DAVANAGERE: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday rejected the election petition filed by BJP candidate Gayatri Siddeshwar, seeking annulment of the Parliamentary seat of Davanagere Congress Lok Sabha member Dr Prabha Mallikarjun, who won it in the last general election.
A single-judge bench of Justice MI Arun delivered the verdict, while rejecting the petition filed by Gayatri, who alleged that the seat was won by luring voters.
Gayatri had filed a petition in the HC seeking annulment of Prabha’s election, alleging that she had won illegally by luring voters through the guarantee schemes.
The defeated BJP candidate alleged that Prabha had promised to give Rs 1 lakh per year to women by distributing Congress guarantee cards to the voters. This is against Sections 123(1), 123(2), 123(4) and 123(6) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and she alleged that Prabha won the polls through irregularities and bribery, hence her victory should be declared invalid.
Advocate Prashant R Gowder, who appeared for the MP, said the promises and guarantees given to voters in the election manifesto cannot be called a lure. Hence, the application of the defeated candidate is fit for rejection. The HC accepted the argument and upheld his request.