log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SATURDAY APRIL 18, 2026 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 15 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 300 Konkani protagonists up ante, call for public meet at Lohia Maidan on Sunday 2 3 GOA Probe widens after cop’s arrest for smuggling drugs into Colvale jail Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 LIFE Intangible foundations: The forgotten hands that shaped Goa’s heritage Big jolt to govt, women’s bill fails to clear LS test n TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY ELUDES NDA n OPPN HOLDS SWAY THE NUMBERS GAME IN THE LOK SABHA PTI NEW DELHI In a major setback to the government, a Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday, with the ruling dispensation asserting that the struggle to give the rights to women will continue. While 298 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-third majority. According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to 816 from the current 543 to “operationalise” the women’s reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Seats were also to be increased in state and Union territory assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reserva- „„298 vote in favour while 230 against (total 528 votes cast) „„Bill falls short of required 2/3rd majority (352 votes) „„After defeat, Speaker adjourns House for the day „„Govt decides not to proceed with Delimitation Bill and UT Laws (Amendment) Bill, as they were linked „„Rijiju informs House about dropping related bills „„Special session -- April 16–18 – was tion for women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi were among those present during the voting. This was for the first time a bill under the Modi government was defeated in Parliament. After the legislation was defeated during the voting, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House for the day convened for passage of the bill GOVT’S PLAN OF ACTION „„Proposal aimed to increase LS seats from 543 to 816 „„Objective was to implement 33% reservation for women before 2029 elections „„Required a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census „„Proposed increasing seats in States and UTs for women’s quota and announced that it would meet again on Saturday. The three-day special sitting was convened from April 16 to 18 for getting the Parliament’s approval to the bill. When the Constitution Amendment Bill was defeated, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju conveyed to the Speaker that the government has no intention to move ahead with the two other bills -- the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill -- as both the legislations were interlinked with the Constitution Amendment Bill. Rijiju said the Opposition lost a historic opportunity to honour the country’s women but the Modi government’s struggle to give rights to women will continue. “We will not take rest till we ensure that the country’s women get reservation in legislatures,” he said. After the bill was defeated, 32ND AVENUE FRAUD PROBE page 8 Goan is finalist at Miss Universe Great Britain 2026 pageant Hundreds of Goans attend Easter Bonanza in London IN SHORT >> Lairai zatra: Mock drill to be held today PANAJI: Ahead of the famous Devi Lairai Jatra at Shirgao, the Goa administration will conduct a mock drill on Saturday night to test law and order, crowd control and fire safety arrangements, as authorities have stepped up preparations to prevent any repeat of last year’s stampede.  >> See pg 3 Child trafficking hotspots under lens PANAJI: Acting on directions from a Supreme Court order, the Goa government has constituted a high-level Review Committee to carry out periodic assessments of vulnerable areas, particularly regions considered prone to child trafficking.   >> See pg 3 ED sleuths identify Goa trail in `  00 crore scam 5 PROPERTIES, LUXURY YACHT UNDER LENS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa emerged as one of the prime links in the Enforcement Directorate’s investigation into the alleged Rs 500 crore 32nd Avenue Group fraud, with the central agency identifying a yacht in the State and immovable properties as suspected assets acquired through diverted investor funds. In coordinated searches carried out on April 13 and 14 across seven premises in Delhi-NCR, Goa, Jaipur and Mumbai, the Directorate said it unearthed evidence pointing to an organised real estate-linked Ponzi scheme that allegedly duped hundreds of investors through repeated sale of the same virtual commercial spaces. The Goa angle, officials said, goes beyond the searches themselves as properties have been identified in Goa, along with assets in Gurugram and Maharashtra, believed to INSIGHTS FROM THE INVESTIGATION „„Accused lured investors with assured rental returns and long-term appreciation promises „„Same commercial units sold multiple times by changing layout maps „„Promoters paid initial rents to build trust and show fake profitability „„Units resold to new investors, operating like a Ponzi-style scheme „„Over Rs 500 crore allegedly generated as proceeds of crime „„Money was routed through shell, benami entities to hide origins „„ED seized Rs 1.05 crore cash and Rs 1.5 crore