Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Apr 1: Ex-zilla panchayat president B Sadanand Punja demanded in a press conference held in Bantwal on Tuesday March 31 that the district administration should exempt certain sectors like drinking water, from the ambit of election code of conduct.

He flayed the engineers of the zilla panchayat for their reluctance to fit pumps to the wells dug for drinking water purposes, for the fear that they would attract action under the code of conduct rules. Punja explained that he has received complaints that the district deputy commissioner has been blocking efforts to provide relief from water woes, by citing code of conduct.

In Mangalore, the Congress has complained to the deputy commissioner of the district, about the violation of the code by the BJP candidate Nalin Kumar Kateel. It said, Kateel has violated the code by seeking votes by exhibiting a painting of the Goddess with the saffron flag in her hand by the side of the BJP's symbol lotus, while appealing for votes in his website. Congress spokespersons Kallige Taranath Shetty and M G Hegde said that seeking votes in the name of the gods and religion is clear violation of the code of conduct as per chapter 3 of the rules and demanded for registering criminal case against the candidate besides ordering for the closure of the website.

Deputy commissioner Ponnuraj said that he would seek the advice of the State Chief Election Commissioner before acting on a complaint in this connection, received from the Congress party.

Puttur Block Congress president A Hemanath Shetty through a separate complaint addressed to the returning officer and assistant commissioner said that Mallika Prasad and BJP Mahila Morcha leaders have been violating the code by appealing for votes at the meetings of the self-help groups under Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Village Development Project.