Karnataka

Controversy

The political class including the Chief Minister have come up with no justification over why she was shunted out.

File image

In an unpopular decision by the Karnataka government led by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri has been transferred out of the Labour Department just six months into her new posting. The move has also triggered outrage on social media with many calling for her reinstatement. The transfer comes at a time when Rohini was set to launch popular schemes like mobile creches for children of construction workers as the secretary of Karnataka Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. A source close to Rohini alleged that the friction in the department was primarily due to two reasons: A suggestion to transfer the Board's funds for flood relief and over calling for tender for a helpline. Rohini was under pressured to take certain decisions, the source said. However, another IAS officer countered this view and said that tenders had been called for the helpline and since there was a Supreme Court judgment against diverting funds for other purposes, the plan was dropped at initial stages. This said, the source close to Rohini says that they believe firmly that there were vested interests behind the transfer, “The post is very low profile. There would be hardly any interest from politicians as there is little to gain for, nor is it prestigious,” the source told TNM. The transfer also comes just days after a similar controversial decision to transfer out senior IAS officer Munish Moudgil as Commissioner Survey and Settlement has triggered outrage among the public. While Munish had been retained in the same position following the outrage, Sindhuri is holding on to her post due to the model code of conduct put in place for the bye-polls. Speaking to TNM, Captain Manivannan, the Labour Department Secretary, said transfers are prerogative of the government. He said, “Allegations do happen when one changes the status quo. But, the labour department will continue its reform process towards transparency and efficiency towards serving the workers.” He, however, suggested the transfer could be a result recent protest by trade unions on Freedom Park held on September 19. But sources close to Rohini Sindhuri said this possibly could not be the reason as the labour unions had protested against the central government over the dilution of labour laws and not any state policy. Swamy, General Secretary, National Centre for Labour, one of the unions who held the protest told TNM, “We have not asked for any transfer of officials. We were protesting against the centre’s policy of bringing in anti-labour codes.” When social media users asked Captain Manivannan if he was responsible for the transfer, he replied, "Nobody has the power to 'protect' anyone here! I myself have been transferred 18 times in 20 years service. I already did what I can: to request the govt to kindly consider her continuation in the department." IGP Railways D Roopa Pai wrote to Captain Manivannan on Twitter, "I think that is also the point of disagreement between you and Rohini sindhuri. She wants to call tenders and give equal opportunity while you want it to be in favour of one citizen. That's not citizen friendliness. It in fact works against the spirit of democracy and welfare state." Roopa was speaking about the tender for the helpline that the department wanted to launch I think that is also the point of disagreement between you and Rohini sindhuri. She wants to call tenders and give equal opportunity while you want it to be in favour of one citizen. That's not citizen friendliness. It in fact works against the spirit of democracy n welfare state— D Roopa IPS (@D_Roopa_IPS) September 24, 2019 To this Captain Manivannan replied, "Not true, ma'am! I have issued a clear Govt order dated 7.8.2019, to call for tenders. Based on that tender called & under process now. KEONICS was just a temporary stop-gap arrangement for the 30 day period till finalization of tenders. I never lose track ofwelfare & law." Not true, ma'am! I have issued a clear Govt order dated 7.8.2019, to call for tenders. Based on that tender called & under process now. KEONICS was just a temporary stop-gap arrangement for the 30 day period till finalization of tenders. I never lose track of welfare & law!— Captain Manivannan (@mani1972ias) September 24, 2019 Though the senior IAS officer maintains that he had nothing to do with Rohini's transfer, the political class including the Chief Minister have come up with no justification over why she was shunted out.

Body 2:

Crime

DK Shivakumar has been in custody since September 3 after the Enforcement Directorate had arrested him.

TNM Staff

Former Karnataka Minister and Congress strongman DK Shivakumar will continue to remain in Tihar jail as the special court rejected his bail in connection with the money laundering case yet again on Wednesday. Shivakumar has been in custody since September 3 after the Enforcement Directorate had arrested him. Till now, Shivakumar’s bail plea on medical grounds has been rejected by the court after the prosecution told the court that the former minister could tamper with evidence if he walks out. While his police (ED) custody ended on September 19, he was remanded to judicial custody till October 1 by the Rouse Avenue court. He was reportedly lodged in the same jail compound as former Finance Minister P Chidambaram. The ED had been probing accusations of money laundering registered against DK Shivakumar (DKS) since August 2017, when a cash amount of Rs 8.86 crore was found in his New Delhi residence. Allegations against DKS include that he along with his associates transferred unaccounted money through hawala transactions to the Congress top brass. On September 12, DK Shivakumar’s daughter Aishwarya too had appeared before the ED and was questioned for seven hours in connection with the case. At the time, officials from the ED stated that she was being questioned about a trust fund set up in her name. The ED also interrogated her regarding the increase in her wealth between 2013 and 2018. Shivakumar had declared that his daughter held assets worth Rs 108 crore, ahead of the 2018 state assembly elections. However in 2013, she supposedly had only Rs 1.09 crore. The ED has also questioned many of Shivakumar’s aides including Karnataka Congress MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar in this case. As part of the probe into the case back in 2017, the Income Tax Department found that some transactions made by him were linked to Lakshmi Hebbalkar. Further, when the raids first took place on August 2, 2017, Shivakumar had allegedly made a phone call to Lakshmi.

Body 2:

Education

Students had protested the delay in his appointment last week, and had called it off after the matter was brought to the CJI’s notice.

Soumya Chatterjee

In a win for the students of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru, noted legal scholar and NLS alumnus Sudhir Krishnaswamy took charge as Vice-Chancellor on Wednesday ending an episode of controversy. Sudhir Krishnaswamy, 44, was until now a professor and director at the School of Policy and Governance, Azim Premji University. He is also a Rhodes scholar and acts as a visiting professor for Indian Constitutional Law at the Columbia Law School. It may be recalled the students had been protesting against the erstwhile ad-hoc university administration for allegedly delaying his appointment. Many students who had skipped classes on Friday and Saturday as a mark of protest had also boycotted their end-trimester exams on Monday. The protest was called off following a letter by NLSIU alumnus and senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayan informing the students that he had apprised the Chief Justice of India Justice Ranjan Gogoi (also the Chancellor of NLSIU) and Justice SA Bobde on the issue. Read: Students at NLS Bengaluru boycott semester exams in protest against administration The appointment takes place even as co-chairman of Bar Council of India Ved Prakash Sharma had written to the CJI to review the appointment much to the dismay of the students. The controversy While the former Vice-Chancellor of the university R Venkata Rao completed his 10-year term on July 31, his successor was named through a mandated process on August 2. As per the NLSIU Act, a high-level committee appointed by the CJI – MP Singh (distinguished Jurist), KK Venugopal (Attorney General for India) and Arvind Datar (senior advocate) – had chosen Krishnaswamy on September 2, but the students alleged malafide intention on the interim administration for delaying his appointment. They also accused Registrar OV Nandimath of conflict of interest, since he himself had applied to the V-C’s post but was not selected. The students had also complained that the temporary administration was passing anti-student resolutions, sometimes without even issuing circulars. Previously the Student Bar Association had said, “We believe he (Krishnaswamy) is highly suited to lead NLSIU due to his excellent academic credentials, and also since he is a former student, he has a close understanding of the spirit and ethos of NLSIU.” Read: NLSIU Bengaluru students demand that V-C be appointed at the earliest

Body 2:

Politics

The fate of the disqualified MLAs is now hinging on the apex court's decision in this case.

