The poll officials on Wednesday morning raided the home-office of Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar and stopped the meeting of Anganwadi and Asha workers midway. A case will be registered against the minister for poll code violation, an officer informed DH.
Hundreds of Anganwadi and Asha workers had gathered at the home-office of the minister at Kuvempu Nagar on Wednesday morning. An unidentified man informed the poll officials about the gathering.
A team of poll officials, led by district election officer Nitesh Patil, raided the minister’s home-office and asked the Anganwadi and Asha workers to leave. “Minister’s son Mrunal Hebbalkar’s candidature from Belgaum Lok Sabha seat is almost confirmed. The minister had summoned the Anganwadi and Asha workers to her office allegedly asking them to pressure people to vote for Mrunal. Following a complaint of misusing position of power against the minister, the poll officials conducted the raid,” the election officer said.
The minister said the Anganwadi and Asha workers visited the office to request her to relieve them of BLO duties. It was not an election-related meeting and she had not violated code of conduct, she said.
Published 20 March 2024, 23:14 IST