NEW DELHI 27 SEPTEMBER 2026 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard https://epaper.morningstandard.in Keeping a Foot Out the Office Door BINGE BRIGADE A New Chinese Address in Kolkata PLUS: 12 PAGES The Biryani Believer of Tokyo MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE VOICES Dr Vikram Sampath Ravi Shankar Prabhu Chawla Neha Sinha Santwana Bhattacharya S Vaidhyasubramaniam Shankkar Aiyar EC announces doorstep verification for voters facing notice, greater use of online hearings SIR eased, experts to review ECINET system Sept 30 INDIA bloc meeting to intensify stir against CEC PA R V E Z S U LTA N & S U B H E N D U M A I T I @ New Delhi/ Kolkata M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi EXPRESS READ HC asks why no FIR in CMRL case The Kerala High Court on Saturday asked the state government why it has not registered an FIR based on the materials submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the CMRL payoff case involving former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and family. P4 Char Dham yatra stalled due to rain The Uttarakhand govt on Saturday suspended the Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib pilgrimages, along with adventure trekking, for two days after the Met department issued alerts for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in five hill districts. Residents have been urged to avoid travel. WHILE seeking to address issues at the centre of a row over decision-making in the Election Commission and concerns of voters who have been issued notices or are left out from the poll rolls, the EC on Saturday asserted that all SIR orders received unanimous consent from all three Commissioners and that the updates to Form 6 for voter enrolment were upheld by the Supreme Court. After a meeting attended by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Dr S S Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, the EC announced a number of measures including additional time for filing claims, home visit by election officials and help desks for those facing notices for removal from the rolls. Announcing a complete review of its ECINET system, the poll panel said a committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT will review the system. On the legal framework governing SIR, the Commission said the declaration attached to Form 6 for the exercise has NCB, ITBP op to destroy cannabis plants in Kullu H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh M U LT I P L E C e n t r a l a n d Himachal Pradesh authorities have launched a joint operation to rid Kullu district of its global reputation of the world’s best hashish (charas) producer. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Himachal Pradesh Police and the state forest department are destroying cannabis plants in the high-altitude areas of the state. They have also started geo-tagging the whole plantations to keep a tab for any future cultivation. Amanjit Singh, additional director of the Chandigarh zone of NCB, said, “A joint operation is being carried out for the identification and destruction of illegal cultivation of cannabis plants. The entire exercise is being geo-tagged and documented through photographs and videography.” He said that the forest department would issue the destruction certificate on conclusion of the drive. He said that legal action under the NDPS Act would be initiated against persons found responsible for the cultivation. Sources say the operation, began on Friday, will continue for a month. Local residents in Kullu grow cannabis in forest area, with some extracting hashish from these plants and selling it at cheap prices to the mafia. been upheld by the Supreme Court. “For periods outside SIR, applications will continue to be processed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960,” it said. The EC also sought to clarify concerns surrounding a letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary, saying it was not related to any policy matter concerning either the Commission or its IT division. According to the EC, the communication “concerned the functioning of an officer on deputation to the Commission”. “The work-reallocation orders issued by the officer were not implemented after directions from two Commissioners and that oversight of the IT division by the Deputy Election Commissioner was never withdrawn,” EC said. “The order for the SIR issued on 24.6.2025 for all States/UTs, starting with Bihar, and 30 other States/UTs was issued with the unanimous approval of the Commission,” EC said. It added Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit homes to upload documents for unmapped persons or those with logical discrepancies. Authorised family members can also attend on the elector’s behalf, the EC said. P7 CEC Gyanesh Kumar with Election Commissioners Dr S S Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi at a meeting on Saturday | PTI The order for SIR starting with Bihar, followed by West Bengal and 30 