Mangaluru (PTI): The first additional civil judge and Judicial Magistrate of First Class of Mangaluru on Tuesday passed an interim order imposing a temporary injunction against media houses, restraining them from publishing any kind of information or defamatory statements, photos, pictures and articles that could damage the reputation of Moodbidri MLA Umanath A Kotian.

BJP sources said the party MLA obtained an injunction as a precaution to prevent the publishing or telecast of unverified reports on him ahead of the announcement of the party’s list of candidates for the Assembly elections in the state on May 10.

Sources said other party MLAs in Dakshina Kannada district are also likely to move court seeking similar injunction.

The BJP had won seven out of eight constituencies in Dakshina Kannada district in the 2018 elections and are wary of their prospects in the tough competition posed by the opposition Congress, which has already announced candidates for most of the Assembly seats in the district.

Youth Congress leader Mithun Rai has been announced as the Congress candidate for Moodbidri seat.