Afternoon Pulse: New Governor sworn in as Karnataka's open loops wait on deadlines

Since this morning, Karnataka has gained a new Governor and very little else has shifted. The questions we flagged at breakfast are still open: whether the quota appeal has reached the Supreme Court, who will run the sting probe, and what the 'good news' for cane growers turns out to be. What has changed is the cast. The state now has a new constitutional head, a BJP veteran, taking office while a Congress government and a Union Minister from the JD(S) trade allegations over a police investigation.

Dr Sudha Yadav was sworn in as Karnataka's 20th Governor at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru on Friday morning. Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru administered the oath, IANS (via Telangana Today) and Vartha Bharati reported. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and outgoing Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot attended, as did Opposition leaders R Ashoka and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, according to IANS. She is the second woman to hold the post in the state, Vartha Bharati and IANS reported. A former Mahendragarh MP and member of the BJP Parliamentary Board, she was appointed by President Droupadi Murmu on October 12 to succeed Gehlot, who had served since July 2021.

On the SC/ST quota, there is no sign yet that the special leave petition has been filed. A Vishwavani report published on Friday morning still described Thursday's Cabinet decision as a decision to appeal. It said the ruling could seriously affect government recruitment. The Federal Karnataka had earlier put the number of posts at risk at about 56,432. We found no report of a filing or a stay request since the morning Pulse.

The sting row also held its position. A Public TV report from late Thursday said the Cabinet had authorised the Chief Minister to decide whether to set up a special investigation team, which matches what The Federal Karnataka reported, and which sits uneasily with Parameshwara's public statement that no decision on the probe was taken. The case remains with the city CCB. We found no new statement from the police or from Kumaraswamy on Friday morning, and his two-day deadline to the police runs into the weekend.

The Hubballi Chalo march entered its third day on Friday, Deccan Herald and UNI reported. Growers are still demanding Rs 5,500 a tonne or more for cane and a sharp rise in the minimum selling price of sugar, from Rs 31 to Rs 60 a kilo. UNI said Shivakumar has again urged patience while talks continue with the Centre. The 'good news' the Belagavi Deputy Commissioner promised on Thursday evening had not arrived by midday.

In Mysuru district, four people were killed when a private sleeper bus and a lorry collided head-on near Piriyapatna in the early hours of Friday, India TV and Onmanorama reported. The bus was on the Bengaluru-Kozhikode route, and two of the dead were from Kerala, according to Onmanorama. Reported injury counts vary between outlets, from 14 to more than 30. Police have registered a case, India TV reported.

In cricket, Saturday's series decider against West Indies at the Chinnaswamy starts at 7 pm, with the series level at 2-2. The Sunday Guardian reported a 55 to 75 per cent chance of rain through the evening, which could cut overs or wash the match out. A preview carried by Yahoo Sports said heavy dew could favour the side batting second on a ground with short square boundaries.