Page 8 - Karnataka

Rains lash several parts of Karnataka; IMD issues orange, yellow alerts

Heavy rains lashed several parts of Karnataka on Thursday morning, leading to the IMD issuing orange and yellow alerts in various districts, holiday for educational institutions and authorities taking precautionary measures across multiple districts. An orange alert denotes "very heavy" rainfall of 11 to 20 cm, while a yellow alert signals "heavy rain" between 6 and 11 cm. In Bidar district, overnight rainfall in Aurad taluk caused water to overflow on several bridges, including Dadagi bridge in Badalgaon-Chondimukhed in Bhalki taluk, forcing a complete closure to traffic. A stream at Narayanpur village in Aurad taluk was also reported in spate. Bidar Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Sharma declared a holiday for schools and colleges in affected areas as a safety measure. In Dakshina Kannada district, with the India Meteorological Department issuing an orange alert and forecasting heavy rainfall, the district administration declared a holiday on Thursday (August 28), for all anganwadi .

RSS song row: Shivakumar says ready to apologise if anyone is hurt

Apparently stung by criticism from within the party for singing the RSS' prayer song, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday offered to apologise if anyone was hurt over its rendition in the state assembly and asserted he was a Congressman and would die as one. Shivakumar, also the state Congress president, had taken everyone by surprise by singing the RSS prayer song on the floor of the House. The Deputy CM said he only made a "passing reference" in the Assembly. On August 21, Shivakumar recited a couple of lines of the RSS' prayer "Namaste Sada Vatsale..." in the Assembly during a debate on the June 4 Chinnaswamy stadium stampede. Addressing reporters here, he said, "I'm not bigger than anyone, my life is there to give strength to everyone. I have stood by everyone in their difficulty, still I stand by them...as a loyal Congressman I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings... If you want an apology, yes. For all the Congressmen and many political party friends of

Bike taxi row: Uber, Ola halt in Karnataka, Rapido continues service

This comes after the Karnataka High Court bench clarified that it has not passed any order allowing bike taxi services in the state

Promise profits, not land: Indian states need a new investor playbook

India's states should compete for investment by offering better infrastructure, fewer processes, and smarter regulations, not larger land holdings or bigger subsidies

ED arrests Karnataka MLA Veerendra in illegal betting racket case

The crackdown led to the recovery of nearly ₹12 crore in cash, including ₹1 crore in foreign currency, gold worth ₹6 crore, about 10 kg of silver, and four luxury cars

Bike taxi services resume, but Karnataka HC clarifies no judicial nod given

The Karnataka High Court has clarified that it had not passed any order permitting ride-hailing companies to resume bike taxi services, a day after such operations were seen returning to city roads. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru observed that while the state government is free to act against bike taxi aggregators in accordance with law, enforcement authorities must refrain from targeting individual vehicle owners. During a hearing on August 20, the bench had adjourned the matter to September 22, giving the government time to decide whether it intended to frame a policy on bike taxis. On Friday, Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty informed the court that several operators had restarted services despite there being no judicial order permitting them to do so. Counsel representing bike taxi riders countered, saying that enforcement authorities were seizing motorcycles belonging to individual owners. The bench clarified that its earlier concern was limited to ..

SIT arrests complainant who alleged multiple burials in Dharmasthala

The complainant who had alleged there were multiple murders, rapes and burials in Dharmasthala over a period of the past two decades, was arrested on Saturday by the SIT formed to investigate these charges, official sources said. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) and its chief, Pranab Mohanty, have questioned the complainantwhose name is not revealedon Friday till late hours. Officials said the arrest was made after inconsistencies were found in the statements and documents provided. The SIT is continuing its probe into the matter. The complainant-witness, a former sanitation worker, has claimed that he worked in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014, and that he was forced to bury a number of bodies, including those of women and minors, in Dharmasthala. He had alleged that some of the bodies showed signs of sexual assault. He has also given a statement before a magistrate in this regard.

