Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole tells Udupi DC to show rule prohibiting holding official meetings in premises other than government office in Karnataka

Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole said he has opened not one, but four offices in his constituency that is spread over a vast geographical area. “Except the office of a political party, I have every right to convene a meeting for the benefit of people as an MLA,” he told Udupi DC K. Vidyakumari, adding that any oral directions to the contrary could attract a privilege motion.

Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole asked Udupi district Deputy Commissioner K. Vidyakumari to show him the rule prohibiting holding official meetings in places other than government offices. Till then, he will insist on holding meetings of officials in his offices across his constituency, the MLA said.

On August 12, the BJP MLA launched an indefinite protest, in front of Adalita Soudha in Byndoor taluk, against the DC’s directive to officials not to attend his meetings if they were convened at premises other than government offices. The trigger was Byndoor Town Panchayat officials not attending a meeting called by the MLA at Uppunda, a town adjacent to Byndoor, on August 12. The officials had been given oral directions by the DC not to attend such meetings.

The overnight protest by Mr. Gantihole drew other BJP MLAs — Yashpal Suvarna from Udupi, Gurme Suresh Shetty from Kaup and A. Kiran Kumar Kodgi from Kundapura — in Udupi district.

On August 13, Ms. Vidyakumari visited the Byndoor Adalita Soudha and met Mr. Gantihole. The MLA demanded to see an order prohibiting meetings at places other than government offices. “Except the office of a political party, I have every right to convene a meeting for the benefit of people as an MLA,” he told the DC and said any oral directions to the contrary could attract a privilege motion.

“I will continue to hold such meetings across the constituency till you show me the rule book,” Mr. Gantihole told the DC.

The MLA told The Hindu that he withdrew the protest thereafter and held a meeting at his Jana Soudha office in Uppunda with some government officials. The DC’s oral direction had put officials in a quandary, as they were afraid of attending his meetings. The MLA insisted that, to the best of his knowledge, there is no prohibition on such meetings.

Launching his protest on August 12, Mr. Gantihole said he has opened not one, but four offices in his constituency that is spread over a vast geographical area.