Page 111 - Karnataka

Mangaluru airport enables unidirectional flow of traffic for departures

The Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) has enabled the unidirectional flow of traffic for the departures of passengers on the ground floor. This arrangement has created a seamless movement of traffic for both arrivals (lower ground floor) and departures (ground floor) on different levels, a release from MIA said here Sunday. Under the new arrangement, all vehicles coming to drop departing passengers, shall exit via the ramp after dropping them either at the designated drop off zone 1 or 2. After leaving the ramp that leads to the lower ground floor, the vehicles may exit either to the city or towards the parking lot. Till now, the airport had just one designated drop zone just prior to the departure gate from where the vehicles returned. A zebra crossing near the departure gate facilitates departing passengers and their kin, who come up from parking into the terminal via the escalator on the lower ground floor. Traffic marshals with LED batons have been positioned to ensure thei

Karnataka HC quashes land acquisition for widening state highway in Byadagi

The High Court of Karnataka has quashed the land acquisition process in Byadagi taluk of Haveri district for widening a state highway there. Allowing a batch of five petitions filed by multiple property owners, the HC has held the state government's amendment to Section 34 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Karnataka) Rules, as invalid in respect of the land acquisition process for these land owners. By a notification dated May 16, 2020, the state had exempted social impact assessment (SIA) and determination in relation to the proposed acquisition of land for State Highway-136, including the lands of the petitioners before the HC and other land owners. The petitioners in all the petitions claim to be the residents residing at Byadagi taluk, Haveri district, and have been carrying on business in the market area in the said town. Pursuant to the request dated February 20, 2019 made by the Deputy Commissioner, Haver

Congress demands probe into gifts to journalists on Diwali in Karnataka

The Congress on Saturday alleged that Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai tried to bribe journalists by sending Rs 1 lakh cash gifts to them on Diwali and demanded the registration of a graft case as well as his resignation. The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee demanded a judicial inquiry into what it called "Chief Minister's Office (CMO) 'sweet box bribe' to journalists". According to sources in the CMO, Bommai has said he was unaware that "cash" was given to journalists. Addressing the media in New Delhi, senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said, "The Bommai government's bribegate is now out in the open and this time the responsibility lies at the doorstep of the chief minister himself." "This time, Mr Bommai has surreptitiously, overtly and in a conspiratorial fashion tried to bribe the entire journalistic fraternity by sending 1 lakh cash to every journalist in Karnataka. Hats off to our journalist friends who openly exposed the bribegate," said Surjewala, who ha

BJP's confident despite infighting

Sniping at the senior leadership of the party has reached a new high in the BJP in Karnataka. For the moment, there is a truce, but the party knows the damage it could do ahead of the polls

Over 10 mn people sing six classic Kannada songs in a record of sorts

The 'Koti Kanta Gaayana' programme on Friday received overwhelming response with an estimated more than one crore people singing six classic Kannada songs in various locations across the State. The mass singing programme was organised by the Kannada and Culture Department in the run-up to Karnataka Rajyotsava (state formation day) on November one. More than one crore people sang at the same time in entire Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters after inaugurating the event on the footsteps of 'Vidhan Soudha' here. "It's a world record", he said as he highlighted the people's passion for the Kannada language and culture.

Have 'games of skill': Gaming platform on receiving Rs 21,000 cr tax notice

The High Court of Karnataka has said that if it is proved that the same games which have already been decided as 'game of skill' by the courts, the Rs 21,000 crore tax notice on an online gaming company will go nowhere. The intimation notice of Rs 21,000 crore by the Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax (GST) Intelligence on the Karnataka-based online gaming platform Gameskraft, has been challenged before the High Court by the company. The September 8 notice sought to impose 28 per cent GST on the company's transactions. The company, in its submission before the HC bench of Justice SR Krishna Kumar, on Thursday argued that the platform only conducts 'games of skill' and not 'games of chance.' The game of Rummy, which has been held to be a 'game of skill,' by several high courts and Supreme Court constituted 96 per cent of the games played on the online platform. Senior Counsel Abishek Manu Singhvi made the submissions on behalf of the company. He also submitted that in an

