<p> The State government has revived the controversial bill to ban superstitious practices in Karnataka.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Cabinet on Thursday referred the draft anti-superstition bill to the Scrutiny Committee headed by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra.<br /><br />The Social Welfare Department had sought the Cabinet nod to the draft the Karnataka Prevention of Superstitious Practices bill, 2015. <br /><br />The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, however, decided that the draft bill should be referred to the Scrutiny Committee, government sources said.<br /><br />The government did not brief the media on the Cabinet decisions as the State legislature session is underway.<br /><br />The National Law School of India University had submitted a draft model legislation in 2013. The NLSIU had classified about 13 superstitious practices such as ‘siddubhukti’, ‘maata’, ‘okuli’, ‘bettale seve’, ‘panktibheda’ and ‘made snana’ as evil practices and proposed severe punishment. It also proposed creation of a Karnataka anti-superstition authority and death sentence for human sacrifice in the name of black magic. The government had, however, shelved the model legislation following stiff resistance from various sections of society.<br /><br />‘C’ category mines<br /><br />Besides, the Cabinet decided to hand over 15 ‘C’ category mines to the Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd (MECL) to estimate mineral deposits in them and submit a report to the government. The mines are located in Ballari, Chitradurga and Tumakuru districts. The government will auction these mines based on the MECL report, the sources said.<br /><br />The Cabinet also decided to grant 10 acres of land to All India Institute of Speech and Hearing at Varuna and Choranahalli villages in Mysuru for free. It also approved a proposal to amend Section 9(1)(a) of the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957, to give stamp duty exemption to private firms taking up certain tourism development projects under public-private partnership.<br /></p>
<p> The State government has revived the controversial bill to ban superstitious practices in Karnataka.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Cabinet on Thursday referred the draft anti-superstition bill to the Scrutiny Committee headed by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra.<br /><br />The Social Welfare Department had sought the Cabinet nod to the draft the Karnataka Prevention of Superstitious Practices bill, 2015. <br /><br />The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, however, decided that the draft bill should be referred to the Scrutiny Committee, government sources said.<br /><br />The government did not brief the media on the Cabinet decisions as the State legislature session is underway.<br /><br />The National Law School of India University had submitted a draft model legislation in 2013. The NLSIU had classified about 13 superstitious practices such as ‘siddubhukti’, ‘maata’, ‘okuli’, ‘bettale seve’, ‘panktibheda’ and ‘made snana’ as evil practices and proposed severe punishment. It also proposed creation of a Karnataka anti-superstition authority and death sentence for human sacrifice in the name of black magic. The government had, however, shelved the model legislation following stiff resistance from various sections of society.<br /><br />‘C’ category mines<br /><br />Besides, the Cabinet decided to hand over 15 ‘C’ category mines to the Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd (MECL) to estimate mineral deposits in them and submit a report to the government. The mines are located in Ballari, Chitradurga and Tumakuru districts. The government will auction these mines based on the MECL report, the sources said.<br /><br />The Cabinet also decided to grant 10 acres of land to All India Institute of Speech and Hearing at Varuna and Choranahalli villages in Mysuru for free. It also approved a proposal to amend Section 9(1)(a) of the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957, to give stamp duty exemption to private firms taking up certain tourism development projects under public-private partnership.<br /></p>
