Cong urges EC to disqualify BJP's K'taka candidate Sriramulu, cites old sting video

The Congress today petitioned the Election Commission demanding that BJP candidate B Sriramulu be disqualified from contesting the Karnataka assembly election over a 2010 'sting' video allegedly showing him trying to a bribe a former chief justice of India's relative.

Ahead of polling tomorrow, the party also sought a ban on airing of content by two television channels allegedly defaming the Congress.

A delegation of senior Congress leaders, including Kapil Sibal, Mukul Wasnik and Randeep Surjewala, met Election Commission officials and presented a memorandum, which also demanded that the chief electoral officer in Karnataka be directed to lift the ban on the airing of the 'sting' video by local television channels.

Yesterday, the Congress released the video, dating back to 2010, allegedly showing Sriramulu and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy negotiating a bribe to a relative of a former chief justice of India to influence a verdict in a mining case.

"We have requested the Election Commission to disqualify B Sriramulu from contesting the election," Sibal told reporters after meeting EC officials.

The video also appeared on local channels in Karnataka. Later, state electoral authorities directed channels not to air the videos.

The Congress complaint alleged that the sting video purportedly shows "Sriramulu and three others (identified as G Janardhana Reddy, Captain Reddy and Swamiji) seen sitting with son-in-law of a former Chief Justice of India."
Sibal said since no petitions can be filed at this stage, the Commission is entitled to exercise its powers. "We have requested the commission to exercise its powers to stop the spread of such promos."