thrissur l sunday l september 27, 2026 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l city EDITION U.s., China decide on $30 billion reciprocal tariff cut; ai talks China said on Saturday that it had agreed with the US on a $30 billion reciprocal tariff-cut arrangement and on launching a dialogue on AI discussing investment opportunities next round of dialogue in november The two countries reached consensus on recommendations for a more favourable tariff treatment for $30 billion of non-sensitive goods in each direction, the White House said. The two countries established the Board of Investment to discuss investment opportunities and impediments, and to provide a channel to address investment-related issues ■ ■ On artificial intelligence, the leaders agreed to establish a China-US AI dialogue to exchange views on AI-related risks and benefits, with the next round to be held in November, the White House said The two leaders agreed to use the term “super intelligence” rather than “artificial intelligence” to describe emerging technologies $495 bn is the bilateral trade between U.S. and China annually, as per ustr 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 EC announces doorstep verification for voters facing notice SIR eased, experts to review ECINET system Sept 30 INDIA bloc meeting to intensify stir against CEC Pa r v e z S u lta n & S u b h e n d u M a iti @ New Delhi/ Kolkata m u k e s h r a n j a n @ New Delhi WHILE seeking to address issues at the centre of a row over decision-making in the Election Commission and concerns of voters who have been issued notices or are left out from the poll rolls, the EC on Saturday asserted that all SIR orders received unanimous consent from all three Commissioners and that the updates to Form 6 for voter enrolment were upheld by the Supreme Court. After a meeting attended by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Dr S S Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, the EC announced a number of measures including additional time for filing claims, home visit by election officials and help desks for those facing notices for removal from the rolls. Announcing a complete review of its ECINET system, the poll panel said a committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT will review the system. On the legal framework governing SIR, the Commission said the declaration attached to Form 6 for the exercise has been upheld by the Supreme Court. “For periods outside SIR, applications will continue to be processed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960,” it said. The EC also sought to clarify concerns surrounding a letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary, saying it was not related to any policy matter concerning either the Commission or its IT division. According to the EC, the communication “concerned the functioning of an officer on deputation to the Commission”. “The work-reallocation orders issued by the officer were not implemented after directions from two Commissioners and that oversight of the IT division by the Deputy Election Commissioner was never withdrawn,” EC said. “The order for the SIR issued on 24.6.2025 for all States/UTs, starting with Bihar, and 30 other States/UTs was issued with the unanimous approval of the Commission,” EC said. It added Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit homes to upload documents for unmapped persons or those with logical discrepancies. Authorised family members can also attend on the elector’s behalf, the EC said. CEC Gyanesh Kumar with Election Commissioners Dr S S Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi at a meeting on Saturday | PTI The order for SIR starting with Bihar, followed by West Bengal and 30 States/UTs was issued with unanimous approval of EC Election Commission of India Extends deadline The EC extended deadlines for filing claims in two states. In Delhi, claims and objections can be filed till Oct 30, while all claims have to be disposed by Nov 30. In Maharashtra, Oct 12 and Nov10 are the 2 deadlines, respectively THE INDIA bloc is expected to go into a huddle on September 30 at the Constitution Club in Delhi to deliberate and strategise a joint programme aimed at cornering the Centre on the issue of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, amid concerns over special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The decision to hold the meeting was taken after the top leadership of INDIA bloc parties touched base on Saturday . Leader of the disputed Trinamool Mamata Banerjee spoke at length over the phone to Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and CPM general secretary MA Baby to discuss the course of action against the BJP and CEC, sources said. Besides Rahul, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Mamata, her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and Baby are expected to attend the meeting. Sources said INDIA bloc leaders are likely to chalk out a roadmap for pan-India protests seeking removal of Kumar and an independent i n q u i r y i n t o t h e E C ’s decisions. Discussion will focus on three core agenda items, including impeachment motion against Kumar, nationwide stir in poll-bound states including UP, Punjab and Uttarakhand. Why no FIR in CMRL case, HC asks govt E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @Kochi The Kerala High Court on Saturday asked the state government why it has not registered an FIR based on the materials submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the CMRL payoff case involving former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and family .   