Karnataka cash-for-votes scandal: Congress urges EC to not defer state RS poll

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday urged the Election Commission not to postpone the June 11 biennial elections for four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka. A Congress delegation, led by party general secretary Digvijaya Singh, met Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi and submitted a representation on the issue. [caption id=“attachment_2819460” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. PTI[/caption] Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Revanna earlier urged the commission to countermand the Rajya Sabha polls and demanded a CBI probe into a sting operation in which certain lawmakers were allegedly seen demanding cash for votes. “The cancellation of the entire (election) process is neither called for nor is it a viable remedy given the facts and circumstances of the matter. Such an extreme step would rather deprive the candidates and the political parties of what is legitimately their due,” said the Congress representation. “We have noticed media reports about a political party’s representative demanding countermanding of the Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka. Some TV channels are also running stories in support of cancellation of the process in entirety, quoting the commission’s decision of 2012 in Jharkhand,” read the representation. “The case of the Karnataka assembly is totally distinguishable from the Jharkhand case. The facts and circumstances are different. The commission may take all steps necessary to hold fair and proper polls,” the Congress representation added.