fridAY 17 april, 2026 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard Delhi govt schools perform better than national average in CBSE Class X results Ukraine Russian strikes kill at least 19 Delhi government schools recorded 97.23% pass percentage in the CBSE Class X results, which is higher than the national average of 93.70%. Officials said 457 schools achieved a 100% pass rate, a sharp increase from 300 last year A massive Russian drone and missile barrage killed at least 19 people in cities across Ukraine, more than four years into the war with peace talks stalled A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS Page 9 l New Delhi l quote A SpiceJet plane collides with a stationary Akasa jet at IGIA on Saturday | Express Narrow escape for 300 passengers as 2 planes collide at IGIA S l a l i t h a @ New Delhi the SpiceJet flight had arrived from Leh and was taxiing toNearly 300 passengers on ward the parking bay. Meanboard SpiceJet and Akasa Air while, an Akasa Air aircraft aircraft had a miraculous es- had left the parking bay and cape on Thursday afternoon was waiting in the apron area after the two planes were in- to depart for Hyderabad. “The volved in a collision at Indira incoming SpiceJet flight colGandhi International Airport. lided with the aircraft around An incoming SpiceJet plane 2:15 pm. Both aircraft suffered from Leh collided with a sta- damage and have been groundtionary Akasa Air aired,” sources said. craft waiting to depart A SpiceJet spokesOfficials for Hyderabad. None derostered person said, “A Spiceof the passengers was Jet B737-700 aircraft The Directorate was involved in a hurt in the accident. Both aircraft are General of Civil ground incident while Aviation said Boeing 737s and have taxiing at Delhi airthat the been grounded after port, resulting in damconcerned Air sustaining damage. age to its right winglet The aviation regulator, Traffic Control and the left-hand horiofficer, along the Directorate Generzontal stabiliser of anal of Civil Aviation with the pilot- other aircraft belongin-command (DGCA), has launched ing to a dif ferent and co-pilot of airline. The SpiceJet a probe into the incithe SpiceJet dent. Later, the DGCA aircraft has been flight, have said that the concerned grounded in Delhi.” been offAir Traffic Control An Akasa Air spokesrostered (ATC) officer, along person said, “Akasa pending with the pilot-in-comAir’s aircraft operatinvestigation. mand and co-pilot of ing flight QP 1406 from the SpiceJet flight, Delhi to Hyderabad have been off-rostered pending had to return to the bay. Preinvestigation. liminary information indicates The incident occurred in the that Akasa’s aircraft was staapron area of Ter minal 1 tionary when another airline’s around 2:15 pm. The right win- aircraft made contact with it.” glet of the SpiceJet aircraft was The statement added, “All pasdamaged and sliced into the sengers and crew were safely left-hand horizontal stabiliser disembarked, and our ground of the Akasa Air plane, where teams are making alternative it became lodged. arrangements to fly our pasAccording to airport sources, sengers to Hyderabad.” P3 express read Congress suspends five MLAs for RS cross-vote Chargesheet names 4 doctors in terror module Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has signed the suspension order of five Haryana MLAs, removing them from the party’s primary membership. They had allegedly cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election in favour of a BJP-backed candidate. | P8 The Jammu and Kashmir police on Thursday filed a chargesheet against 10 accused, including four doctors, in inter-state whitecollared module. Among them is Dr Umar Nabi, who allegedly carried out car bombing near Red Fort in November last year. | P3 J8.00 l Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said girls performed better than boys, with a pass percentage of 97.37% and 97.09%, respectively | p4 PAGES 12 Israel-Lebanon truce amid Asim Munir, Shahbaz diplomacy hanger Together, we are going to give India a new direction. Through women’s quota, we are going to make a meaningful effort to infuse sensitivity in our governance system Neither men nor any state will suffer any loss after the implementation of the women’s quota. The main objective of the bill is to give women their due rights The talk of delimitation seems fine on the surface, but the real meaning comes to the fore when one carefully reads it. It smells of politics Please withdraw this bill. Call an all-party meeting. We will give good suggestions... We are ready to cooperate with the government. Don’t try to sabotage Indian democracy BJP has made ‘nari’ (women) into a ‘nara’ (slogan)... How many BJP MLAs or MPs are women?... The Samajwadi Party is for women’s