Overview

• Law minister H K Patil announced the decision covering cases filed across the state against farmers, students, Kannada activists and political workers.
• Eleven FIRs tied to protests after D K Shivakumar’s 2019 ED arrest were registered at Kanakapura, Sathanur and Kodihalli, booking Congress and JD(S) workers under IPC and the public property damage law for violating orders and stone-pelting on KSTC buses.
• The action followed petitions from Home Minister G Parameshwara and government chief whip Ashok Pattan, despite reported objections from senior police, prosecution and the Law Department.
• Other withdrawals include the 2019 Chittapur stone-pelting case, 2023 Shikaripura protest cases, violations during Ganesh processions, and FIRs from Cauvery and Mahadayi agitations.
• Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar defended the step as affecting multiple parties, while activist-advocate Girish Bharadwaj and opposition leaders said they will challenge the order in the Karnataka High Court.