'EC acting on BJP's directions': K C Venugopal slams K'taka govt

Agencies

September 27, 2019

New Delhi, Sept 27: Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Thursday took a jibe at the BJP-ruled government in Karnataka and said that the Election Commission (EC) is acting on state government's direction.

Venugopal's comments came after the poll body informed the Supreme Court that it would defer the upcoming by-polls to 15 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka till the top court takes a decision on the 17 disqualified MLAs.

Expressing shock over EC's statement, Venugopal told ANI, "The Election Commission acts on the directions of the Central government."

Venugopal said that the top court's order has jolted the BJP. "They are now hesitant to fight the elections."

The apex court said that it would hear the arguments in the Karnataka MLAs disqualification matter on October 22.

The by-polls were scheduled to be held on October 21 and the result was supposed to be announced on October 24.

The legislators have sought relief to contest the Assembly elections for 15 Assembly seats in the state.

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No relief for Siddaramaiah in MUDA case as HC junks plea against Governor's sanction

News Network

September 24,2024

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed the petition filed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against Governor Thawarchand Gehlot's decision to sanction the complaint and investigation against him in the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam case.

Justice M Nagaprasanna said the facts narrated in the petition would undoubtedly require an investigation.

The court has also said that the Governor's order approving sanction to investigate against Siddaramaiah under section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act does not suffer from application of mind, instead has abundance of application of mind.

Meanwhile, the court rejected the request made by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi to stay the order of the court. The court has vacated the interim order passed on August 19. In the interim order the trial court was directed not to take any precipitative action against Siddaramaiah. On August 17, Governor had approved sanction under section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 218 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita ( BNSS), citing three applications.

The court said the private complainants were justified in registering the complaint and seeking approval from the governor.

Insofar as private complainants seeking sanction under section 17A, the court said the provision nowhere requires only a police officer to seek sanction from a competent authority. The court further said it is in fact the duty of the private complainants to seek such approval.

Earlier, The High Court had completed its hearing in the case on September 12, and reserved its orders. It had also directed a special court in Bengaluru to defer further proceedings and not to take any precipitative action against the Chief Minister.

The case pertains to allegations that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife B M Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru that had higher property value as compared to the location of her land that had been "acquired" by MUDA.

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