CM Siddaramaiah vows legal action on LS poll fraud allegations
Mysuru (Karnataka), Aug 9 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said he has directed the legal department to examine the feasibility of initiating legal action against alleged election fraud during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The CM's directive follows a suggestion from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to probe alleged fraud in the Mahadevapura assembly segment under the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency during the general elections in 2024.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I have directed the Legal Department. It will examine what action is possible to initiate. Accordingly, we will decide. Based on the legal department's recommendation, we will initiate legal action."
Responding to the BJP's allegation that the officers deputed there were under the Congress government's control, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said, "Officers may be ours (state government), but electoral issues are managed by the Election Commission."
To a question whether the action would be taken before the Bengaluru municipal elections, Siddaramaiah said, "We will do it immediately. I have told our legal advisor and Advocate General to examine it and get it done quickly."
Dismissing BJP's accusations that the Congress was slow to act, he said, "The BJP has committed a mistake and that's the reason that they are lying. Our internal survey during the 2024 Lok Sabha election showed that we will win 16 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, but we won only nine of them."
"Rahul Gandhi has raised some issues. All those details are available with the Election Commission of India. He has only presented those documents available with the ECI. Can 80 people reside in a single room? All those 80 people voted," the CM said.
Asked why the judiciary should not intervene and take up the matter on its own, Siddaramaiah said, "We have been saying this from the beginning that manipulation is going on in the election. EVM and voters' list manipulation is happening."
Siddaramaiah affirmed that he believed Rahul Gandhi's claims of large-scale election fraud through bogus and duplicate voters.
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Guv Gehlot wants hate speech and hate crimes bill shelved, says Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday alleged that Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has referred the Hate Speech and Hate Crime (Prevention) Bill to the President Droupadi Murmu to dump it in cold storage.
According to the Bill, any expression which is made, published or circulated in words, either spoken or written or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic communication or otherwise, in public view, with an intention to cause injury, disharmony or feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will against person alive or dead, class or group of persons or community, to meet any prejudicial interest, is hate speech.
The bill seeks at least seven years jail term and a maximum penalty of Rs one lakh.
The bill was passed by both the Houses during the winter session in Belagavi and was sent to Gehlot towards the end of December 2025.
Speaking to reporters here, Parameshwara said the Governor has questioned 28 points in bill and has referred it to the President.
"If the President sends back to us with her observations, then we will do something and send it again (for gubernatorial assent)," he said.
The minister explained that the bill was brought consciously and not just like that.
"We have freedom of speech, but that does not mean that one can say anything. We have to see how it impacts our society. Hence, the bill was introduced," he sought to know.
According to him, there were instances of hate speech, which made the government think of bringing a law.
Targeting the BJP, he said, "If you (BJP) still say that this is not proper, then what are your motives? Should it mean that anyone can abuse anyone? Should we allow any disturbance in society?"
He alleged that the Governor wants this bill is never implemented.
"In my opinion, the Governor has intentionally referred it to the President, so that it does not come into effect. He wants it to be shelved forever," Parameshwara said.
When reporters asked him that the same is happening in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, he said, "Let's see what happens in the coming days. I think things will improve."
