CHIKKAMAGALURU: Congress MLA TD Rajegowda on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s interim order restoring him as the MLA from Sringeri, while Bharatiya Janata Party leader DN Jeevaraj said he would “wait and watch” the developments ahead of the next hearing on May 21.
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered maintenance of status quo ante in the Sringeri Assembly constituency election dispute, restoring Rajegowda as MLA and reversing the recent recount process that had favoured Jeevaraj.
The apex court further issued notice to the Election Commission of India and posted the next hearing for May 21.
Jeevaraj told the TNIE over phone that the Supreme Court had only passed an interim order.
“The Supreme Court has passed an interim order, posting the next hearing for May 21. It has issued notice to the Election Commission of India. I will watch, wait and see. Let me see what happens next,” he said.
‘Win for truth, dharma and justice’
Rajegowda described the order as a victory for “truth, dharma and justice.”“The Supreme Court has upheld the truth, dharma and justice and I have got victory in the court order,” Rajegowda said. Alleging electoral malpractice by his rival camp, Rajegowda said the verdict would serve as a lesson to those indulging in such acts. “For Jeevaraj and his accomplices who have purportedly done the misdeed, it is a lesson and this will go on record in the pages of Indian election history, teaching a lesson for those who indulge in such malpractices,” he said.
“I am extremely happy with the Supreme Court order and this is the beginning of my success story,” Rajegowda added.
Background
The matter pertains to the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, in which Rajegowda had been declared winner from Sringeri constituency, by a slender margin of 201 votes. Following this, Jeevaraj moved the Karnataka High Court through an election petition. Hearing his appeal, the
high court had on April 6 ordered a recount of postal ballot votes, including a re-verification of 279 rejected postal ballots.
On May 3, the returning officer declared a revised result, in which Rajegowda’s votes were reportedly reduced by 255 and Jeevaraj was declared the winning candidate. Rajegowda challenged this order of the RO and moved the Supreme Court.