SATURDAY OPPN MPs SUBMIT NOTICES SEEKING A MOTION FOR REMOVAL OF CEC 14 Opposition MPs have submitted notices in both Houses seeking a motion for removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar MARCH, 2026 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard SIGNAL TO RUSSIA NATO TRAINS IN THE ARCTIC 130 LOK SABHA MPS, 63 RS MPS SIGN NOTICES A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9 Beware of cyber scams amid LPG crisis, warn cops N I T I N R A W AT @ New Delhi DELHI Police has cautioned citizens against clicking on suspicious web links, which may claim to be about LPG cylinder deliveries, or acting upon phone calls received from unknown numbers claiming to be from gas agencies. Police said on Friday that cyber fraudsters may exploit the ongoing panic about short supply of LPG cylinders to dupe people of their money . “The rumour being spread regarding the shortage of LPG cylinders is a trap woven by cyber scammers. Do not click on any such unknown link and report this info to police immediately cops wrote on X. ,” A senior official said that fraudsters may pose as representatives of gas agencies and call residents, claiming that immediate verification or registration of personal details could get them a cylinder. Victims are then asked to click on links or download files sent through messaging platforms, he said, adding consumers should stay away from such people and avoid any activity, which could compromise their personal details. The police have asked citizens to remain vigilant and promptly inform the authorities if they come across any such misleading content or suspicious activities. Delhi Police has stepped up its vigilance and deployed additional personnel outside gas agencies to assist the public. Officials said the presence of police personnel is intended to ensure smooth management of crowds and prevent any untoward incidents, as residents gather to inquire about or collect their LPG cylinders. P3 1st-yr student of IIT-D found hanging in campus room EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi A first-year student of the IITDelhi was found hanging in his apartment on the institute’s campus in South Delhi, police said on Friday In a statement, . IIT-Delhi stated that the institute stands with the bereaved family and is providing them all possible support. “In this hour of grief, the institute stands with the bereaved family and is providing them all support,” IIT-D said. According to officials, a call regarding the incident was received at Kishangarh police station around 8.30 am. A police team rushed to New Vindhyachal Apartment located inside the IIT-Delhi campus, where the student was found hanging from a ceiling fan with the help of a stole. The attending doctor from IIT-Delhi hospital examined him and declared him brought dead, police said. Preliminary probe revealed the deceased was residing in the apartment with his mother. His mother had gone to her native place on March 10 and last spoke to him around 11 pm on March 11. When he did not respond to calls in the morning, another resident checked the room and found him hanging after the door was opened with the help of security staff, police said. No suicide note was found. The victim’s father expressed no suspicion of foul play. The body was sent to Safdarjung Hospital mortuary for postmortem and then handed over to the family the officer said. , Subsequently, a security officer of IIT-Delhi submitted a written complaint seeking registration of an FIR. Accordingly a case under Section 108 BNS , (Abetment of Suicide) has been registered and an investigation taken up, police added. Induction cooker rush City has seen a spike in demand for induction plates & cookers in last few days, as LPG crisis becomes acute The rumour being spread regarding the shortage of LPG cylinders is a trap by cyber scammers. Do not click on any such unknown link Delhi Police Police leave cancelled Delhi Police has cancelled routine leave for its personnel with immediate effect amid the LPG supply concerns, triggering widespread anxiety among households and businesses  NEW DELHI J8.00  As many as 130 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs are said to have signed the notices. The signatories include members from all the INDIA bloc parties, including AAP. Some Independent MPs have also signed the notice while several others have evinced interest. This is the first time a notice has been moved for the removal of the head of the Election Commission of India PAGES 12 SAFE PASSAGE FOR INDIA Iran promises safety for India-flagged vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi WITH India intensifying diplomatic engagement with Iran amid escalating tensions in West Asia, Tehran has signalled the possibility of safe passage for India-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The development came after Exter nal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday night, building on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call with President Masoud Pezeshkian hours earlier. Jaishankar said he and Araghchi discussed bilateral issues as well as coordination through BRICS. Sources said two India-bound LPG tankers were given permission to pass through the Strait. Confirming the news, Iran’s Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali said: “Yes, because India is our friend.” When reporters pressed him specifically if Indian vessels would be able to transit the Strait safely the envoy said pos, DAY 14 DAY’S DEVELOPMENTS FM Nirmala Sitharaman says `1 lakh crore Economic Stabilization Fund created to deal with West Asia crisis ADOBE CEO NARAYEN SET Two Indian nationals killed and several others injured in an attack in Sohar