DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PATNA, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2025, KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES `6.00 (`12 IN NORTH EAST STATES, `20 IN ANDAMAN) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM CBC 15502/13/0039/2526 SINCE 1932 DATA CENTRE RUN BY FIVE INCLUDING MAN WHO LATER MOVED TO DUBAI, SAY INVESTIGATORS Rs 80 paid for every fraud voter deletion application in Aland constituency, finds Karnataka SIT probe Rahul Gandhi cited the applications ahead of the Karnataka 2023 elections as example of ‘vote chori’ BENGALURU, OCTOBER 22 FOR EVERY fraudulent voter deletionsubmissionmadetothe Election Commission in the Aland seat ahead of the 2023 KarnatakaAssemblypolls,adata centre operator was paid Rs 80, as per the Karnataka Police SIT probing the case. A total of 6,018 suchapplicationsweremadebetween December 2022 and February 2023 in the seat – working out to a total payment of Rs 4.8 lakh. IrregularitiesinthetheAland voter list was one of the cases brought up by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as part of his “vote chori”allegations.Lastweek,the SIT raided properties linked to BJP leader Subhash Guttedar, who lost from Aland in 2023 to the Congress’s B R Patil, as part of the probe. A ground-level verification byelectionofficialsof thenames sought to be deleted in Aland Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. File had revealed that only 24 of the 6,018 voters in whose behalf the applications were made fit the bill, as they no longer lived in the constituency. Sources said that the SIT, whichtookovertheinvestigation intotheAlandcaseonSeptember 26, has zeroed in on a data centre located in the Kalaburagi districtheadquartersasthelocation from where the applications weresubmitted.Accordingtoofficials, the probe, initially conducted by the local police after thedeletionswerediscoveredin February2023,andthenbyaCID cyber crime unit, before it was taken over by the SIT, points to the involvement of a local resident, Mohammed Ashfaq. Questioned in 2023, Ashfaq wasletoff afterheclaimedinnocence and promised to surrender electronic devices in his possession. He moved to Dubai subsequently. Now the SIT, after looking at the Internet Protocol Detail CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 One nation, a few parivars Congress’s political footprint may have shrunk but its share of dynast-legislators (MPs, MLAs and MLCs) is at 33.25%. With almost thrice the number of legislators, BJP’s share is 18.62%; families dominate regional politics; 149 families across parties have more than one dynast-legislator NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 22 THE DRUMBEATS have begun for another election in Bihar where the key challenger is the son of a former Chief Minister. The young rising star in the ruling establishment is the son of a former Union Minister. The incumbent Deputy Chief Minister is the son of a former Minister... ...And so it goes on and on — across the country. Sons and daughters of MLAs, MPs, Ministers and party chiefs, all getting into the party, then getting a ticket to the legislature andthegovernment—instateafterstate,partyafterparty,atrend that’ssweepinginbothscaleand scope, according to an investigation by The Indian Express. There is a paradox, though. The BJP, in its third term in power at the Centre, and whose steadily increasing footprint across the states now accounts for 2,078 legislators, has 18.62 percent of them as dynasts. In sharp contrast is the Congresswithjustunderdouble that share. Its footprint has shrunk to 99 in Lok Sabha, it has power in just three states, accounting for 857 legislators. As high as 33.26 percent of them are dynasts — in a trendthatstartsrightfromitstop withthreeGandhisinParliament. When it comes to regional parties, this trend only gets stronger, a testament to the party’s entry barriers at the state level and the lack of a level playing field when it comes to politics and patronage. In the NDA, its allies Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party has 51 dynasts out of 163 legislators (31.29%) and Janata Dal (United) has28of 81(34.57%).Thestoryis CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY SHARE OF DYNASTS IN PARTIES WITH MORE THAN 100 LEGISLATORS BJP CONGRESS PARLIAMENT, ASSEMBLIES 33.25% 12.31% (33) LokSabha RajyaSabha 2,078 857 268 33.57% Total