Retired soldiers file PIL in Karnataka HC, challenge promise of 'freebies' by political parties
Bengaluru, Dec 7: Four retired military personnel have filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the High Court of Karnataka challenging the announcement of "freebies" by political parties in the run up to the elections calling it "cash for votes".
Four retired military men Brigadier Ravi Muniswamy, Naib Subedar Ramesh Jagathap, Naik Manikanta A and Havaldar Basappa Pattanashetty filed the PIL, which is yet to be listed for hearing.
"By giving freebies during the election and after the election, the political parties have been creating trends to get power and even declaring the freebies prior to the election promising to provide freebies/gratifications/gifts after the election when they hold the power of the government. (This) is nothing but cash for votes under provisions of the Representation of Peoples Act. Thereby declaration to provide freebies by the political parties is against the provisions of law as well as the Constitution of India," the PIL said.
The PIL said that the Indian National Congress party in Karnataka captured power in the state by promising freebies like Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyothi and Shakti Yojane.
"Because of the said freebies, it is not possible to expect free and fair election of candidates and it leads to severely bad/strained economy of the country and everyone has to face several kinds of problems," the petitioner said.
Apart from the Election Commission of India, union and state governments, and political parties BJP, Congress and JD(S) have been named as respondents in the petition.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Maharashtra Congress chief Patole meets Kharge, dismisses resignation talk as 'rumours'
New Delhi, Nov 25: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Monday dismissed as "rumours" talk of his resignation following the assembly polls debacle and stressed on "collective accountability" for the defeat.
Patole made the remarks after meeting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge during which he conveyed that the result had not reflected the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra.
"Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other national and state leaders were leading Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) from the forefront during the assembly polls. So, we were sure that the trends were in favour of Maha Vikas Aghadi, even the citizens believed that," the Maharashtra Congress chief said.
"If I talk about Nanded, the Lok Sabha bypolls and assembly elections were held on the same day. In Lok Sabha bypolls, our candidate was winning in six assembly seats, whereas, in the assembly elections, we are not winning even a single seat," he said, adding that there cannot be such a "huge difference".
This is the sentiment among the people also and they have stated that this government in Maharashtra was not being formed on their votes, he claimed.
"So, I spoke to Mallikarjun Kharge on this," he added.
Asked whether he had offered to resign or the party had asked for his resignation after the Maharashtra assembly polls defeat, Patole said, "These are all rumours and there is no truth in them. There is collective accountability."
Patole also said he will meet Rahul Gandhi in a day or two and discuss all issues.
"Democracy is being finished. We have discussed that... there was no talk of resignation," he said.
The MVA alliance, comprising the Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT), was restrained to 46 seats by the Mahayuti that reaped a rich harvest of 230 seats in the 288-member House.
