High Court stays FIR against Sringeri MLA D.N. Jeevaraj in ballot tampering case
Chikkamagaluru : The Karnataka High Court has granted interim relief to Sringeri MLA D N Jeevaraj by staying the criminal case registered against him over alleged ballot tampering during vote recounting.
The order was passed on Tuesday by a vacation single-judge bench headed by Justice V. Srishananda, which heard a petition filed by Jeevaraj seeking to quash the FIR lodged against him.
During the hearing, senior advocate Ashok Haranahalli, appearing for the MLA, argued that the allegations were politically motivated and should have been addressed through an election petition rather than a criminal complaint.
Taking note of the arguments, the court observed that any discrepancies related to vote counting or ballot handling ought to have been raised within the framework of election dispute mechanisms. “If there are confusions or grievances, they must be addressed through election petitions. Filing criminal complaints under political pressure is not appropriate,” the bench remarked.
The court further expressed concern that such actions could affect the functioning of officials. “If this continues, no officer will be able to discharge duties independently,” the judge noted.
The case stems from a complaint filed on May 3, 2026, at the Chikkamagaluru Town Police Station by Sudhir Kumar Muroli, who served as a counting agent for Congress candidate T.D. Rajegowda. The complaint alleged that during the 2023 Assembly elections, Jeevaraj, along with certain officials, had tampered with postal ballots, leading to Rajegowda’s defeat in the recount.
Following the complaint, police had registered an FIR against Jeevaraj and two former election officials.
However, with the High Court now granting interim stay on the FIR, no coercive action can be taken against the MLA until further orders.
The matter has been adjourned to May 7 for further hearing, with the court expected to examine the legality of the criminal proceedings in greater detail.
