FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 93 | BHOPAL | TUESDAY | SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Beyond titles, toward talent, Sania’s serve of wisdom P.13 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL WORLD Peace only with end of Hamas, hostage return UJJAIN PUNE INDORE NASHIK Cinema Katrina Kaif pregnant? P.14 SC HITS PARTIAL PAUSE BUTTON ON WAQF LAW KEY HIGHLIGHTS NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Monday put on hold a few key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including a clause that only those practising Islam for the last five years could create Waqf, but refused to stay the entire law outlining the presumption of constitutionality in its favour. "Presumption is always in favour of constitutionality of a statute and intervention (can be done) only in the rarest of rare cases," a bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih said in its 128-page interim order on the contentious issue. The bench went on, "We do not find that any case is made to stay the provisions of the entire statute. The prayer for stay of the impugned Act is, there- fp Briefs KATHMANDU Nepal PM inducts 3 mins Three newly-appointed ministers, including former electricity board CEO Kulman Ghising, in the Sushila Karki-led interim government in Nepal took the oath of office on Monday. Former finance secretary Rameshwor Khanal has been sworn in as Finance Minister. Om Prakash Aryal has been sworn in as Minister for Home Affairs and for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. NEW DELHI India-EU FTA talk from Oct 6 India and the European Union will hold the 14th round of negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) in Brussels between October 6 and 10, according to officials from Commerce Ministry. WASHINGTON Don announces deal on TikTok US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that an agreement has been reached with China to allow TikTok to continue operating in the country. "The big Trade Meeting in Europe between The United States of America, and China, has gone VERY WELL! he posted. Derecognition of Waqf Land The provision allowing the government to derecognise Waqf land while a dispute over encroachment is pending before a government officer has been stayed. The Court observed that allowing a collector to decide such disputes violates the separation of powers. Practitioner of Islam Requirement SC stayed the provision that required a person to be a practitioner of Islam for at least five years until state governments frame rules to provide a mechanism for determining this. The SC bench said that without such a mechanism, “it would lead to arbitrary exercise of powers.” COMPOSITION OF WAQF COUNCILS, BOARDS In the Central Waqf Council, non-Muslim members cannot exceed four. In State Waqf Boards, the number of non-Muslim members cannot exceed three. Appointment of CEO The apex court did not stay the provision permitting a non-Muslim to serve as the CEO of a State Waqf Board, but stated that, as far as possible, a Muslim should be appointed. Registration Requirements: The SC bench did not intervene in the condition of registration but allowed certain extensions to the timelines. fore, rejected." However, in order to "protect the interest of parties" and "balancing the equities", the order stayed some provisions including the powers accorded to a collector Land pooling work in Ujjain to be done with consent of all: CM Our Staff Reporter Structures during Simhastha BHOPAL The land pooling for Simhastha in Ujjain will be done with the consent of all farmers. Keeping the benefits of farmers in mind, temporary constructions will be raised at temporary places. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav made the above statements during an interaction with media persons on Monday. The farmers’ welfare is on the government’s top priority list, Yadav said, adding that the government is moving ahead in land pooling with the consent of all parties through interaction. Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid stress on the development of raising permanent structures, keeping in mind the security arrangements and management of crores of people at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. The policy also encouraged US team arrives, trade talks today PTI NEW DELHI Trump administration's chief negotiator Brendan Lynch arrived here to hold a day-long talk on India-US bilateral trade deal, which were impacted after imposition of 50 per cent import tariffs by the US on Indian goods. The meeting comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly reacted to US President Donald Trump's positive assessment of trade ties between the two countries. Five rounds of negotiations for the India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA) have been held, and the sixth round of talks, scheduled 4Continued on | P8 During the Simhastha in 2016, temporary structures worth Rs 650 crore were built on 3,000 hectares. The structures were removed after the event. The government has planned to develop Ujjain into a global spiritual city during Simhastha 2028. the religious tourism in the region, Yadav said. The government does not want to trouble anyone and wants to go with everyone, he said. According to Yadav, Simhastha, to be organised in Ujjain in 2028, will be the biggest event in the history of Simhastha in the country. It is expected that there will be 30 crore devotees at Simhastha, he said. It is the duty of the government to provide crores of saints with high-level facilities at Simhastha, Yadav said. Such structures as will be built in Ujjain should be able to withstand rain and storms to avoid any difficult situation during Simhastha, he said.  