Prajwal Bhat

The current Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly has told the Supreme Court that his predecessor Ramesh Kumar erred in disqualifying 17 Congress and JD(S) MLAs following their resignations. This was conveyed in the apex court by Solicitor Tushar Mehta, appearing for Karnataka Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri before a three-judge bench. "The provision does not say if you give up membership of House, you are disqualified. Provision says you can be disqualified for giving up a political party," he said as per Deccan Herald. The bench comprising Justices NV Ramana, Sanjeev Khanna and Krishna Murari asked Tushar Mehta about the role of the Speaker if disqualification and resignation procedures are moved simultaneously by elected representatives. On July 28, the then Speaker Ramesh Kumar disqualified 17 MLAs including 14 from the Congress and 3 from the JD(S) under Section 2 (1) (a) of the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution read with Article 19 1 (2). However, both parties, the Congress and JD(S), had moved the Speaker asking for their disqualification on grounds of defection. Tushar Mehta called for the Supreme Court to lay down guidelines on the roles of the Speaker Bye-election trouble for former MLAs The previous Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar had directed the disqualification of as many as 17 MLAs who had resigned from the Karnataka Assembly. In 15 of these constituencies, bye-elections will be held on October 21 and candidates will be finalised by September 30. The fate of the disqualified MLAs are now hinging on the apex court's decision in this case after the Election Commission on Monday stated that the disqualified MLAs could contest the polls, pending the apex court’s order. Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the disqualified MLAs, called for the bye-elections to be postponed or suspended until the issue of the disqualifed MLAs is resolved. He also asked for the Election Commission to be made a party to their case. The hearing in the case is set to continue on Thursday with advocate Kapil Sibal set to argue on behalf of Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and Dinesh Gundu Rao. In the upcoming bye-elections on October 21, the BJP is under pressure to win at least six seats to ensure a majority in the full house of the Karnataka Assembly. Currently, the party has the support of 106 MLAs including 105 from its own party and H Nagesh, the independent MLA from Mulbagal. The party will need to win six more seats to reach the majority mark (112) in the 222-member Assembly. The BJP is also yet to name a full cabinet with sources in the party stating that it is waiting for the outcome of the bye-elections to finalise the cabinet. JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda has clarified that the party will face the elections alone and will not be in an alliance with the Congress any longer.

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Education

BE, B Tech and B Arch students will not get their degrees if they have not secured a CGPA greater than or equal to 5 even if they have passed all subjects.

Gokul Ram

In accordance with the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), students of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) must secure a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5 or above for the completion of their degree. The system, which was introduced in 2015 by VTU, will now apply to all the affiliated colleges that come under it. In the previous system, students were awarded marks for each subject and had to pass all their subjects to receive their certificates. Now in addition to clearing all the subjects, they must procure a minimum of 5 CGPA. The current 2015-2019 batch of BE, B Tech and B Arch students will be the first to pass out after the rule is implemented. A circular to this effect was issued by VTU on September 19 with the necessary actions that must be taken as per the new system. As per the circular, VTU has stipulated that students who haven’t secured a CGPA of 5 or more can reappear for the Semester End Examination (SEE) either completely or in part by rejecting the scores they got in the previous semester’s courses. However, this will only apply to theory courses and will not extend to projects, practicals, internships and technical seminars. Students will be permitted to make as many attempts as they want, provided it is within the maximum duration of the respective course. The month and year of passing will be included in the mark sheet. VTU has directed faculty advisors and heads of departments to mentor students in the new process. Students have been asked to approach the Registrar (Evaluation) to seek permission for reappearing for SEE. Speaking to TNM about the new system, Dr Aswath MU, principal of Bangalore Institute of Technology (BIT), said, “The system has been introduced for the benefit of students. It is better than the ranking system as it reduces any unnecessary pressure on the students and helps them in their objective of getting real education, which will be helpful in building their careers.” Several faculty members said that they have been mentoring and specially coaching students who find it difficult to meet the requirements. However, students pointed out some of the disadvantages of the new system. “It doesn’t make sense if the passing grade is 4 CGPA and the requirement for degree is 5 CGPA. It would be better if VTU can sort this out,” said Subramaniam, a student. “It would benefit us hugely if VTU includes more projects in this system as those are always prioritised during placements,” he added.

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Human Interest

A native of Kerala, Coomer’s original name was Chitter Venkat Narayan and he was a spy in the 1980s.

