DK residents stranded in Israel will evacuated safely back home: Nalin Kumar Kateel
Mangaluru: Amid the escalating situation in Israel due to the ongoing conflict with Palestine’s Hamas, Dakshina Kannada MP and Karnataka BJP President, Nalin Kumar Kateel on Tuesday announced plans to safely bring back 5,000 stranded people from Dakshina Kannada district.
Speaking to reporters here, Nalin stated, “I have information about 5,000 people of Dakshina Kannada currently staying in Israel for various purposes such as business, education and employment. I already wrote to the External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar.”
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of these citizens during the ongoing conflict and their safe return to India. “I have also spoken to V. Muraleedharan, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs. I have directed the in-charge Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada to gather all necessary details of those stuck there ,' he added.
Kateel reassured the families of those stuck in Israel and urged them not to fear. He referred to the successful evacuation of Indians by the Modi government during the Russia-Ukraine conflict and mentioned that he is in touch with the embassy. He also asked people to contact him for any concerns.
In the meantime, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner on Monday issued helpline numbers for the citizens of the district to immediately provide information.
At the state level, helpline numbers are also operational for any assistance, and the state government has also established the Karnataka State Emergency Operation Centre.
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Supreme Court rejects plea for reverting to ballots in elections
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to revert to ballot paper voting in elections in the country.
"What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs (electronic voting machine) are not tampered. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with)," remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale.
Apart from ballot paper voting, the plea sought several directions including a directive to the Election Commission to disqualify candidates for a minimum of five years if found guilty of distributing money, liquor or other material inducement to the voters during polls.
When petitioner-in-person K A Paul said he filed the PIL, the bench said, "You have interesting PILs. How do you get these brilliant ideas?".
The petitioner said he is the president of an organisation which has rescued over three lakh orphans and 40 lakh widows.
"Why are you getting into this political arena? Your area of work is very different," the bench retorted.
After Paul revealed he had been to over 150 countries, the bench asked him whether each of the nations had ballot paper voting or used electronic voting.
The petitioner said foreign countries had adopted ballot paper voting and India should follow suit.
"Why you don't want to be different from the rest of the world?" asked the bench.
There was corruption and this year (2024) in June, the Election Commission announced they had seized Rs 9,000 crore, Paul responded.
"But how does that make your relief which you are claiming here relevant?" asked the bench, adding "if you shift back to physical ballot, will there be no corruption?".
Paul claimed CEO and co-founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, stated that EVMs could be tampered with and added TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, the current chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and former state chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had claimed EVMs could be tampered with.
"When Chandrababu Naidu lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with. Now this time, Jagan Mohan Reddy lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with," noted the bench.
When the petitioner said everybody knew money was distributed in elections, the bench remarked, "We never received any money for any elections."
The petitioner said another prayer in his plea was the formulation of a comprehensive framework to regulate the use of money and liquor during election campaigns and ensuring such practices were prohibited and punishable under the law.
The plea further sought a direction to mandate an extensive voter education campaign to raise awareness and importance of informed decision making.
"Today, 32 per cent educated people are not casting their votes. What a tragedy. If democracy will be dying like this and we will not be able to do anything then what will happen in the years to come in future," the petitioner said.
