July 8th deadline, caste certificates not issued: Will 11,000 SC students in Karnataka be deprived of reserved CET seats?
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the KEA has written to the Secretary of the Revenue Department, requesting the prompt issuance of certificates for affected students. Bengaluru – Thousands of Scheduled Caste (SC) students in Karnataka are facing a serious crisis amid the Common Entrance Test (CET) counseling. July 8th is the deadline for Option Entry, but more than 11,086 SC students have not yet obtained the required caste certificates in accordance with their internal reservation. If the certificates are not issued by the deadline, these students may be denied their choice of reserved seats. This information has emerged in a detailed report by The Hindu, which states that the main reason for the problem is the delay in issuing new caste certificates at tehsil offices across the state. What is the cause of the problem? The Karnataka government recently implemented internal reservation within Scheduled Castes. Under this, the SC community is being divided into different categories: Category A, Category B, and Category C. However, when CET applications were filed, the government had not implemented internal reservation. Therefore, students applied based on their old caste certificates. After the government implemented internal reservation, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) directed that students seeking internal reservation within the SC category must update their Revenue Document (RD) number of the caste certificate issued in the new format on the online portal. This is where the crisis began. More than 11,000 students are stuck in this predicament. According to information, a total of 43,353 Scheduled Caste students applied. Of these, 32,267 students have entered their new RD number, while 11,086 students have not yet received their new caste certificates. These students say they applied several weeks ago, but the certificates have not been issued by the tehsil offices. Due to this, the KEA (Karnataka Examination Authority) portal is not allowing them to enter options. Some students told The Hindu that new certificates were not required when they applied. KEA subsequently demanded a new certificate under internal reservation. They applied about a month ago, but the tehsil office has not yet issued the certificate. As a result, they are unable to complete the counseling process. Given the gravity of the situation, KEA has written to the Secretary of the Revenue Department, requesting the immediate issuance of certificates to the affected students. According to KEA Executive Director H. Prasanna, students who have not yet updated their RD numbers have been notified via SMS and newspapers so they can complete the process as soon as possible. He expressed hope that all eligible students will receive their certificates in time. Meanwhile, a Revenue Department official claimed that there are no unusual delays on the department’s part. According to him, most applications are being processed within the stipulated 21-day deadline. However, some new applications and cases related to amendments to old certificates are still pending. What is Karnataka’s internal reservation system? Internal reservation in Karnataka is a “quota within quota” system within the 15% Scheduled Caste (SC) quota. Under this system, all 101 SC sub-castes are divided into three distinct groups based on their socio-economic status, so that the most backward castes can directly benefit from reservation. Under this formula, in April 2026, the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah government divided the SC quota as follows: Group A (SC Left): 5.25% (includes the most disadvantaged castes) Group B (SC Right): 5.25% (includes more aware and influential castes) Group C (Other SCs): 4.5% (nomadic castes) The government made this decision in light of continued protests by students and job seekers, with widespread unrest in Dharwad and other areas of Karnataka due to recruitment delays. What experts say Senior IRS officer Netra Pal has questioned the government’s process regarding this entire controversy. He said that he had already warned that adding the internal reservation category directly to the caste certificate would prove to be unnecessarily complex and cumbersome. Netrapal said, “I have always maintained that adding the internal reservation category to the caste certificate was a wrong decision. Instead of changing the original caste certificate, the government should have issued a separate sub-caste certificate.” He further stated that scrutiny committees will now face numerous technical disputes, and innocent students will face questions that will be extremely difficult for them to answer. According to him, the confusion surrounding caste certificates that arose after the implementation of internal reservation has not yet been resolved, and students may suffer the greatest loss. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
House not found even after High Court order: Dalit widow makes serious allegations against accountant, son appeals to Chief Minister
