YK MYK PANEL FOR RAISING RETIREMENT AGE OF HIGH COURT JUDGES TO 65 FOURTH T20I: ENGLAND'S PACE A BIG CHALLENGE FOR INDIA NATION SPORTS Rs. 3 KOLKATA THURSDAY, 18 MARCH, 2021 PG-12, YEAR—7, ISSUE—301 (RNI NO: WBENG / 2014 / 56803) Morning India Cancellation of 4Cr ration cards termed ‘serious’ by SC WEATHER TODAY MAX 36 C MIN 23 C Sky will be clear. AT A GLANCE CHHOTA RAJAN CONVICTED, SENTENCED TO 10 YRS IN ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE NEW DELHI: A special MCOCA court in Mumbai has convicted extradited gangster Rajendra Nikalje alias Chhota Rajan and six others of attempting to murder a real estate developer and sentenced them to 10 years rigorous imprisonment, an official said on Wednesday. A CBI spokesperson said that the Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Mumbai on Tuesday also slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh each on Rajan, who was extradited from Indonesia's Bali in 2015, his aides Kaushik Rajgour, Arvind aka Arnya Shinde, Sunil Kumar aka Piyush, Vilas Bharti, Prakash aka Pakya, Rohit aka Satish Kalia in the case of attempt to murder of developer Ajay Gosalia. PAGE 7 CHINESE INVESTOR EXITS KOO'S PARENT COMPANY Mamata Banerjee and her senior colleagues Subrata Mukherjee and Subrata Bakshi release the Trinamool Congress’ manifesto for the Prabir Bhattacharya Assembly elections at her Kalighat home office on Wednesday. (More reports on Page 3). Mamata releases TMC's poll manifesto Promises financial aid, 5 lakh jobs a year, free door-to-door ration delivery MI NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee released her party's manifesto for the West Bengal Assembly elections on Wednesday, promising a slew of schemes and measures that she would bring if her party is voted to power again. Mamata Banerjee promised her Government would decrease unemployment and generate 5 lakh employment opportunities in a year. "All of you are aware that since we came to power, we have fulfilled our promises 100 per cent. The work that we have done has already been hailed by the world. We have received awards from the United Nations. We are number one in providing 100days work. We have reduced poverty by 40 per cent and we have raised farmers' income CORONA METER INDIA TOTAL CASES: 1,14,38,846 TOTAL DEATH: 159,082 WORLD TOTAL CASES: 121,422,655 TOTAL DEATH: 2,684,806 RS 10,000 ANNUAL AID TO FARMERS : In its manifesto, the Trinamool Congress has also promised it will increase the annual financial aid that is provided to farmers. Mamata Banerjee said This is not a political manifesto. It is a development-oriented manifesto. This is a manifesto of the people, for the people, and by the people," Mamata Banerjee said. the aid will be increased from Rs 6,000 (present amount) to Rs 10,000 per acre per annum to all small and marginal farmers. CREDIT CARD FOR STUDENTS : For students pursuing higher education, she promised her Government will introduce a credit card of Rs 10 lakh limit. "Only 4 per cent interest will be charged on the amount," she said. "This is not a political manifesto. It is a development-oriented manifesto. This is a manifesto of the people, for the people, and by the people," Mamata Banerjee said. TMC MANIFESTO FOURTH TIME LUCKY : The Trinamool Congress (TMC) released its manifesto for the West Bengal Assembly elections on the fourth date it scheduled in the past eight days. The TMC had initially announced it would release its manifesto for the Bengal election on March 9. But it deferred its release a day before the schedule. She had announced that the TMC's manifesto for Bengal polls would be released on Maha Shivaratri, March 11, in a bid to counter the BJP's charge of Muslim appeasement and an attempt to reach out to Hindu voters. However, the March 11 schedule had to be postponed as Mamata Banerjee got injured a day before during campaigning in Nandigram. She had to be admitted to a hospital in Kolkata, where her left leg was plastered. The next date for manifesto release was scheduled on March 14. Mamata Banerjee had come out of the hospital and had to use a wheelchair to continue her election campaign. But the March 14release of the TMC manifesto was also deferred. The TMC did not offer any reason for its decision to postpone manifesto release for the third time. The party later said the Bengal election manifesto would be released on March 17. Caste compulsions in Mamata’s manifesto SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE NEW DELHI: Existing investors, along with a few prominent Indians, have bought out Chinese venture capital firm Shunwei Capital's minority stake in Twitter's homegrown rival Koo's parent company Bombinate Technologies. by three times," Mamata Banerjee claimed while addressing a press conference in Kolkata. GUARANTEED ANNUAL FINANCIAL HELP FOR POOR In an attempt to woo the economically marginalised sections of society, Mamata Banerjee promised her Government would provide free door-to-door ration delivery. She also announced a guaranteed annual financial assistance for the poor. Under this scheme, general caste beneficiaries would get an ensured annual financial assistance of Rs 6,000. For the backward community, the amount would be Rs 12,000. NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought reply from Centre and states, on a plea alleging cancellation of nearly four crore ration cards, in the absence of linkages with the Aadhaar card. A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian said: "The matter is too serious. We have to hear it." The observation came on a plea filed by Koili Devi, mother of an 11-year-old girl, who allegedly died of starvation on September 28, 2017. The top court noted that this matter should not be treated as adversarial. "Insistence on Aadhar and biometric authentication had led to the cancellation of nearly 4 crore ration cards in the country according to the Union of India. The Union of India casually gives an explanation that these cancelled cards were bogus," said the plea. