Karnataka HC asks BBMP to clear beggary cess dues in four months
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Thursday asked the Bengaluru municipal corporation o transfer Rs 55.65 crore dues of beggary cess collected from tax payers to the Central Relief Committee within four months.
The civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had sought six months to clear the dues collected as beggary cess and said the amount has been utilised by it for other purposes.
The BBMP had collected Rs 600 crore as beggary cess between 2008-09 and 2022. Under the directions of the HC which is hearing a public interest litigation on the issue of children being forced to sell trinkets at traffic signals, the civic body has transferred most of it to the Central Relief Committee (CRC), which works on rehabilitating beggars.
On Thursday, the BBMP filed an affidavit through its Chief Accountant Raju S K. It stated that as of now a sum of Rs 55.65 crore is to be paid to CRC and sought an outer limit of six months to clear the entire dues in three installments.
The BBMP claimed that, “Making payment at once will put strain on the finances of the Corporation and disrupt other priority projects where the BBMP is to release funds.” Rejecting this statement, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit said: “This stand of BBMP cannot be accepted as wholesome for the reason that BBMP cannot utilise particular funds to make good of its financial constraints.” However, considering that BBMP had deposited some money, the HC said reasonable time could be granted.
“BBMP has shown some positive response by depositing Rs 20 crore. We deem it appropriate to grant some reasonable time to BBMP and accordingly though the respondent BBMP makes a request to grant time by putting it at an outer limit of six months, we direct respondent BBMP to clear the dues to the tune of Rs 55.65 crore within four months only,” the CJ said in his order.
The court specified that there won’t be an extension of time. “We further make it clear that no extension of time would be granted on any count. List after four months for compliance report,” the court ordered.
A report by the Police Department through Nagendra Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Office of IG&DG of Police, was also perused by the HC during the hearing of the PIL. The report shared details of children rescued from the streets.
“The information reveals that some children are infants/toddlers and they are ranging from the age group of 1 year 10 months to 4 years. The counsel for the petitioner states that there are no statements in the affidavit whether these rescued children are shifted to children’s homes or any arrangement is made for the infants/toddlers who may require feeding,” the HC noted.
The Additional Advocate General however clarified that the children are being taken care of.
“The Learned AAG submits that though it is not stated in the affidavit, but as per instructions these rescued children were immediately shifted to children’s homes and all the necessary steps are taken to provide care and protection to these rescued children,” the HC recorded.
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BJP's Suvendu urges Bengal Guv to order independent judicial inquiry into Messi event fiasco
Kolkata(PTI): Leader of Opposition in West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday wrote to Governor C V Ananda Bose, seeking an independent judicial inquiry into “administrative incompetence” and “public humiliation of citizens”at the Salt Lake Stadium here during an event featuring football legend Lionel Messi.
In his letter, Adhikari alleged that the stadium, built with public funds, was converted into a “private durbar” for political elites, resulting in humiliation and harassment of spectators who had purchased tickets.
"I write this communication with a profound sense of anguish, constitutional alarm, and moral urgency. What unfolded at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan was not merely an episode of administrative incompetence, it was a public humiliation of citizens, a grotesque exhibition of unrestrained political privilege, and a direct assault on the rule of law in the presence of thousands of witnesses," Adhikari asserted.
He claimed that football fans were denied basic amenities and dignified viewing due to unchecked VIP presence, obstruction of sightlines, and arbitrary restrictions.
Chaos unfolded at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, after spectators resorted to vandalism on failing to catch a glimpse of Messi, alleging gross mismanagement by the organisers and obstruction of views by VIPs.
Police arrested the event’s prime organiser, Satadru Datta, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the constitution of a high-level inquiry committee to probe the incident.
Adhikari, in his letter, held the sports department, police authorities and the minister-in-charge of sports and youth affairs responsible, alleging that the situation was “enabled, if not orchestrated”, by the state administration.
He claimed that the conduct of the authorities reflected indifference to public accountability and misuse of power.
The senior BJP leader also took exception to the inquiry committee announced by the chief minister, contending that it lacked independence and credibility.
Adhikari said the panel is headed by Justice (Retd) Asim Ray, who currently holds a statutory post under the administrative control of the state government, and includes senior bureaucrats whose actions are under scrutiny.
"This committee is structurally compromised, legally infirm, and morally indefensible," he said in the letter to the governor.
Adhikari urged Bose to exercise his constitutional authority to order the formation of a truly independent inquiry committee.
He proposed that the committee be headed by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court, and assisted by persons of unimpeachable integrity with no institutional, administrative or political affiliation with the state government.
“The issue transcends football, politics, and personalities. It concerns the right of citizens to be treated with dignity, the obligation of the state to act as trustee of public interest, and the duty of constitutional authorities to intervene when the executive becomes a law unto itself,” Adhikari said.
Later, speaking to reporters, he accused the state government of mismanaging the situation at Salt Lake Stadium, and demanded the resignation of the CM.
Adhikari said all those responsible for the fiasco should be arrested, and spectators must be provided refunds.
He alleged that senior Trinamool Congress leaders and their associates crowded around Messi, leaving thousands of fans at the stadium deprived of catching a clear glimpse of the football star.
“This was a case of misuse of power at the cost of ordinary citizens. The chief minister must take moral responsibility, those responsible for the incident should be arrested, and every fan who was cheated must get a refund,” Adhikari asserted.
He added that public anger would not subside without accountability and corrective action.
