reports, refineries are susceptible to fires, explosions, and catastrophic failures during the commissioning phase, as this period involves introducing hydrocarbons into new or maintained high-pressure, high-temperature systems finery were visible from afar. The unexpected fire a day before a high-profile event caused chaos and panic among officials and security personnel. Chief Secretary V Srinivas had reached Pachpadra on Monday to oversee the arrangements for the PM’s visit. Fire safety systems were immediately activated upon detecting the fire. Teams from both the municipal fire department and the refinery’s inter- nal fire brigade brought the fire under control after around two hours. India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex, HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd (HRRL) is considered crucial for the country’s energy sector. HRRL is a joint venture between HPCL and the Government of Rajasthan with an equity participation of 74% and 26%, respectively . Built at a cost of `79,450 crore, HRRL is considered one of India’s key energy projects. The refinery has a capacity of 9 million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) and a petrochemical capacity of 2.4 mmtpa. The refinery will produce petrol and diesel along with petrochemical products such as polypropylene, linear lowdensity polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, benzene, toluene, and butadiene. The sprawling complex is spread across 4,400 acres and the project is expected to reduce dependence on oil imports.  (With inputs from Rakesh  Kumar in New Delhi) U.S. team yet to reach pak Big ‘no’ to peace talks, says Iran ‘Lots of bombs to go off’ Trump has warned that he would not extend the ceasefire unless Iran reaches a deal with the US by Wednesday. Speaking to PBS News, Trump said that if the ceasefire ends without a peace deal, “then lots of bombs start going off” 3,375 killed in war: Iran According to Iran, a total of 3,375 people have been killed in the conflict so far, 496 of them women. The figure, given by Abbas Masjedi, head of Iran’s Legal Medicine Organisation, did not specify civilian deaths A g en c i e s @ Tehran / Washington / Dubai the much-touted second round of peace talks in Pakistan appears to be a non-starter with the US team of negotiators led by Vice President J D Vance is yet to board the plane to Islamabad and Iran categorically stating that it has no plans to hold any more talks. “We have no plans for the next round of negotiation, and no decision has been made in this regard,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday . Iran’s statement came after the US Navy, which is ‘blockading’ the Strait of Hormuz, seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship. Announcing the next round of day peace talks with Iran, US President Donald T r ump had on Sunday said the US team would reach Islamabad by Monday evening. He initially said Vance wouldn’t go this time due to security concerns but the White House later clarified that the vice president would lead the delegation. However, as of Monday night, reports said Vance was still in Washington. Meanwhile, news agency Reuters claimed that Iran might relent and agree to attend the talks after Pakistan promised to persuade the US to end the blockade. The first round of talks on April 11 had ended without a deal and both sides accused the other of breaching the ceasefire pact. The two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran P9 is set to expire on Wednesday  . 52 Compassionate jobs Naidu questions stance of DMK & crushing the hopes of Cong on 33% women’s reservation unemployed youth: HC E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada The Andhra Pradesh High Court has expressed its serious concer n over the growing number of compassionate appointments in the State, noting that 20,801 such jobs were given from 2014, which averages nearly 2,000 appointments every year exceeding the State’s regular annual recruitment. The Court observed that indiscriminate compassionate appointments are harming the rights of unemployed youth. It clarified that compassionate appointment is not a right but only an exception to help the family of a deceased employee facing distress. It pointed out that beneficiarie. Compassionate appointments should be considered only when the family of an employee who died in service is in extreme poverty, the Court said. Many talented youth have been waiting years for government jobs, but unchecked compassionate appointments are crushing their hopes. While the government shows excessive sympathy to families of deceased employees, it acts harshly toward unemployed youth, the bench remarked. In this context, the Court directed the State government to frame fresh guidelines within three months. The guidelines must clearly cover the family’s financial status, payment of exgratia instead of jobs, and providing employment on temporary or outsourcing basis rather than permanent posts through compassionate grounds. While hearing the petition of Sujana who approached the court seeking directions for a job under compassionate grounds, Justice Nyapathi Vijay delivered the verdict and directed the Registry to send a copy to the Chief Secretary, General Administration DeP4 partment. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, while campaigning in Coimbatore and other parts of Tamil Nadu in support of NDA candidates, launched a sharp attack on the DMK government in Tamil Nadu. He alleged that despite support from the Centre, the DMK government has failed to utilise available development opportunities. Instead, he accused the party of focusing on corruption, neglecting law and order issues, and rising drug and illicit liquor consumption, and burdening people with debt over the past five years. Naidu claimed that the DMK’s political graph has declined significantly He further . alleged a rise in crime, stating that crimes against women have increased by 50%, while crimes against Scheduled Castes have risen by 39%. Highlighting issues related to liquor, he said that deaths due to spurious liquor have increased, with 22 people dying in 2023 and 60 in 2024. He also ‘Political graph of DMK has declined’ The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said the DMK’s political graph has declined significantly. He further alleged a rise in crime, stating that crimes against women have increased by 50%, while crimes against SCs have risen by 39%. He criticised the DMK for allegedly disrespecting the