Karnataka HC sets aside media gag order obtained by BJP's Tejasvi Surya

Court

Tejasvi Surya had obtained a temporary injunction on 49 media houses from publishing defamatory stories on him earlier in March.

Theja Ram

The Karnataka High Court on Friday set aside the temporary injunction passed by a Bengaluru sessions court banning 49 media outlets from reporting defamatory statements against Bengaluru South BJP candidate Tejasvi Surya. The division bench of the Karnataka High Court comprising acting Chief Justice L Narayana Swamy and Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar had on Thursday reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from both parties. The High Court order was based on a public interest litigation filed by Democratic Reforms Organisation seeking directions to set aside the injunction order granted by the sessions court on March 29. The Karnataka High Court, on Friday, stated that the media is not to be restrained from publishing content except that which is defamatory in nature and set aside the gag order. The case was also disposed. The HC also stated that Tejasvi Surya can approach the Election Commission if he finds any content in the media defamatory in nature. The division bench of the Karnataka High Court, heard the PIL against the injunction order on Thursday and drew parallels to the publication of Rafale documents. The Supreme Court had on Wednesday allowed a review petition on probing the Rafale fighters purchase deal based on media publication of documents related to the alleged scam. The petitioner’s advocate had stated that voters had a right to know about the candidates in fray. He argued that the court had curtailed the media from reporting anything negative against Tejasvi Surya and that the court could not curtail the media its right to publish news stories as it interfered with free and fair process of elections, he said. Senior advocate Ashok Haranahalli, who represented Tejasvi Surya, argued that the petitioner was not in the business of news and had no locus standi in the matter.  The sessions court had, in a first of its kind order, granted a temporary injunction till May 27. Forty-four media outlets in India and five global digital media companies had been temporarily prohibited from publishing ‘defamatory and derogatory’ content about BJP candidate Tejasvi Surya since March 29, when the injunction was brought in. While granting the ad-interim exparte temporary injunction (an exparte order is one which is given after only one side has been heard), the sessions court had noted that a #MeToo allegation against the candidate had surfaced only after he filed nomination. In his order, the judge observes, “How all of a sudden these allegations against the plaintiff emerged immediately after he filed nomination for General Elections is a questionable question," the court said, adding that though defendants have freedom of speech and expression, that cannot violate the human dignity of life of any citizen.”  

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Battleground Karnataka: Both Modi and Rahul to campaign in state on Saturday

Lok Sabha 2019

While Modi is addressing rallies in Mangaluru and Bengaluru, Rahul Gandhi is speaking in Kolar, Chitradurga and Mandya.

IANS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi will campaign in Karnataka on Saturday for their candidates contesting in the Lok Sabha elections. "Modi will return to Karnataka to address BJP rallies in Mangaluru and Bengaluru," Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman S. Shanataram said. Gandhi will address three rallies in Kolar, Chitradurga and K.R. Nagar in the Mandya parliamentary constituency. "He will campaign for our candidates at Kolar and Chitradurga and for our Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) ally candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy in the Mandya seat," Congress official Prakash Rathod said. Modi addressed two rallies at Chitradurga and Mysuru on Wednesday. Of the 28 seats across the state, 14 in the central and southern regions will vote on April 18 and the remaining 14 in the coastal and northern regions on April 23. Vote count in all the seats is on May 23. Of the seven rallies the BJP has scheduled for Modi, the last two will be at Belagavi and Chikkodi. The BJP is contesting in 27 parliamentary seats and supporting multi-lingual south India actor Sumalatha Ambareesh, an Independent, from Mandya against Nikhil Gowda of the JD-S. The Congress and JD-S have fielded joint candidates in all the 28 seats in the ratio of 21:7 under a seat-sharing arrangement. As Modi's two rallies in the state coincide with the first phase of polling on April 18, BJP's rivals protested that his address at the twin rallies if held during the day may influence the electorate voting in 14 seats across the central and southern regions. Gandhi has already campaigned for the party in the state twice on March 31 at Kalaburagi and Bengaluru on March 18. He also addressed a party meeting at Haveri on March 9.

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Swiggy delivery executive among candidates contesting from Bengaluru Central

Lok Sabha 2019

Jenifar J Russel, 38, spent years working in the corporate sector before quitting to pursue a different career path.

