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Supreme Court upholds 2021 Kerala Assembly poll win of Devikulam MLA 

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Supreme Court upholds 2021 Kerala Assembly poll win of Devikulam MLA 


Devikulam MLA A. Raja.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (May 6, 2025) upheld the 2021 Assembly election win of Devikulam MLA and CPI(M) leader A. Raja while setting aside a Kerala High Court decision invalidating the poll result to the reserved seat.

Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, in a judgment, found his disqualification as a legislator by the High Court invalid.

The apex court ordered that Mr. Raja should receive all the consequential benefits of the judgment in his favour.

The High Court had found him ineligible for Scheduled Caste reservation on the ground that he was a Christian convert. It had ordered Mr. Raja to stand trial.

The Supreme Court had stayed the High Court decision in 2023.

The court refused to accept the arguments of Congress candidate D. Kumar, who had list the election to Mr. Raja.

Mr. Kumar had challenged the identity of Mr. Raja as a member of the ‘Hindu-Parayan’ community and cast doubts on the validity of the caste certificate of the CPM leader.

In his appeal in the apex court, Mr. Raja had said he was a member of a Scheduled Caste, namely ‘Hindu-Parayan’ by birth and professing Hindu religion all through his life. Mr. Raja said he was born on October 17, 1984, professed the Hindu religion and was accepted by the ‘Hindu-Parayan’ caste as their member.

He had argued that Mr. Kumar had never challenged the authenticity of his documents. The High Court, in its judgment, had not discussed or even referred to the certificates submitted by him while holding that he was not a member of Hindu-Parayan caste.

“Can he be denied the benefit of Scheduled Caste for declaring his election from the Devikulam Legislative Assembly Constituency, which is reserved for the Scheduled Caste, as void, on the basis of an alleged conversion to Christianity which was neither pleaded nor proved by the respondent (Kumar),” the appeal had asked.

The appeal had questioned whether the High Court had been right in denying the benefit of SC status to Mr. Raja in spite of proving the fact that his paternal grandparents had migrated to the erstwhile Travancore State (now Kerala) before 1950 and continued to permanently reside in Kerala thereafter.



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Telangana ACB Nabs Three Govt. Employees In Bribe Cases

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Telangana ACB Nabs Three Govt. Employees In Bribe Cases



Hyderabad: Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday arrested three government employees in connection with two separate bribe cases registered against them.

In the first case, the ACB nabbed Annaboina Rajeswara Rao, a motor vehicle driver working at Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district for criminal misconduct.

The ACB first booked the case under provisions of Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act against Rao for accepting bribes to the tune of Rs.31.44 lakh from various employees and job aspirants, making false promises to secure transfers, manipulating medical fitness outcomes and promotions.

Rao misused his official position for personal financial gain by engaging in corrupt and fraudulent practices between 2021 and 2024. Не exploited his influence over internal administrative processes such as transfers, promotions, recruitments, and corporate medical board decisions.

The allegations include collecting bribes amounting to Rs.31.44 lakh from various employees and job aspirants making false promises to secure transfers, and manipulating medical fitness outcomes apart from providing job placements, and influencing promotions.

These amounts were reportedly received through both cash and digital payments, often using intermediaries. Rao failed to fulfill any of the commitments made. Based on a complaint, the ACB booked a case and nabbed him.

In the second case, the ACB caught red-handed G Sudhakar, a Superintendent at the office of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Zilla Praja Parishad in Mulugu district while accepting a bribe of Rs.25,000 from a complainant as a reward for preparing the medical leave period salary bills of the complainant and submitting it to the District Treasury Office, Mulugu.

The second accused Sanikonnu Soumya, a Junior Assistant at CEO office, demanded Rs.5,000 from the complainant for preparing the bills. Of the Rs.25,000, Rs.20,000 would be for Sudhakar while Rs.5,000 for Soumya.

The police recovered the bribe amount from Sudhakar. The details of the complainants in the two cases were withheld due to security reasons.



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PM Modi Congratulates Australian Pm Albanese On Historic Win, Vows To Advance Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

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PM Modi Congratulates Australian Pm Albanese On Historic Win, Vows To Advance Comprehensive Strategic Partnership


NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, congratulating him on his party’s landslide victory in Saturday’s General Election. “Spoke with my friend Anthony Albanese to personally congratulate him on his party’s historic victory. We agreed to work together with renewed vigour to advance the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and explore new areas of cooperation,” PM Modi posted on X after the phone call.

