HC issues notice to Karnataka CM on petition seeking his disqualification alleging election malpractice

The petition alleged that Siddaramaiah had breached the provisions of the Constitution and the rules and guidelines under the Representation of People Act.

The High Court of Karnataka on July 28 issued notice to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on a petition seeking his disqualification from the Varuna assembly constituency alleging election malpractice.

The notice is returnable by September 1, Justice Sunil Dutt Yadav ordered, and adjourned the hearing. The petition "blames" the election manifesto of the Congress party, which promised five guarantees and termed them as "corrupt practices amounting to bribery and also undue influence under Section 123(2) of The Representation of the People Act".

The petition alleged that Siddaramaiah had breached the provisions of the Constitution and the rules and guidelines under the Representation of People Act. The petition also claimed that "the said guarantees are in the nature of offer and promises made by the candidate and by the Indian National Congress party. This was done with the consent of the respondent (Siddaramaiah). They are in the form of gratification to the electorate of Varuna constituency and with the object of directly inducing the electorate to vote for the Congress party candidate namely the respondent. The consideration was the vote in favour of the Respondent as a gratification with the motive and reward".

The election petition filed by K M Shankara, a private citizen from the constituency, came up before the single-judge bench of Justice Yadav. The petitioner alleged that Siddaramaiah, during the recently concluded Assembly Elections, "indulged in corrupt practice during the election period".