Legislators DMK (285) Total Legislators TELUGUDESAMPARTY Total Legislators 182 31.28% 163 158 (30) Total Legislators (51) (55) Total Legislators Total Legislators State,UT Legislative Assemblies Councils 854 80 ofcurrentstrength AAMAADMIPARTY 8.21% (11) 134 Total Legislators RASHTRIYAJANATADAL JANATA DAL(UNITED) 30.61% 34.57% (30) (28) 98 81 Total Legislators 19.95% ofcurrentstrength *Share of dynasts from a total of 5,294 MPs, MLAs & MLCs across the country INSIDE PAGE 7 In Bihar, RJD leads family front — over 42% of its outgoing MLAs are dynasts NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 22 BIHAR IS the home of many progressive movements but the state also shows the way when it comes to nepotism in politics. Nothing better illustrates this than the count of dynasts in the outgoing243-memberAssembly: 70or,at28.81percent,morethan countisonlythreeseatslessthan one-fourthitstotalstrength,anin- the combined tally of dynasts in vestigation by The Indian Express the two main ruling parties: JDU shows. with 16 out of RJD, the 44 (36.36%) party run by and BJP, www.indianexpress.com Lalu Prasad's which is the family, leads single largest the list with 30 dynasts in its to- party, with 17 of 80 (21.25%). The tal of 71 (42.25%) legislators in Congress has four dynasts the House. So much so that RJD's CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 LIST OF ALL THE DYNASTS President Donald Trump participates in a Diwali celebration at the Oval Office on Tuesday. Looking on are Ambassador Vinay Kwatra (left) and FBI Director Kash Patel (right). PTI summits of ASEAN and East Asia leadersonOctober26-27.Hewill leave for Japan on October 27 for a bilateral visit until October 29, and then be in South Korea on October 29-30 for the summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders. Modi’s plans of travelling to Kuala Lumpur are still evolving because of the elections in Bihar and his campaign schedule. If he On Army commanders’ table: Proposal to raise Agniveer retention rate from 25% to 75% Jaisalmer meeting will also discuss measures for tri-services jointness AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 22 Total Legislators Note: Total legislators include all MPs, MLAs, MLCs of respective parties; data updated till September 20, 2025 ■ RJD and JDU numbers have been included in view of the upcoming Bihar polls SHYAMLAL YADAV AMIDNEGOTIATIONSforatrade deal that had stalled for weeks following the imposition of 50 percenttariffsonIndiabytheUS, President Donald Trump spoke toPrimeMinisterNarendraModi Tuesday, their third phone conversationinalittleoveramonth. WhileModiflaggedtheissue of combating terrorism, Trump said they discussed trade and India’s move to cut purchase of Russian oil. The President said this in the presence of Vinay Kwatra, India’s Ambassador to the US, who was among those at the White House for the Diwali celebrations there. Sources said Trump plans to travel to Kuala Lumpur for the decidestobeatthesummit,heis expected to leave for Kuala Lumpur late October 26 and be thereuntilOctober28.Thatopens a window for a meeting with Trump,possiblyonOctober27,on the sidelines of the summit. Both Delhi and Washington have not yet announced the travel plans of the two leaders, but Malaysia, the host nation, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 24.16% 1,174* 20.77% NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 22 ofcurrentstrength 34.81% 172 58 ofcurrentstrength SAMAJWADIPARTY 17.44% DECISION 2025 BIHAR ● Congressmayagree toTejashwiasCM toget Mahagathbandhan ontrack PAGE5 APROPOSALtoraisetheAgniveer retentionratefromthecurrent25 per cent to up to 75 per cent, along with measures to enhance jointness among the three servicesandreviewtheimplementation of Mission Sudarshan Chakra,arelikelytobeamongthe key issues on the agenda at the Army Commanders’ Conference in Jaisalmer starting Thursday, The Indian Express has learnt. The first batch of Agniveers will complete their four-year tenure next year and, therefore, their retention is on the agenda. Similarly, with the increasing strength of veterans, options to gainfullyusetheirexperienceand expertisearebeingconsidered.At present, veterans are engaged in limitedrolessuchasthoseunder the Army Welfare Education E First since ● Op Sindoor THIS WILL be the first conference of Army Commanders since Operation Sindoor in May. It serves as a platform for the Army’s