HYDERABAD l sunday l september 27, 2026 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l late cITY EDITION US, 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, greater use of online hearings 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 WITH THIS ISSUE The New OTT Stars Binge Brigade PLUS 12 P AGES INSIDE Uproar as minor student gang-raped on the way back from Bihar school | P8 THE Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced a series of measures to streamline the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, including doorstep verification for voters facing notices, greater use of online hearings and special assistance for vulnerable sections. It has also announced a review of its ECINET system and clarified on a letter written to the Cabinet Secretary . 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 complete relook of its ECINET system, adding that an expert committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT will review the system. Noting that several upgrades to ECINET have already been made on the basis of inputs received from State Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), the EC said, “Flexibility or changes required by field officials will also be considered and future initiatives relating to IT modules and portals will be dis- cussed by the Committee of Officers before being placed for the Commission’s approval.” 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 “concer ned 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. It added Booth Level Officers 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 secre- NDA allies tary MA Baby to discuss clear the air the course of action against the BJP and CEC, Hours after EC’s clarification on sources said. Besides Rahul, Con- SIR, NDA allies gress chief Mallikarjun TDP, LJP (RV) Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Shiv Sena Mamata, her nephew Ab- (Shinde) came hishek Banerjee, SP out in support of chief Akhilesh Yadav, the poll panel. Andhra Pradesh Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and CM N ChandBaby are expected to at- rababu Naidu said EC’s tend the meeting. Sources said INDIA statement “puts bloc leaders are likely to to rest all chalk out a roadmap for misconceptions.” pan-India protests seeking removal of Kumar and an independent inquiry into the EC’s decisions. Discussion will focus on three core agenda items, including an impeachment motion against Kumar and a nationwide stir in poll-bound states including UP Punjab and Uttarakhand. , Speaking in Sreerampur in West Bengal’s Hooghly Mamata on Saturday said, “I sent , a message to Rahul Gandhi, and told him we must sit together.” CPI (Marxist-Lenin) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya termed the controversy as “major national crisis”, and called all Opposition parties to come together. For Rahman visit, Dhaka wants new water-share treaty J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi Bangladesh is seeking a new agreement on sharing the Ganga’s waters rather than merely renewing the 1996 treaty as Dhaka presses India for what it describes as its “dues” as a lower-riparian state and seeks assurances against political activities by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Indian soil. These two issues are emerging as important elements as both sides look at a possible November visit to India by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. A high-level meeting in Dhaka on September 17 discussed various aspects of the ties, diplomatic sources said. India and Bangladesh have since “remained engaged” at senior levels as they work towards finalising the visit, which is being looked at for the latter half of November. Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam who Dhaka is sending as its next High Commissioner to India is expected to arrive in the first week of November, sources said. Dhaka’s new water demand comes in the wake of the expiry of the 30-year Ganga Water Sharing Treaty on December 12. It now wants a fresh treaty rather than a “straightforward extension” of the existing arrangement, arguing that a new framework should better reflect its requirements as the Tarique Rahman Joint Rivers Commission dealing with the matter The water issues are now being handled within the broader framework of the IndiaBangladesh Joint Rivers Commission, which deals with the two countries’ shared rivers. India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers downstream country . Bangladesh minister Forhad Hossain Azad had said Dhaka will seek a higher share of the Ganga, including a stronger guarantee for flows during the dry season. For India, however, the question is not merely a bilateral renewal. Consultations have been held with Indian stakeholders, including West Bengal, on water requirements. Alongside water, Dhaka is seeking assurances regarding Hasina, who remains in India. Bangladesh has objected to what it describes as political activities and public statements by Hasina and the Awami League from Indian territory, which is being flagged as a potential irritant in ties. India’s call for de-escalation of conflicts In his UNGA address, EAM Jaishankar called for de-escalation in multiple conflicts and stronger action against terrorism | P7 KLIS rehabilitation Manmohan Singh most deserving of Bharat Ratna: Revanth from mid-November, monsoon 2027 deadline Express News Service @ Hyderabad The state government will begin comprehensive rehabilitation of the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages, part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme, in