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Bengaluru: In a major relief for homeowners across Karnataka, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has announced a one-time exemption from Occupancy Certificate (OC) requirements for residential buildings measuring up to 2,500 square feet. The decision was taken during the first Cabinet meeting chaired by the newly sworn-in Chief Minister. Addressing the media after the meeting, Shivakumar said the government had resolved a long-pending issue that was affecting thousands of property owners in both urban and rural areas. Also Read Challenges await DK Shivakumar as he takes charge as Karnataka CM According to the Chief Minister, electricity supply companies had made Occupancy Certificates mandatory for providing power connections in line with directions arising from court rulings. However, this requirement had created difficulties for many homeowners who were unable to obtain OCs despite occupying their houses for years. To address the problem, the government has decided to gra...

Bengaluru: Karnataka is set to witness a major political transition as senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar takes oath as the state’s new Chief Minister on Wednesday evening, June 3. Alongside him, 13 legislators are expected to be sworn in as ministers in the first phase of Cabinet formation, according to a letter addressed to the Governor. As per the list, veteran leader Dr G Parameshwara will succeed Shivakumar as his deputy. The proposed ministerial team reflects a mix of experienced leaders and representatives from different regions and communities of Karnataka . The leaders named in the list for induction into the Cabinet are: DK Shivakumar – Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara – Deputy Chief Minister KH Muniyappa – Minister KJ George – Minister MB Patil – Minister Ramalinga Reddy – Minister Satish Jarkiholi – Minister Krishna Byregowda – Minister Priyank Kharge – Minister UT Khader – Minister Eshwar Khandre – Minister ...

Bengaluru: As Bengaluru struggled with heavy rainfall, waterlogging and massive traffic congestion in recent days, the city’s traffic police have earned widespread appreciation for their extraordinary efforts to keep roads functional and assist stranded commuters. Several parts of the city witnessed flooding after incessant rains, disrupting normal life and causing severe traffic snarls. Amid the chaos, personnel of the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) stepped beyond their routine responsibilities of managing vehicular movement and actively participated in relief efforts on the ground. Video goes viral A video shared by the social media handle Bengaluru Post has highlighted the dedication of traffic police personnel working in challenging weather conditions. The footage shows officers clearing clogged roadside drains, removing garbage and plastic waste that had blocked the flow of rainwater, and helping reduce water accumulation on key roads. While Bengaluru battl...

Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister-elect D K Shivakumar on Tuesday, June 2, said that reports circulating in the media regarding the composition of the new Cabinet were not official and that the final list of ministers would be communicated by the Congress high command after consultations. Shivakumar, who returned to Bengaluru from New Delhi along with outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after holding discussions with the Congress high command on Cabinet formation, said a final decision on the names would be taken by the party leadership. “Whatever is being reported in the media today is not official,” Shivakumar told reporters at the airport, dismissing speculation over the likely ministers in his Cabinet ahead of his swearing-in as chief minister on June 3 at the Lok Bhavan here. Shivakumar, who is the Congress state president, said the names of the ministers would be conveyed to him on Wednesday morning. “Tomorrow, after 10 am, I will receive the names,” he ...

Bengaluru : With the leadership transition in Karnataka Congress now virtually complete, attention has shifted to the formation of the new state cabinet under Chief Minister-designate D.K. Shivakumar. While the power-sharing arrangement between outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar appears to have been executed smoothly, the next major challenge before the Congress high command is striking a balance in the composition of the new ministry. For months, speculation over a leadership change had dominated Karnataka politics. However, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have publicly projected unity before and after the transition, seeking to reassure party workers and legislators that the government remains stable and united despite the change at the top. Now, the focus has turned to the crucial question of who will find a place in the new cabinet and who may be dropped from the outgoing ministry. The process has triggered intense lobbying among senior Congress leaders,...

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court, while rejecting the bail application of a 23-year-old engineering student accused of raping his classmate, made strong observations on rising crime and the need for stricter enforcement of laws. The court remarked that people often take the freedoms available in a democracy for granted and suggested that stringent punishments, similar to those seen in some Gulf nations, act as stronger deterrents against crime. Justice R Nataraj made the observations while hearing the bail plea of the accused, who has been in judicial custody since April in connection with a rape case dating back to 2023. The court declined to grant bail and posted the matter for further hearing on June 8. During the proceedings, the judge expressed concern over what he described as a growing tendency among people to commit crimes casually and repeatedly. According to the court, the existing legal framework is often not enforced firmly enough, reducing the deterrent ef...