The Editorial Page: To list, or not to list Tata Sons, that is our question 10 TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2026 JournaliSm of CouraGe luCKNoW, lATE CITy, 16 PAGES ₹6.00 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 , 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 signaturerow: tMCexpels2Mlas, CMsaystheyfiled CoMplaints l risingsuccessrate Prime minister narendra modi with myanmar President U min aung hlaing at hyderabad house in new delhi, monday. ANIl SHARMA Won’t allow our territory to be used against India’s interests: Myanmar Shubhajit roy 50,000 n No. of female candidates who took test n Those who cleared 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 pass% 19.4 18.5 19.4 19.9 18.6 16.1 of girls 24.9 22.7 33,249 5,356 Bengal CaBinet expansion: 35 Ministers take oath 32,851 6,707 page 7 32,285 6,452 poLitics »conTinUed on page 2 40,712 6,516 Track These and more on www.indianexpress.com FOr the first time, more than 10,000 girls have cleared Jee Advanced 2026, the gateway to IIts and premier engineering institutions, according to data analysed by The Indian Express. With one in four girl candidates clearing the exam, this also marks a new record. the data shows that the number of girls clearing Jee Advanced has jumped nearly 89percent,from5,356to10,107, since 2019. Over the same period, the number of girls appearing for the exam rose by about 22 per cent, from 33,249 to 40,562. As the results were declared Monday, 24.9 per cent of the 40,562 female candidates, who appeared, cleared the exam. Overall, around 56,000 candidates qualified and made it to the common rank list. howmanyofthesuccessful girl candidates make it to IIts depends on their rankings and availability of seats — the 23 IItstogetherofferabout20,000 40,645 7,509 lLebanon and Israel are set to hold their next round of direct talks in Washington even as Israel’s government ordered strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut Monday. pallavi Smart Mumbai, June 1 41,020 7,964 Assembly will vote to elect its next president for a one-year term. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Cyprus Special Envoy for Multilateralism Ambassador Andreas Kakouris are vying to lead the General Assembly during its 81st session,which starts in September. 41,337 9,404 lThe UniTed Nations General STEM girl power: In JEE Advanced, over 10,000 clear exam — highest pass rate 40,562 10,107 happening today New Delhi, June 1 MyAnMAr PreSIdent U Min Aung hlaing assured Prime Minister narendra Modi on Monday that Myanmar’s territory “would not be permitted to be used against India's security interests”. In the past, India has repeatedly expressed concern over northeast insurgent groups operating from within Myanmar. Briefing reporters after the bilateral meeting, Foreign SecretaryvikramMisriunderlined that “stability and peace in Myanmarisamajorinterestfor India”. Min Aung hlaing is visiting India from May 30 to June 3 — his first visit since taking over as President. the former chief of the military junta government was elected President on April 3, five years after he grabbed power in a coup, ousting an elected government. Misri said the leaders discussed cooperation on defence and security, critical minerals and rare earth, and connectivity projects. »conTinUed on page 2 Delhi building collapse: For 2 years, rape convict Asaram kept getting Owner arrested, police bail, citing failing health — until HC drew line say family has several He’s back in jail ● 15timesandcounting properties in area after Rajasthan HC on May 27 cancelled bail, upheld conviction hamza Khan Jaipur, June 1 at the building collapse site in new delhi, monday. ABHINAv SAHA pragynesh & alok Singh New Delhi, June 1 tWO dAyS after a building undergoingallegedlyillegaladditionscollapsedinSouthdelhi killing six people, the delhi Police said on Monday that they had arrested the 71-year-old owner, Karambir Sejwal. Sejwal, who had been missing since the tragedy on Saturday evening, was traced to his farmhouse in Green Avenue, Church/Mallroadinsouthwest delhi’svasantKunj,policesaid. Sejwal’sfamilyownsseveral properties in the Saidulajab area, which it has rented out to uttar pradesh seCured 93% ConviCtion rate in past one year: dgp businessesandindividuals,police said. A sign, allegedly put up by Sejwal’s family, at the mouth of the lane in which the building stood, says “Zaildar estate”. Police sources said the family likely had powerful “political connections”. Five medical and engineering graduates and the owner of a makeshift canteen in which the