K’taka HC issues notice to CM on petition seeking disqualification over ‘election malpractice’

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has issued a notice to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on a plea seeking his disqualification as an MLA from Varuna constituency while alleging voter inducement.

The court took up the petition filed by K M Shankar of Kudanahalli village of Varuna hobli in Mysuru and issued a notice to Siddaramaiah seeking his reply and adjourned further hearing to September 1.

The petition claimed that the Congress party lured voters through the Guarantee Schemes in the run-up to the Assembly elections. “It was equivalent to bribery as per Section 123 (1) and Section 123 (2) of the Representation of the People Act. Section 123 (4) makes it an offence to carry out propaganda by luring voters in any way”, the petition said. The petitioner requested the court that Siddaramaiah be disqualified as an MLA from Varuna constituency for this reason and to consider the promises as illegal.

The guarantee schemes have been approved by Siddaramaiah and his signature has been affixed on all the cards distributed ahead of the election, the petition noted. The petition said that these guarantee schemes have lured voters to vote for the Congress candidate in Varuna constituency.