Five in fray for four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka
Bengaluru: Five candidates, including three from the ruling Congress and one each from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) filed nominations for the biennial election to four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka, an EC official said on Monday.
"Of the five candidates, four have filed nominations on the last date (Monday), including three from the Congress and one from the BJP, while JD-S candidate B.M. Farooq had filed nomination on March 9," the Election Commission (EC) official said.
The Congress candidates are L. Hanumanthaiah, G.C. Chandrasekhar and Syed Naseer Hussain, and BJP candidate is Rajeev Chandrashekar, who is seeking a second term, as his first term as an Independent member ends on April 2.
The election has been necessitated to fill the vacancies arising out of retirement of incumbent members Basawaraj Patil, Rahman Khan and R. Ramakrishna of the Congress, and Chandrasekhar.
In the 225-member state legislative assembly, including one nominated, the Congress has 122 legislators, BJP 48 and JD-S 37. Of all, 7 seats are vacant.
As each candidate needs 45 votes to win the contest, the Congress is in a position to get two of its nominees elected easily, while its third candidate with 37 votes will have to get 13 more votes to make up for the shortfall.
With Chandrashekar assured of victory by virtue of the BJP having 48 votes, the contest will be for the fourth seat between the Congress and the JD-S, whose strength got reduced to 37 after three of its members were suspended for revolting against its leadership.
The JD-S also fears cross-voting by some of its members in favour of the ruling Congress' third nominee.
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Mangaluru airport issues advisory to passengers, heightens security measures
Mangaluru: In response to recent cross-border attacks by Pakistan and rising tensions along the international boundary, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has directed airports across India to enhance security protocols. As part of this nationwide alert, Mangaluru International Airport has intensified surveillance, and introduced secondary ladder point checks (LPSC).
Explaining about the new protocol, Jaideep Shenoy, Public Relations Officer at Mangaluru International Airport, said that the secondary ladder point security check involves a second round of frisking. Passengers will first undergo standard checks by the CISF at the security checkpoint. Before boarding the aircraft, either via a boarding bridge or a bus, they will be subjected to an additional frisking by airline staff at the gate. Shenoy emphasized that the LPSC is a standard security measure implemented at all airports.
He also urged travelers to stay updated by checking the airport’s official social media channels for accurate and timely information.
In light of circulating reports regarding restrictions on visitor entry, Shenoy clarified that the entry of visitors into the terminal has always been restricted. Visitors may accompany passengers up to the departure gates or receive them at the arrival gates, as per existing rules.
In an advisory issued on Friday, Mangaluru International Airport urged passengers to arrive well in advance of their scheduled departures to accommodate extended security checks, and to cooperate with airport and security personnel.
The airport authorities also urged people not to share any unverified information.
#MangaluruAirport is fully operational, with your safety and comfort as our top priority. Stay informed and plan ahead to ensure a smooth journey.
— Mangaluru Airport (@mlrairport) May 9, 2025
Here’s everything you need to know before you fly, from security guidelines to handy dos and don’ts.
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