Karnataka bypolls: EC flags 144 cases of COVID-19 norm violations
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Even as Karnataka struggles to deal with the second wave of COVID-19, byelections have introduced in nervousness over the unfold of an infection, particularly with Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa testing optimistic on Friday. It has emerged that 5 of his ballot rallies through the previous few days had attracted the ire of the Election Commission (EC) for violation of COVID-19 pointers.
The pointers issued by the State had been discovered to have been violated throughout three marketing campaign rallies attended by Mr. Yediyurappa at Maski in Raichur, and two in Belagavi. Fines had been levied on three marketing campaign organisers in Maski, whereas advisory notices have been issued for the violations in Belagavi.
In all, the EC has flagged 144 cases of violations of COVID-19 pointers through the marketing campaign by political events for the byelections to Belagavi Lok Sabha, and Maski and Basavakalyan Assembly constituencies. While 17 FIRs had been filed or are within the course of of being filed, in about 75 cases fines had been levied on the individuals involved. Incidentally, of the 17 FIRs 15 had been filed in Basavakalyan alone; the opposite two had been in Maski.
Violations of guideline had been reported from the marketing campaign of Home, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Basavakalyan, with an FIR being filed. Another FIR has been filed for violation of pointers through the marketing campaign of Social Welfare Minister B. Sriramulu in Maski. Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar’s marketing campaign additionally noticed norm violations.
Fines had been collected from individuals discovered violating the rules through the election campaigns of Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah in Raichur, former Ministers Krishna Byre Gowda, M.B. Patil, and H.K. Patil, BJP State president Nalin Kumar Kateel, and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar. Rallies wherein BJP normal secretary (in cost of Karnataka) Arun Singh and Congress normal secretary (in cost of Karnataka) Randeep Surjewala took half had been additionally discovered to have violated the norms.
The campaigns of BJP candidate in Belagavi — Mangala A. Suresh Angadi, the spouse of the late former Minister Suresh Angadi, whose demise necessitated the bypoll — and her opponent Satish Jarkiholi additionally witnessed violations, leading to fines being levied. Similarly, the marketing campaign of the Congress candidate in Basavakalyan, Mala B. Narayana Rao, spouse of the late legislator whose demise resulted within the byelection, had been additionally flagged for violations, with 4 FIRs being lodged. An FIR has additionally been lodged in opposition to JD(S) leaders in Basavakalayan.
“Fines have been collected from those who organised the rallies where violations were reported,” an Election Commission supply mentioned.
On the challenges in campaigning through the instances of COVID-19, the BJP in-charge for Maski, N. Ravikumar, mentioned that 1000’s all the time collect when leaders come for rallies. “In rural areas, masks are hardly used, so it becomes difficult for the organisers to enforce the rule.”
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