EC asks Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer to keep vigil after FIR against Karnataka minister V Somanna for bribery and corrupt practices
In the days leading up to the state's Assembly elections on May 10, the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday requested Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Meena to maintain a vigilant eye out for any corrupt behaviour. Following the filing of an FIR against state minister and BJP candidate V Somanna for allegedly attempting to bribe a rival to withdraw from the race, the directives were issued.
The EC urged that the FIR filed in the case on Thursday "be busily sought to provide that the case is taken to its rational and expeditious judgment" in a letter to the CEO. On Thursday, a Congress delegation filed a case with the Bengaluru Police against Somanna, the state's minister of housing. Based on a viral audio tape, the Congress said that Somanna, who is running for office from Varuna and Chamarajanagar for the BJP, offered Mallikarjuna Swamy of the Janata Dal (Secular) a bribe of Rs. 50 lakh.
"In a letter to the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer, the Election Commission (EC) has directed that the FIR filed against state minister and BJP candidate V Somanna for alleged bribery be pursued to a speedy and logical conclusion".
"The directive follows a complaint filed by the Congress against Somanna for allegedly offering Rs. 50 lahks as a bribe to Janata Dal (Secular)'s candidate in Chamarajanagar, Mallikarjuna Swamy, based on an audio clip that went viral. Somanna is contesting the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka from Varuna and Chamarajanagar".
The EC took note of the rumoured audio tape spreading on social media, according to a source who spoke to The Indian Express, and requested the District Election Officer's (DEO) report on the matter. The FIR against Somanna was submitted at the Chamarajanagar Town police station under Sections 171 (E) and 171 (F) of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with the penalties for bribery and improper influence or personation during an election.
To stop such "alleged happenings at the onset of the future," the EC instructed the state CEO to "constantly" monitor the situation on the ground.
"Teams established to monitor media and social media should be appropriately strengthened and given instructions to maintain constant vigilance, report any attempts at bribery or voter intimidation, and take appropriate legal action. Likewise, reports on C-VIGIL [EC's complaints app] and other pertinent apps are continuously observed, according to the EC.