Creation of Vijayanagara district aimed at development: Health Minister Sriramulu
Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Thursday said the government's decision to create Vijayanagara as the state's 31st district, carving it out from the mine-rich Ballari, was administrative in nature aimed at development, as he appealed for withdrawing protests against it.
The Minister, who is a native of Ballari, had earlier opposed the plan for creating the new district.
"Ballari is a big district....there have been voices in favour and against (bifurcation). After our government came to power, we left it to the discretion of the Chief Minister.The CM and the cabinet recently gave in principle approval to it, when it again comes before the cabinet we will discuss in detail," Sriramulu said.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he said, the Chief Minister has tried to convince BJP's Ballari City MLA G Somashekar Reddy and other legislators who have been opposing the decision and that he will also talk to them on the matter.
"We will abide by the Chief Minister's decision.... the decision is administrative not political, the Chief Minister and the government's decision is right. I appeal to those protesting to withdraw and let's all work together for the sake of development," he added.
Meanwhile, Ballari bandh called by a few local organisations on Thursday opposing the bifurcation of the district failed to evoke much response as normal life remained unaffected, official sources said.
Movement of public and private transport remained normal.
Also shops and establishments remained open, they said.
The Karnataka cabinet on November 18 had given in principle approval for the creation of Vijayanagara district, carving it out from Ballari.
Ballari, which is also politically significant, comprises nine assembly segments of which the Congress had won five and the BJP four in the 2018 polls.
The cabinet in its next meeting is likely to discuss in detail and decide about the formation of the new district.
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Excise policy cases: SC agrees to hear Sisodia's pleas seeking relaxation of bail conditions
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear AAP leader Manish Sisodia's pleas seeking relaxation of bail conditions which require him to report to the investigating officer on every Monday and Thursday in the corruption and money laundering cases related to Delhi excise policy.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan issued notices to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking their responses on Sisodia's applications.
On August 9, the apex court had granted him bail in the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, saying long incarceration for 17 months without trial had deprived him of his right to speedy trial.
The apex court had imposed conditions, including that he shall report to the investigating officer on every Monday and Thursday between 10-11 am.
During the hearing on Friday, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has appeared before the investigating officers 60 times.
"I (Sisodia) am a respectable person," the senior advocate said.
Singhvi said that similar condition was imposed by the apex court on other accused in the case.
"The same ED has given no objection to all other accused," he said.
The bench said, "On the next date, we will clarify it."
"Issue notice, returnable two weeks," the top court said.
The former Delhi deputy chief minister was arrested by both the CBI and the ED in corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
He was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023 for purported irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
The following month, the ED arrested him in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023. He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.
In its August 9 verdict granting bail to Sisodia in both the cases, the apex court had said it was high time that the trial courts and the high courts should recognise the principle that "bail is rule and jail is exception".
"We find that, on account of a long period of incarceration running for around 17 months and the trial even not having been commenced, the appellant (Sisodia) has been deprived of his right to speedy trial," it had said.
The top court had directed him to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh with two sureties of the like amount.
It had directed that Sisodia shall surrender his passport with the special court and not make any attempt either to influence the witnesses or to tamper with the evidence.
The apex court had set aside the May 21 verdict of the Delhi High Court, which had dismissed Sisodia's pleas seeking bail in both these cases.
The ED and the CBI had opposed his bail pleas.
