‘No need to hand over Dharmasthala case to NIA’: Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara
Mysuru: Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara has ruled out the demand to hand over the Dharmasthala case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), stating that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is conducting the probe in a proper manner.
Speaking to reporters in the city on Monday, he said, “The SIT is carrying out its investigation sincerely and efficiently. It is not right for the BJP to make political statements before the SIT report is submitted. There is no need for the NIA in this matter.”
On the question of conducting a narco test, he clarified, “It is not for me to decide whether such a test should be conducted or not. I have only instructed the SIT to complete the report at the earliest. Once the report is out, the truth will be known.”
Reacting to the statements regarding the Dharmasthala rally, the Minister said, “People are going there to have darshan of Lord Manjunatha. Let them go, is it possible to stop them? But no one should try to politicise this matter.”
Responding to the controversy raised by the BJP over inviting International Booker prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara festivities, Dr. Parameshwara said, “This is not the first time, earlier Nisar Ahmed too inaugurated the festival. Dasara is a state festival, not a religious function. Whether Banu Mushtaq has personal faith in Goddess Chamundeshwari or not, this remains the Nada Habba. Everyone should come together to celebrate it.”
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Electorate in 9 states, UTs shrink by 1.70 crore after SIR
New Delhi (PTI): Voter base in nine states and Union territories has shrunk by more than 1.70 crore following the publication of final electoral rolls as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), according to official data.
The data shared by the chief electoral officers of Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa and Kerala on Saturday showed that their combined voter base stood at over 21.45 crore before the SIR exercise began on October 27 last year.
It shrunk to 19.75 crore after publication of their final electoral rolls this week, a net change of over 1.70 crore electors.
While the exercise, which kept the Election Commission in the spotlight, has been completed in Bihar, it is currently underway in 12 states and Union territories covering nearly 60 crore electors.
The remaining 40 crore electors will be covered in 17 states and five Union territories.
In Assam, a "special revision", instead of SIR, was completed on February 10.
Due to a variety of reasons, the SIR in the nine states and three Union territories have seen frequent tweaking in schedules.
As in Bihar, political parties have approached the Supreme Court challenging the exercise in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
