Daijiworld Media Network - Mandya (SP)

Mandya, Mar 30: Independent candidate from the Lok Sabha constituency here, Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is pitted against chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy's son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, has been slapped with a notice by the deputy commissioner of the district, N Manjushree, who also happens to be the district electoral officer. The notice pertains to Sumalatha's statement to the media accusing the chief minister of misusing official machinery in an effort to sabotage election process.

The notice prima facie charges Sumalatha with making an effort to create a wrong perception among the general public about the district administration and thus making an effort to block the election process from being executed efficiently. The deputy commissioner, through the notice, has asked Sumalatha why action should not be initiated against her under section 189 of Indian Penal Code. It also warns her that if she does not come up with clarification about her action within a day of receipt of this notice, the administration will proceed in the matter, duly taking into account that she has nothing to say in the matter.

Sumalatha

"I have got information that you have issued a statement to a channel alleging that there is error in the nomination papers of a candidate and that the official machinery has been working to conceal this mistake. You also told the channel that the chief minister had summoned the deputy commissioner to the spot where he was present, and spoke to her. You also stated that this is total breaking of law which does not happen anywhere else. On the basis of video footage of points contained in your statement, it is presumed that you have tried to pass rumours as official version with the lone aim of socially harming my reputation as district election officer and deputy commissioner," the notice mentions.

The deputy commissioner also said that the said statement has harmed the honesty with which she has conducted herself in her professional life. "By claiming in your selfish interests that the chief minister has been misusing the administrative machinery of the district, you have caused officials of the entire district to come under pressure and thus you have made an effort to cause them to lose their moral courage and mislead them. By projecting the entire officialdom of the district as guilty, you have also insulted the entire team of officials of the district. It has been prima facie found that through your derisive statements you have made an attempt to create misconception among the general public about the entire district administration, in an effort to block the officials of the district from ably handling the election-related work," the notice states.