13.20% turnout in Belgaum LS; 19.48 and 19.30% in Basavakalyan and Maski assembly seats till 11 am
Karnataka bypolls
Bengaluru: The Belgaum Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka has recorded a voter turnout of 13.20 per cent, while Basavakalyan and Maski assembly segments reported 19.48 and 19.30 per cent respectively during the first four hours of voting for the bypolls, poll officials said on Saturday.
Polling began with strict adherence to COVID protocols in all the three constituencies at 7 am and will go on till 7 pm.
A total of 22,68,038 voters (including service voters) are eligible to cast their votes at 3,197 polling stations in the three constituencies. A total of 30 candidates in the fray from all the three constituencies.
While, Belgaum has ten candidates, Basavakalyan and Maski have 12 and 8 respectively.
Twenty six out of the total 30 candidates are men, among 4 women include two from Basavakalyan and one each from Belgaum and Maski.
Counting of votes will take place on May 2.
By-polls to Belgaum Lok Sabha and Basavakalyan Assembly seats are necessitated following the death of Union Minister Suresh Angadi and MLA B Narayan Rao respectively due to COVID-19 in September last year.
Maski assembly seat fell vacant following the disqualification of MLA Prathapagouda Patil who had won in 2018 from Congress and is now with the BJP.
The ruling BJP and opposition Congress are battling it out in all three constituencies, while JD(S) has limited itself to Basavakalyan, as the regional party has not fielded any candidates in Maski and Belgaum.
The ruling BJP has fielded Mangala Suresh Angadi, the wife of late Suresh Angadi, from Belgaum Lok Sabha seat.
Pratapagouda Patil, who quit Congress and joined the party is the saffron party's candidate in the Maski assembly segment; while youth leader Sharanu Salagar has been fielded in Basavakalyan.
The Congress has fielded its state working president Satish Jarkiholi, who is currently the MLA of Yamkanmaradi assembly segment, as its candidate from Belgaum.
Mallamma, the wife of late legislator B Narayan Rao is the grand old party's candidate from Basavakalyan seat, while Basanagouda Turvihal, who recently joined the party has been fielded in Maski segment.
JD(S) has named Syed Yasrab Ali Quadri, who was with the Congress earlier as its candidate from Basavakalyan. PTI KSU ROH
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Allahabad HC orders probe into 'reinstatement' of teacher in UP's Barabanki
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered a probe by the special task force (STF) into alleged irregularities in the rejoining of a teacher at City Intermediate College in Barabanki, observing that the reinstatement appeared to be prima facie illegal.
The court also directed the recovery of the salary paid to the teacher during the disputed period.
A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh passed the order on a petition filed by the college management committee. The court expressed doubts over the roles of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Barabanki, the college principal and the teacher concerned and hence, directed a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Taking note of alleged manipulation of records and misleading submissions, the court ordered the immediate transfer of the Barabanki DIOS to ensure a fair probe. It also directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the then joint director of education of the Ayodhya division.
In its order, the court found that the teacher, Abhay Kumar, was initially appointed as an assistant teacher in 2018 but joined an Eklavya Model Residential School in Chhattisgarh as a lecturer in June 2024 without obtaining permission from the management. His subsequent request to retain the lien was rejected.
Despite this, he was allowed to rejoin the Barabanki College in September 2025 on the directions of the joint director of education and the DIOS, and was even paid the salary for October 2025. The court termed the rejoining "wholly illegal" and lacking any legal basis.
The bench also expressed concern over lapses in communication within the education department and directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to ensure that official orders are communicated through email and WhatsApp as well, to prevent disputes.
The matter is next listed for hearing on May 28 when a compliance report is sought.
