“Election invalid”: Karnataka HC nullifies Bagepalli Congress MLA SN Subbaareddy’s election
Bengaluru: In a major blow to Congress MLA Subbareddy, the Karnataka High Court on Monday nullified the election of the Bagepalli MLA on grounds of election malpractice during the 2023 assembly polls.
A single-judge bench headed by Justice M.G.S. Kamal partially allowed the petition filed by the defeated BJP candidate C. Muniraju, which sought to nullify Subbareddy’s election and declare Muniraju the winning candidate. However, the bench refused to declare Muniraju as the winner.
The court has directed the registrar to forward a copy of the judgment to the Election Commission and the Assembly Secretary. The detailed judgment is yet to be released.
Immediately after the order, Subbareddy’s lawyer stated that an appeal would be filed in the Supreme Court against the High Court order and requested a stay on the judgment until the appeal is heard.
The petitioner’s lawyer opposed this request, and after hearing the arguments, the bench refused to grant a stay.
In the results of the 2023 Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections for 224 constituencies declared on May 13, S.N. Subbareddy, contesting on a Congress ticket from Bagepalli in Chikaballapura, won by securing 82,128 votes. His nearest rival, BJP candidate C. Muniraju, received 62,949 votes, losing by a margin of 19,179 votes.
Following this, BJP candidate C. Muniraju filed an election dispute petition in the High Court on June 24, 2023, challenging Subbareddy’s victory. The Returning Officer had declared Subbareddy elected as the MLA from Bagepalli.
Subbareddy had filed his nomination on April 20, 2023, submitting an affidavit that should have included detailed information on the assets and liabilities of his wife and dependents, including investments in bonds, shares, debentures, companies, mutual funds, and personal loans.
However, Subbareddy allegedly failed to disclose several details in his affidavit, providing incomplete and false information.
This omission was considered to fall under electoral malpractice, prompting Muniraju to request that he, as the runner-up, be declared the winning candidate. Subbareddy opposed this request, seeking dismissal of the application.
The High Court has now partially upheld Muniraju’s petition, declaring Subbareddy’s election invalid while refusing to declare Muniraju the winner.
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Min. Priyank Kharge to expresses concern over implementation of VB-G Ram G
Bengaluru: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Priyank Kharge has expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the proposed VB-G Ram G scheme, stating that the MNREGA programme, which has been a lifeline for rural India for nearly two decades, appears to be facing an uncertain future.
Speaking to media, Kharge said that as March 31 draws to a close, there is no clarity on the rollout of the new scheme from April 1. He pointed out that the central government has not yet issued the necessary guidelines for implementing the scheme for rural workers and villages.
He criticised the Centre for its lack of preparedness, stating that there is no clarity on fund allocation, no final parameters for classifying gram panchayats, and key processes such as social audits have not been defined.
Kharge said the situation comes at a critical time, as summer marks a peak period for rural employment demand, when many people depend heavily on wage employment for their livelihood.
He added that reports have emerged of delays in approvals and families not receiving work despite demand.
He further alleged that the Centre’s move to shift from a statutory employment guarantee to a rule-based allocation system is already showing negative consequences.
Kharge also raised concerns over provisions such as a mandatory 60-day halt during agricultural seasons, which he said would further limit employment opportunities for rural workers.
The BJP-led central government had claimed that the new scheme would transform rural India, but in reality it is turning out to be detrimental to people’s livelihoods, he said.
“The crisis in rural India due to the stalling of MNREGA is beginning to unfold. Given the Centre’s past record in handling such situations, there is growing concern over the impact on rural livelihoods,” Kharge said.
