Page 69 - Karnataka

K'taka HC stays probe into poll code violation case against BJP chief Nadda

The High Court of Karnataka has stayed the probe into the model code of conduct violation case registered against BJP national president J P Nadda during the assembly elections in the state. Nadda was accused of making a speech during a party campaign at Harapanahalli town in Vijayanaraga in May 2023, in which he allegedly lured voters. The criminal petition filed by Nadda, seeking to cancel the case against him, was heard by a single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna, which gave an interim order staying the investigation on Friday and adjourned the hearing to June 21. Officials of the Election Vigilance Division lodged a complaint with the Harappanahalli Police stating that the speech was delivered in a manner luring and threatening the voters. It also said that he had violated the Model Election Code of Conduct. Nadda has filed the petition in the High Court seeking to quash this investigation.

Rain-related mishaps: Karnataka minister warns officials against laxity

Officials dealing with rain-related calamities will be directly responsible for any lapses on their part in taking precautionary measures in affected areas, Dakshina Kannada district-in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has said. Strict action will be taken against the officials in case of shortcomings while dealing with the situation, the minister told a meeting held at the command control room of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) on Friday night. Discussions were held with district administration officials on the steps taken to manage the disasters occurring due to the incessant rains in the district. Gundu Rao said sufficient steps should be taken to prevent mishaps in low-lying areas, river shores and places near ponds. Fishermen should be given necessary instructions not to venture into the sea. He directed that officials remain in the control station and take disaster management actions without fail. Nodal officers are to be deputed in areas prone to disaster during the ...

K'taka to spend Rs 52k cr annually on 5 key promises, to benefit 13 mn

Seeking to highlight the Congress party's poll promises, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said approximately Rs 52,000 crore would be spent annually for the five key poll 'guarantees' and it is expected to benefit 1.3 crore families. Presenting the 2023-2024 budget, with an outlay of over Rs 3.27 lakh crore, in the Legislative Assembly, he said through the five 'guarantees' (poll promises), the government will be providing an average additional financial assistance of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 a month to each household. The five 'guarantees' related to free bus travel for women, 200 units of free electricity, 10 kilograms of free foodgrains to the poor, Rs 2,000 for the woman head of the house and unemployment benefit of up to Rs 3,000. According to some political analysts, these pre-poll promises found resonance with the electorate leading to the Congress' resounding victory in the Assembly elections. In the polls to the 224-member Assembly, the Congress bagged 135 seats

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah set to present State Budget today at 12 noon

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has arrived at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru to present the state budget

Wife employed earlier can't sit idle and seek maintenance: Karnataka HC

Justice Rajendra Badamikar said that a wife who was employed previously is bound to make efforts to meet the expenses for her livelihood and can seek only supportive maintenance from her husband

Modi taking revenge for K'taka defeat by depriving it of foodgrains: Cong

The Congress on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Centre's discontinuing the sale of foodgrains from its pool to state governments, calling it a revenge on Karnataka. The party said that the discontinuation was a "political decision" taken by Modi as a revenge on the people of Karnataka for rejecting the BJP in the assembly polls. On June 13, the Centre discontinued the sale of rice and wheat from the buffer stock to state governments under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) officially due to inflationary pressure and concerns over monsoon. The Congress has alleged that the move was aimed at scuttling the Karnataka government's Anna Bhagya scheme. The Anna Bhagya scheme, one of the five pre-poll guarantees of the Congress, promises 10 kg rice for every BPL (below poverty line) family in the state. In a tweet, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it was clear after Wednesday's meeting of Piyush Goyal with state food and civil supp

