CHIKKAMAGALURU : IN a setback to the BJP, the High Court of Karnataka on Friday declared the election of MK Pranesh as MLC null and void, bringing an end to his four-and-a-half-year tenure as a member of the Upper House and Deputy Speaker of the Council.
The verdict came after a protracted legal battle initiated by Congress candidate AV Gayatri Shanthe Gowda, who had conceded defeat in the 2021 local bodies’ MLC election but refused to give up the fight in court.
The 2021 election to the Council from the Chikkamagaluru local authorities constituency saw BJP’s Pranesh defeat Gayatri by a margin of six votes. Pranesh secured 1,188 votes, while Gayatri got 1,182 votes. Of the 2,410 votes polled, 39 were declared invalid.
The decisive factor was the votes cast by 12 nominated members from municipalities and town panchayats, apart from the elected representatives, which tilted the scale in Pranesh’s favour.
Challenging this result, Gayatri approached the HC, arguing that nominated members were not entitled to exercise their franchise. The HC accepted her contention.
Subsequently, Pranesh filed a revision petition before the Supreme Court. Following the SC’s directive, a recount of votes was conducted in Chikkamagaluru. In the recount, Gayatri secured an additional nine votes. The DC then submitted the recount results in a sealed cover to the SC, which upheld the HC’s judgment. On Friday, a HC bench headed by Justice Pandith formally declared Gayatri as the winner.
