Court finds Cong MLA Vinay Kulkarni guilty in BJP leader Yogesh Gowda murder case
Bengaluru (PTI): A Special Court for MPs and MLAs on Wednesday found Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni guilty in the 2016 murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda.
Along with him, 16 others were found guilty. Two other accused were acquitted by Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat.
The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on Thursday.
Yogesh Gowda, a BJP member and former Dharwad Zila Panchayat member, was hacked to death at his gymnasium in Dharwad on June 15, 2016.
Kulkarni is accused of conspiracy in the murder. He was a minister at the time of the incident.
Initially handled by local police, the case was transferred to the CBI in 2019 when the BJP came to power.
The central agency has recorded statements of 113 witnesses and arrested Kulkarni in 2020.
The MLA spent over nine months in jail before receiving bail from the Supreme Court.
The court ordered the CBI, which investigated the case, to take custody of the accused.
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Guv Gehlot clears bill paving way for Panchayat elections through ballots
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has given his assent to the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act that will pave the way for holding the Panchayat elections through ballots instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Following the assent, the Act was notified in the state gazette on Wednesday.
The bill was passed by both houses of the Karnataka legislature in March during the budget session, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
As per the law, the principle of secrecy of the ballot is a cornerstone of free and fair elections, as recognised by the judiciary, which emphasised that the secrecy of the ballot protects voters from coercion, intimidation, and undue influence, thereby safeguarding the sanctity of the democratic process in several judgments of the Supreme Court.
Some concerns have been raised regarding the functioning of EVMs, necessitating a return to the robust secret ballot paper system to restore public trust, according to the Act.
Justifying its decision, the Karnataka government said there is “a growing consensus on the need to strengthen electoral mechanisms that prioritise anonymity and transparency”.