Cong deceived people with 'misleading poll guarantees': BJP to K'taka govt

The BJP attacked the Congress government in the Assembly on Wednesday, alleging that it deceived the people with their "misleading poll guarantees", which are now replete with conditions. The party claimed that the Siddaramaiah government is fast losing its popularity as people are no longer relying on its guarantees. Former deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka sought to pick holes in the five 'guarantees' promised in the Congress party's election manifesto. He alleged that the government introduced numerous conditions in these guarantees and limited the number of beneficiaries. Ashoka charged that these conditions in the guarantees are creating confusion among people. Referring to the 'Shakti' scheme offering free rides for women in government buses, Ashoka noted that the Congress manifesto did not mentions any conditions but after coming to power, the government said the scheme is available only in non-luxury buses. Ashoka accused the government of plying only a limited number of buses

Central leadership will decide Karnataka Leader of Opposition: Yediyurappa

"We have not taken any decision so far, it is left to the central leadership, they will take the decision", the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said

Several educational institutions shut due to heavy rainfall in Karnataka

Schools and colleges were shut in many Karnataka districts due to heavy rain. The IMD department issued an orange alert in Dakshina Kannada

BJP to protest in K'taka against govt's 'failure' to fulfill poll promises

The opposition BJP in Karnataka will stage protests against the alleged delay in implementation of the five poll promises made by the ruling Congress in the run-up to the assembly elections. The agitation will take place both inside and outside the assembly simultaneously from Tuesday till July 14 when the session ends seeking effective implementation of the guarantees, according to BJP sources. While the BJP legislative party will hold the demonstration inside the assembly, former chief ministers B S Yediyurappa, Basavaraj Bommai, D V Sadananda Gowda, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel will stage a protest at the Freedom Park. The second day of the assembly session is expected to be stormy if the BJP goes ahead with its plans. The saffron party has been targetting the Congress especially over the implementation of 'Anna Bhagya' scheme, which provides 5 kg grains to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. Due to unavailability of required amount of rice, the Siddaramaiah ...

Karnataka govt forms SIT to probe Bitcoin scam surfaced during BJP regime

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been formed to reinvestigate the Bitcoin scam. The Bitcoin scam had surfaced during the previous BJP regime in 2021 and the Congress, which was then in Opposition, had accused the government of trying to cover up the scandal as it involves big names. The prime suspect, Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki, was accused of hacking the state government's e-procurement website and siphoning over Rs 11.5 crore. There were also charges of cryptocurrency theft, drug peddling and cyber fraud relating to the case. The Home Minister said Additional Director General of Police Manish Kharbikar will head the SIT which, he added, can also take the help of technical experts since the matter relates to cyber crime. Before the Assembly elections in May, the Congress had promised the people of Karnataka that if it comes to power, it would reinvestigate the Bitcoin

BJP yet to elect Oppn leader, is most indisciplined party: CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the BJP yet to elect the leader of opposition in the Legislative Assembly shows there is groupism in that outfit and dubbed it as the "most indisciplined" political party. "It clearly shows that there is groupism among them," he told reporters in response to a question. The BJP calls itself as a disciplined party but it's the "most indisciplined party", Siddaramaiah alleged. The budget session of the Karnataka Legislature began on Monday with the BJP yet to elect its leader in the lower House. The BJP president J P Nadda has appointed Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya and party general secretary Vinod Tawde as central observers for the election. BJP chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said the two central leaders will be visiting the state to oversee the election of the party's leader in the state assembly by its MLAs. Following its loss to the Congress in the state polls, the BJP is yet to elect its leader in the

Centre's help needed for projects to check sea erosion: Karnataka minister

The Union government should provide assistance to the state in taking up permanent projects to check sea erosion at different places along the 320-km coastal line of Karnataka, state Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport Mankala S Vaidya has said. Talking to reporters after visiting the Kodi Kanyana fisheries port in Udupi district on Sunday, he said the state government is doing its best by taking temporary measures to prevent sea erosion. However, a permanent should be found by taking up projects in a phased manner with the support of the Union government, Vaidya said. He said the problems being faced by fishermen in Bengre, Kodi Kanyana and Hangarakatte will be solved jointly by the Fisheries and Port departments. The jetty project at Kodi Kanyana will be taken up soon. Former minister Jayaprakash Hegde and leaders of fishermen groups accompanied Vaidya during the visit.

