Tag: Karnataka

Karnataka: EC checks helicopter used by DK Shivakumar’s family

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Mangaluru: The Election officials on Saturday searched the private helicopter in which Congress state president D K Shivakumar’s family travelled from Bengaluru to Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district.
Shivakumar’s wife Usha, her son, daughter and son-in-law were on a pilgrimage to offer prayers at Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy temple.
As soon as the helicopter landed at Dharmasthala, the Election officials came forward to check the helicopter.

The pilot sought to know the need to check the helicopter when the Election Commission has been informed that this was not a vehicle on the election duty. “We have already given the letter (Election Commision),” the pilot was heard saying in a video which went viral.
“We have to check the helicopter,” the Election officials said. “That’s what I am saying. This is not an election flight. We have already given the letter stating that this is a private charter. Anyway, check,” the pilot replied.
The Model Code of Conduct is in force in the State, which goes to polls on May 10.
The Election officials had also intercepted and checked Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s car when he was on his way to a temple in Chikkaballapura district on March 31.
Ever since the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, over Rs 253 crore worth unaccounted cash, gold, freebies, liquor and drugs have been seized in Karnataka, according to Election Commision officials.

#WATCH | Flying squad of ECI and officials conducted a check of the helicopter used by State Congress president DK Shivakumar after it reached the helipad at Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada. The party’s state chief was travelling in the chopper.
“Nothing wrong in that. They… pic.twitter.com/CTB2i9o0LR
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2023

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#Karnataka #checks #helicopter #Shivakumars #family
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 22, 2023
Karnataka: Shivakumar-Siddaramaiah bonhomie on display at event

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, who are vying for the post of chief minister if Congress voted to power, have passed on a message of unity to party workers.
In a rare gesture at a private function, both leaders showed affection to each other and posed for photographs on Saturday.
The leaders posed for photos by putting their arms around each other. The general perception is that they are not on good terms.

Hitting out at Congress, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated on Saturday, “Shivakumar does not know how they have finished off Siddaramaiah. In the previous election, they finished him politically in the Chamundeshwari constituency and this time it will happen in the Varuna constituency. The people are aware of it.”
Recently, a video showing Siddaramaiah giving a rude reply to Shivakumar at the party headquarters appeared on social media and showed everything was not alright between the two. The gesture of the two leaders is intended to pass on a message of goodwill and harmony between the two leaders.
Rahul Gandhi during his recent visit to Karnataka had stressed that what makes him happy was the unity shown by the party leaders in Karnataka.
However, sources state that knives are out to finish off each other and eliminate the competition for the post of chief minister, if Congress is voted to power.

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#Karnataka #ShivakumarSiddaramaiah #bonhomie #display #event
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 22, 2023
Chinese firm Xiaomi’s plea challenging ED rejected by Karnataka HC

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Bengaluru: Karnataka High Court has rejected Chinese firm Xiaomi’s plea against the seizure of Rs 5,551.27 crore from its bank accounts by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
A single-judge bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna, on Friday, though dismissed the petition, upheld its maintainability.
The Chinese technology company is facing charges of violations of the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

The bench observed that challenge to the Constitutional validity of Section 37A of the Act by the petitioner is held to be maintainable, on the fulcrum of the allegation that it is violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. As Article 14 is person centric whereas Fundamental Rights under Article 19 are citizen centric.
Appearing for the central government and the ED, Additional Solicitor General M.B. Nargund Amaintained that Xiaomi is a foreign entity and can not maintain writ petition.
Earlier, counsels for Xiaomi India had argued that the firm was being targetted as it is a Chinese company and other companies are allowed to make payments of technology royalty.
They have also brought to the notice of the court that banks are not allowing Xiaomi to make remittances in foreign exchange for imports.
They argued that the company is required to make payments for foreign companies in connection with manufacturing and marketing smartphones.

Contesting this Additional Solicitor General Nargund had explained that the authorities had no complaints if Xiaomi is agreeable to keep the seized amount in the bank and use remaining amount.
He brought to the notice of the court that on April 24 and 29, before the ED passed the order to seize Xiaomi’s bank accounts, there was a transfer of around Rs 1,500 crore from the company’s bank accounts as per the available information.
However, Xiomi is maintaining that royalty payments made to three companies abroad would not violate the FEMA Act. The company further maintained that the IT department itself had allowed it as a value added activity.
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#Chinese #firm #Xiaomis #plea #challenging #rejected #Karnataka
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 22, 2023
Karnataka Cong alleges CMO calling returning officers to reject its candidates’ applications

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Bengaluru: The Congress on Saturday alleged Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s office is calling up the returning officers of various districts to find defects in the applications filed by its candidates and rectify the mistakes in those of BJP nominees contesting the May 10 Assembly election.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief D K Shivakumar demanded that the Election Commission should investigate the matter and summon the call details of the CMO to ascertain the truth.
“A major conspiracy is going on to reject the applications of the Congress candidates,” the party’s Karnataka unit chief said in a press conference.

