1. Karnataka Trust Vote: Odds Heavily Stacked Against Kumaraswamy Government
This will be the third motion on trust vote moved in the Assembly after the fractured mandate in the 2018 elections. The ruling coalition can count on 100 MLAs against the 107 reportedly commanded by the Opposition BJP. The Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy-headed government has seen 13 Congress and 3 JD(S) MLAs submit resignation letters to the Speaker, while two Independents, who quit the Ministry, too have withdrawn support to the government.
The BJP had made at least half a dozen attempts earlier to topple the coalition by luring ruling party MLAs, but this time it seems confident of crossing the finish line. Ramalinga Reddy, a former Minister and seven-time MLA, who also submitted his resignation, seems to be tilting towards the coalition and has maintained that he is with the Congress.
(Source: The Hindu)
2. Can’t Compel Rebel MLAs to Attend Session, Rules SC
It is disadvantage Congress-JD(S) in Karnataka as the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the 15 rebel MLAs could not be compelled to take part in Thursday’s trust vote in the assembly, blunting consequences of possible defiance of whip by the rebels who are holed up in Mumbai.
A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose did a balancing act and refused to issue any direction to speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on deciding the resignations tendered by the rebels. In doing so, the court overrode its July 11 order asking the speaker to decide on the resignations of 10 MLAs immediately. Later, five more MLAs joined the 10 rebels and sought a direction to the speaker to accept their resignations.
(Source: The Times of India)
3. Isro may Attempt Chandrayaan-2 Launch on July 21-22
After calling off the launch of Chandrayaan-2 on Monday due to a technical snag, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is now actively looking at a window as early as July 21or 22 for another attempt, multiple sources told TOI on Wednesday.
Isro’s confidence can be attributed to the assurance given by the technical teams working at the Sriharikota launch pad, who said on Wednesday that they are “confident of rectifying the snag” in the next 48 hours.
The space agency is keen on the July 21-22 window because these are the earliest dates on which it will get a chance to navigate the lunar craft to the Moon’s orbit. After this, the next possible window will open up only in September.
(Source: The Times of India)
4.B’luru Cops Arrest 2 Chilean Nationals for Allegedly Looting Lakhs Using ATM Skimmers
The Cubbon Park Police on Wednesday took into custody two Chilean nationals for allegedly installing skimming devices in ATM kiosks across the city and looting lakhs of rupees since the last one month. The Cubbon Park Police on Wednesday took into custody Gonzalo Rafael Monje Valenzuela (30) and Angelo Manvel Venegaz Brione (26), after they were arrested by the Thilaknagar Police on July 6.
According to the Thilaknagar Police, Gonzalo and Angelo are part of a four-member gang, which had arrived in Bengaluru in June. Investigators say that the quartet had conducted reconnaissance of several localities in Bengaluru and had zeroed in on Jayanagar, Ashok Nagar, Wilson Garden and Cubbon Park areas to install skimmers in ATMs.
(Source: The News Minute)
5. E-Scooter Commuter Assaulted by Auto Driver for ‘Spoiling his Business’
The Whitefield police are on the lookout for an autorickshaw driver who allegedly assaulted and threatened an employee of a tech firm for using an app-based service that offers vehicles for last-mile connectivity. The driver was unhappy that the employee was not taking an autorickshaw for his daily commute, said the police.
The app enables commuters to use battery-operated Micro Mobility Vehicles (MMVs).
The alleged incident occurred last Wednesday when Rahul Agarwal was parking the MMV at a parking bay close to DivyaSree Technopark at Whitefield. In his complaint, Agarwal alleged that an auto driver confronted him about his choice of mode for commute, and physically assaulted him, all the while accusing him of spoiling his business.
(Source: The Hindu)
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