kollam l tuesday l January 09, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Pakistan SC QUASHES LIFETIME DISQUALIFICATION OF LAWMAKERS Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Monday said lawmakers can be disqualified from holding public office for five years, not be banned for life Nawaz, Imran get relief from the verdict Court upholds poll body’s amendment This is seen as a major relief for former PMs Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, ahead of February general elections, as both were disqualified to contest polls. Sharif, a frontrunner for the fourth term in the forthcoming general elections, was disqualified in the Panama Papers case in 2017. Imran Khan was disqualified in the Toshakhana corruption case last year ■ ■ The 6:1 verdict abolished lifetime disqualification. A 2018 judgment had declared that disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) was for life. The EC then amended rules to restrict disqualification to five years Earlier CJ Isa said disqualifying anyone for life from Parliament is “against Islam”. “Disqualifying anyone [for life] is against Islam.” February 8 is when the general elections will be held in pakistan 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 Leadership joust takes ZEEL away from Sony for merged entity e x pre s s ne w s s er v i c e @ New Delhi SONY Pictures may pull out of its merger plans with Zee Group over the issue of who should lead the $10-billion merged entity. As per the original agreement, the current MD and CEO of Zee Entertainment Puneet Goenka was to lead the merged entity . Now Sony is rethinking on his role after market regulator Sebi barred Puneet Goenka from becoming the MD of the merged entity over allegations of fund diversion. According to reports, Sony may file a termination notice before January 20, the extended deadline for completion of the merger, on the grounds that some of the conditions necessary for the merger have not been met. Zee and Sony did not respond for comment. Sony and Zee announced their merger in December 2021. Under their agreement, Sony would hold 50.86% stake, Zee promoters 3.99% and other Zee shareholders 45.15% in the merged entity. The merger remains stuck over the issue of leadership of the merged entity. Sony Group is opposed to Goenka being at the helm while the Zee Group has been insisting on Goenka leading it as was agreed upon before the Sebi order. SC quashes remission of sentence says GUjarat govt usurped powers of maha counterpart convict supPressed info before previous top court bench 11 convicts lose case. Bilkis gets justice File photo of Bilkis Bano, who successfully fought for justice against 11 life convicts who were granted remission of sentence by the Gujarat government earlier | PTI We are happy and satisfied with the order. The accused will have to return to jail. We have received justice — Abdul Razak, relative of BILKIS BAno S u c hitra Ka lyan M ohant y @ New Delhi The Supreme Court on Monday restored justice to the horrific gangrape victim Bilkis Bano — seven of whose relatives were also murdered in the post-Godhra riots — by quashing the Gujarat government’s remission of sentence to 11 life convicts in the case. “The state of Gujarat acted in tandem and was complicit with the convict,” the court said in its verdict and directed all 11 convicts to surrender within two weeks. The judgment was authored by Justice B V Nagarathna on her behalf and also for Justice Ujjal Bhuyan. The court held that the Gujarat government was not competent to pass the remission orders. Interpreting Section 432 of the CrPC, the court said only the government of the state where the offender was sentenced is competent to consider an application for remission. It faulted convict Radheyshyam Shah for abusing the process of law while seeking remission. Shah had initially approached the Gujarat High Court in 2019 for remission. “By order dated July 17, 2019 the High Court disposed of Criminal Application by observing that he should approach the appropriate Government being the State of Maharashtra. His second such application before the Gujarat High Court was also dismissed in 2020.” Shortly thereafter, Shah approached the Maharashtra government with a similar request. Besides, the CBI and the Special Judge (CBI), Mumbai had given a negative recommendations in his case. The convict then moved the Su- preme Court. A bench comprising justices Ajay Rastogi and Vikram Nath had on May 13, 2022 directed the Gujarat government to consider the plea for Shah’s for premature release, holding that the government of the state where the offence had taken place has the jurisdiction to decide the application. In his application before the SC bench, Shah failed to disclose that: Within 14 days of the order dated 17.07.2019, he had approached the Maharashtra gover nment for remission. The CBI had given a negative recommendation vide its letter dated 14.08.2019. The Special Judge (CBI), Mumbai had given a negative recommendation vide his letter dated 03.01.2020. The Superintendent of Police, Dahod, Gujarat had given a negative recommendation vide his letter dated 03.02.2020 The District Magistrate, Dahod, Gujarat had given a negative recommendation vide his letter dated 19.02.2020. “Thus, by suppressing material aspects and by misleading this Court, a direction was sought and issued to the respondent State of Gujarat to consider the premature release or remission of the writ petitioner, i.e., respondent No.3 (Shah) on the basis of the remission policy,” the bench said. Nullifying the Rastogi bench’s ruling, the court said it was obtained fraudulently by supressing material facts and via misrepresentation. It said the Gujarat government usurped the powers ofMaharashtra, which alone could have considered the remission request. Appeal system overhaul among major Ultimately, we all Kaiser passes away are Hindus: DKS on changes planned for next arts festival K’taka’s Ram temple R ah u l R @Kollam The government is planning a complete overhaul of the school arts festival from next year. Speaking to TNIE on Monday, the final day of the 62nd Kerala