MONDAY SHUX RETURNS TO INDIA TO A ROUSING WELCOME 18 AUGUST, 2025 18 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard DAYS IN THE ISS SAW SHUKLA CONDUCT MORE THAN 60 EXPERIMENTS X.com/TheMornStandard ISRAEL PROTESTERS CALL FOR CEASEFIRE SPECIAL DISCUSSION IN LOK SABHA TODAY Demonstrators took to the streets of Tel Aviv, calling for an immediate end to the 22-month-old war in Gaza and a deal to release the hostages. A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9  NEW DELHI  J8.00 I T may be pure chance that the next round of big-bang reforms directed towards India’s internal economy has come at a time of turbulence on the external front. But it’s a happy coincidence all the same that GST is getting pruned and simplified, offering a new impetus to consumption, at a time of very erratic weather for exports. The vexed Goods and Services Tax, which has completed eight years with a complex ziggurat-like architecture, is finally getting rationalised into a slimmer, neater structure. Three Groups of Ministers will be meeting next week, on Wednesday and Thursday, to finalise its blueprint. That will be submitted to the GST Council for a final round of consultations. If all goes well, come Diwali, our domestic bazaars will have an extra bounce to their step, freed from the knotted mass of reins imposed by multiple rates of taxation, which were often seen to be irrational in their very design. The new plan is to account for most items under two slabs — a lightweight 5% for mass goods and the higher one capped at 18%. Only ‘sin goods’ SANTWANA like tobacco etc BHATTACHARYA will cop the special rate of 40%. EDITOR The benefits are intended to devolve to all sides of the base of India’s pyramid. Compliance should become much easier for businesses. Farmers can hope for input costs to be reduced on vital items like fertilisers and seeds, which should create a vital surplus for millions of small Indians. That will enable them to join the class of ordinary consumers all around who can look forward to items of mass consumption getting cheaper. On both sides, hopefully small will get more , beautiful. On one side, small and medium-sized businesses, the muscles that keep the economic backbone straight and help the body stay bouncy On the other, the non-premium, budget . segment of goods that crores of Indians buy . The best-case scenario will see volumes offsetting revenue loss on account of lower taxes, which is the core doubt that states like Kerala may bring up at the GST Council deliberations. If that happens, it would be an echo of what happened in previous instances of global turbulence, like in 2008, when the buoyancy of our domestic market created a healthy shock absorber. PAGES 12 2ND INDIAN TO UNDERTAKE A SPACEFLIGHT Shukla, who became the second Indian to undertake a spaceflight as part of the Axiom-4 mission, and his backup astronaut-designate Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair were welcomed at the airport by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, and ISRO Chairman V Narayanan. Shukla’s wife Kamna and son Kiash were present too. NDA will reach out to Oppn parties to seek their support: Nadda PM Modi inaugurates the Delhi section of Dwarka Expressway and Urban Extension Road-II. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, CM Rekha Gupta and her Haryana counterpart Nayab Saini also seen | PTI Need states’ cooperation to implement reforms: Modi DIWALI BONANZA PM Modi said the Centre has circulated the draft of GST reforms among states and sought cooperation to implement the proposal before Diwali. He said the move would benefit the poor and the middle class. For us, reform signifies the advancement of good governance... In the near future, we are set to implement reforms aimed at making life and business operations smoother and more convenient placed with just two: 5% and 18%, along with a special 40% bracket for demerit or ‘sin’ goods such as tobacco and online gaming. Items currently taxed at 12%, like butter, fruit juices, and dry fruits, would move to 5%, while electronics, cement, and other goods from the 28% slab would shift to 18%, as per the proposal. The reform aims to prevent accumulation of input tax credit and reduce demands for further tweaks. While the changes may initially cause revenue loss, the Centre expects increased consumption to offset the impact. Nearly 99% of goods in the 12% category and 90% of goods in the 28% slab are expected to move to lower rates, easing the burden on households and businesses. Alongside GST reforms, the prime minister reiterated his call for “vocal for local.” “To make India stronger, we must take inspiration from Chakradhari Mohan (Lord Shri Krishna) to make India self-reliant, we must follow the path of Charkhadhari Mohan (Mahatma Gandhi),” Modi said. A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Centre has circulated the draft of next-generation GST reforms among states and sought their cooperation to implement the proposal before Diwali. He said the move would benefit the poor, the middle class, and businesses of all sizes. Addressing an event after inaugurating two expressways, Modi said the Centre intends to make the GST law simpler and revise tax rates. The GST Council is expected to meet next month to deliberate on the proposal. “For us, reform means the expansion of good governance,” Modi said, adding that continuous focus was being placed on reforms. “This Diwali, citizens will receive a double bonus through the GST reform.” He expressed hope that states would swiftly support the initiative, ensuring the new structure could be rolled out before the festive season. Under the plan, the existing