2 BJP MLAs could be disqualified from Uttara Kannada if their poll expenditure crosses Rs 40 lakh
Karwar: Two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs from Uttara Kannada district may get disqualified if they fail to furnish details of their poll expenditure within the given time.
Shivaram Hebbar and Dinakar Shetty along with four other BJP aspirants shared the stage with Prime Minister Modi on May 3 during an election campaign in Ankola whose total expenditure was Rs 1.10 crore, according to the calculations of the district expenditure observation committee. The cost had to be divided equally among all, resulting in each candidate’s poll expenditure to be Rs 18.33 lakh.
Additionally, around 800 buses, including 150 buses from Goa, were used to ferry people. The organisers of the public event have been charged with Rs. 1.35 crore by the Karnataka Road Transport Corporations. Reportedly, the Goa public transport is ‘reluctant’ to provide data of the expenses. If this amount is added to the poll expenditure of the six candidates, then it will cross the maximum limit of Rs 40 lakh set for each candidate in assembly polls by the election commission.
Sources in the district administrations have asserted that apart from the Modi event, the candidates have also spent money on publicity materials, rallies, pamphlets, among others. Few of them also shared a stage with Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath at a public rally.
District Expenditure Observer Satish G Pawar told Deccan Herald that if all these factors are taken in consideration then the total expenditure will cross the Rs 40 lakh mark. He added that the candidates have challenged the expenditure calculated by the officials. Furthermore, all the six candidates have claimed that they did not hire buses. Dinakar Shetty stated that Modi fans had hired buses, jeeps, and taxis to attend the event. He claimed that his total poll expenditure was Rs 37 lakh.
Deputy Commissioner Prabhuling Kavalikatti mentioned that the officials have seeked information from the government of Goa regarding people who have hired Kadamba buses. A report will be sent to Election Commission based on the data collected from district administration for further action, he added.
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India & Israel elevate ties to special strategic partnership, vow to soon conclude free trade deal
Jerusalem (PTI): India and Israel on Thursday elevated their "time-tested" relationship to a special strategic partnership and agreed to soon firm up a "mutually beneficial" free trade deal even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly backed the Gaza peace initiative, asserting that humanity must never become a victim of conflict.
Following talks between Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, the two sides inked a plethora of agreements to expand cooperation in areas of trade, agriculture, energy, cyberspace and digital payment.
India and Israel also vowed to expand their already close defence partnership by working towards joint development and joint production of military hardware under the framework of the transfer of technologies.
In his media statement, Modi said India's security interest is linked to peace and stability in the Middle East, adding that New Delhi fully supports the Gaza Peace Initiative.
"India's stance is clear: humanity must never become a victim of conflict. A path to peace has been created through the Gaza Peace Plan. India has fully supported these efforts," he said.
"In the future as well, we will continue dialogue and cooperation with all countries," he said.
PM Modi landed in Israel on Wednesday on a two-day visit. It is his second visit to Israel in nine years.
In his remarks, the prime minister said India and Israel have a united view that there is no place for terrorism in the world and both sides stand shoulder-to-shoulder in countering terrorism and its supporters.
"Our relationship is founded on the strong bedrock of deep trust, shared democratic values, and human sensitivities. Our bond has stood the test of every trial of time," he said.
"Today, we have taken the historic decision to elevate our time-tested partnership to the status of a 'Special Strategic Partnership'," he said.
The prime minister also announced the establishment of an India-Israel critical and emerging technologies partnership to impart a new momentum for cooperation in areas of artificial intelligence, quantum, and critical minerals. "I am pleased that an agreement has been reached for the use of UPI in Israel," he said.
The prime minister, referring to the threat of terrorism, said India and Israel will continue to confront the menace unitedly.
"India and Israel are completely clear that there is no place for terrorism in the world. In any form, in any expression, terrorism cannot be accepted," he said.
"We have stood shoulder-to-shoulder in opposing terrorism and its supporters, and we will continue to do so," he added.
India and Israel also discussed the implementation of the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and cooperation under the framework of I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA).
