Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Nov 20: In an affidavit submitted to the high court, the Karnataka government on Thursday said it will not prosecute the Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya along with other political leaders for violating the rule of wearing masks in public.

The state government said that it would not take any action against violators of the mask and physical distancing rule under the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act as it is the uniform policy to not inflict harsh punishment. The state government said that fines of Rs 250 for urban areas and Rs 100 for rural areas have been deemed as sufficient punishment.

However, a bench headed by Chief Justice A S Oka observed that when a person pays the fine amount, they admit to committing the violation, and the Karnataka government's refusal to prosecute them has serious consequences. The state government has been urged to put its statement on record on the next date of hearing.

The state government's response comes as Chief Justice Oka and Justice Vishwajith Shetty are hearing a petition filed by advocate Ramesh Puthige who alleged that the coronavirus health guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) were not followed or implemented in Karnataka.

After an image of MP Surya not wearing a mask at a rally was produced by the advocate Ramesh Puthige, state government defended the point saying that fines were collected from Surya and other political leaders for violating health guidelines.

However, the high court maintained saying that the Karnataka government's failure to prosecute violators was only being done so as to protect the politicians. Along with Surya, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar was also found guilty of the same violations.