Karnataka govt withdraws 60 cases against farmers, students, Kannada activists
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to withdraw 60 police cases linked to farmers, students and Kannada activists among others, Law and Parliament Affairs Minister H K Patil said.
The Minister did not share further details on the cases.
"We have withdrawn 60 cases which were filed by the government; they include cases booked against farmers, students, Kannada activists. We have withdrawn the cases in various police stations," Patil told reporters briefing cabinet decisions.
The Cabinet also gave approval for the construction of a 37.121 km double-decker metro viaduct and elevated road along two corridors of Phase-3 of the Bangalore Metro Rail Project.
This project is from J P Nagar 4th Phase to Hebbal (ORR West) and from Hosahalli to Kadabagere via Magadi Road at an estimated cost of Rs 9,700 crore.
Administrative approval was given for Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences to purchase 25 acres of land from the Karnataka Housing Board at Rs 65 crore for establishing a new medical college at Rayasandra village of Kanakapura taluk in Bengaluru South district.
The cabinet also gave its nod for leasing of land to the Congress Bhavan Trust for the construction of a party office at Koppal, Badami.
Approval was also granted for a project by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for the construction of six new wastewater treatment plants at various locations in Bengaluru city, and their operation and maintenance (O&M) for 7 years at an estimated cost of Rs. 956.67 crore.
Further, the cabinet okayed works at an estimated cost of Rs 398 crore to develop backward colonies in urban areas of various assembly constituencies, inhabited by minorities, into "model colonies".
The cabinet gave its consent to provide state assistance of Rs 1 lakh under a scheme for road accident victims , in addition to the Government of India's assistance of Rs 1.50 lakh, under the Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme (CTRAV) 2025.
Approvals were also given to notify "The Karnataka Management Rules, e-Sakshya 2025".
Explaining, the Minister said, "E-evidence is any evidence collected/recorded by the investigating officer, police or any other person authorized by the competent authority to conduct an investigation for any offence through the e-evidence mobile application, which includes video recording, photographs, photographs of witnesses and photograph of the investigating officer/recording officer."
He said, "Courts can view and manage all evidence related to their jurisdiction on the CIS (Case Information System) application or ICIS (Integrated Court Information System) or on the e-evidence portal."
Also approval was accorded to notify "The Karnataka Service of Summons by Police officer Rules, 2025".
Administrative approvals have been given for purchase and distribution of sanitary napkin pads under the "Suchi" programme at an estimated cost of Rs 71.83 crore, for the implementation of the "Asha Kirana" scheme to provide spectacles to the needy at an estimated total amount of Rs 52.85 crores in all the districts of the state.
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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee moves SC against SIR
New Delhi (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the state, sources said on Sunday.
The petition names the Election Commission (EC) and the chief electoral officer of West Bengal as respondents. It was filed before the apex court on January 28, the sources said.
Banerjee arrived in Delhi on Sunday. She is scheduled to meet Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at 4 pm on Monday to discuss the ongoing SIR exercise in West Bengal. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo would be accompanied by a delegation of party leaders.
She is also likely to meet party MPs in the Parliament House on Monday.
Talking to reporters at the Kolkata airport before leaving for the national capital, Banerjee claimed that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre is resorting to the SIR exercise because it is certain of its imminent defeat in the West Bengal Assembly polls, due in a few months, and said the saffron party should contest the election politically and democratically.
The West Bengal chief minister has written several letters to the CEC, raising concerns over the conduct of the exercise.
In her most recent letter to the CEC on January 31, she alleged that the methodology and approach of the exercise went beyond the provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the relevant rules, causing "immense inconvenience and agony" to citizens.
Earlier, TMC leaders, including Rajya Sabha MPs Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen, had moved the apex court, challenging certain aspects of how the SIR is being carried out in West Bengal.
