Karnataka approaches SC against Centre for drought relief

Karnataka govt has moved the Supreme Court against the Centre. The state want the Apex Court's direction to the Centre to release drought relief funds to the state under Natural Disaster Management Act (NDMA). The writ petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution is scheduled for a hearing next week."We are forced to wage a legal battle after waiting for five months. The Central Govt must release a Rs 4,600-crore input subsidy, and we are waiting for a Rs 18,171- crore compensation package under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF)," chief minister Siddaramaiah said in Bangaluru.He accused the Centre of breaching provisions of the NDMA. "The state govt presented its initial memorandum in September 2023, and an inter-ministerial central team conducted its visit in the first week of October 2023".he said. Siddaramaih said, the centre is mandated to dispatch an inter-ministerial central team to drought-affected states within a week of receiving a memorandum requesting drought relief funds, and it is obligated to release the funds within a month of the IMCT submitting its report.
In a big relief to BJP MP and union minister,the Karnataka High Court stayed further investigation in a criminal case filed against  Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje over her reported statement during a protest in Bengaluru, where she linked a suspect in the Rameshwaram cafe blast with Tamil Nadu.The Election Commission Flying Squad initiated the case, which was registered under sections 123(3), 123(3A), and 125 of the Representation of People Act at Cottonpet Police station.The sections refer to promotion of feelings of enmity or hatred between different classes of the citizens of India on grounds of religion, race, caste, community, or language.
Justice Krishna S Dixit, presiding over a single judge bench on Friday, issued notice to the concerned parties and paused the ongoing investigation.The judge advised Karandlaje to exercise caution in her public statements, emphasising that leaders from all parties should show restraint to maintain a civilised society. He expressed concerns about India's future if such decorum is not upheld.She later apologised for her remarks and said she was retracting them.The FIR was filed after the EC directed the Karnataka chief electoral officer (CEO) to take immediate and appropriate action on the DMK's complaint regarding the alleged violation by Karandlaje, who is BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from the Bangalore North constituency. 

(Dr Mysi Patil, State Correspondent)