Daijiworld Media Network - Mandya (SP)

Mandya, Apr 1: The election scene in this constituency, where people wielding influence are in the arena, has hotted up. The election commission began an investigation into the complaint about the nomination papers of JD(S) candidate, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, not being in order.

Regional commissioner from Mysuru, T K Anill Kumar, began investigation into the matter on Sunday March 31. He sought and obtained information and clarification on the conduct of the deputy commissioner (DC) of the district in the recent past, lacunae if any which happened during the scrutiny of nominations, mistakes in the affidavit etc. Sources said that he would be submitting his report to the central election commission.

Sumalatha and DC Manjushree

State chief electoral officer, Sanjiv Kumar, said that he has asked the regional commissioner to investigate administrative lapses if any which have allegedly crept in during the scrutiny of nominations in Mandya constituency. He said that the election commission will take further steps based on his report.

Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election as an independent candidate here, claimed that deputy commissioner of the district, N Manjushree, who also is the district electoral officer, is working under pressure from the chief minister. She demanded resignation of the official, owning moral responsibility for the lapses. She said that the official did not consider the objection raised by her election agent about the defects in Nikhil's nomination.

"Even though we sought the entire video footage of the process of scrutiny of nomination papers, we were given only a part of the video. How could she announce on the date of filing nomination papers that Nikhil was allotted serial No. 01?" she questioned. She said that these developments have given rise to genuine doubts in her mind.

"The returning officer said that Nikhil filed revised affidavit at 10 am on March 27. But the new affidavit bears the date as March 21, not 27. On that day, the candidate was not in the constituency. How could he sign the affidavit?" she wanted to know.

High profile campaign

Since Monday, sandalwood actor, Darshan, would begin campaigning in favour of Sumalatha. Another actor, Yash, will begin addressing public meetings from April 2 onward. Former Karnataka chief minister, S M Krishna, will undertake campaigning for Sumalatha, whose candidature is supported by BJP.