The Returning Officer of Mulbagal Assembly constituency (SC) on Thursday rejected the nomination papers of Congress nominee G. Manjunath following the Karnataka High Court order on Wednesday. At the same time, the nomination papers of M. Roopakala, the Congress nominee in Kolar Gold Fields (KGF-SC), were accepted.
The scrutiny of papers of both Mr. Manjunath and Ms. Roopakala was postponed by the respective ROs in view of the court verdict in the case of the former and an objection raised by JD(S) nominee in the case of the latter.
In Mr. Manjunath’s case, the process was kept in abeyance as the court order did not reach the RO.
The court held that he (Mr. Manjunath) failed to establish that he belongs to a Scheduled Caste community, the Beda Jangama. It declared that he belongs to the Byragi caste, which is a Backward Caste (Category -1).
Mr. Manjunath contested from Mulbagal reserved seat submitting a false certificate claiming that he belongs to SC category.
In another seat
But Mr. Manjunath continues to remain in the poll field, albeit in a different constituency. He had filed nomination as an Independent candidate from Kolar seat which is a general segment.
Hurdles cleared for Roopakala
In KGF (SC) segment, the RO rejected the objections raised by JD(S) candidate M. Bhaktavatsalam against Ms. Roopakala. Mr. Bhaktavatsalam argued that her papers should not be accepted since her name featured in both KGF and Tumakuru constituencies.
However, Ms. Roopakala, daughter of MP K.H. Muniyappa, maintained that she had already applied to delete her name from Tumakuru segment.
Accepting this contention, with proof of copies and the acknowledgements, the RO overruled the objection and accepted her nomination papers.
