WEDNESDAY MAMDANI FACES CUOMO IN HIGH STAKES BATTLE FOR NY MAYOR 05 NOVEMBER, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard AUSTRALIA CHINA ACCUSED OF MEDDLING An Australian spy chief on Tuesday accused Chinese security services of widespread intellectual property theft and political meddling. PAGE 9 THREE-WAY BATTLE BUT MAMDANI FAVOURITE A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00  New York City voters are deciding the outcome of a generational and ideological divide that will resonate across the country on Tuesday as they choose the next mayor to run the nation’s largest city. Zohran Mamdani, who won the Democratic primary earlier this year, faces former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, who is trying to land an upset | P9 PAGES 12 2,100 Sikh pilgrims visit Pakistan for Guru Nanak anniv H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh Devotees leave for Pakistan for the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev | PTI Joint INDIA bloc action missing in anti-SIR fight Regional Oppn parties fighting on their own, TMC says it won’t share space with others P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi WHILE some Opposition-ruled states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal have intensified their protest against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the INDIA bloc is yet to come up with a collective strategy on the issue. The DMK government in Tamil Nadu moved the Supreme Court on Monday challenging the SIR exercise, while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit the streets on Tuesday The Kerala . government is holding an allparty meeting to discuss the future course of action on the electoral roll revision. However, the INDIA bloc parties haven’t had a joint meeting or discussion ever since the EC announced the SIR for 12 states and Union Territories on October 27, a senior Opposition leader told this paper. As the principal Opposition party, the onus lies with the Congress, the leader said. “The actions are now limited to the state level and there is no coordination between Opposition parties at the national level. The SIR exercise has already begun in some states and there is hardly any time left,” said the leader, pointing out that the INDIA bloc leadership could have planned joint press conferences or protests in the national capital. Speaking to this paper, a senior Congress leader said that the party is likely to discuss the An enumeration form given to a voter for SIR in Chennai | P RAVIKUMAR No Cong-ruled states part of SIR exercise A senior leader said the Cong is showing little urgency because SIR does not affect any Cong-ruled states directly. “In most of the affected states, the Cong is only an ally,” the leader said matter after the Bihar election. Significantly the monsoon ses, sion of Parliament was a near washout the Congress-led Opposition insisted on a discussion on Bihar’s SIR. Although the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was part of the protests against the SIR during Parliament’s monsoon session, the party now seems to be in no mood to be together with the INDIA bloc on this. TMC’s Lok Sabha MP Saugata Roy told this paper that the “TMC will fight this battle alone”. Another Opposition leader told this paper that the Congress is not taking the initiative as the SIR is not taking place in any of the Congressruled states. “In other states, they are only allies,” he said. IN a rare moment of religious diplomacy amidst curtailed bilateral ties and airspace ban following Operation Sindoor, About 2,100 Indian Sikh devotees crossed into Pakistan on Tuesday through the AttariWagah integrated border post to attend the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. The Pakistan government had issued 2,150 visas for the THE Kerala High Court has held that the first wife of a Muslim man should be heard before registering his second marriage in accordance with the Kerala Registration of Marriages (Common) Rules 2008. Justice P V Kunhikrishnan said the first wife cannot be a silent spectator to the registration of her husband’s second marriage, though the Muslim Personal Law permits men a second marriage in certain situations. He said if a Muslim man wants to register his second marriage under the Kerala Registration of Marriages (Common) Rules 2008, when his first marriage is in existence and the first wife is alive, the woman should be given an opportunity of hearing. The court said in such situations, religion is secondary and constitutional rights are supreme. “Let the Muslim women also get an opportunity of hearing when their husbands remarry, at least at the stage of registering the second marriage,” said the court. The HC observed that 99.99% of Muslim women will be against their husband’s second marriage when their relationship is in existence. They may not disclose the same, it said. The court issued the order on a petition filed by Muhammad as: Janamasthan