Karnataka

Karnataka panel backs move to grant Tulu isecond official language status

A high-level committee constituted by the Karnataka government to study the framework adopted by Andhra Pradesh for recognising Urdu as a second official language has submitted its report, backing the state's move to accord similar status to Tulu. The six-member panel, headed by K M Gayatri, former Director of the Kannada and Culture Department, examined the procedures followed by the Andhra Pradesh government before granting second official language status to Urdu, officials said on Wednesday. The committee undertook a field visit to the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat on January 19 and 20 and held consultations with senior officials to understand the legal provisions, administrative mechanisms, and implementation benchmarks involved, they said. The panel also included Tharanatha Gatti Kapikad, president of the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, in an advisory capacity. The report, along with a detailed note outlining Tulu's historical, linguistic, and cultural significance, was submitted

Uber renews five-year Karnataka aggregator licence, valid till 2026

Renewal of Uber's aggregator licence under Karnataka's mobility rules provides regulatory certainty for the firm, allowing operations until December 2026 in a key Indian market

Shivakumar loyalists make fresh pitch for leadership change in Karnataka

The ongoing power tussle in the ruling Congress in Karnataka intensified with supporters of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar gathering at a hotel to discuss strategies to see their leader's elevation to the top post in the state. Magadi MLA H C Balakrishna organised the gathering where discussions were held "to end the confusion regarding power sharing". "Nearly 40 like-minded MLAs" gathered in the private hotel on Thursday night where it was decided to lobby for Shivakumar's elevation as the Chief Minister, Congress sources said. Speaking to reporters, Balakrishna, a Shivakumar loyalist, said his birthday falls on Saturday. "Since I will not be here (Bengaluru) from Friday morning as I am going out, I asked all 'like-minded people' to have a get-together on Thursday. We invited everyone and organised this gathering." When asked about what they discussed, the Magadi MLA said, "The discussion here was that in the present situation, if our party continues like this, it will be ..

Stones hurled during Shivaji Jayanti procession in Karnataka's Bagalkote

Tension prevailed briefly during a Shivaji Jayanti procession here after stones were allegedly hurled at the rally, officials said on Friday. The incident occurred on Thursday in the old city when the procession, which began around 3:30 pm, was passing through the mosque area, they said. Superintendent of Police Siddharth Goyal said adequate forces were deployed for the procession. "We were all present at the spot. The procession began around 3:30 PM (yesterday), As it approached the mosque, two stones were thrown from a distance toward us," he said. According to the SP, based on preliminary information and videos reviewed by the police so far, one stone struck a police constable while the other fell on his shoulder. "No one sustained any major injuries. After that, the procession continued smoothly, and the atmosphere remained peaceful," Goyal said. Police said adequate security arrangements have been made in view of the procession and the situation remained under control. "Th

Karnataka HC ruling likely to strengthen case for ITC refund claims

Tax experts said the judgment reiterates that refund claims cannot be denied merely because the principal input and output supplies are the same- a ground frequently used by tax authorities

K'taka seeks MEA help after 22-year-old student goes missing in California

The Karnataka government has requested the Ministry of External Affairs to extend all necessary assistance, coordinate with local law enforcement, and provide support to the family of a 22-year-old Indian postgraduate student who has gone missing in the US state of California. Saketh Sreenivasaiah, a student at the University of California, Berkeley, hailing from Karnataka, has been reported missing in Berkeley, California, since the morning of February 12, it said. In a letter to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh said Saketh is currently enrolled in the Master of Science program at the University of California, Berkeley. According to information received from his family and housemates, his whereabouts remain unknown despite a formal complaint being lodged with the Berkeley Police Department, the letter dated February 13 stated. Given the gravity of the situation and the mounting anxiety of his family residing in the state, she requested the

Seven people killed in multi-vehicle chain collision in Karnataka

Seven people were killed in a multi-vehicle pile-up on the outskirts of Hoskote near Bengaluru early on Friday, police said. The accident occurred near M Satyavara village on the HoskoteDabaspete National Highway when an SUV car travelling from Hoskote towards Devanahalli allegedly struck a motorcycle from behind. According to police, the driver of the SUV allegedly lost control after the initial impact and crashed into a canter vehicle. Another car was also drawn into the wreckage, resulting in a severe pile-up. Six occupants of the SUV car and the motorcycle rider died on the spot, police said. The deceased are suspected to be residents of Kothanur in Bengaluru, though their identities are yet to be confirmed. The bodies have been shifted to the Hoskote Government Hospital for post-mortem examination, police said. A case was registered, and investigation is underway, they added.

Leadership issue: Congress high command decision final, says Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday asserted that whatever the Congress high command decides on the CM change issue is final, and that he will be committed to what the leadership says. He also clarified that he is not going to Delhi to discuss the issue, and will go only if he is called by the high command. The CM was responding to comments made by his deputy and another claimant for the Chief Minister post D K Shivakumar earlier in the day that he has "no confusion" over the leadership issue, as he and Siddaramaiah have discussed the matter in presence of the Congress high command. "I will not speak about it now. Whatever the high command says is final. There is no use of you asking unnecessary questions," the CM told reporters here. When reporters said that they were merely asking what Shivakumar had stated, a visibly upset Siddaramaiah said, "if he has said something, you ask him. I don't know. I'm committed to what the high command says." Stating that he is not go

Karnataka relaxes FAR rules for taller real estate projects: What it means

Karnataka's new FAR rules allow developers to build taller projects in industrial zones, helping maximise land use as cities like Bengaluru face rising land scarcity

