India needs Modi to make it stronger, says Yeddyurappa

Kochi, Feb 29: The Kerala Non-Resident Indians' Commission on Friday passed a resolution to request the Centre and Election Commission (EC) to make appropriate amendments in the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951, to ensure voting rights to the non-resident Indians working abroad. According to People’s Representation Act, 1951, None-Resident Indians (NRIs) can vote by proxy.

The Commission is a statutory body constituted for the welfare of Non-Resident Keralites working outside India.

The Centre had introduced a bill for this purpose which was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2018, but the same has since lapsed.

Therefore, the Kerala NRI Commission decided to request the Centre to consider introducing the bill in the next session of Parliament considering the interest of the NRI community at large.

The resolution was moved by commission member and NRI entrepreneur Shamsheer Vayalil, who is also a petitioner in the writ petition, filed regarding this in the Supreme Court.

"The central government may consider introducing the bill in the next session of the Parliament session considering the interest of the NRI community at large," read the resolution which will now be sent to the Ministry of Law and the Election Commission (EC).

Commission chairman Justice PD Rajan said the right to vote for NRIs is a genuine demand.

"This is the time that we step up pressure on the agencies concerned to implement this. Voting from the workplace would be a different experience for them. It would be a decisive step," he said.

This fresh development comes at a time when a petition filed in the Supreme Court on the same topic last week came before a bench headed by Justice Deepak Gupta, which considered the case and said it will be heard in April.

"We are expecting a favourable decision from the Supreme Court. We would also approach the NRI commission in other states and request them to raise the same demand," said Vayalil.

If implemented, millions of NRIs around the world would be able to exercise their franchise in the electoral processes of the nation. According to the estimate of the Ministry of External Affairs, there are about 3.10 crore NRIs.

Bengaluru, Jul 6: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday said that the "country will have to learn to live with coronavirus as there are no options".

Yediyurappa made the remark after paying tribute to Babu Jagjivan Ram, on his death anniversary, at a ceremony in Vidhana Soudha.

"We don't have any other option, we have to learn to live with this virus. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the same thing. We have increased ambulances, we have made all arrangements to fight the pandemic. It is very important to safeguard ourselves," he said.

The Chief Minister added that the state government has made many arrangements to combat the widespread illness.

According to the Union Health Ministry, there is 23,474 number of COVID-19 cases in the state and 372 people have died due to the illness.

Kochi, Mar 2: The Vatican has rejected the second appeal by Sister Lucy Kalappura -- one of the nuns who protested against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal -- against her expulsion from Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC).

In her plea, she had demanded that her version be heard and her expulsion from FCC revoked.

She was expelled from FCC for participating in public protests demanding the arrest of Franco Mulakkal in the nun rape case.

''I got a letter from Vatican which says my appeal has been rejected. But the rest of the letter is written in the Latin language. So after I understand it, I will respond," Sister Lucy told news agency.

''The authorities are contemptuous of those who make such complaints. That is why the letter is written in Latin. Sister Lucy would continue her legal fight in the courts,'' said George Moolechalil, who has been authorised by Sister Lucy to communicate with the media on her behalf.

A petition of Sister Lucy is still pending at Mananthavady Munsif Court at Wayanad that demands that she should not be expelled from the convent where she is staying.