Ensure free and fair polls, Siddaramaiah urges EC

Mysore, Nov 9 (UNI) Former Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddramiah today urged the State Election Commission to depute poll observers, who had additional powers to initiate action against those indulging in malpractices, for the Chamundeswari Assembly bypoll to enable free and fair polling.

Speaking to mediapersons here, he referred to yesterday's incident in which stone pelting and ruckus was created at a Congress campaign meeting and said it was an indicator to poll-related violence likely in the coming days.

''I have faced six elections and this is the seventh, but never before have I seen such incidents. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has visited the constituency eight times till now,'' he said, alleging that the ruling JD(S) encouraged the violence to create a sense of fear among the voters and prevent them from turning out in large numbers.

In a separate press conference, Congress leader and former police official Revannasiddiah accused the Chief Minister of sowing the seeds of casteism in the minds of youth and driving them to go astray.

Referring to yesterday's incident, he alleged that it was masterminded by the JD(S) and it was a pity that the police were being misused by the Government machinery.

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