Women lawyers ask for 33% reservation: HC stays polls to Tumakuru District Advocates Association
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has stayed the elections to the Tumakuru District Advocates Association, following a petition by the women advocates of the Bar Association urging for an implementation of 33 per cent reservation in the Association.
The single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna, hearing the petition on Wednesday, passed the interim order on the elections scheduled for April 5, adding that the next hearing of the case would be on Friday, March 21, reports LiveLaw.
The petitioners had stated that they had written to the Election Officer and President of the Tumakuru Bar Association on March 5, urging that one-thirds of the posts in the Association be reserved for women advocates. The Association, which took a decision on the matter on March 17, rejected the request of the petitioners. It also cited bylaws of the Association, according to which, reservation had already been provided for women advocates. It added that it faced restrictions related to authority provided to committees as well as time to take decisions on such matters, the petitioners said.
Alleging that the Association had failed to exercise discretion in a matter related to constitutional morality, the petitioners called ‘lack of time’ an unreasonable excuse on the part of the Association. The women advocates have also told the High Court that the rejection of the request for 33 per cent reservation for women in the elections, although the Association had a considerable number of female members, amounts to gender discrimination and violates the principles of equality and non-discrimination.
Advocate Vidyashree KS appeared for the petitioners.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