Advocate General Jaju Babu submitted that it is not mandatory to register an FIR acting on the information given under Section 66(2) of the PMLA Act and that a preliminary enquiry as ordered now is also legally permissible. Advocate Jaisankar V Nair, counsel for ED, submitted that in such a case, registration of FIR is mandatory and there is no scope for a preliminary enquiry overlooking the ED finding. Justice A Badharudeen, while hearing a petition filed by political activist K M Shajahan, seeking to register an FIR in the case, said the legal question is to be heard in de● More on P4 tail.  WITH THIS ISSUE The New OTT Stars Binge Brigade PLUS 12 P AGES blissful moment Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking the blessings of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi during an event held as part of her 73rd birthday celebrations at Amritapuri in Kollam on Saturday | B P Deepu | P4 Golden ticket out of poverty v ADA Pav! No, that’s not Aslam In- sitting on a bench, after his team’s gold amdar’s favourite food. At 14, that winning performance. He lost his father was literally the only item on the when he was young and the focus quickmenu he could afford, the food that ly turned on survival. Washing utensils, kept him alive. When developing cleaning toilets, working in juice bars, athletes his age were building their phy- tea shops — name any menial job and he sique with protein shakes and health has done it. That was when he was a food, all Inamdar had — could have — child. “I worked at tea stalls, juice bars, was vada pav, rotis or anycleaned washrooms and utenthing he could lay his sils. I even used to work in hands on. Indraneel Das farm fields too,” he says. “I Express @ asian games even gathered scrap bottles This was a time when he slept without a roof over Nagoya to sell to dealers’ just to buy his head; his full-time job food.” Kabaddi found him around was washing utensils in a tea shop or in a nearby juice shop. But this time and gave him an extra source now, after India’s kabaddi team defended of food — leftovers from tournaments. their gold medal against Iran on Satur- “I survived on vada pav or free food, and day he’s a two-time Asian gold medallist. food saved from tournaments. I used to , There is nothing quite like sport when it take whatever I could in my bag to eat comes to throwing up gripping, inspira- later, even if it was spoiled.” He was tional stories. “Kya kya nehi kiya maine around 14 then and was playing in age | P11 (What all did I not do),” he says, while group competitions. For Rahman visit, Bangladesh wants new water-share treaty er to India is expected to arrive in the first week of November, sources said. Bangladesh is seeking a new agreeDhaka’s new water demand comes in ment on sharing the Ganga’s waters the wake of the expiry of the 30-year rather than merely renewing the 1996 Ganga Water Sharing Treaty on Decemtreaty as Dhaka presses India for what ber 12. it describes as its “dues” as a lowerIt now wants a fresh treaty rather riparian state and seeks assurances than a “straightforward extension” of against political activities by the existing arrangement, arguformer Prime Minister Sheikh ing that a new framework should Hasina from Indian soil. These better reflect its requirements two issues are emerging as imas the downstream country . portant elements as both sides Bangladesh minister Forhad look at a possible November visHossain Azad had said Dhaka it to India by Bangladesh Prime will seek a higher share of the Minister Tarique Rahman. Ganga, including a stronger A high-level meeting in Dhaka guarantee for flows during the on September 17 discussed vari- Tarique Rahman dry season. ous aspects of the ties, diplomatFor India, however, the quesic sources said. India and Bangladesh tion is not merely a bilateral renewal. have since “remained engaged” at sen- Consultations have been held with Inior levels as they work towards finalis- dian stakeholders, including West Bening the visit, which is being looked at for gal, on water requirements. the latter half of November. Foreign Alongside water, Dhaka is seeking asSecretary Asad Alam Siam who Dhaka surances regarding Hasina, who reis sending as its next High Commission- mains in India. J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi EXPRESS READ Premkumar to lead Kerala State Film Devpt Corporation T’Puram: The state government on Saturday appointed new office-bearers to several major cultural institutions. actor Premkumar, who had a public falling-out with the previous LDF government, has been appointed chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation. P5 Dubai-based consortium set to buy Kerala Blasters Kochi: As a new ISL season is just around the corner, Kerala Blasters FC is finally ready for its much-anticipated ownership change. Sources have confirmed that the Kochi-based club is poised to be acquired by a consortium close to the royal family of the United Arab Emirates. P4