Karnataka minister writes to poll panel seeking EVM challenge

News Network
January 2, 2018

Priyank Kharge, Karnataka Minister for IT and BT, on Tuesday, wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI), seeking an electronic voting machine (EVM) challenge to test the machines for errors.

In his letter to Achal Kumar Jyoti, the Chief Election Commissioner, Kharge has proposed that the EVM challenge be jointly hosted by the Karnataka government and the ECI, where stakeholders of the scientific community can be invited to participate in testing the EVMs.

Unlike the EVM challenge hosted by the ECI in May 2017, where only political parties participated, Kharge has said that the challenge this time should be thrown open to technocrats, scientists, corporates, R&D institutes, start-ups and tinkerers.

He has sought that the ECI provide 250 randomly selected EVMs to plan and execute the challenge, under the overall supervision of the ECI.

For the challenge, individuals or interested parties can be allowed to test the EVMs using instruments of their choice. Design documents, test descriptions and results, security procedures used by the ECI can be provided for the same. Results obtained can be made public and long-term testing by a team of experts can be initiated, if necessary, he has said.

"The challenge needs to go beyond political parties and should be opened to all the young and bright minds in the country to ensure a pure scientific engagement with the community without political agenda. If there are technical flaws, we can solve it together and if there are no errors, we restore the people's faith in our democratic process," his letter states.

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Wellwisher
 - 
Tuesday, 2 Jan 2018

At Karnataka who wver won that is people selection but to elect election commission must stop EVM system and replace Ballot voting system. Karnataka always support and electing a wisa and qualified Desh Bjakth candidate, So please respect our voting power a d implement Bllot voting system.

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News Network
April 29,2020

Lucknow, Apr 29: Tablighi Jamaat members, who got cured of COVID-19, have been asked by their organisation to donate their plasma for treatment of other coronavirus-infected patients, a move that the outfit thinks will help it shed its “villain” tag.

"Maulana Saad, in an open letter on April 21 to all Jamaatis who have recovered from the coronavirus (infection), has appealed them to donate their plasma to help others. The message has reached all the members," Maulana Anees Ahmad Nadvi, the manager of Tablighi Jamaat’s Lucknow branch, told PTI PTI on Wednesday.

"As per the Health Department data, over 50 per cent of corona patients are Jamaatis. Among them those who have recovered are being contacted and all of them are ready to donate their plasma," claimed Nadvi.

"We have till now contacted 400 Jamaatis. In the entire country, those who have recovered are also giving their plasma. Markaz has given instructions that no one should be left from donating plasma," he said. "Jamaatis are not doing any favour to anyone by giving their plasma.

This is a humanitarian step. This is true that Jamaatis are being presented as villains after coronavirus spread, but Maulana Saad has asked us to forgive those doing this," he said. Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi is on the run after an FIR was registered against him by the Delhi police for organising a religious gathering in March this year despite restrictions to combat the coronavirus spread.

With some plasma therapy trial results rekindling hopes of it being a likely cure for COVID-19, the Uttar Pradesh government too had begun contracting patients cured of it for plasma donation, but the move was suspended after the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said the therapy was only at an experimental stage and there was no evidence yet to support that it can be used as treatment for COVID-19.

Uttar Pradesh Surveillance Officer, Dr Vikasendu Agarwal, said all those who have recovered from coronavirus, including Jamaatis, were being contacted for plasma donation, but the move has been suspended after the Centre’s statement on the issue.

Refusing to divulge the number of cured Jamaatis, he said "We were contacting them. They are not different from us. We were contacting all our patients and asking them that they could donate if they find it appropriate, as it would help other patients." "All of those contacted by us are ready for giving plasma," he said.

Chief Medical Officer, Lucknow, Dr Narendra Agarwal said all 28 Jamaatis, who were admitted in KGMU were contacted to donate their plasma and all of them agreed. "A proposal in this regard has been sent to the government.

After approval, their plasma will be taken," he said. With the plasma therapy gaining a lot of traction as a possible cure for coronavirus, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday clarified that it is at an experimental stage and there is no evidence yet to support that it can be used as treatment for COVID-19. Till the effectiveness of this mode of treatment is scientifically proven, its application except for research and clinical trial is illegal, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health Lav Agarwal said.

Dr Vikasendu said after the Centre's clarification contacting people for plasma donation has been put on hold. A further step will be taken on decision of KGMU which is working on plasma therapy here, he added.

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News Network
March 29,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 29: Escoms have been directed neither to penalise its customers nor go for disconnection if one fails to pay the bill. The relief is applicable till June. However, the entire bill will have to be paid at the end of three months.

The revised power tariff, which was to be announced on April 1, has also been deferred.

A similar three-month relief has been given on rentals for APMC and BBMP shops.

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News Network
April 15,2020

New Delhi, Apr 15: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday urged the government to organise flights to bring back Indian workers stuck in the Middle East and desperate to return.

He said the workers are in deep distress there due to shutting of businesses in the Middle East due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Covid19 crisis and shutting of businesses in the Middle East have left thousands of Indian workers in deep distress and desperate to return home.

"The Government must organise flights to bring home our brothers and sisters most in need of assistance, with quarantine plans in place," he said on Twitter.

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