kochi l saturday l march 16, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 18 l late city EDITION competition panel to probe Google play store billing policy PIC: p RAVI KUMAR policies implemented are arbitrary Google announced that app developers offering digital content can offer alternative billing systems alongside its billing system. The updated policies of Google have been alleged to be discriminatory and unfair, which disrupt competition in the downstream app markets and continue to favour its own apps in the payment market, the CCI noted Google’s ‘User Choice Billing’ system offers an illusory choice for users to go for an alternative billing option next to its billing system, CCI said Section 4 of competition act violated ■ ■ Developers alleged that Google’s payment policies are impacting them and the payment processors. CCI said Play Store’s billing policies are in violation of Section 4 of the Competition Act On March 1, Google started removing apps from its Play Store for not paying platform fees. It later rolled back its decision 60 days time given to finish probe and file report on google’s practices 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 Modi launches BJP’s poll campaign in Kerala EXPRE S S NEW S S ERVICE @ Pathanamthitta Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday kick-started the BJP’s Lok Sabha election campaign in Kerala, accusing both the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF of being twofaced, but refraining from announcing any poll-eve sops. Speaking in Pathanamthitta, which houses the famous Sabarimala hill shrine, Modi began with the chant, “Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa”. He continued in Malayalam for two more sentences, reminding the audience that the BJP-led NDA was eyeing “over 400 seats this time” as thousands who had thronged the venue applauded in unison. Accusing successive LDF and UDF governments in Kerala of “corruption and mismanagement”, he said both the fronts inflicted a heavy financial burden on the state. The E X PRESS READ LS poll dates to be announced today New Delhi: The EC will announce the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls and some state assemblies today at 3pm. The term of the present LS ends on June 16 and the new House has to be constituted before that timeline. P9 Vizhinjam protests: 157 cases withdrawn T’Puram: In an evident political move ahead of the general elections, the state government has withdrawn 157 of the 199 cases registered in 2022 against people involved in protest against the construction of Vizhinjam port. P4 18 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express Prime Minister Narendra Modi having a chat with BJP candidate Anil Antony at the District Stadium in Pathanamthitta on Friday | SHAJI VETTIPURAM law and order situation in the state is deteriorating with each day, the prime minister said, adding that even Christian priests are not spared from violence. “Rubber farmers are troubled. Many college campuses have become hotspots of communist violence. Women, youth and every section of society are living in fear and those in the state government SBI must disclose unique codes of electoral bonds: Supreme Court 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 Friday asked the State Bank of India to reveal the unique alphanumberic codes of electoral bonds, which could be used to identify each donation and trace it to the political party that received it. Taking strong exception to SBI’s non-disclosure of this information, the five-judge Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud said SBI was duty-bound to hand over the full details of electoral bonds, including the unique numbers, to the Election Commission of In- dia as directed by the apex court in its March 11 order. The bench issued a notice to SBI to explain the reasons for not revealing the unique codes. The matter will be heard again on March 18, by when SBI should also file its reply . Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the petitioners, told the bench that its March 11 verdict was clear. “All the details had to be furnished by SBI,” he said. The ruling came while the apex court was hearing an urgent petition filed by the ECI on Thursday seeking return of the sealed covers containing data US State Department’s concern over CAA unwarranted, says MEA Y e s h i s e l i @ New Delhi India on Friday dismissed the US State Department’s concerns over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), whose rules have just been notified. On Thursday, State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller said the US is closely monitoring its implementation. “We are concer ned about the notification of the CAA on March 11. We are closely monitoring how this Act will be implemented. Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles,” he said. India’s foreign office bristled at the “misplaced, misinformed are sleeping peacefully,” he said. “In Kerala, the LDF and the UDF are apparently engaged in fighting each other. But they unite in Delhi. The Congress labels the Left government fascist, while the Communists criticise Congress for corruption. Yet, they join hands in the capital. Both parties have deceived Kerala. Kerala’s populace now sees through this deception,” Modi said. People are well aware of the power games the Congress and Left parties have played, often to the detriment of their states, Modi said. Consequently, once these parties lose power, people prevent their return. “The Congress last won elections in Tamil Nadu in 1962. Similarly, in UP, Gujarat and Bihar, it hasn’t won elections in the past four decades. In Odisha, Congress has been out of power for three decades,” said ● More on P4 Modi. and unwarranted” US concern, adding CAA is an internal matter of the country . “Lectures by those who have a limited understanding of India’s pluralistic traditions and the region’s post-Partition history are best not attempted. Partners and well-wishers of India should welcome the intent with which this step has been taken,’’ said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs caustically . India notified the CAA on Monday paving the way for grant of citizenship to undocumented Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhist, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who came into the country be- fore December 31, 2014. “The CAA is about giving citizenship, not about taking citizenship. It addresses the issue of statelessness, provides human dignity and supports human rights,’’ Jaiswal added. India has reiterated that the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all its citizens. There are no grounds for any concern on treatment of minorities. Vote bank politics should not determine views about a laudable initiative to help those in distress, he added. “The Citizenship Amendment Act is an internal matter of India and is in keeping with India’s inclusive traditions and our