Karnataka High Court schedules hearing on plea for CBI probe into MUDA scam
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday scheduled its next hearing on a plea seeking the transfer of the investigation into the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Currently, the case is being investigated by the Lokayukta Police.
Senior advocate KG Raghavan, representing the petitioner, argued for an independent CBI probe, emphasizing that the investigation should remain free from the influence of the state government and the Chief Minister.
The case also implicates Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is facing allegations of illegal allotment of 14 prime sites in Mysuru city by MUDA to his wife.
Siddaramaiah has challenged the Governor’s sanction for prosecution, which was upheld by the High Court in a previous judgment. The court found no procedural irregularities in Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s approval of the investigation.
On Thursday, the High Court deferred the Chief Minister’s plea to challenge the single-bench order to January 20. Siddaramaiah's petition questions the legality of the Governor’s sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and prosecution under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Based on the Lokayukta's First Information Report (FIR), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated a money laundering investigation in addition to the Lokayukta investigation. Siddaramaiah has blamed the accusations as politically driven and denied any misconduct in the face of growing legal pressure and BJP claims. Despite the ongoing probes, he has rejected calls to resign.
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Gujarat to amend marriage registration rules, cites 'misuse' of existing norms
Gandhinagar (PTI): The Gujarat government on Friday announced it plans to amend rules framed under the Gujarat Registration of Marriages Act, saying the move is aimed at plugging loopholes in the existing system.
Speaking in the assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi stressed the need for new norms, alleging that “innocent girls are being trapped” and such practices were spreading “like termites” in society.
He said several people and social organisations had urged the government to amend the marriage registration rules to prevent misuse of procedural gaps.
Referring to what he termed “love jihad”, Sanghavi said it amounted to a “cultural invasion” and asserted that the BJP government could no longer ignore the issue. He said the amendments are aimed at strengthening safeguards in the registration process.
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He said objections and suggestions on the proposed amendments are now invited from the public for 30 days.
“People and organisations can register their suggestions and objections on the Health and Family Welfare Department’s website. The new rules will be implemented after considering these suggestions and objections received by the department,” he said.
Later, the minister’s office shared a document detailing the proposed procedure for marriage registration under the amended rules.
As per the proposed rules, every marriage registration application will need to be submitted before the Assistant Registrar, while applicants must attach a declaration stating whether the bride and groom have informed their parents about the marriage.
Moreover, the bride and groom will have to provide the names, addresses, Aadhaar and contact details of their parents in the application.
The parents of the bride and groom will be informed within ten working days as soon as the Assistant Registrar is satisfied, according to the proposed rules.
The Assistant Registrar will forward the application to the Registrar of the district or taluka concerned. The marriage will be registered 30 days after the Registrar is satisfied that the requirements specified in sub-rules have been met.
The Registrar will upload all these details to an online portal to be created by the government, say the proposed rules.
AAP MLA Hemant Ahir, who had on Thursday introduced a private member's Bill in this regard, and BJP MLA Lavingji Thakor congratulated the deputy CM in the House, saying the proposed changes were the need of the hour.
They said innocent girls were being lured by anti-social elements who exploited loopholes in the existing system to solemnise and register marriages.
