Belagavi (PTI): Basavaraj Horatti was on Wednesday elected unopposed as Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council.

The 76-year-old eight time MLC had ended his long association with Janata Parivar and resigned from the Janata Dal (Secular) as well as the Member of Legislative Council in May this year, two months before his tenure was to come to an end. He later joined the BJP.

With the BJP enjoying majority in the 75-member House, the Congress and JDS had opted out of the race.

In absence of an elected Chairman, Raghunath Rao Malkapure was serving as pro-tem Chairman.

Horatti's family members were present in the visitors' gallery at the 'Suvarna Vidhana Soudha' here, where the legislature session is being held, when he assumed charge.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Ministers in the Karnataka government were among those who greeted him on the occasion.

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Prayagraj (PTI): The Allahabad High Court has granted protection to a married couple who expressed fear that they may be killed by the woman's family.

The order was passed by a division bench comprising Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena on March 25.

"No individual can make an 'honour issue' out of a consenting adult marrying a person of their own choice. It is the state's duty to protect the life, limb, and property of such persons even against their own family members," the bench said.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Prachi Agrawal and her partner, who sought relief in connection with an FIR filed under Section 87 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for kidnapping, and abducting or inducing a woman to compel her marriage.

The couple submitted that they married at an Arya Samaj temple and possessed a marriage registration certificate issued under the Uttar Pradesh Marriage Registration Rules, 2017.

The petitioners alleged that the woman's family members were averse to their marriage and lodged a bogus FIR against them.

The couple further submitted a joint affidavit expressing apprehension of an honour killing by the woman's family.

The court said that a prima facie case was made out and issued notice to the private respondent and granted two weeks to file a counter-affidavit.

Meanwhile, as an interim measure, the court granted the petitioners protection from arrest.

The court also explicitly ordered the woman's family members and relatives not to harm the petitioners, enter their matrimonial home, or establish contact with them directly or through any electronic means.

The bench directed the Aligarh senior superintendent of police to ensure that no harm comes to the couple and posted the matter for hearing on April 8.