Bengaluru, Feb 18: Deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi was elected to the legislative council on Monday and although it was a done deal that he would win, a vote from across the aisle spiced up the election.
Counting was conducted soon after ballots were cast and Savadi polled 113 of the 120 votes cast, including the vote of disgruntled JD(S) legislator GT Devegowda. Seven votes were declared invalid. Members of the two opposition parties — Congress and JD(S) — abstained from voting.
The election was necessitated following the resignation of Rizwan Arshad of the Congress. Rizwan resigned after he was elected to the legislative assembly from the Shivajinagar constituency in the assembly bypolls held for 15 seats in December last year.
BR Anil Kumar, who was initially promised the support of both Congress and JD(S) was supposed to contest as an independent candidate. However, as both parties refused to support him at the last minute, he withdrew, paving the way for Savadi’s victory.
The BJP has 117 members in the 225-member assembly, but N Mahesh of the BSP and two independents, H Nagesh and Sharath Bachchegowda, besides GT Devegowda also voted, taking the total electorate to 120 (including the speaker). BJP’s SA Ramadas did not turn up because of health reasons.
“I would like to thank all those who were responsible for my victory. Special thanks to leaders of my party and chief minister BS Yediyurappa, who gave me the opportunity to be the BJP candidate,” said Savadi.
Winning this council election was crucial for Savadi to retain his ministry as he was not an elected member of either of the houses. Rules mandate that a non-member must get elected either to the assembly or council within six months after taking over as minister. February 20 was the deadline for Savadi, who had lost 2018 assembly polls from Athani, to get elected.
Officials in the assembly secretariat said seven votes were invalid because voters had wrongly marked their choices on ballot paper. According to norms, a voter has to mark numerical one, two and three against the names of the candidates in order of preference. Marking only numerical one is allowed. However, six ballots had a tick mark, while a voter had registered a cross mark. Since it was a secret ballot, it was not known who the MLAs were whose votes were invalid.
“The ballot papers bear serial numbers and they are randomly distributed. It is virtually impossible to say who a voter cast his or her vote for,” said assembly secretary MK Vishalakashi, the retuning officer for the bypoll.
Comments
Good Treatment to Swami, appreciated...ha...ha..ha............
When the mind is empty about the knowledge of the CREATOR , YOU all will find people like SWAMY & their fans spread the hatred & support the EVIL without the knowledge of accountability of the DEEDS with the Creator. When we live in FALSE ideology - we tend to do INJUSTICE to the innocent and OPPRESS them...
Dear Swami and his fans should learn more about the CREATOR of all that exists.. who created the SKY without any Hole in it.. Please look up the SKY, try to find a whole .. LOOK Again try to find a hole... and then PONDER and think on the creation... The CREATOR will guide those who Ponder on his verses...
QURAN asks human to think & PONDER on the verses of the QURAN. and implement and research with the LIFE which ALLAH has given us... Many Scientist have already proven & accepted the word of ALLAH and with their deep study they are PROVING its the word of GOD which is FAR FROM IMPERFECT -- Praise be to ALLAH alone who created the heavens and earth...
Subbu Swamy...Deserves These kind of welcome...Don't Throw good tomatos.Throw only waste. Otherwise he will catch & cook it.
Why swami never tell about vyapam scam, chiikki scam, food scam, lalit modi scam? He only shows at others. First let him look into his own party memebers
An insult to rotten eggs and tomatoes. Swamy need stonewash.
indian Drama Leader,
FreeSpeech is the private property of Marxists on JNU campus -- not open for Ramdev or Subramanian Swamy.
Unlike Kanaiyah.....he survived.
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