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Siddaramaiah demands use of ballot papers for state Assembly polls

Agencies
December 15, 2017

Bengaluru, Dec 15: Raising apprehensions that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) could be tampered with, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today demanded that ballot papers be used during the upcoming assembly polls in the state.

The chief minister also ruled out any impact of Gujarat poll results on Karnataka, saying the issues in the state were different. Siddaramaiah said he had spoken to some experts and there were chances that the EVMs could be tampered with.

"They (BJP) have the power. The Election Commission is under them. Though it is an independent constitutional body, they (central government) appoint the chief election commissioner," he said to a query about allegations of EVM tampering.

Speaking to reporters at Raichur in north Karnataka, he said, "What we are saying is go to the old (ballot paper) system, what is the difficulty?"

Apprehension about possible EVM tampering through Bluetooth technology was raised by the opposition Congress during the recent assembly elections in Gujarat, which the Election Commission had termed "baseless".

Similar doubts about the credibility of EVMs were raised during recently concluded civic polls in Uttar Pradesh and assembly elections earlier this year.

Pointing out that the demand for the old system was raised during the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls by political leaders there, Siddaramaiah said, "Go to the ballot paper. What is the problem with it?"

Several countries have gone back from EVM to ballot papers, he said and demanded that ballot papers be used during the assembly polls in the state, due early next year.

"We will both meet and write to the Election Commission on this. We demand that elections in Karnataka be conducted using ballot papers," he added.

On possible impact of Gujarat poll results on Karnataka, he said, "Results of any state will not have any impact on the results of another state....issues there are different from our state. So there is no relation to one another. So it cannot be said."

Asked about the exit polls predicting a win for the BJP in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, Siddaramaiah said the counting is yet to happen, adding, "this are just exit polls."

"There are various instances where exit polls have gone wrong. Let's see what happens on December 18," he said.

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News Network
June 29,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 29: A 99-year-old woman has successfully recovered from coronavirus in Bengaluru, leaving the medical fraternity and her family elated.

The woman had contracted the pathogen after coming in contact with her grandson and was hospitalised on her 99th birthday on June 18.

The woman was taken to the government Victoria Hospital along with her 70-year-old son, daughter-in-law and grandson.

"While we three developed symptoms like cold, cough and fever, my mother remained asymptomatic," the woman's son said.

The family members are still wondering how they got infected by the virus as all except the woman's grandson, were confined to their home most of the time.

Her 29-year-old grandson was the only one who went out to buy groceries.

Initially, the family approached a private hospital nearby for treatment, but they refused to accept COVID-19 patients.

Left with no option, the family got admitted to the Victoria hospital.

"We had reservations about Victoria hospital, but it turned out be a good one.

We did not spend a penny since the day we were admitted and my mother and son fully recovered," the woman's son said.

According to Dr Asima Banu, nodal officer of the Trauma Care Centre at the Victoria hospital, the woman was reluctant to get treatment at the hospital.

"With moral support from doctors and nurses at the Trauma Care Centre, she recovered very fast. She is always positive in life," the doctor said.

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News Network
January 21,2020

Kalaburagi, Jan 21: A team of bomb disposal squad along with sniffer dog visited Kalaburagi Railway Station on Tuesday morning.

In the wake of the bomb found at Mangalore Airport on Monday morning, the team visited the railway station as a precautionary measure.

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News Network
February 2,2020

New Delhi, Jan 2: India on Sunday reported the second case of novel coronavirus with a person from Kerala with a travel history to China testing positive, officials said.

"The patient has tested positive for novel coronavirus and is in isolation in a hospital," the health ministry said.

The patient is stable and is being closely monitored, it said.

India's first novel coronavirus case in India was also reported from Kerala with a student testing positive.

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