KALABURAGI l tuesday l june 30, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l CITY EDITION India’s Index of Industrial Production expands 5.1% in May Industrial output, measured by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), accelerated to 5.1% in May, official data released on Monday showed strong Push from power, manufacturing Easing w asia tensions to support growth The numbers were boosted by strong performance in manufacturing and electricity & gas supply sectors, which recorded 5.5 per cent and 9.9 per cent growth, respectively. Within the manufacturing, 16 out of 23 industry groups recorded a positive growth in May. The overall IIP stood at 122.7, up from 116.7 in the corresponding month last year  P12 ■ ■ The latest figures are based on the newly-introduced Output Producer Price Index, which the National Statistics Office said provides a more granular price structure than the earlier used Wholesale Price Index Analysts are cautious given the below-normal monsoon forecast. However, a fall in crude prices could help generate growth, they said 4.9 per cent was the Index of Industrial Production figure for april 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 Ram Temple row Ayodhya police grill Rai for 2 hrs Nam i ta B a i pa i @ Lucknow As part of the probe being carried out by the three-member Special Investigation Team into the embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple, the Ayodhya Police have recorded the statement of former general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai, sources said on Monday . A police team, led by a Deputy Superintendent of Policerank officer, questioned Rai for more than two hours, sources said. Investigators reportedly sought detailed information on the entire donation management process—from the receipt of cash and valuables offered by devotees, the counting process, their safekeeping, to their eventual deposit in designated bank accounts. Sources said the interrogation was aimed at understanding the institutional mechanism governing temple donations, identifying the responsibilities of various officials at different stages of the process, and examining if any procedural lapses might have created opportunities for the alleged embezzlement. Investigators are corroborating Rai’s statement with financial records, bank documents, CCTV footage, electronic evidence and other materials. Meanwhile, a special court in Ayodhya remanded all eight accused to 14 days of judicial custody after the police did not seek extension of their custody . In another development, the Faizabad Bar Association, in its general body meeting held on Monday, resolved not to defend any of the accused in the case. Canada march on Co-hosts beat South Africa thanks to a solitary goal in injury-time and enter Rd of 16. France face Sweden in the first of three all-European ties in the first knockout round... WB okays law on 46.52L electors unmapped in K’taka arrest without trial for a year E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @Bengaluru Draconian bill aims to curb anti-social elements; passed by voice vote in House s u b h e n d u ma i t i @ Kolkata IN a significant move to crack down on organised crime and public disorder, the newly formed BJP government in West Bengal led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday introduced the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026, in the Assembly . The legislation empowers authorities to detain individuals suspected of anti-social activities for up to 12 months without trial. Under the bill, a DM, Police Commissioner, or an officer not below the DIG rank can restrict a “goonda” from entering specified areas, districts for a maximum of one year if they suspect involvement in criminal acts. Tabled by Minister of State for Home Bishal Lama, the bill was passed by a vote of 176 in favour and 41 against, with 20 MLAs from the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress abstaining. The House witnessed noisy protests by opposition members during the introduction of the bill. Defending the bill, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari launched a sharp attack on the previous TMC regime, accusing it of patronising violence. Adhikari recounted specific cases, including the burning of the Beldanga and Rejinagar railway stations, looting of shops, and torching of public buses near Nabanna. “Criminals will be jailed and their assets seized under this new law,” he said, adding that the existing laws were inadequate to tackle organised anti-social elements involved in extortion, land grabbing, illegal mining, and smuggling. The new bill grants police extensive powers of search, seizure and arrest, with offences made cognisable and non-bailable. A second bill, West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which holds individuals financially accountable for damage to public and private property during riots, unlawful assemblies, and violent protests, was passed by a voice vote. It amends the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act, 1972. Eustaquio’s moment of glory In a match dominated by Canada, they did everything apart from scoring. Just when it seemed like BafanaBafana’s strategy of playing for extra-time and, possibly, penalties, Stephan Eustaquio popped up with the winner with a goal from just outside the box in the second minute of injury time | P13 Today’s matches: Norway vs Ivory Coast 10.30 PM, France vs Sweden 2.30 AM*, Mexico vs Ecuador 6.30 AM* (* IST Wednesday) The former CM had provoked the fire of violence. Since then, WB is burning... existing laws were