20 stampedes happened in BJP-ruled states: CM Siddaramaiah in Assembly

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said 20 stampedes took place in the BJP-ruled states, and blamed "mass hysteria" for the Chinnaswamy stadium incident in June that killed 11 people. Replying to a discussion in the Assembly on the June 4 stampede, the Chief Minister read out the list of stampedes starting from the one that occurred on August 3, 2008, at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, when Prem Singh Dhumal was the Chief Minister, followed by the stampede in Jodhpur in 2008, which killed 250 people. The stampedes he referred to include the one that had taken place in Ratangarh in 2013, Haridwar in 2021, Sehore in MP in 2023, and Hathras in UP in which 121 people were killed in 2024. He also spoke about the Prayagraj stampede during Kumbh Mela in January this year that claimed the lives of 39 people. CM also talked about the Gujarat Morbi bridge collapse in 2022 in which 135 people were killed. "Did Yogi Adityanath resign as UP CM" after Kum

Karnataka Bank aims ₹85K cr loan book by March 2026 as operations stabilise

After stabilising operations, Karnataka Bank aims to expand its loan book beyond Rs 85,000 crore by March 2026 with growth led by retail, agriculture and MSME lending

Bike taxis return in Karnataka after High Court lifts state government ban

Bike taxis are back on the roads in Karnataka following the High Court's "balanced and thoughtful observations", said Karnataka Bike Taxi Welfare Association (KBTWA) president Adi Narayan on Thursday. Uber, Ola and Rapido have brought back the bike taxi feature on their platforms. According to Narayan, it would benefit over six lakh riders who were without income because of the ban on bike taxis. State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy was not immediately available for comments. Bike taxi operations had been suspended since June 16, following a single judge order prohibiting bike taxi services. On August 20, the Karnataka High Court came down heavily on the state government's ban on bike taxis, calling its arguments against the service "thin" and legally untenable. It also said the state cannot deny livelihoods by citing the absence of a formal policy. Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, who headed the bench, noted that bike taxis are permitted in at least 13 states across the country

KCET, Karnataka NEET UG Counselling 2025: Round 2 option entry activated

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has activated the link for option entry for Round 2 KCET and Karnataka NEET UG Counselling 2025 today on the official website at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in

Karnataka HC slams govt bike taxi ban, upholds operators' right to work

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday came down on the state government's ban on bike taxis, calling its arguments against the service 'thin' and "legally untenable". Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, heading the bench, noted that bike taxis are permitted in at least 13 states across the country and have emerged as a lawful and essential mode of urban transport. He observed that such services are not a luxury but a necessity, especially for affordable and efficient last-mile connectivity. Rejecting the government's stance that the Motor Vehicles Act prohibits bike taxis, the court said the State cannot deny livelihoods by citing the absence of a formal policy. A mere lack of regulation cannot be the basis for a blanket ban that deprives thousands of their right to work under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, the Chief Justice remarked. The court also asked the Advocate General (AG) to ensure that no coercive or punitive action is taken against bike taxi operators in the interim. Th

Karnataka debt jumps to ₹63,000 cr in FY24; CAG blames guarantee schemes

Karnataka's debt rose to ₹63,000 crore in 2023-24, with CAG flagging diversion of ?5,299 crore from infrastructure funds to guarantee schemes, raising concerns over public finances

Welspun One to invest ₹2,150 cr for warehouses across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu

Welspun One Logistics Parks expands Karnataka and Tamil Nadu portfolio to 260 acres with Rs 2,150 crore investment, targeting 6 msf development in high-potential corridors

Welspun One acquires 107 acres in Karnataka for warehousing projects

Welspun Group-backed warehousing and logistics platform Welspun One Logistics Parks (WOLP) on Wednesday announced it has acquired two land parcels totalling 107 acres in southern India for two warehousing projects. With this acquisition, the company's total footprint has expanded to over 260 acres across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, marking a significant step in strengthening its pan-South India presence, Welspun One said. This portfolio represents a development potential of over 6 million sq ft, supported by a committed investment of USD 250 million (Rs 2,150 crore), the company said. Welspun One said it has acquired around 51 acres of land in Hoskote and 56 acres in Devanahalli, Karnataka. With these acquisitions, the company has further strengthened its presence in South India, underscoring its confidence in the region's long-term growth potential. "The Bengaluru market in particular holds immense promise, and these investments demonstrate our conviction and capability," said ...