quota, but is against BJP’s trickery Narendra Modi, PM Arjun Ram Meghwal, Min Priyanka Gandhi, Cong K C Venugopal, Cong Akhilesh Yadav, SP No change in LS seat share in the South, clarifies Shah Women’s bill important for all parties that want to succeed in future: PM pAKISTAN on Thursday stepped up its diplomatic efforts for a second round of peace talks between Iran and the US that could end the ongoing West Asia war with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir meeting Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Munir, who is camping in Tehran to persuade the Iranians to reach a deal with the US, also visited the Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), where he met with its commander. According to Iranian media reports, Munir discussed with the IRGC commander the steps taken under the framework for ending the war and their recent talks in Tehran. Parallelly Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif , is touring the Gulf countries in a bid to gauge the mood and seek their support in finding an early end to the conflict. Shehbaz Sharif ’s office said the premier had discussed with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani “the latest regional and inday ter national developments, particularly in the Middle East”. According to Iran’s Press TV Munir is carrying a message from the US for , the Iranian leadership. After hearing from the Iranian leaders, he is expected to consult Washington and try and schedule another round of talks. The first round, held on April 10 in Islamabad, failed to arrive at an agreement. On Thursday an Al Jazeera claimed Pakistan is ex, pecting a “major breakthrough”, hinting Iran may have softened its stance of some sticking issues. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, also said that Tehran is “cautiously optimistic” about its negotiations. Hours after Munir’s meeting in Tehran, US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon starting Thursday 21:00 GMT (05:30 IST). One of Iran’s major demands was that Israel end its strikes on Lebanon targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. P9 48 J aya n t h J a co b @ New Delhi Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday asserted in the Lok Sabha that the number of seats in the southern states will not be reduced as he sought to counter what he described as a “manufactured narrative” that delimitation and related legislative changes would weaken the region’s political influence. During the debate on women’s reservation and delimitation, Shah said: “The biggest narrative being created is that these three bills — the Constitution Amendment Bill, two laws on delimitation, and changes to the constituency election law — will harm the power of the South.” Putting the initiative in context, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his intervention, highlighted women’s rising “political leadership” at the grassroots level, adding the quota bill is important for every political party if they want to succeed in future. Shah backed his argument with state-wise projections to demonstrate how South’s representation would increase both in absolute numbers and in the overall share. Karnataka has 28 seats, and 5.15% of the 543 seats in the House. After delimitation, the number of MPs will increase to 42, and the percentage in the Lok Sabha will increase to 5.44. Karnataka will not suffer any loss, he said. Andhra Pradesh has 25 seats, which is 4.60% of the total. After the bill passes, the number of MPs will increase to 38, representing 4.65%. In Telangana, which has 17 seats, accounting for 3.13%, after delimitation, the number of MPs will increase to 26, representing 3.18%. Tamil Nadu has 49 seats, which is 7.18% of the total. After delimitation, the number of MPs will be 59, and their percentage in the new House 7.23%. Tamil Nadu will also suffer no loss. Kerala now has 20 seats, which is 3.68%. A g enc i es @ Tehran / Washington Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaking in the Lok Sabha on the first day of the special session of Parliament in New Delhi on Thursday | PTI State Current LS seats % of 543 LS seats After % After delimitation delimitation Karnataka 28 5.15% 42 5.14% Andhra Pradesh 25 4.60% 38 4.65% Telangana 17 3.13% 26 3.18% Tamil Nadu 39 7.18% 59 7.23% Kerala 20 3.68% 30 3.67% 129/543 23.76% 195/816 23.87% Total strength of the South After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 30, and their percentage in the new House will be 3.67. “Of the total 543 seats, 129 MPs currently sit in this House, which is 23.76%. In the new House, 195 MPs will be sitting here, and their share will be 23.97%.” The remarks come amid concerns that population-based delimitation could reduce the relative