Mysuru: The Fifth Additional Civil Court here yesterday issued notice to Mysuru District Journalists Association (MDJA) President, General Secretary and the Election Officer on a petition alleging violation of by-law while issuing MDJA poll notification.

With the MDJA polls scheduled for Aug. 13, Mysuru-based ‘Hello Mysore’ Editor T. Gururaj had moved the Court questioning the condition that those interested in contesting for the post of President, Vice-President, General Secretary, City Secretary, Rural Secretary and Treasurer, should have served as an Executive Committee Member of the Association at least for a period of one year.

Gururaj, in his petition, contended that the MDJA by-law had no such rule and the condition imposed was a clear violation of the by-law. Also the condition was aimed at taking away the rights of the Association Members for contesting the election, the petition said.

Gururaj also prayed the  Court to grant a stay on the poll schedule and also to allow the Association Members to contest the polls without any restriction.

The Court, which heard Gururaj’s plea, served a notice on the Association President K. Deepak, General Secretary K.J. Lokesh Babu and Election Officer Echanur Kumar, asking them to appear before the Court on Aug. 8, either in person or through an advocate.

Advocate Prithvi Kiran Shetty appeared for the petitioner Gururaj. As per the poll schedule, the MDJA election will take place on Aug. 13, for which the last date for filing of nominations ended yesterday (July 26). The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is July 28.

Meanwhile, MDJA General Secretary Lokesh Babu has said that he had not received any notice from the Court regarding the poll schedule  notification.