Karnataka protests using CRPF personnel during raids on minister

Agencies
August 3, 2017

Bengaluru, Aug 3: The Congress government in Karnataka has objected to the use of CRPF personnel during searches at the properties linked to state minister D K Shivakumar, saying it casts an aspersion on the credibility, integrity and professionalism the state police.

In a letter to Union Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, state Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Subhash Chandra said established conventions of cooperative action between central and state agencies should not be "by-passed" in such matters.

Chandra said he was informed by the Karnataka Director General of Police and the IGP that the IT Department search teams were accompanied by CRPF personnel despite the fact that law and order is the responsibility of the state police.

He said about 30 CRPF personnel were deployed in Bengaluru alone during the search in full gear with weapons, which resulted in protests by Minister's supporters and police had to be called in to maintain law and order.

"The Government of Karnataka wishes to convey its strong protest with regard to this," the letter said, a day after the taxmen began searches at various premises connected to state Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, who is overseeing the stay of 44 Congress MLAs from Gujarat at a resort here.

Chandra said that in matters where both Centre and state governments share responsibilities, established conventions of cooperative action should not be by-passed. "It is also requested that the Income Tax Department is suitably advised in the matter."

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had also raised objections to the use of central force, stating IT officials should obtain help from local police during such raids. He had said CRPF personnel were used violating the rules.

"Let IT officials conduct raids and investigation by following rules and let people know the truth. Instead, if such raids are conducted with political vengeance, people will teach lesson in the days to come," Siddaramaiah had added.

The IT Department did not seek assistance in advance from the local police or any senior police authority for these operations, he had said in yesterday's letter.

In a swoop down that raised a political storm, the IT department conducted searches at 64 locations and properties linked Shivakumar in a tax evasion case and recovered over Rs 11 crore in cash. The raids continued today.

Chandra said that utilising the services of CRPF, which is a CAPF (Central Armed Police Force), in full gear without keeping local police informed casts an aspersion of adverse credibility, integrity and professionalism of the state police which has been utilised effectively and without complaint by the IT Department in its previous operations.

Noting the deployment of the CRPF, an armed police force, in full operational attire with weapons for a civilian operation, conveyed a wrong impression, the letter said.

"Therefore, such deployment needs to be in consultation with local police authorities, as indeed has been the norm. Such an approach is also essential to prevent any untoward incident occurring," said the letter, a copy of which was released to the media.

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News Network
January 28,2025

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Ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre to prioritise waiving loans for farmers and the middle class instead of wealthy individuals. He also demanded a nationwide law to prohibit the waiver of loans given to billionaires.

Notably, Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled for February 5 and the result will be announced on February 8. Kejriwal is seeking a third consecutive term, following AAP's landslide victory in 2020 when it won 62 out of 70 seats.

Income tax, GST rates can be cut to half

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Kejriwal criticised the central government, alleging favouritism toward the wealthy by writing off corporate loans worth thousands of crores. He claimed such practices burden ordinary citizens with excessive taxes while benefitting the rich. "Common people are paying half their salaries in taxes, while the loans of the rich are being waived. Why doesn't the central government waive home loans, car loans, or other financial burdens of ordinary citizens?" Kejriwal asked.

He emphasised that discontinuing loan waivers for billionaires could enable the government to reduce income tax and GST rates by half, double the taxable income threshold, and remove GST on essential commodities. "This is a massive scandal, and it's time to put an end to it," he said.

Kejriwal writes to PM Modi 

In his letter, Kejriwal stated, "Prime Minister should declare that no rich person's loan will be waived off. If you want to waive off, then waive off farmers' loans, middle class's home loans. This money will benefit the middle class a lot."

Kejriwal further argued that by waiving loans for the wealthy, the government could reduce tax rates. "I have calculated that if loans are not waived off, then tax rates will be halved. A person earning 12 lakhs annually pays his entire salary in tax, this is the sorrow of the middle class," Kejriwal wrote.

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News Network
January 27,2025

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The Uniform Civil Code (UCC), a law that has faced long-standing criticism from the Opposition, will officially come into effect in Uttarakhand on January 27, making it the first state in independent India to put into effect such a law.

According to the state’s chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the government has completed all preparations to implement the law, including getting approval of the rules for the implementation of the Act and training of officials concerned. The rationale given for the law is that it will bring about ‘uniformity in the society and ensure equal rights and responsibilities for all citizens.’

"UCC is just an offering made by our state in the great 'yagya' being performed by the Prime Minister to make the country a developed, organised, harmonious and self-reliant nation," PTI quoted Dhami as saying in a statement.

The BJP had made a promise to implement the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand in the run-up to the 2022 assembly polls.These polls saw the party storming to power for a second consecutive term, something never done by any other party in the state since its creation in 2000.

According to CM Dhami, the historic mandate was because of the party's commitment to passing the UCC.

The Uniform Civil Code journey in Uttarakhand

The Uttarakhand state cabinet cleared a proposal to form an expert panel on the Uniform Civil Code in March 2022 in the first cabinet meeting after winning the assembly elections. The panel, headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, was constituted on May 27, 2022 to prepare the draft of the UCC.

