Karnataka lawmaker gets one-year jail for poll code breach

A lawmaker of opposition Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) from Arasikere assembly constituency in Hassan was Monday sentenced to one year in jail by a local court here for violating the poll code during the 2009 parliamentary elections in the state.

Delivering the verdict on finding K.M. Shivlinge Gowda guilty of the charge, division court Judge Prakash Chanappa Kumbit directed police to issue an arrest warrant against him and take him into custody.

"There is enough evidence against Gowda of violating the model code of election by serving non-vegetarian food to the electorate of his assembly constituency during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls," the judge ruled and imposed a fine of Rs.1,000 on him.

Arasikere in Hassan district is about 170 km from state capital Bangalore.

Gowda, however, said though he would abide by the ruling, he had filed an application in the same court for suspending the order.

The petition against Gowda was filed by the Election Commission on a complaint by voters in the constituency.

JD-S president and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda won from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency in 2009, defeating Hanume Gowda of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).