He charged that some applications of the BJP candidates, for instance in Saundatti Yellamma constituency, are defective but the CMO “directly called the officer and directed him to make changes”.
“There is no need to elaborate how a big team is trying to reject (my) application. You all have been informed about it,” the Congress state chief said.
Shivakumar said he has filed the election form 10 times yet “when they can do this to me then imagine what they can do to the ordinary candidates”.
“Pressure is being built on all the returning officers. There is rampant misuse of power. The EC must take note of it. The CMO must be investigated,” the Kanakapura candidate demanded.
On Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje’s charge that the Congress was collecting ‘bribe’ from those candidates who have been given ticket to contest the Assembly election, Shivakumar retorted that his party was not collecting ’40 per cent commission’.

“We are only raising building fund for our party. We are collecting Rs 2 lakh from general candidates and Rs 1 lakh from SC/ST candidates,” Shivakumar explained.
The opposition Congress is locked in a tussle with the ruling BJP to wrest power in Karnataka with the JD(S) also an important player as polling is just weeks away.
Karnataka will vote in a single phase on May 10 and the results will be declared on May 1
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#Karnataka #Cong #alleges #CMO #calling #returning #officers #reject #candidates #applications
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 22, 2023
BJP steps up Karnataka campaign

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Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party has stepped up its campaign for Karnataka assembly polls with party chief JP Nadda holding a roadshow and rally in Bidar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah holding a meeting with Karnataka BJP leaders.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was also present at Shah’s meeting with Karnataka BJP leaders. Amit Shah is on a three-day visit to Karnataka as part of BJP’s preparations for May 10 assembly polls.
Shah was supposed to hold a roadshow in Devanahalli but it was cancelled due to rain.

“Due to heavy rain could not be there among the people of Devanahalli. I bow to them for turning out in large numbers despite adverse weather. I will certainly visit Devanahalli soon for a campaign. Their enthusiasm shows that the BJP will win a massive victory in Karnataka,” he said in a tweet.
Shah also shared a video of a local man who was seen wiping rainwater from cutouts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi put up on the way to a proposed BJP roadshow in Devanahalli.
“The unwavering trust in PM Narendra Modiji and the selfless affection for him is what the BJP has earned and it is its source of strength. Have a look at this beautiful video from Devanahalli, Karnataka,” Shah said in another tweet.
Amid the political battle in Karnataka, PM Modi held a telephone conversation with Karnataka BJP leader and former minister KS Eshwarappa.
“I didn’t expect his (PM) call, it inspires me to win Shivamogga city and we’ll try all possibilities to bring the BJP government back in Karnataka. It’s not something special I have done. I have told the same to PM,” he said.

Nadda, who is on a two-day visit to the state, held a roadshow in Bidar on Friday in support of party candidates.
He also addressed a public gathering. “BJP has always worked with a sense of commitment towards the betterment of society, whereas Congress has had a long history of interrupting social welfare schemes established by either the Centre or the previous BJP governments,” he said.
The battle in the Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency is set to get more interesting with a ‘guru-shishya’ type flavour to the fight between two prominent Lingayat leaders.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Mahesh Tenginkai against former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who was denied the ticket. Shettar has joined the Congress.
Tenjinakai had on April 18 sought blessings from Jagadish Shettar before filing his nomination for the seat.
“Jagadish Shettar has been my guru. This fight is between a guru and his shishya. I am confident that my guru will bless me,” Tenjinakai said.
Shettar, however, told ANI that he is neither Tenginkai’s guru nor is he “shishya”.
“His Guru is in Delhi and he is a loyal disciple of his guru in Delhi. BL Santhosh is his Guru. Because of his guru, he got the ticket.”
The former Karnataka chief minister accused Tenginkai of running a ‘whispering campaign’ against him over the past six to seven months.
“What is his contribution? Just being an office bearer is not enough. The people of Hubballi want involvement in their representative in the constituency. Just getting the ticket from BJP is not sufficient.”
Shettar joined the Congress after quitting the BJP for being denied a ticket for the May 10 assembly polls in the state.
Shetter said he left the BJP as his self-respect was hurt.
“Earlier whoever contested from this constituency (from BJP) everybody lost. I built the party here in this place. In 1994, I contested for the first time and also got elected. Subsequently, I have been re-elected from the seat. So it is pretty clear that the people have faith in me. I maintained the same relationship with the people of Hubballi,” Shettar said.
“My self-respect was damaged and because of this. I challenged them. After joining Congress, I went across areas in my constituency. People ushered warm welcome…My first meeting after joining Congress, it was all clear. Congress chief Khargeji and others assured me that I will always get respect from the congress party. I want no power. I only want respect. I am not an ambitious person. I am not a power-hungry man,” he added.
A day after the Karnataka High Court dismissed D K Shivakumar’s plea in a disproportionate assets case, the Congress leader said that he will fight till his last breath.
“I will approach the High Courts, I will fight till the last breath. I believe in a court of law. I still believe they have done an injustice. Everything is transparent,” said Shivakumar, who is Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President
“I believe in people’s court, they (BJP) are trying to use various agencies…I am very cautious on every move, I am also a political animal,” Shivakumar said.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 22, 2023
Karnataka polls: NCP fields nine candidates, including ex-BJP MLC

