03052026-TTB-03.qxd 5/3/2026 12:02 AM Page 1 c m y b 123 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 121 | 20 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA MP AMRITPAL’S TRIAL IN AJNALA CLASH CASE BEGINS PUNJAB /thetribunechd 3 DEAD, 2 INJURED IN BRIDGE COLLAPSE; CM ORDERS PROBE J&K A TRIBUTE TO MARIO MIRANDA ON HIS BIRTH CENTENARY SPECTRUM PRASOON APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF PRASAR BHARTI BACK PAGE sunday | 3 may 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Pb cops ‘lodge 2 FIRs’ against Govt opens up insurance sector, allows 100% foreign ownership Pathak days after MP quits AAP Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service High drama in Delhi as he evades arrest| BJP cries vendetta Tribune News Service Chandigarh/new Delhi, May 2 Days after Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), along with six other MPs, and joined the BJP the Punjab , Police have reportedly registered two FIRs against him. The ruling party in the state had selectively released information about the MP being booked in the morning, saying the FIRs had been registered under nonbailable sections. No further details have been disclosed by the police so far, though sources in the state government early on Saturday morning said Pathak would be arrested “very soon”. Later, BJP leaders also claimed that the government had registered FIRs against Pathak. As the news spread, it was reported that a team of the Punjab Police had reached the Delhi residence of the MP in the morning. However, before they could reach him, he left his residence. In a video, Pathak was purportedly seen leaving his house from the rear lane in a car and refused to comment Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, who recently quit AAP to join the BJP, leaves his residence shortly before a Punjab Police team arrived following the registration of two FIRs, in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI when journalists sought his reaction. He later said he was not aware of any FIR being registered against him. This prompted the Delhi Police to tighten security arrangements around Pathak’s residence. They deployed their personnel and the area around his house was barricaded as a precautionary measure. The developments drew sharp reactions from opposition parties in Punjab, with state BJP president Sunil Jakhar calling it an attempt by the AAP government to browbeat Opposition leaders. He said the BJP was not intimidated by the FIRs filed by the Punjab Police, claiming that these actions “are meant to divert attention from CM Bhagwant Mann’s alleged conduct of arriving in the Assembly in an inebriated state on Friday”, a charge vehemently denied by the ruling party. Jakhar said the party would oppose any form of “political vendetta”. On the FIRs, he said he did not have complete details. “I have learnt that one is regarding giving a threat to someone and another is about corruption charges,” he said. New Delhi, May 2 In a move that will allow foreign investors to fully own Indian insurers, the Centre on Saturday formally notified 100 per cent foreign direct investment in Indian insurance companies through the automatic route. The decision has been formalised by way of the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026, published in an extraordinary edition of the Gazette of India today. Under the revised framework, three distinct categories have been created for foreign investment in insurance. Private insurance companies are now open to 100 per cent foreign investment through the automatic route. This means a foreign company can own an Indian insurance firm entirely without seeking prior approval from the government — though the investment will remain subject to approval and verification by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). However, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the state-owned insurance major, has been ring-fenced INFLOWS IN LIC CAPPED AT 20% n Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the stateowned insurance major, has been placed in a more restricted category, with FDI capped at 20% through the automatic route n It has also been mandated that any Indian insurance firm that receives FDI must have an Indian citizen at one of the top posts — board chairman, managing director or CEO but not excluded from the big reform. LIC has been placed in a separate and more restricted category. Foreign investment in LIC is capped at 20 per cent through the automatic route. The government has made clear that LIC will continue to be governed by the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956, and the applicable provisions of the Insurance Act, 1938. This reflects the political and policy sensitivity around the institution which manages the savings of hundreds of millions of ordinary Indians. The amendments create a new segment of insurance intermediaries, a wide category covering insurance brokers, reinsurance brokers, insurance consultants, corporate agents, third party administrators, surveyors, loss assessors and