Series: Namma Ooru News

A common scene from Hindi movies is where the hero comes in as the good man in power (often as police) and throws out all the culprits. This arose in real life last weekend (May 17) when the Bangalore Developent Authority (BDA) Commissioner H Siddaiah threw out a doctor practicing for three months in a shop in the BDA Shopping Complex (commonly known as the 'BDA complex') on the Inner Ring Road, Koramangala. The shop that was closed; signboard on the right. Pic: Supriya Khandekar. Dr Jalal Farooqui was termed an encroacher by the BDA as he had no papers…

Access to information using the RTI Act may have changed for the worse. The Government of Karnataka under Governor Rameshwar Thakur's administration has added a new rule, #14, which places a restriction on the subjects and the number of words to be contained in an application asking for information under the RTI Act. The rule was in the form of amendment (GO) to RTI rules 2005 and signed by the Under Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms on behalf of President of India and published in the Gazette of GOK. It is now in force. The rule allows only…

This report captures stories from the polling booths to a new scandal emerging on land conversions and registrations. There are also briefs on the deplorable state at the High Grounds Police station and a new volunteer effort by engineering college students to help with blood donations and finding matches. Thursday, 15 May Kannada Prabha Two more underpasses will come up in J P Nagar and Kadirenahalli in Bangalore South. The success of underpass near Cauvery theatre prompted BBMP to have such underpasses in different places of city. But new underpasses will be constructed in the traditional style, instead of the…

On 14 May, the Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) ruled that the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) can be construed as “Public Authority” and therefore it would be within the purview of the RTI Act. This issue arose out of an RTI application regarding suo motu disclosure by BIAL sought Benson Isaac, a citizen. While refusing to entertain Isaac's RTI application, BIAL took the stand that it was not a public authority as defined under the Act and as such was not under any obligation to make disclosures under RTI. Isaac then appealed at the KIC. The KIC used Section 2(h)…

When I heard that Dr Manmohan Singh was coming to Bangalore and would address a citizens' meeting at Chowdiah memorial hall on 8 May, I was very keen to attend. What other chance would I have to see...or even meet..the prime minister of my country? This man was an academician, a man of learning; and he was one of the leaders I could look up to...a rarity in the present political scenario. Rajeev Gowda, a professor of IIM-Bangalore alerted me to this event first and said that it was going to be a citizens' meeting with the PM. This was…

Our first report in this weekly series captures a hectic election week marking the changing face of political campaigning in Bangalore. There are also reports about a police inspector running away fearing a raid and the return of the dog menace, and a scoop of other stories. Thursday (May 1)Kannada PrabhaPeople from all parts of the country live in the Bommanahalli assembly constituency in south Bangalore. Due to IT, BT and BPO companies, non-Kannada speakers are more in this constituency. Candidates campaigning here are forced to speak in other languages to attract voters. * Candidates seeking votes are made to…