28102025-TTB-01.qxd 10/28/2025 12:15 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 297 | 18 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  DELHI TRUMP GETS ROYAL WELCOME IN JAPAN, EYES CHINA DEAL WORLD /thetribunechd HOPE FOR STATEHOOD RESTORATION FADING, SAYS OMAR J&K RAHUL TO HOLD JOINT RALLIES WITH RJD TOMORROW NATION SHREYAS IYER IN SYDNEY HOSPITAL WITH NEAR-FATAL INJURY; STABLE SPORT tuesday | 28 october 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Second phase of SIR in 12 states, UTs from Nov 4; exercise to span 3 months Election-bound West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry to be covered; final list on Feb 7 Animesh Singh SEPARATE VOTER REVISION FOR ASSAM LATER Tribune News Service EAM S Jaishankar with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. PTI EAM flags concerns on constricted energy biz Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service TALKS TIES WITH RUBIO New Delhi, October 27 The Election Commission (EC) will conduct the second phase of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states and union territories from November 4, covering 51 crore voters, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar announced on Monday. The recently concluded Bihar SIR was the first phase of the exercise. The 12 states which will be part of the second phase include three states and a union territory where the Assembly elections are due in 2026. These are West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Addressing a press conference to announce the schedule for the pan-India SIR, the CEC said the enumeration process would begin on November 4 and continue till December 4, while the draft rolls would be published on December 9. During the enumeration, booth-level officers (BLOs) would make three visits to every house to verify voter ■ The other states and UTs which CEC Gyanesh Kumar with Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu addresses the media in New Delhi. MUKESH AGGARWAL ❝ The special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls will ensure that no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible elector is included in the poll rolls. Gyanesh Kumar, CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER have been included in the second phase of the SIR are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. ■ Assam, where the poll is due in May 2026, has not been covered. The CEC said a separate provision of the Citizenship Act was applicable to Assam and the revision of poll rolls there would be announced separately. ❝ The SIR by a poll panel, whose credibility and intention are under suspicion, does not seem right. Clearly, neither people, nor the Opposition, nor voters are satisfied. Pawan Khera, CONGRESS LEADER New Delhi, October 27 Flagging concerns over constricted energy trade, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said the world must adapt to changing realities in technology, trade and connectivity instead of applying principles selectively. Delivering India’s statement at the 20th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Kuala Lumpur, Jaishankar said the world today faced “complicated times” marked by fractured supply chains, competitive technology races, The EAM met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday and said he “appreciated the discussion on bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues”, underscoring the growing engagement between India and the US amid evolving Indo-Pacific dynamics. SC hauls up Chief Secys of states on stray dog menace The CEC made it clear that no documents would be required to be shown by voters during the enumeration, which was a significant lesson learnt from the Bihar SIR. “The voter list of all states where the SIR is to be conducted will be frozen at midnight tonight (October 28). All voters on the list will be given unique enumeration forms by the BLOs. These enumeration forms will have all necessary details from the current voter list,” Kumar said. “No new documents needed if your or your parent’s name is on the 2003 list. After the BLOs start distributing the forms to the existing electors, all those whose names are on the enumeration forms will try to match whether their names were on the 2003 voter list. If yes, they need not submit any additional document,” Kumar said. The poll body also released the list of 12 “indicative but not exhaustive” documents required for the survey, which also includes Aadhaar. However, Kumar clarified that Aadhaar was optional as it was not a proof of citizenship or Continued on page 8 Think tank using PM nameunderCBI lens NEW DELHI: A private think tank that called itself the ‘Centre for Narendra Modi Studies’ has come under the CBI scanner for allegedly using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name without authorisation. The agency has now registered a formal case following a reference from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). BACK PAGE SC no to action in CJI shoe-hurling case NEW DELHI: Noting that Chief Justice of India BR Gavai himself refused to proceed against advocate Rakesh Koshore who allegedly attempted to hurl a shoe at him during court proceedings on October 6, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to initiate contempt action against the elderly