Bengaluru: Reacting to Union Minister HD Kumaraswmay’s allegations of corruption in garbage disposal tender, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday called on Kumaraswamy to come before the media for a discussion rather than doing ‘hit and run’ on the streets.

“Kumaraswamy’s life is all about doing hit and run on the streets. Instead of doing that, he should come before the media for discussion, “ said Shivakumar.

Shivakumar accused Kumaraswamy of being in despair and challenged him to an open debate. He stated, “Kumaraswamy is in despair. Let him come to an open debate.”

Earlier on Sunday, July 14, Kumaraswamy accused DK Shivakumar of seeking commissions ranging from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore and being involved with a blacklisted company in a municipal contract. The contract concerns the management of solid waste in Bengaluru, valued at about Rs 45,000 crore over a span of 30 years.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday extended the stay till July 22 on the Karnataka High Court order that stopped the broadcast of Kannada news channel ‘Power TV’ over televising alleged sexual scandals involving some senior JD(S) politicians.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, appearing for the Centre, that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was abroad and adjourned the hearing until July 22.

The bench said, meanwhile, its earlier order of July 12 granting stay on the Karnataka High Court’s decision will remain in force.

Earlier, the bench observed that the case against the channel seemed to be driven by “sheer political vendetta”. While staying the high court order, the bench said the case against the news channel was prima facie aimed at stopping it from airing allegations of sex scandals involving political figures.

During the hearing on Monday, the bench asked the Centre whether the authorities ask the channels to shut down for the period when their pleas seeking renewal of licenses are pending.

“Tell us in the last 3 years which were such channels who had applied for renewal but were not allowed to continue pending the decision of renewal,” the bench asked.

On July 12, the bench had noted that the court will protect the freedom of speech and expression. It had said the channel was entitled to continue with its broadcast which should not have been stopped.

The Centre had said the case pertained to unauthorisedly giving licence by the original licensee to another person.

The Centre can certainly proceed with the consequential process after the issuance of show cause notice, the bench said.

“The more we hear you, the more we are convinced that it is political vendetta, let me be very honest. That is why we are inclined to protect the freedom of speech and expression,” it had said.

The bench said the channel wanted to broadcast some allegations regarding the sex scandal in the state.

“The idea was to completely blank out his voice, this court is duty-bound to allow him. This is sheer political vendetta and nothing else. Therefore this court will be failing in its duty if we do not protect (the channel),” it said.

The channel allegedly broadcast news related to the recent sex scandal involving JD(S) leaders Prajwal Revanna and others.

The channel assailed a division bench order of the Karnataka High Court. The division bench had refused to interfere with the stay order passed by the single bench against the broadcast of the channel.

The high court had passed the order on petitions filed by JD(S) MLC H M Ramesh Gowda and others.

On June 26, the single judge bench of the high court stayed the operation of the channel. The Centre issued a show-cause notice to the channel pertaining to certain allegations related to its licence.

Senior JD(S) MLA C B Suresh Babu

Bengaluru: Senior JD(S) MLA C B Suresh Babu is the party’s leader in the Karnataka Assembly, Speaker U T Khader said on Monday.

The position fell vacant following JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s election to the Lok Sabaha.

“JD(S) state President H D Kumaraswamy on July 14 has given a letter stating that Chikkanayakanahalli MLA C B Suresh Babu has been appointed as the JD(S) party leader (in the Assembly) and the same has to be recognised. Accordingly, Suresh Babu has been recognised as the JD(S) party leader,” Khader told the House.

Kumaraswamy resigned as the MLA from Channapatna segment after his election to the Lok Sabha in the recent polls.

 Artificial Intelligence-enabled cameras with facial recognition technology have now been installed in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly that will record arrival and exit time of members, as well as the duration of their presence in the House.

KGF Congress MLA Roopakala Shashidhar was the first legislator to be recorded by the cameras on arrival at the Assembly for the monsoon session, which began today as the new system became operational.

The first MLA to be captured exiting was Tiptur’s Shadakshari of Congress.

Speaker U T Khader noted that there is a practice of recognising MLAs who come early to the Assembly before the quorum bells are rung and their names are read out in appreciation by the Chair.

