K'taka Guv submits report to President on legislature joint session drama
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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has submitted a detailed report to President Droupadi Murmu over the developments in connection with the joint session of the state legislature recently that saw a row erupt over his customary address to the Legislative Assembly and Council, official sources said on Saturday.
According to sources, the governor's report covers the developments on January 22, the day of the joint session, and the previous day -- when a government delegation led by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil met him, following Gehlot's refusal to deliver the customary address.
Gehlot consulted legal experts ahead of sending the report, they added.
High drama played out in Karnataka Assembly on Thursday when the governor refused to read out the state-prepared address to a joint session of the state legislature and confined his speech to just three lines, evoking sharp reaction from the Congress government in the state.
Gehlot took exception to certain references to the Centre "repealing" the UPA-era MGNREGA in the state-prepared speech.
A total of 10 paragraphs, which had critical reference to the Centre and its policies, touching upon the MGNREGA and issues including devolution of funds were said to have irked the governor, who wanted them to be deleted. But, this was not acceptable to the government.
According to the sources, the governor in his report has told the President that he had suggested the state government to "modify" the draft speech by removing paras which criticised the central government for enacting the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, and also about its impact.
Gehlot has also detailed in the report, the action taken by him to address the joint session as per the Constitutional mandate.
The behavior of the ruling Congress party members, who shouted slogans and tried to gherao him during his exit from the Assembly hall, and reactions of leaders of both ruling Congress and opposition BJP in the aftermath, have also been detailed in the report, official sources added.
As the Governor ended his address with three lines on January 22, the treasury benches, including ministers such as H K Patil, stood up and requested Gehlot to complete the speech.
As Gehlot proceeded towards the exit door, some ruling legislators, including MLC B K Hariprasad, tried to gherao him by shouting slogans. They were removed by the security staff.
The Congress government had accused Gehlot of "violating the Constitution" by refusing to read the state-prepared address to the joint session of the legislature and confining his customary speech to just three lines.
It also accused him of "disrespecting the national anthem" by walking out of the House before it was played and demanded that he apologise to the people of the state and the Assembly.
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Delhi court acquits activist Medha Patkar in defamation case filed by LG V K Saxena
New Delhi (PTI): A court here on Saturday acquitted social activist Medha Patkar in a criminal defamation case filed by Delhi L-G V K Saxena, saying the prosecution failed to prove that she made the alleged defamatory statements during a television programme in 2006.
The complaint was filed by Saxena, then president of the National Council for Civil Liberties, alleging that Patkar had defamed him during a TV programme.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Raghav Sharma, while hearing the case, said the complainant had failed to produce legally admissible evidence to establish that Patkar had made the impugned statements.
According to the complaint, Patkar had allegedly claimed during the programme that Saxena and his NGO had received civil contracts connected with the Sardar Sarovar project, an allegation Saxena denied and termed defamatory.
The court said the material on record showed that Patkar was not a panellist on the programme and that only a short pre-recorded video clip of her was played during the telecast.
"It is important to note that neither the reporter who actually recorded the audio-video nor any person who had seen the accused making the impugned statements has been examined as a witness.
"It is also crucial to note that the clip played in the programme/show appears to be only a very short clipping from an interview or press conference of the accused," the judge said.
The court noted that to establish anything in the case, it is essential to produce the entire video and audio of the press conference before the court about the alleged defamatory remarks given by the accused.
"Without examining the entire clip or footage of that interview, no determination can be made regarding the speech of the accused," the judge said.
The court said that Saxena failed to place on record the original video footage or the recording device that allegedly captured the defamatory remarks, and as a result, the statements attributed to Patkar could not be established.
"The only document capable of proving that the accused made the impugned statements would be the original electronic device in which such statements were recorded," the court said, adding that neither the device nor a valid secondary copy was placed on record.
The case was filed before a court in Ahmedabad. It was transferred to Delhi in 2010 on the orders of the Supreme Court.
In the absence of legally admissible evidence proving publication of defamatory statements by Patkar, the court acquitted her of the charge under IPC Section 500 (defamation).
In August 2025, in a separate defamation case filed by VK Saxena, the Supreme Court confirmed Patkar's conviction ordered by the trial court and set aside a penalty of Rs 1 lakh imposed on her in the case.
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