Election of 4 RS members from K'taka challenged before HC

Bangalore, June 8 (UNI) A petitioner today sought the Karnataka High Court to cancel the election of four Rajya Sabha members from the state Assembly in March accusing them of corruption and violation of secrecy of ballot.

Challenging the legality of the election of the four members-- Rajiv Chandrashekhar, M Rajasekhara Murthy, K Rahman Khan and K Shanappa--the petitioner, B R Patil, a JD (S) legislator, contended that the election was void as it was vitiated by the electoral offences like corrupt practice under Sec 123(2) of the R P Act: interference in free exercise of votes and violating the secrecy of ballot.

The petitioner sought a direction to the Election Commission to hold proceedings to disqualify the members.

Incidentally, noted writer U R Ananthamurthy, who was the fifth candidate, was defeated in the election.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had been named as one of the respondents.

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