Bengaluru, Apr 22 (PTI) The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed an election petition challenging the legitimacy of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s victory from the Varuna assembly constituency in the 2023 state elections.
The petition filed by K M Shankar, a resident of Koodanahalli village in Varuna Hobli, Mysuru, sought to annul the Chief Minister’s election on the grounds of alleged electoral malpractice.
Shankar’s petition argued that the Congress party’s guarantee card schemes, which promised a range of welfare benefits, were a form of inducement intended to illegally influence voters.
He further alleged that such promises amounted to bribery, violating Sections 123(1), 123(2), and 123(4) of the Representation of the People Act, which define corrupt practices such as voter inducement and campaign-related misrepresentation.
The petition contended that the guarantee schemes were gifts or promises made with the consent and knowledge of Siddaramaiah, aimed at securing votes through improper means.
It alleged that these actions compromised the fairness of the electoral process and called for the invalidation of Siddaramaiah’s election.
However, the petition was challenged by Siddaramaiah, whose legal team, led by senior advocate Ravi Varma Kumar, argued for its dismissal.
After reviewing the arguments, a bench led by Justice Sunil Dutt Yadav ruled in favour of Siddaramaiah and dismissed the petition.
In the 2023 Assembly elections, Siddaramaiah secured a decisive win from Varuna, defeating BJP candidate V Somanna.
Siddaramaiah garnered 1,19,816 votes, while Somanna managed 73,653 votes, resulting in a victory margin of 46,163 votes.
Following the win, Siddaramaiah was elected as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party and took office as the Chief Minister of Karnataka.