Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka on Monday reported 27,156 fresh COVID-19 infections and 14 deaths taking the total caseload and fatalities in the state to 32,47,243 and 38,445 respectively, the health department said.
The state had reported 34,047 cases and 13 deaths in the state on Sunday. With the decline in cases compared to Sunday, the test positivity rate too dropped from 19.29 per cent to 12.45 per cent. The case fatality rate was 0.05 per cent.
In its daily bulletin, the department said 7,827 people were discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 29,91,472. The active cases stood at 2,17,297.
Bengaluru Urban district led the spike in cases in Karnataka with 15,947 infections and five deaths. Other districts too recorded fresh cases, including 1,770 in Mysuru, 1,147 in Tumakuru, 1,050 in Hassan and 784 in Dharwad.
There were three deaths in Dakshina Kannada and one each in Chikkaballapura, Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Ramanagara and Tumakuru. There were zero fatalities in 23 districts.
A total of 2,17,998 samples were tested in the state, including 1,81,136 RT-PCR tests on Monday, taking the cumulative number of specimens examined so far to 5.92 crore. There were 2,16,816 inoculations done taking the total vaccinations so far to 9.17 crore, the department said.
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New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.