K’taka monsoon session deferred until SIR process completion: Shivakumar

Bengaluru, July 2 (IANS) On the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said the government had decided to defer the monsoon session of the Karnataka Legislature until the voter revision exercise is completed.

Addressing a press conference after the state Cabinet meeting at Vidhana Soudha, he said the draft electoral rolls are scheduled to be published on August 5, following which the Assembly session is likely to be convened during the first or second week of August.

The Chief Minister stressed that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) alone are authorised to distribute Enumeration Forms by visiting every household.

“BLOs must go door-to-door and distribute the Enumeration Forms. They should not be distributed by legislators or political workers. Booth Level Agents (BLAs) may collect the filled forms from citizens and hand them over to BLOs, but distribution must be carried out only by BLOs,” he said.

Responding to allegations that Enumeration Forms were being distributed at convention halls, Shivakumar said such a practice was illegal.

“This issue has also come to my notice. Whoever is involved, including our own legislators, will not be allowed to violate the rules. Such practices are illegal,” he said.

Asked about Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s allegations regarding the SIR exercise in Ramanagara, Shivakumar countered that similar instances had been reported in constituencies represented by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators.

“Whether it is Ramanagara, Jayanagar or anywhere else, only BLOs should distribute the forms. Officials have been instructed to ensure that BLOs personally visit every household before the July 29 deadline,” he said.

He said protecting every citizen’s voting rights was the responsibility of the government and announced that assistance centres would be established at every ward and booth to help voters during the SIR process.

On opposition allegations that government officials were being misused, Shivakumar said, “The Opposition exists to make allegations. Our responsibility is to serve the people, and we will continue to discharge our duties.”

The Cabinet also approved modifications to land allotment concessions for persons with disabilities under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, capping the benefit at either 10 per cent of land value or a maximum of Rs 20 lakh.

On the removal of encroachments from Bengaluru footpaths, Shivakumar said the decision had been taken unanimously by legislators across party lines in compliance with Supreme Court directions.

He added that affected street vendors would be rehabilitated at alternative locations and that a scheme to provide vending vehicles would be implemented shortly.

Regarding a possible hike in public transport fares, he said the government had sought a detailed proposal from transport officials and would take a decision only after assessing the financial position of the transport corporations.

He also said a committee headed by Home Minister G. Parameshwara had been constituted to suggest a new framework for the proposed Foreign Investment Department, and its recommendations would be placed before the Cabinet in a future meeting.

–IANS

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