CHIKKABALLAPUR: Following directions of the Karnataka High Court, the recounting of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly election will be held at the IDSG First Grade College on May 2.
The district administration has made comprehensive arrangements for the recounting process at the college premises. ADC Gourav Shetty has been appointed election officer, with four others designated as assistant election officers. A dedicated counting table will be set up, and CCTV cameras will be installed in the counting room. The recounting is scheduled to commence at 8 am.
Polling agents and Congress MLA TD Raje Gowda, along with the defeated BJP candidate DN Jeevaraj, are expected to be present during the process. As the deadline for seeking a stay on the recounting had already lapsed on April 20, the High Court ordered the recounting to take place on May 2.
In the 2023 Assembly polls, the BJP candidate was defeated by a margin of 201 votes. Out of 2,811 postal ballot votes, 279 were rejected. Objecting to the results, DN Jeevaraj had sought recounting, but the district election officer did not consider his request and declared TD Raje Gowda as elected. Aggrieved by the decision, BJP candidate DN Jeevaraj approached the High Court, which has now directed that the postal ballot votes be recounted on May 2.