FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | Wednesday, 21 January 2026 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL Long Game Stock market witnesses sharp sell-off, indices fall over 1 pc: New Delhi: The stock market on Tuesday witnessed a sharp sell-off with benchmark indices plunging more than 1 per cent, as investors remained cautious amid uncertain global cues, including tension between the USA and its NATO allies, and cautious positioning ahead of more corporate earnings announcements. The Nifty 50 index fell below the 25,200 mark. At close, the Sensex was down 1065.78 points or 1.28 per cent at 82,180.47, and the Nifty was down 353 points or 1.38 per cent at 25,232.50. BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices also fell over 2 per cent each. The overall market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms dropped to nearly Rs 456 lakh crore from nearly Rs 468 lakh. Nifty Realty crashed over 5 per cent, and Consumer Durables 3 per cent. Page 10 Page 4 New Delhi, 20 January India and the European union (EU) are on the ‘’cusp’’ of signing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), European Commission President Ursula PM welcomes ‘boss’ Nabin: STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 20 January N itin Nabin, the youngest ever, on Tuesday took charge as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party headquarters in the national capital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were among New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday described himself as a “party worker” while welcoming Nitin Nabin (45)—the BJP’s next generation president. “When it comes to party matters, Nitin Nabin is my boss,” Mr Modi said at the Sangathan Parv event, an official ceremony to welcome the BJP's youngest ever chief, underscoring the saffron party’s worker-centric ethos and emphasis on internal democracy, at the BJP headquarters “You will think Modi is a third term PM, became CM at 50 years, has been head of government for 25 years but all these things are secondary. My greatest pride is, I am a BJP worker and Nitin Nabin ji is my boss,” the PM said welcoming the new chief on stage, marking the transition from J P Nadda. the senior leaders present on the occasion. Mr Nabin is a five-term MLA and emerged as the sole candidate in the race, making him the youngest leader to hold the top position in the party’s history. PM Modi felicitated Nitin Nabin after handing him the certificate of election as BJP national president at the party headquarters in Delhi. Outgoing BJP national president JP Nadda, along with Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and Nitin Gadkari, also congratulated the newly elected president. Addressing party leaders and workers, Mr Nadda congratulated the new president and said that Nitin Nabin has taken on the responsibility as the 12th National President of such a great party. Reflecting on recent electoral performances, he added: “The von der Leyen said on Tuesday, describing it as the ‘’mother of all agreements.’’ In her address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, she said that after Davos, the next weekend, she will travel to India. She, however, said there is still work to do. “And right after Davos, the next weekend, I will travel to India. There is still work to do, but we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Indeed, some call it the mother of all deals,” she said, adding that it would create a market of two billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP. "And, crucially, that would provide a first-mover advantage for Europe with one of the world's fastest growing and most dynamic continents. Europe wants to do business with the growth centres of today and the economic powerhouses of this century," Ms von der Leyen said. She said Europe wants to do business with the growth centres of today and the economic powerhouses of the century, from Latin America to the Indo-Pacific and far beyond. Ms von der Leyen said the EU is working on a new FTA with Australia. Europe is also advancing with the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and more. “Europe will also choose the world. And the world is also ready to choose Europe,” she added. European Council President Antonio Costa and von der Leyen will be chief guests at the Republic Day celebrations before jointly co-chairing the India-EU Summit. The FTA is slated to be signed the next day, i.e. 27 January. The European Union is India's biggest trade partner with bilateral trade in goods recording USD 135 billion in the financial year 2023-24. The free trade agreement is expected to significantly enhance trade ties. Besides firming up the free trade agreement, the two sides are likely to unveil a defence framework pact and a strategic agenda at the summit. Can ED invoke Article 226? Supreme Court to examine challenge after Kerala, Tamil Nadu appeals PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 20 January The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on a plea by the Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments contending that the central agency is not a juristic person entitled to move High Courts under Article 226 of the Constitution for its enforcement ~ a provision that can be invoked by citizens and individuals for the enforcement of fundamental rights guaranteed under Part III of the Constitution. A Bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma issued