Shirva police in Udupi district have taken action against K. Jayaprakash Hegde, the Congress candidate for the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency, along with the administrative committee of Jaarandaya Daivasthana in Shirva, for allegedly violating the model code of conduct.
Alleged Violation
The case revolves around the accusation of holding a public meeting at the daivasthana until 11:30 p.m. on March 26, in contravention of the model code of conduct. Mr. Hegde has been named as accused number 1, with the committee listed as accused number two in the First Information Report (FIR).
Complaint and Investigation
Vincent Vindod D’Souza, a member of the Kaup flying squad team of the Election Commission, lodged the complaint with the police. He stated that upon visiting the daivasthana at 12:30 a.m. on March 27, he found no scheduled program related to the “jatra” late on March 26. However, despite the model code of conduct being in effect, the management committee of the daivasthana allegedly conducted the meeting involving Mr. Hegde, potentially exerting undue influence on attendees.
Legal Action
The case has been registered under Section 171 H of the Indian Penal Code, Section 3 (a) of the Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1988, and Section 123 (2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The registration of the case underscores the strict enforcement of electoral regulations to maintain fairness and integrity in the electoral process.