It is the duty of the government to provide security to each devotee and make a foolproof arrangement, and a huge amount of land is required for it, he said. The farmers of Ujjain have always stood by the government, he said. to adjudicate the status of waqf properties and ruled on the issue of non-Muslim participation in Waqf Boards. The bench, therefore, directed the Central Waqf Council not to have more than four non-Muslim members in the total composition of 20 besides asking state waqf boards to have not more than three such members in the total of 11. "The following part of clause (r) of Section 3 of the Amended Waqf Act 'any person showing or demonstrating that he is professing Islam for at least five years' shall stand stayed until the rules are framed by the State Government for providing a mechanism for determining the question as to whether a person has been practicing Islam for at least five years or not," the top court held. 4Continued on | P8 Alirajpur dist renamed as Aalirajpur Govt issues notification Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The state government has renamed Alirajpur district as Aalirajpur. The Revenue Department issued a notification to this effect on Monday. This decision followed a no-objection certificate from the Union Home Ministry on August 21 this year.  Welcoming the decision, BJP MLA from Alirajpur and the Minister for the Scheduled Caste Welfare Department, Nagar Singh Chouhan, said to the Free Press that it was he who had asked Chief Minister Mohan Yadav that Alirajpur’s name be changed to Aalirajpur.  He said that earlier, Aalirajpur was part of an undivided Jhabua. In 2007, Aalirajpur was separated from Jhabua and named the Alirajpur district in the government records. Since then, the locals have demanded that Alirajpurbe renamed Aalirajpur. Modi vows to end infiltration, slams Cong-RJD over corruption IANS PURNEA Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said it is “Modi’s guarantee” that all the poor will get a permanent house and hit out at the Congress and RJD for ignoring “Seemanchal”, corruption and protecting infiltrators. Addressing a public rally in Purnea, PM Modi described the NDA government as propoor and promised a sharp price drop in prices of articles with the GST reform. He said, “Till the time every poor person in the country gets a house of his own, Modi is not going to stop or take a breather.” PM Modi said the NDA government has already built 4 crore houses for the poor, and it is building another 3 crore houses for the poor. He highlighted that during his visit, he had inaugurated and laid the foundation of projects worth Rs 40,000 crore, and over 40,000 people got their own permanent house under PM Awas Yojana.Training his guns on Congress-RJD over corruption and attempts to shield infiltrators and change the region’s demography, PM Modi said, “They are taking out marches and shouting slogans to protect illegal foreigners.” “I want to send a strong message to RJD-Congress’ ‘jamaat’ that every infiltrator will have to go. The NDA is committed to checking infiltration. All leaders standing in support of infiltrators should understand clearly that it is Modi’s guarantee to act against infiltrators,” he said. 4Continued on | P8 from silence to storm When gesture becomes flashpoint PTI DUBAI What should have been just another tense Indo-Pak contest at the Asia Cup has snowballed into an international cricketing flashpoint. The absence of a handshake — a mere gesture — has triggered what is now being dubbed as Handshake-Gate. After India’s seven-wicket win, skipper Suryakumar Yadav made it clear that the team’s decision to avoid handshakes was not unsporting but symbolic. “Few things in life are ahead of sportsman’s spirit also. We stand with victims of Pahalgam terror attack and dedicate this victory to our Armed Forces,” Surya declared. Pakistan Cricket Board, however, hit back sharply, accusing match referee Andy Pycroft of mishandling the situation and demanding his immediate removal. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi went a step further, formally lodging complaints with both ACC and ICC, claiming violations of the Spirit of Cricket. The controversy has now stretched beyond the field: Will Indian players accept the Asia Cup trophy from E-paper Edit Sealing cracks in housing policy P.6 INTERIM ORDER | Apex court pronounces order following hearings spread over three days in May, after which the bench reserved its verdict PTI MUMBAI Naqvi if they reach the final on September 28? Was Pycroft wrong to instruct skippers to avoid the handshake ritual? Is this a matter of protocol, or politics dressed in pads? Behind the scenes, BCCI insiders revealed that the nohandshake stand wasn’t spontaneous. 4Continued on | P8 2 dead, 11 hurt as drunk driver mows pedestrians Speeding truck drags motorcyclist, ignites blaze on Airport Road Our Staff Reporter INDORE A tragedy unfolded on Monday evening on Indore’s bustling Airport Road near Shikshak Nagar when a speeding truck, allegedly driven by a heavily inebriated man, ploughed through unsuspecting pedestrians and vehicles, leaving at least two dead and 11 injured. The truck, coming from Vidya Palace, veered out of control and began a terrifying spree of destruction. Eyewitnesses describe the vehicle as a “monster on wheels,” crushing everything in sight over a stretch of nearly 1.5 kilometres. “It was like a war zone,” said Pradeep Dewaliya, who stood helplessly on the roadside. “The truck first rammed into a youth on a motorcycle, then kept moving, hitting cars, erickshaws, auto-rickshaws and even pedestrians. People were screaming and running, but