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New Delhi: The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday said it has fielded nine candidates in the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections, where the BJP, Congress and the JD(S) are locked in a triangular contest.
The NCP has fielded Uttam Patil from Nippani assembly segment in Belgavi district, a region with dominant Marathi-speaking population, where it had actively participated in the agitation against the desecration of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
It has fielded Masoor Saheb Bilagi from Devar Hippargi, Zameer Ahmad Inamdar (Baswan Bagewadi), Kulappa Chavan (Nagthan), R Hari (Yelburga), R Shankar (Ranebennur), K Suguna (Hagaribommanahalli), SYM Masood Foujdar (Virajpet) and Rehana Bano (Narsimharaja).

Hari is the President of the NCP’s Karnataka unit and Shankar a BJP MLC who quit the party after being denied ticket to contest the May 10 elections.
Elected as the lone MLA of Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party (KPJP) from Ranebennur constituency in 2018, Shankar later joined the Congress.
However, he withdrew his support to Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by then Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, when a few MLAs from both parties resigned. He was then disqualified considering the fact that he was a Congress member. Shankar joined the BJP and was elected to the Legislative Council.
Shankar quit the BJP and as MLC after being denied the party ticket to contest the May 10 assembly elections.
NCP’s decision to field candidates in Karnataka is seen as an attempt to regain the national party status it had to forego due to its depleted political fortunes in states such as Goa, Meghalaya and Manipur.

The party’s entry into the electoral fray in Karnataka came at a time NCP supremo Sharad Pawar is leading efforts to forge opposition unity for the Lok Sabha elections next year.
The Congress is expecting a big victory in the Karnataka Assembly polls as it yearns for a reversal of its sliding electoral performance since the loss in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
The NCP also announced its list of star campaigners Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Supriya Sule, P P Mohammad Faizal, Fouzia Khan, Clyde Crasto, among others.
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#Karnataka #polls #NCP #fields #candidates #including #exBJP #MLC
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023
Twitter plea against Centre’s order to block accounts: Karnataka HC reserves judgment

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Bengaluru: Karnataka High Court on Friday reserved its verdict on social media platform Twitter’s plea challenging the central government’s directions to take down 39 URLs.
The matter pertains to the 10 blocking orders that the central government had issued to Twitter, between February 2021 and February 2022, directing the social media platform to block public access to certain information, and suspend several accounts as well.
The Centre had handed over the blocking orders in sealed covers to the High Court.

Justice Krishna S Dixit reserved the judgment after hearing the arguments presented by Twitter and the central government.
Twitter challenged the government orders claiming that they are arbitrary, and procedurally and substantively not in consonance with Section 69A of the IT Act. Twitter also contended that account-level blocking is a violation of the constitutional rights of users.
Apart from arguing that the direction to block entire accounts falls afoul of Section 69A of the IT Act, Twitter claimed that the government orders do not comply with the procedures and safeguards prescribed by the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009 (Blocking Rules).
In its reply, the Centre submitted that the directions were issued in national and public interest and to prevent lynching and mob violence incidents.
Stating that it only intervenes when there is a threat to the sovereignty of India or public order, the central government argued that being a foreign entity and the government’s 10 blocking orders not being arbitrary, Twitter could not take refuge under the fundamental rights under Articles 14 (right to equality) and 19 (right to freedom of speech and expression) of the Indian Constitution.

Contending that Twitter does not have the right to espouse the cause of users as statutory enable is required for such action, the Centre also argued that Twitter has no locus standi to file the plea as it cann’t speak on behalf of its account holders.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023
Karnataka polls: 5,102 nominations filed by 3,632 candidates, scrutiny on Apr 21

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Bengaluru: Over 3,600 candidates have filed a total of 5,102 nominations for the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka till Thursday, the last day for filing of the papers, election officials said here.
The process of filing nominations papers began on April 13 with the election notification being issued.
Of the total nominations, 4,710 were filed by 3,327 male candidates and 391 nominations were by 304 female candidates. One nomination has been filed by an “other gender” candidate, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka said in a Thursday night statement.