worth gold & jewellery „„Bank accounts, lockers frozen „„Documents, digital devices, and incriminating material seized have been purchased using proceeds of crime. Among the luxury assets allegedly traced to the accused is a yacht in Goa, which the agency stated was part of an extravagant lifestyle financed through investor money. The probe centres on the 32nd Avenue Group and its promoter-directors, Anubhav Sharma and Dhruv Sharma, against whom FIRs were registered by Delhi Police and Gurugram Police under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code. According to the ED, the accused allegedly induced investors to buy commercial spaces with promises of assured rental returns and >Continued on P9 Union Home Minister Amit Shah blamed Congress, TMC, DMK, and Samajwadi Party for not allowing its passage. He said after the bill was defeated, the opposition parties were celebrating and raising victory cries. “Now, the women of the country will not get 33 per cent reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The Congress and its allies have done this not for the first time, but repeatedly. Their mindset is neither in the interest of women nor of the country,” he said. Shah said this “insult to the women will not stop here but will travel far and wide”. “The opposition will have to face the wrath of women not only in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, but at every level, in every election, and at every place,” he said. Earlier, in a bid to get the bill passed, while replying to the two-day long debate, Shah assured the opposition of an amendment mentioning a 50 per cent increase in LS seats in states and UTs. Govt eyes ethanol to replace LPG for commercial use AGENCIES NEW DELHI Facing supply disruptions and rising LPG costs triggered by the West Asia conflict, the Centre is exploring ethanol as an alternative fuel for commercial kitchens, highlighting concerns over India’s heavy reliance on energy imports. The shortages have driven up LPG prices, squeezing businesses such as hotels and restaurants that depend heavily on the fuel for daily operations. Industry stakeholders have suggested repurposing surplus ethanol production—estimated at nearly 1,000 crore litres—for cooking purposes. A comprehensive white paper outlining this proposal is expected to be presented soon to an inter-ministerial panel for evaluation. Sources also indicated that ethanol is being positioned not as a replacement for LPG, but as a supplementary clean fuel. It could help cut import dependence, strengthen energy security, and make productive use of excess ethanol, particularly in large-scale commercial settings like hotels, airports, and restaurants. 6 SPORTS Gujarat Titans beat Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets 15 SEC to get sweeping powers over civic, panchayat polls CABINET CLEARS ORDINANCE, LIKELY TO BE PROMULGATED NEXT WEEK THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa cabinet on Friday cleared an ordinance granting the State Election Commission (SEC) complete authority over local body elections,  including municipal councils, panchayats, and zilla panchayats, marking a major shift in the State’s electoral framework. The legal process to formally issue the ordinance, however, may be delayed for a few days but government sources said it will in all likelihood be promulgated by early next week, since the Governor  Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju is reportedly out of station. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the move fulfills a long-standing demand. “All rights to hold these elections will now rest with the commission,” he told reporters after the cabinet meeting.  Until now, the government had a role in the conduct of local polls as delimitation and reservation roster was decided Municipal polls likely to be delayed by 2 months: AG PANAJI: Advocate General Devidas Pangam has said that the State Election Commission must prepare draft proposals, invite objections, and issue final notifications before municipal polls can be held.  “The timeline for this process has been fixed. Based on that, the election schedule will be drawn. The process will extend the time required, and municipal elections may be pushed forward,” Pangam said. Officials from the Directorate of Municipal Administration confirmed that, except for Sanquelim and Ponda, elections to other councils are likely to be postponed. Pangam said the step was necessary in view of repeated complaints and litigation over the process. This new practice is likely to push civic elections back by a couple of months. by bureaucrats  under the respective departments -Urban Development and Panchayati Raj. The ordinance empowers the SEC to oversee reservation of wards and delimitation.  In the meantime, administrators have been appointed to five municipalities, with more expected soon.  “We will be placing administrators one by one across other councils as their terms near completion,” a senior official in the Directorate of Municipal administration said.  This means all the municipalities will function without elected representatives >Continued on P9 CCP razes unsafe structure amid tense scenes in Panaji TRADERS CRY FOUL OVER ABSENCE OF REHAB PLAN A CCP bulldozer demolishes part of an unsafe building at the old Panaji market on Friday.  