Thursday, December 25, 2025

Karnataka Elections: Supreme Court Orders Floor Test In Karnataka Assembly At 4 pm Tomorrow

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Tehelka Web Desk
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A bench of Justices A K Sikri, S A Bobde and Ashok Bhushan of Supreme Court (SC) today heard the petitions of Congress and JD(S) against the Governor Vajubhai Vala decision of making BS Yeddyurappa, CM of Karnataka.

After an emergency hearing on Thursday, the top court said it will not put a stay on the swearing-in ceremony of Yeddyurappa but said its validity would depend on the outcome of the case.

SC today examined the letters dated May 15 and 16, written by Yeddyurappa to Governor Vala, staking claim to form the government.

BJP’s lawyer Mukul Rohatgi after handing over the letters to SC said, “Yeddyurappa has been elected as leader of largest party, BJP & he has support of necessary number of MLAs & is ready to prove it on floor of House.” “We have certain information that many MLAs from other parties have not given any kind of written support to Congress-JD(S),” he added.

SC said, “It is just a number game, one who enjoys the majority should be invited to form the Govt.”

“SC today observed that as BS Yeddyurappa has claimed support and BJP is single largest party, there could be two probabilities, whether Guv’s decision has to be tested or a floor test has to be held on Saturday.”

Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri said, “floor test seems to be the best option.”

Abhishek Manu Singhvi lawyer for Congress-JD(S) combine said, “Yeddyurappa claimed support, but he does not have letters of support from these MLAs or it is only his oral submissions.” Under proper security arrangements, Congress-JD(S) are ready for floor test tomorrow.”

BJP’s lawyer Mukul Rohatgi opposes the floor test tomorrow and said, they “need time.”

Supreme Court in its decision directs for floor test in Karnataka Assembly at 4 pm tomorrow.

Shobha Karandlaje of BJP speaking to reporters said, “We will prove majority on the floor of the House tomorrow, we are ready for floor test.”

Supreme Court also stays the Congress-JD(S)’s plea challenging Karnataka Governor’s decision to nominate an Anglo-Indian MLA to the Assembly.

Pakistan violates ceasefire: Army jawan killed, 4 others injured in J&K

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Tehelka Web Desk
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Photo PTI
Representational image

In an unprovoked firing and violation of ceasefire from Pakistan side on May 18, a BSF jawan (Constable Sitaram Upadhyay, native of Giridih in Jharkhand ) lost his life and four civilians got injured. Pakistani soldiers violated ceasefire along the International Border (IB) in Arnia sector of Jammu on early morning today.

Upadhyay was from Giridih in Jharkhand and had joined the force in 2011, according to reports.

The official revealed that firing initiated from Pakistan’s side on the intervening night of 16 and 17 May in which a BSF jawan was injured. But during the daytime firing stopped which again resumed on May 18 around 4 am in the Arnia sector.

Unprovoked shelling of mortars and heavy fire from the Pakistani side started at about 4 am today along the IB in Jammu, which was being “suitably countered” by the BSF units. “The firing in the RS Pura sector has stopped now,” the official confirmed.

Due to precautionary measures, the district administration has ordered all government and private schools within the range of 3 km of IB border to be closed in Arnia, Bishnah and RS Pura sectors.

The local administration has asked people to avoid unnecessary movement till the time shelling continues from the Pakistan side.

“Adequate medical arrangements are being made. Ambulances have been made available. People are requested not to panic,” Deepak Pathania, Station House Office, Arnia said.

The incident occurred just two days after Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced that termination of offensive operations during the month of Ramzan.

West Bengal Panchayat Election Result: TMC Headed For A Massive Victory

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Tehelka Web Desk
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In recently held West Bengal’s panchayat elections, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is headed for a massive victory, winning 19,394 seats in gram panchayats and ahead in another 560 seats. While the BJP emerged as the main opponent bagging 5,050 seats and leading in another 55 seats.
This is the first time BJP had made its presence felt in rural polls in the districts after getting elected to the gram panchayat level in every district of the state.

The CPM slipped to the third position by winning 1,306 gram panchayats and leading in another 27, the sources said.

The Congress emerged fourth by winning 918 seats and leading in 29 seats, meanwhile independents scored better by winning 1,614 gram panchayat seats and leading in another 39 seats.

Of the total 48,650 seats in gram panchayats, 16,814 went uncontested. There was no contest for 3,059 of the 9,217 panchayat samiti seats and in 203 of the 825 zilla parishad seats.

State BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu in a statement said, “Despite so much of violence we have won more than 5,000 seats in GP (gram panchayat). Had the elections been free and fair we would have won 50 per cent seats at all the three levels of the panchayat.”

Elections which were marked by violence claimed at least 12 lives and left 43 injured.

TMC secretary-general Partha Chatterjee said “People have voted in favour of development ushered in by chief minister Mamata Banerjee and have defeated the forces who were spreading canards against our state.”

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Man Throws Ink At Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

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Tehelka Web Desk
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A man threw ink on Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Hisar today, revealing chinks in the CM security. CM Khattar was in town to attend a road show.The ink fell on his face and soiled his clothes.

The man, shouted pro-Jat reservation slogans as he was overpowered by the security staff.

The incident occurred, when chief minister reached Devi Bhawan Temple to offer prayers.

The accused was initially believed to be an INLD activist but later INLD spokesperson Satish Beniwal said he was not a member of the party

Addressing the people after the incident, the chief minister said, irrespective of such frustrated acts by notorious people, BJP will continue their development agenda and go to the people on a positive note.

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Rohini ashram case: Blue corner notice issued against fake godman Virender Dev Dixit

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Tehelka Web Desk
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high courtIn a new development in the infamous fake ‘baba’  Virender Dev Dixit case, the Delhi High Court, on May 17, issued a blue corner notice against Dixit, who is accused of sexually harassing over 100 girls and illegally confining almost 250 female inmates in an ashram in Rohini area in the national capital

Earlier, the CBI had informed the Court that Dixit has taken shelter in Nepal to evade punishment for infringement of the law, but the agency failed to trace out his hideout.

The accused has been using various names like ‘Virender Kumar’, ‘Virender Dev’, ‘Virender Dixit’, to evade arrest and travel around in India and Nepal.

Taking cognizance of the psychological condition of the inmates, a bench comprised of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar has directed Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Sciences (IHBAS), to look into the mental and physical condition of the inmates and submit report within one week of receiving the order.

The matter has been stalled to July 27.

Karnataka Election: Top developments

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Tehelka Web Desk
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BS yadurrapaBS Yeddyurappa has been sworn in as the 23rd Chief Minister of Karnataka for the second term on May 17.

75-year-old Yeddyurappa was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Vajubhai Vala at a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan. He has to prove his majority in the next 15 days.

After BJP and Congress JD(S) alliance showed no signs of compromising on forming a government in Karnataka, state Governor Vajubhai Vala invited Yeddyurappa to form the government.

The BJP came to power with only 104 seats in the 224 seat assembly.

On midnight of May 16, the Supreme Court heard a joint petition by the Congress and JD(S) challenging state governor’s decision inviting Yeddyurappa to form a new government in the state despite not having the majority.

Following the governor’s announcement, senior Congress leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjuna Kharge, K C Venugopal and MLAs staged a protest against Yeddyurappa’s swearing-in as chief minister. They were reportedly joined by JD(S) leaders.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi strongly condemned BJP’s “irrational insistence” to form a government even without having enough numbers.

“BJP celebrating its hollow victory in the southern state, the nation as a whole will mourn the defeat of democracy,” said Gandhi.

“Today constitution is being attacked. In Karnataka on one side there are MLAs standing and on the other side the Governor. JDS has said its MLAs have been offered Rs 100 crore each,” he added.

According to reports, Congress has shifted its MLAs to the Eagleton resort in Bidadi, 40 kilometres away from Bengaluru.

Varanasi flyover tragedy: Warnings ignored, FIR against UPBC officials

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Tehelka Web Desk
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Varanasi site tehelkaThe Uttar Pradesh police on May 16 registered an FIR against officials of the Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation Ltd (UPBC, a government-run entity) over the collapse of the under-construction flyover in Varanasi that claimed 16 lives.

Since November 2017, at least five warning letters were sent to the UP State Bridge Corporation (UPSBC). Not even this, even an FIR was also registered in February this year for not following traffic safety regulations during construction, claims Uttar Pradesh police.

“A case has been registered against UPBC officials and employees who were working on the site during the incident under Section 304 and Section 308 of the Indian Penal Code following a complaint by roadways police outpost in-charge,”  confirmed SSP Varanasi RK Bhardwaj.