managing general agents. They are all also now eligible for 100 per cent FDI through the automatic route. FDI through the automatic route means a foreign company or investor interested in putting money into an Indian insurance firm does not need to first seek permission from the government or the Reserve Bank of India. The investment can proceed directly — though it must subsequently be verified and approved by IRDAI, and the investing company must meet the conditions laid down in the notification. Automatic route is distinct from the government route under which continued on page 6 4 HP teachers die as tree falls on vehicle MANDI: Four women teachers were killed and three injured after a pine tree fell on a moving vehicle during a sudden storm in the Ani subdivision of Kullu on Saturday evening. The accident occurred on the Shamsher-Gugra road near Bali-Kol when strong winds uprooted a large tree, which crashed onto a Bolero. Due to the impact, the vehicle plunged off the road. INSIDE Judicial officer dies by suicide in Delhi NEW DELHI: A 30-year-old judicial officer was found dead at his residence in Green Park, South Delhi, on Saturday. The deceased has been identified as Aman Kumar Sharma, who was serving as the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority at Karkardooma courts. Initial findings suggested that he died by suicide. — TNS HC imposes ~2L cost on Army Chief, Defence Secy for pension delay Canada spy report flags Indian ‘interference’ on its soil, Khalistani threat Bhartesh Singh Thakur Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 2 The Punjab and Haryana High Court has imposed a cost of Rs 2 lakh on Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi for the delay in granting disability pension to a retired Major who underwent 24 surgeries and suffered a kidney ailment during his service. A resident of Pune, Major Rajdeep Dinkar Pandere (retd) was commissioned in the Army on September 15, 2012, in a physically fit condition. He was posted with 4 Ladakh Scouts in Leh and got field, peace, special action group and high-altitude postings. In June 2017, he suffered a medical problem while on military duty. He was brought before the Sick Leave Medical Board at the Delhi Cantonment Base Hospital and diagnosed with cystitis cystica glandularis. Major Pandere underwent surgery and was placed in a “low medical category” on September 19, 2017. Thereafter, he was brought before the Categorisation Medical Board six times. He was brought before the Release Medical Board on September 2, 2022, at the Western Command Hospital in Chandimandir (Panchkula) and recommended for release in the low medical category. However, his disability—assessed at 15 per cent for life—was opined as neither attributable to nor aggravated by military service, and no reasons were cited. He was released from the Army on September 14, 2022, after 10 years of service. His request for disability pen- Ujwal Jalali Plea by retd Major who underwent 24 surgeries sion was rejected vide letter dated November 23, 2022. The Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) at Chandimandir observed, in its order dated October 10, 2024, that Major Pandere was examined by the Categorisation Medical Board and the Recategorisation Medical Board several times, and that he was operated upon time and again and the disability was attributable to military service every time. “We failed to understand what parameter was adopted by the Release Medical Board for assessing the disability at 15 per cent for life and to declare the disability of the applicant as neither attributable to nor aggravated by military service at the time of release from service,” the Bench said. The Tribunal ordered that as per the Guide to Medical Officers (Military Pensions), 2008, the disability percentage be considered 40 per cent as the serum creatinine was 1.13 mg, thereby holding Major Pandere entitled to a disability pension. The disability percentage was “rounded off” from 40 per cent to 50 per cent (as per the Supreme Court guidelines) for life, effective July 1, 2022. On July 28, 2025, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed the Union of India’s writ against the Tribunal’s order, stating that Major Pandere’s entitlement to disability pension “cannot be doubted”. Major Pandere also filed a civil writ petition before the continued on page 6 Security personnel guard a strongroom ahead of the counting of votes for the West Bengal Assembly elections in Kolkata on Saturday. PTI SC no to TMC plea against central staff for counting Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 2 The Supreme Court on Saturday refused to pass any orders on the TMC’s petition against appointment of central employees as supervisors during counting of votes scheduled on May 4 after the Election Commission assured that its circular on the issue would be followed in letter and spirit. “No further orders are necessary except to reiterate the 87% TURNOUT IN REPOLL AT 15 BOOTHS Repolling in 15 booths of two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district