Don't allow curtailment of budget session: K'taka LoP urges Speaker
Bengaluru (PTI): Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Monday urged the Speaker not to allow the ongoing Budget session of the legislature to be curtailed, amid indications of such a move, in the wake of bypolls to two assembly segments in the state.
Ashoka, a senior BJP leader, said that there are indications the session may be curtailed and urged Speaker U T Khader not to allow it.
As the House met for the day, Ashoka said, "we wanted to discuss Bengaluru's issues, but no one is here. Neither the Chief Minister nor the Deputy Chief Minister are present. What should we do."
Speaker Khader replied, "Let them come, the matter can be taken up after that."
To this Ashoka asked whether they would come and that he has "doubts," about that. "There are indications the government may curtail the session. Please don't allow it to happen."
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The Speaker then said that any such decision would be taken after discussing with the opposition leader.
To this, Ashoka said there was no need for any discussion and that "let the session be held as per schedule."
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Labour Minister Santosh Lad admitted there were indications the session might be curtailed.
"The legislature session has been on for three weeks. Despite holidays in between, the session has been held for the minimum number of days. I don't have complete information about what the opposition, the Chief Minister and the Speaker will decide. But such indications are there," he said in response to a question.
The state legislature's Budget session, which began on March 6 with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presenting the Budget for 2026-27, is scheduled to conclude on March 27.
Two assembly segments in the state --Bagalkot and Davangere South-- will go to bypolls on April 9.
Since Monday is the last date for filing nominations for the bypolls, both chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar are visiting those segments to accompany Congress candidates while filing their papers.
Bypolls for the Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly constituencies were necessitated following the death of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, respectively.
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Allahabad HC orders police protection to married couple apprehending 'honour killing'
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.
