Bengaluru, Oct 2: The BJP in Karnataka on Friday staged a sit-in demonstration outside Bengaluru Police Commissioner’s office demanding registration of a case against Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his Cabinet colleagues, alleging they violated a court order by staging a protest in front of the CEO’s office.
Rejecting the charge, Shivakumar said he had only submitted a representation to the EC.
BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka and other leaders met Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh and handed over a memorandum seeking action against the chief minister and ministers.
Speaking to reporters here, Shivakumar said, “I went and submitted a representation to the Election Commissioner and sat there until my work was done. Other than that, where did I stage a protest.”
The chief minister, along with his Cabinet colleagues, on Thursday sat outside the CEO’s office demanding an FIR and an inquiry into alleged misuse of Form-7 during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Form-7 is a voter application form for objection for the proposed inclusion/deletion of name in the existing electoral roll.
Responding to questions on the BJP’s demand for an FIR, Shivakumar said, “If they want to register a case, let them do it. Let them go to court and take the officials there. If there has been any violation of the law, file a case.”
He said he had gone to the Election Commission office as a public servant to seek protection of voters and remained there as the Commission considered his demands.
“The Election Commission is a constitutional body, isn’t it? I sat there. I asked for what I wanted. They said they were doing everything within the legal framework and asked me to come another day. But I said I do not have time to come another day. I said I would get everything done today and sat there. A few ministers also came with me,” Shivakumar said.
The BJP, in its memorandum, alleged that Shivakumar and his Cabinet colleagues had violated a Karnataka High Court order by staging a protest on October 1 on the premises of the State Chief Electoral Officer’s office and demanded that an FIR be registered against them.
The party said the High Court, in a public interest litigation, had restricted sit-ins and protests at places other than Freedom Park, and questioned whether permission had been granted for the chief minister and ministers to stage the protest at the Election Office.
“Was written permission granted for the protest? If so, a copy of the permission should be made public,” the BJP said in the memorandum.
Ashoka said the Election Commission should disclose the number of Form-7 applications received for deletion of names from electoral rolls and questioned the basis for allegations surrounding such applications.
“Anyone can submit an application. It is for the Election Commission to decide whether to cancel it or allow it. It has nothing to do with Shivakumar or the Congress. If there is anything wrong, they can question the Election Commission. After that, they should go to court,” he said.
Ashoka also questioned the alleged protest at the Election Commission office and said, “Who gave them permission to stage a protest there? They have taken the law into their own hands and violated it.”
The BJP memorandum said the Election Commission was a constitutionally independent institution and alleged that allowing its premises to be used for political protest raised questions about the autonomy of the electoral system.
The party also sought the complete CCTV footage of the October 1 incident, details of police deployment, the permission letter and other related documents, besides details of the action taken by police and election officials.
The BJP leaders later withdrew their sit-in after the Police Commissioner assured them that their representation would be considered and appropriate action taken, party sources said. (PTI)
