Karnataka proposes 10 yr jail term, Rs 10 crore fine to curb exam offences, bill tabled in Assembly
Belagavi, Dec 6: Aimed at curbing rampant irregularities and use of corrupt and unfair means in public examinations in the state, the Karnataka government on Wednesday tabled a bill in the Assembly proposing strict provisions of imprisonment up to 10 years and fine up to Rs 10 crore.
Provisions in the bill, titled Karnataka Public Examination (Measures for Prevention of Corruption and Unfair Means in Recruitment) Bill, 2023, also include confiscation of property.
The bill in its statement of objects and reasons states that it has been proposed to provide for effective measures to prevent and curb the offences of leakage of question papers and use of unfair means at public examinations for the purpose of recruitment to any posts under the state government including autonomous bodies, authorities, boards, or corporations.
The new law will work as a deterrent against the rise and trend of unfair means in public examinations and also works as a deterrent for the examinees and criminal masterminds who resort to such tactics, it said.
A designated court for the trial of such offences is provided in this law.
There is no extra expenditure involved in the proposed legislative measure, the bill added.
The government also tabled the Karnataka Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, replacing an ordinance notifying 28 per cent GST on online games, horse racing and casinos.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
