The editorial Page: sC has nurtured environmental law. is it distancing itself from its legacy? 10 FRIDAY, AUgUSt 14, 2026 Journalism of Courage KolKATA, lATE CITy, 20 PAgES ₹6.00 (₹12 in North East states, ₹20 in Andaman) 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 , l u 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 Happening today lElEction will be held for Karnataka Assembly Speaker and Council Chairperson. Track These and more on www.indianexpress.com Business as Usual By EP UNNY FADnAViS oRDERS PRoBE express special Kirpan attack on Sukhbir in Maharashtra, assailant held the other jharkhand story: they fought odds, cleared prelims, but exam got cancelled Over 2,000 who cleared JPSC Combined Civil Services prelims have to start over Shubham tigga Ranchi, August 13 inside Pages 5, 7 eminent histoRian sUmit saRkaR dies at 87 meloni jiBe at RahUl event as he mocks modi; BjP hits Back THe JHARKHANd government’s decision to cancel the 14th JPSC Combined Civil Services examination is being countedasawinbyprotestersin Ranchi. But for over 2,200 candidateswhohadclearedtheprelims, the August 9 announcement spells a setback many say they may not recover from. TheIndianExpressspoke to eight such aspirants — from an engineer who gave up a job, to an Adivasi woman who took time out from helping her father at work, to a wheelchairbound aspirant who spent Stormy Monsoon Session ends nda and opposition mPs protest at Parliament on the last day of the monsoon session, Thursday. Both houses passed 12 Bills during the session. PTI rePorTs, Page 8 candidates who cleared prelims protest in ranchi. ShubhAm TIggA years preparing — who said that while they support strict action on paper leaks, cancelling an exam without a thorough probe defies logic. »continUED on PAGE 2 Protest against CJI: Bar Council blackballs NALSAR graduates, then rolls back order Amaal Sheikh New Delhi, August 13 HoURS AFTeR it directed all state bar councils not to enrol any 2026 graduate from the NALSAR(NationalAcademyof Legal Studies and Research) University of Law, Hyderabad, asanadvocateuntilfurthernotice, the Bar Council of India (BCI)onThursdaywithdrewits directive. Thecontroversystemsfrom a campaign by around 450 NALSAR students against in- viting Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for the university's convocation. “After thorough discussion, the members are of the unanimous view that as per the latest report, vast majority of the »continUED on PAGE 2 Bengal govt withdraws civilian honour from BJP MP amid Netaji remarks row Banga Bibhushan withdrawn from Rajya Sabha MP Ananta Maharaj Sweety Kumari Kolkata, August 13 A dAy after Chief Minister SuvenduAdhikariwarnedagainst derogatory remarks on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the governmentonThursdaywithdrew and annulled the Banga Bibhushan award conferred to BJP Rajya Sabha MP Nagendra Ray, popularly known as Ananta Maharaj. The order, issued by the Information and Cultural Affairs department on Thursday, said the decision would take effect immediately. Ray was conferred the state’s highest civilian honour by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee on February 21, 2026 during an International Mother Language day ceremony in Kolkata. The governmentsaidtheawardrecognised “distinguished and exemplary contributions” to the state and its people and carried “a high degree of dignity, prestige, and institutional purpose”. The order said that after the award was conferred, “certain facts and circumstances” came to the government’s notice which were considered serious enough to raise questions about Ray’s continued retention of the honour. “Upon such consideration, the competent authority is satisfied that the continued retentionoftheBangaBibhushanby NagendraRayaliasAnantaMaharaj is inconsistent with the dignity,prestigeandpurposeof the honour,” the order read. The government has directed that Ray’s name be removed from official lists of »continUED on PAGE 2 Kolkata akali dal chief sukhbir singh Badal in nanded district, Thursday. PTI SAD chief sustains hand injury after he is attacked by man dressed as a Nihang Express news Service Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, August 13 SHIRoMANI AKALI dal presidentandformerPunjabdeputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh BadalwasinjuredThursdayina kirpan attack by a man dressed as a Nihang at a gurdwara in Nanded in Maharashtra. Sixty-four-year-old Badal sustained a hand injury and was taken to a local hospital for treatment — he was seen step- ping out of a car with a cloth wrapped around his right hand.HewasattackedatGurdwara Mata Sahib devan Ji, Mugat in Nanded. His alleged assailant, identified by police as 62-year-old JaspalSinghfromPune,wasarrested. MaharashtraChiefMinister devendra Fadnavis, who orderedaprobeintotheincident, spoke to Badal and enquired about his well-being, CMo »continUED on PAGE 2