School Kalolsavam in Kollam, Education Minister V Sivankutty hinted at major changes in the fest from next year, with a special f o c u s o n r ev i s i n g t h e appeal system and introducing independent supervision from the district to the state level. “A dedicated committee will be formed to prepare a draft, which will then be made public for feedback, particularly from those involved in various art forms. The draft will undergo further adjustments based on recommendations received, before being published again celebration move E x pre s s N e w s Ser v i c e @ T’Puram Participants and teachers from Kannur district, the winner of the 62nd State School Arts Festival, being presented the coveted gold cup. Ministers K N Balagopal and V Sivankutty, actor Mammootty and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan are also seen | Vincent Pulickal for finalisation,” Sivankutty said. The minister was highly critical of the existing appeal system, under which students had to wait for as long as 12 hours this time, owing to the flood of appeals. Terming the system “flawed”, Sivankutty said corrective steps will be taken. An expert committee will be established to reform the appeal process, with the possibility of enacting laws to support the reforms if necessary Sivankut, ● More on P4 ty said.  captured from wayanad Expert panel suggests releasing elephant PM-2 back into the wild E x pre s s N e w s Ser v i c e @Kochi An expert committee constituted by the Kerala High Court has suggested that the captured wild elephant PM-2 (Pandalur Makhna 2) — which had caused panic in Sultan Bathery last year — be released back into the forest. A report filed by the committee before the court stated that  forest officials in Wayanad were in a hurry to capture the animal and keep it in captivity . The tuskless male elephant, which strayed into human habitats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, was captured after a two-day long operation. It was tranquilized and transported to the elephant camp in Muthanga on PM-2 (Pandalur Makhna 2) at the Muthanga elephant camp | File pic January 9, 2023. The committee report stated that the exercise should be seen as an opportunity to rewild a captured elephant, after fitting a radio col- lar. “Adequate planning is necessary, followed by regular monitoring of elephant movements by the staff. Such a step would set precedence to protect elephants in their natural habitats and help in dealing with such issues in future,” the report said. The team visited the elephant camp at Muthanga, where PM2 is kept in captivity . According to the committee, PM 2 being a adult aged around 13, there is an opportunity to rewild the animal. Apprehension of harm to human settlements seems speculative as the elephant did not cause injury or killed any one during its presence in and around Sultan ● More on P4 Bathery it said. , Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and senior Congress leader D K ShivaKumar on Monday defended his government’s decision to hold special poojas on January 22 to celebrate consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. “Ultimately, we all are Hindus,” he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, while replying to a query on the Karnataka government’s decision. Sivakumar was in the state capital to take part in the N Ramachandran Foundation award ceremony. He pointed out that the Ram temple is not a private property “This . is a country where we believe in all religions, all castes and all gods. We respect the sentiments of the people,” he said. When asked about the Congress high command’s decision on participating in the consecration ceremony, Shivakumar said the central leadership will take a decision soon. He also blamed the BJP government for playing politics over Ayodhya. “They (BJP government) are picking and choosing the leaders. There are so many chief ministers and leaders in this country . It (Ram temple) is not a private property It . is a public property Every religion and sym. bol does not belong to any individual,” he said. To another question on BJP’s allegation that the Karnataka government has been indulging in minority appeasement, he said: “We (Karnataka government) have a minority department and a Hindu religious department,” he said. Karnataka’s Deputy CM D K Shivakumar touching the feet of BJP leader O Rajagopal during the N Ramachandran award presentation in Thiruvananthapuram. Shashi Tharoor, who received the award, looks on | B P Deepu German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup both as player and coach, has died. He was 78. P11 Round 1 of Cong, AAP talks positive P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi THE first formal seat-sharing talks among INDIA bloc parties kicked off on a positive note on Monday with the Congress and AAP deciding to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections together in Delhi and Punjab. Both parties termed the first round of talks ‘positive and fruitful’, and said they will meet again to finalise the pact. Sources said Monday’s meet was focused more on the nitty-gritties of the alliance in various states and the seatsharing formula is likely to be decided in subsequent meetings. The meeting was attended by Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, and the party’s National Alliance Committee (NAC) members Mukul Wasnik and Ashok Gehlot. The AAP delegation included Delhi cabinet ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak. Briefing the media after the meeting, Wasnik said deliberations were held on seat-sharing as well as other aspects of the upcoming elections, and they will come up with the final formula soon. “We had a very good meeting. Senior AAP leaders were sent for discussions with us on behalf of Arvind Kejriwal. The NAC formed by the Congress president held discussions with AAP leaders and a final decision will be taken later... Together we will contest the elections with vigorous preparation and defeat the BJP,” said Wasnik. AAP leader and Delhi minister Bhardwaj said: “We are absolutely positive that seats of INDIA bloc will be finalised soon”.