Belagavi/Bagalkot, 19 Jan

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the State has formally objected to Maharashtra’s jurisdiction in the border dispute case filed in the Supreme Court. He asserted that the neighbouring state has no locus standi in the matter.

Maharashtra has approached the apex court seeking the merger of Belagavi with its territory, a long-standing and contentious issue between the two states. He said the Karnataka government would engage a competent lawyer to contest the matter.

On reports that nearly three crore voters in Karnataka were not mapped during the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, the Chief Minister said the Congress had cautioned party workers and voters to be vigilant. He denied politicising the issue, stating that the party’s sole concern was to ensure genuine voters were not excluded from electoral rolls.

Siddaramaiah said his party also favoured conducting municipal corporation elections using ballot papers. On the Governor returning the bill on internal reservation among Scheduled Castes, he said the government would provide suitable explanations to the questions raised.

Responding to BJP MLA G Janardhana Reddy’s allegation that the Congress government was “looting” the state, Siddaramaiah said Reddy had “no moral right” to make such claims, noting that cases against him were still pending.

Meanwhile, in Bagalkote, the Chief Minister said development in the Badami Assembly constituency would continue under the present government.