The election for the post of Hassan City Municipal Council president was held on Thursday amidst heated arguments among political parties. The election procedure for the president’s post was completed. However, the Returning Officer did not announce the result as per the court’s order. The election to the vice-president’s post was mired in chaos and confusion as the JD(S) leaders sought more time to file nomination papers.
In the council of 35 members, the president’s post was reserved for Scheduled Tribe category. The only member who suits the category, Mohan Kumar, elected on the BJP ticket from ward 34, filed the nomination papers. The JD(S), despite winning 17 seats in the council, could not get a chance to file the papers for the president’s post. The party has moved the court challenging the reservation. The court had ordered to hold the election as per schedule but restricted the administration from declaring the results until the petition is disposed of by the High Court. B.A. Jagadish, Assistant Commissioner of Hassan sub-division, who acted as Returning Officer, accepted the nomination papers but did not announce the winner.
However, chaos prevailed in connection with the election for the post of vice-president, which was reserved for the BCA Woman category. Mangala Pradeep of the BJP had filed the nomination papers; none from the JD(S) or the Congress had done so. Members of the JD(S) argued that there was ambiguity concerning the deadline for filing the nomination papers and sought more time. However, the BJP leaders including Preetham Gowda, MLA, urged the Returning Officer to complete the election process. Later, the RO announced that the election for the vice-president’s post would be held on Friday.
