Karnataka HC stays investigation into poll code violation case against BJP chief Nadda

The officials of the Election Vigilance Division lodged a complaint with the Harappanahalli Police Station stating that the speech violated the Model Code of Conduct.

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka has stayed the investigation against BJP national president JP Nadda for allegedly violating the model code of conduct in an election speech during the recent Karnataka Assembly polls. The criminal petition filed by Nadda seeking to cancel the case registered against him by the Harappanahalli police was heard by a single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna that gave an interim order staying the investigation on Friday and adjourned the hearing of the petition to July 21.

On May 7, 2023, during the campaigning for the Assembly elections, Nadda held a BJP election rally at IB Circle of Harappanahalli town in Vijayanagara district. Nadda, on the occasion, allegedly said that if the BJP loses the elections, the voters will be deprived of the schemes brought out by the central government.

He had also apparently stated that if the Congress comes to power in the state, many projects of the Centre including Kisan Samman Nidhi will be closed. The officials of the Election Vigilance Division lodged a complaint with the Harappanahalli Police Station stating that the speech violated the Model Code of Conduct.

The police registered a case and started an investigation. Nadda had filed the petition in the High Court seeking to quash this investigation. (PTI)