Page 9 - Karnataka

Lingayats renew demand for separate religion status at Basava event

The Lingayat community, led by several of its seers, has renewed its call for a separate religion status. The demand came at the valedictory function of 'Basava Culture Campaign-2025' organised by "Lingayat Matadeeshara Okkoota". Among the five resolutions adopted at the function on Sunday are raising awareness about religious recognition for Lingayats. "All Lingayats are Indians first. Lingayat religion is the religion of Kannada. Country comes before religion. Always strive for the unity of the country with national consciousness," said the resolution. Noting that Lingayat religion is the greatest religion founded by Mahatma Basaveshwara and other Sharanas in the 12th century, it said, "Geographically, we are all Hindus. Continue to raise awareness for religious recognition so that Lingayats get government benefits and reservation facilities like Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs." Claiming that Lingayat religion is the true religion of equality, brotherhood, and human values, it said,

Jagan hits out at CM Naidu as Karnataka clears Almatti Dam expansion

YSRCP supremo Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday hit out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for "completely neglecting" the state's interests following Karnataka's plans to raise the height of the Almatti Dam. Reddy pointed out that the Karnataka Cabinet recently approved increasing the dam's height from 519 metres to 524.2 metres, which will effectively double its storage capacity from 130 TMC to 280 TMC. He noted that the neighbouring state allocated a budget of Rs 70,000 crore on September 16 for this purpose. Reddy delivered a sharp warning to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of completely neglecting Andhra Pradesh's interests while Karnataka pushes forward with raising the height of the Almatti Dam, said a YSRCP press release. The opposition leader alleged that despite the grave threat to Andhra Pradesh's irrigation and drinking water needs, Naidu has failed to act. Entire regions face the danger of turning barren without water, he said and ...

X to challenge Karnataka HC order upholding Sahyog portal validity

Elon Musk's X will challenge the Karnataka High Court verdict that upheld the Centre's Sahyog portal, which allows online content takedowns without judicial review

Karnataka HC allows Russian woman, daughters found in cave to return home

The Karnataka High Court on Friday permitted the Union Government to issue travel documents to facilitate the return of a Russian woman and her two minor daughters who had been discovered living in a cave in coastal Karnataka. Justice B M Shyam Prasad passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Israeli national Dror Shlomo Goldstein, who claims to be the father of the children. Goldstein had approached the court seeking a direction to the Centre not to immediately deport the minor children. The woman, identified as Nina Kutina, was found on July 11 in a cave in the Ramatirtha Hills near Gokarna in Kumta taluk. Authorities reported that she and the children had been living there for nearly two months without valid travel or residence documents. Goldstein had earlier lodged a complaint at the Panaji police station in Goa in December last year after being unable to trace his children in India. During Friday's hearing, the court recorded that the Russian consulate had issued ...

K'taka now proposes 2% cess on movie tickets for cine 'activists'' welfare

The proposed cess comes months after the state High Court struck down the government's move to cap movie ticket prices at ₹200

Caste census tech issues resolved, survey to speed up now: CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said the technical issues affecting the Social and Educational Surveywidely referred to as the "caste census"have "almost been sorted out", and that the survey will now proceed in a full-fledged manner. He asserted that the survey would be completed within the stipulated period and stressed that there would be no extension. Concerns have been raised over the "slow pace of the survey", with technical glitches and server issues affecting data collection. Siddaramaiah chaired a video-conference meeting with ministers, senior officials, Backward Classes Commission Chairman Madhusudan R Naik, Deputy Commissioners (DCs), and Zilla Panchayat CEOs of all districts. The survey, being conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, began on September 22 and is scheduled to continue until October 7. "The survey work started on September 22 and will be completed by October 7. There are some technical issues, all of which have t

Inclined to stay bike taxi ban: K'taka HC seeks clarity on gig workers law

The Karnataka High Court questioned whether the state's new gig workers law applies to bike taxis and adjourned the matter to October 15, asking the government to avoid coercive steps against riders

Social media can't be left in 'anarchic freedom': Karnataka High Court

Observing that social media could not be left in "anarchic freedom", the court said that every sovereign nation regulated social media

Social media can't be left in anarchic freedom: K'taka HC quashes X's plea

The Karnataka HC dismissed X's plea against the Sahyog portal, calling it a public-good mechanism, noting that social media cannot be left in unregulated

Karnataka HC stays ₹200 movie ticket price cap for cinemas, multiplexes

The Karnataka High Court stayed the government's ₹200 cap on cinema tickets after producers and multiplex owners challenged the move, citing arbitrary restrictions and business concerns

Karnataka launches ₹1,000 cr LEAP scheme to boost innovation across state

Karnataka government's department of Electronics, IT, and BT on Monday unveiled a Rs 1,000 crore "LEAP" programme to drive innovation across the state, catalysing growth beyond Bengaluru. Designed to catalyse innovation, LEAP (Local Economy Accelerator Programme) intends to create five lakh jobs, and build robust startup ecosystems across Karnataka, beyond the state capital, it said. "With an ambitious outlay of Rs 1,000 crore over five years, LEAP represents a strategic and holistic commitment to fostering innovation, democratising opportunity, and driving equitable economic growth across the entire state," the department said in a statement. According to the department, while Bengaluru is a globally celebrated technology hub, ranking at number 10 worldwide in the StartupBlink 2025 index and at 14 globally in the Startup Genome 2025 report, LEAP as an initiative is about holistic, statewide development. "The Government of Karnataka's vision for the next phase of transformation is

Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq inaugurates Dasara festival in Mysuru

