The Edit Page: Bihar shows old Opposition to BJP getting eased out, new Opposition not in sight 10 FrIDAY, NOVEMBEr 21, 2025 JournalisM of Courage mumbAI, lATE cITy, 18 PAGES ₹5.00 l www.indianexpress.com dA I ly f r o m : A h m E dA b A d , c h A n d I GA r h , d E l h I , J A I P u r , ko l k ATA , lu c k n o w , m u m b A I , n AG P u r , PAT n A , P u n E , vA d o dA r A reg.no. MCs/067/2018 - 20 rni regn. no. 1543/57 Happening today lPrime minister narendra modi leaves for Johannesburg to attend the G20 summit. lthe ashes begins in Perth at 7.50 am IST. An ageing, understrength Australia will defend their home record as an optimistic England look to claim the biggest prize on Australian soil. ansWering PresidentiaL reFerenCe, ConstitUtion benCh disagrees With earLier verdiCt No timelines for President and Governors on Bill: Supreme Court Long inaction by Governor on Bill can invite limited judicial scrutiny: Bench ananthakrishnan g New Delhi, November 20 UndeRlInInG ThaT “the role of the President in protecting and defending the Constitution–inbindingtheUnionas a cohesive unit – is crucial,” a five-judge Constitution Bench Thursday said that no timeline can be fixed for the President and Governors to act on Bills passed by state legislatures although “inaction that is prolonged, unexplained and 21/11/2025 106 134 166 90 indefinite” by the Governor “will certainly invite limited judicial scrutiny”. The Bench, comprising ChiefJusticeofIndiaBRGavai, Justices surya Kant, Vikram nath, P s narasimha and a s Chandurkar, redefining the Governor’spowerunderarticle 200 to deal with state Bills, also said that the Governor is not bound to give assent to a Bill even when it is presented to him by the legislature for a second time with or without any »ContinUed on Page 2 FLags seParation oF PoWers Apex court draws red line for itself, but keeps option to push it apurva vishwanath New Delhi, November 20 The sUPReMe Court rolled back the timelines and directives for the Governor and President but by holding the door open for states to move the court against a Governor delaying the legislative process, the apex court seeks to strike a balance in the separ- ation of powers. Its opinion, in its advisory jurisdiction, flags that its role is limited to “glaring circumstances”. “The discharge of the Governor’s function under article 200, is not justiciable. The Court cannot enter into a meritsreviewofthedecision so taken. however, in glaring circumstances of inaction that is prolonged, un- E. explained,andindefinite—the Court can issue a limited mandamus for the Governor to discharge his function under article 200 within a reasonable time period, without making any observations on the merits »ContinUed on Page 2 related reports, p 8 explained, p 13 the edit page, p 10 Maharashtra officials should ‘stand and greet MP or MLA’, use polite language: Govt vallabh ozarkar Mumbai, November 20 TheMahaRashTRagovernment on Thursday issued a circular with a code of conduct for officialstodealwithelectedrepresentatives, such as — “stand up when an MP or Mla arrives in office”. It also lays down normsonbehaviour,communication, meetings, government events and response timelines. The government resolution (GR), issued by the General administration department, states that officers at every level, from the Mantralaya to districtandtalukaoffices,must extend full courtesy to public representatives. whenmembersofthelegislature or Parliament arrive in officeandwhentheyleaveafter the meeting, the officers shall stand and greet them. The government has warned that any delay, negligence or failure to follow the new protocol, will invite action under the Maharashtra Civil servicesRulesandthe2005law meant to preventdelays in government work. Thegovernmenthasalsoreminded officials to maintain polite language during phone callsandavoid“discourteousor disrespectful” conduct. »ContinUed on Page 2 over $90-miLLion deaL red Fort bLast-Linked terror modULe Nitish back as CM, his Cabinet blends Foreign handler ‘shared 42 US clears sale of Excalibur shells, Javelin missile systems to India old and new, seeks bomb-making videos with Economy to balance caste doctor on encrypted apps’ U.s. sAnctions amrita nayak dutta New Delhi, November 20 26 ministers also take oath; BJP’s Samrat and Sinha remain Dy CMs EXPRESS exclusive Johnson ta Officials probe if handlers had role in similar DIY bombings in recent times Bengaluru, November 20 Bihar CM nitish Kumar and pM narendra Modi during the oath-taking ceremony at gandhi Maidan in patna on thursday. PTI santosh singh Business as Usual Patna, November 20 Jd(U)ChIeFnitishKumarwas sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister for a record 10th time along with 26 ministers at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Thursday, days after the nda stormed back to power in the state. Theceremonywasattended by Prime Minister narendra Modi, Union home Minister amit shah, BJP national presidentJPnaddaandtheCMsof11 nda-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh CM yogi adityanathandandhraPradeshCMn Chandrababu naidu. during the event, the PM bowed to the audience thrice and waved his gamchha (towel). In a post on X, he said: “Congratulations to shri nitish Kumar Ji on taking oath as Bihar’s Chief Minister. he is an By EP UNNY one oF three alleged foreign handlers linked to the doctors from Faridabad’s al Falah Medical College, who are accused in the Red Fort blastlinked terror module, sent 42 videos on making bombs via encrypted apps to Muzammil ahmad Ganai, one of the arrested doctors, investigators have told The Indian Express. Ganai was a colleague and associate of Umar nabi, 36, who carried out a blast. The roles and identities of thehandlers,whoinvestigators believe helped the module buildabombandnudgedthem on the path of a suicide attack, are now being scrutinised by security agencies for overlaps withincidentsinvolvingasimilar modus operandi of do-ityourself (dIy) bombings in India in recent times, said sources in Karnataka familiar with the delhi probe. The three handlers in the delhi casehavebeen identified »ContinUed on Page 2 express news service Mumbai, November 20 terror module accused, produced at delhi’s patiala house Courts thursday, were sent to nia custody for 10 days. TAShI TobGyAl Kashmir Times raided, police say gun, bullets found; owners allege ‘bid to silence’ press arun sharma Jammu, November 20 The sTaTe Investigation agency (sIa) of J&K on Thursday said it had raided the office in Jammu of Kashmir Times — one of the oldest english news- paperhousesintheregion—as partofitsprobeinacaseagainst the organisation for its alleged “involvement in criminal conspiracy with secessionist and other anti-national entities”. Following the searches, »ContinUed on Page 2 »ContinUed on Page 2 related report, p 9 Student’s suicide: Top Delhi school suspends four of staff, govt to probe Upasika singhal & alok singh New Delhi, November 20 Two days after a Class 10 student from delhi's st Columba’s school jumped to his death at the Rajendra Place metro station, with his family alleging later that he faced harassment from teachers, the institution placed four members of its teaching staff under suspension. The delhi government also set up a “high-level” com- mittee to probe the incident. an official order, issued by the school’s principal Robert Fernandes, stated that the action against three teachers and a headmistress followed the registration of an FIR in the »ContinUed on Page 2 l negleCt Blights BanKiM Chandra Chattopadhyay’s ‘BaithaKKhana’ where he wrote national song Vande Mataram birthplace fights for survival: Damp walls, crammed rooms & fund crunch ravik bhattacharya Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s ‘Baithakkhana’ — the three-room parlour where the In one corner of the Bankim 19th-century novelist, poet, esBhavanGaveshanaKendraMu- sayist and journalist wrote seum — some 45 km from Kol- Vande Mataram, which marks kata — a bronze bust, a hand- its 150th anniversary this year. written music book, But as political PagE 1 a shawl and a turban parties wage a credit compete for space in war, pitting the poet a pastel-blue room against Rabindralined with family photographs. nath Tagore, the Baithakkhana This red-and-beige, single- fights another battle — that storeyed building with shi- against government neglect khara domes and arched door- and public apathy. signs of this ways in Kantalpara, naihati, is appear everywhere: the walls loom, RUssiAn oil loAdinG foR indiA hAlvEs ThedefencesecurityCooperationagency,intwoseparate statements, said the state department has made a determination approving a possible ForeignMilitarysaletoIndiaof excalibur Projectiles and related equipment at an estimated cost of $47.1 million and of the Javelin Missile system andrelatedequipmentatanestimated cost of $45.7 million. The defence security »ContinUed on Page 2 Death of student following sit-ups: Teacher of Vasai school arrested FULL REPORT On WWW.InDIAnEXPRESS.COM experienced administrator with a proven track record of good governance for many years.Mybestwishestohimfor his tenure ahead.” The Us has approved the sale of excalibur guided artillery projectiles and the anti-tank Javelin missile system and related equipment worth over $90 million to India, marking a significant step forward for delhi’s big-ticket military procurements from washington. PAGE 15 Naihati, Kolkata, Nov 20 anchor PArThA PAul Bankim Bhavan gaveshana Kendra Museum in north 24 parganas marked by seepage, the poor lighting, and the absence of air conditioning. The staff cite lack of finances and manpower. The museum depends on the state governmentforupkeep,andofficials say it needs urgent repairs but funds are scarce. “It’s true that the rooms where Chattopadhyay’s personal items are kept — including original pictures of his family — need upkeep,” Ratan Kumar nandi, director of the »ContinUed on Page 2 PolICe on wednesday arrested a teacher of a Vasai school after a Class 6 student, whomsheallegedlymadetodo sit-ups for coming late to school, died on november 15. a police officer said that Mamta yadav, the teacher, was arrested under the charges of charges of culpable homicide and cruelty to a child. “she was produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody,” the officer fromValivpolicestationadded. The incident happened on november 8 when a group of »ContinUed on Page 2