Don't allow curtailment of budget session: K'taka LoP urges Speaker
Bengaluru (PTI): Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Monday urged the Speaker not to allow the ongoing Budget session of the legislature to be curtailed, amid indications of such a move, in the wake of bypolls to two assembly segments in the state.
Ashoka, a senior BJP leader, said that there are indications the session may be curtailed and urged Speaker U T Khader not to allow it.
As the House met for the day, Ashoka said, "we wanted to discuss Bengaluru's issues, but no one is here. Neither the Chief Minister nor the Deputy Chief Minister are present. What should we do."
Speaker Khader replied, "Let them come, the matter can be taken up after that."
To this Ashoka asked whether they would come and that he has "doubts," about that. "There are indications the government may curtail the session. Please don't allow it to happen."
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The Speaker then said that any such decision would be taken after discussing with the opposition leader.
To this, Ashoka said there was no need for any discussion and that "let the session be held as per schedule."
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Labour Minister Santosh Lad admitted there were indications the session might be curtailed.
"The legislature session has been on for three weeks. Despite holidays in between, the session has been held for the minimum number of days. I don't have complete information about what the opposition, the Chief Minister and the Speaker will decide. But such indications are there," he said in response to a question.
The state legislature's Budget session, which began on March 6 with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presenting the Budget for 2026-27, is scheduled to conclude on March 27.
Two assembly segments in the state --Bagalkot and Davangere South-- will go to bypolls on April 9.
Since Monday is the last date for filing nominations for the bypolls, both chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar are visiting those segments to accompany Congress candidates while filing their papers.
Bypolls for the Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly constituencies were necessitated following the death of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, respectively.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
