Karnataka's new speaker can make fresh call on disqualified MLAs: Solicitor General tells SC

Agencies
October 25, 2019

Bengaluru, Oct 25: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, in New Delhi on Thursday, told the Supreme Court that new Karnataka Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri had no difficulty in hearing aggrieved MLAs and taking a fresh call.

"We have no difficulty in hearing them all (disqualified MLAs) and take a fresh call," Mehta told a Bench of Justices N.V. Ramana, Sanjiv Khanna and Krishna Murari. Mehta was representing the office of the Speaker.

The top court was hearing the plea of 17 Karnataka MLAs, challenging their disqualification.

In July, then Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar disqualified them, rejecting resignations tendered by them. Those MLAs had remained absent from the House on July 23 when former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy put the confidence motion to vote.

The disqualified legislators had moved the top court, challenging the Speaker's action saying it was in gross violation of the apex court orders, and illegal and unconstitutional.

Under the scheme of the Constitution, a lawmaker had a right to resign and the Speaker should accept that, Mehta submitted. "Under the scheme of the Constitution, as I have read, a legislator has the right to resign. Except the contingency provided in Article 190(3), there is no room for resignation being rejected," Mehta said.

Article 190(3) of the Constitution envisages that the Speaker or the Chairman of the legislature has to only ascertain whether the resignation of a lawmaker is voluntary and genuine, and if not, he will not accept such resignations.

Appearing for the disqualified MLAs, senior advocate V. Giri told the Bench that the order passed by the then Speaker couldn't be interfered with on procedural irregularities but it could be interfered with on the ground of violation of natural justice. 

Senior Advocate Giri also questioned the hurry to decide the disqualification petition.

Appearing for Kumaraswamy, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan said the resignation was a privilege granted to MLAs subject to the Speaker's call.

Stressing that defection is the biggest evil in elections, Dhavan said could the Speaker ignore material before him, which made it obvious that something was wrong with the resignations. 

Rajeev Dhavan also raised the issue related to absence of disqualified MLAs from party meetings and their presence in hotels hobnobbing with BJP leaders.

Arguments will continue on Friday.

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News Network
June 16,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 16: Continuing easing of restrictions under 'unlock-1,' the Karnataka government has allowed shooting and production of films and television programmes in the state.

In a clarification, Principal Secretary Revenue N Manjunath Prasad said, shooting and production of all films and television programmes that were stopped in between due to lockdown can be allowed.

It is also allowed to continue with the post-production activities of film and television programmes after completing the shooting, it said.

The permission is conditional as it is subjected to adhering of the national directives issued in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, and standard operating procedures prescribed by the Department of Information and Public Relations.

The clarification said permission can be given as film and television shooting and production activities are not banned under guidelines issued by the centre and the state government recently.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 16,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 16: People volunteering as civil police wardens with the city police department will not receive any remuneration, an official said on Wednesday.

“We wish to clarify the rumours floating on social media and confirm that the volunteers helping local police as civil police wardens in enforcement of anti-Covid measures will not be paid any remuneration,” said an official.

On Tuesday, Bengaluru city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao had urged interested people to volunteer for the department, indicating how strained the department has been amid Covid.

“Inviting physically fit and service minded residents of Bengaluru, both men and women, between the age of 18-45 to volunteer as civil police wardens,” said Rao.

The department is offering a choice of the police division, jurisdiction and the shifts one wants to choose to be a civil police warden.

Additional Commissioner of Police Hemant Nimbalkar said volunteers are a welcome support to the police in their field duty but should not be left alone.

“Volunteers are a support to the police in the field and shall not work standalone. They shall be attached with duty police as assistance. A jacket and a cap should be provided to them,” said Nimbalkar.

He reminded that the safety of the volunteers is the responsibility of the policemen.

Many city policemen have been infected with the virus and quarantined while more than six have succumbed.

“It is a tough time for all policemen irrespective of the rank. Four hundred and fifty active cases across the state and the loss of six lives speak volumes about their involvement in the war against Covid,” said Director General of Police Praveen Sood recently.

He expressed hope that the difficult times will pass, saying all the members of the police department are a family.

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coastaldigest.com news network
April 2,2020

Newsroom, Apr 2: Mohammad Sirajul Hasan, former chief (ameer) of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, passed away today at a private hospital in Karnataka’s Raichur. 

The 87-year-old was suffering from old age related diseases for past few years and he was staying with his elder son in Raichur. 

He was the Karnataka (then Mysuru) unit chief of the JIH from 1st August,1958 to 6th April, 1984. Afterwards, he was appointed as the national secretary of the organization and held this post till he elected ameer for the term 1990-94. Previously, he also served the Jamaat as its Acting Ameer for about half a year. He was re-elected Ameer of the Jamaat for the terms 1995-99 and 2000-04. 

He had also served as the vice president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board for several years.

An orator and scholar, Sirajul Hasan was known for his scholarly lectures in Urdu and Hindi.

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