11112023-TT-01.qxd 11/10/2023 11:11 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 143 NO. 312 | 20 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH UK PM UNDER PRESSURE TO SACK HOME SECY OVER POLICE CRITICISM WORLD /thetribunechd TERROR-FUNDING PROBE: SIA RAIDS IN THREE DISTRICTS J&K WAR STORY THAT EXUDES WARMTH REVIEW 168 BORDER VILLAGES TO BE LINKED WITH ROADS, SAYS SHAH BACK PAGE saturday | 11 november 2023 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com ‘Playing with fire’: SC tells Punjab Guv to decide on Bills, calls June session valid Says casting doubt on validity of Vidhan Sabha sitting not a constitutional option Satya Prakash ALSO FROWNS ON AAP GOVT’S CONDUCT Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 10 Declaring the Punjab Legislative Assembly’s session held in June as constitutionally valid, the Supreme Court on Friday asked Governor Banwarilal Purohit to take decisions on the four Bills — passed during the extended Budget Session — that have remained pending with him. “There is no valid constitutional basis to cast doubt on the session of the Vidhan Sabha and any attempt to cast doubt on the session of the legislature would be fraught with grave perils for democracy. The Speaker was within the ambit of Rule 16 of Rules of Procedure of Business of IN BRIEF Hero MotoCorp chief’s ~24 cr assets attached NEW DELHI: The ED has attached ~24.95 crore assets of Hero MotoCorp executive chairperson Pawan Kant Munjal for allegedly using foreign currency issued in the name of others for personal expenditure abroad to "override" RBI rules . PTI Sanjay Singh’s custody extended till Nov 24 NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday extended till November 24 the judicial custody of AAP leader Sanjay Singh, arrested in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam. PTI The Bench also disapproved of the Punjab Government’s conduct in not proroguing the Budget session and virtually merging it with the winter session. 4 BILLS AWAIT GOVERNOR’S APPROVAL ■ Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 ■ Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 ■ Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023 BANWARILAL PUROHIT ■ Punjab Affiliated Colleges Amendment Bill, 2023 NOTICE TO CENTRE ON TAMIL NADU’S PLEA AGAINST GOVERNOR The SC issued notice to the Centre on Tamil Nadu Government's petition alleging delay by the Governor in giving assent to 12 Bills passed by the state Assembly. It posted the matter for November 20. the Punjab Vidhan Sabha,” a three-judge Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud said. “Casting doubt on the validity of the session of the House is not a constitutional option available to the Governor. We, therefore, hold that the Punjab Governor now must proceed to take decisions on the Bills passed during the June 19, 2023, session which was Sonepat, November 10 In a suspected case of honour killing, a 27-year-old girl, accused of kidnapping a private university student at Kharar along with two others and demanding a ransom of Rs 50 lakh from the student’s parents, was allegedly shot dead by her brother at their house at Badoli village in Sonepat today. The deceased has been identified as Rakhi. She was released on bail from Mohali nearly a constitutionally valid,” it said. The Bench, however, made it clear that the Governor was free to proceed as per law and grant his assent or withhold his assent or refer the four Bills Stop farm fires or we’ll call Chief Secys: SC Suggests stopping subsidy to farmers violating regulations Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 10 Directing all stakeholders to follow the decisions taken in the meeting chaired by the Cabinet Secretary on stopping farm fires and checking air pollution in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court on Friday warned that it will summon the Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and other states concerned if desirable progress wasn’t made. A Bench led by Justice SK Kaul asked the Centre and The pollution level in Delhi has eased after rain on Friday. MUKESH AGGARWAL states to find a solution to the problem. “We want farm fires stopped, we want air quality to get better and we want long-term measures for crop replacement…. If you don’t, we’ll summon the Chief Secretaries and keep them here till they find a solution. I am sure, they will work better in their own offices, so please find a solution,” it said. The Bench clarified that Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh’s submission on November 7 regarding phasing out paddy cultivation was to encourage less-water guzzling crops and not to abolish minimum support price (MSP) for paddy. The Advocate General said the state government was working on a ‘war footing’ and has brought down the number of farm fires by onethird in the last three days and police officers were taking fire brigades, water dispensers and other materials to extinguish the fires the moment continued on page 8 