Manjushree N reinstated as Mandya Deputy Commissioner following elections

Administration

PC Jaffer, who temporarily replaced Manjushree, returned to his role as the Head of Department of Public Instruction.

TNM Staff

The Karnataka government has reinstated IAS officer N Manjushree, who was transferred out by the Election Commission of India during the Lok Sabha elections, as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Mandya district.  She was among 16 officers transferred on Friday with PC Jaffer, who temporarily replaced Manjushree, returning to his role as the Commissioner of Department of Public Instruction. During the intense election campaign in Mandya, independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh accused Manjushree of helping her opponent Nikhil Kumaraswamy in changing his nomination affidavit. The Election Commission of India (EC) had stepped in to transfer Manjushree from her post temporarily in April. Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Kumar went to Mandya to probe the allegations made by Sumalatha. The independent candidate had alleged that the DC did not act over alleged errors made in the nomination papers submitted by Nikhil. Polling in Mandya took place on April 18 and Sumalatha emerged victorious by 1.3 lakh votes.  Manjushree's transfer came after the EC had earlier transferred Hassan DC Akram Pasha following a complaint raised by Hassan BJP MLA Preetham Gowda accusing the DC of favouring Prajwal Revanna. Priyanka Mary Francis was posted as Hassan DC but after the Lok Sabha elections concluded, she was removed from the position and Akram was reinstated.    Meanwhile, Tushar Giri Nath was put in charge of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), TK Anil Kumar as tourism secretary, and D Randeep has been reinstated as additional commissioner in the BBMP.

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Man dies in Bengaluru after high-tension wire electrocutes him

Crime

The Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited is blaming the BBMP for approving construction of the multi-story building near a high-tension tower.

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A 23-year-old construction worker from Tamil Nadu, who accidentally came into contact with a high-tension wire on May 27 in Bengaluru, died on Friday night at Victoria Hospital. Satish, who was working at a construction site in the city’s Manjunath Nagar, was carrying out centring work, when a high-tension wire snapped and touched him. Satish was electrocuted lost consciousness and was immediately rushed to Victoria Hospital. He was admitted to the intensive care unit and was undergoing treatment. However, he succumbed to his injuries late on Friday night. The Basaveswara Nagar Police arrested the owner of the under-construction building Jayakumar and the supervisor Ramachandra on Saturday. They have been booked under section 304A (causing death by negligence of the IPC). The building, which was under construction, is located about 50 metres away from a high-tension tower. Bengaluru Mayor, Gangambike, who had visited the area on May 28, had taken the officials to task. As per building bye-laws, the BBMP cannot grant permission to construct multi-story structures in areas that have the presence of high-tension towers. The Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited is now laying the blame on BBMP’s shoulders, stating that officials in the civic body had approved building plans despite knowing that the site was located a few metres away from the tower. “There is always a possibility that high-tension wires snap. Our job is to fix it. It is BBMP’s job to ensure that houses that are constructed in such areas must only have ground floor. They gave permission to construct the house. They knew about the danger and yet they did not do anything about it,” a KPTCL official said. Speaking to TNM, Rajaji Nagar councillor Krishnamurthy, however, placed the blame on the home owner Jayakumar’s shoulder. Krishnamurthy said that the BBMP had approved the building plan for construction of a ground floor structure. “The owner has constructed the house illegally. We were busy with the BBMP bye-election in two wards and I did not know about the illegal construction until the incident occurred,” he added. Basaveswara Nagar Police, who interrogated the home owner Jayakumar, said that the BBMP officials had learned of the illegal construction and sent Jayakumar a notice to stop the construction. However, that did not deter him from going ahead with constructing the house. “The officials did not follow up on it after the notice was issued and Jayakumar too went ahead with the construction work. We are still questioning both accused,” the police added. This is not the first such incident that occurred this month. On May 20, 14-year-old Nikhil succumbed to burn injuries after being electrocuted by a live high-tension wire on May 16 in the city’s Mathikere area. The boy who was playing with his friends came into contact with a live wire dangling onto the terrace of his neighbour’s house when he went to fetch a cricket ball.    

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'Have orders to not topple coalition govt in Karnataka': Yeddyurappa

Politics

Yeddyurappa's statement comes at a time when there is uncertainty over the future of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka.

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Karnataka BJP President BS Yeddyurappa has stated that the party’s state unit has been told by the high command to not topple the Congress-JD(S) coalition government currently in power in the state.  "Our Delhi leaders have told us to not destabilise the state government in Karnataka. We are not power hungry and we don't need it. We have the strength to work as the opposition. Our government is in power in New Delhi. As long as development happens we don't say anything," he said speaking to reporters on Friday.  Yeddyurappa's statement comes at a time when there is uncertainty over the future of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka. He said that recent reports about the future of the state government is linked to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's attempts to destabilise the government.  "At the outset, it looks like Siddaramaiah is sending legislators and playing a game with himself to prove his importance to Congress. Taking note of this, party high command has directed us to not destabilise the government", Yeddyurappa added.  Yeddyurappa, whose term as BJP state president will be completed this year, met national BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi on Thursday.  Senior Congress and JD(S) leaders have held multiple meetings ever since the Lok Sabha Election results declared on May 23 confirmed a rout for the two parties in Karnataka. Each party was able to win just one seat each with the BJP sweeping 25 out of the 28 seats in the state.  Meanwhile, the BJP has 105 MLAs in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. The coalition has 116 MLAs and holds the support of the lone BSP MLA and two independents. 

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No homework for Class 1 and 2 in Karnataka, action to be taken against violating schools

Education

The affiliation certificates of those schools flouting norms will be at risk, warned the Karnataka Department of Primary and Secondary Education.

