Council Chairman's fate now hinges on JD(S) support

June 15, 2017

Bengaluru, Jun 15: The continuation of D H Shankaramurthy as Legislative Council Chairman will depend on the JD(S). The Council on Tuesday had admitted a notice by the ruling Congress seeking to move a resolution to remove Shankaramurthy.

The resolution (commonly referred to as no-confidence motion) against Shankaramurthy will be taken up immediately after question hour on Thursday. To oust the chairman, the Congress needs the support of 38 members. The party has 36 members on its side, including the support of three independents, and is falling short of two crucial votes.

The BJP has 23 members, including the chairman. Congress and BJP leaders have held talks with JD(S) State President H D Kumaraswamy seeking the support of the party. But, the JD(S) is playing its cards close to its chest, keeping the two national parties on tenterhooks.

Both BJP and Congress leaders have stated that they are confident of getting the support of the JD(S). The JD(S) has asked its MLCs to assemble in the party office in Vidhana Soudha at 9 am on Thursday, where a final call on whom to support will be taken, sources said.

If the JD(S) decides to support the resolution, then Shankaramurthy will have no option but to resign. On the other hand, if the JD(S) decides to oppose the move, then the combined strength of the BJP and the JD(S) will be 36 bringing it on par with the Congress.

The votes of two independents - Basavaraj Patil Yatnal and M D Lakshminarayana - who have no affiliation with any party, will be crucial. All three parties on Wednesday issued whip to their members stating that it is mandatory to be present in the House on Thursday.

There was also speculation on Wednesday that in case the JD(S) decides to support the Congress, some of its members may abstain from voting.

Meanwhile, MLC D U Mallikarjun, who got elected to the Council with the support of the BJP and JD(S) MLAs in 2014, is returning from the United States on Wednesday night. The BJP is banking on his support. According to rules, Shankaramurthy cannot preside over the House when the resolution is taken up. However, he can participate in the proceedings and even cast his vote.

Shankaramurthy presided over the House proceedings for just one hour on Wednesday.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

Comments