BENGALURU  TUESDAY  AUGUST 25, 2026  `9.00  PAGES 22  LATE CITY EDITION EX-DIPLOMAT AKBARUDDIN, TWO OTHERS JOIN RBI CENTRAL BOARD Ex-diplomat Syed Akbaruddin, ex-bureaucrat Annie Mathew and Boston Consulting Group’s Janmejaya Sinha were appointed on Monday Syed Akbaruddin Annie George Mathew Janmejaya Sinha PART-TIME, NON-OFFICIAL DIRECTORS BOARD NOW HAS 14 MEMBERS INCLUDING GUV They were appointed as part-time, Non-official Directors for four years. Syed Akbaruddin is a 1985-batch Indian Foreign Service officer and served as India’s permanent representative to the UN from 2016 to 2020. Annie George Mathew retired as Special Secretary of the Union Finance Ministry. Janmejaya Sinha is the Chairman of Boston Consulting Group (India) ■ ■ With the latest appointments, the board has 14 members, including governor Sanjay Malhotra and four deputy governors Industrialist Anand Mahindra and former ISRO Chairman Somanath Panicker joined last week. Other members include former Audit & Accounts Service officer Revathy Iyer and economist Sachin Chaturvedi 21 IS THE MAXIMUM SANCTIONED STRENGTH OF THE RBI CENTRAL BOARD 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 Putin offers to step up fertiliser supply to India PM Modi looks forward to meeting Russian prez at SCO, BRICS summits, says Jaishankar 4-fold jump in trade J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has offered to increase fertiliser supplies to India, signalling Moscow’s intent to deepen one of the most important pillars of the bilateral economic relationship. The offer came during when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on Putin in Moscow on Monday . Putin—who is expected to visit India next month for the BRICS summit—said Russia is ready to help meet India’s agricultural requirements. He highlighted fertilisers alongside fuel as an important component of Russia’s economic support to India. “One of these issues— not just fuel—is the supply of mineralisers (fertilisers). We are doing everything we can to resolve the issue for Indian farmers, for agriculture; we are increasing these exports and are prepared to continue doing so,” he said. The offer comes as fertilisers have become an important element of India-Russia economic ties. Russia has emerged as India’s largest supplier of fertilisers, particularly urea, with Indian fertiliser imports from Russia rising by almost 40% in 2025. Putin also pointed to the broader expansion in bilateral trade. Jaishankar conveyed Prime Minister Modi’s plans for future meetings with Putin, saying Modi looked forward to meeting the Russian president at the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan and welcoming him to India for the BRICS Summit. The two leaders are also expected to hold their annual bilateral summit at a mutually convenient time. Jaishankar said the trade between India and Russia has increased 4-fold in 5 years, from around $13 billion in 202122 to nearly $60 billion in 2025-26 S Jaishankar with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday | PTI We are doing everything we can to meet the needs of Indian farmers and agriculture sector Vladmir Putin, Russian president CJP protest: SC panel to prioritise sex assault probe S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Monday said that it has asked the High-Powered Enquiry Committee (HPEC), which had been set up to examine allegations of police violence during the NEET paper leak stir, to prioritise complaints of sexual assault faced by women protesters. A bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued the direction after senior advocate Shobha Gupta urged the court to take suo motu cognisance of the alleged sexual assault and molestation of women protesters during the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march on July 20. Gupta asked the court to create mechanism for alleged victims to directly send complaints. CJI Surya Kant—although he did not take suo motu cognisance—however, said, “the committee has been requested to examine it on a priority basis, and immediately submit an interim report.” Justice Bagchi pointed out that an independent writ petition was filed on the same cause, and the HPEC has been asked to examine the issue. CJP calls for Sept 5 Delhi march The Cockroach Janta Party on Monday called for a protest march in Delhi on September 5, accusing the Centre of failing to honour the promises it made. The march will begin at India Gate and proceed to Delhi Police HQ MORE WOMEN THAN MEN Draft poll roll out, 4.46cr voters in state now uploaded on the CEO Karnataka website, and citiTHE office of the Chief Elec- zens must check only this toral Officer (CEO) Karna- list and not published by taka on Monday published any other. The process of isthe draft electoral roll as suing notices to 9.82% part of the ongoing Special (43,81,335) electors listed unIntensive Revision (SIR) ex- der anomaly/logical disercise. According to data, crepancies (20,35,835) and Karnataka has 4,46,80,151 no-mapping (23,45,500) cateelectors, of whom gory will now start. 