TNM Staff

Suspicious of schools violating the no homework rule for Classes 1 and 2, the Karnataka Department of Primary and Secondary Education on Friday issued a circular stating that the affiliation certificates of those schools flouting norms will be at risk. “For students of Class 1 and 2, no homework should be given. Schools must only provide textbooks prescribed by the NCERT for Classes 1 to 5. If any schools found violating these, then the affiliation of such schools will be at risk,” the circular reads. Earlier in May, the department had issued an order stating that homework must not be given to children studying in Classes 1 and 2 after consulting with the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT). “We have reason to believe that all schools are not following this rule. The initial order had not mentioned penalties for flouting norms. Now, we have mentioned that the affiliation of the schools violating the norms will be taken away. If that happens, they cannot admit children into the school or teach them,” a senior official with the Department of State Education Research and Training said. The department has also directed all Commissioner-level authorities to constitute special vigilance teams and conduct random checks on schools to catch violators. “There is a reason why the no homework rule was brought in. Most of the children in government schools come from low income backgrounds and their parents do not have the time to make them do homework. Besides, the children are far too young to be given homework. School should be a place where they develop social skills, mingle with other children, learn the basic subjects. It’s a time in their lives where extra curriculars is important. Homework can be given to children who are much older,” the official added. The department in its earlier order had mandated that books for children studying in Classes 1 and 2 must not exceed 100 pages and every third Saturday of the month must be observed as “no-bag day”. “We had received complaints from some parents that the schools were not following the rules. Hence, we have revised the order now. Stringent action will be taken,” he added.    

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Bengaluru man found dead in his car, friends allege harassment at work

Crime

Kaushik Shetty was working as a financial planner with an American firm Northern Trust.

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A Bengaluru man was found dead in his car which was filled with smoke on Friday afternoon on MVIT Road in Sathanur. The victim has been identified as 34-year-old Kaushik Shetty who was working as a financial planner with an American firm Northern Trust. He used to report to the firm’s office in Manyata Tech Park in the city. His family and friends had approached the police as he went missing after he left his Frazer Town residence on Thursday morning. His family came to know that he did not reach office and they panicked as he did not return home. A missing person’s complaint was filed in Pulikeshi Nagar Police Station on Thursday night itself. Based on credible information, his family reached MVIT Road where a car matching their description was found. They found the car was locked and was filled with smoke. Upon breaking the car windows, they recovered his partially burnt body. Police have also found two bottles of petrol from the car which suggests that Kaushik may have attempted to take his own life by setting fire. Preliminary investigation suggests that Kaushik died due to asphyxiation and not due to burn injuries. Police have sent his body for post-mortem. A case of unnatural death has been registered in Bagalur Police Station. Meanwhile, his friends have told police that he was facing harassment at work. Police are probing all angles in the case. “His family told us that he was a happy man. We are still questioning his colleagues,” Kala Krishnamurthy, DCP North, told Deccan Herald. He is survived by his wife and six-month-old child. If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal please provide help. Karnataka has a 24-hour helpline for those seeking help. Sahai in Karnataka: 24-hour helpline numbers: 080- 65000111, 65000222    

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Post LS rout in Karnataka, Congress makes strong comeback in local body polls

Politics

Out of the 1221 wards, the Congress won 509. The BJP and the Congress won 366 and 160 seats respectively.

TNM Staff

A week after its worst-ever drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, the Congress has emerged as the most successful party in the recently concluded Urban Local Body elections.   Among a total of 1221 wards across 20 districts, which went to polls on May 29, the Congress won 509. The BJP and the JD(S) won 366 and 160 respectively. A total of 160 seats were won by independent candidates. Among other parties, only the CPI(M) and BSP won two and three seats each. Unlike the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and JD(S) contested these elections separately for seven City Municipal Councils, 714 seats in 30 Town Municipal Councils and 290 seats in 19 Town Panchayats. Of the 1,361 seats in 63 civic bodies, elections were held in 1,221 seats in 56 civic bodies spread over 20 of the 22 districts across the southern state. Polls were not held for 46 seats in Bengaluru Rural and 94 seats in Shivamogga in the Malnad region due to legal cases pending in these two districts with regards to delimitation and reservations. Of the 217 seats in 7 city councils, the Congress won 90, the BJP 56, the JD(S) 30, and Independents and others 41. Of the 714 seats in 30 town councils, the Congress won 322, the BJP 184, the JD(S) 102, and Independents and others 106. Of the 290 seats in 19 town panchayats, the BJP won 126, the Congress 97, the JD(S) 34, and Independents 33. Reacting to the victory, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao questioned how BJP lost after performing so well in the Lok Sabha elections.  He tweeted, “@INCIndia wins 509/1221 of the #KarnatakaUrbanLocalBodiesElections Winning almost 42% of the seats, it clearly shows that the people of Karnataka are with the Congress. What surprises me is how did BJP lose after winning by huge margins in the Loksabha. Needs investigation.” @INCIndia wins 509/1221 of the #KarnatakaUrbanLocalBodiesElections Winning almost 42% of the seats, it clearly shows that the people of Karnataka are with the Congress. What surprises me is how did BJP lose after winning by huge margins in the Loksabha. Needs investigation. pic.twitter.com/wa9uRcMp4r — Dinesh Gundu Rao / ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) May 31, 2019 Meanwhile, in Bengaluru BBMP limits, the BJP and the Congress won one seat each in the bye-polls held on the same day.          

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States seeking clarity in booming hemp oil market

Congress threw states a curveball when it legalized CBD.

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