students were eating, were killed after the building on Westend Marg in Saidulajab came down in a heap of rubble — with chunks of concrete crushing the tin-roof eatery. Saidulajab, an urban village »conTinUed on page 2 pages 3, 5 ‘issue Caution to followers against disrespeCt to Cow’: yogi to CleriCs Over the past two years, selfstyled godman Asaram Bapu, convicted for rape in two cases, has cited his deteriorating health to obtain court relief at least 15 times through medical treatmentpermissions,emergency paroles, and interim bail. On May 27, that run was halted. the rajasthan high Court upheld his life sentence in a »conTinUed on page 8 March 21,2024: HC allows Asaram to be taken to Arogayadham Centre, Jodhpur; stays until April 2 ment at Madhavbaug for 17 days. apriL 16: HC allows him to get admitted at the Jodhpur centre for “7-10 days”. Jan 14: Rajasthan HC too gives him bail until same date; Gujarat HC gives bail until June 30, extends it to July 1. JULy 26: HC removes condition that he pay for his security aUg 13: HC grants “emergent parole” for 7 days so Asaram can get treatment at Madhavbaug hospital in Maharashtra. Jan 7,2025: SC gives him interim bail until March 31 for treatment. apriL 7: Rajasthan HC extends bail until July 1; is extended to July 7 by Gujarat HC & July 9 by Rajasthan HC. JULy 8: Rajasthan HC extends bail SepT 3: HC extends Asaram’s emergent parole by 5 days. until Aug 12. nov 7: Court eases his bail conditions, says can stay at Arogyadham for a “period deemed appropriate” by hospital authorities. Gujarat HC has extended his interim bail up to Aug 21, Rajasthan HC extends his bail until Aug 29. dec 10: HC allows Asaram’s treat- pital states Asaram suffering from aUg 11: Asaram’s lawyers submit ocT 13: Arogyam Ayurvedic Hos- asaram in Jodhpur on may 28 before his surrender. PTI FIlE multiple serious illnesses. ocT 29: Rajasthan HC gives Asaram interim bail for six months apriL 29,2026: HC grants him bail until May 25, or up to the date judgment delivered in his appeal, whichever is earlier May 25: Bail extended until July 7 May 27: Rajasthan HC cancels bail foUr-day Trade TaLKS India seeks edge over Asian peers in US talks 10% tariffs lapse in July, Trump can use Section 301 to levy higher duties ravi dutta Mishra New Delhi, June 1 AS neGOtIAtOrS from India and the US begin what seems like the final round of talks beforeformallysigningabilateral trade agreement, Commerce and Industry Ministry officials Mondaysaidnewdelhiisseeking an edge over Asian competitors under the new set of Section 301 tariffs Washington is expected to announce before July-end. the US had earlier said it would use Section 301, which gives it powers to slap higher import duty on countries hurting its industry, after the President donald trump administration lost the case on reciprocal tariffs in the US Supreme Court. Immediately after this loss, the US had imposed 10% global tariffs under Section 122. this lapses on July 24, which creates the urgency for new delhi to sign a trade deal within the next 5-7 weeks. the framework for the US- Business as usual By EP UNNY India bilateral trade agreement was agreed upon in February whentheUSsaiditwouldbring down tariffs to 18% from an effective tariff of 50% (25% reciprocal and 25% penalty for buying russian oil). “now the fight is about Section 301, which is the only statute available to the administration given by the US Congress. the rates do not matter in this case;preferentialmarketaccess »conTinUed on page 2 ASHA worker dies during childbirth Telangana bans salary in cash, brings in UP; family says doctor, team fled OT gig workers under minimum wage net Manish Sahu Lucknow, June 1 A 34-yeAr-Old AShA worker died during childbirth at a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district, with her family alleging that the doctor and his team abandoned the woman in the operation theatre, with her stomach left unstitched after the C-section, and fled. Police said they have Hospital sealed; reward announced on doctor; nurse and helper arrested booked dr naseem Ahmad, who allegedly performed the surgery, and members of his medical team, under BnS sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 318(cheating)atKonpolicesta- tion. Police have also invoked Section 34 of national Medical Commission Act, 2019. Police said on Monday, a nurse,Salma,andahelperwere arrestedinconnectionwiththe case. Police have also announced a reward of rs 25,000 for naseem, an officer said. harsh Pandey, Circle Officer, Sonbhadra, said police teams are conducting raids to arrest the accused. he