FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 159 | BHOPAL | FRIDAY | NOVEMBER 21, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Magnificent Mahit Sandhu P.12 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY RBI flags fragility of institutions, stresses need for robust regulation PRESIDENTIAL REFERENCE | Top court says Governors do not have ‘unfettered’ powers to sit on Bills for ‘perpetuity’ NO TIMELINES FOR PREZ, GUV TO ACT ON BILLS: SC Three options for Guv PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Thursday held that the court cannot impose any timelines on Governors and the President to grant assent to Bills passed by state assemblies but at the same time said Governors do not have "unfettered" powers to sit on the Bills for "perpetuity". In its unanimous opinion on the Presidential Reference, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai also held that "indefinite delay" by the Governors will be open to "limited judicial scrutiny" and that deemed assent of Bills cannot be granted by the apex court by using its plenary power under Article 142. Deemed assent would amount to virtual takeover of the role of a "separate constitutional authority," it said. In its 111-page judgment that could trigger a fresh debate on fp Briefs NEW DELHI ED chargesheets Robert Vadra The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against businessman Robert Vadra, son-in-law of former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in connection with a money laundering case linked to UK-based defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari. The prosecution complaint has been submitted before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. NEW DELHI Anil’s Rs 1.4K cr assets attached The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday said it has attached fresh assets worth more than Rs 1,452 crore as part of a money laundering investigation against businessman Anil Ambani's Reliance Group company RCOM. Responding to the development, the Reliance Group said the assets belong to Reliance Communications (RCOM) which has not been a part of the group since 2019. NEW DELHI EAM, Af min discuss ties EAM S Jaishankar and Afghanistan's Industry and Commerce Minister Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi held a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, discussing ways to strengthen trade, connectivity and people-topeople ties between the two nations. During the meeting, EAM Jaishankar reiterated India's support for the development and welfare of the people of Afghanistan."Pleased to meet Industry and Commerce Minister of Afghanistan, Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi in New Delhi this evening. In another significant ruling, the top court said the discretion of the Governor as to how to deal with the Bills are not dependent on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. The court underlined that Governors have only three options -- either to grant assent, or refer the Bills to the President or withhold assent and send back them to the Assemblies for reconsideration under Article 200 of the Constitution issues relating to federalism and Governor's power over state Bills, the court made it clear that "inaction" by Governors that is "prolonged, unexplained and indefinite" will certainly invite "limited judicial scrutiny" though the merits of their action under Article 200 cannot be looked into by Courts. Indefinite delay in granting assent to multiple Bills has led to frequent run-ins between the Opposition-ruled States, especially Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Punjab and their Governors following which some state governments have sought the intervention of the top court. The name of the author judge was conspicuously absent in the judgment. The practice is a rarity but it was adopted by a five-judge Constitution bench in its verdict in 2019 on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case. CJI Gavai is due to retire on Sunday after a sixmonth tenure. In another significant ruling, the top court said the discretion of the Governor as to how to deal with the Bills are not dependent on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. The court underlined that Governors have only three options -- either to grant assent, or refer the Bills to the President or withhold assent and send back them to the Assemblies for reconsideration under Article 200 of the Constitution. The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar, held that the imposition of timelines would be strictly contrary to the "elasticity that the Constitution" so carefully preserves for constitutional authorities. 4Continued on | P8 Modi told me war was off: Trump again claims role in Indo-Pak war Says he threatened both nations with a 350% tariff to stop conflict Agencies NEW YORK/WASHINGTON US President Donald Trump has reiterated that he prevented a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan by threatening both countries with 350% tariffs. Speaking at the US-Saudi Investment Forum, attended by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump claimed he told both nations they could “go at it,” but trade with the US would end. According to US clears $93-mn arms deal with India The US has approved the sale of Excalibur guided artillery projectiles, Javelin anti-tank missile system and related equipment worth nearly USD 93 million to India, saying it will improve the country's capability to strengthen its defence and deter regional threats Trump, both sides pleaded with him not to impose the Bus driver, 2 staffers held for molesting nat’l shooter tariffs, and he warned they should “come back” only after agreeing to peace. Trump said that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later thanked him for “saving millions of lives,” and he claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called him, saying, “We’re not going to go to war.” Trump repeated that he then suggested the US and India “make a deal.” Trump stated that he used tariffs to settle multiple conflicts globally, saying five of eight were resolved because of economic leverage. He said he was “all set” to apply the tariff and had instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accordingly. 