The Desai committee submitted a comprehensive draft in four volumes, prepared after one and a half years of dialogue with different sections of the state's population. It was sent to the state on February 2, 2024 and just a few days later, the Uttarakhand assembly passed the UCC bill. President Droupadi Murmu gave it her assent in March 2024, nearly two years after the initial proposal.

Another expert committee was at work after that, headed by former chief secretary Shatrughna Singh. It was formed to frame the rules and regulations for the implementation of the Act. The Sinha committee submitted its report to the state government late last year.

The state cabinet gave its approval recently and authorised the chief minister to decide a date for its implementation. Dhami decided the date to be January 27, 2025, a day after the country celebrated its 76th Republic Day.

What is in the Uttarakhand UCC?

The Uniform Civil Code Act of Uttarakhand will govern and regulate the laws relating to marriage and divorce, succession, live-in relationships and related matters.

It sets equal marriageable age for men and women, grounds of divorce and procedures across all religions, and bans polygamy and 'halala'.

Doon University Vice Chancellor Surekha Dangwal, who was part of the panel that drafted the UCC and was among those who framed the rules for its implementation, described to PTI the provisions aimed at bringing about gender parity in matters of marriage, divorce and succession, treating all children as legitimate including those born of void or voidable marriages, simplifying the process of preparing a will and regulating live-in relationships as the most outstanding in the UCC. She termed gender parity across all religions as the spirit of UCC.

According to Duggal, the UCC makes registration of all marriages and live-in relationships mandatory. She also said that the government has created facilities to help people register their marriages online so that they do not have to run around government offices for it.

"Another remarkable feature of the UCC is that it treats all children as legitimate. We have in fact totally done away with the term illegitimate in the context of children," she said. The UCC also makes a special provision for defence personnel called "privileged will" which can be made both in writing or by word of mouth.

Any soldier or air force personnel engaged in an expedition or actual warfare or a mariner at sea can make a privileged will for which rules have been kept flexible.

UCC criticism

Opposition leaders have criticized the UCC, arguing that it may lead to societal division along religious lines and might be impractical and overly ambitious.
The debate surrounding the UCC extends beyond Uttarakhand, as Article 44 of the Indian Constitution advocates for a uniform civil code across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has referenced the Supreme Court's direction on the need for a common code, stressing that fulfilling the vision of the Constitution's framers remains a national goal.

Uttarakhand's implementation of the UCC is likely to set a precedent, with other states potentially following suit. The success of the law's implementation will depend on its ability to balance individual rights and social harmony.

As Uttarakhand stands at the forefront of this legal revolution, the coming weeks will offer a clearer picture of how the UCC will be received, both in the state and across India. The state's experience with the UCC will undoubtedly shape the future of personal law reform in the country.

What is the implementation process?

Shailesh Bagauli, secretary (home), stated that the government will issue two notifications: one for the implementation of the UCC and another for the rules and regulations, officially launching the UCC in the state.

Dhami had promised to implement the UCC if re-elected during the 2022 state polls. After becoming CM, he appointed a five-member committee led by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to draft the code, which received feedback from over 2.3 lakh people, representing nearly 10% of Uttarakhand's families.

The 740-page draft was presented to the chief minister on February 2, 2024, approved by the cabinet on February 4, tabled in the assembly on February 6, and passed the following day. Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd) approved the bill on February 28 and President Droupadi Murmu subsequently signed it on March 11.

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News Network
January 24,2025

Bengaluru, Jan 24: Following several reported suicides allegedly caused by harassment from Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Friday acknowledged that the current laws are insufficient in dealing with the highhandedness of these institutions in the state.

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Parameshwara confirmed widespread complaints of MFI-related harassment, stating that existing laws were ineffective in curbing the issue. The Congress government plans to amend the law to ensure stricter regulations for MFIs.

"The reports from our department indicate that current laws are inadequate, and they lack the necessary strength to curb this menace," Parameshwara said. He added that new, stringent laws would be framed to regulate the MFIs, with the Congress government taking steps in that direction. In the meantime, officials have been instructed to take immediate action regarding ongoing harassment cases.

Explaining the situation, Parameshwara highlighted that MFIs often demand multiple signatures from loan recipients, which they might not fully understand. "This leads to forced raids, seizures of properties, and other actions," he noted, adding that such practices need to be addressed under law.

Law Minister H.K. Patil and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have also taken note of the issue. Siddaramaiah has called for a meeting on January 25 to discuss the alarming rise in cases and the ineffectiveness of current laws.

The issue has sparked public outcry, with victims’ families, including the wife of a suicide victim, sending symbolic protests such as mangalsutras to Parameshwara, demanding action against the MFI staff involved. Numerous petitions have been filed in Deputy Commissioners' offices across the state, urging government intervention to stop MFI harassment.

In response, opposition leaders, including Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, BJP’s R. Ashoka, and Basavaraj Bommai, have accused the Congress government of losing control over MFIs, enabling the widespread exploitation of vulnerable citizens.

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