concluded at 6 pm on Saturday, with around 87% turnout recorded an hour before the close of voting, an official said. Polling was more or less peaceful. statement of DS Naidu (senior counsel representing the EC) that the circular dated April 13, 2026, will be implemented in letter and spirit,” a Bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said. The top court made it clear that the Election Commis- sion could choose counting personnel and its April 13 circular – which provided for a mix of central and state government employees – could not be said to be incorrect. Polling for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly was held in two phases on April 23 and April 29 and the counting of votes is scheduled to take place on May 4. In a special sitting on Saturday, the Bench took up the TMC challenging the against the Calcutta High Court’s April 30 order dismissing its petition against the Chief Electoral Officer’s decision to deploy central government employees as counting supervisors. On behalf of the TMC, senior advocate Kapil Sibal questioned the legality continued on page 6 New Delhi, May 2 Canada’s intelligence agency has named India among countries engaged in foreign interference and espionage activities on its soil, even as Ottawa’s top police official had two months back said there was no current evidence linking Indian entities to clandestine operations. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), in its ‘Public Report 2025’, has also acknowledged the threat posed to the country by extremist Khalistani elements. The CSIS has listed India alongside China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan as the principal state actors involved in interference and espionage activities targeting Canada. Detailing India-specific concerns, the agency alleged that New Delhi had “historically” sought to cultivate covert relationships with Canadian politicians, journalists and members of the Indo-Canadi- an community to advance its strategic interests. It also pointed to instances of “transnational repression”, including surveillance and coercive tactics aimed at suppressing criticism of the Indian Government. The CSIS has linked such concerns to the presence in Canada of supporters of the Khalistan separatist movement, noting that India viewed the issue through the lens of domestic security. “Given the presence in Canada of supporters of the Khalistan separatist movement, Canada must remain vigilant regarding potential transnational repression activities,” an excerpt from the report read. However, at the same time, the report underlined that advocacy for Khalistan also remained “lawful political activity” within Canada. The report also revisited the threat of politically motivated violent extremism, recalling the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing—the deadliest continued on page 6 Phones buzz as govt tests HP cops fastest to respond, Chandigarh fourth disaster alert mechanism Tribune News Service Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 2 Millions of mobile phones across India blared loud, alarm-like tones on Saturday as the government carried out a nationwide trial of its new emergency alert mechanism, briefly unsettling users before authorities clarified it was only a drill. The exercise marked the formal rollout of the cell broadcast system (CBS), an Pop-up message, loud beep trigger confusion indigenous, telecom-enabled public warning platform designed to deliver near realtime alerts during disasters such as earthquakes, floods and industrial hazards. The alerts, labelled “extremely severe”, appeared as pop-up messages accompanied by a piercing tone that overrode continued on page 6 Shimla, May 2 The Himachal Pradesh Police have secured the first rank in the country for average response time in the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) during April. The state recorded an average response time of 3 minutes and 36 seconds, the fastest in the country. It also logged an average call-taker response time of 2 minutes and 1 second, and an average dispatcher response time of 12 Today’s issue is of 20 pages, including six-page Spectrum. c m y b EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIME OF POLICE 3.36 min Himachal Pradesh 4.36 min Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu seconds. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Police ranked second with an average response time of 4 5 min Lakshadweep 5.8 min Chandigarh minutes and 36 seconds, followed by Lakshadweep Police at 5 minutes. The Chandigarh Police stood fourth with an average response time of 5 minutes and 8 seconds. Himachal Pradesh DGP Ashok Tewari said the achievement set a new benchmark in responsiveness. The ERSS rankings, conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, assess average response time for emergency calls made to 112. The system was launched nationwide in 2018, with Himachal being the first state to implement it. The rankings evaluate police forces across states on emergency response time and service efficiency.