Soumya Chatterjee

More than 20 candidates are contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Bengaluru Central, and among them is Jenifar J Russel, an independent candidate currently working as a Swiggy food delivery executive. Since 2013, 38-year-old Jenifar, an engineering graduate who hails from Thiruvananthapuram, says he has nurtured the idea of joining politics. Though he spent years working in the corporate sector, he ultimately left that career behind to pursue a different path. “I took a break in my career and worked low-profile jobs with less salary. This included working as a traffic police warden in Kerala Police for a few months in 2015,” he says. He also worked as a deputy manager for a private company in 2016. “Since November, I have been working as a cab driver to travel across Bengaluru. I could understand the problems of the common man, like a driver.  Earlier I used to make fun of Swacch Bharat and other such schemes. But then I realised how we need it so much. We require many more toilets and where we have toilets, we need to maintain them in a better way,” he told TNM. “I wanted to understand the problems better, so I switched to Swiggy. It's a better way to reach people, especially youngsters,” he said, adding that he has met thousands of people since taking the job. Jenifar says he has never aligned with any one political party, says he advocates for the cause of common people, like him, to root out corruption in politics. “People say that you need a crore of rupees to do campaigning but when I left my job there was only Rs 1,20,000. Now I have done 200 days of campaigning and spent around Rs 31,000. I want to inspire more people to contest elections in the coming days for local and state polls. I want honest people to join politics,” he says. Jenifar began his one-man campaign in November 2018. He handed out his list of promises to every voter he met, including his cab and food delivery customers. “When I meet people one to one, in each area the requirements were different. So I used to answer to the public based on the questions they ask and I used to explain my solutions,” he says. The prominent candidates in the constituency include incumbent MP PC Mohan of the BJP, Congress-JD(S) alliance candidate Rizwan Arshad and popular multilingual actor Prakash Raj who is contesting as an independent. Despite his limited reach, Jenifar says, “It’s a four-way fight between PC Mohan, Prakash Raj, Rizwan Arshad and me. I believe in god and anything can happen.”  

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Dale Steyn shows Indian visa, RCB fans think he is 'coming home'

Sport

After losing 6 games this season, RCB fans think Steyn will come back to the team, and revive their dwindling hopes in this season's IPL.

TNM Staff

South African speedster Dale Steyn sent social media into a tizzy after he uploaded a photograph on Instagram showing an Indian visa. The photograph, which has since been widely shared on social media, has led to speculation that the fast bowler is on the verge of joining the Royal Challengers of Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League. On his Instagram story, Steyn also added the caption, “Ahhh, what’s this little surprise”, along with the picture of the visa. However, there has been no confirmation on what his role will be in India. It is also possible that he has signed on to work as a commentator in the IPL. RCB fans who have had very little to cheer this season are holding out hope that Steyn has been drafted as a replacement for Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile. RCB is yet to win a game in this season's IPL. The team has lost six games in a row and has had to endure social media ridicule of their performance. The speculation of Steyn signing for the team has been a topic of discussion among RCB fans on social media. The team's official Twitter handle has also been bombarded with tweets by fans asking if Steyn is joining. RCB fans are sticking to whatever little ray of hope they can stick to. Right now, it is Dale Steyn's IG story! — Romsha (@kohlischarms) April 11, 2019 Update about dale steyn please !! — Manoj Kumar (@VKnAKaddict) April 12, 2019 Dale Steyn coming to India...hopefully he'll replace NCN....#SteynComingHome — JSK (@imjsk27) April 11, 2019 Dale Steyn in IPL Matches - 90 Innings - 90 Wickets - 92 Avg - 25.06 Eco - 6.72 His economy rate of 6.72 is the best ever economy rate for a fast bowler in IPL's history...the legend is an IPL GOAT....#SteynComingHome — JSK (@imjsk27) April 11, 2019 Steyn is a veteran speedster and still remains one of the most feared fast bowlers in the world. He was a part of the RCB team in the first three years of the IPL before joining the now defunct Hyderabad Deccan Chargers. He then played for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Lions. #ThrowbackThursday Dale Steyn in RCB pic.twitter.com/stFNwSlMnY — Rasool (@ImRASOOL) April 11, 2019

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Silencing rebels: What Rahul Gandhi's campaign in Mandya means for Cong-JD(S)

Lok Sabha 2019

Rahul Gandhi is all set to become the star campaigner for Nikhil Kumaraswamy as he is slated to address a joint rally of the Congress and JD(S) in Mandya’s KR Nagar.

Theja Ram

Amidst the rebellion in the Congress in Karnataka’s Mandya, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had made an emotional speech while campaigning for his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy. “Wait and watch. The votes of those who are seen with Nikhil’s opponent (referring to Independent candidate, actor Sumalatha) will also come to the JD(S).” As phase 2 of the elections near, looks like Chief Minister Kumaraswamy is trying to ensure that the rebelling Congress party workers do not end up supporting Sumalatha. The JD(S) has now pulled out the big guns and got Congress President Rahul Gandhi to campaign for Nikhil on Saturday. Rahul Gandhi is all set to become the star campaigner for Nikhil Kumaraswamy as he is slated to address a joint rally of the Congress and JD(S) in Mandya’s KR Nagar on Saturday. JD(S) insiders say that the decision to hold the joint rally in KR Nagar was a strategic one. “KR Nagar constituents have openly shown their support for Sumalatha and the rally is going to be held there to break into Sumalatha’s stronghold,” the JD(S) leader added. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has been actively campaigning for Nikhil over the last two days in Mandya as Sumalatha’s election campaign in the interior villages was gaining ground. This, after several Congress leaders and party workers openly campaigned for Sumalatha and waved Congress flags during her election campaign. Unwilling to take any chances with the rebel Congress party workers swinging to the opposition’s camp, Kumaraswamy has personally invited Rahul Gandhi to campaign for his son in KR Nagar. Congress leaders and party workers have rebelled in Mandya as they are unwilling to support a candidate of their arch rival in the region, JD(S). In Mandya, that the Congress and JD(S) have always been bitter enemies and Congress party workers are not willing to support Nikhil Kumaraswamy now. Sources in the Congress say that Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Mandya is being done as a show of unity among coalition partners. Despite forming a pre-poll alliance, several Congress leaders from Mandya including Cheluvarayaswamy and Ravindra Babu had openly refused to campaign for Nikhil. Although a few other leaders had not expressed solidarity with Sumalatha, they, too, had refrained from campaigning for the JD(S)’s candidate. However, with Rahul Gandhi’s arrival, the rebel leaders are now being forced to participate in the election rally and support Nikhil. JD(S) insiders say that the party is eager to bring in Deve Gowda and Rahul Gandhi to campaign for Nikhil, especially since Prime Minister Narendra Modi had openly offered his support to Sumalatha during an election rally in Mysuru on Tuesday.