Harsha Raj Gatty

For decades, Edwin D’Souza lived an ordinary life in suburban Mangaluru, three kilometres away from NH66 (Nanthoor Junction). Things would have continued that way for the 76-year old real estate agent, if not for a phone call from Delhi police in December 2018. After verifying that Edwin was the son of Gerty Walder alias Geeta Narain, Shiv Dev, an SI with the Delhi police, turned up at Edwin’s home at Bikarnakatte. Edwin learnt that he was the stepson of the late Coomer Narain, convicted in 2002 in a high profile case of espionage for leaking classified information to foreign agents between 1977 and 1985. As if this wasn’t shocking enough, Shiv told Edwin that he stood to legally inherit Rs 10 crore worth property from Coomer Narain and his mother, Gerty. “I knew that my mother had remarried and settled elsewhere, but I didn’t know my stepfather’s name, didn’t know who he was. I also did not know that my mother, whom we called Gerty, had changed her name to Geeta Narain,” Edwin told TNM. What the policeman told Edwin Edwin’s son Prakash was, until a few years ago, employed as a cab driver in Dubai. “With the irregular job of a real estate agent, our father has struggled to raise and educate us three siblings,” he told TNM. “We are a hardworking middle-class family. Beyond the Lotto lottery in Dubai showering people with fortunes, we had neither heard of nor seen such a big amount in our life.” Prakash said that in the course of his investigation, SI Shiv Dev found that Edwin was Gerty’s son with her first husband, a man named Gilbert. Gerty Walder left Edwin at her mother Juliana Walder’s home in Mangaluru and went to Mumbai. “The investigator said that grandmother Gerty sought employment in SLM Maneklal Industries Ltd (SLMMIL), and it was there that she met Coomer. They eventually got married and moved to Delhi,” Prakash said. A few years later, Gerty changed her name to Geeta Narain. All this while, she maintained contact with her mother Juliana, and regularly transferred funds for Edwin. In fact, when he was around 15 years old, he even went to live with his mother in Delhi. “But I didn’t like it much over there, and returned to Mangaluru. But during my stay at Delhi, I never met Coomer,” Edwin recollected. Who was Coomer Narain? In the mid-1980s, when espionage was relatively unheard of in the mainstream, it was Coomer Narain who became the face of it with his arrest on January 17, 1985. A native of Kerala, Coomer’s original name was Chitter Venkat Narayan. After completing his education, Coomer joined government services and subsequently ended up in the Department of Economic Affairs. During his stint there, he developed a network across the business, bureaucracy and political domains. Eventually, Coomer left the job and joined as a regional representative manager for SLM Maneklal Industries Ltd (SLMMIL). It was here that Coomer apparently used his former ‘high profile’ contacts for soliciting ‘classified’ information on Indian business, economic and government policies. During the period between 1977 and 1985, a series of ‘high-value’ information related to defence, nuclear power, the business was accessed by Coomer through his contacts to reportedly be passed on to intelligence communities and those with vested interests in Western countries, including France. One of the accused in the spy-ring was the senior personal assistant to the late Dr PC Alexander, who was then the Principal Secretary to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In 2002, a Delhi court convicted 14 accused in what then was popularly known as the Coomer spy ring, under Section 120B of Indian Penal Code and under various provisions of the Official Secrets Act. The Managing Director of SLMMIL Yogesh T Maneklal was awarded 14 years rigorous imprisonment, and others were awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment. However, Coomer had already passed away by then in March 2000 at E-152/A, Sainik Farms in Delhi, which he and Gerty had purchased in 1995. In 2002, Gerty was found strangulated to death in the same house, and the case saw no convictions. In October that year, while Edwin learnt of his mother’s death, the family did not see a point in going to Delhi – while he shares a son-like relationship with his grandmother Juliana, he did not have much of an emotional connect with Gerty. “It was not until last December when the SI told us that I learnt she was murdered,” Edwin said. Not the only claimant However, Edwin’s claim to the Delhi property will not be a cakewalk. Investigating officials revealed to the family that a woman named Radhika, who was last working for Gerty, is claiming that she had been adopted by Gerty and Coomer. In her statement, Radhika further said that in 2003, she had leased-out the property for Rs 30 lakh to a retired police inspector, Rann Singh, and later sold it to him. “The police official said that both individuals had given inconsistent testimonies. They strongly suspect that the former police official and Radhika are attempting an illegal takeover of the property. Subsequently, the Delhi police’s Vigilance Cell ordered a probe to trace the original heir of the property,” Prakash said. “Since their investigation hit a dead-end in Kerala where they were trying to find Coomer’s roots, the Delhi police reached out to us, to Gerty’s side of the family in Mangaluru,” he added. However, Prakash added that they are unclear on how to go about the case further. “While a property will definitely add to the well-being of our family, and we have appointed a Delhi-based lawyer to look into the matter, we are apprehensive of losing everything in the process of a legal fight. We have given grandmother’s birth certificate to the investigators and other documents to prove that we belong to her family line. But we wonder for how long the case will go on,” he said.

Body 2:

Crime

The student identified as Sumanth Kumar from Mandya, has suffered grievous injuries.

TNM Staff

A 23-year-old student from Mandya suffered grievous injuries on Saturday in Bengaluru after he resisted attack by a group of robbers and was pushed out of the moving train near Kengeri Railway Station. The Hindu reported that Sumanth Kumar, who is a resident of Shankarnagar in Mandya, had come to Bengaluru to meet his friend and was travelling in the Bengaluru-Mysuru MEMU train. It was when the train left the Kengeri Station that three men who were in their early 20s surrounded him in the crowded train and took away his mobile phone costing Rs 16,000. When he protested, he was pushed away by them. Despite his injuries, he made his way to the Kengeri station from where he was taken to the BGS Hospital nearby. Based on his complaint, the City Railway Police registered a case. Kengeri is a satellite town in Bengaluru suburbs and most trains travelling to Mysore and Mandya pass this station. In February 2019, a man was mugged at the Kengeri station platform. The victim, Devaraja, was attacked by two men, who had borrowed his phone pretending to make an urgent call. He was robbed and beaten up. Despite this and Saturday’s incident, RPF Divisional Security Commissioner Debasmita Chattopadhyay Banerjee told DH that due to proactive measures by police in recent years, the number of cases have come down. “We’ve dynamic deployment on trains and compartments, identifying the possibility of crime. The number of cases has come down compared to previous years,” she told DH. This incident comes less than two months after a 28-year-old army personnel was similarly pushed off a moving train by robbers near the Nayandahalli station for opposing them. In the incident which occurred on August 25, the victim Made Gowda was returning from Punjab to his native place in Maddur on the Tuticorin Express. During the journey, Made left for the washroom but did not return. His wife Deepa began worrying around 20 minutes later but she could not get through to her husband over the phone. To her horror, she realised that he was pushed out of the train by a gang of men when he went to the washroom. She got off the train after the chain was pulled and found him lying unconscious approximately four kilometres from where she had got down. Read; Army man pushed off moving train in robbery attempt at Bengaluru station

Body 2:

Courts

A single-judge bench of the Karnataka HC on Tuesday had quashed his appointment while hearing a petition filed by another applicant to the post.

TNM Staff

Representational image

A day after a single bench of the Karnataka High Court quashed the appointment of Professor KR Venugopal as vice-chancellor of Bangalore University, a division bench led by the Chief Justice stayed the quashing till October 18. The stay was based on an appeal filed by Venugopal and the University administration. A single-judge bench of the HC on Tuesday had quashed his appointment while hearing a petition filed by another applicant to the post, Sangamesh Patil, who stated that Venugopal’s appointment was done in violation of section 14(4) of Karnataka State Universities Act 2000. The stated violation was that the Governor, who is the Chancellor of the University, did not appoint the V-C by taking concurrence of the state government as mandated by the rules. The HC had set aside Venugopal’s appointment contending this argument. Patil further told the court that he was also recommended by the state Higher Education Minister at that time. The Division Bench has asked Patil to submit his objections by October 1. According to DH, the petitioner further stated, “Venugopal had submitted false caste and income certificates while he was appointed to UVCE. He was also accused of unduly favouring a student who was allowed to attend an exam despite having no attendance.” This issue comes after the appointment of vice chancellor at the National Law School University also turned controversial. The episode ended on Wednesday with Sudhir Krishnaswamy taking charge as the vice chancellor. The students had been protesting against the erstwhile ad-hoc university administration for allegedly delaying his appointment. Many students, who had skipped classes on Friday and Saturday as a mark of protest, had also boycotted their end-trimester exams on Monday. The students accused registrar OV Nandimath of conflict of interest, since he himself had applied to the V-C’s post but was not selected and was also part of the administration during this transition period.

Body 2:

Controversy

According to the police, the youngsters who assaulted Manjunath belonged to a city-based college and some of them were wearing their uniforms.

