Karnataka cabinet decides to re-promulgate three controversial ordinances
Bengaluru: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to re-promulgate three controversial ordinances after the bills introduced to replace them could not get passed in the state legislative council during the recently concluded session of the Legislature, official sources said.
While the Industrial Disputes and Certain Other Laws (Karnataka Amendment) Bill 2020, that tweaks labour laws, was passed in the legislative assembly, it got defeated in the council by the united opposition of Congress and JD(S), as they enjoy majority there.
The Karnataka Land Reforms (Second) Amendment Bill, 2020 and the Karnataka Agriculture Produce Marketing (Regulation and Development) (Amendment) Bill, 2020, also passed by the assembly, were not adopted by the upper House as it was adjourned sine die on the intervening night of September 26 and 27.
Official sources said as the ordinance promulgated earlier will lapse in six weeks after the legislative session, if a replacement bill to it is not passed by both the Houses, it has now been decided to re-promulgate the ordinances.
While the amendments to the land reform act liberalize farmland ownership, the APMC amendment bill curtails the powers of local Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMC) and allows private individuals to start agricultural trading, if they hold a permanent account number (PAN).
The bill that tweaks labor laws is aimed at making only those establishments that employ 300 or more people will have to seek the government's permission for closure, retrenchment, or layoff.
It also proposed to increase the overtime work of employees in any quarter from 75 to 125 hours.
Farmer and labor organizations, also opposition parties, especially the Congress, had vehemently opposed the three bills calling them "anti-people" and had even called for a statewide bandh on September 28 opposing it.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
