Karnataka minister calls EC a puppet of Modi govt; wants scrutiny of EVMs

Agencies

December 21, 2017

Bengaluru, Dec 21: A Karnataka minister today alleged that the Election Commission of India has been reduced to "a puppet" at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s hands and emphasised that it should pave way for public scrutiny of EVMs.

The Congress government in Karnataka is writing to the election commission with suggestions on electronic voting machines, state minister for information technology and tourism Priyank Kharge said.

However, the ball is in the court of the election commission whether to agree or not, he said.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, the minister said, "We are ready for our suggestions and even experiments. But the moot question is whether the election commission is ready."

He said the election commission has to agree with the state's proposal first.

"The election commission has been reduced to a puppet at the hands of the Union government. Even, the Centre has to agree with it (the proposal)," the minister said.

Kharge said the EC can make use of the techies and experts in Karnataka to test the EVMs.

He clarified that he is raising the matter, not because of upcoming Karnataka assembly polls but because EVMs are used from the panchayat level to Lok Sabha polls.

Kharge referred to reports claiming that a candidate contesting the municipal elections in Uttar Pradesh could not get his own votes.

He said Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel in Gujarat too had expressed reservation on the EVMs.

Comments

This Minsiter is 100 correct in stating that EC is acting on the advice of Union Govt and not ready to hold election through ballot paper instead of incorrect EVM. These EVM has favored bjp in all the elections. Its unfortunate that Union Govt and EC are not ready to hold electrion on ballot paper inspite of knowing the truth and agitation from various opposition parties. Why do they love EVM so much? EVM is not being used in any country as every one knows that it can be malfunctioned and it so happed in india. Union Govtr and EC are giving incorrect and false statements that EVM cannot be malfunctioned but it is cleared shown with proof that EVM can be malfunctioned. However, these people are not ready to accept the truth. Its really a shame and shows that they are fooling public and can go to any level to win electrion.

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NCST urges Karnataka govt to hike quota for STs

News Network

January 10,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 10: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), which met with officials of the Social Welfare Department Thursday, has urged the state government to increase the reservation provided to the ST community.

The Commission's suggestion comes even as a committee headed by Justice Nagamohan Das is currently studying a demand for increase of reservation for the community from the existing 3% to 7.5%.

Addressing mediapersons on Thursday, Commission Chairperson Nand Kumar Sai, said the Commission had discussed the issue with the Social Welfare Department, Karnataka, asking officials to expedite the process.

In response to this suggestion, Social Welfare Department Principal Secretary G Kumar Naik said the government would take a call based on the Nagamohan Das Committee's report.

A meeting was held between members of the National ST Commission and the Social Welfare Department Thursday with regard to various projects taken up by the department.

In June last year, the then Kumaraswamy-led coalition government constituted the Justice Nagamohan Das Committee, after protests from members of the Valmiki community for an increase in reservation to 7.5%. At present, Karnataka provides 15% reservation for SCs, 3% for STs and 32% for other backward classes (OBC).

The national commission also urged the state government to ensure permanent faculty in all the 824 residential institutions run by the department. At present, as much as 50% of the faculty in these institutions have been hired on a contractual basis. "We have assured that the recruitment will be done in a short time," Naik told mediapersons.

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Covid-19: No entry to Kodagu from Kerala

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March 29,2020

Madikeri, Mar 29: In an alarming situation in neighbouring Kerala State and instances of inter-state migration of Coronavirus suspects, the authorities on Sunday sealed both Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu borders, prohibiting entry of people from Kerala into Karnataka.

Dakshina Kannada had sealed its borders after repeated instances of people misusing ambulance services to travel to Mangalore. Villagers along with the police hauled mud on to the roads that were used as alternate routes.

The road that connects the two States, which people from east Kasargod used to enter into Karnataka, were closed at Mulleria by dumping mud on the road.

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Long awaited Pumpwell Flyover inaugurated, finally!

coastaldigest.com news network

January 31,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 31: The Pumpwell flyover, part of the four-laning of Talapady-Kundapura stretch of National Highway 66, was finally inaugurated today.

Work on four-laning NH 66 between Talapady-Kundapur, excluding the Nanthoor-NITK Surathkal stretch, started in September 2010 and Pumpwell (Mahaveera Circle) flyover was a part of the project. Concessionnaire M/s Navayuga Udupi Tollway Pvt., Ltd., failed to execute many flyovers on the stretch within the prescribed time, including Thokkottu and Pumpwell in Mangaluru, Karavali Circle in Udupi, and Shasri Circle in Kundapur.

Thokkottu and Karavali Circle flyovers are complete now while Shastri Circle flyover as well as the four-lane road within Kundapur town are still incomplete. Similarly, a small bridge and portion of the road in Padubidri too is yet to be completed.

District in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Pojjary and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel inaugurated the long-pending Flyover

MLA Vedavayas Kamath, MLA Bharath Shetty were also present on the occasion.