in Nankana Sahib, Sri Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, Sacha Sauda in Farooqabad, and Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. Upon reaching Lahore, the pilgrims were accorded a warm welcome by Pakistan’s Punjab minister Ramesh Singh Arora and senior officials of the Pakistan Evacuee Trust Board. Initially, the Indian government had declined permission citing security concerns. How- DJB RELEASES `735 CR FOR WATER, SEWAGE UPGRADE A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi IN a move to modernise the water and sewage infrastructure, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has released `734.95 crore to 68 of 70 Assembly constituencies under capital and revenue heads. This marks the largest constituencylevel fund release in DJB’s history . The remaining two Assembly segments— New Delhi and Delhi Cantonment—come under the jurisdiction of New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Cantonment Board, respectively which allocate their , own funds to look after their sewerage and water network. Out of the total amount, `408.95 crore has been released under the capital head for in- frastructure projects, such as laying of new pipelines, replacement of old sewer lines, construction of underground reservoirs, and augmentation of water supply systems. Another `326 crore has been released under the revenue head for regular maintenance, desilting, repair works, and service-related improvements aimed at enhancing the efficiency and reliability of existing networks. The DJB has emphasised that the constituencywise release of funds reflects its aim to promote equitable, decentralised, and need-based development. By allocating funds directly to constituencies, the DJB aims to ensure that each area can take up works aligned with the imme- diate needs of residents, ranging from pipeline extensions and leak repair to upgrading sewage treatment systems and ensuring clean, uninterrupted water supply . The DJB has implemented a monitoring and auditing mechanism to be carried out by consultancy firm KPMG as its central project management unit. The DJB says all works will be geo-tagged and tracked in real time for efficient utilisation of funds. Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said, “The DJB has released `735 crore directly to constituencies to ensure faster work, cleaner execution, and greater accountability. This time the funds have been released in a decentralised manner, empowering MLAs to act according to people’s needs.” ever, following appeals from Sikh organisations, it permitted a symbolic jatha (group) to maintain the tradition. Leaders including Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President and Minorities Minister Ramesh Singh Arora, Evacuee Trust Property Board chief Sajid Mahmood Chauhan, and Additional Secretary Nasir Mushtaq also greeted the pilgrims in Lahore. INFRA PUSH Delhi Jal Board has released funds for 68 of Delhi’s 70 Assembly constituencies for upgrading their water distribution and sewer networks `409 CR `326 CR Capital head New pipelines Revenue head Desilting Replacing sewer lines Repair works Construction of UG reservoirs Regular maintenance Augmenting water supply systems Service-related improvements 3 gang rape accused shot in leg, arrested EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Coimbatore THREE men allegedly involved in the gangrape of a 20-year-old college girl in Coimbatore on Sunday were shot in the leg and captured by the city police around 11pm on Monday when they allegedly attacked a police team with machetes during an operation to arrest them. Addressing a press conference in Coimbatore on Tuesday , police commissioner A Saravana Sundar said that based on scientific evidence and after scanning the footage from nearly 200-300 CCTV cameras, police zeroed in on the suspects — Sathish alias Karuppasamy (30), his brother Karthik alias Kaleeswaran, 21, of Sivagangai district, and their friend Guna alias Thavasi, 20, of Karuppayurani in Madurai district. “A police team opened fire at the suspects on Monday night after being attacked by the accused while trying to nab them near a hideout in Vellakinaru near Thudiyalur in Coimbatore,” the officer said. Chandrasekar, 47, a Grade I constable, suffered injuries to his wrist in the attack, while the accused were shot in the leg, the commissioner said. Condemning the sexual assault, members of the AIADMK, TVK and All India Democratic Women’ Association staged demonstrations in Coimbatore. 