Sitapati, a Dalit, disabled, and elderly widow, is unable to regain possession of her land despite a High Court order. She alleges that the administration is re-encroaching on the land she had been granted possession of. She is running around officials seeking justice. Sitapati, a resident of Poore Bhatta Majra Azadpur in Tiloi tehsil, has alleged in a petition to the District Magistrate that the regional accountant, Akhand Pratap Singh, without informing her, staked a stake in plot number 2309 in favor of a person named Naseem. When she protested, the accountant allegedly behaved rudely, threw away documents, and threatened her. The woman also alleges that a demand of 10,000 rupees was made in this matter. The victim’s son, Devi Prasad, alleges that when she showed the accountant the Honorable High Court order and other revenue records, the accountant allegedly tore the documents and threw them away. Devi Prasad claims that the accountant said, “I keep the High Court in my pocket.” The family has demanded an impartial investigation into these allegations. Sitapati says she is financially weak and has been constantly running around officials to seek justice, but has received no relief so far. She has appealed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the District Magistrate of Amethi, and the Revenue Department to conduct an impartial investigation into the entire matter, take strict action against those found guilty, ensure the safety of her land, and provide speedy justice. When contacted, regional accountant Akhand Pratap Singh stated that he had no knowledge of the matter. Anand Kumar Trivedi | Tiloi Courtesy: Hindi News
Samajwadi Party plans to field 100 Dalit, tribal candidates in UP assembly polls
The strategy is intended to project the SP as a party willing to provide Dalits greater political representation than the number of reserved constituencies. The Samajwadi Party (SP) is planning to field around 100 Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, including 14 candidates in general constituencies, as part of its strategy to strengthen its PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) alliance. According to party sources, the plan includes contesting all 84 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes, both Scheduled Tribe seats, and around 14 general seats with Dalit candidates, subject to the availability of suitable nominees. Party leaders said the move is aimed at expanding the SP’s support beyond its traditional Yadav-Muslim base and attracting Dalit voters as the Bahujan Samaj Party’s electoral influence declines. “We are working on zeroing in on candidates from Dalit communities who can contest on general seats. While our target is to give 100 seats to the community, it will depend on suitable and strong candidates,” a party source said. The SP had fielded Dalit candidates in two general constituencies during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Awadhesh Prasad won from Faizabad, while Sunita Verma narrowly lost in Meerut. Party leaders said the strategy is intended to project the SP as a party willing to provide Dalits greater political representation than the number of reserved constituencies. The BSP, which once commanded a significant share of Dalit votes, won only one seat in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and failed to win any seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP and Congress have also intensified their outreach to Dalit voters ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. SP Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman expressed confidence that a significant section of Dalit voters would support the INDIA bloc, while party chief Akhilesh Yadav has urged voters not to back the BSP, arguing that a vote for the party would be wasted Courtesy : Madhyamam Note: This news is originally published on https:/madhyamam.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Forced into sexual relations since 2017’: Dalit domestic help alleges rape, pressure to convert religion in UP
BALLIA: Police have registered a case against a man based on a complaint by his Dalit domestic help, who alleged that she was raped on the promise of marriage and pressured to convert her religion, officials said on Sunday. The woman, who had been working at the man’s house in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia district for several years, alleged that he entered into a “written agreement” of marriage with her five years ago when she was 17, promising to formalise the marriage when she turned 20. She further alleged in her police complaint that he had molested her and forced her into other sexual acts even before that period. According to the police, a case was registered against Jalaluddin (24) on Saturday. He has been booked under relevant sections of BNS, including rape, and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST Act. A police official told news agency PTI that, in her complaint, the woman stated that Jalaluddin brought her to his house for domestic work, taking advantage of the fact that she was poor and an orphan. He allegedly began molesting her gradually and later developed physical relations with her. The victim alleged that when she threatened to speak up, Jalaluddin, entered into a “written agreement and married” her on August 10, 2021. At the time, she was told that he would formally marry her and give her a share in his property once she turned 20, the official said. When she later pressured him to marry her, she was allegedly coerced to convert her religion. When she refused, she was allegedly threatened with death, police said. The woman further alleged that Jalaluddin had been forcing sexual relations with her since 2017. She also claimed that he is now planning to marry another woman, police added. Rasra Circle Officer (CO) Rajnish said a case has been registered based on the victim’s complaint. He added that procedures are underway to record the victim’s statement before a local court in Ballia, and police have initiated a detailed investigation into the matter. (The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault) Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
ALIFA seeks gender safeguards in electoral roll revision, says women, transgender persons face higher risk of exclusion