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing the petitioner, said the matter deals with a larger issue. The bench told him that the relief sought is very omnibus and widened the scope of the matter. Gonsalves argued that more than three crore ration cards were cancelled at central level, and as many as 10 to 15 lakh cards are cancelled at each state level. "The real reason is that the technological system based on iris identification, thumb prints, possession of Aadhar, functioning of the Internet in rural and remote areas etc. led to large scale cancellation of ration cards without notice to the family concerned," KOLKATA: While the Trinamool manifesto, expectedly, puts emphasis on social sector reforms, the most interesting is perhaps the emphasis on pro-active measures for accelerated development of communities or geographic regions. Mamata Banerjee, in her manifesto, promised the setting up of a Special Task Force (STF) to examine and propose OBC status to all the communities who are not currently recognised as OBCs like Mahisyas, Tili, Tamul, Sahas, but were part of the recommended list of OBC communities in the Mandal Commission report. “We will aggressively follow up with the Government of India on our recommendation to grant ST status to the Mahato community. Expeditious disposal of the long-pending demand of Kisan Jatis to be recognised as STs who are living in parts of the Malda region. For Mahishyas, who form a substantial chunk of the population in the Purba Medinipur district, will be the most significant addition to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Mamata is herself contesting the Nandigram seat from the district, which the community dominates holistic development and upliftment of the people of Tarai-Dooars region, a special Development Board will be formed which will have proportional representation from all communities of the area,” the manifesto details. The proposal to include four key caste groups under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, is significant in the context of Mamata Banerjee’s electoral fortunes in the Assembly polls. Mahishyas, who form a substantial chunk of the population inthe Purba Medinipur district, will be the most significant addition. Mamata is herself contesting the Nandigram seat from the district, which the community dominates. In its manifesto, the TMC promised OBC status to Mahishyas along with few other caste groups who were part of the list recommended by the Mandal Commission for inclusion as OBCs. Some of the other casts include Tamul, Saha and Tili. Mamata’s big OBC push comes at a time when a large section of Hindu OBCs, especially in the Jungalmahal region have thrown their weight behind the BJP, evident from the 2019 Lok Sabha poll results. Soon after coming to power, Mamata in her very first term,had passed a key legislation providing 17 per cent reservation for OtherBackward Classes (OBCs) in Government jobs. The West Bengal Backward Classes (other than SC and ST)(Reservation of Vacancies in Services and Posts) Bill, 2012, had paved the way for OBC reservation in two different categories More Backward (Category A) and Backward (Category B). According to data from the Backward Classes Welfare Department, more than 37 lakh OBC certificates have been given by the Mamata Banerjee Government since 2011, with the recently concluded "Duare Sarkar" campaign expediting the process further. Experts say, Mahishyas (also called Kaibartas) are an influential caste group dominant in Purba Medinipur and has a substantial presence in districts like Howrah, Hooghly, South and North 24-Parganas and can be a significant factor in at least 50 seats in south Bengal. “Mahishyas were the backbone of the nationalist movement in undivided Medinipur. Class-wise they are extremely heterogeneous. While there is a literate, enlightened middle class, a large section of Mahishyas also comprise small-scale peasants and landless agricultural labourers,” explains Professor Biswanath Chakraborty of Rabindra Bharati University who has spent many years studying the community. Some of the eminent members of the community include freedom fighters like Birendra Nath Sasmal, Satish Samanta, Sushil Dhara and Rani Rashmoni, who established the famous Dakshineswar temple. Experts say, the Mahishya population has grown manifold since the last available figure of 25 lakh during the 1921 census. At the height of colonial rule, the Mahisyas – led by Birendra Nath Sasmal – had willingly opted out of the British classification as “depressed classes”, say experts. In Independent India, the same classification gave way to “Scheduled Caste” reservation. “Class-wise Mahishyas are a widely distributed community with an influential elite, therefore a crisis emerged when a large majority of them began seeking benefits of reservation. There has been simmering discontent among the lower-class Mahishyays for long,” Chakraborty explained. GOVERNMENT TO ANNOUNCE FORENSIC STANDARDS NEW DELHI: The government will shortly announce forensic standards based