THIRUVANANTHAPURAM l wednesday l may 20, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE city EDITION RBI to transfer over K3 lakh cr to govt to cushion economic stress The Reserve Bank of India may transfer a record surplus of up to J3.4 lakh crore this week to the government, according to a Bloomberg report Board to meet on Friday to clear dividend Payout could EXCEED budget ESTIMATE RBI’s board will meet on Friday to approve the dividend, the news agency reported quoting sources. The surplus, generated through RBI’s activities in the year ended March, will shore up the government’s finances in the ongoing fiscal 2026-27 as the crude price rise inflates India’s import bill, widens the current account deficit, and exacerbates the foreign fund selloff ■ ■ RBI pays the dividend from income earned on its investments, foreign-exchange holdings and fees from printing currency notes In FY27 Budget, the government estimated C3.16 lakh crore in payouts from the RBI, state-run lenders, and other financial institutions. The central bank typically accounts for the bulk of this transfer A2.7 lakh cr RBI’s dividend transfer to the government last year 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 extends waiver on oil sanctions The US extended its ‘waiver’ on sanctions for the purchase of seaborne Russian crude already in transit for the third consecutive month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced “a temporary 30-day general licence to provide the most vulnerable nations with the ability to temporarily access Russian oil currently stranded at sea” Standards for blended petrol notified The Centre has notified fresh fuel standards for petrol blended with up to 30% ethanol. However, the notification only sets out the technical specifications and quality parameters required for introducing these higher ethanol blends in the market. It does not make the nationwide rollout or sale of E30 fuel mandatory at this stage Petrol, diesel prices hiked for second time in 4 days Fuel prices up 90 paise/litre; OMCs still losing nearly H750 cr a day Use ammonium sulphate instead of urea: ICAR R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi four days after increasing petrol and diesel prices by a steep `3 per litre, state-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Tuesday raised automobile fuel prices by another 90 paise, taking the cumulative hike to `3.90. Following the latest increase, petrol and diesel prices rose to `98.64 and `91.58 per litre, respectively, from `97.77 and `90.67 in the Delhi national capital region. In Mumbai, petrol prices rose 91 paise to `107.59 per litre, while diesel prices increased by 94 paise to `94.08 per litre. In Kolkata, petrol climbed to `109.70 per litre, while diesel was priced at `96.07. In Chennai, petrol prices increased by 82 paise to `104.49 per litre, while diesel prices rose by 86 paise to `96.11. On May 15, the three OMCs—Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation—raised fuel prices for the first time in four years citing huge under-recoveries (selling below cost of production/procurement). The conflict in West Asia due to the war between Iran and US has disrupted the movement of cargo through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that transports nearly 20% of global crude supply. Global crude oil prices have surged by over 50% due to the conflict in the region. Brent crude was trading at $110.9 a barrel. The cumulative hike of `3.90 is still lower than the `10-15 increase expected by many analysts. Reacting to the earlier price hike of `3, the petroleum ministry had on Monday said despite the price revision, OMCs were still losing nearly `750 crore per day by selling petrol, diesel and LPG below cost. Earlier, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said that the under-recoveries of OMCs would cross `2 lakh crore in the first quarter of FY27. The latest round of hikes is expected to further feed into retail inflation. Analysts estimate that the fuel price increase alone could push inflation up by 20-25 basis points in June. J I T E N D R A C H O U B E Y @ New Delhi Just four days after the price hike, the Modi government has once again increased the prices of petrol and diesel. Having set the stage, preaching about savings while shifting the burden of their failures onto the public - this effort is in full swing Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress President The sad thing is that a severe economic storm is coming, which no one can stop, which we have never experienced in our lives Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Even after the recent revision of 91 paise per litre, fuel prices in India have risen by only about 4%, among the lowest increases anywhere in the world outside heavily subsidised Gulf economies Amit Malviya, BJP IT cell head WITH the Iran war triggering a shortage of fertilizers and a spike in prices, the Centre has asked states to consider ammonium sulphate as a substitute for urea in rice cultivation. In a recent communication to state governments, the director-general of Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) suggested ammonium sulphate be used for paddy as an affordable option. ICAR comes under the Union agriculture ministry . The rationale behind the move is that while urea is in short supply am, monia sulphate can fill the gap. India has the capacity to manufacture ammonia sulphate. Also, it can be imported from alternative sources such as South Korea, Japan, Belgium, China, and Russia. Till now, India used to import most of its fertilizer requirements from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Israel—all of which are impacted by the war. India manufactures three out of the four key fertilizers—urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), muriate of potash (MOP), and