Karnataka HC asks state govt not to decide on ward reservation till August 16
Bengaluru, Aug 10: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to put on hold the new ward reservation list for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (city corporation) elections till August 16.
A single judge bench of Justice Hemant Chandangoudar gave this direction after hearing a batch of petitions that claimed the reservation list was flawed and challenged it.
It is only an oral direction and not an interim order. The court will hear the petitions again on August 16 and consider the objections of the state government and Election Commission before deciding on an interim stay as prayed in the petitions.
Notices have been issued to the state and Election Commission.
The number of wards in BBMP has been increased from 198 to 243. There is 50 per cent reservation for women across all categories.
The reservation categories include 130 seats for General, 81 for OBC, 28 for Schedule Castes and four for Scheduled Tribes.
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Nashik TCS case: Accused Nida Khan held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Nashik (PTI): Weeks after she went into hiding, a female employee of the TCS unit in Nashik, accused in a case related to alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment of some women colleagues, has been arrested, police said.
Nida Khan was held on Thursday in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik said.
Khan is an accused in the Deolali Camp police station crime register number 156/26 here, he said.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police is probing nine cases of molestation and harassment at the IT major’s Nashik unit.
It had arrested eight persons, including a female operations manager, by registering nine FIRs after allegations of exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit came to light.
The SIT had launched a search for Khan in different parts of Maharashtra. She is accused of targeting employees in a WhatsApp group, pressuring them to pray and eat non-vegetarian food.
According to the FIR, Khan allegedly advised women employees to dress and behave in accordance with Islamic traditions.
Some complainants have also alleged that they were coerced or pressured into adopting religious practices, including praying, changing dietary habits, and adopting religious symbols.
Besides Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provisions for sexual harassment and defamation, Khan has also been booked under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as the complainant belongs to a Scheduled Caste.
On April 18, she had moved the Nashik court seeking anticipatory bail and interim protection from arrest pending the plea hearing, citing her pregnancy. Her anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a court here on May 2.
TCS has clarified that it has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form for a long time, and the employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended.