4 Kuki rebels killed in gun battle in Manipur “This operation follows recent atrocities by UKNA cadres including killing of a village FOUR members of insurgent chief, intimidation of locals group United Kuki National and attempts to disrupt peace Army (UKNA) were killed in and stability in the region. Sucan encounter with security cessful neutralisation of these forces in Churachandpur dis- terrorists highlights the Indian trict of Manipur early on Army and Assam Rifles comTuesday . mitment to protecting innocent Sources said around civilians, mitigating 17 UKNA rebels were all threats and ensurtaking shelter at ing peace and security Khanpi village under in Manipur,” the deHenglep subdivision We remain fence ministry statecommitted to of the district. While ment further stated. peaceful four rebels lost their The bodies of the dialogue and lives, others managed slain rebels were kept cooperation with to escape. at the morgue of the the government A defence ministry district hospital in to find statement said, “…terChurachandpur. resolution for rorists resorted to unT h e U K NA c o n our people provoked firing on an demned the shootout, Kuki Inpi Manipur Ar my column at and called it “cowardKhanpi village, apice act of people who proximately 80 km acted in connivance west of Churachandpur, Ma- with security forces.” nipur. In the ensuing firefight “We (Kuki-Zo people) are neibetween security forces and ther a threat to the society nor armed cadres of UKNA, a non- are we against the Indian SoO (suspension of operations) Army We stand for a separate . insurgent group, 04 cadres of administration from Manipur the ter rorist g roup were state. We will surrender once neutralised.” the separate administration A search operation in the ad- (Union Territory) demand is joining areas was in progress fulfilled,” the outfit stated in a when reports last came in. statement. EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Guwahati RAIL MISHAP Eight persons were killed and 14 others injured after a mainline electric multiple unit (MEMU) passenger train collided with a goods train from behind near Bilaspur station in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday | PTI | P8 Hear 1st wife before registering 2nd marriage of Muslim man: Kerala HC E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Kochi Sikh pilgrims, but this year India allowed only Indian citizens to participate, excluding Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), a departure from earlier years. Palwinder Singh, in-charge of the Yatra Vibhag of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), said he was unaware of the reasons behind the decision. The pilgrims are scheduled to return on November 13 after visiting key historic gurdwar- COIMBATORE Shareef of Kannur and his second wife, challenging the decision of the Thrikkaripur grama panchayat secretary to not register their marriage. According to the petitioners, they are Indian citizens and followers of the Muslim customary law. As per the Muslim Personal Law, a man is entitled to have four wives at a time. Therefore, the registrar is bound to register the second marriage, in accordance with the law. The second marriage happened with the consent of the first wife, stated the petition. The court declined to accept the plea to register the second marriage as the man’s first wife was not a party in the proceedings before the High Court. “Equality in gender is a constitutional right of every citizen. Men are not superior to women. Gender equality is a human issue,” said the court. EXPRESS READ CBI conducts raids in Punjab in Bhullar case The CBI carried out raids at seven premises in Patiala and Ludhiana districts on Tuesday in relation with a probe of disproportionate assets case against suspended DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar. Dutch man held at MP airport with illegal GPS device A Dutch national, identified as Slightenhorst Remco, was arrested from the Gwalior Airport in Madhya Pradesh on Monday night for possessing a GPS device without the permission of relevant authorities. REVANTH CABINET Azharuddin gets charge of minority welfare dept EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Hyderabad FORMER Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin, who was inducted into the Telangana council of ministers on October 31, was on Tuesday allocated minorities welfare and public enterprises portfolios. Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao issued a notifica- tion to this effect following approval from Governor Jishnu Dev Varma. While the public enterprises portfolio was held by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, minister Adluri Laxman Kumar handled minorities welfare. With the induction of Azharuddin, the total strength of the Tel- angana cabinet rose to 16, with room for two more. The former cricketer’s appointment to the ministry is seen as a crucial step as the Congress has been fighting hard to win the November 11 Jubilee Hills bypoll, where over a lakh Muslim vo t e r s c o u l d play a decisive role. The former Congress MP unsuccessfully contested from the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency in the 2023 polls. Azharuddin was nominated as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) under the Governor’s quota by the Telangana government in August last week. However, Governor Varm a i s ye t t o c l e a r t h e appointment.