inadequate Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal CM ‘Goonda’ in WB The bill defines ‘goondas’ to include habitual offenders and those involved in criminal activities like extortion, land grabbing, illegal mining, smuggling, and offences under arms, narcotics, and explosives laws Focus on Les Blues France face Sweden knowing that all their forwards are purring. Both Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are on four goals and look primed to score more against a fragile Sweden back-four who already shipped five against Netherlands. As on June 29, 2026, details of 46,52,504 electors in Karnataka are yet to be verified, or mapped. However, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, V Anbukkumar said, irrespective of mapping, electors remain in the electoral rolls and they will get enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Data from the CEO’s office showed that the lowest unmapped electors were in Kodagu – 6,181 – and the highest were in Bengaluru Urban, BBMP north, BBMP south and BBMP central districts at 14,60,461 electors. The state has a total of 5,54,32,314 voters, and of whom, 91.91% have been mapped. Anbukkumar said electors should not submit any documents to Booth Level Officers 24 lakh voters yet to be mapped in B’luru Greater Bengaluru Authority Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao on Monday said 24 lakh voters from Bengaluru have remained unmapped during the pre-SIR process. “In the run-up to the SIR exercise, 76.32% of the population has been covered. Out of 1,03,88,363 voters, mapping of 79,27,902 voters has been completed, while mapping of 24,60,461 voters is still pending,” he said and added the remaining voters will be covered soon. (BLOs) while handing over the partially-filled customised enumeration forms during the house-to-house visit from June 30 to July 29, 2026. Documents will need to be submitted in case of discrepancies, which will be from August 25, 2026, and the electors will be notified, he said. Ideally, electors can immediately fill up the form and hand it over to BLOs. Else, they can contact BLOs, whose name and contact details are mentioned in the enu- meration forms. Citizens can also submit their forms online. The ECI website will upload the details from June 30, he said. Clarifying on electors not being mapped, he said there is no need. Electors’ names continue to be in the rolls based on the 2002 and 2025 data. Mapping will continue till the draft electoral roll is published on August 5, 2026. On discrepancies, Anbukkumar said it could be because of ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill JPC may miss monsoon session deadline p r ee t h a n a i r @ New Delhi THE Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining bills seeking to introduce simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies is unlikely to submit its report during the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, according to sources. Though the Lok Sabha had extended the tenure of the panel until the last day of the monsoon session, the committee is yet to complete its nationwide consultations and is expected to seek more time before finalising its recommendations, sources privy to the developments said. The delay is significant amid speculation that the Centre is keen to push crucial constitutional amendment bills such as delimitation exercise and the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill during the monsoon session, expected to begin in the third week of July . The 39-member JPC led by BJP MP P P Chaudhary is cur, rently reviewing the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories ‘Simultaneous polls unlikely before 2034’ The JPC, which will visit the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday to interact with stakeholders, has so far visited 10 states. Consultations with several other states are pending. The panel chairman has hinted that even if the legislative process is completed, simultaneous elections are unlikely before 2034 Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to hold simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.The bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2024, was sent to the Joint Committee of both Hous- es for further examination. The Centre has maintained that holding simultaneous elections would reduce the financial burden of frequent polls, minimise disruptions caused by the Model Code of Conduct and enable governments to focus on governance. However, Opposition parties have raised concerns over its impact the on federal structure and the constitutional rights of states. According to sources, the government is actively exploring the possibility of coupling the delimitation bill with the simultaneous elections proposal to maximise political support and legislative momentum for its ambitious projects. In the previous Budget session, the constitutional amendment linking delimitation to the women’s reservation bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha by a united Opposition. The government, however, is keen to pass the delimitation bill to implement women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha ahead of the 2029 general election.The NDA will need 360 to get a two-thirds majority in a House of 540 members. express read Swiggy, Zepto, others question validity of gig workers’ law Home care prog for child from birth to 36 months Bengaluru: A petition has been filed before the Karnataka High Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers Act, 2025, and the Rules 2025 framed thereunder. The petition was filed by the Zepto Ltd, Swiggy Ltd, Urban Company Ltd and others | P4 New