Liquor sale prohibited, campaigning closed from May 8 in poll-bound Karnataka
As the campaigning for the Karnataka assembly polls draws to a close, the ruling and opposition parties are locked in a fierce contest. Political leaders are making a last-minute push to win over voters before the campaign period officially ends at 6 pm on May 8th.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been campaigning with the help of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, among other leaders.
Meanwhile, Congress candidates are being supported by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC leader Rahul Gandhi, and opposition leader Siddaramaiah. The Janata Dal (Secular) party is being backed by its supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, state president C M Ibrahim, and other leaders.
ALSO READ: No print advertisement without prior clearance during silence period in Karnataka: EC to parties
To ensure a fair and peaceful election, the Election Commission has issued strict guidelines. It has instructed non-voters and star campaigners to leave the constituency and warned of legal action against violators. The campaigning will end 48 hours before polling ends on May 10th. Only candidates and voters will be allowed in the constituency.
Furthermore, the use of loudspeakers for election campaigning has been prohibited, and candidates can conduct door-to-door campaigns until 9 pm on May 9th. The sale of liquor has also been banned from 6 pm on May 8th to 6 pm on May 11th.
A total of 2,613 candidates are in the fray, including 2,427 men, 184 women, and two transgender candidates. The Election Commission has set up 58,545 polling stations, using 1,15,709 ballot units, 82,543 control units, and 89,379 VVPATS.
The voters will decide the fate of the candidates on May 10th, from 6 am to 6 pm.
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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.
