K'taka govt gets High Court notice on 'one nation, one digital platform'
Bengaluru, Jan 4: The High Court of Karnataka has issued notice to the State government on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition, challenging the non-implementation of the national e-vidhan application (NeVA) scheme.
The State government went ahead with its own e-vidhan scheme instead. The PIL, filed by former MLC Ramesh Babu, was being heard by a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice P B Varale.
The NeVA aims at promoting digitalisation to provide a platform for the functioning of both Houses of Parliament, Assemblies and councils. The Centre shares 60 per cent of the cost of the platform for the State which has a total outlay of Rs. 673.94 crore
Karnataka decided to implement its own scheme at a cost of Rs 253 crore based on a report submitted by KEONICS.
The PIL says the State government is unnecessarily spending Rs.253 crore, when it could have availed itself of by merging the scheme with the Centre's.
"The present PIL if filed seeking further steps in implementation of NeVA which is beneficial and safeguards Central portal with economic benefits to the implementing State in place of implementation of e-Vidhan scheme through KEONICS which entails substantial loss to the public exchequer as the provisioning of this scheme is to tune of Rs.254 crores," according to the PIL.
The PIL seeks "implementation of NeVA scheme which entails substantial savings to the State exchequer and further keeps intact the integrity of this nation by acceding to the principle of One Nation-One E-Platform'."
It further states that the State government agency KEONICS has identified a third party to implement the scheme without any competitive bidding.
On Tuesday, the High Court adjourned further hearing of the PIL after issuance of notice to the State.
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BJP's main agenda is to keep minorities in fear, alleges Stalin
Chennai (PTI): DMK President M K Stalin has alleged that the BJP's main agenda is to keep the minorities in fear, and everyone is aware of what is happening in the states governed by the saffron party.
Stalin further alleged that Muslims continued to be subjected to attacks.
"Now, a situation has arisen where even Christmas could not be celebrated peacefully. Christians are being targeted. The entire country is a witness to what is happening in Manipur. The BJP's plan of action is that a state of insecurity for minorities should spread like a wildfire across the country," he told PTI in an interview.
That was why it first enacted the CAA, and the next was an amendment to the Waqf law, and now it is "desperate" to amend the FCRA, he alleged, and lashed out at AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami.
"Palaniswami, who supports all these three amendments and has formed an alliance with the BJP, does not have any concern for the welfare of minorities. However, the DMK is always firm in its commitment to ensure that India must always be a secular state; that people belonging to all religions must be equally respected and that the Constitutional safeguards conferred on minorities must be upheld. If any of these is threatened, the DMK will be the first party to raise its voice against it," he said.
Denying that the BJP made the minorities feel insecure, BJP state vice president M Chakravarthy said the chief minister was making the allegation due to the "fear that the Christian and Dalit votes would go to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam led by actor-politician Vijay."
He was depicting the BJP as a bogeyman in an attempt to create unnecessary apprehension among the minorities, the BJP leader told PTI.
On FCRA, Chakravarthy asked, "What's wrong with ensuring accountability in the use of funds?"
