Came to know about UP govt’s allegation only after release, even police didn’t ask me: Fact-Checker Zubair

Chikkamagaluru, Dec 19: Opposition leader in Assembly Siddaramaiah was greeted with a black flag a Makkikoppa in Koppa taluk of Chikkamagaluru district on Friday.

Siddaramaiah is in the Chikkamagaluru district to visit the rain-affected areas. As his vehicle reached Makkikopa, a few BJP leaders allegedly waved black cloth at him and shouted slogans against him.

They also exhibited saffron shawl, black cloth, and portraits of Savarkar. The police later dispersed the protesters.

Black flags were also waved at Siddaramaiah when his vehicle reached Samskrita Vidyalaya at Menase in Sringeri. In retaliation, the Congress workers staged a protest, which led to an exchange of words among BJP and Congress workers.

The BJP workers shouted slogans of ‘Go back Siddaramaiah’ and displayed the portrait of Savarkar. While Congress workers shouted slogans in favour of Siddaramaiah. 

9 held over hurling eggs

Meanwhile, the Kushalnagar rural police in Kodagu have arrested nine persons in connection with hurling eggs on the car in which leader of opposition in Assembly Siddaramaiah was travelling. The police had booked cases against nine persons. 

MLA Appachuranjan and other BJP leaders have demanded the release of the arrested. All were arrested on Thursday late night. 

Siddaramaiah was greeted with black flags and hurled eggs at the car at Guddehosur in Kushalnagar when he was travelling to the rain- affected areas in Kodagu district on Thursday.

New Delhi, Aug 19: The CBI on Friday carried out searches at 21 locations in Delhi-NCR, including at the premises of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and IAS officer Arava Gopi Krishna, after registering an FIR in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, officials said. 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered the FIR in connection with the alleged irregularities in formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy brought in November last year, they said. 

During the search operation, the CBI teams reached 21 locations, including the premises of four public servants including Sisodia and former Excise Commissioner Krishna, a 2012-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, they said. 

Delhi L-G V K Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into the Kejriwal government's Excise Policy, 2021-22, over alleged violations of rules and procedural lapses.

The CBI inquiry was recommended on the Delhi Chief Secretary's report filed in July, showing prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009 and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, they said.

Apart from this there were also "deliberate and gross procedural lapses" to provide post tender "undue benefits to liquor licensees", said the officials.

Reacting to the raids, Sisodia said the CBI is welcome and asserted that the truth will come out.

In a series of tweets, he said these people are troubled because of the excellent work done by the Delhi Government in health and education sectors.

That is why ministers of both departments are "targeted" to stop us from good work in health and education sectors, he said.

"The allegations against both of us are lies. Truth will come out in court," he said.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain was earlier arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "CBI is welcome. We will give full cooperation. Searches/raids took place earlier too, but nothing was found. Nothing will be found now too." 

New Delhi, Aug 6: National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar has been elected India's 14th Vice President on Saturday. He secured 528 votes. Opposition pick Margaret Alva who got 182 votes has lost.

Dhankar reached Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi's residence at 11 Akbar Road before the announcement of the results for the Vice Presidential Election.

Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh, who was the presiding officer for the 16th Vice Presidential election, said that of the 780 MPs eligible to cast votes, 725 MPs cast their vote. Fifteen votes were found invalid and 710 votes were valid.

Described as ‘Kisan-Putra (farmer’s son)’ by the BJP, Dhankhar had said that he had never thought that a person like him with a modest background” would get the opportunity to serve as the second highest Constitutional post.

“I was born in a farmer’s family. I had to walk around 6km to my school,” said Dhankhar, who recently quit as West Bengal Governor.

He was appointed as the Governor of West Bengal in 2019.

Around 93 per cent polling was recorded in the vice presidential election on Saturday, with more than 50 MPs not exercising their franchise.

Officials said of the total 780 MPs, as many as 725 MPs voted till 5 pm when the polling concluded.

The Trinamool Congress, which has 39 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, had already announced its decision to abstain from the election.

However, two of its MPs -- Sisir Kumar Adhikari and Dibyendu Adhikari -- broke ranks and cast their ballots.

The next Vice-President of the country will take the oath of office on August 11, a day after the term of the incumbent Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu ends.

Janata Dal (United), YSRCP, BSP, AIADMK had announced support for Dhankhar. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) extended support to Alva.

Polling to elect the next Vice President of India began at 10 am.

The counting of votes began at 6 pm.

The Vice President of India, which is the second-highest constitutional post in the country, is elected through an electoral college consisting of members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

All MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including nominated members, are entitled to vote in the vice presidential election.

The two Houses of Parliament together have a sanctioned strength of 788 MPs, of which there are eight vacancies in the Upper House.

The Vice President of India is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.