JD(S) Alleges Congress Bribing Voters, Lodges Complaint with EC

Karnataka's Janata Dal (Secular) has urged the Election Commission to restrain the Congress from distributing "guarantee cards" as part of their electoral manifesto, claiming it amounts to electoral bribery. The party alleges that specific guarantees regarding women, youth, and farmers constitute inducements that violate election laws. These cards bear signatures of Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and M. Mallikarjun Kharge. JD(S) claims this practice violates the Model Code of Conduct and the Representation of People's Act 1951. Karnataka will hold Lok Sabha polls in two phases on April 26 and May 7.

Janata Dal (Secular) on Monday urged the Election Commission to restrain the Congress from disseminating and distributing guarantee cards which it alleged was aimed at promoting electoral bribery and inducing voters for the coming Lok Sabha polls.

In a letter to the poll panel, JD(S) State President and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy noted the Congress has published and released a manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections - Nyay Patra- which focus on five Nyays -- justice with 25 guarantees covering the youth, women, farmers, workers and social justice.

''Under the above categorisation, Congress has tried to reach out to various groups in society by announcing various promises and assurances which amount to allurements and inducements resulting not only in non-implementation of related promises but also causing heavy burden on exchequers of State and Central governments,'' it alleged.

The party also alleged that six of those 25 guarantees have a direct impact and consequences on the minds of voters and these amount to ''corrupt electoral malpractice'' and ''inducement of voters.'' The regional party also alleged that the Congress has gone one step ahead as the guarantee cards that are being distributed to households across India bear the promissory signatures of prominent Congress leaders - Rahul Gandhi and M Mallikarjun Kharge and official endorsement purportedly containing QR code and also application form.

''These allurements and inducements to voters are in clear violation of Model Code of Conduct and violation of various provisions under the Representation of People's Act 1951,'' the JD(S) alleged.

It urged the EC to take swift and strong action to restrain the Congress party from distributing the guarantee cards to households to ensure conduct of free and fair elections.

Karnataka is going for polls in two phases. While polling in 14 Lok Sabha segments in the southern parts of the state will be held on April 26, the second phase in the northern districts will be held on May seven.

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