Bypolls to 15 Karnataka assembly seats now on Dec 5: EC
New Delhi, Sep 27: The bypolls to 15 Karnataka seats, which the Election Commission had decided to defer, will now be held on December 5, according to a new notification issued on Friday.
The counting will take place on December 9.
Citing proceedings in the Supreme Court on Thursday regarding the pleas filed by 17 disqualified MLAs of the state challenging their disqualification, the EC said that after deliberations, it has decided that the nomination process will restart on November 11 as per the new schedule.
The apex court will hear the matter next on October 22 and has expressed its inclination to decide the issue.
As per the new schedule, November 21 will be the last date of withdrawing from electoral battle.
As per schedule announced on September 21, the nomination process had started on September 23 (Monday).
It said nomination papers filed before returning officers between September 23 and September 27 (Friday) will also be considered for scrutiny on November 19.
As per the previous schedule, the bypoll was to be held on October 21 and counting was to take place on October 24.
The Election Commission had told the Supreme Court on Thursday that it would defer the upcoming bypolls in Karnataka till the apex court finally decides the pleas filed by 17 disqualified MLAs of the state challenging their disqualification.
The EC submitted this after a bench headed by Justice N V Ramana said it would be "better" if the pleas filed by these disqualified MLAs were decided finally as virtually two-third arguments in the matter were already over.
"Then I will ask the Election Commission to defer it (bypolls in Karnataka) for sometime," senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the EC, told the bench.
While expressing its inclination to finally decide the matter, the bench said, "Virtually almost two-third arguments are over. Let's hear it out completely and finish this matter. This is what we feel would be better."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
25 lakh properties in Bengaluru brought under e-Khata system: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said that the state government has brought over 25 lakh properties under the e-Khata system in Bengaluru.
e-Khata is an electronic property certificate that maintains ownership information in an online database.
The e-Khata initiative aimed to ensure accuracy, transparency and universal coverage for property owners, he said.
Addressing a press conference here, Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru in-charge Minister, said over 25 lakh properties are being brought under the e-Khata system. Of them more than 7,000 applications have been processed, and additional outreach measures being planned for those yet to obtain their e-Khata.
"Twenty five lakh e-Khatas is a great number which has created history," he said.
The Deputy CM said the government is ensuring that every e-Khata will have its GPS, the shape of the property, and the measurement with every photo and document.
He explained that the government is integrating Aadhaar details, digital documentation, GPS mapping and property sketches to create a robust database.
"We want to see that every record is filled right. They (officials) are asking for documentation, stamp, digital documents. We wanted to connect every Aadhaar card and have it online," Shivakumar said.
To facilitate access, the Deputy CM announced the opening of more than 50 centres across Bengaluru, many of them in government schools, where citizens can apply for or rectify their e-Khata records.
"All of them will be working this Saturday. This 'Khata Mela' will be done. It is 'Nanna Khata, Nanna Swathu'," he said.
Applicants whose documents require verification will be given an acknowledgement and asked to return after 15 days, during which officials will conduct site inspections, he said.
Shivakumar said the government has also taken steps to identify and reclaim properties recorded as roads in revenue documents, asserting that such lands belong to the government.
"We have decided through the law that all the roads in the revenue records have been taken out. Those properties belong to the government itself," he said.
He noted that the initiative has received recognition from the Union government. "The Government of India has awarded us. It said that it is the model for the entire country," he said, while thanking officials involved in the project.
The Deputy CM said the government expects around 10 lakh additional households to benefit from the drive and assured that even those who have not downloaded their documents will receive printed copies free of cost at their residences.
"We will see that all the 25 lakh people will get their e-Khata to their home free of cost," Shivakumar said.
On apartment properties, he said all flats that have obtained occupancy certificates have been cleared.
"All the 37,460 flats (who have applied for e-Khata) have been issued an occupancy certificate. We have cleared all of them," the Deputy CM said.