States/UTs was issued with unanimous approval of EC Election Commission of India Extends deadline The EC extended deadlines for filing claims in two states. In Delhi, claims and objections can be filed till Oct 30, while all claims have to be disposed by Nov 30. In Maharashtra, Oct 12 and Nov10 are the 2 deadlines, respectively THE INDIA bloc is expected to go into a huddle on September 30 at the Constitution Club in Delhi to deliberate and strategise a joint programme aimed at cornering the Centre on the issue of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, amid concerns over special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The decision to hold the meeting was taken after the top leadership of INDIA bloc parties touched base on Saturday Leader of . the disputed Trinamool Mamata Banerjee spoke at length over the phone to Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and CPM general secre- NDA allies tary MA Baby to discuss clear the air the course of action against the BJP and CEC, Hours after EC’s clarification on sources said. Besides Rahul, Con- SIR, NDA allies gress chief Mallikarjun TDP, LJP (RV) Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Shiv Sena Mamata, her nephew Ab- (Shinde) came hishek Banerjee, SP out in support of chief Akhilesh Yadav, the poll panel. Andhra Pradesh Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and CM N ChandBaby are expected to at- rababu Naidu said EC’s tend the meeting. Sources said INDIA statement “puts bloc leaders are likely to to rest all chalk out a roadmap for misconceptions.” pan-India protests seeking removal of Kumar and an independent inquiry into the EC’s decisions. Discussion will focus on three core agenda items, including impeachment motion against Kumar, nationwide stir in poll-bound states including UP Punjab and Uttarakhand. , Speaking in Sreerampur in West Bengal’s Hooghly Mamata on Saturday said, “I sent , a message to Rahul Gandhi, and told him we must sit together.” CPI (Marxist-Lenin) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya termed the controversy as “major national crisis”, and called all Opposition parties to come together. From Rebellion to Reconciliation The Curious Case of a Tradwife Influencer AMMA SPEAKS ‘I Miss the Yearning of Romances’ For Rahman visit, Dhaka wants new water-share treaty J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi BANGLADESH is seeking a new agreement on sharing the Ganga’s waters rather than merely renewing the 1996 treaty as Dhaka presses India for what it describes as its “dues” as a lower-riparian state and seeks assurances against political activities by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Indian soil. These two issues are emerging as important elements as both sides look at a possible November visit to India by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. A high-level meeting in Dhaka on September 17 discussed various aspects of the ties, diplomatic sources said. India and Bangladesh have since “remained engaged” at senior levels as they work towards finalising the visit, which is being looked at for the latter half of November. Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam who Dhaka is sending as its next High Commissioner to India is expected to arrive in the first week of November, sources said. Dhaka’s new water demand comes in the wake of the expiry of the 30-year Ganga Water Sharing Treaty on December 12. It now wants a fresh treaty rather than a “straightforward extension” of the existing arrangement, arguing that a new framework should better reflect its requirements as the EXPRESS @ ASIAN GAMES NAGOYA V ADA Pav! No, that’s not Aslam Inamdar’s favourite food. At 14, that was literally the only item on the menu he could afford, the food that kept him alive. When developing athletes his age were building their physique with protein shakes and health food, all Inamdar had — could have — was vada pav, rotis or anything he could lay his hands on. This was a time when he slept without a roof over his head; his full-time job was washing utensils in a tea shop or in a nearby juice shop. But Aslam Inamdar (third from bottom left) & the rest of men’s kabaddi team celebrate their victory on Saturday | PTI now, after India’s kabaddi team defended their gold medal against Iran on Saturday, he’s a two-time Asian gold medallist. There is nothing quite like sport when it comes to throwing up gripping, inspirational stories. “Kya kya nehi kiya maine (What all did I not do),” he says, while sitting on a bench, after his team’s gold winning performance. He lost Gaya fair: Hi-tech tools for safety of pilgrims @ Bengaluru AN AI-powered traffic camera in the city has reportedly mistaken a guitar strapped to a scooter rider’s back for a pillion rider and issued a challan of `500 for a helmet violation, highlighting concerns over errors in automated traf fic enforcement. Souvik Dutta, a resident of Hebbal, was riding towards Tin Factory in the city with a guitar strapped to his back