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K’taka HC issues notice to BBMP after residents object to white-topping of road

Civic Issues

The case pertains to white-topping of South End Road from Madhavan Park to Nettakallappa Circle.

TNM Staff

File image

The Karnataka High Court has served a notice to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in connection with a public interest litigation objecting to white-topping of South End Road from Madhavan Park to Nettakallappa Circle. The petition filed by AC Chandrashekar and seven other residents of Basavanagudi cited that the BBMP so far has not finalised any scientific method for the white-topping. They said the road will lack drainage facilities for both rainwater and sewage as no culverts have been built and also white-topping will make the road uneven. The petitioners contended that white-topping was not required for this stretch. The case is being heard by a division bench headed by acting Chief Justice L Narayana Swamy and Justice PS Dinesh Kumar.  This stretch is proposed to be white-topped after the election Model Code of Conduct is lifted, as many pending civic works will be taken up by the authorities. “While white-topping and TenderSure works will continue after the elections, new ward works will be taken up in other places like Malleswaram, Peenya, Shivajinagar, Chamarajpet, Lingarajapuram, Yelahanka and Hebbal. Apart from this, the ongoing flyover and underpass work like at Okalipuram and Sivananda Circle will also be speeded up. We also plan to take up skywalk construction work after the code of conduct ends,” an official told Deccan Herald. However, opposition to white-topping of roads is not new. In September, 2018, residents of Wilson Garden had held a protest against it. They said the project was not suitable for their vehicles. “The white-topping project is not suitable for the motorists. The tyres of our vehicles are not designed for concrete roads. They want to lay a white-topping on this bad road but it will only harm the road further and will also deplete the groundwater,” one protestor had said.

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7 Karnataka Congress leaders sacked for supporting Sumalatha in Mandya

Lok Sabha 2019

The alliance candidate Nikhil K, son of CM HD Kumaraswamy is up against widow of Rebel Star Ambareesh, who is getting support from the BJP.

IANS

The Karnataka unit of Congress has suspended seven block leaders in the Mandya district for anti-party activities and not campaigning for JJD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, contesting from the Mandya Lok Sabha seat, a party official said on Thursday. "As the district block leaders refused to campaign for Nikhil, defying high command's diktat (order), state unit president Dinesh Gundu Rao has suspended them for indiscipline and anti-party activities," party official Ravi Gowda told IANS. "As they refused to fall in line and obey the party's order for the cause of coalition dharma, the party had to suspend them and seek explanation for defying the diktat," said Gowda. Mandya district is about 100 km southwest of here on way to Mysuru. "The rebels were also suspended for campaigning on the sly for our rival candidate (Sumalatha Ambareesh) contesting as an Independent with the BJP support," said Gowda. The suspended block presidents are H. Appaji of Mandya Rural, A.S. Rajeev of Bharati Nagar, Putramu of Malavalli Rural, K.J. Devaraj of Malavalli City, M. Prasanna of Nagamangala, K.R. Ravindra Babu of K.R. Pet and S.B. Prakash of Melkote. As part of pre-poll alliance, the JD-S and the Congress have agreed to field joint candidates in all 28 parliamentary seats and campaign jointly to prevent division of votes in a straight contest with the BJP. Though hundreds of party workers have refused to campaign for 29-year-old Nikhil, an upcoming Kannada film actor, the party hopes suspension of their leaders would make them (cadres) stop from seeking votes openly for Sumalatha and campaigning for her on the sly. As per the seat-sharing arrangement, the Congress is contesting 21 seats and the JD-S 7, including Mandya, Hassan, Tumkur and Udupi-Chikamagalur in the first phase of polling. "The block presidents were warned against anti-party activities on receiving complaints from JD-S leaders that they were campaigning for the rival (Sumalatha) and seeking votes in the name of Ambareesh," said Gowda. Kannada rebel star M.H. Ambareesh, 66, who died on November 24, 2018, was a native of Mandya and represented it in the Lok Sabha thrice, twice as the Congress member and once as the JD-S member. "Though we all have respect and love for Ambareesh as his ardent fans, we cannot violate party discipline and coalition dharma," Gowda said. Polling will be held in two phases for 14 seats each on April 18 in the central and southern regions and on April 23 in the coastal and northern regions.         

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