Lok Sabha elections 2024: FIRs lodged against D K Shivakumar, H D Kumaraswamy, and B Y Vijayendra, announces EC

FIRs were registered against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy, and state BJP chief B Y Vijayendra for different reasons, the Election Commission announced on Saturday, a day after the completion of the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

In posts on X, the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka announced the registration of FIRs.

While the FIR against Shivakumar was lodged for an alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) while addressing apartment owners in RR Nagara, the FIR against HDK was filed for making "false statements in connection with elections."

Vijayendra, meanwhile, was charged with making derogatory posts against the Congress from the official X handle of the Karnataka BJP.

FIR case details

The FIR against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is for allegedly promising water supply in exchange of votes to residents of a housing society near here, the Election Commission said on Saturday.

The matter came to light after the BJP approached the poll body seeking action against Shivakumar after a video of him seeking votes from the residents of a housing society in Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha segment was shared widely on social media platforms.

The FIR has been registered at RMC Yard police station under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code for bribery and undue influence at elections, it stated.

In the video clip, Shivakumar was purportedly heard saying that he had come for a "business deal" and if the 2,510 houses in the housing society -- 6,424 votes -- went to his candidate, he assured them that their major issues concerning supply of Cauvery river water and need for a civic amenity site would be resolved by him within three months.

Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh is seeking re-election from Bangalore Rural in the Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, an FIR was also registered against the BJP State President, B Y Vijayendra, by the Election Commission for a "derogatory" post based on a complaint by the Congress which alleged that it disturbed public tranquility, an official said on Saturday.

Taking to 'X' on Saturday, the office of Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer said that the FIR was lodged by Flying Squad Teams (FST) of Bengaluru against Vijayendra for a derogatory post on the official X handle of BJP Karnataka on April 19.

The FIR was registered at Malleshwaram police station under relevant sections of the Representation of the People Act and Indian Penal Code for disturbing public tranquility, it added. In the post on 'X', the BJP had made comments against the Congress government in Karnataka. The post also had hashtags targeting the party.