Archives for 2023

AMETHI (UP): A 13-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by two men who abducted her from her house in a village here on Thursday, police said.

Amethi Superintendent of Police Elamaran G said the girl’s father filed a complaint accusing one Waris (20), who lives in his village, and an unidentified man of abducting and raping his daughter.

“The duo allowed the girl to return home in the morning,” he added.

An FIR was lodged at Mohanganj police station here against the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), the police said.

MYSURU: In what can be termed a bad precedent in democracy, many young and first-time voters sold their votes for a price in the Old Mysore region during polling on Wednesday. This is expected to turn the poll results upside down in many constituencies.

Although the district administration and Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) committee made all preparations to ensure a free and fair election this time, the first-time and young voters had other plans.

This was evident in many polling booths in urban as well as rural areas of the district. While many such voters were busy contacting those distributing money for votes, some waited near polling booths for agents of political parties. A few were seen striking a deal with the agents.

Over 50,000 youngsters were added to the voters’ list in the district this year with Chamundeshwari constituency reporting the highest number of 6,068 such voters, followed by 5,663 in Hunsur, 5,170 in KR Nagar, and 4,944 in Narasimharaja constituencies. At Hyrige village in HD Kote taluk, many voters aged between 19 and 23 were seen in front of the polling booth waiting for village leaders to offer them the “best” price for their votes. Mahesha, a college student, was heard telling a JDS leader that he is ready to sell his vote. While he was offered Rs 1,000, Mahesha demanded Rs 500 more stating that he will bring four more voters. He made a final offer of Rs 1,500 per vote.

Youth say no party addressing jobs issue

When the JDS leader told Mahesha that he needed some time to get money, the five-member group immediately approached the agents of BJP with the same plan. Mahesha, who was already drunk by then, said, “Show me a place where there is no involvement of money in elections. It is still 1 pm and we will wait till 4 pm.

We will vote for the party which pays us more.” In Krishnaraja constituency, young voters were seen demanding money to vote for the Congress candidate at Kurubarahalli. In Chamundeshwari constituency, according to sources, a man approached a panchayat leader stating that an association headed by him has 31 members and they were ready to vote for a particular candidate if they were paid Rs 1,500 per vote.

“No party will tackle problems such as unemployment if it comes to power. There is nothing wrong in taking money,” said Harish Gowda, a supervisor at a factory, who took Rs 1,500 for his vote in Chamundeshwari constituency. What is more worrying is the involvement of children, who were seen with agents of various parties, raising slogans and asking people to vote in favour of their candidates near polling booths. All this, when the model code of conduct and other guidelines were in force.

SHIVAMOGGA: Former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said with the blessings of all the people, his son and BJP candidate BY Vijayendra will win by a margin of 40,000 votes.

Talking to media persons after casting his vote in the Shikaripura assembly constituency, Yediyurappa said the BJP would win the maximum number of seats and retain power on its own. 

This time the party will get 125 to 130 seats in the state and will form the government with a full majority, the senior BJP leader said. 

Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have a greater interest in Karnataka and its election, he added.

Yediyurappa’s son and Lok Sabha MP BY Raghavendra said the BJP candidates contesting in all eight constituencies across Shivamogga will emerge victorious.

“My brother, BY Vijayendra contesting from Shikaripura, will emerge victorious with a record margin,” said Raghavendra.

The BJP candidates not only in Shimoga district but also across the state will emerge victorious in more constituencies, he added.

The BJP MP also urged people to vote early owing to the possibility of rains.

Answering a question, Raghavendra said his father Yediyurappa is away from electoral politics but he is very active in state politics. Even at this age, he is conducting 5 to 6 meetings a day, he said.

He said the party would get 123 to 127 seats in the elections. 

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday finally put quietus to the long-standing power spat between Arvind Kejriwal govt and central government on the issue of power and transfer of bureaucrats serving the GNCTD  (Delhi government) belong to All India Services by unanimously ruling that the control over bureaucrats lies with GNCTD except police, public order and land. 

“If democratically elected govt are not provided the power to contour over the officers then the power of collective responsibility will be dilute. If the officers stop reporting to the ministers then the effect of collective responsibility will be effected. If “services” are excluded from legislative and executive domain, the Ministers would be excluded from controlling the civil servants who are to implement the executive decisions. If “services” are excluded from legislative and executive domain, the Ministers would be excluded from controlling the civil servants who are to implement the executive decisions. NCTD similar to other states represents the representative form of Government. Any further expansion of Union’s power will be contrary to Constitutional scheme. NCTD has legislative power over “Services” excluding public order, police and land.” CJI DY Chandrachud said while pronouncing the verdict also on behalf of  Justices MR Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha. 

The court was of the view that it does not agree with the view of Justice Bhushan 2019 verdict that the Delhi government has no power at all over administrative services.

The Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government had sought from the apex court a clear “demarcation” of its power in the row with the Centre over control of officers of various services such as IAS, IPS, DANICS, and DANIPS, who have been allocated to Delhi by the Union of India. The verdict was reserved by the five-judge bench in March.

The dispute over controlling the Capital’s bureaucracy had arisen after a split verdict which was delivered by a two-judge bench in 2019 while upholding Centre’s notification dated July 23, 2014, and May 21, 2015, that had the effect of excluding the jurisdiction of Delhi Government’s Anti-Corruption bench from probing offences committed by central government employees, limiting it to employees of Delhi Government.

Justice Bhushan had ruled the Delhi government had no power at all over administrative services. Justice Sikri, however, made a distinction. He said the transfer or posting of officers in top echelons of the bureaucracy (joint director and above) can only be done by the Central government (LG) and other officers are under the control of Delhi Govt. He was of the view that LG’s view would prevail in case of a difference of opinion on matters relating to other bureaucrats.

Pursuant to the split, the matter was heard by a three judge bench headed by ex CJI NV Ramana. Noting that the constitution bench in its 2018 verdict had not dealt elaborately on the issue of “control over services”, 3 judge bench had asked five judge bench to make an “authoritative pronouncement” on this issue. 

“The limited issue that has been referred to this Bench relates to the scope of legislative and executive powers of the Centre and NCT Delhi with respect to the term services. The Constitution bench of this court, while interpreting Article 239AA(3)(a) of the Constitution, did not find any occasion to specifically interpret the impact of the wordings of the same with respect to Entry 41 in the State List. We, therefore, deem it appropriate to refer to the above-limited question, for an authoritative pronouncement by a Constitution Bench,” it had said.

Kejriwal Govt had argued that it would not be possible for the govt to function if it does not have control over services as the exclusion of civil servants will negate governance. AAP Govt also argued that the power of creating and managing civil services and posts, appointing persons, transferring persons, and allocating persons to such posts was essential for a functioning Government and to ensure democratic accountability.

It was also argued that Article 239AA granted the Legislative Assembly of Delhi significant executive powers to make laws on matters within its legislative competence and the Jat it was to provide Delhi with a representative form of government, allowing the elected government to exercise executive powers over a range of subjects. The central government had argued that its control over Delhi was not only desirable but also constitutionally permitted. Centre had also argued that LG’s role should not be restricted to mere concurrence and should include the power to review and approve decisions taken by the elected government. 

KARNATAKA: “Public functionaries should not make statements on sub-judice matters,” the Supreme Court remarked on Tuesday while taking serious exception to the political statements being made on sub-judice matters related to the withdrawal of the 4 % Muslim quota in Karnataka. 

A bench led by Justice KM Joseph said that some sanctity needs to be maintained when there is a court order. 

Although the bench adjourned the pleas challenging the GO that scrapped the 4% reservation granted to Muslims under the OBC quota and instead distributed the same equally among the dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities for July but recorded SG Tushar Mehta’s statement that the assurance of non-implementation of order scrapping 4% quota would continue until further orders. 

The remarks were made by the bench pursuant to taking note of the submissions by Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave that Home Minister Amit Shah made public statements taking credit for scrapping. 

A bench of Justices KM Joseph, BV Nagarathna and Ahsanuddin Amanullaj said, “When the matter is pending before the court and there is a court order on Karnataka Muslim quota, then there should not be any political statements on the issue. It is not appropriate. Some sanctity needs to be maintained”.

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the petitioners challenging scrapping of the four per cent Muslim quota, said, “Everyday home minister is making statements in Karnataka that they have withdrawn four per cent Muslim quota. Why should such statements be made?” 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Karnataka government objected to the statements being made, saying he is not aware of any such remarks and if anyone is saying that quota on the basis of religion should not be there, then what is wrong and it is a fact.

Even on April 25, Karnataka Govt had assured SC that it would not make any appointment or admission on the basis of its March 27 GO. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted before a bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna that its assurance would hold the field till the next date of hearing. “The affidavit is ready. However today, I am before the constitution bench. Can this be taken up next week?” Mehta submitted. 

Opposing the pleas challenging the GO, Karnataka Govt has told the SC that reservation solely on the basis of religion is unconstitutional, contrary to the mandate of Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution of India and principles of social justice and secularism. 

Karnataka Govt in its 1678-page affidavit has said that just because the decision was before polls, timing etc cannot be pointed out unless Petitioners can show that the reservation was Constitutional and permissible. “Merely because reservations have been provided in the past on the basis of religion, the same is no ground for continuing the same for perpetuity, more so when the same is on the basis of an unconstitutional principle,” the affidavit has said.  

According to the state, it adopted conscious governance initiatives through affirmative action to address social and economic backwardness and to make public service more inclusive and representative of the population.