Karnataka polls: Nine cases of poll code violation registered in Dakshina Kannada

MANGALURU: A total of nine cases of violation of the model code of conduct have been registered in six of the eight constituencies of Dakshina Kannada.
Of these, the maximum number of cases, three, are registered in Mangaluru City South (203), followed by Bantwal – two (205), and one each in Moodbidri (201), Mangaluru City North (202), Mangaluru (204) and Puttur (206).No cases of poll code violation were reported in Belthangady (200) and Sullia (207).
Some of the prominent names against whom cases have been registered are B Ramanath Rai, minister for forests, ecology and environment, and district incharge and Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, an RSS leader. Besides, cases have also been registered against Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF) and UC News UC Web.com.
First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered in seven of these cases.
On March 29, Minister Rai had attended an open meeting at Pallamajalu in Bantwal without taking any prior permission from the authority concerned. Taking cognisance of this incident, Mohan, a flying squad officer, booked Rai charging him with violating the poll code. The other accused in the case are Chandraprakash Shetty, Ramakrishna Alva, Abbas Ali and Baby Kundar. An FIR has been lodged in Bantwal Town police station.
Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat has been booked for holding a meeting without permission and making a provocative speech on lines of religion, race, cast and enmity between two religious communities at Punyakotinagar in Bantwal. Bhat was addressing the gathering at the Amruthadhara Gaushala on April 6. Dr Yogish S B, a flying squad officer, booked Bhat. An FIR has been registered at Konaje police station under IPC section and Representation of the People Act.
While the SKSSF has been booked for erecting banners at Kemmai Junction without permission, the news website has been charged with publishing an offensive report against Srikar Prabhu, a prospective independent candidate from the Mangaluru City South constituency.
The model code of conduct came into effect from March 27.