Hyderabad: The All-India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) on Friday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to introduce gender-sensitive safeguards in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that women, transgender persons and minority communities face a higher risk of exclusion due to systemic barriers. In a representation to the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, the alliance sought an extension of the SIR timeline, alternative documentation for women, migrants, homeless and transgender persons, gender-friendly help desks, publication of gender-disaggregated data, social audits, and a mechanism to restore eligible voters omitted from the revised rolls. It also urged the ECI to clarify that exclusion from the SIR electoral rolls does not amount to denial of citizenship. ALIFA, a network affiliated with the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), said electoral roll revisions must ensure that no eligible voter is left out. Citing ECI data from the first two phases of the SIR in 13 states and Union Territories, it claimed the revised rolls contained 8.9% fewer living voters and alleged that women, transgender persons and minorities, particularly Muslims, were deleted at disproportionately higher rates. It also alleged that revised rolls in Bihar, Rajasthan and West Bengal showed a decline in the gender ratio. The alliance argued that the current eligibility framework’s reliance on lineage, kinship and household relationships disadvantages women who migrate after marriage, transgender persons estranged from their families, homeless persons and migrants. It urged the ECI to accept alternative documents, including marriage invitation cards and records showing women as parents in children’s birth or school certificates, for applicants who have Aadhaar, ration cards or voter identity cards but lack other proof. For transgender voters, ALIFA sought acceptance of gazette notifications and transgender identity certificates as valid documents, alternative methods for establishing eligibility for those estranged from their families, and implementation of the principle of self-determination of gender recognised by the Supreme Court and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, pending rules under the Transgender Amendment Act, 2026. The alliance also sought written protocols, anti-discrimination training, travel support and helplines for booth-level officers, besides accountability for non-distribution or wrongful rejection of forms. It urged the ECI to review “logical discrepancy” criteria that could adversely affect married women who changed their names and women who had children at a young age. ALIFA further called for publication of booth-wise, Assembly constituency-wise and district-wise gender-disaggregated data on additions, deletions and restorations of names, independent monitoring through spot checks and social audits, a one-year window to restore eligible voters excluded during the SIR without requiring fresh registration, withdrawal of the proposed tribunal mechanism for determining voter eligibility, and a formal clarification that exclusion from the revised electoral rolls does not amount to denial of citizenship. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Punjab Congress fault lines deepen ahead of 2027 polls; Warring denies factionalism
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday said former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is like his elder brother and there is no factionalism in the party. The fault lines in the Punjab Congress ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections are now clearly visible. While rejecting speculation about internal divisions, state unit president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday said former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi is like his elder brother. He added that there is “no factionalism” in the party and expressed confidence that all senior leaders would appear together on a common stage within the next one or two days. Channi’s Delhi visit On the other hand, a day after a large number of senior Congress leaders, gathered at Channi’s residence, demanding that the party high command review its decision on the state leadership, the former chief minister left for Delhi on Saturday. Sources said Channi’s visit to Delhi has triggered speculation over possible efforts to break the political deadlock that has emerged in the state unit following recent organisational appointments made by the Congress ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Leaders close to Channi argue that the present arrangement has failed to enthuse workers at the grassroots level and that the party leadership needs to address their concerns before preparations for the Assembly polls gather momentum. They remain firm on their demand for a change in state leadership and have indicated that the dissident group could adopt a tougher stance if their concerns are ignored. Throughout these developments, Channi has maintained complete silence. Meanwhile, the dissident camp is awaiting a response from the party high command to its demand for a change in the Punjab Congress leadership. ‘Nothing unusual’ Warring said there was nothing unusual about Congress leaders gathering at Channi’s residence, describing the former chief minister as a senior leader and Chairman of the party’s Campaign Committee. “Channi is our elder brother, a senior leader, and former chief minister. If some Congress leaders meet at his house, there is nothing wrong with that. Tomorrow, leaders may gather at my residence or at Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa’s home as well. That should not be interpreted as infighting,” he said, adding that whenever Channi wants, he can meet the high command; nobody can stop him, and the senior leadership respects him. Warring further said that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress high command hold Channi in high regard, and there is nothing inappropriate about the former Chief Minister meeting the party leadership. He added that neither Channi nor any other senior leader has acted against party interests, and that strict action would be taken against those former MLAs or leaders found making statements against the party or indulging in indiscipline. ‘No leader above organisational rules’ Warring