Emergent notices issued to Congress President Sonia, others

Bangalore: Karnataka High Court on Monday ordered issue of emergent notices to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and state PCC chief G Parameshwara on a petition seeking a probe into alleged collection of funds from party members seeking tickets for the May 5 state Assembly polls. Justice Abdul Nazeer ordered issue of notices also to the Election Commission and state Chief Electoral Officer on the plea by V Shashidhar, who, claiming to be a Congress worker and a ticket aspirant, alleged Rs 10,000 each had been collected from such aspirants.

The petitioner's advocate, GR Mohan, prayed for a writ of mandamus to EC to formulate proper guidelines and procedures to prevent funds collection for the polls by political parties, specially Congress President and PCC chief. He also sought a direction to the EC to consider the representation of the petitioner for holding a probe by the CBI or a Special Investigation Team into the matter.

In his interim prayer, the petitioner sought an interim order by the High Court to direct the EC to seize the amount allegedly collected so far by the KPCC chief. "They have no authority of law to collect a sum of Rs 10,000 from each of its members for the Assembly elections 2013. The total amount collected from about 2,500 members, may be more than Rs 2 crore," he claimed.

The counsel submitted that the petitioner, along with other applicants for the assembly tickets, were required to pay Rs 10,000 each for the constituency from where they wished to contest as "party fund". The petitioner had remitted the sum by demand draft for which a receipt was issued by the KPCC President, he said.