BEngaluru l tuesday l august 04, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 22 l LATE CITY EDITION Encroachment-free footpath must on every road: SC to govt The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to ensure every road has an encroachment-free space for pedestrians Ensure proper demarcation, govt told ‘space must make pedestrians feel safe’ “Without any big investment and construction, just ensure that proper demarcation is done of walkers’ space. Wherever there is a road, there should be a walkers’ space. Do it with a rope or anything and ensure it is not encroached,” a bench of justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe told Additional Solicitor General K M Nararaj, who appeared for the Centre ■ ■ The bench said pedestrians should have confidence that the space is meant for them and they can walk freely without fear of vehicles. It was hearing a suo motu case concerning the right to safe footpath The direction comes weeks after the top court on June 19 held that the right to walk on a demarcated footpath is a fundamental right 2 weeks later is when the supreme court will hear the matter again 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 Wake-up call for Bihar CM as PK grabs BJP safe seat Mantar and later in Patna over leak of NEET question paper had affected the Bankipur election even as the controversial SHATTERING BJP’s more than Bhojpur police encounter, that three-decade winning streak in claimed the life of Bharat the Bankipur assembly by-elec- Bhushan Tiwari, not only rattion in Bihar, Jan Suraaj found- tled upper castes and supporter Prashant Kishor on Monday ers of BJP but also other social emerged victor, defeating his groups, who do not generally vote for the party . BJP opponent by a margin of Campaigning on jobs, 19,324 votes. In two other assembly bypolls, the Congress education and gover nance rather than caste or retained Datia in religion, Kishor M a d hya P r a d e s h No alliance while BJP retained with any party: forged a connect that delivered Jan Suraaj Manjalpur seat in Jan Suraaj its first-ever electoral Gujarat. Jan Suraaj Party win. While Kishor founder Prashant Kishor also dented polled 64,151 votes, Kishor on Monday both BJP and RJD’s his closest rival Neerruled out the t r a d i t i o n a l vo t e aj Kumar Sinha of BJP secured 44,827 possibility of joining banks. While upperany political c a s t e K ay a s t h a s votes. RJD’s Rekha alliance. “We shall largely stuck with Gupta stood third have no alliance. BJP, other upperwith 14,273 votes. Kishor was ahead of Our alliance shall be caste and OBC voters with the people of appeared to have the BJP candidate Bihar. People of drifted toward throughout the Bankipur have voted Kishor, as did seccounting process. for us, giving up on tions of RJD’s MusThe defeat is a significant blow to BJP established parties,” lim-Yadav base, with said Kishor when some Muslim voters national president asked about a backing him as the Nitin Nabin, who had held the Bank- rethink on his earlier candidate best placed stance of going it to defeat the BJP . ipur seat for five conalone in elections In Madhya secutive terms, and Pradesh, Congress to Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who faced retained the prestigious Datia his first electoral test after tak- seat, winning the by-election ing the baton from JD(U) boss by 6,016 votes. Congress candiNitish Kumar. Kishor had cast date Kunwar Ghanshyam the bypoll as a referendum on Singh defeated first-time BJP Choudhary’s leadership, accus- contestant Ashutosh Tiwari by ing the BJP of “arrogance” in polling 66,757 votes against Titreating Bankipur as an unas- wari’s 60,741. BJP’s saving grace was Gusailable bastion. A political analyst said that jarat, where it retained the there was a feeling among a Manjalpur assembly seat in Valarge section of the electorate dodara. Its candidate Satish that BJP should taste defeat Govindbhai Patel won the bypoll, defeating Cong ress’ this time. He claimed that the Gen Z former minister Bhikhabhai demonstrations at Jantar Rabari by 30,630 votes. P12 ramashankar, Anuraag s i n g h & D i l i p S i n g h K s h at r i ya @ Patna/Bhopal/Ahmedabad Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor with supporters in Patna on Monday | Express 2 cops arrested over Vijayanagar custodial death K i ra n Ba l a n n a n ava r @ Hosapete Two policemen were arrested while on duty in connection with the custodial death of a 32-year-old man at the Hagaribommanahalli Police Station in Vijayanagara district on Sunday . The victim’s family had alleged that the victim, Khalil, a resident of Harapanahalli, had died because of police torture. The relatives have said they will approach the Human Rights Commission to seek justice. The arrested police personnel have been identified as Ve n k a t e s h H a r i j a n a n d Raghavendra. Sources said Khalil was taken into custody on Saturday night after a domestic dispute complaint. A scuffle allegedly broke out between Khalil and police personnel before he was brought to the police station, officials said.  CONTINUED ON: P3 Chief Minister DK Shivakumar flanked by newly inducted ministers after the swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru on Monday. