Supreme Court Overturns Karnataka MLC Election, Congress Candidate Wins Seat
The Supreme Court on Thursday set aside the election of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC M K Pranesh from the Chikkamagaluru local authorities constituency in Karnataka. The court declared Congress candidate A V Gayathri Shanthegowda as the winner of the December 2021 Legislative Council election.
Pranesh had won the election by a narrow margin of six votes, securing 1,188 votes against Gayathri's 1,182. Gayathri challenged the results in the Karnataka High Court, alleging irregularities in the counting process and violations of election rules. She contended that votes cast by nominated members of local town panchayats, who were not entitled to vote in the MLC polls, were improperly accepted, and that some ballot papers were wrongly rejected.
In January 2025, the Karnataka High Court ordered a recount of the votes. Pranesh then moved the Supreme Court, challenging the High Court's order. The Supreme Court, after hearing the case, upheld the High Court's decision and directed that the election results be revised. Consequently, Gayathri Shanthegowda is now declared the winner.
The judgment highlights the judiciary's role in ensuring electoral integrity and adherence to statutory provisions. The local authorities constituency comprises elected members of municipalities, taluk panchayats, and zilla panchayats. The case also underscores the importance of transparent counting procedures in closely contested elections.
