Enticing voters: 1-year jail term for MLA

The Judicial Magistrate First Class court, Arasikere, on Monday sentenced local legislator K M Shivalingegowda to one-year imprisonment on the charge of attempting to lure voters during the 2009 general elections.

Ajjanahalli Basavaraj, a Congress member, had lodged a complaint alleging that the legislator, who was campaigning for the JD(S) candidate H D Deve Gowda, had arranged a dinner in Banavar to entice voters, which amounted to violation of model code of conduct.
The court had issued an arrest warrant against the MLA since he did not appear before the court even after repeated service of summons.

However, when the court pronounced its judgement, the MLA pleaded time for filing an appeal. Accordingly, the court suspended its sentence for a period of one month and released the legislator on bail.