Last Update: February 04, 2023, 13:47 IST
Assembly elections are to be held in BJP-ruled Karnataka by May.
Reacting to these incidents, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said that the model code of conduct comes into force from the day the election dates are announced, but curb such practices even before the election process begins. There are ways to apply.
Dinner sets, pressure cookers, digital watches and other gifts to woo voters – It seems the season of gifts has arrived in Karnataka with months to go before the assembly elections.
Some politicians were found sponsoring pilgrimages for their voters – the most preferred places being Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, Manjunatha Swamy Temple at Dharmasthala in Karnataka and Shirdi in Maharashtra.
A video of digital clocks bearing the picture of a prominent politician from Bagalkot district had gone viral recently.
A resident told PTI that dinner sets were distributed to voters in the Bengaluru constituency.
“I got a call in the afternoon to come and collect the dinner set. Initially I thought it was a joke, but when I went there to check, they were actually distributing dinner sets.
In another block of the city, a former minister allegedly paid the life insurance premium of a section of voters.
Recently pressure cookers and kitchen utensils loaded in trucks were also seized.
Reacting to these incidents, Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said that the model code of conduct comes into force from the day the election dates are announced, but measures are being taken to curb such practices even before the election process begins. There are ways.
“The model code of conduct comes into force from the date of the election. Till then (we deliberated) what can we do in the light of recent media reports alleging that political parties and elected representatives are indulging in various activities to garner votes.
He said that he has called a meeting of all the enforcement agencies, both state and central government, and directed them to take action as per the extant rules and regulations.
“We asked them why don’t you use those laws and see that action can be taken against those people. The commercial tax department can raid warehouses and find out whether there is any violation of GST law.
According to him, the commercial tax department raided two warehouses in Chikkamagaluru and Tumakuru and found that these goods were not authorized. Accordingly, the owners of the godowns were fined.
“There are many ways in which these departments can enforce their laws and in a way help us control these activities,” he said.
Assembly elections are to be held in BJP-ruled Karnataka by May.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)