long-standing commitment to human rights,” Jaiswal said. submitted by political parties regarding bonds encashed by them. The poll body said it had deposited the data with Supreme Court registry in compliance with the court’s earlier orders. It needs the data back now to comply with the SC’s March 11 order to publish the full details on its website, it said. In response to the poll body’s application, the bench directed the Registrar (judicial) to return the original documents along with a copy in digital format to enable the ECI to upload the additional data on electoral bonds on its website. ED arrests BRS’ Kavitha after day-long Hyd raid Taken to Delhi for questioning in an excise policy scam case @ Hyderabad K avitha K a l va k u n t l a , daughter of BRS head and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Friday at her residence in Hyderabad in a money laundering case connected to the Delhi liquor scam after hours of searches. After her arrest at 5.20 pm under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, she was shifted by the ED to Delhi from the Shamshabad airport. Her legal team is expected to challenge the arrest in the Supreme Court on Saturday . The arrest came as a surprise and happened while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was holding a roadshow in the other end of the city . Twelve ED officials, including two women officers, carried out the searches at her residence and seized five mobile phones before arresting her. Her husband D R Anil Kumar was informed in person about the arrest. ED sources said around 6 pm, around 20 people including lawyers, a person who claimed he was Kavitha’s brother, and others entered the premises and created a ruckus. They did not produce any identity proof when asked and violated rules by entering the house without permission, they added. Kavitha’s brother and BRS working president K T Rama Rao, and her cousin and sen- Shaji was beaten up by SFI activists, allege dance trainers E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ Kochi Jomet Michael and Sooraj, who received anticipatory bail in the case relating to alleged bribery at the Kerala University arts festival, on Friday came out with serious charges against SFI. Jomet and Sooraj told reporters in Kochi that they had witnessed SFI activists assaulting P N Shaji, an arts festival judge who was found dead in his house in Mele Chovva, Kannur, on Wednesday evening. Shaji and the two dance trainers were booked following a complaint lodged by the festival organisers alleging that the judge had taken bribe to favour a team in the Margamkali competition. Shaji was later released on bail. According to Jomet, following the announcement of Margamkali results, Shaji was beaten up after being taken to a room ● More on P4 close to the Senate hall. Forest dept initiative Lawyers, profs among 2,400 certified snake rescuers S h a n A S @ T’Puram A lawyer by profession, Jayadevan J entertains two types of phone callers: Those who get in touch with him for legal advice and those who have sighted a snake and want it rescued. The first section forms his bread and butter, but Jayadevan pays equal attention to the second group as he is one of the 2,400 snake rescuers in the state trained and certified by the forest department. Since 2020, the department has been training those interested in rescuing snakes under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which bars such activity Saving slithering souls Number of snakes captured, over the years, across the state by rescuers trained by forest department Species King cobra Year 2021 2022 2023 54 81 82 Indian rock python 1,159 1,768 2,568 Spectacled cobra 1,537 2,797 3,428 Others 1,703 2,297 2,902 Total 4,453 6,943 8,980 by unauthorised persons. The initiative followed several untoward incidents during rescues by untrained persons. In the past four years, the department has trained over 4,000 people. Of these, those exhibiting extreme proficiency were deemed as certified rescuers. Among the 2,400-odd certified rescuers are more than 200 women, who regularly conduct rescue operations. As volunteers, these men and women stand out in their passion for handling snakes. “Snakes have fasci- Kejriwal’s bid to get out of ED case fails E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e nated me from childhood,” says Jayadevan. While studying kathakali at Kerala Kalamandalam, he was suspended from the hostel for rearing a snake. Most of the volunteers have similar interesting anecdotes. According to Y Mohammed Anwar, assistant conservator of forests and state nodal officer of the Sarpa (Snake Awareness Rescue and Protection) app, people from diverse backgrounds are opting for the training and enhanced public participation has increased the extent of rescue operations. ● More on P4 E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ New Delhi BRS leader K Kavitha after she was arrested in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam in Hyderabad | PTI ior party leader T Harish Rao entered the residence around the time of the arrest. Rama Rao had an argument with ED Deputy Director Bhanu Priya Meena and claimed the agency officials did not have a transit warrant to move her to Delhi. He also alleged that the ED had undermined its undertaking given to the Supreme Court. “You are in serious trouble,” he was heard telling the officials. Speaking to TNIE, Kavitha’s lawyer, P Mohith Rao said “the arrest is illegal, unwarranted and unconstitutional.” He said on September 16, 2023, when the SC was about to pass an order granting specific protection, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the ED, made a statement saying no action would be taken. The statement was sought to be retracted on Friday in the SC, he added. A day before he is due to personally appear before a local court in connection with the Enforcement Directorate’s complaint against him for skipping summons in an excise policy scam, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal got no relief from a sessions court on Friday . The court refused to stay the proceedings in the money laundering case filed by the ED. As for exemption from personal appearance in the matter, the judge directed Kejriwal to approach the metropolitan magistrate. Kejriwal had moved the sessions court against the order passed by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra asking him to appear before her on March 16. The ED had filed two complaints seeking the CM’s prosecution for skipping multiple summonses. The second one pertained to him not honouring summonses 4 to 8 sent under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Express Network Private Limited publishes thirty three E-paper editions of The New Indian Express newspaper , thirty two E-paper editions of Dinamani, one E-paper edition of The Morning Standard, one E-paper edition of Malayalam Vaarika magazine and one E-paper edition of the Indulge - The Morning Standard, Kolkatta.