Maturity level of some social media users not up to mark, says Karnataka HC

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday observed that the maturity level of some internet users is not up to the mark and they may believe in anything they come across. The court made the observation while hearing a petition by US-based microblogging site, Twitter against the Union Government's orders issued to take down certain accounts, tweets and links on its platform, in national and public interest. Justice Krishna S Dixit said, "Maturity level of a section of society is not up to the mark. A section of people believe whatever comes." Senior advocate Ashok Haranahalli, arguing on behalf of Twitter submitted that providing a notice to those whose accounts are taken down was a procedural requirement but this was not being done. Communicating reasons is advisable so that persons whose right is affected can raise an appeal, he argued. "Merely because it is against our interest should we block a foreign handle?" the senior counsel asked and cited the example of the farmers protests

Karnataka Congress leaders gear up for a tractor yatra across state

Tussle between opposition leader Siddaramaiah and state Party President D.K. Shivakumar seems to be gathering steam as Karnataka Congress gears up to take out tractor yatra across the state

K'taka: 2 dead, over 40 ill after drinking contaminated water on Diwali

Diwali turned tragic for Hothpet village in Shahapura taluk of Yadgir, Karnataka as two persons died and over 40 are being treated at a hospital after allegedly drinking contaminated wat

Karnataka govt issues advisory after detection of new Covid sub-variant

The Karnataka government has issued an advisory urging people to adhere to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour in view of newer sub-variants of Coronavirus being reported in neighbouring Maharashtra. The health department has also advised people with symptoms such as cough, cold and fever to get tested at nearest hospitals and isolate themselves till the results are out. "In view of reporting newer sub-variants of Omicron BQ.1 (US variant) BA.2.3.20 apart from XBB, which is a recombinant of BA.2.75 and BJ.1 in Maharashtra and in the context of the ensuing festival season of Deepavali and Kannada Rajyothsava the following advisory is issued to General public, the Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfare said. "Those with fever, cough, cold, sore throat, breathing difficulty should compulsorily get tested immediately at the nearest hospital or health centres (preferably Rapid Antigen Test, if negative then RT-PCR, and get self-isolated till the results are received," the department sai

Omicron BF.7 threat: Experts urge people to follow Covid protocol

In the wake of detection of BF.7 Omicron sub-variant in different parts of India, experts have called for diligent following of Covid-19 protocols in Karnataka, said Navodaya Gilla

Wheel of fortune turned full circle: Karnataka CM Bommai on Sunak's win

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday expressed happiness after Indian-origin British Conservative party politician Rishi Sunak made his way to the post of UK Prime Minister.

Karnataka CM Bommai congratulates UK's Indian-origin PM-elect Rishi Sunak

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday expressed his happiness over Rishi Sunak, a person of Indian origin set to become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Talking to reporters in Shiggaon, Bommai said the British ruled India for over 200 years and they would have never expected such a big development. Today, Indians are on all fronts and have got elected as MPs in several countries. Now, Rishi Sunak has got elected as the new Britain PM. The wheel of fortune has turned completely, he opined. In a series of tweets, former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy too congratulated Sunak, who is set to become the UK prime minister. "Hearty congratulations to Sri @RishiSunak, senior Conservative party leader & Britain's Prime Minister elect. He is connected to our Karnataka. I am overwhelmed with the election of Sri Rishi Sunak, son-in-law of Infosys founder Sri N R Narayanamurthy & Smt Sudha Murty," Kumaraswamy tweeted. "I am confident that Sri Rishi Sunak ...

