Karnataka: Siddaramaiah files objections in HC on plea challenging his election

livemint.com:

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday filed a statement of objections before the Karnataka High Court on a petition challenging his election. “The election petition filed by the petitioner lacks legal merit and factual basis.

The petitioner has filed the present election petition purely to wreak political vengeance and the same is filled with political malafides. The petitioner has approached this Hon'ble Court without solid evidence or legal grounds, making it appropriate for dismissal," the Statement said.

The election petition filed by KM Shankara, a resident of Siddaramaiah’s constituency Varuna, alleged that Siddaramaiah during the May assembly elections “indulged in corrupt practice during the election period". “The averments are baseless and the same has been averred without any application of mind.

The petitioner has not provided any cogent or coherent reasons to set aside the election conducted," said Siddaramaiah’s statement. It also said, “the entire burden of proof to prove allegations of corruption beyond reasonable doubt is on the petitioner." The case will be next heard on October 6.

Siddaramaiah’s statement also cited a Supreme Court judgement and said that hand-outs by a political party after they come to form a government cannot be termed a corrupt practice. It further stated, “the promises made in the manifesto would not amount to a corrupt practice committed by an individual candidate." “The petitioner has attempted to critically examine each guarantee scheme without understanding its basic tenets and before the actual policy had come out, he has expressed his views based on newspaper reports and has attempted to build a compelling story which has nothing to do with the current proceedings