Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday rejected Congress MLC M. Narayanaswamy’s plea to dismiss a petition, filed by the defeated candidate challenging his election by alleging that he had indulged in corrupt practices and unduly influenced the voters.

Justice B.V. Nagarathna passed the order while rejecting two applications filed by Narayanaswamy, who was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Council from the Bengaluru Local Authorities’ constituency during the elections held in December 2015.

With Tuesday’s order, the court will now proceed with the petition, filed by Dodda Basavaraju (BJP), who was defeated in the elections, to initiate steps for commencement of the trial.

The court rejected Narayanaswamy’s claim that the petitioner had not provided source of information related to allegations of corrupt practices and observed that contents of the petition comply with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, as the petitioner has “clearly stated what are the averments which are in his personal knowledge and what are the averments which are based on information, which he believes to be true.”

The court also said that certain averments made in the petition are not “unnecessary, scandalous, frivolous, vexatious, or in any way tend to prejudice or embarrass a fair trial of the election petition” while rejecting contentions of Narayanaswamy.

It was alleged in the petition that Narayanaswamy had paid Rs. 1 lakh each in cash and one silver coin with embossment of a goddess to the members of some gram panchayats, and made them take oath in the name of god that they will vote only for him.