lawyer. BACK PAGE Kangana says sorry to elderly farmer SC pulls up Delhi cops for ‘~100 protester’ remark, gets bail for not replying to bail pleas of Khalid, 5 others Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 27 Taking strong exception to the non-filing of affidavits in the stray dog menace case, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories, except those of West Bengal and Telangana, to appear before it on November 3 to explain why compliance affidavits were not filed. A three-judge Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath noted that only the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the states of West Bengal and Telangana had filed their compliance affidavits following its August 22 order. The Bench, also comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice NV Anjaria, criticised other states and UTs for failing to submit affidavits detailing steps taken to implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules. Stating that its August order 22 “contained everything”, the Bench lamented the absence of representation from the defaulting states despite notices having been issued and the order being “widely reported in the media”. “Didn’t the officers read newspapers or social media? Haven’t they read… even if they are not served, they should have been here. All Chief Secretaries must be present here on November 3… We will hold court in an auditorium,” the Bench remarked. “Incidents are happening continuously, and the country’s image is being shown as declining in the eyes of foreign nations. We are also reading news reports,” the Bench said while hearing a suo motu PIL on the stray dog menace. Taking cognisance of a report on the death of a six-year-old girl in the national capital due to rabies caused by stray dog bites, the continued on page 8 edit: stray dogs resource rivalries and constricted energy trade that had led to “market distortions”. “Principles are applied selectively and what is preached is not necessarily practised,” he said, warning that selective continued on page 9 details. The window for filing claims and objections against the draft list would be between December 9 and January 8 next year. The final electoral rolls would be published on February 7. The exercise will be completed in three months. The SIR schedule for the remaining parts of the country would be announced later after the completion of the second phase. The other states and union territories which have been included in the second phase of the SIR are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Kumar said the ongoing Satya Prakash Tribune News Service Kangana Ranaut at the Bathinda district court in connection with a defamation case on Monday. PAWAN SHARMA Tribune News Service Bathinda, October 27 Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut was on Monday granted bail by a Bathinda court in a defamation case filed by 82-year-old Mahinder Kaur over an alleged derogatory remark made during the 2020-21 farmers’ protest. After appearing before the court, Kangana told mediapersons, “It was just a misunderstanding. I had only retweeted a meme and did not intend to hurt anyone. I have already discussed the matter with Mahinder Kaur’s husband continued on page 8 Won’tforgiveher:82-year-old vows to continue legal battle The octogenarian speaks slowly but with confidence, Bathinda, October 27 “She (Kangana) has never At 82, Mahinder Kaur from met me. I will not forgive her. Bahadurgarh Jandian She is a big actress and village here walks political leader, while I slowly, her back bent am a small farmer. Yet from years of toil in the she has made me come fields, but firm in her to the court at this age. resolve to pursue the She should realise how defamation case she Mahinder Kaur much her visit costs the has filed against Bollywood state exchequer and the trouactor and Mandi MP Kan- ble caused to the public continued on page 8 gana Ranaut. Archit Watts Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 27 The Supreme Court on Monday expressed displeasure over the Delhi Police’s failure to file its response to bail pleas of student activist Umar Khalid and five others arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 in the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. A Bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria, which had on September 22 issued notice to the Delhi Police on the bail pleas, turned down Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju’s request to grant two weeks to file counter-affidavits to the petitions filed by Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa Ur-Rehman and Md Saleem Khan. “We have given you enough time. You may be appearing for the first time. Last time, we issued a notice and said in the open court that we will hear this matter on October 27 and will dispose it of…” the Bench told the ASG, who represented the Delhi Police. “What is the question of a pan-India SIR was the ninth such exercise since Independence, with the last one having taken place in 2002-04. He said the first phase of the SIR was completed in Bihar with zero appeals. “The SIR will ensure that no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible elector is included in the poll rolls,” Kumar said. counter-affidavit in a bail matter? You may file a counter, but