Karnataka govt to complain to state EC over Centre's poll code

The Congress government in Karnataka today said it would lodge a complaint with the state Election Commission against the central government for allegedly publishing advertisements in newspapers in violation of poll code of conduct for the two-phase Gram Panchayat elections beginning tomorrow.
Elections to 5,844 gram panchayats (GPs) in the state will be held in two phases on May 29 and June 2. The model code of conduct is effective from May 10 to June 7.
Counting of votes will take place simultaneously at taluk headquarters across the state on June 5.
"We are lodging a complaint against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for violating poll code of conduct by publishing government ads in newspaper," Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya said here.

The central government has published the 'Annadaata Sukhi Bhava' advertisement which is a part of celebrations of one-year of Modi's government coming to power.
Anjaneya said he would write a letter to the Prime Minister's Office bringing to its notice violation of poll code of conduct and demanding action against the officials for publishing the ad.

In the first phase, polling will be held in 15 districts including Mysuru, Belagavi and Dharwad.
In the second phase, polling will be held in the remaining 15 districts, including Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru, Davanagere, Shivvmoga and Ballari.
Anjaneya said work on the caste census has been extended for another three days and the process would be completed by May 30.

The government has set in motion its first such massive exercise, the caste census, across the state on April 11.
About 1.33 lakh government staff, mostly school teachers from across the state, are undertaking census work.
Conducted by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission, the census intends to cover an estimated 1.31 crore families in the state, according to officials.