on Institute of Chartered Accountants recommendations, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs will notify on the lines of the Accounting Standards, the Forensic Standards and this will be applicable to all auditors who are doing forensic accounting at the behest of banks for complying to various RBI circulars on NonCooperative Borrowers, Willful Defaulters and Fraud Classification. Also, IBBI the bankruptcy board will also use such standards for the purpose of IBC related forensic audits. There are hundreds of cases across various courts in India on this subject filed by borrowers, companies and individuals. A December 10, 2020 Telangana High Court Division Bench order (in the case of SBI & others Vs. Mr. Rajrsh Agarwal & others) which held that the declaration of an account as ‘fraud' as per the RBI's circular on Fraud Classification by banks without following the principles of natural justice, is arbitrary and illegal, has been challenged by SBI and other banks before the Supreme Court. It is understood that the RBI is also in the process of filing an appeal against the said order of the Telangana High Court. The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Nariman is to hear this matter on March 26, 2021. The Supreme Court in 2019 WHAT IT MEANS? The government will shortly announce forensic standards based on Institute of Chartered Accountants recommendations, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs will notify on the lines of the Accounting Standards, the Forensic Standards This will be applicable to all auditors who are doing forensic in an order by Justice Nariman has required banks to follow the principles of natural justice while seeking to classify an account as a ‘willful defaulter' as per the RBI issued circular on accounting at the behest of banks for complying to various RBI circulars on NonCooperative Borrowers, Willful Defaulters and Fraud Classification. There are hundreds of cases across various courts in India on this subject filed by borrowers, companies and individuals. Willful Defaulters in 2015. The Supreme Court's order in SBI's appeal on March 26, 2021 is expected to directly affect all these pending cases across India. Banks generally declare an account as ‘willful defaulter' or ‘fraud' based on a report of a forensic auditor appointed by the banks. However, as of today, there are no prescribed forensic standards which mandate or guide how an auditor is required to approach any particular set of transactions before it. In an effort to provide clarity in this respect, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India is shortly seeking to introduce a set of forensic accounting standards which would need to be applied to evaluate and investigate the transactions in question. While it is expected that such standards set out by the ICAI would provide guidance on the In an effort to provide clarity in this respect, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India is shortly seeking to introduce a set of forensic accounting standards which would need to be applied to evaluate and investigate the transactions in question. path forward, the validity of existing forensic reports which do not follow any set methodology or standard, is unclear. Consequently, the actions of the banks to rely on such forensic reports while declaring the account as ‘fraud' would also need to be revisited. the plea argued. Additional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi, representing the Union government, termed the plea as misconceived. Lekhi contended there was grievance redressal mechanism under the Food Security Act and if Aadhaar is not available alternate documents can be submitted. "We have clearly said Aadhaar or no Aadhaar, nobody will be denied right to food," submitted Lekhi. The court issued notice to the Centre and sought its reply within four weeks in the petition pending since 2018. Gonsalves cited situations where fingerprints or iris scanner did not work in tribal areas. "Not a single State has appointed Independent Nodal Officers under section 14 or District Grievance Redressal Officer under section 15. All the States have mechanically granted additional designations to existing officers. In many cases the officers given additional designations are from the Food Supply Department and they are the main persons responsible for corruption in the food distribution system," added the plea INSIDE TERROR INCIDENTS, INFILTRATION REDUCED BUT CEASEFIRE VIOLATION INCREASED IN LAST THREE YEARS: MHA PAGE 5 Mann ki Baat violates poll code, Mamata tells EC KOLKATA: To counter the Election Commission's (EC) reservation against the “free ration at doorstep” scheme of the Bengal Government ahead of the Assembly polls, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' program was not a violation of Model Code of Conduct in place. "Why do not they (EC) ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to go for publicity regarding the vaccine? While through “Mann ki Baat” everything is going on. Why is not the EC taking action against them? The “Duare Sarkar” is an ongoing welfare programme. We are running the programme for the last three months. If we are expanding this, what is the harm?" said the Chief Minister while replying during a press conference. Mamata's remark comes against the backdrop of the Election Commission seeking a report from the Purulia District Magistrate over the announcement of providing ration at doorstep. "The Election Commission is being guided by the Bharatiya Janata