Karnataka govt asks HC for time to appoint Police Complaints Authority chief
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has sought time till the Assembly elections are over to appoint the chairperson and members to the State Police Complaints Authority.
The submission was made before a division bench of Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice M G S Kamal on Friday.
The bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by advocate Sudha Katwa seeking a direction to the State to complete the appointment.
Appearing for the government, advocate Prathima Honnapura informed the bench that it has received recommendation of three retired judges for the post of the chairperson from the Chief Justice of the HC and one of them had to be chosen. Likewise, a notification was issued for the appointment of the two members for which 19 applications have been received.
However, due to the announcement of the Assembly election schedule on March 29, the administration is engaged in its preparations. Therefore, time was sought till the polls get over to complete the appointment process. Recording the submission, the court adjourned the hearing to May 30.
The Election Commission had earlier announced that Karnataka would go to the polls in a single phase on May 10 and counting will take place on May 13.
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BJP's main agenda is to keep minorities in fear, alleges Stalin
Chennai (PTI): DMK President M K Stalin has alleged that the BJP's main agenda is to keep the minorities in fear, and everyone is aware of what is happening in the states governed by the saffron party.
Stalin further alleged that Muslims continued to be subjected to attacks.
"Now, a situation has arisen where even Christmas could not be celebrated peacefully. Christians are being targeted. The entire country is a witness to what is happening in Manipur. The BJP's plan of action is that a state of insecurity for minorities should spread like a wildfire across the country," he told PTI in an interview.
That was why it first enacted the CAA, and the next was an amendment to the Waqf law, and now it is "desperate" to amend the FCRA, he alleged, and lashed out at AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami.
"Palaniswami, who supports all these three amendments and has formed an alliance with the BJP, does not have any concern for the welfare of minorities. However, the DMK is always firm in its commitment to ensure that India must always be a secular state; that people belonging to all religions must be equally respected and that the Constitutional safeguards conferred on minorities must be upheld. If any of these is threatened, the DMK will be the first party to raise its voice against it," he said.
Denying that the BJP made the minorities feel insecure, BJP state vice president M Chakravarthy said the chief minister was making the allegation due to the "fear that the Christian and Dalit votes would go to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam led by actor-politician Vijay."
He was depicting the BJP as a bogeyman in an attempt to create unnecessary apprehension among the minorities, the BJP leader told PTI.
On FCRA, Chakravarthy asked, "What's wrong with ensuring accountability in the use of funds?"