complex (combination of N, P K nutrients)—with MOP being , 100% import dependent. But the domestic production is not in sync with the rising demand and imports are crucial to meet the requirements. However, scientists warn against promoting ammonium sulphate in crops. Dr Virender Singh Lather, former principal scientist at ICAR, said high doses of sulphur can be toxic to crops grown in waterlogged and heavy soil conditions, like paddy . US approves follow-on support for Apache, M777s E x p ress N e w s S er v i c e @ New Delhi The United States has cleared $428 million worth of sustainment and logistics support for India’s Apache attack helicopters and M777 howitzers, both of which form key elements of the Indian military’s frontline combat capability . According to notifications issued on Tuesday by the US Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, the US State Department cleared a $198.2 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) package for follow-on support services for India’s Apache helicopter fleet, along with a separate $230 million package for sustainment support for the M777 ultra-light howitzer system. The Apache package includes engineering, logistics and technical support servic- es, spares, repairs, training, technical publications and other programme-related assistance, with Boeing and Lockheed Martin being the principal contractors. India had signed a government-to-government deal with the US in September 2015 for 22 AH-64E Apaches for the Indian Air Force under a contract worth around $2.1 billion. They were delivered between 2019 and 2020 and are primarily deployed at Pathankot and Jorhat. Subsequently in February 2020, , India signed another contract worth around $800 million for six AH-64E Apaches for the Army Aviation Corps. Deliveries, delayed due to supply-chain disruptions, began in 2025, with the helicopters assigned to an Army aviation squadron at Jodhpur. E X P RESS REA D State yet to implement SC order on stray dogs T’Puram: Nearly eight months after the Supreme Court directed the removal of stray dogs from public places, Kerala continues to struggle with its implementation. Barring two local bodies — Thiruvananthapuram corporation and Tripunithura municipality — none of the local bodies in the state have been able to comply with the Supreme Court order. P5 16 pages, including 4 pages of THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Express Satheesan defies Kharge as portfolio row dampens UDF victory euphoria Bone of contention K S S R E E J I T H @ T’Puram In a rare show of defiance, Chief Minister V D Satheesan is learnt to have brushed aside Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s suggestion on portfolio allocation, even as the delay in assigning ministries to cabinet colleagues has dulled the buzz around the UDF’s stunning assembly election victory . Kharge is reportedly unhappy over the alleged sidelining of backward castes and Dalits in the allocation of portfolios “despite the party’s repeated emphasis on social justice and inclusive governance”. The AICC president, who was in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday to attend the swearing-in ceremony conveyed his , concerns directly to Satheesan after discontent surfaced within sections of the party over denial of key ministries to these sections, Congress sources said. The issue has triggered intense internal discussions, forcing the CM to delay submitting the final list of ministers and portfolios to the governor. After reviewing the list prepared for submission to the governor, Kharge reportedly flagged the impropriety of assigning minor portfolios to Mallikarjun Kharge unhappy over denial of key portfolios to backward castes and Dalits Satheesan refuses to yield to alter portfolio allocation Latin Church against giving Fisheries to Muslim League Syro-Malabar Church wants Congress to retain Higher Education League wants either Higher Education or Fisheries ministers from backward and Scheduled Caste communities. “He also expressed displeasure over the alleged withdrawal of the promised Health, Devaswom and Cooperation portfolios from A P Anil Kumar and M Liju respectively,” a senior Congress leader said. But Satheesan refused to yield to the suggestion. Following the chief minister’s firm stand, the AICC decided to stay away from further deliberations, the leader said. However, the chief minister’s office decided to hold back the list for further consultations as fresh disputes erupted over portfolio distribution — both between the Congress and its allies and within the party itself. The Congress has not officially responded to the developments. Neither has Satheesan or KPCC president Sunny Joseph. Meanwhile, both the government and Congress have come under mounting pressure after two influential Christian Churches warned the party against handing over Fisheries and Higher Education portfolios to the Muslim League. The Latin Catholic Church, already agitated over the lack of representation for the community in Congress’ list of ministers, has warned the party of dire consequences if it hands over Fisheries portfolio to the IUML in exchange for Higher ● More on P4 Education.  