Karnataka HC allows hotel to provide complimentary food to voters
Bengaluru, May 10: The High Court of Karnataka has allowed the Nisarga Grand Hotel to provide complimentary food to voters who exercise their franchise in the Karnataka Assembly Elections on Wednesday.
The Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association and the Nisarga Grand Hotel had challenged the press communication by the Election Commission's office disallowing hotels and eateries from providing complimentary food to voters after they exercise their franchise. The permission granted to the hotel was withdrawn.
"The impugned press note dated 09/05/2023 is one without authority of law and the same is liable to be set aside. The petitioners are not associated with any political party. The petitioners have adopted this method of providing complimentary food to the citizens who cast their vote with the laudable objective to increase the voting rate. Right to vote is a constitutional right which is recognised under the Constitution of India," the petition had claimed.
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The single-judge bench of Justice T G Shivashankare Gowda allowed the petition, stating, "At the risk of the hoteliers, they want to distribute free or concession rate cooked food. They can do it. The copy of the Model Code of Conduct is also made available and (on) its perusal, nowhere it is indicated that distribution of prepared food to the people who have already cast their votes amounts to violation of Model Code of Conduct or providing food for those who cast votes does not amount to inducement. Hence, the conduct of the BBMP granting permission and withdrawing the same is not proper," the HC said.
The HC, however, directed that the hotels providing free food should be apolitical.
"None of the hotel associations or hoteliers may proclaim or claim any credit for themselves or on behalf of the political parties. The hoteliers shall not receive any contribution form any politician/leader or political party associated with the Assembly election for such services. If they claim any such benefit either through press or media, they are liable to be prosecuted for violation of Model Code of Conduct," the court said.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
