ZP member's election declared null and void

A civil court has ruled that the election of K R Manjula, as a member of Zilla Panchayat from Koodige constituency, is null and void on the ground of submitting a fake caste certificate to avail of reservation benefit in the election.

Manjula had contested on a BJP ticket. The seat was reserved for a Schedule Tribe candidate in the Zilla Panchayat election held in 2016. She had also won the election.

G R Pushpalatha of Congress, who had lost to Manjula in the election, had moved a petition in the civil court seeking nullification of Manjula’s election. In the petition, she had accused Manjula of furnishing fake documents to claim the reservation benefit. Manjula had declared her caste as ‘Nayaka’ in the caste column of her nomination paper. However, Manjula hails from ‘Parivara’ caste, which is not a Scheduled Tribal community, Pushpalatha had argued.

Pushapalatha said Manjula had approached the high court in connection with the case. However, the case was transferred to civil court in Madikeri. But as Koodige constituency falls under Somwarpet, the case was re-transferred to the Somvarpet civil court.

Senior Civil Judge Parashurama F Doddamani pronounced the judgement and declared that the affidavit submitted by Manjula was
fake.

Meanwhile, the court also rejected an appeal filed by Pushpalatha to declare her as the Zilla Panchayat member as she was stood second in the election.

Senior Advocate N C Chennabasavaiah argued on behalf of Pushpalatha. Manjula said she will challenge the lower court’s verdict in a higher court.