mid-November and complete the works before the onset of the 2027 monsoon. Speaking after chairing a review meeting with officials at his camp office here, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the government had finalised the designs to restore the safety and operational reliability of all three barrages. The rehabilitation plan has been drawn up taking into account concerns raised by the National Dam Safety Authority and other expert bodies over the safety of the barrages, Uttam said. The plan prepared by the project designer includes strengthening the foundations through grouting, extending the stilling basins and constructing fresh cutoff walls. The measures are aimed at addressing deficiencies in the earlier energy-dissipation arrangements, foundation stability and under-seepage control. “There will be no compromise on structural safety or the quality of rehabilitation. The works will be executed strictly on the basis of scientific studies and the recommendations of national technical institutions,” he said. The designs are now being validated through computational fluid dynamics modelling at the Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune. The modelling will assess the hydraulic behaviour of the barrages and verify the effectiveness of the prop o s e d energy-dissipation measures under different flow conditions. The designs will be placed before the Technical Oversight Committee under the Central Water Commission in New Delhi on October 5 for expert examination and recommendations. At the same time, Uttam directed Irrigation officials to complete all preparatory work so that there would be no delay once technical clearance is received. The Irrigation and Command Area Development Department is preparing detailed cost estimates and finalising the contractual mechanism required for gover nment approval.  continued on P4 Express News Service Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy addresses the gathering after unveiling a statue of former prime minister Manmohan Singh at Wipro Junction, Financial District, in Hyderabad on Saturday @ Hyderabad Demanding Bharat Ratna for former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday urged the Centre to rise above partisan considerations and honour the late leader. He also called for the establishment of a Knowledge Centre to carry forward Manmohan’s work. Addressing the gathering after inaugurating a statue of the late prime minister at Wipro Circle in the Financial District here, Revanth said the statue should have been erected in Delhi. He appealed to all MPs from Telangana to raise the issue in both Houses of Parliament. Likening the partnership between then UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan to that of former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he said the two had helped fulfil Telangana’s long-standing aspiration by signing the legislation granting statehood to the region. “By signing the bill to grant statehood to Telangana, they helped realise the longheld aspiration of the region. Patel, along with Nehru, gave us freedom with Police Action. Telangana will always remember them,” he said. Revanth credited for mer prime minister PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan with introducing liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation policies and bringing political stability at a time when India’s foreign exchange reserves had fallen to around `100 crore and the country was facing political uncertainty  continued on P4 . golden ticket out of poverty Indraneel Das Express @ asian games Nagoya v ADA Pav! No, that’s not Aslam Inamdar’s favourite food. At 14, that was literally the only item on the menu he could afford, the food that kept him alive. When developing athletes his age were building their physique with protein shakes and health food, all Inamdar had — could have — was vada pav, rotis or anything he could lay his hands on. This was a time when he slept without a roof over his head; his full-time job was washing utensils in a tea shop or in a nearby juice shop. But now, after India’s kabaddi Kabaddi player Aslam Inamdar | pti team defended their gold medal against Iran on Saturday, he’s a two-time Asian gold medallist. There is nothing quite like sport when it comes to throwing up gripping, inspirational stories. “Kya kya nehi kiya maine (What all did I not do),” he says, while sitting on a bench, after his team’s gold winning performance. He lost his father when he was young and the focus quickly turned on survival. Washing utensils, cleaning toilets, working in juice bars, tea shops — name any menial job and he has done it. That was when he was a child. “I worked at tea stalls, juice bars, cleaned washrooms and utensils. I even used to work in farm fields too,” he says. “I even gathered scrap bottles to sell to dealers’ just to buy food.” Kabaddi found him around this time and gave him an extra source of food — leftovers from tournaments. “I survived on vada pav or free food, and food saved from tournaments. I used to take whatever I could in my bag to eat later, even if it was spoiled.” He was around 14 then and was playing in age group competitions. | P11 Blissful moment Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking the blessings of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi during an event held as part of the spiritual leader’s 73rd birthday celebrations at Amritapuri in Kollam on Saturday. In his address, Shah hailed Mata Amritanandamayi Devi for not only institutionalising her spirit of service but transforming it into a global movement | B P DEEPu | P5