4Continued on | P8 RGPV V-C resigns amid ABVP’s NAAC charge Our Staff Reporter Our Staff Reporter INDORE BHOPAL Rajendra Nagar police arrested a bus driver, his helper cum driver and a cleaner for allegedly molesting a national-level pistol shooter from Pune in a moving bus in an inebriated state. The incident took place late on Sunday night, and the FIR was registered three days later after the player returned to Indore from Pune. Rajendra Nagar police station in-charge Neeraj Birthare said that the accused have been identified as driver Arvind Verma of Sehore district, second driver/helper Parmendra Gautam of Bhopal and cleaner Deepak Malviya of Bhopal. The bus belonging to Verma Travels has also been seized. The woman shooter told police that she had been in Bhopal to participate in the National level competition and was returning to Pune on 16 November. She boarded Verma Travels bus (MP 09 AG 0336) from Bhopal around 6.30 pm after booking a ladies’ seat online. Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV) Vice Chancellor Professor Rajeev Tripathi resigned on Thursday following allegations by Akhil Bharati Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) that the university provided incorrect facts in its SSR report, which contributed to an A++ grade by NAAC. ABVP, led by state secretary Ketan Chaturvedi, gheraoed the Vice Chancellor over allegedly inaccurate information. 4Continued on | P8 Arvind Parmendra Deepak 4Continued on | P8 offgrid Mukhi delivers 5 cubs First India-born cheetah to give birth Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Cheetah Mukhi has given birth to five cubs in Kuno National Park. She is first India born female cheetah, aged 33 months, to give birth to offsprings. She is nursing her new born cubs with great care, Kuno officials said, adding, it was a major success of Cheetah Project. Union minister for forest and climate change Bhupender Yadav took to his X handle and said, “In a delightful breakthrough for Who is Mukhi? Jwala has given birth to Mukhi. After a few days of birth, Jwala deserted her. Kuno officials made many attempts to reunite Mukhi with Jwala but failed. She was later hand-reared inside the enclosure India’s cheetah reintroduction initiative, Mukhi, the first India born cheetah has given birth to five cubs. This is the first time in recent history that an India born chee- tah has reproduced, making it a landmark achievement for Cheetah Project”. He added that successful reintroduction by an India born cheetah was a strong indicator of the species adaptation, health and longterm prospects in Indian habitats. The mother and cubs are doing fine. This significant development reinforces optimism about establishing a self-sustaining and genetically diverse cheetah population in India, further advancing India’s conservation goals. 4Continued on | P8 UJJAIN PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Framework for tribunals P.6 Cinema Television’s magic P.14 HC bans tree felling, transplantation without nod Nitish sworn in as Bihar CM for record 10th time Our Staff Reporter 26 ministers take oath BHOPAL High Court, principal bench of Jabalpur, on Thursday directed that no tree in Bhopal shall be cut, pruned or transplanted in any manner without permission of the Court. Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf ordered personal presence of PWD Executive Engineer, Under Secretary (Vidhan Sabha Secretariat), Administrative Officer-cumUnder Secretary (Vidhan Sabha Secretariat), Commissioner (Bhopal Municipal Corporation), Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Principal Secretary (Vidhan Sabha Secretariat) and General Manager (West Central Railways) for next hearing. 4Continued on | P8 PTI PATNA Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was on Thursday sworn in for a record 10th term here at a grand ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CMs of several NDA-ruled states, and senior alliance leaders. Kumar was administered the oath of office by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at the Gandhi Maidan, where a massive makeshift stage was erected for the ceremony, also attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, both of whom had arrived in Patna on Wednesday night. Along with 74-year-old Kumar, 26 ministers took the oath of office: 14 from the Bhara- SC RAISES RETIREMENT AGE OF MP JUDICIAL OFFICERS TO 61 Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday passed an interim order raising the retirement age of judicial officers in Madhya Pradesh from 60 to 61 years for the subordinate judiciary. The retirement age of High Court judges is already 62. A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai, Justice Pra- sanna B Varale and Justice K Vinod Chandran granted the relief while referring to a similar precedent set by the Telangana High Court. The apex court questioned the rationale behind denying this benefit to judicial officers when the state government appeared willing to extend it. 4Continued on | P8 PM Narendra Modi and newly sworn-in Bihar CM Nitish Kumar during the swearing-in ceremony in Patna tiya Janata Party, eight from Janata Dal (United), two from Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas), and one each from Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM). The ministers included Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, both deputy CMs in the previous government, who have been elected as the BJP's leader and deputy leader, respectively, following the polls that were swept by the NDA, which got 202 seats in the 243-member assembly. 4Continued on | P8 HC issues notices over liquor shops near highways Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL High Court, principal bench of Jabalpur, on Thursday, issued notices to Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, MP Excise Commissioner and Excise Secretary, directing them to file replies within two weeks. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Sachdeva and Jus- tice Vinay Saraf conducted initial hearings recently. HC expressed strong displeasure over liquor shops operating within 500 metres of national and state highways, allegedly violating Supreme Court guidelines. The court signalled a strict stance on shutting down or relocating shops inside the prohibited zone. 4Continued on | P8