IMD issues rain alert in several districts across Karnataka
Bengaluru: As heavy rains continue to lash across Karnataka, the Indian Meteorological Department has issued rain alerts for several districts.
According to the IMD, a red alert has been issued for Dakshina Kannada district for the next 24 hours. Simultaneously, an Orange alert has been issued for Udupi and Uttara Kannada district, Shivamogga and Malnad region for two days and yellow alert for the next two days.
A three-day yellow alert has been announced for Chikkamagaluru district. Orange alert for Kodagu district and yellow alert for tomorrow. And, a two-day yellow alert has been issued for Belagavi district in the north interior district.
ALSO READ: Bengaluru: Torrential rains create flood-like situation
Dakshina Kannada district is likely to witness heavy rains and sustained wind speed of 30 to 40 kilometers per hour. Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts will experience heavy rains with continuous winds.
Heavy rain will occur in Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts. Belagavi and Kodagu districts will also receive heavy rainfall. The Meteorological Department said light to moderate rain is likely at many places in the South Interior and some places in the rest of North Interior districts.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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.