four GST slabs—5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%—will be re- `11K cr road projects to declog Delhi IN a major infrastructure push to ease traffic congestion and shorten travel time in DelhiNCR, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated two major projects—a key stretch of the Urban Extension Road-II and the Delhi section of Dwarka Expressway—worth a total cost of nearly `11,000 crore. Speaking on the occasion, the PM said that amid the celebrations of ‘Azadi Ka Mahotsav’, the national capital is witnessing a development revolution. The new projects will make life easier for the people of Delhi, Gurugram, and the entire NCR region, he said, adding that commuting to offices and factories will become easier, saving time for everyone. “Delhi-NCR is now among the most connected areas in the world in terms of metro network,” Modi asserted. Underlining a feature of the Urban Extension Road, stating that it is also helping to free Delhi from its garbage mounds,  The government has proposed a special discussion in the Lok Sabha on Monday to mark Shukla’s return to India after ISS stay PIC: PTI/X Maha guv Radhakrishnan BJP’s choice for next V-P GST: WHY SMALL CAN BE BIG FOR ECONOMY A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi A posse of people waving the Tricolour and beating drums welcomed astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla at New Delhi airport DWARKA EXPRESSWAY (DELHI SECTION) 10.1 KM LENGTH ~`5,360 CR COST Multi-modal connectivity: Yashobhoomi, DMRC Blue & Orange lines, upcoming Bijwasan railway station, Dwarka cluster bus depot MAKING TRAVEL SMOOTH DWARKA EXPRESSWAY (HARYANA SECTION) 19 KM URBAN EXTENSION ROAD-II (UER-II) TMS reported on Oct 18, 2024 LENGTH Section inaugurated: AlipurDichaon Kalan Inauguration March 2024 Package I: 5.9 km (Shiv Murti Dwarka intersectioDwarka Sector-21 Road Under Bridge) Package II: 4.2 km (Dwarka Sector-21 RUBDelhi– Haryana border, links directly to UER-II) the PM said that millions of tonnes of waste material have been used in the construction of the Urban Extension Road. He said that by reducing the garbage mounds, the waste material has been repurposed for road construction. Pointing out the nearby Bhalswa landfill site Additional links: Bahadurgarh and Sonipat ~`5,580 CR PROJECT COST and acknowledging the problems faced by families living in its vicinity he said the govern, ment is working to free residents from such challenges. Praising CM Rekha Gupta for the initiatives to clean the Yamuna river, Modi shared that 16 lakh metric tonnes of silt LIKELY IMPACT Decongest Inner & Outer Ring Roads Ease pressure at Mukarba Chowk, Dhaula Kuan, NH-09 Provide direct access to Bahadurgarh & Sonipat Boost industrial connectivity & NCR goods movement have already been removed. Within a short span of time, 650 Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector buses have been launched and the fleet of electric buses may cross 2,000, the PM said. Modi also held a roadshow in Mundka-Bakkarwala Village Toll Plaza, Delhi. RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR & T MURUGANANDHAM @ New Delhi / Chennai THE BJP on Sunday named Maharashtra Governor Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan (67) as the NDA’s consensus candidate for the Vice President’s post. BJP president J P Nadda made the announcement following a meeting of the party’s parliamentary board. Apart from Radhakrishnan, the governors of Gujarat, Karnataka, and Sikkim were also in the shortlist, sources said. After thorough consultation with the core members of the parliamentary board, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his final approval. “The NDA will speak to Opposition parties on getting their support to ensure the election for this second highest constitutional post goes unopposed. We have been, through our senior leaders, contacting the Opposition leaders and we will remain in touch with C P Radhakrishnan MILESTONES  Joined Bharatiya Jan Sangh in 1974 at age 17  President of TN unit of BJP between 2004 and 2007  Chairman of the Coir Board, Kochi in 2016  Lok Sabha MP in 1998 and 1999  Governor of Jharkhand on February 18, 2023  Maharashtra governor on July 31, 2024 them,” said Nadda. With the nomination of Radhakrishnan, a seasoned leader from Tamil Nadu who belongs to the influential Gounder caste, an OBC community the , BJP hopes to bolster its strength in the southern state. Tamil Nadu, currently governed by the DMK, is scheduled to hold Assembly elections in 2026. If elected, Radhakrishan will be the third leader from Tamil Nadu to reach the second-highest constitutional position in the country—after Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan (1952-1962) and R Venkataraman (1984-87). Both later became President. Born in Tiruppur on October 20, 1957, Radhakrishnan took interest in the activities of the RSS at a very young age and joined the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, the political wing of the RSS, in 1974 at the age of 17. Radhakrishnan’s nomination will be officially filed on August 21, with all NDA leaders including the chiefs of the TDP and JD(U), accompanying the nominee, sources said. P7 EC terms ‘vote theft’ charges baseless, says SC fiat complied with... ... Rahul begins yatra against ‘vote theft’ from Sasaram M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi R A M A S H A N K A R @ Patna THE Election Commission of India on Sunday made public the list of 65 lakh omitted voters from the draft electoral roll of Bihar, following a Supreme Court directive on August 14. “Within 56 hours of the SC directive, the names of voters that were not included in the