Karnataka HC quashes reduction of seats for in-service doctors in PG-NEET

The High Court of Karnataka quashed the state government notification issued on October 6, 2022, by which seats earmarked for in-service candidates from PG-NEET examination 2022 was reduced from 30 per cent to 15 per cent. The government quota is for doctors who are already serving in government service across Karnataka. The court made this order in a batch of petitions filed by in-service candidates. They had pointed out that another division bench of the court in a related order on October 14, had passed an interim order that "when 30 per cent of seats were reserved for in-service candidates on 09-01-2022 there appears to be no justification for reducing the same to 15 per cent." Despite the interim order the Karnataka Examination Authority had announced the notification and published the first round of allotment. "The only explanation offered on behalf of respondents is that the numbers of seats are more than the number of candidates. However, the aforesaid reason is not ...

What did Congress achieve with Bharat Jodo Yatra, asks Karnataka minister

A day after the Congress completed the Karnataka leg of its Bharat Jodo Yatra, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Monday wondered whether it served any purpose. In a series of tweets, Sudhakar, who quit the Congress in 2019 a year after being elected an MLA on the party's ticket to join the BJP, said the foot march is a self-realisation in admitting the blunder of dividing society on the basis of caste and religion. "With #BharatJodoYatra coming to an end in #Karnataka, the big question remains is whether it really served any purpose other than @INCIndia's classic divide and rule politics?" the minister wondered. "While the whole world is praising the new India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his efforts in putting the nation in the forefront, the Congress is simply busy walking on the path of illusion called #BharatJodoYatra!" Sudhakar said. The minister quipped that only a researcher can provide some insight into what Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and

Will pass law for SC/ST quota hike ordinance in next session: Karnataka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said his government will take every measure to offer legal protection to the ordinance increasing the reservation for SCs and STs in education institutions and government jobs. The ordinance increasing the reservation for Scheduled Castes from 15 per cent to 17 per cent and Scheduled Tribes from 3 per cent to 7 per cent, got Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's assent on Sunday. After it was approved by the Governor, it was made public through a gazette notification. The gazette notification said the number of castes increased drastically after the inclusion of some more communities. The total population of SCs and STs in the state went up by leaps and bounds, it added. "There is a need to get approval of both the Houses, which we will do in the next (Assembly) session," Bommai said. Regarding a few other recommendations on reservation, the Chief Minister said those proposals are pending before various commissions. Once the report come

Karnataka Guv gives assent to ordinance increasing SC, ST reservation

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot gave his assent to the ordinance increasing the reservation for the Scheduled Castes from 15% to 17% and the Scheduled Tribes from 3% to 7% in the state

Karnataka minister apologises after viral video shows him slapping woman

Karnataka Minister V Somanna apologised on Sunday after he allegedly slapped a woman who approached him with a plea to redress her grievance. The incident, the video of which went viral on social media, took place when the Housing and Infrastructure Minister was participating in a property document distribution ceremony at Hangla village in this district. Property ownership papers were handed over to landless people who were occupying government land for residential purposes. During the ceremony on Saturday, the woman, later identified as Kempamma, approached the Chamarajnagar district incharge Minister reportedly pleading with him to allot a plot. The minister turned angry after he was shoved due to the unruly crowd and allegedly slapped her. This incident is not an incident at all. I have been in politics for the past 40 years. This was a programme organised for the downtrodden and economically weaker section of the society. Though I did not misbehave at all but if anyone felt h

Karnataka minister slaps woman, claims to stop her from falling at his feet

Karnataka's Minister Somanna stoked a controversy after visuals of him allegedly slapping a woman at a public function went viral on Sunday

Man booked for indecent online post on Congress leader in Karnataka

A case has been registered at the women's police station here against a person who uploaded the photo and video of Congress leader Prathibha Kulai in a derogatory manner on social media. Shyama Sudarshan Bhat, a resident of the city, was booked for outraging the modesty of a woman by circulating obscene material on social media, based on a complaint from Kulai, police said on Saturday. In her complaint, Kulai said the person had edited her images and videos taken during the October 18 protest against the toll gate at Surathkal and circulated them on social media in an indecent manner. The accused also posted her image surrounded by the police personnel with an obscene comment, the complaint said. Kulai demanded that immediate action should be taken against the man who had outraged her modesty, insulted and seriously dented her image as a social activist. City police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said the police are searching for the accused and he will soon be traced.