Complaint against Siddaramaiah govt in Lokayukta over ads

A complaint was today filed with the Lokayukta against the Siddaramaiah government for using bus shelters for advertising its schemes without permission and not paying the advertisement fee to the city's civic body.
The complainant, BJP corporator N R Ramesh, alleged that the government has not paid the advertisement fee amounting to Rs 68.15 crore for the last two years.
Complaint has also been filed against the chief ministerfor "abuse of power", he said.
Ramesh said the government has been using 439 bus shelters for advertising their welfare schemes without getting approval from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Council.
"There is a set procedure. First the BBMP standing committees including tax and finance, should approve the decision and it would be placed before the BBMP council for approval. Once it is done, the state government then will have legal rights to use the bus shelters for advertisement," he said.

"Without getting a nod from the BBMP council, the government was using the bus shelters for advertisement without paying asingle paisa," he added.
Ramesh alleged that the BBMP had not issued demand notices on default on payments for advertising because the government "hasinstilled fear in BBMP officials."
A complaint in the matter was lodged with the Anti- Corruption Bureauyesterday.