senior leadership to review the overall security situation and deliberate on key operational priorities to address emerging challenges. The Combined Commanders’ Conference took place in Kolkata last month. Society and the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) polyclinics, but broader participationacrossformationsis CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 EC HOLDS 2-DAY MEET WITH CEOs Pan-India SIR set to be rolled out in phases in Nov, states headed for polls in 2026 first DAMINI NATH & RITIKA CHOPRA NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 22 THEELECTIONCommission(EC) on Wednesday met Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) to assess preparations for the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which is likely to begin in phases from early November, starting with the states going to polls in 2026 and a few others, it is learnt. The two-day conference openedwiththeCommissionassessing the readiness of CEOs acrossstatesandUnionTerritories for the SIR, the EC said. While the final rollout plan will be announcedaftertheconference,itis learnt that the revision may be carried out in phases, beginning CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 TMC CRANKS UP RANK AND FILE PAGE 4 50 years after he left, Muivah returns home to a hero’s welcome PAGE 1 ANCHOR SUKRITA BARUAH UKHRUL (MANIPUR), OCT 22 CENTRE PROPOSES LABELLING OF AI CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES PAGE 11 TRINAMOOLCONGRESS 18.62% (387) If Modi goes to ASEAN summit, there’s a window for meeting with Trump on Oct 27 SHUBHAJIT ROY AN EXPRESS INVESTIGATION SHYAMLAL YADAV Trump dials Modi, says discussed trade, Russia oil; PM flags terror fight EXPLAINED JOHNSON T A THIRD PHONE CONVERSATION IN A MONTH AT 3.25 PM on Wednesday, a chopper landed at a newlymadehelipadinavillagenestled among Manipur’s Naga hills, kicking up a storm of dust towards a gathering, which stood holding pale blue ‘Naga flag’ in their hands. Once the dust settled, an elderly and visibly frail Thuingaleng Muivah stepped out, assisted by his security en- tourage, stepping foot in his native village Somdal, in Manipur’s Ukhrul, for the first time in over five decades. At 91, Muivah remains the face of one of South Asia’s oldest insurgencies, and in these parts, a hero. He joined the Naga National Council back in 1964 to fight for Naga autonomy; went on to form the NSCN (National Socialist Council of Nagaland) in 1980 along with S S Khaplang and Isak Chishi Swu, both of whom have now passed away; enteredaceasefirewiththegovernment in 1997; and has since been at the helm of peace talks with the Union. NSCN (I-M) leader Thuingaleng Muivah (right) in Somdal in Ukhrul, Manipur. Sukrita Baruah Now,intheautumnof hislife, Muivah has returned to his village — barred to him for a long time by the government — for a week-long visit. On Wednesday, Muivah made his first halt at the Ukhrul district headquarters along with hiswifePakahao,whereahomecoming reception had been organised for “avakharar (the head ofthefamily,inthelocalTangkhul dialect)”. V S Atem, who is the Deputy Ato Kilonser, the selfstyled Deputy PM, and has been namedMuivah’ssuccessor,delivered a speech on his behalf. “My revolutionary journey began six decades ago from here in Tangkhul country in 1964. I thank the Lord God Almighty for preserving me and making it possible for me to return to my village Somdal today. But many people whom I knew and who loved me are missing. A generation comes and goes, but the nationstays.Theissuewearefighting for is greater and older than most of us who are gathered here at this Tangkhul Naga Long ground today,” said Atem, as Muivah sat with his wife on the dais beside him. But, after decades of being underground and years of talks with the Union government which have remained in limbo, Muivah’s address also reflected his vexation. He reiterated that a final Naga political settlement would have to be on the lines of the Framework Agreement, signed by the Modi government in 2015 with the Naga groups amid much fanfare. Last November, the NSCN (I-M)hadeventhreatenedto“resume the violent armed resistance against India” in the absence of a final pact based on the Framework Agreement. “I am persuaded that the Nagasarenotlostpeople.Hence, I and the NSCN/GPRN shall defend and protect the Nagalim CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Kolkata