wednesdAY Fresh law graduates can’t appear in judicial services exam, rules SC 21 The Supreme Court on Tuesday held that only those with a minimum of three years of experience as lawyer can enter judicial service may, 2025 High courts to amend norms in 3 months epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard The judgment was pronounced by a bench of Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and justices A G Masih and K Vinod Chandran. The bench said that such amendments to the rules must be carried out by High Courts within three months, and that these amendments must then be approved by the state governments within a further period of three months X.com/TheMornStandard iran talks with US may not yield results Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that nuclear talks with the US were unlikely to yield any results, amid a diplomatic standoff. Page 9 One-year A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS l New Delhi l J8.00 BSF Retreat S UC H I T R A K A LYA N MO H A N T Y @ New Delhi BSF personnel in the retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border near Amritsar on Tuesday | PTI Pak gets 2nd Field Marshal in Munir stan.” In 1959, General Ayub Khan had self-promoted himDays after Operation Sindoor self as Field Marshal when he exposed Pakistan military’s was Pakistan’s President. vulnerability, its army chief The four-day clash under MuAsim Munir was promoted as nir’s watch that paused after Field Marshal, the second in India struck at Pakistan’s air the country to occupy the high- bases under Operation Sindoor, est military position. was widely seen as a major mil“The Government of Paki- itary setback for Pakistan. stan has approved the promoIndia had launched Operation of Gen Asim Munir tion Sindoor to take out (Nishan-e-Imtiaz Militerror infrastructure in tary) to the rank of nine locations in PakiField Marshal for enstan and Pakistan-occusuring the security of pied Kashmir in rethe country and defeatsponse to the killing of ing the enemy based on 26 civilians in a terrorthe high strategy and ist attack in J&K’s Pacourageous leadership,” Gen Asim Munir halgam on April 22. Prime Minister ShehFrom being sacked as baz Sharif ’s office said. The de- ISI chief by the then prime cision was taken at a cabinet minister Imran Khan, Munir meeting chaired by Sharif. managed to rise from the ashes For his part, Munir said, after Sharif was elected PM. “This is not a personal achieve- Munir is trying to salvage the ment, but a tribute to the armed army’s reputation as it lost face forces and the people of Paki- following Imran’s arrest. M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi Govt blinks as TMC nominates Abhishek A day after TMC’s Yusuf Pathan, named by the Centre in one of the global outreach delegations, opted out, the party replaced him with Abhishek Banerjee after Union minister Kiren Rijiju called TMC chief Mamata Banerjee | P7 Pak army suffered significant losses Poonch Brigade Commander Brigadier Mudit Mahajan on Tuesday said the Pakistani army suffered significant losses during Operation Sindoor not only in terms of numbers but also in morale and credibility French Senate team expresses solidarity A delegation from the French Senate on Tuesday extended strong support to India in its ongoing fight against terrorism and expressed solidarity in the aftermath of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir Delhi govt cuts MLA Development Fund from `15 crore to `5 crore A n u p V er m a @ New Delhi dies at 95 in ooty Dr M R Srinivasan was a key architect of India’s civil nuclear energy programme and former chief of the Atomic Energy Commission. The Padma Vibhushan awardee is survived by his wife and daughter | P7 express read Another 1-yr extension for IB chief Tapan Deka After the recent extension of the CBI director’s term, Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Kumar Deka was on Tuesday given another one-year extension till June 2026. Deka is a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre. His tenure was first extended by a year in June 2024. Curb use of illegal fruit ripening agents: FSSAI The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Tuesday urged all states and UTs to intensify inspections and carry out special enforcement drives to curb illegal use of non-permitted fruit ripening agents and coating of fruits with synthetic colours or non-permitted wax. Training must before candidates are permitted to preside over a court | p7 Law is presumed constitutional unless proven otherwise, says CJI H ar p reet B ajwa @ Chandigarh SRInivasan Former AEC head PAGES 12 No interim order on Waqf without glaring case: SC ceremony at border resumes In a further indication of the Indo-Pak border returning to normalcy the BSF re, sumed its retreat ceremony at all three joint check posts of the Punjab frontier — Attari in Amritsar, Hussainiwala in Ferozepur and Sadqi in Fazilka. Tuesday’s ceremony was exclusively for media personnel and a select gathering; it will be open to public from Wednesday . However, BSF troops will not shake hands with Pakistan Rangers and the gates will not be opened during the flag lowering process, as announced earlier in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, said sources. The BSF had halted the retreat ceremony on May 8 following Operation Sindoor to avenge the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. During the suspension of the ceremony the flag-lower, ing continued without public attendance. The resumption of the event is expected to rejuvenate the local economy that relies on tourism. Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal had on Monday visited the Shahpur border outpost near Ajnala and discussed the concerns of local farmers whose lands lie beyond the barbed wire fence, with BSF officers deployed along the border. Following the meeting, Dhaliwal announced that the gates would be opened for farmers shortly, allowing them to access their fields without restrictions. l Three months after its formation, the BJP government in Delhi has reduced the annual MLA Local Area Development (LAD) Fund from `15 crore to `5 crore, igniting a sharp reaction from the Opposition AAP. The previous AAP government in October last year had increased the MLALAD Fund from `10 crore to `15 crore. A sum of `4 crore was provided to each MLA in 2021-22 and 2022-23, and it was enhanced to `7 crore in 2023-24. According to an order by the Urban Development Department, the MLALAD Fund has been kept at `5 crore/assembly constituency per year. “In pursuance of Cabinet Decision No. 3187 dated 02.05.2025, the allocation of funds under the MLALAD Scheme has been Set aside `350 cr for 70 legislators: BJP A BJP MLA said that the government set aside `350 crore under the MLALAD fund that was divided into `5 crore each among 70 legislators in the national capital. AAP said that the BJP government has slashed the MLALAD Fund from `15 crore to `5 crore, dealing a blow to development works. kept at `5 crore per assembly constituency per year from financial year 2025-26 onwards,” said the order. The ministers have been directed that it will be an untied fund and could be spent for the approved works of capital nature as well as repairs and maintenance of the assets without a ceiling. A BJP MLA said that the gov- ernment set aside `350 crore under the MLALAD Fund that was divided into `5 crore each among 70 legislators in Delhi, AAP however, said that the BJP , government has slashed the MLALAD Fund from `15 crore to `5 crore, dealing a blow to development works. AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj hit out at the BJP, saying the party has betrayed Delhiites by cutting the fund meant for their welfare. “In Delhi, each MLA used to receive `15 crore annually under the AAP government as part of the MLALAD Fund. This fund is used for urgent, local development works that improve people’s daily lives. If a road is broken, a sewer line needed, lights missing in a colony or parks need repair, MLAs , use discretionary funds to address these issues,” he said. THE Supreme Court on Tuesday said the petitioners challenging the Waqf law would need a very strong and ‘glaring’ case for interim relief. Citing the “presumption of constitutionality in favour of law”, a bench of Chief Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih orally observed that for a stay of the statute, a strong case has to be shown. “There is a presumption of constitutionality in favour of every statute. For interim relief, you have to make out a very strong and glaring case. Otherwise, presumption of constitutionality will be there,” CJI Gavai said while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the petitioners, told the bench that they have a strong prima facie case and asserted that “irreparable injury will be caused if the provisions are activated”. Pleading for interim orders, ‘Creeping acquisition of waqf properties’ Senior advocate Kapil Sibal said the law provides for “creeping acquisition” of waqf properties, adding that by altering the composition of central and state waqf boards to include nonMuslims, it also attempts to dilute community control Sibal said that the Waqf Act was designed in such a way as to capture waqf properties without due process. “Private properties are being taken away only because of dispute. The officer above collector is appointed to see the dispute, and meanwhile the property is taken away he said. ,” Terming the legislation unconstitutional, Sibal said waqf is an endowment to God. “This dedication cannot be transferred to anybody Once a waqf, . always a waqf,” he argued. “They capture the waqf, expropriate the waqf. Then there is also a violation of Article 26 and 27. Then comes the CEO of the board, who shall be appointed by the state and also shall be non-Muslim,” Sibal said. Ashoka univ prof sent to judicial custody, SC likely to take up his plea today faculty of Ashoka University termed the arrest a violation of academic freedom. A district court in Haryana’s The faculty association deSonipat on Tuesday sent scribed Mahmudabad as a Ashoka University assistant highly responsible citizen and professor Ali Khan Mahmuda- the students demanded his imbad to judicial custody and mediate release. posted the matter to May 27. Addressing a joint press conMahmudabad was arrested ference in New Delhi on Tueson Sunday after Haryana Po- day representatives of various , lice registered two FIRs against teachers’ bodies condemned him on charges of “endanger- the “unlawful arrest”. ing the sovereignty, unity and The Haryana police, which integrity of the country” arrested the professor, had regthrough his social meistered two cases against dia posts on Operation him based on comSindoor. plaints filed by BJP The Sonipat police Youth Morcha leader produced him in court Yogesh Jatheri and on Tuesday after the Renu Bhatia, chairpertwo-day remand ended. son of Haryana State They sought another Commission for seven days of remand Prof Ali Khan