Hindu Dharma accused the government of collecting `10 extra per bottle, alleging that even alcohol consumers are being exploited. He further criticised the DMK for allegedly disrespecting the Hindu Dharma and accused the party of creating di- visions and hatred among the people of Tamil Nadu. Naidu asserted that a ‘double-engine government’ would ensure rapid development and urged voters in Tamil Nadu to support the NDA in the upcoming elections. Naidu campaigned in favour of NDA candidate Nagesh Kumar in Thalli constituency of Krishnagiri district and called upon the electorate to vote for development-oriented governance. During the meeting, local NDA leaders appealed for the introduction of a bus service connecting Thalli with Tirupati. Responding positively, the Chief Minister assured that necessary steps would be taken. Naidu expressed happiness over receiving the same warmth and affection in Tamil Nadu as in Andhra Pradesh. He remarked that he feels at home even while visiting the neighbouring state and praised Tamil Nadu for preserving its rich cultural heritage. He noted that the State has made significant strides in deP4 velopment. Mangled remains of the bus involved in the accident in J&K’s Udhampur | PTI At least 21 dead, 61 injured as bus falls into gorge in J&K F aya z w a n i @ Srinagar At least 21 people were killed and 61 others injured after the bus they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Monday . Officials said the passenger bus was on its way from Ramnagar to Udhampur, when it met with the accident near Khagote village in Ramnagar around 10 am. “The driver lost control while negotiating a sharp curve on at Khagote. At the same time, an auto-rickshaw was in the vicinity. The bus crushed the auto-rickshaw and plunged nearly 100 metres into the deep gorge before landing upside down on the road below,” Deputy Inspector General of Police (Udhampur-Reasi Range) Shiv Kumar Sharma told reporters. The impact of the fall was so severe that the entire top portion of the bus got crushed, trapping all passengers inside the mangled wreckage. Locals, police, and SDRF personnel soon launched a relief and rescue operations. An army convoy that was moving through the area also assisted. Injured persons were rushed to the Government Medical College, Udhampur. Two critically injured persons were later referred to the Government Medical College, Jammu for specialised treatment. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex gratia of `2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and `1 lakh to those seriously injured. Those with minor injuries would be given `25,000. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “pained to hear about the loss of lives”. The PM announced an ex gratia of `2 lakh from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each of the deceased. Those injured would be given `50,000. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha directed the district administration, police, SDRF and the health department to provide all possible assistance. Denial of receipts for complaints at India, S Korea set $50 billion trade target by 2030 police stations in AP draws criticism J a v a r i a R a n a a n d P u s h p i ta De y @ New Delhi P h a n i n d r a Pa pa s a n i @ Vijayawada The widespread practice of police failing to provide acknowledgement copies for written complaints at police stations across the State is drawing criticism from the public, legal experts and human rights activists, who call the negligence a clear violation of established l aw a n d S u p re m e C o u r t guidelines. As per the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), an acknowledgement copy is a crucial document ensuring accountability and transparency in police procedures, particularly regarding the registration of First Information Reports (FIRs) and service of summons. Accordingly every complain, ant has the right to receive an acknowledgement copy, often referred to as a ‘complaint receiving’ copy, immediately after submitting a written complaint at a police station. This document typically records key With a large number of complaints now being received through PGRS and other online portals, issuing acknowledgement copies has become an addl burden on the police A senior police officer details such as the complainant’s name, date of submission, police station details, and a brief description of the grievance. It serves as proof of submission and enables citizens to track the progress of their complaint, including whether an FIR has been registered. Despite these legal safeguards, the practice is reportedly absent in many of the State’s approximately 1,020 police stations. Activists argue that the absence of acknowledgement copies creates room for delays or denial in FIR registration, particularly in the sensitive P4 cases. Pitching their ties as a “message of peace and stability” amid global tensions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday expanded cooperation across energy critical , minerals, shipbuilding, semiconductors and steel, set a target to double bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030 and announced Seoul’s entry into the International Solar Alliance and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. The two sides also agreed to resume stalled negotiations to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with the next round scheduled for May and a deadline to conclude talks by CEPA ‘rewrite’ EAM S Jaishankar and his South Korean counterpart exchange an MoU as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, look on | PTI the first half of 2027. Projecting a broader economic and strategic alignment, Modi said cooperation would expand “from chips to ships, talent to technology, environment to energy spanning sem,” iconductors, electronics, maritime industries and defence manufacturing. Bilateral trade currently stands at around $27 billion. To drive this, the two countries agreed to set up a ministe- The push to upgrade CEPA comes amid stalled talks in 2024 over tariffs and nontariff barriers. The joint declaration commits both sides to holding the next round in May and concluding the upgrade by mid-2027. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said India might rewrite chapters of the CEPA if needed to address India’s trade deficit rial-level Industrial Cooperation Committee, their first such mechanism, to coordinate investments and supply chains in critical minerals, nuclear and clean energy and advanced manufacturing.