Former Minister Anand Singh resigns as head of Ballari district bank
Triggers political speculations
Vijayanagara: Anand Singh, the former Minister, has stepped down from his position as Chairman of the Ballari District Co-operative Central Bank (BDCC) in Hospet. Singh cited personal reasons for his resignation, requesting that it be effective from July 1.
While Singh attributed his decision to personal factors, his resignation from the esteemed BDCC Bank, which serves the twin districts of Ballari and Vijayanagara, has taken many by surprise. As a result, it has sparked discussions and speculations within the political sphere.
It is worth noting that Singh had exerted pressure on former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, leading to the separation of Vijayanagara from the Ballari district. The new Vijayanagara district was officially declared during the tenure of former CM Basavaraj Bommai. Capitalizing on the district's newfound status, Singh managed to secure a BJP ticket for his son Siddharth to contest in the recent Assembly elections.
However, Siddharth was unsuccessful in the elections, following which Anand Singh has remained relatively detached from active politics. His resignation as Chairman of the BDCC Bank has prompted further speculations surrounding the motives behind his decision to step down.
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SC asks states to treat rising child trafficking cases as grave; seeks coordinated action
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has voiced grave concern over rising cases of child trafficking, saying gangs are operating across the country and if States and Union territories do not take immediate action, thing will go beyond control.
The court said only the state government and its home department can act vigilantly in this regard.
“As a court we can monitor, but ultimately the action has to be on the part of the state government, the police, and other agencies. Therefore, this is our humble request”, a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan said during the hearing of a plea on Wednesday.
The bench was irked over the "lackadaisical" approach of several states and UTs in implementing a 2025 judgment aimed at dismantling organised trafficking networks.
Justice Viswanathan said the retrieval of children in some cases proves the problem can be tackled, but it requires a level of political and administrative will which is lacking at present.
The verdict, delivered on April 15, 2025, had mandated several institutional reforms, including completion of trials in trafficking cases within six months on a day-to-day basis.
It had also directed strengthening of Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and improving investigation standards.
Besides asking for setting up of state-level committees to monitor vulnerable trafficking hotspots, it had asked the authorities to treat missing children cases as trafficking unless proven otherwise.
Earlier, the bench had termed the compliance reports filed by a few states as "nothing but an eye wash."
On Wednesday, the bench noted that Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Punjab had still failed to file reports in the prescribed format.
When the home secretary of Madhya Pradesh offered an apology for the lapse, the bench granted a "final opportunity" but warned that continued failure would lead to states being officially branded as "defaulting".
The bench noted that at least 15 states are yet to constitute review committees mandated to identify and monitor trafficking-prone areas.
The matter will now be heard on April 29.