Women. but the court decided to Mahmudabad In a statement to the send Mahmudabad to media on May 14, Mahjudicial custody . mudabad said, “The Haryana The development comes State Commission for Women when the Supreme Court is issued summons to me on May seized of the matter. The pro- 12 in relation to certain posts fessor had moved the top court made by me on social media. on Monday challenging his ar- My lawyers have submitted a rest. A SC bench of justices detailed reply to these sumSurya Kant and N Kotiswar is mons and represented me belikely to take up the case on fore the commission on May Wednesday, the top court’s 14. The screenshots attached to cause list showed. the notice make it clear that The professor’s arrest trig- my remarks have been comgered widespread outrage from pletely misunderstood and academics as well as political that the commission has no juparties. The students and risdiction in the matter.” p3 H A R P R E E T B A J W A an d I f rah M u f ti @ Chandigarh / New Delhi ‘Not every Neha can be yours’: HC in trademark tussle case S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi IN a ruling that’s sure to ruffle the feathers of every second girl named ‘Neha’ (and every company trying to trademark it), the Delhi High Court has said that name ‘NEHA’ can be protected as a trademark but only if it has been used long enough for people to think of it as a brand and not their cousin’s best friend. Justice Sanjeev Narula, clearly having seen enough of these ‘Neha wars’, laid it out plainly . “The mark ‘NEHA’, while capable of functioning as a trademark, is not a coined term. It is a popular forename in India, making it inherently weaker regarding source identification... The term ‘NEHA’ not being a distinctive word, the plaintiffs cannot monopolise the use of ‘NEHA’ for all cosmetics unless a strong secondary meaning across product categories is proved — something that has not been shown on record,” read the May 19 order. Name game The legal battle was between Sahni Cosmetics (plaintiff), which claimed it had been selling face creams under ‘NEHA’ brand since 1990, and Neha Herbals (defendant), which said it had been doing mehendi since 1992. The legal battle was between Sahni Cosmetics (plaintiff), which claimed it had been selling face creams under the ‘NEHA’ brand since 1990, and Neha Herbals (defendant), which said it had been doing mehendi and herbal stuff since 1992. Sahni sought to cancel Neha Herbals’ trademark rights altogether. But the court wasn’t buying it, as Sahni couldn’t provide proper evidence, no invoices, no steady trademark records, and not even a nostalgic ’90s TV ad to prove their point. “Trademark rights do not arise in the abstract... rather, those rights accrue through tangible trading and commercial activities that identify the origin of products or services to the consumers,” read the order. “While plaintiffs’ goodwill in the trademark ‘NEHA’ is established, it remains confined to the domain of mehendi and herbal hair-care preparations. There is insufficient evidence to suggest that such goodwill extended to creams or general cosmetics before the institution of the suit,” the court said. The court said the defendant has failed to discharge the burden of proving prior use in terms of the products for which the plaintiff has registration or any statutory ground under Sections 47 or 57 of the Trade Marks Act to warrant cancellation. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, urged the court to confine the hearing to the three issues earmarked by the court earlier— waqf by user, nomination of non-Muslims to Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards, and identification of government land as waqf. Mehta said the written submissions of the petitioners cover several other issues. However, Kapil Sibal and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for some petitioners, objected to it, saying “there cannot be any piecemeal hearing”. The arguments were inconclusive on Tuesday and would continue on Wednesday, when the Centre will present its defence of the Waqf Act. sanction UK pauses Israel trade talks The UK said it imposed sanctions that target what it classifies as persistent cycle of violence by Israeli settlers in West Bank and paused FTA talks. | P9 Students protest in Arunachal film institute S L alitha @ New Delhi Students of the inaugural batch have been boycotting classes and academic activity at the Film & Television Institute (FTI) in Ar unachal Pradesh, protesting the shabby infrastructure and lack of basic amenities since May 15. Currently attached to the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata, it is set to become India’s third FTI. The institute is in JollangRakap, 24km from Itanagar. The protesting students paid `1,20,000 for the first semester. A total of 45 students are pursuing the two-year diploma in Screen Acting, Documentary Cinema and Screen Writing. Five students belong to Arunachal, and the rest are from Delhi, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, and Maharashtra. The students said they do not have access to clean drinking water and power supply A few . girl students abandoned the course on safety grounds. “Classes are held in unfinished buildings,” a student said. An FTI official said, “There are problems and we are doing our best to redress them. Uninterrupted power is being ensured. We have requested the state to install a dedicated feeder line here. The construction work by CPWD is delayed due to some local problems.”