All Karnataka MLAs except 2 JD(S) legislators vote in Prez poll

DHNS
July 18, 2017

Bengaluru, Jul 18: As many as 222 of the total 224 MLAs in the state exercised their franchise for the Presidential poll in Bengaluru on Monday.

Congress MP from Chikkodi Prakash B Hukkeri was the lone MP to vote at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, the venue for the poll in Karnataka, while other MPs from the state voted at Parliament House in New Delhi.

The absentee legislators were JD(S) rebel MLA N Cheluvarayaswamy, who is away in the United States, and YSV Datta of JD(S). Datta’s sister passed away in Kadur, Chikkamagaluru district, on Monday morning.

The three major parties — the Congress, the BJP and the JD(S) — held their respective legislature party meetings at the Vidhana Soudha in the morning before the commencement of the polling.

The Presidential election is witnessing a direct fight between the NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind and the Opposition nominee Meira Kumar. The JD(S) had announced that it will support Meira.

In Karnataka, the electoral college comprises 28 Lok Sabha members, 12 Rajya Sabha members and 224 MLAs. The value of each vote of an MP is 708, while that of an MLA from Karnataka is 131.

BJP MLAs were among the first to vote for electing the next President of India. Polling was held between 10 am and 5 pm at the committee room on the first floor of the Vidhana Soudha in the presence of observers from the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah arrived at the polling booth along with five of the seven JD(S) rebel MLAs — B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, M B Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, H C Balakrishna, Bhima Naik S and R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy. The JD(S) had suspended seven MLAs for cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha polls last year.

JD(S) members led by their state president H D Kumaraswamy voted soon after Siddaramaiah left the polling booth.

Specially serial-numbered pens with violet ink were provided to the voters to ensure that only the writing instrument issued by the ECI is used by voters to mark their votes.

Hukkeri said he had opted to vote from his home state as a mark of tribute to the people of Karnataka who had elected him.

The Vidhana Soudha, which of late has been wearing a deserted look, was a beehive of activity on Monday. The corridors of power were crowded with people, many from other districts, who had made a beeline to the Vidhana Soudha knowing that the entire Cabinet and all the MLAs would be present for the Presidential poll.

Four MLAs arrive in wheelchairs

Four MLAs S R Vishwanth (BJP), Rudresh Gowda, Basavaraj Rayareddy and M H Ambareesh (all Congress) took the wheelchair route to the polling booth. While Gowda is suffering from a bout of illness, Vishwanath and Rayareddy recently suffered fracture in their legs after they slipped and fell. Ambareesh indulged in some dramatics much to the delight of onlookers.

Ambareesh who was walking into the Vidhana Soudha saw Rayareddy being helped from his wheelchair into his car.

Ambareesh then sat on the wheelchair and directed his gunman to wheel him to the polling booth. “Dari bidro” (make way), he shouted at the videographers capturing the drama.

At the polling booth, he got up, cast his vote and leaned on the ballot box posing for photographers, “photo thegiro” (take photo) he said. ECI officials cautioned him. He then asked his gunman to wheel him away.

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News Network
May 8,2024

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru North police have apprehended a minor in connection with alleged voyeurism incident reported in a private medical college in Mangaluru. 

DCP (Law and order) Sidharth Goyal said that the minor was produced before JJ Board as per due procedure. The incident came to light when a mobile phone was found in women's washroom in the college. 

The mobile-phone was discovered as it was ringing even when no one was in the toilet by the security guard of the college. 

Investigations revealed that the mobile phone had been strategically placed in the restroom. As a result, a case has been registered under north police station.

Further scrutiny into the matter uncovered the identity of the accused, a minor male aged 17, who had gained access to the college premises under the guise of being a patient. Following his apprehension, the accused was presented before the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Board in adherence to legal protocols.

The phone has been seized and a case has been booked under IPC section 354 (C), said the DCP.

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News Network
May 1,2024

Hassan MP and Lok Sabha election candidate of the BJP-JD(S) alliance Prajwal Revanna, who is facing an inquiry over the alleged sexual abuse of several women, said the truth will prevail.

The MP, who left the country as soon as the election to his constituency ended, has also sought seven days' time to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Karnataka government to inquire into the huge cache of about 3,000 explicit videos and photos allegedly pertaining to him, which have gone viral on social media.

“As I am not in Bangalore to attend the enquiry, I have communicated to CID Bangalore through my advocate. Truth will prevail soon,” Prajwal, grandson of former prime minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda, said in a post on X.

A case has been registered against MLA and former minister H D Revanna and his son Prajwal at Holenarasipura on a complaint lodged by their former cook and relative for allegedly sexually harassing her.

She also alleged that Prajwal made video calls to her daughter and spoke in an objectionable manner, which forced her to block him.

The MP who is seeking re-election from Hassan on a JD(S) ticket, shared a letter by his lawyer Arun G to the Deputy Superintendent of Police of the SIT, in which he has sought seven days' time to appear before the official because he is abroad.

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News Network
May 4,2024

nimbalkar.jpg

Bengaluru: BJP leader Anantkumar Hegde represented Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha segment in Karnataka for six terms and now gynecologist Anjali Nimbalkar is putting up a spirited fight seeking to turn the tide and "deliver" it for the Congress.

Dr Nimbalkar is taking on former Karnataka Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who replaced Hegde, in this BJP stronghold.

A former Congress MLA, she lost the Assembly elections from Khanapur in Belagavi district last year.

The 62-year-old Kageri, a six-term MLA and a former minister, was also defeated in the Assembly polls from Sirsi.

"In the past 30 years, the voice of Uttara Kannada was not spoken and not even a single question was asked in the Parliament," Nimbalkar said in an apparent dig at Hegde.

If elected, she said her focus is to address the local issues related to forest dwellers, getting them 'patra' for their own land -- a battle they have been fighting for long.

Also on her priority list is getting a multispecialty hospital in Kumta as per people's demand, generating employment and focusing on tourism for the overall development of Uttara Kannada.

"Issues related to forest dwellers -- they want a 'patra' for their own land -- we will try and put forth these issues in the first session itself and we will see to it that maximum applications which are pending with the Central government get cleared during the first session itself," she said in an interview.

"So, our thing is that at least 50 per cent of the jobs should be given to the local Kannadigas in the Central schemes which are implemented in the district," she said.

Noting that Uttara Kannada has a combination of both beaches and temples, Nimbalkar said the district can be developed internationally in a much higher scale than "what actually Goa or Kerala is".

The Congress candidate is also banking on the five guarantee schemes launched by the Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka and the promises made by party in its manifesto at the national level.

Responding to a question, she expressed happiness that the Congress has fielded a total of six women candidates out of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka.

While campaigning, Nimbalkar said she was overwhelmed to see a large number of people, especially women, turning up for her rallies despite the intense heat in Uttara Kannada.

"They are very happy that the Congress has given a woman candidate and an educated candidate who herself is a doctor and a gynecologist. So they are excited that, yes, she can be our voice in the Parliament who can fight for our rights," the 47-year-old said.

"I have worked as an MLA (Khanapur), so they have seen my work in the Assembly and the expectations are like, yes, she will be the one who will be speaking for us and that faith is seen in their eyes," she said.

Nimbalkar strongly believes that when women enter any field, it brings a different perspective - be it in terms of management, policy formulation or even as homemakers.

Uttara Kannada is among the 14 constituencies going for polls in Karnataka under second phase on May 7.

Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats and the first phase of polling was held on April 26.

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