2,22,01,727 are male, The Booth Level Of56.9L in 2,24,75,553 female ficers (BLOs) will B’luru and 2,871 others. start handing over Till June 16, 2026, notices to voters The draft when the electoral seeking clarificaelectoral roll rolls were frozen, has recognised tions from August Kar nataka had 31, he said. 56,99,660 5,54,32,314 electors Soon after getting (54.87%) of whom 2,75,89,406 the notices, citizens voters in were male, should appear in Bengaluru as 2,78,37,913 female person before the against and 4,995 others. Electoral Registra1,03,88,363 in As part of the tion Officer (ERO) the June 16 SIR exercise, with the specified draft list | P2 1,07,96,415 citizens documents (one of were listed under the 11 listed docuthe Absent, Shifted, Dead, ments in the enumeration Duplicate and Others (AS- form along with Aadhaar) DDO) category and were for verification. Even if vot“cleaned” from the rolls. ers upload their documents Speaking to the media on online using the scanner the sidelines while releas- printed on the notice letter, ing the draft roll, CEO Kar- they will have to physically nataka, V Anbukkumar said appear before the ERO for fithe draft electoral roll is nal verification, he said. P2 B O S K Y K H A N N A @Bengaluru Shah push for AI-led intel analysis to deal with security threats E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ New Delhi UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday called for greater use of artificial intelligence to analyse intelligence inputs and strengthen India’s response to emerging national security threats, while directing security agencies to take strict measures against infiltration. Speaking at the inaugural session of the ninth two-day National Security Strategies (NSS) Conference-2026 here, Shah directed agencies to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for tackling national security challenges based on AI-driven analyses of information available on the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) platform. Shah stressed on an integrated approach to counter terrorism and radicalisation, including cases under the UAPA. He emphasised strengthening implementation of MHA’s PRAHAAR scheme, expediting trials and making greater use of provisions allowing trials in absentia. The first day’s deliberations focused on major security challenges, including counter-terrorism, intelligence fusion, narcotics control, deportation of illegal migrants, cybercrime and Pakistan-backed proxy warfare. Held in hybrid mode, the conferences has more than 850 participants, including DGPs and domain experts from specialised fields. Before inaugurating the conference, Shah paid tribute at the Martyrs’ Column, and placed a wreath in memory of Intelligence Bureau personnel who made the supreme sacrifice. The NSS Conference has been held annually in hybrid mode since 2021. Datura sale: Food licences of e-com sites suspended EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bengaluru THE Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (KFSDA) Department on Monday suspended the food licences of e-commerce platforms Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket over online sale of poisonous datura fruits and seeds meant for human consumption. The order stated that e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket, have been found listing and selling poisonous datura (dhatura) fruits and seeds for human consumption, raising serious public health concerns. Authorities have directed the platforms to stop the sales and remove the listings. The department also directed the suspension of licences or registrations of firms and sellers supplying such products to the e-commerce platforms. They have to satisfy the regulatory authorities during compliance reviews to get their licences reinstated. During the inquiry on August 24, Amazon sought time to submit documents, while Swiggy Instamart failed to provide relevant records. BigBasket admitted to selling datura fruits and assured that future listings would carry the label “Not for Human Consumption”, the order from commissioner said. The suspension of e-commerce platforms’ food licences will remain in force until further orders, with a compliance report sought from competent authorities. CONTINUED ON: P3 Datura is an Indian medicinal plant but is never sold as a fruit and should not be consumed as one. Only doctors, practitioners, pharmaceutical companies and farmers should have access to this Dr MJ Prabhu, subject matter expert, Karnataka State Medicinal Plants Authority Assembly passes Park Bill, allows 5% alienation E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Bengaluru THE Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed in the Assembly on Monday paving the way for the State , government to alienate up to five per cent of the total area of a park or garden for public utility projects. The Bill seeks to amend the Karnataka Government Parks (PreservaSession ends tion) Act, 1975, and 3 days early allows the governThe monsoon ment to use a limsession of the ited portion of legislature was park land for pubadjourned sine lic purposes. die on Monday, The provision amid protests by will apply to govthe Opposition ernment departdemanding the ments and comparesignation of nies, statutory and minister B local authorities. Nagendra. The Under the amendsession began on ment, based on the August 13 and recommendations was scheduled to of a high-level comend on August 27 mittee, the State government can sell, lease, transfer, gift, exchange, mortgage or otherwise alienate park land, subject to an absolute ceiling of five per cent of the total area. Any such proposal must be examined by a committee headed by the additional chief secretary before being recommended to the governCONTINUED ON: P4 ment. EXPRESS READ Cauvery share: SC asks TN to move CWMA New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday told the Tamil Nadu government that it can raise its grievance concerning release of proportionate share of Cauvery water from Karnataka before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). The Tamil Nadu government told the SC that the state has not received the proportionate share of water from Karnataka. Meanwhile, the 56th meeting of the CWMA is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on Tuesday | P7 Man kills parents with hammer in Udupi Udupi: A 31-year-old food delivery executive killed his parents with a hammer following an argument. The incident happened at Baikady village in Gandhinagar, Brahmavara, Udupi district, around 7 pm on Sunday. Police said the accused claimed that his father frequently assaulted and scolded him, while his mother supported his father. The accused stayed with the bodies till Monday morning and then called the police | P7