said that no leader, including himself, is above the organisation’s rules. “No one is allowed to cross the party’s limits, even if that person is the state president. Everyone must know their boundaries,” he said. He also urged party workers to exercise restraint and introspect before making public statements. ‘Tickets to contest polls would be allotted on merit’ On ticket distribution, Warring said tickets would be allotted on merit and that this decision was not in anyone’s control. “As far as tickets for the Assembly elections are concerned, everything will be on merit. If Raja Warring likes someone’s face or not, it will not matter. The person who is deserving will get the ticket. The high command will decide; our job is only to recommend. I do not know whose names will be shortlisted or rejected. After proper analysis, tickets will be given. This is the criteria of Rahul Gandhi,” he said. Warring added that the Congress wants to give tickets to common people and new faces, as India is a young country and youth should be better represented. “Tickets will be given to both experienced leaders and the youth in the coming elections,” he said. Meanwhile, his supporters have been posting messages claiming that only a small section of Congress leaders attended Friday’s meeting at Channi’s house, and that the overwhelming majority of the party continues to stand with the decision taken by the Congress high command. Harpreet Bajwa Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
KCR desperate for power as he wants to loot state: CM Revanth
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister vowed to work towards making Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi the prime minister. HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has alleged that BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao is desperate to return to power only to loot the state again, asserting that the opposition party has no future and has been confined to history. “The Congress will remain in power in Telangana till 2034. If the BRS returns to power, it will bring dark days to the state, as its leaders are preparing to loot Telangana once again,” he alleged. On Saturday, the chief minister addressed a thanksgiving meeting (Kruthagnatha Sabha) at Midjil in Mahbubnagar district to mark his political journey, which began 20 years ago when he was elected a ZPTC member in 2006. Apart from laying foundation stones for various development works worth Rs 47.08 crore, he interacted with local leaders who had worked with him during his early political days. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister vowed to work towards making Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi the prime minister. There is a historic need to make Rahul PM, says Revanth “The Congress should return to power at the Centre and Rahul should become the prime minister. His grandmother Indira Gandhi and his father Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the country. There is a historic need to make Rahul the prime minister. The people of Telangana should thank Sonia Gandhi for fulfilling their dream of a separate state by working together to ensure Rahul becomes the prime minister. The first step towards that goal should begin from Midjil,” the chief minister said. Describing BRS chief KCR as an arrogant leader, Revanth alleged that he had made revolutionary balladeer Gaddar sit outside Pragathi Bhavan in the scorching sun. Listing his government’s achievements, Revanth said it had issued ration cards to eligible poor families, sanctioned pensions and Indiramma houses, distributed superfine rice, provided jobs to youth and ensured free power supply. He said the government had spent `80,000 crore on paddy procurement, `36,000 crore under Rythu Bharosa and `30,000 crore on free power for agriculture. In the last 30 months, it had spent `1.75 lakh crore on farmers and agriculture, he added, while alleging that the previous BRS government had left behind a debt burden of about `8.21 lakh crore. Revanth alleged that KCR had failed to fulfil promises of double-bedroom houses, three acres of land for every Dalit family and jobs for unemployed youth. “KCR got those who opposed illegal sand mining in Nerella assaulted, looted hundreds of crores and treated the leakage of competitive examination question papers without proper seriousness. He failed to provide water, houses, pensions, funds and jobs. Then why should he return to power? Why should Praja Palana go and the BRS come back?” he asked. Alleging that BRS leaders wanted to return to power because “their looting and source of income had stopped”, Revanth claimed Anti-Corruption Bureau investigations had uncovered officials possessing assets worth `200 crore to `300 crore. Questioning the wealth of the BRS leadership, he asked how KCR acquired a 1,000-acre farmhouse at Erravalli, Rama Rao a 100-acre farmhouse at Janwada, Harish a 50-acre farmhouse at Moinabad and Kalvakuntla Kavitha a 25-acre farmhouse at Shankarpally. Calling for Midjil to become a model mandal, Revanth urged Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka to adopt it and monitor its development, while also asking Congress leaders to provide a suitable government position to Rabbani, who lost 2006 ZPTC polls. Revanth asserted that he had never taken leave or misused any public office during the last 20 years as a ZPTC member, MLC, MLA, MP and Chief Minister. “When I was in the Opposition, I fought for the people. Now, as chief minister, I am ensuring the welfare and development of the state. I was born in a village. I understand the problems of the people and their root causes,” he said. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
SP Takes Action in Anand Gautam Murder Case: Sub-Inspector and Head Constable Suspended
The Superintendent of Police has suspended a sub-inspector and a head constable with immediate effect for negligence in the Anand Gautam murder case, which occurred approximately 15 days ago in Sant Kabir Nagar. Both suspended officers have been attached to the police lines. They will not be able to leave headquarters without prior permission from the competent authority. This action was taken following the negligence that emerged in the brutal murder of Anand Gautam at Babhani intersection in the Bakhira area. Police investigation revealed that a girl, a relative of the deceased Anand Kumar Gautam, and the main accused, Nasir Kusmha Mafi, had been in a love affair for approximately one year. On June 6, 2026, a wedding was held near the deceased Anand Kumar Gautam’s home, where the main accused, Nasir, also attended. Upon learning of Nasir’s presence, Anand and his family assaulted the accused Nasir at the wedding itself. This incident resulted in the murder of Anand Gautam. The crowd was enraged following the incident. The crowd refused to remove the body from the scene and staged a violent protest. In response to the situation, several senior officials, including the ADG, DIG, DM, SP, ASP, and CO, arrived at the scene. Police and PAC personnel from Sant Kabir Nagar district, as well as Basti and Siddharthnagar, had to be deployed. The incident occurred in Halka No. 2 of the Kolki Chamarsan police station area, about 15 kilometers from the station. SI Rajkumar Mishra and Head Constable Manoj Kumar Yadav had been posted in this Halka for the past three years. SP Sandeep Kumar Meena stated that if Halka Inspector Rajkumar Mishra and Head Constable Manoj Kumar Yadav had performed their official duties properly, the open murder would not have occurred, and law and order problems would not have arisen. They have been suspended for gross negligence, indifference, and inaction towards their duties. Durgesh Tripathi | Hardi (Mehdawal), Sant Kabir Nagar Courtesy: Hindi News
After 40 years, Dalits in Madurai’s Theerthakadu see light in homes
Madurai East MLA S Karthikeyan visited the village on Wednesday, interacted with residents and assured them that he would raise the issue in the Assembly. MADURAI: Forty long years of struggle living without electricity has ended for Dalit residents of Theerthakadu village near Vandiyur in Madurai as Tangedco officials started installing electricity poles in the locality on Wednesday. Five families would get power supply in the Phase-I of the electrification work. The development comes months after the TNIE highlighted the plight of the village in a report titled ‘Red tape: Dalit families live in dark for 40 years in Tamil Nadu’, published on February 13, 2026. The report detailed how nearly 360 Dalit families had been deprived of electricity, drinking water, roads, drainage, and sanitation facilities due to a prolonged dispute between the Madurai corporation and the Revenue Department over the issuance of land pattas. Frustrated by the delay, residents had even announced a boycott of the recent Assembly election. Although successive governments had promised to issue pattas, only 68 of the 349 eligible families identified in 1982 received e-pattas last year from the then deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, paving the way for infrastructure development. Of these, five families will now receive electricity connections. Speaking to the TNIE, M Mullaikodi, one of the five beneficiaries, welcomed the development but said the village’s struggle was far from over. “We are happy that electricity is finally reaching our homes, but we cannot celebrate fully when many families are still waiting even for pattas. After our long struggle for basic necessities, we urge Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to fulfil all our demands on a war footing,” she said. Theerthakadu SC Residents Protection Welfare Association office-bearer M Thangapandian thanked the TNIE for bringing attention to the issue. He said Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu intervened and directed the district administration to expedite the process, describing the electrification work as the first victory in the community’s long struggle. Thangapandian said the association had also approached the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC). Acting on the petition, NCSC Director S Ravivarman issued a notice to collector Nishanth Krishna on July 2, directing the district administration to take appropriate action on land rights and the provision of basic amenities for Scheduled Caste residents, and to submit an action-taken report within seven days. Meanwhile, Madurai East MLA S Karthikeyan visited the village on Wednesday, interacted with residents and assured them that he would raise the issue in the Assembly. Jeyalakshmi Ramanujam Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Deputy CM Dr G Parameshwara keen to emerge as Dalit face of the government
The meeting is likely to discuss 19 demands concerning land, housing, reservation in employment, special component scheme and implementation of single window policy for the grant of industrial lands. BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara might have missed out on the CM post but is keen to emerge as the Dalit face of the Congress government. With Dalit leader and former minister Dr HC Mahadevappa taking part in a Dalit protest rally held at Freedom Park, the DCM on Friday promised Dalit activists to convene a meeting at Vidhana Soudha next week to discuss their demands, including filling backlog vacancies in government. Attending the ‘Dalit Janagraha Samavesha’ organised by Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (Ambedkarism), the DCM said he would invite Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to the meeting apart from officials and legislators. The meeting is likely to discuss 19 demands concerning land, housing, reservation in employment, special component scheme and implementation of single window policy for the grant of industrial lands. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights