Bengaluru: The high court has ordered notice to the ministry of law and justice along with the Election Commission of India in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and three others, over freebies during elections.
The petitioners have urged the court to issue directions to the ECI to formulate stringent and enforceable guidelines in addition to the model code of conduct for ensuring free and fair elections.The PIL also prays for incorporating corrective measures to contain corrupt practices and ensure a repeat of the “Karnataka model” is not followed in the future wherein purchase of votes for cash is rampant.
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice PS Dinesh Kumar and Justice TG Shivashankare Gowda also ordered notice the chief electoral officer, Karnataka and State Election Commission (SEC) after a hearing of the petition on Thursday.
According to the petitioners, despite the model code of conduct and laws prohibiting corrupt practices and bribery during elections, in the assembly polls held on May 10, 2023, cash, gifts and gift cards in exchange of votes occurred in 42 constituencies and the same was in public domain.
They claimed that on May 9, 2023, Congress functionaries and agents distributed plastic cards to voters in many constituencies, including Ramanagara where Congress candidate MA Iqbal Hussain won, and in Magadi and Kunigal constituencies.
“The voters were promised that each of these cards was redeemable for a value of Rs 2,000 and or Rs 500. Subsequent events would disclose that these promises were knowingly false and were made to lure voters into casting their votes for the candidate who gifted these cards. The magnitude of this fraudulent exercise is evident from the fact that over 60,000 cards were distributed in the state of Karnataka, having a payout of Rs 12 crore,” the petitioners added.
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The petitioners have urged the court to issue directions to the ECI to formulate stringent and enforceable guidelines in addition to the model code of conduct for ensuring free and fair elections.The PIL also prays for incorporating corrective measures to contain corrupt practices and ensure a repeat of the “Karnataka model” is not followed in the future wherein purchase of votes for cash is rampant.
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice PS Dinesh Kumar and Justice TG Shivashankare Gowda also ordered notice the chief electoral officer, Karnataka and State Election Commission (SEC) after a hearing of the petition on Thursday.
According to the petitioners, despite the model code of conduct and laws prohibiting corrupt practices and bribery during elections, in the assembly polls held on May 10, 2023, cash, gifts and gift cards in exchange of votes occurred in 42 constituencies and the same was in public domain.
They claimed that on May 9, 2023, Congress functionaries and agents distributed plastic cards to voters in many constituencies, including Ramanagara where Congress candidate MA Iqbal Hussain won, and in Magadi and Kunigal constituencies.
“The voters were promised that each of these cards was redeemable for a value of Rs 2,000 and or Rs 500. Subsequent events would disclose that these promises were knowingly false and were made to lure voters into casting their votes for the candidate who gifted these cards. The magnitude of this fraudulent exercise is evident from the fact that over 60,000 cards were distributed in the state of Karnataka, having a payout of Rs 12 crore,” the petitioners added.
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