A complaint was filed against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday before the Karnataka Legislature Secretariat, alleging that incomplete information was furnished in the affidavit submitted
along with his nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka.
The complaint was submitted by social activist Dinesh Kallahalli, who has alleged that certain mandatory details were omitted from Kharge’s election affidavit.
According to the complaint, the alleged omission amounts to a violation of provisions under the Representation of the People Act.
Kallahalli contended that candidates contesting elections are required to disclose specific information in affidavits filed with their nomination papers.
These disclosures, he argued, include details regarding financial status, positions held in organisations, management rights, and associations with trusts and other bodies.
The complaint specifically alleges that Kharge did not disclose his association with the Siddharth Vihar Trust in the affidavit submitted as part of his Rajya Sabha nomination process.
The matter has now been brought to the attention of the Karnataka Legislature Secretariat for examination.
The complaint comes days after Kharge filed his nomination papers for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for June 18.
The Election Commission had issued a notification for the elections on June 3, with polling set to be held for 24 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states.
These include four seats each in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, three seats each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two seats in Jharkhand, and one seat each in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Meghalaya.
Notifications were also issued for Rajya Sabha by-elections in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
Kharge filed his nomination papers on June 5 as the Congress candidate from Karnataka.
His current term in the Rajya Sabha is set to end later this month.
The veteran leader was accompanied during the filing of his nomination by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Lok Sabha MP KC Venugopal and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President BK Hariprasad.
Speaking to reporters after filing his nomination, Kharge expressed confidence about the party’s prospects in the election.
“All the MLAs and my leaders have unanimously chosen me. The election is scheduled for June 18, and I am confident that everyone will remain united and ensure the victory of the Congress candidates,” Kharge said.
The Congress has fielded Kharge among its seven candidates for the June 18 Rajya Sabha elections.
Along with him, the party has nominated Pawan Khera and Mansoor Ali Khan from Karnataka, Meenakshi Natarajan from Madhya Pradesh, Praveen Chakravarty from Tamil Nadu, Pranav Jha from Jharkhand and renominated Neeraj Dangi from Rajasthan.
