Belagavi
Right to Information activist Bheemappa Gadada has said that he has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India seeking an inquiry against the State Chief Electoral Officer for not taking action on a complaint filed against former MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah that Nanjappa, President of the Madiwala community, had initiated a cooker and iron box distribution programme from his father's hand during the elections.
Addressing a press conference, he had said that Siddaramaiah's son and former MLA Yathindra distributed cookers and iron boxes at a programme held at Nanjangud in Mysuru district on September 15, which helped his father win. We had lodged a complaint with the State Chief Electoral Officer on May 21 to invalidate Siddaramaiah's election. However, I have lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against the State Election Officer for not taking action even after 75 days, he said.
In a written reply, the officials said they had sought the Election Commission's guidance on the complaint petition, which was filed to provide a written reply to the chief electoral officer seeking documents on the action taken by them on the complaint filed.
The letter, which was filed seeking a copy of the letter written for the directions of the Election Commission of India and every document in the file, was again written on December 1 when the documents were not submitted even after a month. The guidance sought by the Election Commission of India is yet to be accepted. Bhimappa Gadada said that the returning officer's written submission on December 5 that the information sought by him would be provided as soon as it is received, has further raised doubts.