Cong wants CEC to disqualify K'taka CM for filing false affidavit

Bangalore, June 14 (UNI) The Congress in Karnataka today petitioned the Chief Election Commissioner to initiate legal action against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy for allegedly misleading the EC by filing false affidavit along with his nomination papers for the 2004 asssembly elections.

A party delegation, led by Party State President Mallikarjun Kharge and former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and N Dharam Singh, met the State Electoral Officer here and submitted a petition addressed to the CEC seeking action as per the provisions of the Representation of the People Act (RPA)-1951.

The Congress' move comes in the wake of media reports that Mr Kumaraswamy, despite having 46 acres of farm land in Ramanagaram taluk, his home constituency, had mentioned in his nomination papers only 24 acres.

In the petition, a copy of which was released to the press here, the Congress leaders said ''As seen from the media reports and subsequent assertion by Mr Kumaraswamy, it is evident that the Chief Minister has not revealed all the details of all the properties posessed by him, which was violation of the law.'' They said the facts clearly showed that Mr Kumaraswamy had not fully disclosed all information required to be furnished in respect of immovable properties owned and held by him and members of his family as per the RPA.

Later, talking to reporters, Mr Singh and Mr Kharge said the party had urged the State Electoral Officer to take suitable action against Mr Kumaraswamy after holding an inquiry and the latter assured to look into the petition immediately.

He said the party would wait till the inquiry was held on the issue and later decide on the future course of action.

Meanwhile, Mr Kumaraswamy, reacting sharply to the Congress' move, said he had never misled the EC. ''I owned only 24 acres of land at the time of filing of the nomination and received another 22 acres as a gift after the elections.'' UNI RS RG TS1930