PM Modi had on Saturday congratulated Albanese on Labor’s resounding win which saw the party bagging a haul of 92 lower house seats, only the third time in the history of the country that a party has won more than 90 seats.

“Congratulations Anthony Albanese on your resounding victory and re-election as Prime Minister of Australia! This emphatic mandate indicates the enduring faith of the Australian people in your leadership. I look forward to working together to further deepen the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and advance our shared vision for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” PM Modi wrote on X.

Albanese, who also spoke with US President Donald Trump with talks focusing majorly on the issue of tariffs, announced Monday that his first overseas trip in his second term as Prime Minister would be to Indonesia.

Prime Minister Modi and his Australian counterpart had met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Rio de Janeiro last November during which they also held the second Australia-India Annual Summit ahead of the fifth anniversary of the Australia-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025.

Both Prime Ministers noted the significant progress made in strengthening bilateral ties across a range of important sectors – including climate change and renewable energy, trade and investment, defence and security, education and research, skills, mobility, science and technology, regional and multilateral cooperation, community and cultural links, and people-to-people ties.

Reaffirming their commitment to deepen cooperation, they had also reflected on the shared interests in the region, noting with satisfaction that closer bilateral engagement has benefited both nations and the broader region.

Both leaders have emphasised that ‘Make in India’ and ‘Future Made in Australia’ have complementarity and collaborative potential and could help create new jobs, unlock economic growth and secure our future prosperity in a changing world.

India and Australia are also members of the Quad grouping along with the United States and Japan.



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Complaints of unsafe ticketing practices, rude behaviour by BMTC Volvo bus crew in Bengaluru

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Complaints of unsafe ticketing practices, rude behaviour by BMTC Volvo bus crew in Bengaluru


A major concern raised by regular passengers is that most conductors in Volvo buses of the BMTC do not move around to issue tickets. 
| Photo Credit: BHAGYA PRAKASH K

Passengers travelling in the premium Volvo and airport buses of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) complain that most conductors, especially on Volvo buses, do not approach passengers to issue tickets. Instead, they remain seated near the door and issue tickets from there, forcing passengers to stand in an unsafe position and risk falling due to sudden jerks or strong acceleration and brakes.

While complaints of refusal to stop at designated bus stops or not returning change are often reported on regular BMTC buses, commuters say that even the much-hyped Volvo services, which are marketed as premium and comfortable, have their own set of problems.

A major concern raised by regular passengers is that most conductors in these buses do not move around to issue tickets. Instead, they remain seated near the front door, and expect passengers to come to them for their tickets, even as the vehicle is moving.

“Once you board the bus, the conductor immediately starts issuing the ticket near the door itself. You are forced to stand right there, even if the bus is jerking or braking hard. It’s very risky. We have seen people stumble or lose balance because there’s nothing to hold on to in that area,” said Preeti M., a daily commuter from Hulimavu to Cubbon Park.

Strong acceleration and sudden braking systems

These buses are known for their strong acceleration and sudden braking systems. Passengers say that standing near the door without proper support while the bus is in motion is hazardous. Despite repeated requests from passengers to issue tickets after they are seated or in a safer area of the bus, conductors allegedly refuse to budge.

“It’s not that we don’t want to buy tickets. But why can’t the conductor just come to us once we are seated or standing safely?” said Harsha N., a tech professional who travels from Banashankari to Hebbal.

“The conductor rudely tells us to come to him instead. It’s insensitive, especially when we’re trying to hold on with one hand and balance ourselves,” he added.

No help regarding luggage

Even the airport-bound Vayu Vajra services, known for their relatively courteous staff and premium pricing, are not immune to complaints. Passengers report similar behaviour from conductors on these routes.

“I was carrying a suitcase and a backpack when I boarded the airport bus at Hebbal. The conductor didn’t bother to help me with the luggage. When I asked him to allow me to be seated before issuing the ticket, he told me: ‘This is how it works. Either take the ticket now or get down. With fares on premium and airport routes being significantly higher than normal services, we expect better service standards and a safer, more respectful experience,” said Ankit Kumar, a frequent flyer.

According to several passengers, some airport bus staff have stopped being as helpful or well-mannered as they used to be, despite dealing with elderly passengers or international travellers unfamiliar with local norms.

A senior BMTC official admitted that these concerns were valid, and the department would look into the matter. “The safety of passengers is our top priority. We expect our conductors to follow protocols that ensure commuter comfort and security,” the official said.



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