MLA Janardhana Reddy disqualified following conviction in illegal mining case
Bengaluru, May 8 (PTI): Independent MLA and BJP supporter G Janardhana Reddy was on Thursday disqualified as the member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly after a special CBI court convicted him in the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) illegal iron ore mining case.
With this, one seat of the state assembly has fallen vacant.
“Consequent upon conviction of G Janardhana Reddy Member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly representing the Gangavati Constituency by the Court of the Principal Special Judge for CBI, cases, Hyderabad in CC.No.1 of 2012, he stands disqualified from the membership of Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the date of conviction i.e., May 6, 2025 in terms of the provisions of article 191(1) (e) of the Constitution of India read with section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951,” Karnataka Assembly said in a notification.
It said, “Such disqualification shall continue for a further period of six years since his release, unless the conviction is stayed by a competent Court.”
A special CBI court in Hyderabad on Tuesday convicted Reddy and three others in the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) illegal iron ore mining case after a prolonged legal battle spanning nearly 14 years.
The court sentenced them to seven years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each.
Reddy was named accused number two. The court also imposed a Rs 1 lakh fine on the company.
Soon after the judgment, the CBI took Janardhana Reddy and others into custody, and were shifted to the prison.
Janardhana Reddy had formed the Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha (KRPP) ahead of the Assembly polls in 2023, snapping his two-decade-old association with the BJP, and won the Gangavati assembly seat.
He, however, rejoined the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls by merging his outfit with the saffron party.
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Bill Gates lauds Andhra's AI-driven growth
Amaravati (PTI): Microsoft founder and Gates Foundation chairman Bill Gates on Tuesday hailed Andhra Pradesh's rapid development, saying it was exciting to see the state's growth being accelerated through AI and technology.
Following his visit to Amaravati, Gates expressed his admiration for the southern state’s innovations across health, agriculture and education.
“Thank you for the warm welcome, N Chandrababu Naidu. It’s exciting to witness Andhra Pradesh’s growth being accelerated through AI, technology, and innovations across health, agriculture & education,” he said in a post on X.
On Monday, Gates had engaged in several activities in the greenfield capital city of Amaravati, beginning with an interaction with the CM and others, reviewing presentations on the use of technology in governance and also a visit to a banana orchard by the Krishna river bank in Undavalli village in Guntur district.
According to the tech czar, India is leading the global digital revolution.
He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Naidu for their key role.
He also heaped praises on Naidu for his long-term vision, saying a majority of IT experts, including many at Microsoft, are from the Telugu states.