notice on the pleas filed by the Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments challenging a 26 September 2025 judgment of the Kerala High Court affirming the ED’s locus to maintain writ petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution before the High Court. The controversy stems from a judicial inquiry Page 12 Youngest ever, Nitin Nabin takes charge as BJP chief India and EU on the ‘cusp’ of signing FTA: European Commission President UNITED NEWS OF INDIA All eyes on SKY’s form as India begin T20 WC dress rehearsal against NZ NATION Page 9 Page 6 BRIEFLY TN Guv boycotts Assembly, skips customary address B’desh court begins trial proceedings against Chinmoy Das commission constituted by the Kerala government in May 2021 under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, to examine allegations that central agencies ~ including the ED and Customs ~ had overstepped their jurisdiction and acted with political bias in attempting to link Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other State functionaries to the UAE gold smuggling case. The ED approached the Kerala High Court seeking to quash the State notification constituting the commission, contending that the move was malafide, contrary to federal principles, and liable to interfere with ongoing criminal proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A single judge, by an interim order in 2021, stayed the commission’s functioning, observing that a parallel fact-finding exercise could disrupt the course of justice. The Kerala government’s appeal against that interim order was dismissed by a Division Bench, which upheld the single judge’s order and held that the ED had the locus to invoke Article 226. Before the High Court, the State had argued that the ED lacked standing to file a writ petition and that any dispute between the Central government and one or more State governments ought to be resolved exclusively by the Supreme Court under Article 131, which confers original jurisdiction in disputes between the Union and the States. The ED countered that investigations under Central statutes such as the PMLA and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act fall within the Union’s domain. In its appeal before the Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu has contended that the Kerala High Court’s ruling would adversely impact a mining-related dispute in which the ED has invoked writ jurisdiction and sought a mandamus for registration of a case. Tamil Nadu further argued that the ED, functioning under the Ministry of Finance and empowered by Section 49 of the PMLA, is not a separately constituted statutory body like the Central Bureau of Investigation, but a department of the Union itself. Emphasising the scope of Article 226, the plea states that there is no right vested in the ED to file a writ petition. results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections did not meet our expectations. These results surprised not only the party but also the general public. A sense of disappointment arose among the country’s voters, and a feeling of resentment developed. The voters resolved that in upcoming elections, they would give their full support to Modi ji and work to further the party’s progress.” Mamata to visit Singur next week STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 20 January Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will visit Singur on 28 January to chair an administrative meeting. Sources indicated that she is also likely to address a rally there as a counter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Singur last Sunday. Officials at the state secretariat in Nabanna stated that, apart from the administrative meeting, the Chief Minister is expected to distribute a range of government benefits and relief measures. This includes the commencement of distributing 16 lakh concrete houses under the Banglar Bari project. According to sources, Miss Banerjee is also expected to deliver political messages during her visit, particularly in light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sharp criticism of the Trinamul Congress government on Sunday, targeting alleged issues of law and order and corruption. Miss Banerjee’s visit to Singur had long been anticipated, sources added, with the local administration already instructed to prepare for the event. Consequently, police and district officials have stepped up arrangements to host the Chief Minister on the proposed date. Singur remains a landmark in the history of the Trinamul Congress’ road to power in Bengal. It was here that Mamata Banerjee, then Opposition leader and MP, spearheaded protests against the Left Front’s 34-year rule. The Singur agitation became the decisive turning point that ultimately propelled her to power in the state. On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi addressed a rally in Singur for the first time in 18 years since Tata Motors withdrew its Nano factory project midway, dashing hopes of industrial rejuvenation in Bengal. During the rally, he announced several projects, including three high-speed trains under the Amrit Bharat Express initiative, a passenger train, and the foundation stone for an extended export port gate system. While Mr Modi did not focus on industrial revival in Singur, to the disappointment of the residents, he strongly criticised the Trinamul government, blaming it for deteriorating law and order and for discouraging major private investment in the state.