The Kerala High Court will pronounce its verdict in the appeals filed by the accused and the state government in the case relating to the murder of Madhu, a tribal youth who was lynched to death for allegedly stealing rice from a grocery shop in Attappadi, Palakkad, in 2018. The court also directed all accused to appear before it on May 25. Of the 16 accused, the Special Court for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Mannarkkad, had on April 5, 2023, sentenced 13 persons to seven-year rigor- T’Puram: The V D Satheesan-led UDF government on Tuesday constituted a special committee to prepare a white paper on Kerala’s financial position. Former cabinet secretary Dr K M Chandrasekhar will head the panel, with finance department’s additional chief secretary K R Jyothilal as convener. P4 SIT constituted to probe assault on YC activists T’Puram: A day after the cabinet decision, the state police have formed a seven-member SIT, led by Alappuzha Crime Branch SP A P Shoukathali, to probe the assault on Youth Congress workers by the security officers of former CM Pinarayi Vijayan, during their protest against the Nava Kerala Sadas in Alappuzha. P4 Poll defeat not the end of CPM & LDF: Pinarayi Kannur: Former CM Pinarayi Vijayan said the electoral defeat was not the end of the CPM and the LDF, recalling that the party had faced similar setbacks in the past and returned stronger each time. The LDF will return with strength and work systematically for that, he said. P4 Days before repoll, TMC’s Falta candidate drops out S U B H E N D U M A I T I @ Kolkata Talking heads Prime Minister Narendra Modi with (from left) his Nordic counterparts Jonas Gahr Støre (Norway), Petteri Orpo (Finland), Ulf Kristersson (Sweden), Kristrún Frostadóttir (Iceland) and Mette Frederiksen (Denmark) during the Nordic-India Summit, in Oslo, Norway on Tuesday. The leaders agreed to elevate their relationship to a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership | PTI HC verdict in Madhu lynching case on May 25 E x p ress N e w s S er v i c e @ Kochi Panel formed to prepare white paper on fin status ous imprisonment in the case. The 16th accused was sentenced to three months of simple imprisonment and fined `500. The fourth and eleventh accused were acquitted of all charges. The division bench directed the jail superintendent concerned to ensure the production of those accused currently undergoing sentence, while the remaining accused were directed to appear in person before the court. Currently , 12 convicts are in jail, while one is out on bail. The prosecution argued that the sentences imposed were not commensurate with the gravity of the offence, contending that the homicide committed by the accused warranted harsher punishment. The state also sought maximum punishment for the accused. In its appeal, the prosecution stated that it was deeply aggrieved by the trial court’s judgment in the case involving the “cruel and inhuman act” against an adivasi man in an unprecedented manner. It argued that the accused deserved the maximum punishment prescribed under the offences charged against them. It further contended that the trial court erred in holding that the offence did not amount to murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), but instead constituted culpable homicide not amounting to murder. According to the state, this finding of the sessions court was contrary to the oral, digital, scientific, and medical evidence presented by the prosecut i o n , wh i ch , i t cl a i m e d , established the offence beyond reasonable doubt. Just two days before repoll in West Bengal’s violence-hit Falta assembly constituency, Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan, a close aide of party general secretary and MP of Diamond Harbour Abhishek Banerjee, withdrew his candidature, trig g ering calls for his suspension. Falta is among the seven assembly segments in the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency in South 24 Parganas district, Yet no TMC heavyweight, including Abhishek, went for canvassing there, leaving Khan to fend for himself. For the record, Khan said Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s promise of a special package for the area’s development prompted him to take the call. Several TMC MLAs, including Kunal Ghosh, Ritobrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha demanded his suspension. While Suvendu said Khan “ran away as he won’t get any polling agent”, the TMC blamed it on intimidation of party workers, alleging the poll panel “continues to turn a blind eye”. ‘serving two masters’ ‘Divided loyalty’: HC denies advocate enrolment to homoeopath E x p ress N e w s S er v i c e @ Kochi The Kerala High Court has held that a registered homoeopathy practitioner can be denied permission to enrol as an advocate unless the registration as a medical practitioner is cancelled. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas issued the order while dismissing a petition filed by T M Manju, a practising homoeopath, challenging the decision of the Bar Council denying her permission to enrol as an advocate. The court observed that a professional cannot share his or her allegiance with another profession. Such divided loyalty, it said, can compromise the values of each profession and even result in having to serve two “masters” simultaneously Splitting . one’s professional soul between two masters can lead to a loss of focus in both professions, the court observed.  It noted that such divided loyalty cannot be countenanced in the legal profession, which has often been described as a “jealous mistress”. Bar councils, the court observed, are institutions established not only to ensure pro- fessional excellence but also to identify and weed out elements unsuitable for the profession. While practising as a homoeopath, the petitioner decided to pursue a law degree. After cancelling the licence issued by the local authority to run her homoeopathic clinic, she underwent a three-year unitary LLB course from 2022 to 2025. After obtaining her law degree and clearing the All India Bar Ex- amination, the petitioner applied to the Bar Council of Kerala (BCK) on November 17, 2025, seeking enrolment as an advocate. She was subsequently directed to appear before the Bar Council on December 13, 2025, for physical verification of documents. During verification, officials noticed that a cancellation certificate relating to her registration as a homoeopath was not uploaded.  ● More on P4