when The Bihar government has introduced tech-driven facilities, including QR code-based wristbands, during the Pitru Paksha fair in Gaya district to ramp up pilgrim safety, officials said on Saturday. The QR code-enabled wristbands have been used to help prevent children and elderly pilgrims from getting separated from their families. The wristbands will contain cellphone numbers and other details of the pilgrims’ family members. an AI camera on the route allegedly identified the instrument as a pillion rider. The system subsequently detected a helmet violation and generated an online challan against the scooter. Surprised by the chal- lan, Dutta posted a photograph of the alleged error on social media. The post went viral, triggering discussions over the accuracy of AI-based traffic surveillance systems. The Bengaluru Traffic Po- lice, which took note of the incident, have reportedly directed officials to contact Dutta and examine the matter. Dutta in the post on X, tagging the traffic cops, on Saturday morning stated, “I was rid- ing my wife’s two-wheeler alone with my guitar slung on my back in Bangalore. My wife received a traffic challan (notice no. 86202541) for pillion riding without helmet. So much for AI based traffic violation detection! Pls revoke the challan. He has posted the challan details and the picture of him riding an electric scooter with the guitar slung on his back.” As per the challan, the violation was on September 15, 2026 Dutta’s wife received the challan on the next day . Joint Rivers Commission dealing with the matter The water issues are now being handled within the broader framework of the IndiaBangladesh Joint Rivers Commission, which deals with the two countries’ shared rivers. India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers downstream country . Bangladesh minister Forhad Hossain Azad had said Dhaka will seek a higher share of the Ganga, including a stronger guarantee for flows during the dry season. For India, however, the question is not merely a bilateral renewal. Consultations have been held with Indian stakeholders, including West Bengal, on water requirements. Alongside water, Dhaka is seeking assurances regarding Hasina, who remains in India. Bangladesh has objected to what it describes as political activities and public statements by Hasina and the Awami League from Indian territory, which is being flagged as a potential irritant in ties. Mata Amritanandamayi transformed selfless service into a global movement, home minister Amit Shah said | P4 his father when he was young and the focus quickly turned on survival. Washing utensils, cleaning toilets, working in juice bars, tea shops — name any menial job and he has done it. That was when he was a child. “I worked at tea stalls, juice bars, cleaned washrooms and utensils. I even used to work in farm fields too,” he says. “I even gathered scrap bottles to sell to dealers’ just to buy food.” Kabaddi found him around this time and gave him an extra source of food — leftovers from tournaments. “I survived on vada pav or free food, and food saved from tournaments. I used to take whatever I could in my bag to eat later, even if it was spoiled.” He was around 14 then and was playing in age group competitions. P11 Guitar gets challan for helmet violation, thanks to AI camera TRUMP, XI EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE Tarique Rahman MATASELFLESS SERVICE IS THE EPITOME OF GOLDEN TICKET OUT OF POVERTY INDRANEEL DAS The True Birthday Happens Within TALK $30 BN CUT IN RECIPROCAL TARIFF The US and China agreed to set up a dialogue on AI-related incidents, operationalise boards of trade and investment and a $30 billion reciprocal tariff cut arrangement, during Xi Jinping’s visit to Amercia. | P9 Drunk SUV driver goes berserk in Alaknanda E X P R ESS N E WS S E RV I C E @ New Delhi A speeding SUV allegedly rammed into several parked vehicles and reportedly injured a dog in Alaknanda, South Delhi. The driver was said to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. The incident took place around 9.30 pm on Thursday the video of which , came out on Saturday . According to police, a PCR complaint was received regarding rash and negligent driving at Pocket F, Gangotri Enclave, Alaknanda, wherein a vehicle allegedly hit several cars. A police team found the vehicle with three occupants in it. As the driver was found under the influence of alcohol, police initiated proceedings under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act, which prescribes punishment for driving under influence, and seized the vehicle. Local residents gave joint complaint to police on Friday, alleging that a black SUV hit the closed society gates, damaged parked cars and injured a dog. When the security guards and some residents tried to stop the occupants of the vehicle, they attempted to flee the spot. Later, a case under sections of the BNS and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was lodged at the Chittaranjan Park police station.