Harsha Raj Gatty

A man who made communal assertions about India being a “Hindu Rashtra” where Muslims should not be allowed, was beaten up during an altercation at a Mall in Mangaluru, allegedly by a group of students. The Mangaluru City police have arrested three suspects, including one minor, who allegedly assaulted Manjunath, a resident of Bantwal. While the details of the altercation are still under investigation, police said they have registered the case at Mangalore South Police station after the incident went viral on social media. According to the police, Manjunath had visited Forum Fiza Mall on Wednesday and got into an argument with a group. In the 30-second video, Manjunath is seen surrounded by a group of people. One of the group members is heard asking Manjunath to speak up. In response, Manjunath, who is seen wearing a button-down shirt, replied, “This is Hindu Rashtra, do you understand? You Muslims are here…Nothing I was sitting over there.” However before he could continue further, Manjunath was heckled by other group members (unseen) during the incident, who interrupt Manjunath. Eventually, Manjunath is seen trying to break away from the situation towards the end of the video. Police said the group then chased Manjunath, quickly tackled him and allegedly assaulted him. Police said that they have arrested Moideen Safwan, Abdul Rahim Saad, and one minor. According to the police, the youngsters who assaulted Manjunath belonged to a city-based college and some of them were wearing their uniforms. Meanwhile, Manjunath has been taken to a local hospital and is undergoing treatment for the injuries sustained during the scuffle. Speaking to the media, City Police Commissioner Dr PS Harsha said that the police have taken cognizance of the incident and have registered the case at Mangaluru South Police Station (Pandeshwar). “The investigation is under progress; the arrested will be questioned, including a juvenile who will be dealt as per Juvenile Justice Act (JJ) investigation, and will be taken up over the incident,” he said. He further appealed to people not to sensationalise the matter by jumping to conclusions and wait for the due outcome of investigation. Following the incident, the city police said they have beefed-up the patrolling and police deployment in the city to keep a tab and avert any communal incidents that may arise due to the ‘isolated’ incident. Story by Story Infinity (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP.)

Body 2:

Environment

TNM has accessed the note where Prakash Javadekar has reiterated that the night ban cannot be lifted as the forests serve as a critical tiger habitat.

Soumya Chatterjee

Representational image/PTI

In a relief to environmentalists, the union government has reiterated that night traffic ban on the highway that passes through the Bandipur Tiger Reserve will not be allowed. The highway connects Wayanad and Mysuru and there were demands that the night traffic ban be relaxed. TNM has accessed a note written by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, who in a letter dated September 17 to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, where the minister stated the ban will stay in place. The Kerala government had been insisting that the existing night traffic ban be bypassed on a 25 km stretch of National Highway 212 by cutting through a core part of the forest with an elevated corridor. The Supreme Court had also upheld this night traffic ban, earlier in August. Currently, only a limited number of government-run buses and emergency vehicles are allowed to operate during the restricted period of 9 pm to 6 am on the stretch. During this period motorists take an alternative route via Hunsur-Gonikoppal-Kutta-Mananthavady Road, which is around 30 km longer. While the plan of the elevated corridor was suggested by the union government through the National Highway Authority for the Bharatmala project, it withdrew the proposal after inter-ministerial discussions and Supreme Court orders. The Kerala CM had written to Javadekar offering to fund half the project soon after the SC verdict on night traffic, stating that it will prove beneficial to residents of Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. A delegation from Kerala led by Transport Minister AK Saseendran was also set to meet the Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa on the issue. In the letter dated September 17 and received by the Kerala CMO on September 21, Javadekar has said, “Your suggestion has already been discussed at length by a Committee of Secretaries chaired by the Cabinet Secretary to the Government of India, wherein, it was recommended to maintain status quo on restriction of nighttime traffic through Bandipur Tiger Reserve and strengthen the alternative route already available for nighttime traffic.” “Further, I take this opportunity to inform you that by following the Principle of Avoidance, Core/Critical Tiger Habitats (CTH) need to be kept in view for long-term sustenance of ecology of the area,” he added. Earlier in March 2018, the National Tiger Conservation Authority had advised the Centre against moving ahead with the project as it could have adverse effects on the forest habitat, where over a hundred tigers currently reside. The existing traffic ban on traffic flow after dark came into effect in 2009 while the Karnataka High Court was hearing a case pertaining to roadkill. At least 215 animals were killed by oncoming traffic between 2004 and 2007, according to the court. Recently when Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi had asked an easing of the restrictions, he attracted criticism of wildlife conservationists.

Body 2:

Administration

Popular Indiranagar venues The Humming Tree, BFlat and BTDT will all close between the end of September and early October.

Prajwal Bhat

Piotr Drabik via Wiki Commons / Image for representation

The impending closure of three music venues in Bengaluru has revived the debate over the ban on live music in pubs and bars in the city, particularly in the Indiranagar area, where many well-known music events have taken place over the years. The Humming Tree, a venue known for its careful selection of music events, announced that it will be closing at the end of September while two other popular venues, BFlat and BTDT in Indiranagar, will pull down its shutters from October 2 onwards. The closure of BFlat, BTDT and The Humming Tree comes as a blow for musicians in Bengaluru, particularly since these establishments have a history of encouraging independent musicians. The Humming Tree has hosted artists like Steven Wilson and Anderson Paak, and BFlat has played host to artists like Parvaaz, Swarathma and Louis Banks. The venue is known for promoting contemporary jazz and blues artists and contributed to the larger culture of promoting music and artists in Bengaluru where bands like Metallica first performed in the country. Musicians in the city say that they have had to cancel scheduled gigs in the last two weeks. "We had to cancel two shows for which over 100 people had bought tickets. We were informed on short notice and this is a huge loss for us in revenue we use to pay our rent and survive. It is a threat to music as a profession in Bengaluru," says Rajeev Rajagopal, the drummer with indie rock band Thermal and a Quarter. Others said that the closure of these venues is “demoralising” for many bands which made their breakthrough in music in the city. "Bands invest in practice time to go out and perform on stage. If the artist does not have the space to play music, what is the point of making music? People really don't buy albums anymore so playing live is the only way to sustain ourselves and play our music," says Debjeet Basu, a guitarist with Perfect Strangers. Debjeet also started a Change.org petition to “save music in Bengaluru” which has garnered over 18,000 signatures so far. Musicians say that there is little clarity over which venue in the city is compliant with the rules and can host music events in the city. "No musician in the city knows which venue is legal or illegal. We cannot ask venues to show their licenses. We need the police to inform which venues have licenses and which venues do not. We are being taken for granted and we are upset about the fact that the legitimacy of music as a career is being questioned," Rajeev adds. In its closure announcement, the Humming Tree cited “myopic rules regarding music licenses” as a factor in the owners' decision to close the venue. "The last 2 years in Bangalore has been a nightmare in terms of running a functioning performance venue in light of myopic rules regarding music licenses. We do hope that there is clear and fair legislation going forward and we look forward then to coming back in better avatars as a venue." BFlat co-owner Arati Rao told TNM that it was heartbreaking for her to see the venue close down, but declined to comment further until the bar closed on October 2. In their parting words, BFlat's social media account stated that "under the prevailing conditions it's Goodbye for now", which hints at the establishment having issues with the strict enforcement of rules for playing recorded or live music. Recently, the police began enforcing rules laid down under Licensing and Controlling Places of Public Entertainment (Bangalore City) Order, 2005, which requires establishments to get licenses for entertainment programmes through the Bengaluru Commissioner's office. The Supreme Court upheld this order in January 2018 following a dispute that dragged on for several years. In addition to this, a group of Indiranagar residents moved the Karnataka High Court against the illegalities in the operation of pubs in the area. This effectively disallows live music performances to be hosted in establishments that do not have the required documents for obtaining a licence. Two of the documents needed for this licence are an Occupancy Certificate (OC) and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Fire Department. An OC is issued if the building is built in compliance with a pre-sanctioned building plan. But venue owners argued that a majority of buildings in Bengaluru do not have the OC because it was not a requirement to obtain licenses earlier. In the past, The Humming Tree's owner Nikhil Barua has mentioned issues in obtaining the building's Occupancy Certificate (OC) and fire safety compliance certificates. OC and fire safety compliance certificates have turned into a major problem for many venues, which would have to renovate their establishment to comply with the rules. In some cases, venue owners admitted that it is not possible to renovate due to the lack of space. Even recorded music is currently disallowed in Indiranagar's pubs which do not have all the required documents, police officials confirmed. "This applies to all pubs and bars in Indiranagar. Venues hosting live events must submit documents to the police commissioner," says a police official in Indiranagar.