The famous Mysuru Dasara festival commenced in the city and palaces on Monday with religious and traditional fervour, with International Booker Prize-winning writer Banu Mushtaq inaugurating the festivities. Mushtaq inaugurated the festivities during the auspicious "Vrushchika Lagna" by showering flowers on the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru and its royals, amid chanting of Vedic hymns by priests, at the premises of Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi Hills here. Celebrated as 'Nada Habba' (state festival), the 11-day Dasara or 'Sharan Navaratri' festivities are expected to be a grand affair this year, showcasing Karnataka's rich culture and traditions, coupled with reminiscence of royal pomp and glory. In the inaugural event, Mushtaq was accompanied by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, several ministers in the state cabinet, among others. Earlier, Mushtaq, along with CM and other dignitaries, visited the Chamundeshwari temple and offered prayers to th

Karnataka caste census begins today, minor delay possible in Bengaluru

Social and Educational Survey, popularly known as the 'caste census' in Karnataka, is to begin on Monday, though the exercise may be delayed by a day or two in Greater Bengaluru area in order to impart training and ensure necesary preparations. The survey by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes that will go on till October 7, will see as many as 1.75 lakh enumerators, mostly government school teachers, covering around 7 crore people in approximately 2 crore households across the state. The survey, at an estimated cost of Rs 420 crore, will be conducted "scientifically," with a 60-question questionnaire prepared for the exercise, according to officials. Meanwhile, amid criticism and objections from various sections, including within the ruling Congress, regarding the castes list prepared for the survey, containing a number of castes with dual identities -- having both Christian and Hindu caste names -- like 'Kuruba Christian', 'Brahmin Christian', 'Vokkaliga Christian'

CM sets repair deadline after firms' exit threat over B'luru poor roads

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday set a deadline of one month for the officers of the civic agency to repair all the roads in the city. He warned that the Chief Engineers will be held accountable if the deadline was not met. Addressing reporters after a meeting with his deputy D K Shivakumar and the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials, Siddaramaiah said Rs 750 crore has been earmarked to repair all the roads. According to him, about 6,000 potholes have been filled while 8,000 more are yet to be fixed. The CM also cautioned officials not to compromise on the quality of the work. "I will hold two meetings in the next one month. I will take strict action if any shortcoming is found," Siddaramaiah told reporters. Recently BlackBuck CEO and Co-founder Rajesh Yabaji had posted on X that he was planning to move out of Outer Ring Road (Bellandur) due to pothole ridden road. On Saturday, the Peenya Industries Association too highlighted the poor state of roads in

Rahul Gandhi accuses EC of withholding data from CID in Karnataka vote row

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused the Election Commission of India of not providing information sought by the Karnataka CID regarding the alleged 'vote chori' in that state. Rahul, who arrived in Wayanad on Friday along with his mother Sonia Gandhi, told reporters here that Karnataka CID has sent several letters to the EC seeking information about the numbers used in the 'vote chori', but the poll panel is not providing it. Gyanesh Kumar is the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and he is not providing the information sought by the police, the Congress MP claimed. "There can be no bigger indictment of the CEC than this. The police is asking for information, and he is not providing it. This is not my statement. It is a fact. It is there in black and white," he said. Rahul further said that the Congress will show evidence of the alleged 'vote chori' "in such a manner that no one will have any doubt that PM Narendra Modi did it and won the election". "We are going to reveal

Karnataka govt approves statewide caste census from Sep 22 to Oct 7

The Karnataka government on Friday approved the conduct of a statewide Social and Educational Survey or cast census of all citizens between September 22 and October 7 2025. In its order, the government said, "In view of the details stated in the proposal, approval is accorded to the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission to undertake a survey on the social and educational status of all citizens of the State from September 22, 2025 to October 7, 2025." The order notes that the Chairman of the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission had earlier written to the government stating the intention to carry out the survey during the above period. "Deputy Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers of Zilla Panchayats have already been informed through video conference to organise the necessary training programmes at the district and taluk level for the enumerators and to create public awareness to ensure full participation in the survey," the order stated. The government clarified t

Who is ECI shielding?: Kharge questions after Rahul's voter deletion charge

Kharge asked who the EC has been shielding to allow for alleged vote theft, asked if the BJP is 'hollowing' out institutions meant to protect democracy

Masked men loot ₹21 crore in cash, gold from SBI branch in Karnataka

Vijayapura Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi said that the robbers reportedly used a Suzuki vehicle with a fake number plate and fled towards Pandharpur in Maharashtra

Karnataka caps movie ticket prices at ₹200; multiplexes, producers move high court

The Karnataka government has capped movie ticket prices at ₹200 across the state, sparking a heated battle between the state and cinema operators.

CM Siddaramaiah announces ₹70,000 cr irrigation boost for Kalyana Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday greeted citizens on Kalyana Karnataka Liberation Day and reaffirmed his government's commitment to the region's all-round development by outlining key initiatives, budget allocations and upcoming projects. He said the occasion was a reminder of the sacrifices made by freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of Hyderabad-Karnataka from the Nizam's rule. Whilst the rest of India was celebrating independence on 15 August 1947, this region was still not free. The atrocities of the Razakars had reached unbearable limits, he said, recalling that the region was integrated into the Indian Union thanks to the determination of local heroes and the resolve of the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the then Home Minister Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. The CM paid homage to several freedom fighters, including Sharanagouda Inamdar, Raja Venkatappa Nayak, Dattatreya Avaradi, Shivamurthy Swamy Alavandi, Matamari Nagappa and many others, ..