chennai l friday l February 27, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l vellore EDITION No addl fee for changes within 48 hours of air ticket booking You can now cancel or change air tickets without additional charge within 48 hours of booking, subject to certain conditions, the DGCA said | P7 Representational image Facility if departure date is over 7 days Regulator DGCA revises Refund norms Fliers will get a ‘look-in option’ for 48 hours after booking tickets. During this period, a passenger can cancel or amend the ticket without additional charges. “This facility shall not be available for a flight whose departure is less than 7 days for domestic flight and 15 days for international flight from booking date when ticket is booked directly through airline website” ■ ■ “In case of purchase of ticket through travel agent/portal, onus of refund shall lie with the airlines as agents are their appointed representatives.” Refund must be processed within 14 working days No addl fee allowed for name correction if the flier points out the error within 24 hours of booking directly through the airline’s website March 26 Operational date for the new passenger-friendly norms CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Late-night hearing over ‘Kerala Story’ E XP R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Kochi HOURS after a single judge of the Kerala High Court stayed the release of the movie ‘Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’, a division bench held a late-night emergency hearing of an appeal filed by producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, seeking to quash the single judge’s order. The bench, comprising justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P V Balakrishnan, reserved its order. Earlier in the day Justice Bechu Kurian Tho, mas had stayed the release of the film for 15 days. The single judge passed the order on petitions filed by Sreedev Namboodiri of Kannur and Freddy V Francis of Ernakulam, challenging the theatrical, digital and satellite release. In the appeal before the division bench, the producer submitted that the court should allow the release as the film is scheduled to be screened in more than 1,800 theatres across the country and in 355 centres abroad. If the film is not released on the scheduled date, the makers would suffer financial losses. Counsel for the producers submitted that the single judge erred in substituting his own assessment of the film’s content for the expert determination of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to examine and certify films for public exhibition. Senior Supreme Court lawyer Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for Shah, said: “Today we are , 75 years into the republic. Are we so frail in this country of great harmony that we can say portrayal of a social evil in one religion, or a section of a religion, will scandalise the faith and tenets of that religion? There is nothing in the movie to denigrate the state of Kerala.” Israel ties Spl strategic partnership deal done J ayanth J aco b @ New Delhi India and Israel on Thursday elevated their ties to a “Special Strategic Partnership” during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second state visit to Israel in nine years. The move signals a deepening of cooperation across defence, trade, technology and regional connectivity even as both sides un, derscored shared concerns over terrorism and instability in the Middle East. Following delegation-level talks with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, Modi described the relationship as “time-tested” and rooted in trust and democratic values. A series of agreements were signed to boost collaboration in trade, agriculture, energy, cyberspace and digital payments. The two sides agreed to work towards finalising a “mutually beneficial” free trade agreement. Modi also announced the launch of a new partnership on critical and emerging technologies, aimed at accelerating cooperation in AI, quantum technologies and critical minerals. “I am pleased that an agreement has been reached for the use of UPI in Israel,” Modi said, referring to India’s digital payments interface, in a move expected to strengthen fintech linkages. Security cooperation remained central to the talks. Modi reiterated India’s firm opposition to terrorism in all forms. “India and Israel are completely clear that there is no place for terrorism in the world. In any form, in any expression, terrorism cannot be accepted,” he said. At the same time, Modi reaffirmed India’s support for peace efforts in Gaza. “India’s stance is clear: humanity must never become a victim of conflict. A path to peace has been created through the Gaza Peace Plan. India has fully supported these efforts,” he said. What did the single judge say? Repeated portrayal of the theme in a second movie of almost the same name and concept could create contempt towards a religious group in the State and the State itself, promote communal and fanatical attitudes, and endanger public order SC orders ban, seizure of NCERT book S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Thursday imposed a “complete blanket ban” on the NCERT’s Class 8 social science book containing a controversial section on ‘corruption in the judiciary’, and issued a contempt notice to the NCERT director and Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy . A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant held that the book contains “offending” material not suitable for young students in their formative years. “As an abundant precaution, a complete blanket ban is hereby imposed on any further publication re: printing or digital dissemination of the book titled ‘Exploring Society India , and Beyond’,” said the order by the bench, also comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi. The SC ordered that all physical and digital copies of the book currently in circulation— including those held in storage, retail outlets, or educational institutions—be immediately seized and removed from public access. During the hearing, the bench observed that publication of the book with offending references amounts to crimi- The Union education ministry wrote to the ministries of information and broadcasting, and electronics, asking them to stop the dissemination of the NCERT textbook through digital platforms and electronic media. Earlier in the day, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said an inquiry would be conducted and action taken against those involved in preparing the book, adding there was no intention to disrespect judiciary. nal contempt of court. The court directed the NCERT to submit the members of the national syllabus committee who approved the “offending chapter”, names of the textbook development team responsible for drafting the chapter, and the original minutes of all meetings where the chapter was deliberated and finalised. All these must be produced on March 11, the next date of hearing, it said. “It is my duty as head of the institution to find out who is responsible; heads must roll… We won’t close the case,” the CJI said, adding, “We would like to have a deeper probe.” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that DMK may give 28 seats to Congress Pra b hakar Tamilarasu @ Chennai There is a possibility that Kerala, otherwise known for its communal harmony, may be perceived as a hub of fanaticism Will probe the matter and take action: Pradhan New plan clicks as India score highest WC total | 11 Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas Today’s Match 7pm: England vs New Zealand (Colombo) Amid a quiet tug-of-war between the DMK and Congress over sharing of seats for the Assembly poll, the DMK is likely to offer 28 seats to the national party, sources said. The ruling party may invite Congress for talks in the next few days to finalise the deal. “There would Prosecution sanction against PC E x p ress N e w s S er v ice @ New Delhi With the Centre granting sanction to prosecute former Union finance minister P Chidambaram in two separate money laundering cases, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday shared the orders with a special court in New Delhi and urged it to expedite trials. Prosecution sanction in the INX Media and Aircel-Maxis deal cases were grant- ed on February 10. The agency has approached Centre to get prosecution sanction following a Supreme Court verdict in November 2024, which held that prosecution sanction under Section 197(1) of the CrPC is mandatory even for complaints filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. In the INX Media case, the ED began probe under PMLA in 2017 based on a case filed by the CBI against INX Media. be a nominal increase. We may offer up to 28 seats,” a senior DMK leader told TNIE. DMK may finalise seat-sharing agreements with all its allies in a week’s time before the commencement of nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections, including for six MP seats from Tamil Nadu. Although the DMK and Congress have not come to a con- sensus on the number of seats, both parties would find a common ground and seal the alliance talks, party sources said. “We (DMK and Congress) will find a common ground. It would not be possible for DMK to accommodate new entrants into the alliance if we increase the seats substantially for the Congress party,” the senior DMK leader said.  MORE ON P4 the chapter had already been withdrawn and only 32 copies had reached the market. Blaming the NCERT for the goof-up, the bench observed that there appeared to be a deep-rooted conspiracy to demean the dignity of judiciary . “They have fired a gunshot and the judiciary is bleeding,” the CJI said. The bench refused to accept the apology tendered by the NCERT on Wednesday night, hours after the SC took suo motu cognisance of the matter. “The question as to whether the apology has been tendered genuinely... or to evade the consequences... we will consider at an appropriate stage,” the order said.