Body 2:

Travel

All around the temple, the three-dimensional figures of deities and dancing girls that adorn the outer pillars are chiselled with astounding finesse and realism.

Susheela Nair

Royal emblem of the Hoysala dynasty

Silvery fronds of sugarcane, banana plantations and coconut groves, carpets of yellow sunflowers and vast vistas of orange marigolds loomed into view heralding us into Hassan district. I was on a heritage sojourn to marvel at the sculptural extravagance of the Hoysala temple of Chennakeshava in Belur along with a motley group of travel agents and writers. Sheer poetry in stone, the Chennakeshava Temple is an art connoisseur’s delight. The temple, which commemorates the victory of the Hoysalas over the Cholas in the great Battle of Talakad, took 103 years to complete. It is the only Hoysala temple still in active worship. Located on the banks of River Yagachi, Belur was the capital of a mighty empire ruled by the Yadav kings. The tall stone pillar in the temple courtyard Narrating an interesting tale of how the Hoysala dynasty got its name, our guide Aslam Sharief said ‘Hoy Sala’, meaning strike Sala, were the words called out to Sala, the legendary head of the dynasty, when he was involved in armed combat with a tiger. Sala immortalised himself and the tiger by single-handedly killing the beast, and this tale of heroism became the royal emblem of the Hoysala dynasty. You can see it in the carvings at the entrance of most of the temples built by the Hoysalas. We entered the massive walled courtyard where the star-shaped main temple stands surrounded by smaller shrines and columned mandapas and hallways. The first thing that caught my attention was the towering ornamental gopuram of the temple. Admiration for the architecture starts right from the winged figure of Garuda, Vishnu’s carrier, at the entrance, facing the temple, palms touching in homage. Also incredible is a tall stone pillar in the temple courtyard, with nothing to balance it but its own centre of gravity. As we approached the temple, the friezes of elephants, each different from the other, marching in a single line, mythological figures, military scenes, dancers and musicians, and elaborate decorative motifs loomed into view. The towering gopuram Every inch of the walls are covered with carvings depicting scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana – the 18-day war, pranks that the Pandavas and Kauravas played on each other – all done with microscopic attention to detail. Carvings on the plinth and lower walls, in successive and continuous bands, start at the bottom with depictions of 650 elephants, each one in a different configuration. They seemed to hold the rest of the sculptures on their shoulders. This is followed by garlands and arches with lion heads. The sculptures also depict the lifestyle and other leisure activities of the people of that era. But it is the angled bracket figures depicting 38 madanikas or celestial nymphs outside and four inside found exclusively at Belur that are the most fascinating of all the sculptural decorations. The beautiful and expressive nymphs are depicted singing, dancing, beautifying themselves and executing their daily chores. They are adorned with a wealth of detail in their make-up, jewellery and coiffure. The sculpted beauties flaunt 600 different styles. All around the temple, the three-dimensional figures of deities and dancing girls that adorn the outer pillars are chiselled with astounding finesse and realism. There is the goddess, for instance, who is squeezing water out of her hair and you can see the drops collected on hair-ends and dripping from it. Exquisite carving of a dancer beating a drum We caught another dancer in the act of beating his drum; yet another beautifully carved figure holds a bowl of fruit on which a fly has landed. A large lizard lurks just a few inches away, its mouth open in readiness to lap the hapless insect. One annoyed lady is shooing away a monkey who is pulling at her sari, while another brushes away a scorpion from her garment. Another sculpture outside the temple depicts a lady with a 180 degree turn of her body, anatomically impossible. But it is the stunning sculpture of the Darpanasundari (lady with a mirror), the epitome of beauty, grace and charm, which steals the show. Darpanasundari, lady with a mirror More interesting sculptures awaited us in the dark interior of the temple. We saw distinctive pillars, lathe-turned, embellished with a profusion of carvings. Our guide pointed to the walls and ceiling, revealing 48 perfectly polished, carved pillars with their elegant geometric designs and life-size statues of Vishnu and Lakshmi and other deities that seem to step forth from the stone. The embellishments on the ceiling are wondrous; in places the carvings are floral or serpentine. Beautiful carvings on the lower walls The Narasimha Pillar once revolved on its ball-bearing foundation. One pillar of a dancing lady features bangles which can be moved up and down on her arms, and another has a head dress with a tiny, movable ring. The smooth circular platform in front of the shrine has a sculpture of Shanthala Devi, King Vishnuvardhana’s queen. Equally impressive are the temples of Chennigaraya, Viranarayana, Sridevi and Bhoodevi, all in the same complex. We spent hours gasping at the stunning beauty of the whole structure. It took at least two hours to do a round of the temple exteriors and interiors. We completely lost all track of time. There’s so much to see in just one temple and one feels tempted to linger for a few days more. All photographs by Susheela Nair. Susheela Nair is an independent food, travel and lifestyle writer, and photographer based in Bangalore. She has contributed content, articles and images on food, travel, lifestyle, photography, environment and ecotourism to several reputed national publications. Her writings constitute a wide spectrum, including guide books, brochures and coffee table books.

Body 2:

Courts

The case of disqualification of the 17 rebel MLAs will be heard again in the Supreme Court on October 22.

