Bengaluru, April 18: Only 29 candidates, including 17 Independents, filed their nominations till Wednesday across the state for the May 12 Karnataka polls.

According to the Election Commission (EC)'s website, the 29 candidates filed a total of 34 nominations, with three candidates filing more than one nomination, after Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R. Vala notified on Tuesday the single phase polling in 224 assembly seats.

Among the nominations, one was from the ruling Congress, two from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and two from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), while the remaining are 17 Independents and other parties.

As per the notification, April 24 is the last date for filing nominations. Scrutiny of nominations will be on April 25 and last date for withdrawal of candidatures is April 27.

Polling is to be held from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. across 58,546 polling stations across the state using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs). Votes will be counted on May 15.

In a related development, the EC surveillance squads along with the police, have seized cash worth over Rs 31.28 crore from across the state since March 27, when the model code of conduct was enforced in the state.

Over 1.13 lakh litres of liquor valued at over Rs 4.5 crore was also seized from the state by the Excise Department.

The southern state has till date 4.96 crore electors - 2.52 crore men and 2.44 crore women. Over 15 lakh are first time voters in the 18-19 age group.

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Claim: The image of Dr Manmohan Singh bedridden in the hospital is his last picture.
Fact: The claim is false. The image shows Dr Singh admitted to AIIMS in 2021 after complaining of weakness following a fever.

Hyderabad: Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh passed away on December 26, 2024, at the age of 92, following age-related health complications. He was receiving treatment at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

In this context, an image of Dr Singh, reportedly bedridden in a hospital, has been circulating on social media, and some claim it shows his last picture.

An X user shared the image and wrote, “Last photo of Manmohan Singh ji. Salute to such a great personality who took the sinking economic condition of the country to new heights.” (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false, as the image is from 2021.

Upon a reverse image search, we found the uncropped version of the image and another posted by the Navbharat Times on October 14, 2021. The uncropped version showed then Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and a doctor also featured in the image, while the other image featured Mandaviya and Singh’s wife, Gursharan Kaur.

The post stated that Mandaviya had visited former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who was admitted to AIIMS.

We also found the image published in a video report by The Tribune on October 14, 2021. According to the media outlet, Mansukh Mandaviya met former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to enquire about his health, as he had been admitted to AIIMS after complaining of weakness following a fever. ANI also posted pictures on the same day of Mandaviya going to meet the former Prime Minister and Congress leader at AIIMS.

We also found the image published in a video report by The Tribune on October 14, 2021. According to the media outlet, Mansukh Mandaviya met former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to enquire about his health, as he had been admitted to AIIMS after complaining of weakness following a fever. ANI also posted pictures on the same day of Mandaviya going to meet the former Prime Minister and Congress leader at AIIMS.

However, according to a Hindustan Times report dated October 15, 2021, Mandaviya’s visit to enquire about former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s health faced criticism due to the same photograph allegedly taken inside the ward without the family’s consent. The Congress party condemned the act, accusing the BJP of staging a ‘photo op.’

The criticism came after Singh’s daughter, Daman Singh, accused Mandaviya of bringing a photographer against the family’s wish.

We also came across an October 15, 2021, report by The Print titled, “‘Not animals in a zoo’: Manmohan’s daughter says Mandaviya got pix shot in AIIMS despite objection.”

Speaking to the media outlet, Daman Singh revealed that her mother was deeply upset after a photographer entered the room with the minister. Despite her mother’s insistence that the photographer leave, her request was ‘completely ignored.’

The report quoted Daman as saying, “She was very upset. My parents are trying to cope with a difficult situation. They are elderly people, not animals in a zoo.”

Therefore, we conclude that the image of Dr Singh bedridden in the hospital is from 2021 and does not show his last picture. The claim is false.

(This story was originally published by newsmeter, and republished by english.varthabharati.in as part of the Shakti Collective)