No discussion so far regarding banning organisations like Bajrang Dal: Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said no discussions have taken place till now regarding banning organisations like Bajrang Dal, after the Congress government came to power in the State, and any views expressed in this regard may be personal in response to media queries.
He was responding to a question on a reported statement by his cabinet colleague Priyank Kharge that the government will ban RSS and Bajrang Dal, if the peace is disturbed by them.
"We have had no discussions regarding this, in the manifesto we had said regarding Bajrang Dal and PFI -- that in case they disturb peace, we will take action against them, even going to the extent of banning them if the need arises. Other than that the issue has not been discussed," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Several people might have shared their personal opinion when the media asked them, but all this has to be discussed. When the situation comes, the government will discuss and decide."
Parameshwara is among the eight ministers inducted into the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet on May 20
To a query on withdrawing anti-conversion and cow slaughter laws, the Minister said, all that is against the society, that disturbs peace in the society, and that is anti-people, whether it is legislations or rules, they will be reviewed.
"We have said we will give a pro-people government and we will take decisions that will provide such an administration. For that if a situation comes for us to withdraw a legislation, we will do it -- to provide a pro-people administration," he noted.
Minister Kharge had on Wednesday said the orders and legislations enforced under the previous BJP regime like school textbook revision and anti-conversion and anti-cow slaughter laws, which are against the state's interest, would be revised or withdrawn by the new Congress government, after reviewing them.
Asked about demand for revising the school textbooks, Parameshwara said, a full fledged government has to be formed first, portfolios have to be allocated, and once the government has come to a stage where it can take complete decisions, it will be discussed and decided.
"When that happens we will discuss all this, the media seems to be very fast and want us to do everything immediately. Let a full fledged government come. Once portfolios are allocated concerned Ministers will study it and bring it to the cabinet, to take a decision. Mere individual statements cannot become decisions, it cannot become a government decision," he said.
Noting that the government is committed to fulfill five guarantees promised ahead of polls, Parameshwara said, in principle approval has been given to them in the first cabinet and now concerned departments are working out on procedures, which will be placed before the next cabinet for implementation.
He hit out at opposition BJP and JD(S) for alleging delay in implementation.
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UP SIR: Over 84 lakh voters added in final list, total electorate rises to 13.39 crore
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh's electorate grew by over 84 lakh to 13.39 crore after the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), according to the final voter list published on Friday.
Addressing a press conference at the Lok Bhawan Media Centre here, Uttar Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said the SIR exercise was conducted from October 27, 2025, to April 10, 2026, covering all 75 districts, 403 assembly constituencies and polling stations across the state.
He said the 166-day exercise was carried out with the contribution of 75 District Election Officers (DEOs), 403 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), 12,758 Assistant EROs, 18,026 BLO supervisors and 1,77,516 Booth Level Officers (BLOs). In addition, 5,82,877 booth-level agents of recognised political parties and crores of voters extended cooperation.
Print, electronic and digital media also played a key role in awareness efforts, he added.
Rinwa said the draft electoral roll published on January 6, 2026, had a total of 12,55,56,025 voters, including 6.88 crore male voters, 5.67 crore female voters and 4,119 third gender voters.
The number of voters in the 18-19 age group stood at 3,33,981, while the gender ratio was 824 female voters per 1,000 male voters.
The final electoral roll published on April 10 shows the total number of voters at 13,39,84,792, he said.
Of these, male voters number 7,30,71,071 (around 54 per cent), female voters 6,09,09,525 (45.46 per cent) and third gender voters 4,206 (less than 0.01 per cent).
The number of voters in the 18-19 age group has risen to 17,63,360, accounting for 1.32 per cent of the total electorate. The gender ratio has also improved to 834 female voters per 1,000 male voters.
Comparing the draft and final rolls, Rinwa said the total increase in the number of voters is 84,28,767. This includes an increase of 42,27,902 male voters, 42,00,778 female voters and 87 third gender voters.
The 18-19 age group registered a rise of 14,29,379 voters, while the gender ratio improved by 10 points from 824 to 834, he said.
Among districts, Prayagraj recorded the highest increase in voters at 3,29,421, followed by Lucknow at 2,85,961, Bareilly at over 2,57,000, Ghaziabad at 2,43,666 and Jaunpur at 2,37,590.
The CEO said the successful completion of the revision exercise reflects coordinated efforts by election officials, political parties and voters across the state.
