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
Some cases people do not know how pakistan flag looks and Islamic flag ... just see green colour and assume pakistan flag... last time SRS member hosted pakistan flag not islamic one..
pakistani flag nowhere near to islamic flag. Green is not islamic flag
What a comment from Master Blaster Ganeshanna are you Citizen of Hindustan? A flag issue you are sending a Indian Citizen to pakistan is it Fair.. YOU biggest buffoon's doing to our Great Hindustan !!!!!!
What you thought about Hindustan, we are proud ourselves like Peanut we do not care Anna, Gangasara makes things very difficult!!!!!!
Jai Hoo Hindustan.
By the way where we can send this Rama Sene for hoisting pakistan flag? Please suggest a country @ Truth Mangalore, Ganesh, Unknown.. Please suggest them a country too,
Many readers here are suggest to arrest the youth and kick him out to Pakistan for hoisting Pak flag (not yet confirmed). However, they are hiding to tell the truth about hoisting Pak flag by SRS terrorists. Instead of asking the culprits to punish, they had supported these goondas. This was done only to blame minorities. In the particular case also i doubt that it was fabricated by sangh parivar. This should be investigated and the person should be punished in case he really hoisted pak flag. However, please make is clear that he is not mentally sick.
enquire about the person who is behind and put him behind the bars....what about the pakistani flag hosted by sri rama sene member before ?????????????? where we need to send him.
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