SC refuses to stay swearing-in of Yeddyurappa as Karnataka CM

Agencies

May 17, 2018

Bengaluru, May 17: As the term of the longest-serving Chief Minister of Karnataka in three decades, Siddaramaiah, draws to a close, Karnataka's next Chief Minister will once again be B S Yeddyurappa, the BJP's candidate and Lingayat leader from Shimoga district.

However, it is not clear how long Yeddyurappa's term might last since the BJP has not publicly said how they will meet the 8-seat gap they are currently facing to win the majority in the Assembly.

A special bench of India's apex court said it will not withhold the swearing-in of B S Yeddyurappa at 9am (IST) on Thursday as CM of Karnataka after a pre-dawn hearing on Thursday.

After hearing arguments from both sides the Supreme Court of India said it would not interfere in the decision of Governor Vajubhai R Vala's decision to invite the BJP to form the new government and prove its majority in a Floor Test in the Assembly. The court issued notice to CM candidate Yeddyurappa and asked his lawyer to appear before the court.

The Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress combine approached the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday night. Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra agreed to constitute a bench comprising Justices A K Sikri, Arvind Bobde and Ashok Bhushan to hear their plea. The JD(S)-Congress alliance is asking the court to deem the letter issued by Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala asking B S Yeddyurappa and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) illegal and unconstitutional because the BJP is 8 seats short of being able to form a majority government.

The hearing, which began in the wee hours of Thursday, features senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi for the Congress-JD(S), former Attorney General for India Mukul Rohatgi will argue for two BJP elected representatives and Attorney General for India K K Venugopal for the Union of India (Central government). Attorney General for India K K Venugopal alleged that some of the signatures obtained by the JD(S)-Congress alliance from their elected representatives could be fake. Venugopal is appearing on behalf the the Union government. He also said to the judges that the court cannot restrain the swearing-in of B S Yeddyurappa as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka because the court doesn't know how many elected representatives the BJP has on its side.

The arguments were made in the aftermath of a fractured people's mandate in Karnataka, which continued to keep a question mark on who will form the government in the state. The political tussle reached the India's top court late on Wednesday night. After declining to stay the swearing-in ceremony of Yeddyurappa, the court is continuing to hear the case. A order is expected at around 6am (IST), Thursday.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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