CRICKET Sonepat youth guns down sister held for kidnapping Tribune News Service BHAGWANT MANN to the President as it refrained from expressing any opinion on his constitutional authority or the manner in which he should exercise his powers. The Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2023 — are awaiting the Governor’s assent. These Bills were passed during the June 19-20 session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, which the Governor had termed “patently illegal”. “The Governor is a titular head. The fundamental law followed is that the Governor continued on page 8 WORLD CUP HONOUR KILLING? ■ Vijay was reportedly angry with his sister Rakhi after she was arrested in the kidnapping case ■ The girl and two others were held for ‘kidnapping’ a private university student in Kharar month and a half ago. Ranjeeta, mother of the deceased, in her complaint to the police, said Rakhi had gone to study MBA at Chandigarh University but was arrested by the Mohali police in a kidnapping case continued on page 8 DUSSEN STARS IN SA WIN Rassie van der Dussen (76 not out) helped South Africa see off a spirited fightback from Afghanistan to win by five wickets in their final group game in Ahmedabad and consolidate the second place in the standings. Afghanistan 244 (50): SA 247/5 (47.3) TODAY’S TIES TEAMS VENUE Australia vs B’desh England vs Pakistan Pune 10. 30 am Kolkata 2 pm TIME For flood-hit putting up in tents at Mandi, it’s a dark and cold Diwali Dipender Manta Tribune News Service Mandi, November 10 As others prepare to celebrate Diwali, the families rendered homeless during the unprecedented rains in the district are residing in tents or rented accommodation while fearing for the worst during the winter, already knocking at their doors. Having lost their houses and belongings, nearly 100 families in the district are putting up in rented accommodation with a handful of them in tents. Unlike most others, for them it will be a dark Diwali, devoid of lights and festivities with an uncertain future staring at them. Around 1,800 families were affected in Mandi district A woman in front of her damaged house in Mandi. JAI KUMAR STARE AT UNCERTAIN FUTURE ■ Having lost houses & belong- ■ Diwali will be devoid of lights ings, nearly 100 families in dist are living on rent or in tents and festivities with an uncertain future staring at them alone as their houses were damaged either fully or partially. Some families have, however, moved back to their partially damaged houses. continued on page 8 c m y b Prime Minister Narendra Modi flanked by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in New Delhi. PTI India, US 2+2 talks focus on expanding strategic relations Sandeep Dikshit Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 10 India and the US on Friday held their fifth 2+2 meeting of defence and foreign ministers here with another discussion on military co-production arrangement on its sidelines highlighting the increased engagement in defence production. The American delegation at the 2+2 ministerial dialogue was led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh headed the Indian side. The talks also covered critical minerals and high-technology, new educational exchanges and reduced visa wait times. On regional topics, the ministers discussed the Ukraine-Russia and the Israel-Hamas conflicts, and Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific. “The two coun- ISSUES TAKEN UP ■ Critical minerals & high-technolo- gy, new educational exchanges and reducing visa wait time ■ Ukraine-Russia and IsraelHamas conflicts, and Chinese aggression in Indo-Pacific ■ Harnessing the power of innovation through cooperation in semiconductors and advanced biotechnology ■ Investing in clean energy & joint research and projects in space tries are also harnessing the power of innovation through cooperation in semiconductors and advanced biotechnology, investing in clean energy and joint research and projects in space,” said Blinken. In his opening remarks, Jaishankar said both sides are exploring cooperation in domains such as critical technologies, civil outer space and critical minerals even while consolidating engagement on established areas. “Our trade continued on page 8 New Delhi flags rise in pro-Khalistani activity in Canada New Delhi, November 10 India has conveyed its serious concerns over rising activities of pro-Khalistani elements in Canada at the 2+2 meeting today, said Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra while addressing the media. “We have made our concerns very, very clear. We have core security concerns and I am sure US UNDERSTANDS DELHI’S CONCERNS, SAYS KWATRA you are all aware of a recent video that has surfaced from one such individual,” Kwatra said, adding the US side understood New Delhi’s concerns. India had suspended visa services in Canada for a month as it feared for the safety of its diplomats after Khalistani separatists accused them of involvement in the Nijjar murder case. — TNS