Underage candidate in poll fray

However, in order to contest in the Legislative Council election a candidate must have completed 30 years. The negligence on the part of the election officer has resulted in an underage candidate contesting the elections.

The nomination of  25-year old Ajaykumar Mallana Gouda Patil, an MBA graduate, has been accepted and he is contesting as an independent candidate.

Born on June 16, 1984, Ajaykumar is a Hanamapura Gram Panchayat member of Basavana Bagewadi taluk.

He did not deceive the election officer by furnishing fake age proof but instead had clearly mentioned his correct age in the two nomination papers that he submitted. One of his nomination papers was accepted, while the other was rejected.

Deputy Commissioner R Shantaraj, who is also the election officer, admits to negligence during the scrutiny of the nomination paper.

‘Ajaykumar Mallana Gouda Patil is 25 years old and hence his nomination  should have been rejected. But due to negligence during the scrutiny of papers, his nomination has been accepted,” explained the deputy commissioner.

Awaiting decision

This issue has been brought to the notice of the State Election Commissioner. Action will be initiated based on his direction, he added. Moreover, the other candidates have not filed any objection. “Since the ballot paper has not been prepared yet  we will have to wait  for the final decision of the State Election Commission”, said R Shantaraj.

The onus of verifying the age of the contestant lies on the election officer. Instead of writing to the State Election Commission, the election officer can cancel the nomination of the underage candidate exercising his authority, opined MLC  R Patil and Congress candidate.

Ajaykumar Patil feigns complete ignorance about the minimum age required for the filing of nomination for the Legislative Council election.