TNM Staff

The Election Commission on Thursday said that it is readt to defer the by-elections to 15 Karnataka Assembly constituencies until the Supreme Court decides on the issue of disqualification of the 17 rebel MLAs. The Election Commission made this submission to the Supreme Court, which was hearing the disqualification case of the 17 rebel MLAs in Karnataka. The case will be heard again on October 22. The ECI had earlier on Monday told the three-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice NV Ramana, that it has no objections to the disqualified MLAs contesting bye-polls slated to be held in Karnataka. The rebels, 17 in number and part of the former JD(S)-Congress coalition, had resigned from their positions to pave way for the BJP to form a government in the state. The 17 rebels include Pratap Gouda Patil, BC Patil, Shivaram Hebbar, ST Someshekhar, Byrati Basavraj, Anand Singh, R Roshan Baig, Muniratna, K Sudhakar, MTB Nagaraj, Shrimant Patil, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumatahalli and R Shankar from the Congress and JD(S) legislators AH Vishwanath, Gopalaiah and Narayana Gowda. However, polls dates were not announced for Rajajinagar and Maski owing to other cases pertaining to poll code violations. These rebels had approached the apex court to quash and set aside former Speaker Ramesh Kumar’s order dated July 28, 2019, which had rejected the resignations of the rebels and had disqualified them. The disqualification order stated that the 17 MLAs cannot contest elections until the term of the Assembly is over. This means that the 17 rebels would have to wait for the upcoming Assembly polls in 2023. If their disqualification is not set aside by the Supreme Court, then their prospects of getting inducted into Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s cabinet could be affected. However, on Wednesday as argued by the rebels, the current Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly has told the Supreme Court that his predecessor Ramesh Kumar erred in disqualifying 17 Congress and JD(S) MLAs after their resignations. The former Speaker, represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, had argued that the power of Speakers be decided by a Constitution Bench of the apex court, stating it’s an autonomous office. The Congress in Karnataka has welcomed the Election Commission's statement. I welcome this development. The Supreme Court is going to look at the real intention of the anti-defection law and the orders of Speaker Ramesh Kumar. If disqualified MLA’s can contest by polls, what’s the use of the law? Our case has only got strengthened. https://t.co/xqLQWluqOH — Dinesh Gundu Rao / ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) September 26, 2019

Body 2:

Bye-polls

"One wonders at the wisdom of the EC as it appears to have postponed the elections under instructions of the government to favour their agenda," said Cong Gen. Secy. KC Venugopal.

IANS

Hours after the Election Commission on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it would put off bye-elections to the 15 Karnataka Assembly seats till the three judge bench decides on the petitions by the 17 disqualified legislators, the Congress hit back, saying it appears to have postponed the polls under government instructions. These polls were scheduled for October 21. In a series of tweets, Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said, "The decision of the Supreme Court to not interfere with the election process is in the spirit of the Constitution. The Supreme Court not only declined to grant stay on the disqualifications, but also decided to treat the merit of the matter independently.""One wonders at the wisdom of the Election Commission as it appears to have postponed the elections under instructions of the government to favour their agenda," Venugopal, who is also the Karnataka Congress in-charge, said. His remarks came after the poll panel informed the apex court that it would postpone the bye-polls to the Assembly seats, which fell vacant after the then Speaker disqualified the 17 rebelled legislators. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the Election Commission, assured the bench headed by Justice N.V. Ramana that the poll panel will defer the bye-elections date for the 15 assembly seats. The top court then deferred the matter for October 22 and asked all the parties to file their responses in the matter. The poll panel told the court that the Representation of the People Act mandates it to fill the casual vacancies of state legislatures through bye-elections within six months from the date of occurrence of the vacancy, so it can defer the poll. Vacancy of these seats was notified on July 25 and July 28 and the poll panel still has time (till January) to fill them, Dwivedi said. Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala dubbed the Election Commission move as "unprecedented". Addressing a press conference, Surjewala said, "There were rampant defections in Karnataka mocking at the Constitution and the anti-defection law enshrined in the Constitution where an elected government with majority was unseated by a group of defectors, who rightfully in accordance with the jurisdiction of the Speaker under the Constitution were disqualified." He said until today the Supreme Court has not stayed the order of the Speaker, which means the order must be correct. On Saturday, in a blow to the former rebel MLAs, the poll panel announced the dates for the bye-polls in 15 assembly seats in the southern state on October 21. The bye-elections for the 15 seats was necessitated after 17 rebel MLAs of the then Congress and the JD(S) resigned and abstained from attending the 10-day assembly session in mid-July, leading to the fall of their 14-month coalition government on July 23. Significantly, the schedule of the bye-elections means the disqualified MLAs will not be able to re-contest. In a dramatic turn of events, former Karnataka Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar disqualified the 17 rebel MLAs till the end of the current Assembly term running from 2018 to 2023, on July 25 and July 28, days after the coalition government fell and its chief minister resigned.

Body 2:

Investigation

Alok Kumar’s residence and office were also searched by a 20-member CBI team.

TNM Staff

A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials on Thursday searched senior IPS officer Alok Kumar Singh's premises in Bengaluru and questioned him over the alleged phone-tapping of politicians and officials during the previous JD(S)-Congress coalition government between June 2018 and July 2019. A 20-member CBI team searched Alok's residence and office, and interrogated him to ascertain on whose behest phones of politicians, rebel MLAs of the then ruling combine and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with officials, including some police officers, were tapped, police officials said. The CBI, however, declined to comment on the raid, saying the inquiry is underway. Alok was alone at his residence when officials from the CBI came knocking. His office on Nrupathunga Road was also searched. Alok, a 1994 batch IPS officer, is the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) since August 2, after a 45-day tenure as the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner since June 17. The CBI took over the phone-tapping case on September 1 from the state Special Investigation Team (SIT) after Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on August 19 asked it to probe the reasons for tapping phones, allegedly on former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's orders. Kumaraswamy, however, denied ordering tapping of phones and expressed willingness to face any inquiry to clear his name. Alok is one of the officials whose name figured in the audio tapes along with that of present city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao, who is alleged to have lobbied for the post of Bengaluru Commissioner with a senior Congress leader (Ahmed Patel) and a power-broker Faraz Ahmed, the official recalled. Alok is alleged to have given a pen drive to Kumaraswamy, in which phone conversations of the Congress-JD(S) rebel legislators with BJP leaders and others were recorded before and after they resigned, which led to the fall of the 14-month government on July 23. This is an offence under the Information Technology and the Indian Telegraph Act. Soon after assuming office on July 26, Yediyurappa ordered the SIT probe into the phone-tapping on a complaint by some rebel legislators and his party leaders. The case was initially probed by Cyber Crime and the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The snooping came to light after a part of the phone conversation between Rao and Ahmed got leaked to the media and was aired on local news channels in July. Name of former PWD Minister and elder brother of Kumaraswamy -- HD Revanna -- is also said to have figured in the tapes in the context of transfer-posting of the IPS officers. With IANS inputs

Body 2:

Child Sexual Abuse

The defence first suggested that the child – the seven-year-old – was sexually active. When this line was objected to, the defence maintained that she had a vivid imagination.