we will not give you two weeks,” the Bench said, posting the matter for hearing on Friday. “On Friday, you ensure you have proper instructions...we will hear it,” the Bench added. The top court asked the ASG to consider if the accused could be granted bail in view of the fact that most of them had already spent five years in custody. “See if you can, Mr Raju...if something can be done...This is only about the consideration of bail. See, five years are over already,” the Bench told Raju. “Let me have a look at it… But sometimes appearances can be deceptive,” ASG Raju responded. On behalf of the accused, senior counsel Kapil Sibal and AM Singhvi opposed the ASG’s request for adjournment. “When the matter is about delay, there can’t be more delay,” Singhvi said. A Delhi High Court Bench led by Justice Naveen Chawla had on September 2 denied them bail, saying “conspiratorial” violence under the garb of demonstrations or protests by citizens couldn’t be allowed. Hryvarsityprofseeks return of passport NEW DELHI: Facing criminal prosecution over his social media posts on ‘Operation Sindoor’, Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad has approached the Supreme Court seeking the release of his passport, which was ordered to be deposited as a condition for his bail. The SC will take up his plea on November 18. INSIDE Chief Justice of India BR Gavai with SC judge Justice Surya Kant. PTI Gavai endorses name of Justice Surya Kant as CJI Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 27 Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Monday recommended Justice Surya Kant — the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court — for appointment as his successor. “CJI Gavai recommends the name of Justice Surya Kant…as his successor to be the 53rd CJI,” the Supreme Court said in a statement. With barely a month left for the retirement of Justice Gavai, the Centre had last week initiated the process for the appointment of his successor by formally requesting him to TO HAVE 15-MONTH STINT CJI BR Gavai is due to retire on November 23 on attaining the age of 65. Once appointed, Justice Kant will become the 53rd CJI on November 24 and hold the office for nearly 15 months till February 9, 2027. name the next CJI. CJI Gavai is due to retire on November 23 on attaining the age of 65. Once appointed, Justice Kant will become the 53rd CJI on November 24 and hold the office for nearly 15 months till February 9, 2027. Born in a middle-class family continued on page 8 Punjab woman raped in To plug safety gaps, DGCA orders tamper-proof ATC log books UK racial attack; man held Shekhar Singh Tribune News Service London, October 27 A 20-year-old Indian-origin woman was attacked in a “racially aggravated” rape in the West Midlands region of England over the weekend. Local community groups claim the victim is a Punjab woman. The attack comes weeks after the racially aggravated rape of a British Sikh woman in the nearby Oldbury area. The police said a 32-year-old man was arrested on Monday Comes weeks after sexual assault on British Sikh morning on suspicion of rape after a manhunt was launched in the wake of the attack on Saturday evening. The police said they were called to the Park Hall area of Walsall following concerns for the welfare of a woman in distress in the street. continued on page 8 New Delhi, October 27 With the civil aviation sector battling staff shortages, rising traffic and mounting operational stress, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stepped in to tighten control over one of the most critical aspects of aviation safety — record keeping inside air traffic control (ATC) towers. In a first such measure, the regulator has ordered that every ATC unit must main- tain tamper-proof, standardised log books under strict supervision, ensuring that each instruction, communication or incident is accurately recorded and traceable. The move, officials say, is aimed at restoring accountability and discipline in an overstretched system where even minor procedural lapses can have serious consequences. A DGCA circular issued recently mandates that ATS unit log books are maintained in a correct and uni- Today’s issue is of 18 pages, including four-page Delhi Tribune. c m y b Record-keeping norms tightened to ensure traceability of air operations form format. “The log books form an essential part of evidence required during a safe- ty investigation,” states the circular, which comes nearly four months after the Air India crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight that claimed 260 lives. The circular mandates that every entry be made only in blue or black ink, in chronological order, without overwriting or erasures. Any correction, if necessary, can only be made by striking off the earlier entry by drawing a single line over it, a vital procedural safeguard against manipulation. Each ATC position must maintain a separate log capturing operational details such as incidents, runway changes and equipment status. All log books must be properly bound, serially numbered and certified by a supervisory officer. The ATS-in-charge will maintain a master list of all issued log books to ensure traceability, the circular reads. The regulator has also tightened the handover-takeover protocol. “The relieving controller continued on page 9