said the »conTinUedonpage2 nikhila henry Hyderabad, June 1 ABAnoncashwagepayments, mandatory electronic transfer andbringinggigworkersunder the country’s minimum wages law — that’s what the telangana government has done through a government order that was issued recently. thiscomesmonthsafterthe telangana Assembly passed thetelanganaPlatform-Based Gig Workers (registration, Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2026. the GO serves as the mechanism to execute that law by bringing eCommerce, courier,andplatformworkersunder the official minimum wage net and tightening wage payment compliance. Issued on May 30, but coming into force Monday, the order — GO Ms no. 6 — activates the provisions of the »conTinUed on page 2 E. expLained wage security The government order brings e-commerce, courier and platform workers under official minimum wage net and tightens wage-payment compliance. Platforms are now required to pay overtime at double the standard rate. l cUlTUre minisTry, nGma, GUJral FoUndaTion workinG on Plan To remove, relocaTe mUrals insTalled in 1968 Shastri Bhawan to be razed, Satish Gujral murals to find new home damini nath New Delhi, June 1 The mural by satish Gujral at shastri Bhawan. GuJRAl FouNdATIoN AlMOSt 60 yeArS after they were installed, murals by artist Satish Gujral on the facade of Shastri Bhawan are set to be removedandrelocatedbeforethe building’s demolition for the Central vista redevelopment project, TheIndianExpresshas learnt. As part of the government’s redevelopment project, Shastri Bhawan and the adjoining Krishi Bhawan are set to be demolished soon to pave the way for two new office buildings — Common Central Secretariat (KartavyaBhawan)4and5.the Central Public Works depart- ment (CPWd) has floated the tenderfortheproject,whichincludes the demolition of the existing structures. the last date for bids is June 6, with an estimated cost of rs 3,218.44 crore, as per the tender document. According to government officials, the Ministry of Culture, national Gallery of Modern Art (nGMA) and Gujral Foundationarecurrentlyworking on a plan to move the ceramictilemurals,spanningthe height of the seven-storey building, which were installed on the facade of Shastri Bhawan in 1968. the final place for the murals has not been decided yet, they said. When reached for com- wan murals were among sevment, Mohit Gujral, son of Sat- eralinstalledbytheartistinthe ishGujralandtheco-founderof 1960s. “Satish Gujral had gone to the Gujral Foundation, said: “the national Gallery of Mod- study mural-making in Mexico ern Art has been consulting in the 1950s from diego rivera conservation experts to deter- and david Alfaro Siqueiros. he mine the most appropriate was the first Indian artist to go methodology for undertaking on a scholarship to study mural-making. this complex exerpage 1 When he came back, cise and has rehe started making mained in touch his murals using cewith the Gujral Foundation wherever necess- ramictiles.hemademuralsfor the delhi high Court, Baroda ary during the process.” Kishore Singh, an indepen- house and Shastri Bhawan. If dent art consultant and the cu- his murals are being removed rator of the Satish Gujral retro- andrelocated,itisaprogressive spective at nGMA earlier this stepandsetsagoodprecedent,” year marking the artist’s cen- Singh said. With the work on the buildtennial, said the Shastri Bha- anchor ings likely to start soon, the murals are expected to be removed within a month. Under the government’s Central vista plan, 10 new Common Central Secretariat (CCS) buildings have been proposed to house all Union Ministries.thenewbuildingsareto come up at the site of existing offices and other government buildings.lastmonth,nirman Bhawan became the first of the old office buildings to be demolished. the demolition of Udyog Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan are expected to start soon. Started in 2019, the Central vista plan includes the constructionofthenewParliament building, vice-President’s enclave and executive enclave (Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet Secretariat and the national Security Council Secretariat). Of the 10 CCS buildings, three have been completed, while tendering or construction of the remaining seven are underway. the construction of the Prime Minister’s residence is also underway. As of February this year, according to a reply by the Ministry of housing and Urban Affairs in Parliament, the total sanctioned cost of the projects, including Parliament, vicePresident’s enclave and Kartavya Bhawan, was rs 13,169.61 crore. Lucknow