“Some senior legislators like Araga Jnanendra, Basangouda Patil Yatnal (of BJP) and some senior Ministers had made a request that some legislators, despite coming a bit late, sit through the proceedings till six or eight (PM), but no one takes note of it and it is an injustice,” the Speaker said.

He added: “So, for the first time we have installed Artificial Intelligence cameras, which will take note of — what time a member arrives and leaves, and for how long he or she was present in the Assembly. Information regarding this comes to the Assembly Secretary’s system by the end of the day. There will be data.”

According to officials, the initiative is part of the effort to improve attendance of legislators and their participation during the session.

Meanwhile, aimed at giving a facelift to the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of state legislature and secretariat here, gates at the west entrance of the Assembly hall has been renovated in the first phase, replacing iron grilled gates with a large and carved grand rosewood door.

It was inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today along with a plaque having the preamble of the constitution.

The Speaker said: “there is national and international respect for our Vidhana Soudha building. National and international level delegations and tourists come to Vidhana Soudha. It is our duty to make it look good and respectable from both inside and outside. This is the first phase, more work has to be done, I seek your (members) suggestions.”

Siddaramaiah, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka and other legislators complimented the Speaker for the initiative.

Bengaluru With opposition parties targeting his government over alleged financial irregularities in a state-run corporation in both Houses of Karnataka legislature and planning to raise the Mysuru Urban Development Authority ‘scam’ issue, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he has answers to their “every word” and it is not in his nature to sit quietly, afraid of politically malicious criticism.

He also accused BJP and JD(S) of adopting “hit and run” tactics by lying before the media, and asserted that it will not be allowed in the House (Legislative Assembly/Council).

“BJP and JD(S) leaders, I have an answer for every word of yours. It’s not like lying before the media so far, standing somewhere far away and shooting a bullet in the air. This is the House, your hit and run has no place here,” he added.

The illegal money transfer issue, involving Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd, came to the fore, after its accounts superintendent, Chandrashekhar P, died by suicide on May 26, leaving behind a death note.

The note alleged unauthorised transfer of Rs 187 crore belonging to the Corporation from its bank account, and from that, Rs 88.62 crore was illegally moved to various accounts allegedly belonging to “well-known” IT companies and a Hyderabad-based cooperative bank among others.

Following allegations against him in connection with the scam, Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B Nagendra tendered his resignation on June 6. He is currently under Enforcement Directorate custody.

The MUDA case is linked to fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by the Authority, which involves plots given to Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi.

The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.

The controversial scheme envisages allotting 50 per cent of developed land to the land loser in lieu of undeveloped land acquired for forming layouts.

BJP and JD(S) have demanded for Siddaramaiah’s resignation and CBI probe into both these cases.

Reacting to BJP demanding CM’s resignation in connection with the MUDA case, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said: “let them raise their issue in the Assembly, we will respond to it, whether it is MUDA or any other case.”

“All scams were done by them (BJP) and they are now blaming us. We are taking several measures to clean up things after coming to power,” he told reporters here.

On BJP terming the government’s move to constitute a Commission, headed by Justice P N Desai, a retired Karnataka High Court judge, to probe the MUDA alleged scam, an “eyewash” and demanding CBI probe, Shivakumar said: “Should we obey whatever they say? People have given us the mandate. We will do what is good for the state.”

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar

Bengaluru Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said the Congress party would evaluate and rectify the mistakes it committed in the Lok Sabha elections in the state.

He said the exercise is aimed at taking on the BJP-JDS combine.

Speaking to reporters at the KPCC office, Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, said the party increased its tally from one seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to nine in 2024, but that fell short of the expectation of at least 14 to 15 seats.

“The performance will be evaluated by the party in the presence of the AICC fact-finding committee. This process is taking place across the country. We are sharing our reports for the four geographical regions of the state. We will discuss and find out the shortcomings,” Shivakumar said.

The deputy chief minister said though the party fielded good candidates in the recent Lok Sabha elections, it did not translate into favourable results.

“We need to understand the subtle factors which have influenced the results. We knew BJP-JDS combine had an advantage. We will prepare ourselves to fight with them in the future elections,” he added.

Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP will be holding a “mega” protest in Mysuru on July 12 in connection with an alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which involves plots given to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi, its president B Y Vijayendra said on Wednesday, and demanded the CM’s resignation.

The protesters will demand allocation of sites to the poor by withdrawing those distributed illegally, and a CBI probe into the “scam” as the allegations are against the Chief Minister and his family, he said, adding that the BJP will also raise the issue during the coming Assembly session.

It is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been “acquired” by the MUDA.

The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.

The controversial scheme envisages allotting 50 per cent of developed land to the land loser in lieu of undeveloped land acquired for forming layouts.

Speaking about the alleged MUDA “scam”, Vijayendra accused the Chief Minister of giving wrong information to the public. “The CM’s true face has come out in the open.”

“At every stage in this land scam, irregularities have been committed, ” he alleged. “The Chief Minister has to answer to the people and should take the responsibility for the scam….the CM, who promised Rs 2,000 (a month) to poor women, has given 14 sites worth more than Rs two crore each, together worth about Rs 63-64 crore to his wife.”

“If there is any CM in the country, who committed irregularities during his term and sought compensation from his own government, it is Siddaramaiah,” Vijayendra added.

Vijayendra noted that 14 sites that were given to Parvathi by MUDA are said to be in accordance with land acquisition act 1991 as per records. But he pointed out that according to the act, if the land that has been acquired is between three to four acres, only two sites of 40×60 square feet measurement should be given in lieu of the land acquired.

“So, the CM’s wife should have got only two sites of 40×60 (square feet) measurement. Which means, 14 sites that have been given are completely in violation of rules,” he said, alleging “misinformation” on the part of the CM by claiming that his wife received sites which were worth only Rs 18 crore, while she was supposed to have received compensatory sites worth more than Rs 62 crore.

The guidelines value of 14 sites that have been given to CM’s wife by MUDA as on today is Rs 3,000 per sqft, while the market value is more than Rs 9,000 per sqft, he claimed.

Vijayendra also alleged that Siddaramaiah has not mentioned this over three acres of land belonging to his wife in his 2013 Assembly election affidavit, which is a clear case of violation of Model Code of Conduct and Representation of the People Act.

“We are discussing complaining to the Election Commission about this,” he added.

Alleging that Urban Development Minister B S Suresha (Byrathi Suresha) rushed to Mysuru, the home district of Siddaramaiah, hurriedly called a MUDA meeting as the scam came to the fore, and transferred officials instead of punishing them, the state BJP chief said, “more than Rs 5,000 crore worth sites have been allotted to influential people. The Minister is trying to protect officials involved in the scam.”

The Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru district, who inquired about the MUDA scam and submitted a report to the government, has been transferred, he said, alleging that the Minister has tried to cover up the scam, and has himself carried all the relevant files from MUDA office in Mysuru to Bengaluru.

The Bengaluru Traffic Police on Tuesday booked 23 school vehicle drivers who were allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

During a special drive conducted from 7 am to 9 am, a total of 3016 school vehicles were checked and 23 drivers were found positive for alcohol test, police said.

They were prosecuted under the Motor Vehicles Act, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M N Anucheth said.

Their driving licenses were sent to respective Regional Transport Offices for taking further necessary action, he said.

“During the special drive, 11 vehicles were found without fitness certificate, which will be handed over to concerned RTOs for further necessary action. Such special drives will continue regularly to ensure safety of students and other road users,” Anucheth added.

Bengaluru: A delegation of people’s representatives, led by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, submitted a formal request to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday, demanding for the creation of a new Bengaluru South District. The proposed district would include the areas of Channapatna, Ramanagara, Magadi, Kanakapura, and Harohalli.

The delegation comprised several prominent figures, including Ramanagara District In-charge Minister Ramalingareddy, MLA Iqbal Hussain, former MP DK Suresh, and Legislative Council members Puttanna, S. Ravi, and Sudham Das. Additionally, Bengaluru Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor Area Development Authority Chairman Raghunandan Ramanna, and former MLAs CM Lingappa, Raju, and Ashwath were also present to support the demand.