Cong, BJP MLAs spar in K'taka Assembly over PM's promise of Rs 15 lakh into every bank account
Bengaluru(PTI): The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday witnessed a heated verbal exchange between treasury and opposition sides, with BJP demanding the ruling Congress to provide proof for their allegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to credit Rs 15 lakh to every person's bank account.
The issue came up during Navalgund Congress MLA Konareddy's intervention during the motion of thanks to the Governor's address in the Assembly.
"They (BJP) have criticised our (Congress) guarantees schemes. We stand by our guarantees, as our government is taking measures to fulfill it, but you had given a guarantee of crediting Rs 15 lakh to every bank account, but you did not credit that money to even a single bank account. You had also promised 2 lakh jobs to youth, but could not do it. You had also promised to double the farmers income," Konareddy said.
Senior BJP leader Basangouda Patil Yatnal objected to this, and asked Konareddy to give at least one evidence or a video clip to prove that the Prime Minister had promised to credit Rs 15 lakh to every bank account.
"Why is he (Konareddy) speaking bogus and false things? What the PM had spoken then was regarding the black money deposited by certain rich people and politicians in foreign bank accounts, by looting this country, and getting them back. Let him (MLA) show at least one video clipping of the Modi's speech where he has promised to deposit Rs 15 lakh in every bank account. I will quit from politics. No one should make such irresponsible statements," he said.
"The Prime Minister has never spoken about crediting Rs 15 lakh to every bank account and Congress was purposely spreading lies against the BJP government and PM," he added.
This led to heated arguments between members of the treasury and opposition benches. During the run-up to the general elections of 2014, BJP and Modi had claimed to bring back the black money stashed in foreign bank accounts by corrupt citizens.
Yatnal further said, if the Prime Minister had in case made such a statement, he was ready to apologise, but the truth is that such a promise was never made and unnecessarily speaking about Rs 15 lakh has become a "job" for Congress people.
As the heated debate continued, Speaker U T Khader tried to calm down MLAs of both sides.
Energy Minister K J George questioned BJP -- PM had promised to get black money from Swiss bank, has the money come?
Yatnal responding to this asked, the PM had spoken about bringing black money, but did he ever say that he will credit Rs 15 lakh to every bank account? "You Congress had promised the guarantees are free to everyone, but now put conditions."
BJP MLA B Y Vijayendra too urged Congress members to prove with evidence that the Prime Minister had promised to credit Rs 15 lakh to bank accounts, or their remarks should be expunged by the Chair. "Unnecessarily, repeatedly making such false statements is not right."
Minister K N Rajanna and Congress MLA Abbayya Prasad said the whole country knows that the PM had made such a promise and has not fulfilled it.
Chaos broke out in the Assembly as BJP members continued to demand for evidence, even as Congress members repeatedly asserted that the PM had made such a promise.
Speaker Khader after repeated attempts, managed to bring the tempers down and continued with the business of the House.
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CJI calls for 'unified judicial policy', use of technology to converge practices across courts
Jaisalmer (PTI): Pushing for a "unified judicial policy", Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said technology can help align standards and practices across courts, creating a "seamless experience" for citizens, regardless of their location.
He said high courts -- due to the federal structure -- have had their own practices and technological capacities, and "regional barriers" can be broken down with technology to create a more unified judicial ecosystem.
Delivering the keynote address at the West Zone Regional Conference in Jaisalmer, Kant proposed the idea of a "national judicial ecosystem" and called for an overhaul of India's judicial system with the integration of technology.
"Today, as technology reduces geographical barriers and enables convergence, it invites us to think of justice not as regional systems operating in parallel, but as one national ecosystem with shared standards, seamless interfaces, and coordinated goals," he said.
He emphasised how the role of technology in the judiciary has evolved over time.
"Technology is no longer merely an administrative convenience. It has evolved into a constitutional instrument that strengthens equality before the law, expands access to justice, and enhances institutional efficiency," he said, highlighting how digital tools can bridge gaps in the judicial system.
Kant pointed out that technology enables the judiciary to overcome the limitations of physical distance and bureaucratic hurdles.
"It allows the judiciary to transcend physical barriers and bureaucratic rigidities to deliver outcomes that are timely, transparent and principled," he said, adding that the effective use of technology can modernise the delivery of justice and make it more accessible to citizens across the country.
The CJI called for implementing a "unified judicial policy".
He said India's judicial system has long been shaped by its federal structure, and different high courts have their own practices and technological capacities.
"India's vast diversity has led to different high courts evolving their own practices, administrative priorities and technological capacities. This variation, though natural in a federal democracy, has resulted in uneven experiences for litigants across the country," he said.
Kant underscored that predictability is crucial for building trust in the judicial system.
"A core expectation citizens place upon the courts is predictability," he said, adding that citizens should not only expect fair treatment but also consistency in how cases are handled across the country.
He pointed to the potential of technology in improving predictability.
"Technology enables us to track systemic delays and make problems visible rather than concealed," he said.
By identifying areas where delays occur, such as in bail matters or cases involving certain types of disputes, courts can take targeted action to address these issues and improve efficiency, Kant said.
The CJI explained that data-driven tools could identify the reasons behind delays or bottlenecks, allowing for faster, more focused solutions.
"Technology enables prioritisation by flagging sensitive case categories, monitoring pendency in real time and ensuring transparent listing protocols," he said.
Justice Surya Kant also discussed the importance of prioritising urgent cases where delays could result in significant harm. He highlighted his recent administrative order that ensures urgent cases, such as bail petitions or habeas corpus cases, are listed within two days of curing defects.
"Where delay causes deep harm, the system must respond with urgency," he stated, explaining that technology can help courts identify and expedite such cases.
Kant also raised the issue of the clarity of judicial decisions.
He noted that many litigants, despite winning cases, often struggle to understand the terms of their judgment due to complex legal language.
"Although the orders had gone in their favour, they remained unsure of what relief they had actually secured because the language was too technical, vague or evasive to understand," he said.
He advocated for more uniformity in how judgments are written.
"A unified judicial approach must therefore extend to how we communicate outcomes," he said.
The CJI also discussed the role of AI and digital tools in improving case management. He pointed to the potential of AI-based research assistants and digital case management systems to streamline judicial processes.
"Emerging technological tools are now capable of performing once-unthinkable functions. They can highlight missing precedent references, cluster similar legal questions, and simplify factual narration," he said, explaining how these technologies can help judges make more consistent decisions.
He also highlighted tools like the National Judicial Data Grid and e-courts, which are already helping to standardise processes like case filings and tracking.
Kant reiterated that the integration of technology into the judicial process is not just about improving efficiency but about upholding the integrity of the system and strengthening public trust.
"The measure of innovation is not the complexity of the software we deploy, but the simplicity with which a citizen understands the outcome of their case and believes that justice has been served," he said.
