HC stays FIR on election officials after BJP declared winner in Sringeri assembly seat

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday stayed an FIR registered by the Chikmagalur Police against the election authorities on charges that they tampered with the postal ballot papers in Sringeri assembly constituency after the declaration of results in the May 2023 assembly polls.

The returning officer had declared Congress candidate TD Raje Gowda as the winner. The BJP candidate DN Jeevaraj, however, had challenged the election before the high court and sought a recount of the postal ballot. The recount by the election officials on Saturday (May 2), on the orders of the high court, showed Jeevaraj had secured more votes.

The returning officer invalidated the election of Gowda and declared Jeevaraj as the winner which has sparked fierce war of words between the Congress and BJP. On Sunday, based on a complaint by Gowda, the Sringeri police registered an FIR naming Jeevaraj and the returning officer and deputy commissioner in charge of the assembly polls in May 2023 as the accused.


Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused Jeevaraj and the past election officials of participating in a criminal act of tampering of postal ballots after completion of the counting process in May 2023. They have tampered with about 250 votes in what he called an “organized dacoity.” He also questioned the conduct of election officials in declaring results instead of leaving the decision to the high court.

The police, on Sunday (May 3) registered an FIR based on Raje Gowda’s complaint. An impartial probe must take place, Siddaramaiah said.

Justice V Srishananda, after granting an interim stay to the FIR on a petition from Jeevaraj, however, observed that the police registered the FIR acting under political pressure, and that if this was the situation, no official could work properly. He posted the case to May 7.

Shivakumar, who is also the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), also endorsed Siddaramaiah’s stand and urged the election commission to deliver justice. The Congress, he added, would pursue legal action.