Friday, November 21, 2025 | Vol. 69 No. 40 | 28 Pages Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Vol. 69 No. 40 | www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (January to June 2025) NATION Belgium’s top court to take up Mehul Choksi’s plea against extradition on December 9 GAMES Everyone blaming Gautam Gambhir, it feels like agenda sometimes, says Indian batting coach Kotak Cinema Actress Sonam Kapoor announces second pregnancy Edit Nitish’s stunning return to power and a cloud of distrust P.21 PRESIDENTIAL ASSENT | Replying to Murmu’s 14 questions, Supreme Court says neither guvs nor prez can be bound by judicially fixed timelines to act on bills passed by state legislatures Scales tilt in favour of Governors FPJ News Service NEW DELHI The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that neither Governors nor the President can be bound by judicially fixed timelines to act on bills passed by state legislatures. The Court also declared that the concept of “deemed assent”, where a bill automatically becomes law if a Governor or the President fails to act within a prescribed period, is unconstitutional and EXCLUSION: The SC carved out a narrow SILENCE: The court refused to answer ground for judicial intervention. If a Governor does not act for a prolonged, unexplained period, leading to constitutional inaction, courts may issue a limited direction to exercise his/her options ‘within a reasonable time’ without touching the merits of the bill. three of the fourteen questions in the reference, saying they were irrelevant to the functional nature of the advisory opinion, especially those concerning Article 145(3), the nature of Article 142, and the jurisdiction under Article 131. violates the doctrine of separation of powers. Delivering its opinion on a Presidential Reference made by President Droupadi Murmu under Article 143, a Constitution Bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, PS Narasimha and Atul S Chandurkar clarified that courts cannot take over executive functions by im- posing deadlines or declaring automatic assent. The opinion came in response to 14 questions raised by the President after a two-judge bench in the Tamil Nadu Governor case had fixed specific timelines for action under Articles 200 and 201, Live Law and Bar & Bench report. The Court held that the Constitution intentionally provides “elasticity” in how the Gov- ernor and the President handle bills, and that judicially imposed timelines contradict this design. It emphasised that deemed assent would amount to the judiciary “virtually taking over” the constitutional functions of the Governor or President, an outcome that the Constitution does not permit. Scan & Watch 4Contd on | nation ‘Modi called me after $93M SALE OF ARTILLERY ‘Intellectual I said 350% tariffs’ AND ANTI-TANK SYSTEMS terrorists are anti-national’ TRUMP’S LATEST Agencies NEW DELHI US President Donald Trump has again claimed that he personally intervened to prevent India and Pakistan from moving toward a nuclear confrontation, saying he threatened both nations with a 350% tariff during a tense period earlier this year. Speaking on Wednesday at the US-Saudi Investment Forum in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump SUV plunges into Tamhini gorge, 6 dead Raina Assainar NAVI MUMBAI Six young men from Pune, out on a late-night picnic drive, were killed when their Thar SUV plunged into a 400-feet gorge at Tamhini Ghat in Maharashtra’s Raigad district. Police believe the accident took place in the early hours of Tuesday, but the disaster surfaced only on Thursday morning after anxious parents, unable to contact their sons, alerted authorities. The group, aged between 18 and 22, had left Pune late Monday night for a drive through Tamhini Ghat, a scenic but notoriously treacherous mountain pass linking Pune and Raigad. When repeated calls from their families went unanswered, Mangaon police launched a search operation on Thursday. Their last mobile location had pinged from the ghat, raising fears of an accident. 4Contd on | nation repeated his version of events. Over the past months, he has cited different tariff figures ranging from 100% to now 350%. He has also asserted that he received a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the episode. Trump said that during an earlier phase of heightened tensions, he warned New Delhi and Islamabad that they “can go at it” but would face crippling tariffs and a complete halt of trade with the United States if they did not step back. 4Contd on | nation US GREEN FLAGS FPJ News Service NEW DELHI Agencies The United States has approved the sale of Excalibur guided artillery projectiles, Javelin antitank missile systems and related equipment worth nearly $93 million to India. It is India’s first major purchase of American defence equipment since President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% in August over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil. According to the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the State Department has cleared a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to India of Excalibur projectiles and associated equipment for an estimated $47.1 million, and of the 4 new arrests in Delhi blast M Saleem Pandit SRINAGAR The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday intensified its investigation into the November 10 Red Fort blast by arresting four more key conspirators, taking the total number of arrests in the case to six. On the same day, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police booked Kashmir Times SIA raids Kashmir Times and books its editor Anuradha Bhasin, who is in the US since 2019 Editor Anuradha Bhasin for alleged anti-national activities and raided the newspaper’s Jammu office. In a statement, the NIA said it has arrested four prime ac- 2nd chargesheet against Vadra cused in the blast case: Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganai of Pulwama, Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather of Anantnag, Dr Shaheen Saeed of Lucknow, and Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay of Shopian. They were taken into custody in Srinagar on production orders from the District Sessions Judge, Patiala House Court. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | nation ED rolls out QR fraud shield FPJ News Service MUMBAI in another money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in a land deal in Shikohpur, Haryana. Vadra, 56, has been questioned by the ED several times in connection with the Bhandari-linked case. The agency has been probing alleged links between Vadra and a Londonbased property, which it says is connected to Bhandari. The ED has introduced system-generated summons embedded with a QR code and a unique passcode to help citizens verify authenticity and prevent fraud. With forged ED notices increasingly to intimidate and extort money, the new mechanism allows recipients to confirm legitimacy instantly by scanning the QR code or checking the details on the official ED website. A surge in cases involving scammers impersonating ED officials and issuing fake arrest orders has prompted the Centre to act. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation PTI NEW DELHI The ED has filed a chargesheet against businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in a money laundering case linked to UK-based arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari, official sources said. The prosecution complaint has been submitted before a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Delhi. This marks the second money laundering chargesheet filed against Vadra. Earlier in July, the ED had chargesheeted him nine lives Respect rules circular issued again Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI The state government on Thursday issued its ninth circular on how officials must extend respect to elected representatives, reiterating longstanding protocols while adding clarity on what information can—and cannot— be shared with MLAs and MPs. Although eight earlier circulars have been issued between July 2015 and August 2021, the latest update introduces one significant change: Maharashtra’s ninth order reiterates longstanding protocols on treating MLAs and MPs with courtesy while adding clarity on what information they are entitled to. It draws boundaries under RTI Act & tightens compliance on breach-of-privilege cases guidance on the release of information sought by legislators. The earlier instructions remain largely the same, emphasising basic courtesies—officials must rise from their seats when a legislator enters the room, Javelin Missile System and related equipment for an estimated $45.7 million. The DSCA has delivered the required certification notifying the US Congress about the proposed sales. The Delhi Police on Thursday strongly opposed the bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider and others in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, telling the Supreme Court that the accused are “anti-nationals” who attempted to overthrow the government through coordinated violence during the stir against CAA-NRC. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation NEW YORK/WASHINGTON listen attentively, and maintain polite conduct during phone conversations. Signed by Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar, the circular underlines that ensuring respect towards elected representatives strengthens the administration’s reliability and accountability. It warns that action will be taken against officers who fail to follow the norms. According to senior officials, the new clarification was prompted by increasing frustration among Opposition MLAs. Several had sought key documents under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, but officers reportedly delayed releasing them, seeking guidance from the government before responding. 4Contd on | nation BIHAR’S TITEN IN SADDLE AGAIN Sports minister? Dheeraj Kumar PATNA JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar on Thursday was sworn in as Bihar chief minister for a record tenth time, alongside 26 ministers including 14 from BJP and eight from JD (U), at the historic Gandhi Maidan in the state capital. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oath of office and secrecy to them. A galaxy of top-notch NDA leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda graced the occasion. Chief ministers from Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, Delhi, Rekha Gupta, Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini, Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma and Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio participated in the swearing-in ceremony. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | nation Ace shooter and Arjuna awardee, Shreyasi Singh, who won from Jamui constituency for the second time, has been inducted as minister in the cabinet. She is the youngest minister and might get the sorts portfolio. Shreyasi (34) is the youngest daughter of Digvijay Singh, a former Union minister who served in Chandra Shekhar’s cabinet, and Putul Kumari, a former MP. Contd Nation No contest: Sonrise Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief and MP Upendra Kushwaha’s son Deepak Prakash has been sworn in as a minister, although he is presently neither an MLA nor an MLC. Deepak Prakash has been made a minister from the RLM quota. RLM has won 4 seats in the assembly. Contd Nation