On Tuesday, the Chief Election Officer of Karnataka Sanjay Kumar wrote to the Election Commission of India stating that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s close associate and political advisor to the Home Minister – Kempaiah, violated the modal code of conduct by continuing to perform his duties.
The CEO’s office is awaiting for a response from EC regarding the action to be taken against Kempaiah.
Incumbent MLA of Chamundeshwari constituency and JD(S) leader GT Devegowda had written to the Election Commission, asking him to remove retired IPS officer Kempaiah, as he was a “hindrance to holding free and fair Assembly polls”.
Speaking to the media, GT Devegowda had alleged that Kempaiah violated the code of conduct by distributing money and liquor to people in Chamundeshwari constituency, where CM Siddaramaiah is all set to contest against him.
The JD(S) leader had also alleged that Chief Minister Siddharamaiah and Kempaiah were using the police to threaten JD(S) workers.
In his letter to the Election Commission, he had urged that officials take serious note of the allegations and take action against Kempaiah.
On March 28, CEO Sanjay Kumar had told the media that government appointed advisers and political secretaries will not be able to perform their duties as the code of conduct would be in place.
“Political advisors will not have any role in election campaigning. We will have to look into the nature of Kempaiah’s appointment and take action,” Sanjay Kumar had said.
In the past, both BJP and JD(S) have blamed Kempaiah for discrepancies in the Home Department. The BJP had also called him the “super Home Minister”.
Apart from this, several other cases have been booked against leaders for violating code of conduct. In Devarahippargi, MLA AS Patil was booked for allegedly distributing sarees. In Chikkaballapur, a Congress leader Nagesh was booked for hosting lunch and Rs 7 lakh cash was seized from a man named Ganga Naik in Havanur in Haveri district.