It said 707 nominations were filed by candidates who identified themselves with the BJP, 651 Congress, 455 JD(S) and the rest from other smaller parties and Independents.
According to the officials, one candidate may file up to four nominations.
On Thursday, the sixth and last day for filing of the papers, 1,934 nominations were filed by 1,691 candidates, including several prominent leaders.
In a surprise move just hours before the deadline for filing of nominations, Congress MP from Bangalore Rural D K Suresh entered the fray from the Kanakapura segment, from where his elder brother and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar is the party’s candidate.
According to several Congress functionaries, Suresh has filed his papers as a “backup plan” in the event of the nomination of Shivakumar getting rejected.

In Hassan, JD(S) candidate H P Swaroop filed his nomination with the backing of the entire family of former prime minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda.
BJP candidate from Shivamogga Channabasappa, whose ticket was announced on Wednesday night by the party, filed his papers in the presence of senior leader and sitting MLA K S Eshwarappa, who has announced retirement from electoral politics.
Accompanied by Independent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh and minister C N Ashwath Narayan, BJP candidate from Mandya Ashok Jayaram filed his nomination papers.
According to reports, Congress working president Satish Jarkiholi filed his nomination from Yemakanmardi in Belagavi district. Minister Shashikala Jolle filed her papers from her traditional seat of Nippani in the district, accompanied by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
Among others who filed their nominations on Thursday were the BJP’s M P Renukacharya (Honnali), Katta Jagadish (Hebbal) and Ramachandra Gowda (Sidlaghatta), and the Congress’ Ramanatha Rai (Bantwal) and Yogesh HC (Shivamogga).
Scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 21, and the last day for the withdrawal of candidature is April 24.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023
Karnataka HC dismisses Shivakumar’s petition challenging sanction to prosecute him

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Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday dismissed the petition by state Congress president D K Shivakumar challenging the sanction given by the State Government to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for prosecuting him.
Following a request by the central agency, the State Government had given the sanction on September 25, 2019, based on which it had filed an FIR against him on October 3, 2020.
Shivakumar had challenged both the sanction and the FIR in two separate petitions before the High Court.

The court had earlier this week reserved its judgment on the petition challenging the sanction.
On Wednesday, it had adjourned the hearing of the other petition challenging the FIR to May 30. On Thursday evening, the single-judge bench of Justice K Natarajan dismissed the petition challenging the sanction.
The Income Tax Department had conducted a search and seizure operation in the offices and residence of Shivakumar in 2017. Based on it, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) started its own probe against Shivakumar. Following the ED investigation, the CBI sought sanction from the State Government to file an FIR against him.
Shivakumar had challenged the sanction on grounds that this was a politically motivated FIR, and three earlier FIRs have already been filed against him in relation to disproportionate income.
Since he was an MLA, the permission of the Speaker of the Assembly had to be obtained which was not done in this case. The Government had also not mentioned the reasons for granting the sanction.

The CBI had objected to the petition stating that the accused cannot demand which agency should conduct investigation against him.
It argued that since the CBI was enacted under a special act, there was no need to mention the reasons to grant sanction for prosecution.
It was claimed that 90 per cent of the investigation was complete. The CBI had also submitted a status report on the investigation to the court. Since it was a special case related to disproportionate income the petition was sought to be dismissed.
Shivakumar has been charged under Section 13(2), Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
While the High Court dictated the dismissal of Shivakumar’s petition on Thursday evening, the copy of the judgment is awaited.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 20, 2023
Karnataka polls: Congress releases 6th and final list of candidates

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New Delhi: The Congress in the early hours of Thursday released its sixth and final list of five candidates for the impending Karnataka assembly elections.
In the final list, Mohammed Shalem was fielded from Raichur, BV Rajeev Gowda from Sidlaghatta, S Anand Kumar from C V Raman Nagar (SC), HP Sridhar Gowda from Arkalgud, and Inayath Ali from Mangalore City North.
The party had on Wednesday replaced Mohammed Yousuf Savanur as its candidate from the Shiggaon constituency in Karnataka, currently under Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai, and fielded Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan instead from there.

Bommai had defeated Congress candidates Sayed Azeempeer Khadri Shiggaon in the 2018 elections.
The party released its fifth list on Wednesday of three new candidates, fielding B C Muddugangadhar from the Mulbagal (SC) seat, D K Mohan from K R Pura, and A C Srinivasa from the Pulakeshinagar — SC seat.
With the sixth list, the Congress has announced 223 candidates, marking one seat in the 224-member assembly for Sarvodaya Karnataka Party, a regional outfit.
The last date for filing of nominations is April 20.
The assembly polls in the state held by BJP will take place on May 10 and the results will be announced on May 13.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 20, 2023