Congress postpones protest against alleged electoral fraud to August 8
Bengaluru (PTI): The Congress on Monday announced deferring its August 5 protest over alleged electoral fraud August 8 in light of the death of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren. Top party leader Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to lead the agitation here on Tuesday.
Addressing reporters here, Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said Soren will be cremated on Tuesday and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha will attend the last rites.
"The programme (protest) will now remain as it is, but will remain deferred to August 8," Surjewala, flanked by Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar, said.
The Congress party had initially announced the protest in Bengaluru for Tuesday against what it calls large-scale manipulation of electoral rolls in Bengaluru's Mahadevapura constituency in the 2023 Assembly polls.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
