The Supreme Court told the petitioners that it would be appropriate for you to approach the concerned High Court. (file)
New Delhi:
Supreme Court The Supreme Court has dismissed the Public Interest Litigation filed against Karnataka Congress leaders. In fact, the PIL accused Congress leaders of distributing fake plastic gift cards with bar codes. The petition has been filed by two BJP leaders who lost the election. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala refused to entertain the PIL on Friday.
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It accused Congress party leaders and their agents of distributing fake bar code printed plastic cards to voters in several constituencies during the 2023 Karnataka assembly elections. The petition was filed by two candidates who lost in the Karnataka elections. He contested the recently held assembly elections on a BJP ticket.
However, while dismissing the petition, a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and JB Pardiwala allowed both the petitioner leaders Gautam Gowda M and Prasad KR to approach the Karnataka High Court with similar prayers.
During the hearing of the matter, CJI DY Chandrachud asked the counsel for the petitioners that what can we do now? You claim that money is distributed in elections, so do you expect us to go there and investigate? There are already enough laws. There are detailed guidelines on this subject and above all in the High Court. You can go to High Court first.
He said that the High Court also has sufficient powers to deal with these issues under its jurisdiction. We do not wish to directly consider this petition under Article 32 of the Constitution. Hence the application is dismissed. You are free to take any appropriate remedy available to you. It would be appropriate that you go to the concerned High Court.
Allegations of breach of code of conduct and corruption
In their petition, the duo accused the opposition political party and its candidates of violating the code of conduct and indulging in corruption in 42 constituencies during the Karnataka assembly elections held in May this year. The allegations center on alleged acts by leaders of the current ruling Indian National Congress and their agents a day before elections in Karnataka.
Claim of delivery of gift card with false promises
The petitioners claimed that plastic gift cards were distributed by the Congress with the false promise that if the Congress candidate wins the election, the voter can pay a certain amount by scanning the barcode printed on the card. The petitioners further alleged that the barcodes were found to be fake, rendering the gift cards useless.
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