Delhi: The Centre has launched a national programme, which provides home-based and community-based care for a child from birth to 36 months. The initiative recognises the importance of the first 28 days for newborn survival and the first three years for optimal brain development | P9 errors in noting gender, spelling mistakes, addresses, age of electors and difference in age of parents and children. If the age difference between parents and children is less than 15 years, a discrepancy will be noted. He added that discrepancies will be known after draft rolls are published. The enumeration form lists out the documents that can be submitted to substantiate the claims, he said. On objections raised by Congress over discrepancies in the SIR exercise, he clarified that SIR had been discussed with registered political parties and training has been given to 1,15,112 registered Booth Level Agents (BLAs), representing various political parties. Meetings with political parties have been held and the SIR process as per the Election Commission guidelines is being implemented. CONTINUED ON: P7 Rainfall deficit, fertiliser scarcity deal double blow to K’taka farmers A s h w i n i M S r i pa d @Bengaluru This monsoon, Karnataka is facing a twin challenge of nearly 20 districts witnessing a severe rain deficit and fertiliser shortage looming ahead of the peak sowing season. As per the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) data, the state has recorded a rainfall of 105 mm as against the normal of 191 mm, a whopping 45% deficit. Malnad is facing the highest rain deficit of 62%, followed by coastal Karnataka at 54% and north-interior Karnataka at 30%. However, in southinterior Karnataka, there is a 6% departure from normal. While 18 districts come under deficit and large deficit, ten come under normal category, though many taluks and hoblis within these districts are facing a rain-deficit. As far as fertiliser stock is concerned, as of June-end, the state has sold 11.53 lakh metric tonne of fertiliser and has 10.93 lakh MT in stock. But there could be a shortage of DAP (diammonium phosphate) as the available stock of 84,000 MT will not be sufficient to meet a requirement of 4 lakh MT. A senior Agriculture Department official told The New Indian Express that there is a shortage of DAP as of now and it will worsen over the next few days. “We have been asking farmers, who visit Raitha Samparka Kendras, to use alternatives to DAP We have also been . distributing handbills and advertisements to create awareness. But farmers insist on DAP he said. P7 ,” Courts can’t order alimony if Students test NTA with 10K challenges; results likely by July 20 wife earns more than man: HC N EE T - U G RE T ES T S L A LITH A @ New Delhi AS the National Testing Agency gears up to declare NEETUG 2026 retest results by July 20, it may have to race against time with students sending over 10,000 challenges to the answer keys released last week. “NTA is confident of releasing the results before July 20. But the immediate priority for us is to respond to the 10,000odd challenges we have received from the aspirants to the provisional answer keys which we made public on June 25,” sources told this newspaper. Paper leak: Judicial custody extended A Delhi court extended the judicial custody of 10 accused arrested in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 examination leak till July 11. Special Judge Vijeta Singh Rawat allowed the CBI’s plea to extend their custody for further investigation. Three other accused have already been sent to judicial custody till July 8 Over 20 lakh candidates have appeared for the re-test held on June 21 across 5,440 centres in India and 14 abroad. The re-exam had to be held due to the cancellation of the May 3 medical entrance test. Many students have put out multiple challenges to the answer keys. “It will be a humongous task. We need to scan all the challenges one by one, read them thoroughly, examine the supporting evidence and re- spond to each one of them,” said an official. The NTA had released the provisional answer keys on June 25 and candidates were given time till June 28 (11.50 pm) to challenge them. A fee of `200 is to be paid per question which would be refunded if the challenge by the student proves to be correct. When asked about the examiners who will be checking the answer sheets, an official said: “A confidential team has been set up to do the job. Nothing more can be revealed. The security apparatus during the process will be as stringent as the one we had put in place for the exam with CCTVs and a centralised monitoring system. The examiners will be working almost 24x7 to meet the deadline.”  E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @Bengaluru When a woman is financially sound, her income is more than that of her husband and she has no other liabilities, like looking after children, courts should not be inclined to pass an order straightaway granting maintenance on the ground that a wife is required to be maintained by her husband, said the Karnataka High Court. It added that the court should bear in mind that they have to award maintenance, either in- terim or final, only when it is shown that the wife has no financial sources to maintain herself according to the standards of her husband. Dr Justice Chillakur Sumalatha passed the order, allowing a petition filed the 37-year-old husband from Gonikoppa, challenging an order dated December 19, 2025, passed by a trial court in Mysuru, which directed him to pay Rs 20,000 interim maintenance per month to the wife on the interlocutory application filed by her in a domestic violence dispute.  P7