BJP to elect 'Leader of Opposition' in Karnataka Assembly: Anil Baluni

Karnataka Legislative Assembly's Budget session will begin on Monday and it is expected that the Opposition will attack the government on the alleged delay in the implementation of the five guarantees

President Murmu to visit Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra from July 3-7

The President will attend Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence's second convocation on July 3, 2023, at Muddenahalli, Karnataka

Karnataka HC ruling on Twitter to turn tables for online platforms: Experts

Judicial review only after govt order is complied with and content taken down; but since much of the content has a shelf life, aggrieved users' 'free speech' may be impacted

BJP top leaders call Yediyurappa amid delay in electing K'taka party chief

Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Sunday left for New Delhi after being summoned by the party's top leadership amidst a delay in electing the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Though the BJP stalwart, who is the BJP parliamentary board member, expressed ignorance over the reason for the call, party sources said he has been summoned to decide on the candidates for the posts of leader of the opposition as well as the party's state chief. BJP National president J P Nadda has summoned me to New Delhi. I don't know what the subject is, Yediyurappa told reporters here. He said, I will go there, talk to him and if possible, I will return by tonight because a massive protest by thousands has been planned for day-after-tomorrow. So I will try to return by tonight or tomorrow morning. Asked whether he has been called to New Delhi to discuss the appointment of LoP, Yediyurappa said he was not aware. ... After talking to him, I will get to know what is running in

New Leader of Oppn in K'taka Assembly will be known by Sunday: BJP Leader

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai said it will be known by Sunday as to who will be the Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly. According to party sources, BJP's legislature party meeting is likely to take place on Sunday to elect its leader, who will also be the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, ahead of the legislature session starting from July 3. "It will be known surely tomorrow evening," Bommai told reporters in Chikkamagaluru on Saturday, in response to a question as to who will be the Leader of Opposition. According to BJP sources, the party national general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh, has already gathered opinions of the newly elected legislators, and the new leader is likely to be chosen based on it and the outcome of consultations with the BJP's national leadership. Bommai and senior leader and former Union Minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal are said to be the frontrunners for the post. Questions w

Will write to PM, leadership regarding K'taka poll defeat: BJP leader

Karnataka BJP leader and former MLA M P Renukacharya, who has been served a notice by the party for "anti-party" remarks, on Saturday said he will not fear such things and will write a letter to the national leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the defeat in the Assembly polls and those responsible for it. The former Minister who met veteran party leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said abiding by the latter's instructions, he will not make public statements regarding party before the media. His meeting with Yediyurappa came a day after he skipped the meeting called by the party's state leadership, with 11 leaders who had either indulged in anti-party activities or were making public statements, which had caused embarrassment to the BJP. "They issued notice to Renukacharya, will I fear for notice? No....we got to know about the existence of the disciplinary committee after I was served the notice. The State President said eleven people have been

NIA files additional charge sheet against 9 in K'taka ISIS conspiracy case

The National Investigation Agency has filed its first supplementary charge sheet against nine people for their alleged involvement in a case related to a conspiracy by the global terror group ISIS to carry out terror attacks across the country. Five of the accused in the charge sheet have tech backgrounds and had allegedly been tasked by the foreign-based ISIS handler to pursue courses in robotics to pick up skills for carrying out attacks in the future in furtherance of the terror group's agenda for the country, the federal agency said. It identified the accused charge-sheeted on Friday as Mohamed Shariq (25), Maaz Muneer Ahmed (23), Syed Yasin (22), Reeshaan Thajuddin Sheikh (22), Huzair Farhan Baig (22), Mazin Abdul Rahman (22), Nadeem Ahmed K A (22), Zabiulla (32) and Nadeem Faizal N (27). All of them belong to Karnataka and have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act, the prob