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Deputy CM Dr G Parameshwara look on | Express 19 ministers take oath amid chaos, protests No woman in Shivakumar cabinet; Names of Mankal Vaidya, MLC Gayathri Shanthegowda dropped from list at last minute D e v a r a j B H i r e h a l l i @Bengaluru City police may be split into five divs, like GBA CABINET SHAKE-UP Amid twists and turns and protests by supporters of MLAs who missed berths, 19 legislators took oath as ministers in the DK Shivakumar cabinet at the Glass House in Lok Bhavan here on Monday Given the con. fusion within the party, the swearing-in ceremony which was scheduled to be held at the auspicious 4.05 pm was moved to 5 pm. Shivakumar, who had taken oath with 13 ministers on June 3, will now have a cabinet of 33 with one post remaining vacant, ahead of the monsoon session beginning on August 13. Quite strangely, in a lastminute twist, Bhatkal MLA Mankal Vaidya, whose name appeared in the list of ministers released earlier, had to make way for former minister and Davanagere North MLA SS Mallikarjun. Though the party top brass did not issue any clarification, sources gave an improbable reason that it was a “typing error”. Sources also said Mal- TOP WINNERS BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, S S Mallikarjun, Lakshman Savadi, B Nagendra, Ajay Singh BENCHed HK Patil, NS Boseraju, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Dr MC Sudhakar, Dr HC Mahadevappa No young faces, avg age of cabinet 55 Even as there was a buzz that more young and new faces could join the cabinet, preference has been given to elder leaders. The average age is 55.69. Except Priyank Kharge (48), Rizwan Arshad (47) and Yathindra (46), all others are over 50. KH Muniyappa, 78, is the eldest, followed by KJ George (77), G Parameshwara (75), Ramalinga Reddy (73), Puttaranga Shetty (72) and Basavaraja Rayareddi (70). likarjun and his family, including his MP wife Prabha Mallikarjun and their son Samarth Shamanuru -- Davanagere South MLA, exerted pressure on the party high command to make the change. The lone woman pick of the high command and Chikkamagaluru MLC AV Gayathri Shanthegowda too was left out, though she was in the list of 20 legislators to be sworn in. With this, the Shivakumar cabinet will not have a single woman minister, which will B a l a C h a u h a n @ Bengaluru give enough ammo to critics and opposition parties. Gayathri, a Kuruba leader, was Siddaramaiah’s pick as she won the legal battle against MK Pranesh of BJP to become MLC recently, sources said. But some within the party, especially women, argued that she had not even taken oath as MLC and her selection was shocking. Siddaramaiah is now keen on including the name of former minister Umashri, who hails from a backward Devanga -- weaver community  . P4,5 Bengaluru City Police (BCP) is likely to be split into five divisions on the lines of Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). According to placed sources, city police have submitted a draft proposal on the guidelines proposed by the government, to reorganise BCP on the five municipal corporations of the GBA, for improved efficiency in crime control and maintaining law and order. Under the proposal dated August 1, the city police will be divided into five divisions -- Central, North, South, East and West -- under a Chief Commissioner (CC) of the rank of director general of police. The commissioners, of the rank of inspector general of police (IGP) or deputy inspector general of police (DIGP), will report to the CC. They will monitor and control crime and maintain law and order in their divisions. Besides the five CoPs, special units -- Central Crime Bureau (CCB), one additional CP/Joint CP each for Intelligence, crime (including cyber crime police station), administration, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), VVIP security and one CP Traffic, will be under the CC. , , Each division, barring East, will have three DCPs for law and order and one for traffic. All five divisions will include a Women and Cyber, Economic and Narcotic (CEN) offences police station each. The total cost of revamping BCP is reportedly pegged at over Rs 764 crore.  P3 Court acquits Brij Bhushan, appalled Phogat to fight on U D AYAN K ISHORE & H a r p r e e t B a j w a @ New Delhi/Chandigarh A Delhi court on Monday acquitted ex-BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a 2023 sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers, including celebrated grappler Vinesh Phogat, citing lack of evidence. The court also granted relief to former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar in the case. “Both accused stand acquitted,” Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar said in a verdict pronounced in-camera. A separate FIR lodged by a minor wrestler was closed by court in May 2025 following a police investigation. The court had accepted a closure report filed by police in the case. In the present case, Phogat revealed she was one of the six victims in a video message posted on X on May 3, 2026. In the verdict passed on Monday the court accepted the , defence counsel’s arguments about inconsistencies and contradictions in witness testimonies, improbability and ground , of ‘alibi’ and acquitted the accused, said advocate Rajiv Mohan, who represented both ‘We haven’t lost hope’ Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh shows victory sign after his acquittal | PTI Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia said they were “deeply saddened” by the court’s decision but will continue the legal fight. “We have not lost hope and the wrestlers will continue their fight.” I said on the very first day that if the allegations are true, I will hang myself. I am very happy that I have been acquitted today — Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, former Wrestling Federation of India chief Singh and Tomar. Reacting to the verdict, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Ba- jrang Punia said they were “deeply saddened” but will continue the legal fight. In a joint statement, they said the complainants have instructed lawyers to appeal the verdict. The police filed a chargesheet against Singh and Tomar in June 2023 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. In May 2024, the court framed charges of sexual harassment, intimidation and outraging women’s modesty against Singh, and criminal intimidation against Tomar. paper leak protests Genuine synergy Military-civilian integration a must: Rajnath States can close or withdraw j a v a r i a r a n a @ New Delhi TAKING the government’s integrated agenda beyond the three armed forces, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday called for integration between the military and civilian wings of the defence establishment, arguing that the two can no longer operate in silos. Addressing the AFHQ Civilian Services Day here, Singh said deeper institutional integration between the uniformed services and civilian officials was critical to creating genuine synergy, improving decision making and responding more effectively to rapidly evolving security and technological challenges. The interface between the military and the civilian bureaucracy has long been regarded as one of the weak links in India’s higher defence management. To narrow that gap, the defence minister advocated structured cross-exposure through joint training programmes and developmental assignments, allowing officers from both sides to gain a better understanding of each other’s roles, expertise and institutional strengths. “Military and administrative integration cannot advance on separate tracks,” he said, adding that as India moves towards joint and integrated military structures, closer coordination Express Read HC stays GO forming SIT to probe AoL TN moves SC for release of Cauvery water 5 detained in J’khand for posting JeM content Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has stayed the state government’s order constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged encroachment of land at Kaggalipura and surrounding villages by Art of Living (AoL) and others | P3 New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking directions to Karnataka for immediate release of 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for 15 days. As per a source, the plea may be taken up for hearing in a few days | P7 Ranchi: The Intelligence Bureau has detained five people from Madhopur village, Koderma, on Monday for allegedly circulating audio clips of Jaish-eMohammed terrorist Masood Azhar on social media. According to sources, all five detainees are residents of Madhopur | P12 will be required across policy formulation, HR, and institutional knowledge. “Military officers bring operational experience, command perspective and an understanding of warfare, while civilian officers contribute administrative continuity, policy expertise, knowledge of government processes and institutional memory. To g ether, these strengths lead to more informed and effective decision making,” he said. 6.5% LIC stake to be sold by govt at `382/share Govt to sell up to 6.5% stake in LIC through a twoday offer for sale, expects to add `31,000 crore to its disinvestment kitty | P15 FIRs against students: SC petitioners raised concerns that the expression “criminal antecedents” could impede the The Supreme Court on Mon- withdrawal of FIRs. day said state governments are “It is clarified for the July 28 at liberty to withdraw or close order that NCT of Delhi and FIRs re gistered any other State shall be ag ainst students Meta tells Parl at liberty to close/withwho participated in panel it’s ready draw FIRs against prothe NEET paper leak to apologise testers. The word crimprotests. inal antecedent is to be Meta told a A Bench of Chief read as grave and heiJustice of India (CJI) parliamentary panel nous offences,” the Surya Kant and jus- on Monday that it is court said. ready to apologise tices Joymalya During the hearing, for the brief Bagchi and V MohaSolicitor General Tushrestriction on a post na also clarified that ar Mehta, appearing for by Prime Minister the expression the Centre, said FIRs Narendra Modi “criminal antecedagainst more than 2,700 recently on ents” in its July 28 people with antecedents Facebook | P15 order on releasing involving grave and heistudent protesters nous offences would not referred only to those involved be withdrawn. “Except them, in grave and heinous offences. everything can be taken care On July 28, the court ordered of,” Mehta told the court. the release of all student proDuring the hearing, the CJI testers, except those with observed that police officers “criminal antecedents”. Mon- who indulged in brutalities day’s clarification came after should not be protected. S u c h i t r a K a lya n m o h a n t y @ New Delhi