there was no stopping it.” In one of the most gutwrenching moments, the truck dragged a motorcyclist for over 500 metres. When it finally halted, the mangled bike caught fire — flames quickly engulfed the front of CBSE makes 75% attendance compulsory for board exams New rules issued on internal assessment FP Online NEW DELHI The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued new guidelines for candidates appearing for the Class 10 and Class 12 board exams in 2026. The circular highlights compulsory attendance, internal marks, and subject norms, emphasising rigorous follow-up of norms. Both Class 10 and Class 12 are considered two-year courses, as per the board. Students need to study all their subjects over two consecutive years, Class 9 and 10 or Class 11 and 12, in order to be allowed to sit for the final board examination. One of the key conditions is compulsory 75% attendance. Students who do not meet the required attendance will be disallowed from sitting for the exams. The board has further highlighted that internal assessment will be the determinant of final results, as per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 4Continued on | P8 Bystanders rush to pull the burning body from the wreckage and try to douse the flames CM seeks report Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said he has received the detailed information of the incident. “Additional Chief Secretary (ACSHome) has been instructed to rush to Indore. Also, I have given instructions to investigate the reason for entry of heavy vehicles in the city before 11 pm and file an initial factual report.” The CM expressed deep condolence for the deceased and prayed for speedy recovery of the injured. the truck and tragically set the motorcyclist ablaze as he lay near its wheel. A few brave bystanders rushed forward, pulling the burning body from the wreckage and managing to douse the flames — but the damage was already done. “It was the most hor- ‘Will set aside Bihar SIR if any illegality found’ Top court says can’t stop SIR across country PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Monday said it was presuming that the Election Commission, being a constitutional authority, was following the law during the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and warned that the entire exercise would be set aside in case any illegality is found at any stage. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, which fixed October 7 for hearing final arguments on the validity of Bihar SIR, refused to offer any "piecemeal opinion" on the exercise and said "our judgement in Bihar SIR will be applicable for pan-India SIR". The court clarified it can't stop the poll panel from conducting a similar exercise for the revision of electoral rolls across the country. The LEOPARD KILLS CHEETAH JWALA’S CUB AT KUNO New concern for Cheetah Project Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL In a major setback for cheetah conservation effort, one of Jwala’s female sub adult cubs was found dead in the forests of Kuno National Park on Monday evening. Officials said a preliminary investigation suggests the 20-month-old cub was killed in a fight with a leopard. The autopsy report is awaited to confirm the exact cause. The cub had been released into the wild in February 2025 along with her mother Jwala and three siblings. She had left her mother more than a month ago and had recently separated from her siblings as well. rifying thing I’ve ever seen,” said one local vendor. “He was alive when the fire started. We tried to save him... but it was too late.” Police and emergency personnel reached the scene shortly after and rushed the injured to nearby hospitals. Wildlife experts had earlier warned about the threat posed by leopards when cheetahs were introduced Kuno now has a total of 25 cheetahs, including nine adults – six females and three males – and 16 Indian-born cubs. This is the first time a leopard has killed a cheetah within Kuno’s territory. Wildlife experts had earlier warned about the threat posed by leopards when cheetahs were introduced, and the incident has confirmed those concerns. Kuno officials are now considering what new strategies are required to protect cheetahs moving freely in the open landscape from predators like leopards. What difference will the final publication of the electoral roll make to us? If we are satisfied there is some illegality, we can set it aside Supreme Court bench, however, allowed petitioners against the Bihar SIR exercise to also argue on the pan-India SIR on October 7. The top court also clarified that the publication of the final electoral roll on September 30 will not make any difference to the adjudication of the case. "What difference will the final publication of the electoral roll make to us? If we are satisfied there is some illegality, we can set it aside," the bench told the petitioners who have challenged the SIR exercise.. 4Continued on | P8 MDMA mafia busted: Challan against Machhali and Shahwar Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The Bhopal crime branch on Monday filed a challan against 10 accused in a drug racket uncovered two months ago. The list includes Saifuddin, Ashu alias Shahrookh, Shahwar Ahmed alias Machhali, Yashin Machhali alias Mintu, Aman, Saqir, Orachor Onyeka (Nigerian national), Benchamat Moon (Thailand native), Anshul alias Bhuri, and Larib. The racket centred on MDMA (popularly known as MD) supply, with foreign operatives from Nigeria and Thailand closely linked to the kingpin Yaseen Ahmed. Yaseen allegedly recruited young men and women from clubs and pubs, training them to sell drugs via Telegram and other social media channels. 4Continued on | P8