Karnataka High Court Directs No Coercive Action Against Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in Voter Baiting Case
BENGALURU: An FIR has been filed against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for violating the Model Code of Conduct by allegedly promising water supply in exchange for votes to residents of a housing society near Bengaluru. The Election Commission confirmed this on Saturday.
The issue arose when the BJP brought the matter to the attention of the Election Commission after a video of Shivakumar soliciting votes from residents of a housing society in the Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha segment went viral on social media platforms.
The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka announced on social media platform ‘X’ that an FIR was filed by the Flying Squad Teams of Bengaluru against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for violating the Model Code of Conduct while addressing apartment owners in RR Nagara.
An FIR is lodged by the FST of Bengaluru against Dy. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for violation of MCC while addressing apartment owners in RR Nagara. The FIR No.78/2024 at RMC Yard PS is lodged u/s 171(B)(C)(E)(F) of IPC for bribery and undue influence at elections.
— Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (@ceo_karnataka) April 20, 2024
The FIR was registered at RMC Yard police station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for bribery and undue influence during elections.
In the video, Shivakumar was heard stating that he was there for a “business deal” and promised to address major issues such as the supply of Cauvery river water and the need for a civic amenity site within three months if the 2,510 houses in the housing society, totaling 6,424 votes, supported his candidate.
DK Shivkumar, Deputy CM of Karnataka, in brazen abuse of power, holds voters of a large housing society in his brother DK Suresh’s constituency, to ransom. Sounding every bit menacing, he wields a threat, couched in crass humour, that if the residents don’t vote for his brother,… pic.twitter.com/Kd08TRnSzA
— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) April 17, 2024
Shivakumar’s brother, D K Suresh, is running for re-election from Bangalore Rural in the Lok Sabha elections.
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