Have withdrawn notification on board exams for certain classes, Karnataka govt tells SC
New Delhi, Oct 15: The Karnataka government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that it has withdrawn its notification for conducting board examinations for students of classes 5, 8 and 9 in the current academic year in three rural districts.
A bench comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma was hearing an appeal filed by Organisation for Unaided Recognised Schools against the March 22, judgement of the Karnataka High Court.
The high court's division bench had permitted the state government to conduct the board exams for classes 5,8, 9 and 11 for the academic year 2023-24, overruling the March 6 order of a single judge's bench.
The single judge of the high court had nullified the state government's decision of October 2023 to hold board exams for these classes through the Karnataka State Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB).
On April 8, the apex court stayed the high court division bench order and a April 6 order passed by the Karnataka School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Council "till further orders".
"This is a classic instance whereby no one else than the state government of Karnataka has sought to create a havoc and great distress not only amongst the students and their parents, but also amongst the teachers and the school managements in the state of Karnataka," the bench had then noted.
On Tuesday, the bench was informed by Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta that the state government had withdrawn the notification.
"The withdrawal is done. It was a mistake on our part. I can assure my learned friend that even if exams were conducted, no results will be out...," he said.
The bench asked as to why the state government was bent on troubling the parents and children.
"There appears to be some ego problem on part of the state," Justice Trivedi remarked.
Mehta, however, clarified that there were some errors in grant of marks in the three districts, also becoming the reason behind the notification for conducting examinations.
The bench then posted the hearing after a week.
Advocates K V Dhananjay and A Velan, appearing for the petitioners, had previously informed the bench that despite the apex court's interim order staying the board examinations for classes 5, 8, 9 and 11, the state government conducted a half-yearly board exam for class 10 and a public exam for classes 8 and 9 in September.
The bench had asked the petitioner to file a contempt application against the state government for the alleged defiance of its order after the petitioner said the state government's move despite the stay order amounted to contempt.
The Karnataka high court division bench had interpreted the notifications issued by the state government regarding the board exams as guidelines rather than strict regulations, based on its understanding of the powers granted under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
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Hemant Karkare dying at hands of Kasab ‘Karmic Justice’: Shefali Vaidya on Col. Purohit’s promotion
Shefali Vaidya’s ‘karmic justice’ remark on Hemant Karkare sparks controversy.
Columnist Shefali Vaidya said that the death of former ATS chief Hemant Karkare was “almost karmic justice,” while expressing support for the promotion of Shrikant Purohit.
In the post, she wrote, “Col Purohit to be made Brigadier! This is the least Indian Army could do to restore the honour of an officer who was wrongly accused, framed on false charges, tortured beyond imagination and lost many years of his life thanks to anti-national, evil Congress.”
She further stated, “the way Maharashtra ATS Hemant Karkare died at the hands of Kasab was almost karmic justice, for having tortured Col Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya and others in the fake Hindu terror case. Ditto for disgraced cop Parambir Singh!”
Her post came after reports that Colonel Purohit, who was acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case last year, has been approved for promotion to Brigadier.
Defence sources cited by Indian Express had indicated that less than a month after his retirement was put on hold by the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), he has been approved for promotion to Brigadier.
According to the report, he will now continue in service for at least two more years, up to the age of 56, which is the retirement age for Brigadiers, compared to 54 for Colonels.
Purohit had reportedly approached the AFT, stating that the 17-year-long trial had affected his career progression and denied him the opportunity to be considered for promotions.
Though he was granted bail in 2017, he remained under a Discipline and Vigilance (DV) ban, which was lifted in July 2020. Due to this, his promotion to the rank of Colonel was reportedly withheld in 2021.
The controversy around remarks on Karkare is not new.
Earlier, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee had highlighted instances of social media users allegedly making derogatory comments about the slain officer.
Hemant Karkare, a 1982-batch IPS officer, served as the chief of the Mumbai ATS and led the investigation into the 2008 Malegaon blasts. He was killed in action on November 26, 2008, during the 2008 Mumbai attacks while responding to terrorist activity near Cama Hospital. He was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra in 2009.
According to the Mumbai Police chargesheet, Karkare, along with Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte and Inspector Vijay Salaskar, was killed in an exchange of fire with Pakistani terrorists, including Ajmal Amir Kasab and Abu Ismail Khan.
The officers were ambushed near Rang Bhavan Lane while moving towards Cama Hospital.
According to a report by India Today, BJP leader Pragya Singh Thakur had earlier claimed that Karkare died as a result of a “curse,” while Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar had alleged that an “RSS-linked cop” was responsible for Karkare’s death, citing claims from a book by S.M. Mushrif.