Karnataka Cabinet decides to provide internal reservation among SCs

The Karnataka cabinet on Tuesday night decided to provide internal reservation among Scheduled Castes by categorising 101 castes among them into three categories, official sources said. In a special meeting, the Cabinet discussed the recommendations of the Justice H N Nagmohan Das Commission report, aimed at providing internal reservation among Scheduled Castes (SCs). The commission had submitted its 1,766-page report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on August 4, and it was placed before the cabinet on August 7. The internal reservation is aimed at slicing up the 17 per cent reservation matrix given to 101 scheduled castes. According to sources, the cabinet decided to accept the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission's report, but made some alterations. Of the 17 per cent reservation that SCs have in the state, as per the internal reservation formula evolved by the Cabinet, the SC (Right) and SC (Left) will get 6 per cent each, while the 'touchable' Dalit communities (Lambani, Bhovi, Korm

FASTag annual pass crosses 500K users nationwide within four days of launch

The newly introduced FASTag annual pass facility has crossed the landmark figure of five lakh users across the country within four days, an official statement said on Monday. FASTag annual pass, applicable on about 1,150 toll collection booths on National Highways and expressways allowing users to cross 200 toll plazas in a year for a one-time payment of Rs 3,000, was launched on August 15. The facility has received an overwhelming response from the National Highway users across the country. Tamil Nadu led with the maximum number of annual pass purchases in the last four days, followed by Karnataka and Haryana, the statement said. Besides, maximum transactions through FASTag annual pass were recorded at toll plazas in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, it added. The pass is applicable for all non-commercial vehicles with a valid FASTag and gets activated within two hours of the one-time payment using Rajmargyatra app or the NHAI website.

Put wire mesh on safari vehicles, urge tourists to act properly: Minister

Karnataka Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre has said that he instructed biological parks officials to install mesh on the windows and photography holes of all safari vehicles. The minister issued the notification immediately after a leopard entered a safari vehicle at the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BNP) in Bengaluru on August 15. The leopard had scratched a 12-year-old boy before it could be chased out of the vehicle. BNP's leopard safari enclosure, launched last year, covers 20 hectares and is India's largest leopard safari featuring semi-wild leopards, mostly rescued from in and around Bengaluru. Khandre said he had instructed the officials to take all necessary precautionary measures during the safari and to give appropriate warnings to tourists and to print a warning message on the safari ticket itself.

Have right to label content when it enters public domain: Priyank Kharge

The fake news bill is under review, with an expert-only panel and public consultation planned before finalising provisions, says Karnataka IT minister Priyank Kharge

Karnataka-specific education policy in the works: CM Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said steps are being taken by the state government to frame a comprehensive "Karnataka-specific" education policy which will lead to holistic development of the youth. A commission constituted for this purpose has recommended a two-language policy in school education and that Kannada or the mother tongue be the medium of instruction up to Class 5. In his address during the 79th Independence Day celebrations here, the chief minister also said the government was upgrading first-grade colleges and polytechnics in the state, and establishing 13 new technical education institutions. "Recently, the State Education Policy Commission, chaired by Prof Sukhadeo Thorat, submitted its report. For the first time, steps are being taken to frame a comprehensive, Karnataka-specific education policy which will lead to holistic development of our youth," Siddaramaiah said. The Commission had submitted its report to Siddaramaiah on August 8. It was constituted i