RS poll: EC?seeks report on CM 'inducing MLAs' to vote for Cong

June 6, 2016

Bengaluru, Jun 6: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the Returning Officer for the Rajya Sabha election to submit a report on a complaint that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was trying to induce independent MLAs by offering them special grants.

Untitled-1The JD(S) had on May 29 lodged the complaint with the ECI, charging Siddaramaiah with indulging in election malpractice. The chief minister had been wooing independent MLAs by offering Rs 100-crore special development grant to each of their constituencies, the party had charged in its complaint.

The Congress has been trying to get the support of nine independents and MLAs of smaller parties to win the third seat in the elections. Congress's third candidate K C Ramamurthy needs the support of about 13 non-Congress MLAs for his election. Similarly, JD(S) candidate B M Farook has to muster the support of about 12 non-JD(S) MLAs for his election.

About 12 MLAs, including nine independents, had initially pledged their support to Farook. They had even agreed to be the proposers to the JD(S) candidate. But they later changed their decision and declared their support to the Congress candidate. The JD(S) subsequently lodged the complaint with the ECI, alleging that the chief minister was inducing the independents. However, official sources said the JD(S) had not furnished the necessary documents to the ECI to substantiate its claims. But some independent MLAs have reportedly stated that they would vote for the Congress as they would get special funds for the development of their constituencies.

When contacted, Returning Officer S Murthy only said that he was examining the complaint and that he would submit the report soon. The ECI has already directed Murthy, who is also the Karnataka Legislative Assembly secretary, to submit a report on a sting operation done by two national news channels on votes for sale recently. The election is scheduled for June 11.

Chief Minister denies horse-trading

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday refuted the allegations that the Congress had indulged in horse-trading, ahead of Rajya Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he said that there was no need for the party to bank on other party legislators to get its candidates elected. Siddaramaiah defended fielding a third candidate in the election, saying that the party will be left with 33 votes after ensuring the victory of two candidates.

“We need 90 votes to win two seats. The party will be left with 33 votes and this may help win another seat. Hence a third candidate is fielded,” the chief minister said. He also denied the party's involvement in the recent sting operation, in which a few MLAs were shown striking money deals for votes.

Comments

Saleem
 - 
Monday, 6 Jun 2016

Muslims are always indirectly supporting BJP Growth because of their selfishness.

If BJP Gets majority in RS then they can implement all RSS agendas.

But for us our selfish attitude is important than all.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 7,2020

Udupi, Jul 7: A hotelier committed suicide by jumping into a well at Hiriadka in Udupi district last evening. 

The deceased is Raghavendra Bhat (48), a resident of Kadiyali and owner of Hotel Shivasagar in Kadiyali.

He had been to his brother's house in Hiriyadka where he resorted to the extreme step. 

He was known for organising tiger dance competitions during Sri Krishnashtami every year.

He had contested the Udupi CMC election from Congress party, but had lost by a few votes. Later he had joined the BJP.

A case has been registered ar Hiriadka police station and investigations are on.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 27,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 27: Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, on completion of one year of his government, today said coronavirus hampered his development plans for the state.

He said the state will not see a lockdown again "at any cost".

"Due to coronavirus we couldn't meet people's expectations but now we'll not have lockdown in Karnataka at any cost. In future we're going to fulfill whatever I announced in Budget. If necessary we'll take loans and complete all development work," said Yediyurappa.

"Covid has hampered development plans of Karnataka, lot more needs to be done, i'm committed to providing an able, stable government," he said.

Arrangements were made for virtual celebrations to mark the one-year anniversary of Yediyurappa government at Banquet Hall in Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Social distancing was maintained at the event.

A record 5,199 new COVID-19 cases and 82 deaths were reported from Karnataka on Sunday, the state's health department said.

With this, the total number of coronavirus cases in the state stands at 96,141, including 58,417 active cases and 35,838 recoveries.

So far, 1,878 deaths have been reported from Karnataka. Karnataka is the only state to have over 50,000 active cases with overall tally below 1 lakh.

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coastaldigest.com web desk
May 23,2020

The decision of the Indian government to ease the coronavirus-linked global travel restrictions imposed on those having OCI cards has given a big relief to many stranded overseas citizens of India across the world.

OCI card is issued to people of Indian origin globally which gives them almost all the privileges of an Indian national except for the right to vote, government service and buying agricultural land. The OCI card gives them a visa-free travel to India.

On Friday, the central government allowed certain categories of OCI card holders, who are stranded abroad, to come to the country. Earlier, according to the regulations issued by the Indian government in April, visas of foreign nationals and OCI cards were suspended as part of the new international travel restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic.

This privilege of visa free travel to India was causing distress among a large number of people of Indian-origin and Indian citizens in countries like the US whose children were OCI card holders as they were born in this country.

Many Indian parents, several of whom lost their jobs as a result of the economic crisis due to coronavirus pandemic, but were not allowed to take the special evacuation flights of Air India from various US cities, took to social media and urged the Indian leaders to allow them to travel to India.

“This is a big relief for the OCI card holders. It was a humanitarian crisis in the making. I am pleased that the Indian Government listened to their voices,” said social activist Prem Bhandari, chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, who has been taking up the cause of the OCI card holders.

Dr Arathi Krishna, former deputy chairperson of NRI Forum of Karnataka government, who had been demanding this relaxation, many of the thousands of stranded OCI card holders in defferent parts of the world were in pursuading her to exert pressure on the authorities concerned for this much needed relaxation.

The restrictions on traveling of OCI card holders to India was issued by govt of India on March 13 in the wake of global outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. 

She said: "Many parents who are Indian nationals could not travel for emergency purpose to India after repatriation flights started due to their minor children being OCI card holders. Many children who were OCI card holders could not travel to India to perform last rites when there was death in their family due to these restrictions"

"I was constantly pressurising and bringing these issues to the attention of ministry officials in External Affairs and Home Affairs departments. I was following up with Mr Dammu Ravi who is heading the COVID task force  task firce in the ministry of overseas Indian affairs who took interest in solving this problem through his consistent efforts with MHA. Iam thankful to Fireign Secretary too for his efforts and concern and to MHA for making it easier now for OCI card holders to travel in repatriation flights with emergency reasons," she said.

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