Shivamogga: Agents led by BJP corporator insult RTO officer by showing slipper
Shivamogga, Feb 18: Video clippings of insulting the Deputy Transport Commissioner by showing the slipper and discriminatory abuse on his caste, by some RTO agents led by a BJP corporator at the Regional Transport Office here, has gone viral in the social media creating widespread resentment against the incident.
The incident occurred at the RTO office on Saturday afternoon. Currently, when the video has gone viral in social media, the District Government Employees Association and DSS office-bearers visited the RTO office and collected information from the officer and urged the authorities to take legal action against the culprits.
Following these developments, senior regional transport officer Srinivasaiah lodged a complaint against BJP corporator E Vishwas, RTO agents Mohan, Alase Raju, Laxman, Javeed, Munaf, Siraj and others at the Jayanagar police station.
He lodged the case on atrocity, obstructing the government employee from discharging his duty, insult and etc. Based on these, the police registered the case under various columns of the IPC.
About incident
Recently, Srinivasaiah took charge as the deputy transport commissioner. Later, he came to know about the menace of agents in the office and some staff have been getting their works done through some agents.
Later, he imposed restrictions on the entry of agents to the premises where employees are working. He also took initiatives to to bring efficiency in the work. It is said that the officer has also took an agent who was working for an employee to task.
The employees informed these developments to the agents who were angry about the decisions taken by Srinivasaiah.
On Saturday, all the agents led by BJP corporator E Vishwas, who is also working as an RTO agent, barged into the office of Srinivasaiah, insulted him and his officers in discriminatory and even threatened them after showing the slipper at him. This incident was recorded in the CCTV cameras.
Apart from this, some people have recorded it in their mobile phones and posted in social media. When the incident got attention in the social media, RTO officers lodged complaint, sources said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
BJP, TMC hail SC directions on counting of votes for West Bengal polls
Kolkata (PTI): The BJP and TMC on Saturday both hailed the SC directions on the Election Commission's circular over the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal.
The apex court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against the April 13 circular.
In a social media post, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "In yet another legal setback, the Supreme Court has refused to intervene. The Trinamool Congress had approached the court challenging the exclusion of state government employees from vote-counting supervisor duties, and had sought an urgent hearing."
"The refusal to entertain this plea underscores a clear message -- attempts to influence or cast doubt over the integrity of the counting process will not find easy validation. Another day, another judicial rebuff for Mamata Banerjee," he added.
The TMC, however, claimed that the SC directions vindicated its stand.
"The issue raised before the Hon'ble Supreme Court pertained to the implementation of the said communication in a manner whereby only Central Government/Central PSU employees were being appointed as Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants for counting of votes," the party said in a statement.
The TMC said it was highlighted that such an interpretation and implementation of the communication would be contrary to the framework of a fair and balanced counting process.
"After hearing the parties, the Hon'ble Supreme Court directed that Clause 1 of the communication dated 13.04.2026, relating to the appointment of Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants, must be read along with the salient feature contained in the second page of the said communication, which provides for random selection of both State Government and Central Government employees," it said.
"The Hon'ble Supreme Court has further recorded the undertaking of Mr Dama Seshadri Naidu, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the Election Commission of India that the said communication shall be followed in its letter and spirit," it added.
The TMC said that in view of the directions, it is expected that the counting of votes shall be conducted in a fair, transparent, and balanced manner.
A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the EC can choose the counting personnel, and its April 13 circular, which provides for deployment of state government employees as well, cannot be said to be incorrect.
The poll body said the apprehensions of TMC of any wrongdoing are misplaced, as the circular very clearly states that there will be a mix of central and state government employees.
The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit, and there would be state government employees also during the counting of votes on May 4.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.
On April 30, the Calcutta High Court dismissed the TMC's petition against the Election Commission circular, saying there was no illegality in the poll panel's decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from Central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees, instead of the state government staff.
