Bill to scrap year-long mandatory rural service for medical graduates moved in Karnataka Assembly
Belagavi, Dec 5: The Karnataka government moved three bills, including one that seeks to replace an ordinance to scrap the mandatory one-year service in rural areas for students graduating from medical colleges in the state, in the assembly on Tuesday.
The bill was tabled by Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Its statement of objects and reasons state that the bill amends sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Karnataka Compulsory Services by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012.
It is to exempt candidates selected to central or state government services from compulsorily serving in rural areas.
Under the Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, all MBBS, postgraduate and super-speciality graduates were to serve a year compulsorily in government healthcare institutions in rural areas as junior residents.
In October, Law Minister HK Patil, in his briefing about the Cabinet decision on the ordinance, had said rural service would be confined to the number of vacant posts in the government.
Stating that the decision was taken as the number of applicants for rural service far exceeded vacancies in government hospitals, he had said the government was reducing the financial burden and also rationalising human resources with the move.
The government also moved the Karavali Development Board Bill for overall development of the Karavali (coastal) area and the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill to replace the ordinance.
The Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill amends the 1993 act to comply with the Karnataka High Court's directions to conduct elections to rural local bodies within the time limit by prescribing population limit for polls to taluks and zilla panchayats by excluding the Bhadravathi, Shivamogga and the Shikaripura taluks of Shivamogga district in proportion to their population.
ಒಂದು ವರ್ಷದ ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ ಕಡ್ಡಾಯ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣ ಸೇವೆಯನ್ನ ಖಾಲಿ ಇರುವ ಹುದ್ದೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಬಳಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ವಿಧೇಯಕಕ್ಕೆ ತಿದ್ದುಪಡಿ ತರಲಾಗಿದೆ. ವಿಧಾನ ಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂದು ತಿದ್ದುಪಡಿ ವಿಧೇಯಕವನ್ನ ಮಂಡಿಸಿದೆ.
— Dinesh Gundu Rao/ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) December 5, 2023
ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಸೇವೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ವೈದ್ಯರ ಕೊರತೆ ನೀಗಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು, ಅದರಲ್ಲೂ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣ ಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ವೈದ್ಯರ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆ ಪರಿಹಾರಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಈ ಹಿಂದೆ…
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