Theja Ram

On the 1st of August, 2012, a class 2 student in a school located in Whitefield, told her mother that she had stomach pain and a burning sensation in her genitals. When her mother queried further, the terrified child finally revealed that a man had assaulted her, and threatened her not to reveal the assault to anyone. The mother took the child to meet the principal of the school. With not much help coming forth, she then took the child to Manipal Hospital in the city, where a doctor confirmed her fears – the child had injuries that were indicative of rape. For seven years, the child and her mother ran pillar to post, made innumerable trips to the court, and encountered a hostile defence, all in the hope that they would get justice in the end. But on September 9, Bengaluru Rural Sessions court acquitted the accused Madhusudhan – a plumber employed by the school – who was represented by top criminal lawyer CH Hanumantaraya. The same lawyer has in the past represented several politicians, including mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy in the Ambident Scam case. He also represented Kampli MLA Ganesh, who was accused of brutally assaulting Vijayanagara MLA Anand Singh, and also former gangster Agni Sridhar. “How does a man who does not earn a lot of money, afford such an expensive celebrity lawyer like Hanumantharaya?” asks the distraught mother who has found the entire legal process for justice taxing. “I think the school paid him to defend the man, as they did not want their reputation to be destroyed,” she alleges. There are cases in which lawyers represent clients pro bono, however both the lawyer and the school did not respond to repeated queries. It has been a tough and malicious fight for the mother as, initially, the defence suggested that the child – the seven-year-old – was sexually active. When this line was objected to, the defence maintained that she had a vivid imagination. The prosecution, the child’s mother, and activists who helped her during the trial expressed concerns that from the absence of a medical report to the hostility in court, the scales were heavily tilted against the child. Blaming it on the child’s “imagination” In this case registered just months before the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act came into place, the judgment relies significantly on the defence’s stand that the little girl “was given to vivid imaginations and weaving fanciful stories.” The judge has also relied on the testimony of the principal, that the girl was “imaginative”. This is the same principal who, according to the child and the mother, neglected their complaint. According to the principal, the child had complained in 2011 that a classmate had pulled her undergarments, and therefore, another complaint made the next year, showed her “imaginative skills” she said. The attendance register The defence’s argument was that other than the child being imaginative, the school attendance register showed that Madhusudhan was not present in school on July 25, 26, 28 and 29 of 2012. But the Thirumalashettyhalli police told TNM that during the investigation, the security guard of the school informed them that Madhusudhan would loiter around the school even when he was not in attendance. “How can the school register be the evidence? The school called the child a liar and is the entity that benefits a lot with an acquittal,” a source who worked with the prosecution tells TNM. No medical report of rape Another glaring discrepancy was that the Thirumalashettyhalli Police, who had filed the chargesheet, did not submit the forensic report in the court. Though the initial comment by a doctor at Manipal mentioned injuries, the second medical inspection – samples of which were sent to the Forensic lab – was never sent to the court. Speaking to The News Minute, BT Venkatesh, Assistant Public Prosecutor in the case, said that the Forensic Science Lab in Bengaluru had not submitted the medical report to the police. According to a source, “The police had to file a chargesheet and the FSL report was delayed. The FSL in Bengaluru is overburdened with cases. It is abysmally understaffed, and it’s a miracle if a report comes eight months after samples are submitted to the lab. The police and prosecution wrote multiple times to the FSL to submit the report but it was not.” Hostile witnesses In addition to the lack of a forensic report, two school teachers, along with two other witnesses who used to work at the school, who were crucial to the case, turned hostile and refused to testify. According to the police, the girl’s class teacher had told them during the investigation that she had seen Madhusudhan take the girl inside a washroom and when she came outside, she was crying. When the teacher asked what happened, the girl allegedly refused to answer. The class teacher and three others turned hostile. Assistant Public Prosecutor BT Venkatesh says that the police should have included the teacher and the principal as accused in the case, and not just as witnesses. “What was the teacher doing watching a man take the girl inside the washroom? Why was the principal not mentioned in the chargesheet?” he asks. The child said ‘I don’t remember’ The judgment also mentions multiple times that the girl had said “I don’t remember” to several questions posed by defence counsel Hanumantharaya. The child, who was made to appear in court multiple times and for many years, had said that she did not remember about the principal lining up teaching staff for an identification parade. She had replied, “I do not remember” to certain other specific questions raised by the defence. “How can a little girl remember something that happened years ago vividly and in detail? The trial went on for years and the questions posed were so meandering that it was not possible for her to understand properly,” her mother says. “The case was whether Madhusudhan raped the girl. There was no FSL report. And the Supreme Court guidelines had stated that a strong testimony from the victim can be relied upon. Since the case went on for years, the girl could not remember many details. This is why speedy trials are important,” BT Venkatesh says. The mother says, she will continue to fight. “From suggesting that my child was sexually active to calling her a liar, we have been subjected to a lot. This is why a lot of parents give up. But I will not give up, I will appeal against this judgment,” she told TNM amidst sobs. When TNM reached out to the Principal, she said, "He has been acquitted. I am an employee of the school as well. This is a legal matter and I cannot speak about it."

Body 2:

Politics

In the 2018 Assembly elections, Anil was defeated by BJP's Somashekara Reddy in Ballari City.

Prajwal Bhat

Anil Lad (Left)/ Photograph via Facebook

In a blow to the Congress in Ballari, party leader Anil Lad has expressed a desire to join the BJP on Friday. "I have not joined yet but I am willing to join the BJP," Anil said speaking to TNM. He also stated that there was no discontentment with the Congress and that he "simply felt that it was time" to make a switch. "I am neither a candidate nor an aspirant in the upcoming bye-elections. I will simply be helping the party's candidates and endorsing them in their campaign,” Anil said. He is unperturbed when he is asked about BJP's Somashekara Reddy, who defeated him in the 2018 Assembly elections and is a prominent member of the BJP in Ballari. "I will help the party in whatever way I can," Anil added. Earlier this week, Anil sent a message to the party's cadre in Ballari seeking their opinion about leaving the Congress for the BJP before confirming his decision on Friday. This comes three months after Anil and Congress leader Anand Singh both opposed the previous Congress-JD(S) coalition government’s decision to sell land in Ballari to JSW in June. Anand Singh is one of the MLAs disqualified by the former Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar when the coalition government collapsed in July. Sources in the Ballari unit of BJP stated that Anil may not get a chance to contest from Ballari since the party already has candidates in constituencies in the district. "There was word that he will contest from Khanapur in Belagavi earlier and this may be where the BJP will ask him to contest from," says a source in the BJP in Ballari. The same source said it is unlikely Anil will be fielded as a candidate in one of the 15 constituencies where bye-elections are set to be held in the next few months. Anil started his political career in the BJP when he was elected as the MLA of Kudligi constituency in the 2004 Assembly elections. He joined the Congress and was named as the party's candidate in Ballari City in the 2008 Assembly elections. Kudligi constituency was reserved for Scheduled Tribes, which meant Anil had to find a new constituency to contest from. He decided on Ballari City and contested the 2008 Assembly elections against BJP's Somashekara Reddy and lost by a slim margin of 1,022 votes. This was at a time when the influence of the infamous Reddy brothers – Janardhana, Somashekara and Karunakara – was at its peak in the state. However, after this, when Somashekara's brother Janardhana Reddy was named as the prime accused in the Ballari mining scam by Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, the Reddy brothers slipped into political oblivion. Anil Lad was elected as the MLA of Ballari City in 2013 by over 18,000 votes against the BSRCP candidate Murali Krishna. This was after former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's successful protest march against the Reddy brothers which culminated in the city. The BJP candidate GV Gouda finished 4th in the elections with just over 5,000 votes. In the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections, Anil Lad once again contested as the Congress candidate in Ballari City against BJP's Somashekara Reddy in a repeat of their 2008 election contest. Anil lost again, this time by over 16,000 votes, in spite of running a campaign aimed at attacking tainted politician Janardhana Reddy and his involvement with the BJP. But Anil and his brother Santosh Lad, also a politician, managed a mining company - VS Lad and Sons. Anil was detained by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2015 in connection with the illegal export of iron ore from Belekeri port near Karwar. The Congress was criticised for fielding a candidate involved in mining in Ballari against one of the Reddy brothers, who continue to enjoy popularity and patronage in the district, despite the much-publicised mining scam coming to light. The development comes at a time political parties in Karnataka are gearing up for the bye-elections in 15 constituencies that will determine the fate of the BJP-led state government. The bye-elections were earlier scheduled for October 21 but the Election Commission has said that it is willing to defer them until the Supreme Court decides on the issue of disqualification of the 17 rebel MLAs.