SSP further added, “I had carried out a joint inspection with UPBC officials in February to look into the problem of traffic jam on the road along the construction site. UPBC officials were asked to follow safety measures but they did not take any precaution. We have registered a case against UPBC officials for not taking safety measures.”

However, after the major tragedy, the blame game has started over the same. Rajan Mittal, MD UPBC is blaming the Varanasi district administration officials for the tragedy.

“We had written several letters to the police and administration authorities to regulate and impose traffic restrictions around the construction site. But our requests went unheeded,” he said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered strict probe against the incident. Accompanied by deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, he visited the site to carry out further investigations.

A three-member probe committee is constituted by Chief Minister to gather the inputs and samples (iron, cement rods, and other construction material) from the spot in order to submit the report within 48 hours.

Meanwhile, the compensation has been given to victims and deceased families.

Karnataka Election Results: BS Yeddyurappa Is The New CM Of Karnataka

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Tehelka Web Desk
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Karnataka CM
Amid lot of controversies, BJP’s Karnataka legislature party leader BS Yeddyurappa was on Thursday sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Karnataka. Earlier, the Supreme Court, in an all night hearing, refused to stay the oath taking ceremony – sought by the Congress-JD(S) combine.
Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to Yeddyurappa, at the Raj Bhavan here.
The 70-year-old Lingayat strongman, in the presence of top BJP leaders and Union Ministers, including Dharmendra Pradhan, JP Nadda and Prakash Javadekar took over the reins of the government in Karnataka for the third time in his four-decade-long political career.
On his way to Raj Bhavan for the oath ceremony, BSY’s convoy faced a stiff resistance from the Opposition workers.
Meanwhile, Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Siddaramaiah, Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal with other Congress MLAs holds protest at Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Vidhan Soudha, against BS Yeddyurappa’s swearing in as CM of Karnataka.

After The All Night Hearing, Supreme Court Refuses To Stay Yeddyurappa's Swearing-In

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Tehelka Web Desk
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On May 16 Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala invited BJP’s B.S. Yeddyurappa to form the government in the State, forcing the Congress to move the Supreme Court.

Lead by Abhishek Singhvi, Congress approached the Supreme Court seeking an immediate intervention by the chief justice to stay the move, which it termed as an “encounter of the Constitution”.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear the petition filed by the Congress-JD(S) combine, challenging the Karnataka Governor’s decision at 1.45 am on Thursday. The petition sought a stay on the oath-taking ceremony of BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra constituted a Bench comprising Justices A.K. Sikri, S.A. Bobde and Ashok Bhushan to hear the petition in court number six at 2.00 am

After the all-night hearing that stretched for three-and-a-half hours, the Supreme Court refused to stay Mr. Yeddyurappa’s swearing-in as Chief Minister of Karnataka, but said that the matter will be “subject to outcome of petition here or further orders.”

The SC asks the Attorney-General K.K. Venugopal to produce the letters given to the Governor by Mr. Yeddyurappa staking his claim to form the government. SC will now hear the case at 10.30 a.m. on Friday.

 

Congress Approaches Chief Justice Of India For An Urgent Hearing After BJP Invited To Form Government In Karnataka

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala today invited BJP’s B S Yeddyurappa to form the government in Karnataka.

“I invite you (Yeddyurappa) to form the government and be sworn-in as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka,” a Raj Bhavan communique said. Governor also asked Yeddyurappa to prove his majority in a floor test within 15 days of swearing in as CM.

Minutes after Governor’s invitation to BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa to form the government, the Congress approached Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra to ask him to cancel the governor’s invitation to the BJP. The Congress, which has called the governor’s decision an “encounter of the Constitution”, has asked CJI Misra to hold the hearing later in the night to ensure that Mr Yeddyurappa isn’t sworn-in tomorrow.
Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi had already drawn up the petition in case the governor did invite Mr Yeddyurappa, sources said.

Addressing the media, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “The governor has shamed his office.””Amit Shah and BJP today sanctioned an encounter of the constitution and the law. Governor has subjugated the law and shamed the office of governor and I don’t think such a person has the right to continue. We will use all legal and constitutional rights available to us,” Mr Surjewala added.

JD(S) leader HD Kumarasway said, “By giving 15 days time, governor is encouraging horse-trading by BJP leaders, this is unconstitutional. We will discuss the future plan.”
Senior BJP leader and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad responded, “The party that blew up the constitution to shambles is teaching us the constitution, the party that imposed President Rule the most number of times is giving us lessons.”

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