The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday ordered issue of notice to the State Election Commission, the State government and others on a petition against rejection of nomination papers of a BJP candidate after a tahsildar “withdrew” the caste certificate.
Justice Raghavendra S. Chauhan passed the order on a petition filed by Shobha, who had filed nomination papers from Kempapura Agrahara ward (number 122), which is reserved for woman (scheduled tribe).
She claimed that the tahsildar of Bengaluru North taluk came to the ward office around 6.30 p.m., after office hours, on August 10 and gave an endorsement to her stating that “he [tahsildar] is withdrawing the caste certificate, as he had issued the same under tension and pressure”.
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Also, the petitioner alleged that scrutiny of nomination papers was postponed by the returning officer many times before being rejected on August 11 citing several reasons, including withdrawal of caste certificate.
She claimed that the tahsildar has no power to withdraw the caste certificate. The next hearing is on August 20.