Sumalatha Ambareesh cries foul, wants Election Commission to intervene

Mandya: Raising doubts if there would be a free and fair election in Mandya, Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh urged the Election Commission to immediately transfer the Mandya deputy commissioner and returning officer. She also wanted Mandya to be declared a 'highly-sensitive' constituency considering the high-profile candidates in the fray.

Talking to reporters, Sumalatha accused Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of misusing government machinery to further the poll prospects of his son and JD(S) candidate Nikhil. It looks like the CM's Office is controlling the Mandya district administration, she said and explained how power supply and the cable network were cut the day she filed her nomination.

The returning officer has erred by allowing Nikhil to file a fresh affidavit after he had left blanks during the filing of his nomination, she said.

Mandya BSP candidate Nanjundaswamy too demanded the transfer of the Mandya DC. He said being the candidate of a national party, he should have got serial number one in the EVM in the absence of BJP and Congress candidates. However, Nikhil was allotted serial number one, he claimed.