RS poll: EC?seeks report on CM 'inducing MLAs' to vote for Cong

Bengaluru, Jun 6: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the Returning Officer for the Rajya Sabha election to submit a report on a complaint that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was trying to induce independent MLAs by offering them special grants.

The JD(S) had on May 29 lodged the complaint with the ECI, charging Siddaramaiah with indulging in election malpractice. The chief minister had been wooing independent MLAs by offering Rs 100-crore special development grant to each of their constituencies, the party had charged in its complaint.

The Congress has been trying to get the support of nine independents and MLAs of smaller parties to win the third seat in the elections. Congress's third candidate K C Ramamurthy needs the support of about 13 non-Congress MLAs for his election. Similarly, JD(S) candidate B M Farook has to muster the support of about 12 non-JD(S) MLAs for his election.

About 12 MLAs, including nine independents, had initially pledged their support to Farook. They had even agreed to be the proposers to the JD(S) candidate. But they later changed their decision and declared their support to the Congress candidate. The JD(S) subsequently lodged the complaint with the ECI, alleging that the chief minister was inducing the independents. However, official sources said the JD(S) had not furnished the necessary documents to the ECI to substantiate its claims. But some independent MLAs have reportedly stated that they would vote for the Congress as they would get special funds for the development of their constituencies.

When contacted, Returning Officer S Murthy only said that he was examining the complaint and that he would submit the report soon. The ECI has already directed Murthy, who is also the Karnataka Legislative Assembly secretary, to submit a report on a sting operation done by two national news channels on votes for sale recently. The election is scheduled for June 11.

Chief Minister denies horse-trading

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday refuted the allegations that the Congress had indulged in horse-trading, ahead of Rajya Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he said that there was no need for the party to bank on other party legislators to get its candidates elected. Siddaramaiah defended fielding a third candidate in the election, saying that the party will be left with 33 votes after ensuring the victory of two candidates.

“We need 90 votes to win two seats. The party will be left with 33 votes and this may help win another seat. Hence a third candidate is fielded,” the chief minister said. He also denied the party's involvement in the recent sting operation, in which a few MLAs were shown striking money deals for votes.

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Muslims are always indirectly supporting BJP Growth because of their selfishness.

If BJP Gets majority in RS then they can implement all RSS agendas.

But for us our selfish attitude is important than all.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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