in Oman on Friday Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen has decided to step down. “I have informed the Board of my decision to transition from my role as CEO after over 18 years in the job,” he said Nepal selling half-filled cooking gas cylinders to curb panic buying TO STEP DOWN  US aerial refueling aircraft KC-135 crashes in Iraq, kills all six on board Starting Saturday, IndiGo to levy fuel charge for domestic and international fliers from `425 to `2,300 US lets all countries buy crude from Russia for a month China to provide $2L for victims of bomb attack on Iranian school itive developments were expected soon. “Yes, you can see that in the future. I think after two or three hours,” he said. The security of sea lanes is a key concern for India as a large number of its seafarers operate across the Gulf. Indian officials estimate around 23,000 Indian seafarers are currently on merchant ships and offshore vessels in the wider Gulf region. According to a statement from Iran’s foreign ministry, Araghchi briefed Jaishankar on the latest developments and implications for global security “The Iranian Foreign Minis. ter stressed the necessity for regional and international organisations to condemn the military aggression against Iran,” the readout said. Araghchi also stressed the importance of BRICS as a platform for coordination during the current crisis. He urged the grouping to play “a con- From weaning the nation away from fossil fuel by offering free LPG connections to over 10 crore households since 2019, the West Asia crisis has forced the govt to go back to coal and kerosene as stop-gap measures For example, the Madhya Pradesh Hotel Association has advised eateries to shift from ‘tawa’ rotis on gas to traditional ‘tandoors’ fired by coal or wood States have been given 48,000 kilolitres of additional kerosene, over and above the regular monthly quota of about 1 lakh kilolitres, for household cooking needs Regulators told to permit biomass, refusederived fuel pellets, and coal as alternative fuels for hotels and restaurants for one month DITIONAL TRA TA ND Around 32,000 NATO troops conducted Cold Response exercises in Arctic Norway and Finland, testing readiness for nearby Russian activity R O O structive role at the current juncture in supporting regional and global stability and security”. The statement described the call as the fourth conversation between the two foreign ministers since tensions escalated. During the conversation, Jaishankar conveyed India’s readiness to expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation through regional and international forums. P7 & P10 Y PLA IN Coal supplies are also being made available for small and medium consumers such as hotels and restaurants to enable them to shift to alternative fuels if required —Sujata Sharma, joint secy, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas Govt asks restaurants to switch to coal, households to PNG as LPG crisis deepens R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi WITH LPG shortage deepening amid escalation in the war between Iran and US-Israel, the government on Friday admitted that the situation remains a matter of concern. The disruption in supply of cooking gas has particularly impacted commercial establishments such as restaurants and hotels. To address the issue, the government has suggested commercial users switch to coal and kerosene. Coal India has issued orders to ensure that coal is made available to small, medium, and other commercial consumers so that alternative fuel options remain accessible. Briefing reporters on Friday Sujata Sharma, joint sec, retary in the petroleum ministry, said LPG is a matter of concern for the government but there is no dry out at any of the 25,000 distributors. Sharma said the real issue is panic buying rather than an actual disruption in supply for domestic consumers. On normal days, 50 lakh LPG cyl- inder bookings are made, but the number has now shot up to 75 lakh bookings per day . To address the shortage, the government has sanctioned an additional allocation of 48,000 kilolitres of LPG over and above the regular quota. According to the government, there is no shortage of piped natural gas (PNG) and households that have access to PNG infrastructure may shift to it to conserve LPG. Official data shows that around seven lakh LPG customers have the option to switch to PNG. ‘CROSS-VOTING’ Haryana Cong MLAs moved to HP resort H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh FEARING “cross-voting” in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, the Opposition Congress in Haryana has moved its MLAs to a private resort at Kufri near Shimla in the Congress-ruled neighboring Himachal Pradesh. Sources said that the legislators had lunch at LoP Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s residence and then boarded buses for Kufri. They were “escorted” by three parliamentarians — Hooda’s son and Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, Sonepat MP Satpal Bhramchari and Ambala MP Varun Chaudhary AICC . Haryana in-charg e BK Hariprasad and state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh also left for Kufri. The staff of Adventure Resort Kufri, New Kufri Gallu Hills, said 32 rooms have been booked for three days (March 13-15) and the MLAs have started checking in. Earlier in the day the Con, gress Legislature Party (CLP) held a meeting and decided to move the MLAs to Himachal. The legislators will come back to Chandigarh on March 16 on the day of voting. The elections for two Rajya Sabha seats will be held on March 16. Sanjay Bhatia of BJP will sail through as the party has 48 seats. But there is likely to be a contest for the second seat between