Narayan Pissurlenkar THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Panaji witnessed high drama on Friday morning as the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) moved in to demolish part of a building in the city’s main market square which was declared unsafe and evacuated last year.  The structure had been sealed off by the authorities on grounds that it posed a serious risk to public safety even as the issue of interim rehab of the tenants was being  fought in the courts. The demolition drive began in the morning under heavy police presence as bulldozers rolled in and razed part of the condemned building. The move came just hours before the High Court was scheduled to hear the matter at 2:30 pm, the affected traders alleged, calling the action deliberate, premature and unjust. However, the Bombay High Court granted no relief to the traders and permitted the capital’s civic body to continue its demolition exercise when it did take up the matter. Shopkeepers, some of whom have operated for over >Continued on P9 Fire Services cracks down, suspends World breathes easy as Iran opens Hormuz to shipping two firemen on misconduct charges PTI THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA/PANAJI Two firefighters serving in different fire stations have been placed under suspension following allegations of misconduct. In one incident, Sanju Korgaonkar, a firefighter attached to the Mapusa Fire Station, was suspended with immediate effect under orders issued by the Director of the Goa Fire and Emergency Services. The action comes pending an inquiry into the alleged incident, details of which have not been officially disclosed. Sources within the department indicated that the deci- sion to suspend Korgaonkar was taken to ensure a fair and impartial investigation. “The suspension is a procedural step and does not amount to a conclusion of guilt. A detailed inquiry will establish the facts,” a senior official said on condition of anonymity. While the exact nature of the misconduct has not been made public, officials said the department maintains a “zero tolerance” approach towards indiscipline and any behaviour that could bring disrepute to the service. The suspension order is understood to bar the firefighter from active duty until the completion of the inquiry. Departmental procedures will now involve recording statements, examining evidence and determining whether further disciplinary action is warranted. Officials also reiterated that personnel of the fire and emergency services are expected to adhere to strict standards of conduct, particularly while on duty, given the critical nature of their responsibilities. Further details are awaited as the internal probe progresses. In the other incident, Vishant Gaude, a firefighter >Continued on P9 TEHRAN n a major breakthrough, Iran on Friday said that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open” for all commercial vessels, a move welcomed by US President Donald Trump. The announcement of the reopening of the vital waterway by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi comes a day after President Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, one of the key demands of Iran. “In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open US blockade to continue: Trump I for the remaining period of the ceasefire,” Araghchi said in a post on X. Araghchi, however, said the ships must sail “on the coordinated route as already announced” by the Ports and Maritime Organisation of Iran. Minutes later, President Trump shared the announcement in a post on Truth Social. Iran effectively blocked the WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said the naval blockade against Iran will remain in “full force” until Tehran reaches an agreement with the US to end the war. “Iran has just announced that the Strait of Iran is fully open and ready for full passage. Thank you!” Trump said, referring to the Strait of Hormuz adding, “naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete”. Strait of Hormuz following its conflict with the US and Israel, crippling global energy supplies. In response, Trump earlier this week announced the blockade of Iran’s ports in the Strait of Hormuz. The development comes a day after Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir held talks with top Iranian leadership in Tehran as part of Islamabad’s efforts to resolve the conflict between the US and Iran. Munir, who led a high-level political-security delegation to Iran, met Iranian President Ma- soud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and top Revolutionary Guards commanders on Thursday. Ghalibaf, who had led the Iranian delegation to Pakistan for talks with the US over the weekend, has urged the US to commit to any peace agreement in Lebanon. Munir, the first foreign military leader to visit Tehran since a two-week ceasefire was agreed between Iran and the US last week, also visited the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards in Tehran, where he met with its Commander Major General Ali Abdollahi, according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency.