Uniform Civil Code: Khader asks union govt to discuss with Ulema

Bengaluru, July 22: Complete lockdown on Sundays and daily night curfew would continue across Karnataka to contain the coronavirus spread, a top officia.

"Though lockdown will be lifted from 5 am on Wednesday across the state, night curfew will continue daily from 9 pm to 5 am to restrict movement of people and vehicles. Total lockdown on Sundays will also continue on July 26 and August 2," said state Chief Secretary T.M. Vijaya Bhaskar in an order here.

The order to unlock Bengaluru and four other districts - Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad, Kalaburagi and Kodagu, which have been under 7-9 day lockdown since March 14 night came after Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa declared that lockdowns would not be re-imposed across the state hereafter.

Besides restrictions in containment areas to control the virus spread, the order banned reopening of gyms and prevented use of benches in parks by walkers or joggers.

"All vegetable and fruit markets in cities and towns across the state will be shifted to the suburbs or outskirts to decongest them and prevent crowding," said the order in Kannada.

Wearing mask, sanitising hands and maintaining social distancing will be strictly enforced and violators will be fined.

Suburban train and metro services will continue to remain shut till further orders.

Select long-distance express trains will continue to operate as per the standard operating procedure given by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on May 30.

"State-run and private buses in cities and on intra-state and inter-state routes will operate with limited number of passengers to ensure physical distancing. All buses will be sanitized and fumigated after every trip," said the order.

Schools, colleges, cinema theatres, multiplexes will remain shut to prevent crowding and violation of social distancing.

Ban on religious functions and mass gatherings will also continue.

Bhopal, Mar 11: After meeting with 19 party MLAs who have tendered their resignations, Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma on Wednesday said they are neither willing to support Jyotiraditya Scindia nor in favour of joining BJP as they were "misled and taken to Bengaluru" in Karnataka.

"Nobody is ready to go with Scindia ji. They said they were misled and taken to Bengaluru, most of them said they are not ready to join BJP," Verma told media persons on being asked about the 19 MLAs.

"I just came from Bengaluru and now I am going to Jaipur. Besides 5-6 ministers and one MLA, we all are going to Jaipur. They (MLAs) have said they have the blood of Congress and they will remain in the party. 
Since Scindia was a senior party leader, all our MLAs followed his order as a courtesy," he said.

The Congress leader further claimed that BJP is using both "muscle and money power" to influence Congress MLAs.

He also claimed that he is strongly in contact with 7-8 BJP MLAs.

On Tuesday, Congress sent two of its leaders -- Verma and Govind Singh -- to Bengaluru in order to pacify some of the rebel MLAs who are lodged in a hotel there and who claimed to have resigned from the state Legislative Assembly.

Most of the rebel MLAs are perceived close to Scindia and are apparently unhappy at Scindia being "ignored" in the party. The grand old party has been witnessing an internal turf war in Madhya Pradesh since the party formed the government in the state in 2018.

Scindia is likely to join BJP later today.

Bengaluru, Jun 25: Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations commenced in Karnataka on Thursday amid relaxation of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

Schools in the state ensured that social distancing norms were followed and other precautionary measures taken at the examination centres. All the students underwent thermal screening at the centres and were provided hand sanitisers and masks.

"Today, 464 students are writing the exam. In every classroom, 20 students will be writing their papers. We have also arrangements two separate classrooms for those from containment zones and those who are unwell," said Sister Sagaimir, Principal, St. Joseph's Convent Girls High School.

"We have been working for the last two weeks to put everything in place for the examination Ensuring they maintain social distancing, wear a mask and sanitise," she added.

In other schools, arrangements at the designated centres were inspected before the exams began.

Yesterday, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar held a video conference with senior officials to review the preparedness for safely conducting the SSLC examinations scheduled on June 25.

"8,48,203 students will appear for the SSLC examination starting tomorrow in 2,879 centres across the state. All the guidelines issues by state government must be followed strictly" Sudhakar said in the meeting.