BHUBANESWAR l tuesday l april 21, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late CITY EDITION Bengal S.i.r. 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 S H A S NANI @ 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- 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 warned that he would not extend the ceasefire unless Iran reaches a deal with the US by Wednesday. Speaking to PBS News, he said that if the ceasefire ends without a peace deal in sight, “then lots of bombs start going off” 3,375 killed in war: Iran According to Iran, a total of 3,375 people, 496 of them women, have been killed in the conflict so far. The figure, given by Abbas Masjedi, head of Iran’s Legal Medicine Organisation, did not specify civilian deaths A g e n c i es @ 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 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 on Sunday, US President Donald Trump had said the US team would travel to Islamabad on Monday He initially said Vance wouldn’t . go this time due to “security reasons” but the White House later clarified that the vice president would lead the delegation. However, as of Monday night, Vance was still in Washington according to reports. Meanwhile, news agency Reuters claimed that Iran agreed to consider attending the talks after Pakistan promised Tehran it would 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 9.8 lakh voters removed Govt focused on farmers’ financial empowerment, from poll rolls, triggers making agriculture profitable: CM Mohan Majhi allegations of wrongdoing E x p r ess Ne w s S e r v i c e @ Cuttack Sudarsan Maharana lined that a substantial @ Bhubaneswar number of complaints have been received a g ainst Ahead of the crucial Spe- wrongful deletions, includcial Intensive Revision (SIR) ing cases where electors of electoral rolls in Odisha, were found to be present a whopping 9.8 lakh names and instances where booth have been deleted during level officers (BLOs) had the ongoing mapping exer- neither conducted field viscise, drawing serious alle- its nor carried out proper g a t i o n o f w r o n g f u l verification. removals. Mishra directed the EROs The development has also to undertake careful scruled the chief electoral offic- tiny of demographically er (CEO), Odisha, similar entries and RS Gopalan, to put issue notices to on hold the scrutiny electors in cases of of around two lakh suspected duplicaForm-7 applications tion or doubtful The number of deletions is received after April matches. He also slightly higher 2, 2026, which seek stated that, in view deletion or raise ob- this time due to of the concer ns extensive jections to entries raised, the scrutiny verification as in the rolls. of around two lakh well as According to the submission of a Form-7 applications CEO’s office, the 9.8 large number of received after April lakh deletions have 2 has been kept in applications been carried out by abeyance. involving migration and electoral registraNames of deabsence of tion officers (EROs) ceased voters will voters since the combe removed only afmencement of the ter thorough verifiRS Gopalan, CEO mapping process. cation of applicaWith Odisha having tions submitted by about 3.40 crore electors as family members or close per the 2025 summary revi- relatives. Notices will also sion, including 1.72 crore be sent to the last known admen, 1.68 crore women and dress of electors before any 3,434 transgender people, deletion. Clarifying the process, the deletions account for roughly 2.88 per cent of the Gopalan said any name wrongly deleted would be electorate, sources said. However, the exercise has restored upon submission and review of Form-6. He triggered complaints of wrongful removal of voters said between seven lakh and from the rolls. In a recent nine lakh names had been letter to EROs, additional typically deleted during rechief electoral officer Sush- vision exercises in previous Continued on P5 anta Kumar Mishra under- years.  SC seeks spl courts for UAPA, NDPS cases The Supreme Court on Monday suggested that keeping in view of delays in cases under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, there was an urgent need to set up exclusive special courts to deal with them | P7 The state government is firmly committed to strengthening financial empower ment of farmers and making agriculture more profitable and modern, said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday . Addressing a function after p e r fo r m i n g ‘A k h i M u t h i Anukula’, a sacred agricultural ritual on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, at Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) here, the chief minister underlined that agriculture is the mainstay of Odisha’s economy, culture and prosperity . He informed that for the 2026 kharif season, around `838.48 crore has been provided to 41,68,582 farmers in the state under the CM-KISAN Yojana. As many as 41,24,241 small and marginal farmers, 41,049 landless farmers and 3,292 tribal f a r m e r s h ave b e n e f i t t e d through the financial assistance, he said. “After the BJP government came to power in Odisha, the state’s agricultural growth has reached 5.3 per cent in just 22 months, which is higher than the national average. This year, E x p r e s s Re a d Bhavesh bags top rank in state in JEE (mains) Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar boy Bhavesh Patra has emerged as the state topper in JEE (main) 2026 session-II, results of which were declared by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Monday. A student of city-based Cohen International School, Bhavesh has scored a 100 percentile | P2 Teacher dies of heat during census work Sambalpur: A 55-year-old junior teacher engaged in census duty in Sonepur district allegedly died due to heatstroke on Sunday, raising concerns over the working conditions of field staff during the scorching summer. The deceased was identified as Bansidhar Bhoi, a junior teacher | P4 CM Mohan Charan Majhi performing ‘Akhi Muthi Anukula’ on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, at CCRI Cuttack on Monday | EXPRESS After the BJP govt came to power in Odisha, the state’s agricultural growth has reached 5.3% in just 22 months, which is higher than the nat’l avg. This year, the state has produced over 150L metric tonne of foodgrains – Mohan Charan Majhi, CM the state has produced over 150 lakh metric tonne of foodgrains, thereby creating a new record,” Majhi said, congratulating farmers for this success. He said the state government is purchasing paddy at `3,100 per quintal to give fair price to the farmers for their hard work. In the 2025-26 kharif season, 76.47 lakh metric tonne of paddy has been procured from 18,55,661 farmers. An input assistance of `5,589.98 crore has been extended to them, the CM added. “The state government is promoting organic farming through the Balabhadra Organic Farming Mission. Similarly , Shri Anna Abhiyan is being intensified to take Odisha’s traditional mandia (millet) to the world stage,” Majhi said. Through the Krishi Vidya Nidhi Yojana, assistance is being provided to children of farmer families for technical and vocational education. In the 2025-26 academic year, 68,910 students have received assistance of more than `291.60 crore, he added. Shedding light on the upcoming changes in the country’s agricultural sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister informed that under the ‘Beej Se Bazar’ initiative, an integrated system has been developed from seed sourcing to market access. “The prime minister’s dream is to include Indian agriculture and farmers in global competition. With the coordinated efforts of the central and state governments, the ‘double-engine’ development has been accelerated in Odisha,” Majhi Continued on P5 said.  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. India, S Korea set $50 billion trade target by 2030 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 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.