Karnataka HC to hear petition seeking Siddaramaiah's disqualification on July 28
Bengaluru, July 21: The High Court of Karnataka has said that it will hear on July 28 a petition challenging the election of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the Assembly from Varuna constituency.
The petition blames the election manifesto of the Congress party which promised five 'guarantees' as 'corrupt' practices amounting to bribery and also undue influence under Section 123(2) of the Representation of the People Act.
The petition alleges that Siddaramaiah had breached the provisions of the Constitution and the rules and guidelines under The Representation of the People Act.
The petition claims that the “The said guarantees are in the nature of offer and promises made by the candidate and by the Indian National Congress party. This was done with the consent of the respondent (Siddaramaiah). They are in the form of gratification to the electorate of Varuna Constituency and with the object of directly inducing the electorate to vote for the Congress party candidate namely the respondent. The consideration was the vote in favour of the Respondent as a gratification with the motive and reward.”
The Election petition filed by K M Shankara, a private citizen from the constituency, came up before the single-judge bench of Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav.
The petition alleged that Siddaramaiah during the recently concluded Assembly Elections “indulged in corrupt practice during the election period.”
Senior advocate Pramila Nesargi, appearing for the petitioner, submitted to the court that everyone who sought votes in the name of the five guarantees are guilty of breaking the model code of conduct but only Siddaramaiah has been made a respondent as an example.
“All the persons’ names which find a place in the manifesto are all jointly and severally responsible for the corrupt practice of 123(1) and 123(2) of the RP Act,” the petition says.
The HC adjourned the hearing after directing the petitioner to comply with the office objections raised to the petition.
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Railway minister announces launch of Kavach 5.0 for Mumbai's suburban trains
New Delhi (PTI): Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday announced the upcoming launch of the automatic train protection system Kavach 5.0 for Mumbai's suburban trains.
The railway ministry said the state-of-the-art safety and signalling system has been tailored for the suburban section in Mumbai.
"Kavach 5.0 is expected to significantly reduce the inter-train headway, enabling more trains to run safely and efficiently," it said.
Vaishnaw, along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, interacted with reporters to highlight the transformative progress in railway infrastructure across the state.
According to the railway ministry, Vaishnaw emphasised that infrastructure development is the cornerstone for increasing suburban services and projects worth nearly Rs 17,000 crore, covering more than 300 kilometres of new lines, are currently underway at a rapid pace.
"These initiatives aim to decongest existing lines, improve service frequency and cater to the ever-growing demand of Mumbai's suburban commuters," the ministry said.
Announcing a major upgrade in passenger comfort, Vaishnaw said 238 new air-conditioned suburban rakes, uniquely designed keeping in mind the needs of Mumbai's commuters, would soon be introduced.
"A major announcement during the interaction was the doubling of the Gondia-Ballarshah railway line, a 240-km strategic corridor, with an investment of Rs 4,819 crore," the ministry said.
"This key project connects Vidarbha and Marathwada, easing congestion and enabling faster passenger and freight movement. It will also strengthen Maharashtra's rail links with Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, boosting regional trade and integration," it added.
This infrastructure push was announced on April 7, when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved four projects of the railway ministry with a total cost of Rs 18,658 crore.