Kamarvir Boudh and Independent Satish Nandal, backed by BJP. Nandal is relying on cross-voting from Congress, which has 37 MLAs. For Boudh to win, the Congress needs 31 first preference votes. NINE ODISHA CONG MLAs TAKEN TO B’LURU | P5 SC rejects PIL on menstrual leave for women S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi FRIDAY FAITH Days after an assassination attempt was made on him, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah offered Jamat-ul-Vida, the last Friday prayer during the Ramzan, at Hazratbal Shrine on the outskirts of Srinagar | ZAHOOR PUNJABI THE Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a nationwide policy providing paid menstrual leave for women students and workers, observing that no one would hire them, adding such a provision would unintentionally reinforce gender stereotypes. The court, however, asked the Centre and competent authorities to consider the representation of the petitioner and examine the possibility of framing a policy on menstrual leave after consulting all relevant stakeholders. The bench was hearing a PIL Deeply rooted PILs, says top court The bench said the petitions are “deeply rooted”. “You are not a bona fide petitioner. This is to create impression in young women that you are not at par with males and you cannot work like them during a particular time.” filed by Shailendra Mani Tripathi. At the outset, the bench raised the issue of locus of the petitioner and pointed out that no woman herself has approached the court. It was the third petition filed by Tripathi on the same issue. Draft bill moots transgender definition overhaul P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi THE government on Friday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha proposing significant amendments to the 2019 Act on transgender rights, including changes to the legal definition of a transgender person and stricter criminal punishment for offences involving forced alteration of gender identity . The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill was introduced by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar. As per the new definition, persons with socio-cultural identities as kinner, hijra, aravani and jogta, or eunuch, or a person with intersex variations or a person who, at birth, has a congenital variation in one or more sex characteristics as compared to male or female development will be defined as a transgender. Additionally, the proposed amendment says that any person or child who has been, by force, allurement, inducement, deceit or undue influence, either with or without consent, compelled to assume, adopt, or outwardly present a transgender identity, by mutilation, emasculation, castration, amputation, or any surgical, Right to change first name in birth certificate The draft law seeks to empower transgender persons to make consequential changes in official documents. Any person who has been issued a certificate of identity and is declared a transgender, will be entitled to change the first name in the birth certificate and all other official documents relating to their identity, it says chemical, or hormonal procedure or otherwise will be included in the definition. While the 2019 Act recognizes the right to self-perceived gender identity allowing individu, als to identify as male, female, or transgender, the proposed bill removes it. Besides, “Only those transgender persons who face “severe social exclusion due to biological reasons” will be recognised and not “each and every class of persons with various gender identities or self perceived gender identities.” The draft retains the maximum of two years jail for offences against transgenders. “These pleas are made to create fear, to call women inferior and that menstruation is something bad happening to them. No one would give them jobs in such a scenario. This is projected as an affirmative right. But one must also think about the employer who has to grant paid leave,” said a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi. Senior advocate M R Shamshad, appearing for Tripathi, sought and pleaded for certain guidelines, giving examples of certain states and institutions that have taken steps to accommodate men- strual leave. He said the Karnataka government has formulated a policy to allow menstrual leave and some private organisations are also providing the facility . The CJI said, “Voluntarily they are giving, then it is excellent.But the moment you introduce it as a compulsory condition in law, you do not know the damage it will do to career of women.” Justice Bagchi echoed these concerns from a business perspective, noting that affirmative action is constitutionally recognised but must be balanced a g ainst market realities. EXPRESS READ PM distributes land deeds to Assam tea workers Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that Assam tea garden workers not getting ownership rights was a “historical injustice”, which had been undone by the BJP. “Today, the BJP and the NDA stand with these hard-working people, giving them the respect and the support they deserve,” the PM said at a rally in Guwahati. P8 Chaos in MCD House over member ‘assault’ Indigenous stealth frigate to join Navy Ruckus broke out soon after the proceedings of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi began on Friday, as AAP and BJP councillors clashed over allegations that a woman councillor was assaulted by associates of an MLA in west Delhi. P4 INS Taragiri, the country’s newest homegrown stealth frigate, will join the Indian Navy’s fleet in Visakhapatnam in the first week of April. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to preside over the commissioning ceremony, according to sources. P7