representation of the South in Parliament. Shah also clarified the concerns over the caste census raised by some Opposition members and said, “Modi cabinet has decided to conduct a caste census. The ongoing census is being conducted on the basis of caste enumeration. There is no need to spread confusion.” On the legal framework governing delimitation, Shah emphasised continuity with existing provisions. “The Delimitation Commission law is strictly in accordance with the existing (old) law. There is no change. It will not impact the ongoing elections.” Responding to criticism from Opposition leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi, Shah said: “There was mention of the Delimitation Commission, saying that you will put your people in the Delimitation Commission and they will do this and that. I want to tell Priyanka Gandhi that we have not made any changes to the Delimitation Commission. We have replicated your Delimitation Commission Act. If you have tampered with it, I can say that we will not do so.” P7 Peace gets chance Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the Lebanese village of Kfar Tibnit on Thursday. Later in the day, a 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire was announced | AFP Those cleared by tribunals 2 days Blitz, TT & padel: How Vaishali kept her cool before polls can vote in Bengal: SC history maker s w a r oo p s w a m i n at h a n @ Bengaluru WHENEVER R Vaishali had some free time in Paphos, the idyllic resort town in Cyprus where the Candidates was held, she either played table tennis or padel. Vaishali doesn’t consider herself to be a good table tennis player. In fact, in one of the interviews, she called herself a ‘terrible’ player. It’s just that she wanted to, at least every now and then, forget about the chess world. She didn’t want to always think about openings, rook-bishop endgames and castling queenside. She was feeling a lot of pressure, especially after beginning the tournament with four draws and one defeat. So the 24-year-old engaged in some form of eustress to calm her An emotional R Vaishali with her mother Nagalakshmi | Michal Walusza / FIDE mind. It’s where M Pranesh played a key role behind the scenes. Officially, the 19-yearold, who became a GM at the age of 16, went to Cyprus to be Vaishali’s second. Someone who would help in preparation and coming up with novelties. Unofficially, Pranesh, another RB Ramesh product, was there as a sparring partner. “He’s a fun person to be around,” Vaishali said in a small interview to Chessbase India after winning the Candidates tournament on Wednesday “Lots of . things were happening within me, it was crazy It was Ramesh . sir’s idea to take Pranesh.” Even as the 24-year-old wanted to go through some of her lines as late as an hour before games, Pranesh played the role of friend, confidante and younger brother, all rolled into one (R Praggnanandhaa had to prepare for his own matches). “I was too tense,” Vaishali said in the same stream. “Even one hour before games, I was preparing and he used to say ‘akka , (elder sister), it’s okay you have , got this.’” On each of the four rest days, both of them played padel apart from Blitz games to help ease the pressure off Vaishali. “He would wait for the rest days because that’s when we played padel,” Vaishali said. Pranesh quipped: “That was my motivation (laughs).” S U C HITRA K ALYA N M O HA N T Y @ New Delhi in a big relief to legitimate voters whose names were struck off electoral rolls, the Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission of India to allow them to vote if their appeals are accepted by the appellate tribunals at least two days before the elections. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the Election Commission to issue a supplementary electoral roll to include the names of those whose appeals against deletion are allowed by appellate tribunals before April 21 (1st phase) and April 27 (2nd phase). In the order dated April 13 and uploaded on the Supreme Court website on Thursday the , CJI-led bench invoked Article 142 of the Constitution, which empowers the top court to pass any order necessary to ensure “complete justice” in any matter pending before it. The bench, however, sought to clarify that mere pendency of appeals by excluded persons before the appellate tribunals would not entitle them to vote. Only those whose appeals are accepted by the tribunals be- fore the cut-off dates are eligible to vote. The bench passed the directions after hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal, where the names of several eligible voters were deleted forcing them to move court seeking restoration of their names and interim relief. The court fixed April 24 as the next date for hearing the matter. P8