Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, May 27: Taluk panchayat member from here, Epriam D'Souza has filed written complaint with returning officer, Parameshwar Moily, and nodal officer, Cyprian Miranda, accusing BJP supported candidates in gram panchayat election of distributing pamphlets containing pictures of BJP leaders in violation of code of conduct.

The complaint, which has charged gram panchayat election candidates fielded in Amtady gram panchayat in the taluk of owning this dubious means, was handed over on Monday May 27.

The complaint has named immediate past president of Amtady gram panchayat, Babita Kotian, Dharmanna Bangera, Harish Shetty, Ratnavaty Marla, Yashoda, Sudhakar Shetty and Chetan, who are supported by the BJP, of resorting to this tactics to garner votes.

'These candidates have distributed pamphlets containing photos of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, BJP national president, Amit Sha, state BJP president, Prahlad Joshi, and others. These candidates have also been engaged in malicious propaganda against Congress-supported candidates,' Sequeira said in the said complaint.

Mangaluru: Poll code violation - Case filed against BJP

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS/SP)

Mangaluru, May 27: "I had held meetings with leaders of all the political parties and asked them to strictly adhere to the election code of conduct. As the gram panchayat (GP) election is not fought on party lines, distribution of pamphlets has been barred. CPI has complained that BJP candidates have distributed pamphlets. Our officials deputed to Puttur and Sullia for verification of this complaint have found this allegation to be true. Hence, a case has been filed in this connection," said deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim.

He was addressing a press meet in the light of the forthcoming gram panchayat (GP) election scheduled to be held on May 29 here on Tuesday May 26.

Giving details of arrangements made for the election in the district, DC said that entire polling machinery has been put in place, and that 5,412 staff have been deployed on polling duty including 3,088 women. "For women staff, there will not be any randomization, and they would be posted within their respective taluks. For men however, randomization process would be followed," he explained.

The DC said that all necessary arrangements have been made for fair and free conduct of election in naxal prone areas. "107 candidates have been elected unopposed in five taluks of this district. Five poll-related complaints were received from Puttur taluk, two each from Mangaluru, Beltangady and Bantwal, whereas one complaint was filed in Sullia. We have seized pamphlets from two spots," he said. The DC said that the staff posted for election duty have been given some relaxation this time, and they have been asked to report at respective polling booths at 10.30 am the previous day.

Ibrahim said that if poll code violation is reported from the same place repeatedly, this would be brought to the notice of the election commission, and recommendation will be made to put off the election. He said that for the first time ever, polling booth has been allotted to Banjarumale in Beltangady taluk, which is located in a relatively inaccessible and difficult terrain, and as such, 106 voters from there are relieved of the ordeal of having to walk 25 km to cast their votes. He added that he will personally visit the spot on May 27 and inspect the preparations.

"We have tried to convince the people of Bannur in Puttur and Markanja in Sullia taluk to withdraw the election boycott they have announced. But there is no provision to force them to reverse this decision," he added.

Additional deputy commissioner, Sadashiva Prabhu, was present at the press meet.