CM Siddaramaiah meets Governor who sought report on MUDA 'scam'
Bengaluru, Jul 24: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and held discussions, official sources said.
The meeting gains significance following the Governor recently seeking a detailed report from the Chief Secretary regarding alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which involves plots given to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi.
However, an official said the Chief Minister met the Governor to discuss pending bills.
The meeting came on a day when the issue rocked both Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council.
Opposition BJP on Wednesday announced that it would stage "day-and-night" dharna in both Legislative Assembly and Council over not allowing discussion on the scam.
The government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the charges.
The judicial inquiry into illegalities in MUDA will cover the period between 2006 and July 15, 2024, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil on Wednesday told the Assembly highlighting the terms of reference for the inquiry commission.
Terms of reference for the inquiry commission have also been given, and it has been asked to complete the probe in six months and submit a report.
Patil said, "the inquiry will look into -- How many layouts were formed by MUDA; How much land was used to form layouts without land acquisition and by denotification; How were landowners compensated for their land that was used without acquisition or by denotification; Was such compensation in accordance with law"
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EC will leave no stone unturned to hold free, fair elections in West Bengal: CEC Kumar
New Delhi (PTI): Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Monday asserted that the Election Commission will leave no stone unturned in holding free, fair and transparent polls in West Bengal where the first phase of voting is scheduled to be held on April 23.
Interacting with officials involved in poll management, the CEC said the elections will be fear-free, violence-free and intimidation-free.
Officials said the poll authority will ensure elections are also inducement-free and "booth jamming free".
No employee of the state government, local bodies or autonomous bodies will be allowed to influence the electoral process, they said.
The ruling TMC in the state has accused the EC of playing in the hands of the BJP, a charge vehemently rejected by the election watchdog.
The EC and the TMC have also been at loggerheads over the special intensive revision of voters' list with the party accusing the poll authority of deliberately disenfranchising voters to benefit the BJP. Both the EC and the BJP have rejected the charge while dubbing it as baseless.
The second phase of voting in West Bengal will be held on April 29 and votes will be counted on May 4.
