Mangalore, Mar 28: Members of Bharatha Rathna Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Samaja Seva Sangha of Bantwal Taluk have contended that Gokuldas who had contested and won from Ward 15 of Sullia Town Panchayat in the recently-held ULB polls, had procured a seat by crooked means.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, president of the Sangha Bhanuchandra Krishnapura said that the Ward in question had been reserved for a member of Scheduled Caste in Sullia Town Panchayat.
“However, we have unearthed information that Gokuldas does not belong to Scheduled Caste category. While filing his nomination letter in the polls, he has submitted a forged caste certificate, in which there is no specification of his caste. Moreover, he is not a native of Dakshina Kannada district, which does not enable him to obtain a caste certificate of this district. The caste certificate states that he belongs to 'Manne' caste, who are not natives of this district, and hence ineligible to apply for a caste certificate from any authority in the district. This clearly shows that this certificate has been forged, and the Election Officer in-charge of the polls has allowed his nomination letter without verifying it,” he said, claiming that the Tahsildar, election officer and the nominee were all part of a conspiracy.
“Gokuldas has been elected through false propaganda, and taken away the constitutional right that had been reserved for a person belonging to Scheduled Caste category. A complaint has been submitted to the Deputy Commissioner as well as the Chief Election Officer of Karnataka State Election Commission in this regard,” he said, asking for an investigation to be conducted, and cancellation of the post held by Gokuldas.
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