Body 2:

Bye-elections

The poll panel did not announce the schedule for the R.R. Nagar and Maski assembly constituency.

IANS

Image for representation

A day after informing the Supreme Court that it will postpone the October 21 by-elections for 15 assembly seats in Karnataka, the Election Commission on Friday announced the bypolls will now be held in the state on December 5, with counting of votes on December 9. The candidates can file their nomination from November 11 till November 18, the poll panel said, adding that the scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on November 19 while last date for withdrawal is November 21. The Commission also said that for the candidates who had filed their nomination papers between September 23 and September 28, their papers will undergo scrutiny on November 19 too. The decision on the bypolls was taken in view of the Supreme Court observation on the pleas of the rebel MLAs pending in the apex court. Following their disqualification by the then Asembly Speaker, the rebel MLAs had approached the Supreme Court. However, the schedule of the by-elections probably means the disqualified MLAs will not be able to re-contest. As many as 17 MLAs of the then Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular resigned and abstained from attending the 10-day assembly session in mid-July, leading to the fall of the 14-month H.D. Kumaraswamy-led coalition government on July 23. In a dramatic turn of events, then Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar subsequently disqualified the 17 rebel MLAs till the end of the current Assembly term running from 2018 to 2023, on July 25 and July 28, days after the coalition government fell. On September 21, in a blow to the former rebel MLAs, the poll panel announced the dates for the bypolls on October 21 and counting three days later on October 24. The constituencies going to the polls are Gokak, Athani, Ranebennur, Kagwad, Hirekerur, Yellapur, Yeshwanthpura, Vijayanagara, Shivajinagar, Hosakote, Hunsur, Krishnarajpet, Mahalakshmi Layout, KR Pura and Chikballapura. However, the poll panel did not announce the schedule for the R.R. Nagar and Maski assembly constituency. After the results of the bypolls are announced, the strength of the 225-member Karnataka Assembly will become 222. The ruling BJP currently has the support of 106 MLAs, including independent MLA H. Nagesh.

Body 2:

Accident

The incident took place on Friday evening on the railway tracks between Yelahanka and Channasandra.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

A teenager and his friend were killed while making a TikTok video on the railway tracks, after they were run over by a train between Yelahanka and Channasandra in Bengaluru, on Friday evening. The victims have been identified as 19-year-old Aftab Sheriff and his friend, 23-year-old Mohammed Matin. The third person, 22-year-old Zabiullah Khan was shooting the video, and was injured in the accident. He was flung some distance away from the tracks. Zabiullah has been taken to the government hospital in Yelahanka where is currently undergoing treatment. All three were residents of RK Hegde Nagar in Bengaluru. According to reports, the three friends walked on to the railway track near RK Hegde Nagar. Around 5.30 pm, as they were shooting a Tik Tok video, the Kolar-Chikkaballapur-Bengaluru train was making its way onto the track and hit them before they could jump to a safe spot. Aftab and Mohammed were critically injured, while Zaibullah sustained severe injuries. “The loco pilot of the Yelahanka-Kolar-Chikkaballapura passenger train said that the trio never heard the train’s continuous whistles. While Zabiullah was flung some distance away, the other two were run over,” police told TOI. Earlier in June, a 19-year-old from Tumkur in Karnataka had injured his spine while attempting a backflip for a TikTok video. He sustained severe injuries to his spinal cord and later succumbed while being treated for his injuries. There have been several such instances of people injuring themselves, even fatally, for the sake of attempting such stunts for social media. In 2017, another teenager, from Hyderabad, died while taking a selfie from the top of a railway coach. The teenager came into contact with a high tension wire and sustained extensive burns.

Body 2:

Politics

These remarks came after the announcement that bye-polls would be postponed to December 5.

IANS

Image for representation

As the Election Commission on Friday announced the bypolls to 15 Karnataka Assembly seats would be held on December 5, the Congress on Friday took a swipe at the poll panel, saying the new schedule looks to be meant for "purification" of disqualified MLAs."Election Commission has become one of the government departments. Postponing election after the proceedings started is quite unusual," party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal told IANS. Venugopal, who is also the in-charge of Karnataka said: "Now declaring the new schedule also look like waiting for purification of disqualified MLAS." His remarks came soon after the Commission announced fresh dates for by-elections on the 15 assembly seats on December 5 and counting of votes on December 9. The announcement came a day after the Election Commission informed the Supreme Court that it will postpone the October 21 by-elections for 15 assembly seats in Karnataka, which fell vacant after the then Speaker disqualified rebel Congress and JD-S legislators till the end of the current Assembly (2023). The court will now take up the matter on October 22. The bypolls were earlier slated for October 21.

Body 2:

Controversy erupts as Karnataka govt transfers Rohini Sindhuri IAS out of Labour Dept

No relief for Congress leader DK Shivakumar as special court denies bail

Sudhir Krishnaswamy takes charge as NLSIU Bengaluru V-C, ending controversy

'MLAs cannot be disqualified for resigning from House', K'taka Speaker to SC

Students of Visvesvaraya Technological Uni will not receive degree if CGPA is below 5

Unsuspecting Mangaluru man finds he’s heir to a convicted spy’s property in Delhi

Student pushed off moving train in Bengaluru while resisting robbery attempt

Bangalore Uni V-C’s dismissal stayed by HC, a day after his appointment was quashed

Man calls for ‘Hindu Rashtra’ in Mangaluru mall, gets thrashed by students

Night traffic ban in Bandipur Tiger Reserve to stay: Centre to Pinarayi Vijayan

'This is demoralising': Musicians upset over crackdown on live music in Bengaluru

Sheer poetry in stone: The sculptural extravaganza of Belur’s Chennakeshava Temple

Karnataka bye-polls to be deferred until SC order on disqualification of rebel MLAs

EC put off Karnataka bye-polls under govt orders, alleges Congress

Former Bengaluru commissioner Alok Kumar questioned by CBI in phone tapping case

Rape of 7-year-old in Bengaluru: Top lawyer gets school plumber off the hook

Ballari Congress leader Anil Lad says he's ready to join BJP

Karnataka assembly bye-elections to be held on December 5, counting on December 9

Two youths run over by train in Bengaluru while making TikTok video

New Karnataka bypoll schedule announced to 'purify' rebel MLAs, alleges Congress