SSLC grading row: K'taka govt files review petition in HC
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has moved the High Court against a single judge orders to conduct the valuation of the recently conducted SSLC examination as per the existing rules, state minister Madhu Bangarappa has said.
The recent Karnataka HC directive meant awarding marks, not grades for third language papers in the SSLC examination as announced by the government.
The court had earlier this week directed authorities to conduct the valuation of the recently conducted SSLC examination as per the existing rules, when the notification was issued for the examination for the 2025-26 academic year.
The court issued the directive while hearing a petition filed by three students who appeared for the SSLC exam held between March 18 and April 2.
The petition followed the School Education and Literacy minister Bangarappa's announcement on March 27 that starting this academic year, the government would replace the marks system for the third language in the SSLC (Class X) exam with a grading system that would not impact a student's overall results.
However, this announcement was made before the third language exam.
"Hearing a petition by some students, the court asked to conduct examinations as per 2025-26 notification. The AG (Advocate General) has filed a review petition on this.....the AG said that with review petition we will fight the case," Bangarappa said.
Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, he said that earlier, when a PIL was filed with a similar plea the court had imposed a fine on the petitioners. Some Hindi teachers who had filed a petition subsequently withdrew it.
"Let's see what happens. I will also update the Chief Minister about this. Probably the case may come up for hearing on Tuesday. Let's see what happens," he added.
Stating that there is no need for students to worry, he said the right decision would be made and things would be taken care of.
"I will discuss with the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) what has to be done and we will make a decision at the earliest. There won't be a delay in the results. Keeping in mind what the court says, we will take decisions appropriately," he said.
When pointed out that the SSLC results were tentatively scheduled to be announced on April 24, Bangarappa said there might be a one or two days' difference, but there would not be any long delay or deadlock.
The minister while making the announcement on March 27 had said that until now, the Secondary School Leaving Certificate exams had a total of 625 marks, including 100 marks for the third language. With this decision, the total will be reduced to 525 marks.
Noting that Hindi is not the only language taught as third language in the state, the minister had then said, "but, Hindi is the most commonly taught third language."
He had also said that most students fail in this subject, adding that this decision aims to ease that burden amid complaints that Kannadiga children find it difficult to read and write Hindi.
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Allahabad court restrains FIR order against Gandhi
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has restrained its order directing an FIR against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in connection with the alleged dual citizenship controversy.
The court will now hear the parties on whether prior notice to the accused was legally required.
A bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi, which had in Friday in an oral order observed that prima facie cognisable offences appeared to be made out against Gandhi, and permitted the Uttar Pradesh government to hand over the probe to a central agency, said it would first examine the legal position on issuance of notice before passing any direction.
The development came after the bench, before signing its dictated order, came across a full court verdict mandating that notice be issued to the proposed accused in such matters.
The court noted that none of the counsel brought this legal requirement to its attention in the earlier hearing.
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The bench has posted the matter for April 20.
The order was passed on a plea filed by Karnataka-based BJP worker S Vignesh Shishir.
During the Friday proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General of India S B Pandey produced records of the Centre relating to the citizenship controversy, while government advocate V K Singh submitted on behalf of the state that the allegations prima facie disclosed cognisable offences.
After a hearing, the bench observed that material on record indicated that Gandhi had allegedly committed cognisable offences and that the matter warranted investigation.
In his petition, Shishir alleged that Gandhi was a UK citizen and had incorporated a company, M/s Backops Ltd, in August 2003, declaring his nationality as British.
The petitioner claimed that Gandhi submitted the company's annual returns in October 2005 and October 2006 listing his nationality as British, and that the firm was dissolved in February 2009.
He sought registration of an FIR against the former Congress president under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act and the Passport Act.
The complaint was initially filed before a special MP/MLA court in Rae Bareli and was later transferred to Lucknow on the petitioner's request.
