Bengaluru: Congress member Basanagouda Badarli takes oath as MLC
Bengaluru: Congress legislator Basanagouda Badarli took oath on Thursday as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) at the Conference Hall of the Vidhana Soudha, in the presence of Chairperson of the Council Basavaraj Horatti and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
Badarli, who was nominated by the Congress for the biennial elections for a seat in the Legislative Council that fell vacant due to the resignation of former CM Jagadish Shettar, was elected as an MLC on June 13.
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Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa, Minister of Science and Technology NS Boseraju and Chief Whip of the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.
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Right to vote under threat, must be made fundamental right: Cong's Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Thursday that the right to vote is under threat and the time has come when it should be made a fundamental right for citizens.
Speaking with reporters, Ramesh lashed out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the Election Commission (EC) has never been as compromised as it has been under him.
"The rot started under his predecessor. This man is a player and not a neutral observer," the Congress leader said, slamming Kumar.
Kumar is completely compromised and has become a player in elections, he alleged.
"Home Minister Amit Shah had talked about three Ds -- detect, delete and deport. So we want to know how many non-Indian citizens have been detected, how many have been deleted and how many have been deported," Ramesh said, adding that the right to vote is now under threat.
On opposition parties submitting a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to move a motion for the CEC's removal, the Congress leader said they will continue to make efforts for Kumar's removal as he is "compromised".
Ramesh also batted for the right to vote to be recognised as a fundamental right.
"I believe that the time has come that the right to vote should be made a fundamental right. It is a statutory right, it is not a fundamental right. Fundamental rights are justiciable," he said.
The former Union minister said this was discussed in the Constituent Assembly, but it was eventually decided that it should be made part of the Constitution.
B R Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram had warned that in the future, governments might try to disenfranchise voters, he added.
"Once and for all, include the right to vote as a fundamental right for Indian citizens," Ramesh asserted.