draft electoral roll have been posted on district magistrates’ websites,” Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said at a press conference. Asserting that the ECI is making all efforts to turn Bihar’s poll roll revision into a success, Kumar said those levelling allegations of ‘vote theft’ should either give proof under oath within the next seven days or their insinuations would be considered ‘baseless’. Addressing a press conference for the first time since the ‘vote theft’ controversy erupted, the CEC said that if anybody wants to file a complaint without being a voter of that constituency, “he/she can do the same only as a witness under oath”. On July 31, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi held a press conference and accused ECI of indulging in ‘vote chori’. Gandhi cited data from the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and claimed that over 1 lakh votes were “stolen” in Mahadevapura assembly in Karnataka through manipulation, duplicate voters, fake addresses LEADER of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched 1,300-km long ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ from Sasaram in Bihar’s Rohtas district and claimed that ‘vote theft’ was happening across the country . Amid presence of top-notch leaders of INDIA bloc, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Vikassheel Insaan Party’s Mukesh Sahani and CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Rahul said people of Bihar would not allow ‘vote theft’. in their state. “Strength of the poor is their vote. Today, that very strength is being snatched away— a conspiracy to steal votes is underway through SIR. We will stop vote theft at all costs,” he said. RJD leader Lalu Prasad said that a united INDIA bloc would throw out those stealing votes. “I urge you people to stand united, drive out the BJP-RSS combine,” Lalu said. The yatra will pass through Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Nalanda, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chhapra and Ara. P8 Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar addresses a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday | EXPRESS and others. He alleged that similar irregularities had occurred in other states. Responding to Gandhi’s allegations, CEC Kumar said, “A lie, if repeated time and again, does not become truth.” The CEC said instances of a person holding multiple voter identity cards arise due to migration or administrative lapses and the poll authority is working to rectify such mistakes. While addressing a rally in Bihar’s Sasaram during the launch of his 1,300-km ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ on Sunday Gan, dhi had asked for a response from the ECI. He said he was asked to submit an affidavit after his press conference, but no such demand was made from BJP leaders, who had made similar claims in their press conference. The CEC said ECI’s doors are always open to everyone and ECI is working together with everyone in a “transparent manner” as part of SIR. Video statement of Puri burn victim goes viral, probe launched KATHUA 7 KILLED IN FRESH EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bhubaneswar EDUCATION POLICY CHANGE TO BRING TRANSPARENCY Minister Ashish Sood lists out steps to redefine city’s governance model beyond ‘hollow marketing’ | P4 AROUND two weeks after a 15year-old girl from Puri’s Balanga died of burn injuries, a videographed statement of her claiming that she was abducted by three youths and then set on fire went viral on social media on Sunday In the video, the girl . can be heard mentioning that three unidentified youths with their faces covered abducted her when she was returning home. They then made her unconscious and set her on fire. After the video went public, Puri’s in-charge SP Pinak Mishra said that such act was illegal and strong action will be taken against those found involved in it. “The viral video is being examined to ascertain its genuineness. It appears to have been captured on camera while her statement was being recorded in AIIMS-Bhubaneswar on July 19, a few hours after the incident had taken place in Balanga,” he said. Mishra said police are trying to identify the person who leaked the video on social media and urged the people, who receive videos of such sensitive incidents, to not circulate them on social media. “Investigation is being carried out by following all the procedures and is in the final stages. We are awaiting forensic reports,” he added. The girl had sustained 75% burns and was admitted to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar on July 19. A day later, she was airlifted to AIIMS-New Delhi where she died on August 2. Police said that the girl had frequently changed her statements. “In AIIMS-New Delhi, the girl, in her statement which was recorded before a judicial magistrate, has said she had attempted to die by suicide and was afraid to reveal the truth. She said nobody else was involved in the incident.” The BJD targeted the BJP government stating that the police claims were contradictory to what the girl had said in her statement. “Why is the state government not handing over the investigation to the CBI,” asked BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty. In response, BJP spokesperson Surath Biswal said that the opposition is politicising the sensitive issue. CLOUDBURST IN J&K Heavy overnight rain in Kathua district of J&K led to the deaths of seven people and injuries to five in two separate incidents of cloudburst in Jodh Ghati village of Rajbagh and Janglote early Sunday; CM Omar Abdullah directed officials to carry out relief, rescue as top priority | P8