Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 2: Former Karnataka chief minister and union minister, and current Lok Sabha member representing Chikkaballapur seat, Veerappa Moily, has been served a notice by the state high court, for allegedly spending more than the permissible limit for the recent Lok Sabha election, and concealing information on electoral spending from the election officer.

A single judge bench of the high court presided over by Justice B S Patil, also served notice on the central election commission, state chief electoral officer, and deputy commissioner of Chikkaballapur district. This was done in relation to a petition filed by B N Bachche Gowda, who had contested against Moily on BJP ticket and lost with a small margin.

A maximum expenditure limit of Rs 70 lac has been fixed for Lok Sabha candidates from Karnataka state. Bachche Gowda sighted that as per the details provided by election monitoring officers, Moily had spent over Rs 73 lac since submission of his nomination papers. Gowda has accordingly sought directions nullifying Moily's election.

In his complaint dated July 7, 2014, Gowda had complained to the central election commission, Karnataka chief electoral officer and deputy commissioner of Chikkaballapur district, who was the returning officer for the election, pointing out that Moily had shown in accounts furnished to the concerned that he had spent Rs 42.99 lac for this election. He said as per details obtained by him through right to information act, the election officers have put the total expenses of Moily at Rs 73.28 lac. He has sought disqualification of Moily, and action against him for furnishing wrong accounts. As the concerned failed to take any action even aftr three months, he filed a petition in the high court, which has been taken up for investigation now. Gowda had aso claimed that Moily had concealed details of several other expenses incurred by him relating to his eletion.