Bengaluru Metro fare hike stalled amid backlash; Tejasvi Surya detained

Bengaluru Metro's proposed fare hike has been put on hold after commuter backlash; BJP MP Tejasvi Surya protested against the move and was detained by police near a metro station

Private mini aircraft crashes in Karnataka, both occupants eject out

Two people, including the pilot, had a narrow escape when a private mini aircraft crashed into an open field in the district on Sunday afternoon, police sources said. The two-seater aircraft belonging to Redbird Aviation in Kalaburagi crashed at Mangaluru village in Babaleshwar Taluk of Vijayapura district, they said. Both the occupants ejected before it crashed, sources said, adding the aircraft broke into three pieces. Those who survived the accident were identified as Captain Kunal Malhotra, who is an Assistant Flight Instructor (AFI) at Redbird Aviation, and trainee pilot Goutham Sankar P R. The duo sustained injuries and was rushed to a hospital, they added. It is said that the training aircraft was flying from Kalaburagi to Belagavi, though more details are awaited. A civil aviation ministry spokesperson said, "Redbird Flying Training Academy Limited's Cessna 172 Aircraft, VT-EUC (MSN-17265717), made a forced landing in a field near Bagalkot, 100 km east of Belgavi Airport.

Karnataka PSU borrowing model a template for states: World Bank

Karnataka's move to include PSU and SPV debt in state liabilities offers a template to curb off-budget borrowings and improve fiscal transparency, a World Bank report says

3 dead, 15 injured as cruiser collides with canter in Karnataka's Gadag

The deceased have been identified as Sujatha, Annapurna and Mariyambu, all residents of the Shivajipet area of Gajendragad. All three were farmer women, police officials said

K'taka Assembly passes resolution against VB-G RAM G, wants MNREGA back

The Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the Centre to immediately repeal VB-G RAM G and reinstate MGNREGA amid walkout by the opposition BJP and its ally JD(S). The resolution was moved by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, which was accepted by the House today. Opposition Leader R Ashoka said the party opposes the resolution moved by the ruling Congress and supports the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G). He also reiterated his party's demand that Excise Minister R B Timmapur should resign as there was a large scale corruption to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore in the Excise Department. The BJP leader on Tuesday alleged that the scam money was used for funding Congress in the poll-bound states. The BJP had on Tuesday staged an overnight agitation inside the Karnataka Assembly, which continued throughout Wednesday. The party raised slogans in the Assembly disrupting the proceedings demanding Timmapur's ...

16th Finance Commission: Which states gain and lose under new tax formula

The 16th Finance Commission has retained states' 41 per cent share in central taxes, but changes in the devolution formula mean gains for southern and western states and relative losses for several no

Nokia keen on establishing GCC in Karnataka: Minister Patil

Nokia Corporation has expressed interest in establishing a Global Capability Centre (GCC) and additional research centres in Karnataka, Industries Minister M B Patil said. The telecommunications major, which has been associated with Karnataka for over 25 years and operates its largest global research centre in Bengaluru, discussed plans to expand operations across the state, including in Tier-2 cities. The discussions took place during meetings between senior Nokia officials and the state government on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos. Patil said the government has assured full support for Nokia's future expansion plans. The minister also reiterated the state government's commitment to supporting the World Economic Forum's 'Yes-BLR UpLink' initiative, which aims to develop the 'Yes Bengaluru' programme on sustainable urban development into a globally recognised platform for government-industry collaboration. Patil said the initiative was discussed in

Karnataka HC lifts ban on bike taxis, directs state govt to issue permits

Bike taxi services can resume in Karnataka after the High Court set aside the state ban; the court said riders and aggregators must apply for licences and the government must issue permits as per law

RPSG Group to invest ₹10.5K cr in Vijayapura, Ballari districts of K'taka

RPSG Group to invest ₹10,500 crore in Karnataka's Vijayapura and Ballari districts over three years, boosting the state's renewable energy ecosystem

Karnataka Cabinet extends five-year age relaxation for govt job aspirants

The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday approved a five-year relaxation in the age limit for all candidates applying for government jobs through direct recruitment, applicable until December 31, 2027, official sources said. The relaxation applies to candidates across all categories. In September last year, the government had announced a three-year age relaxation. Under the new provision, for example, if the maximum age for a post is 35 years, candidates up to 40 years will now be eligible to apply. Officials said the move comes in view of recruitment delays caused by a freeze imposed in October 2024 while finalising internal reservation among Scheduled Castes (SCs). The freeze was lifted after the government fixed internal reservation quotas in August 2025: Group A (SC Left) 6 per cent, Group B (SC Right) 6 per cent, and Group C (Banjara, Bhovi, Korma, Korcha, and other 'most backward' communities) 5 per cent. Several elected representatives and organisations had petitioned for a five-

Karnataka Guv concludes address to joint session after reading just 2 lines

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday concluded his customary address to the joint session of the state legislature here after reading just two opening lines. After greeting the members, the governor remarked that he was pleased to address the joint session. "My government is committed to doubling the economic, social and physical development of the state. Jai Hind, Jai Karnataka," he read in Hindi. Congress members expressed strong displeasure over the Governor curtailing his speech, and raised "Shame Shame" slogans on the floor of the House. The brief appearance follows a tense standoff between the Lok Bhavan and the Congress-led government-- the latest in a series of Governor vs Government confrontations in non-BJP ruled states. Earlier, Gehlot was received at the steps of the state secretariat by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Legislative Assembly Speaker U T Khader, Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K ...