Karnataka High Court disqualifies JD(S) Tumakuru Rural MLA for election fraud

BENGALURU: The Kalaburagi bench of the Karnataka High Court has disqualified Tumakuru Rural JD(S) MLA D C Gowrishankar for six years in a case related to distributing fake insurance bonds during the 2018 Assembly election. This means Gowrishankar will not be able to contest the upcoming election.

As per the complaint filed by the BJP’s losing candidate Suresh Gowda, Gowrishankar had distributed fake bonds to 36,000 the aged and 16,000 children. He had also pleaded that the election be declared invalid. The order was passed by a single-judge bench of Justice Siddappa Sunil Dutt Yadav.

Gowrishankar’s lawyer Hemanth Raj pleaded before the court to suspend the disqualification order for one month citing that the election has already been announced. After hearing the appeal, the judge has given one month’s time to appeal against the order. Senior advocate Nalina Mayegowda argued the case on behalf of Suresh Gowda.

BJP’s Suresh Gowda addressing a press conference after the high court verdict on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference after the court pronounced the order, Suresh Gowda said, “The order has come on Ramanavami day and truth has been upheld. The election fraud has been established and hence, the MLA has been disqualified for six years. We have already filed a caveat in the Supreme Court and we are hopeful the top court too will uphold the verdict”.

“Gowrishankar was no competition for me, but he won by dubious means. I have faced elections four times and I have been a loyal party worker. Giving the ticket to me is left to the party high command, but former CM B S Yediyurappa had recently declared that I would be the candidate”, he added.