Bengaluru
oi-Madhuri Adnal
A dramatic turn has emerged in Karnataka’s Sringeri Assembly constituency nearly three years after the 2023 election, with BJP leader D N Jeevaraj won following a court-ordered recount of postal ballots. However, officials have clarified that no formal winner has been declared yet.
The recount exercise, conducted under directions of the Karnataka High Court, concluded in the early hours of Sunday. The results have been submitted in a sealed cover to the Election Commission of India, pending further legal proceedings.
A Karnataka High Court-ordered recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly seat, nearly three years after the 2023 election, has shown BJP’s D N Jeevaraj leading Congress MLA T D Rajegowda, but no official winner is declared pending a final court decision.
What changed after the recount
In the original 2023 results, Congress MLA T D Rajegowda had won the seat by a narrow margin of 201 votes. But the recount significantly altered the postal ballot numbers.
Officials said 255 postal votes earlier counted in favour of Rajegowda were now rejected, while only two votes from Jeevaraj’s tally were invalidated. This shifted the balance, giving Jeevaraj a lead of around 52 votes in the revised count.
According to the updated figures, Jeevaraj secured 690 postal votes compared to Rajegowda’s 314 after the recount.
Tensions, claims and counterclaims
The recount process, which continued late into Saturday night, was marked by confusion and tension. BJP workers began celebrating, claiming victory for Jeevaraj.
On the other hand, Rajegowda has raised serious allegations. He claimed that some ballot papers in his favour showed additional markings during the recount that were not present in 2023. His camp has alleged that only Congress-backed ballots were invalidated.
His counting agent has filed a police complaint, accusing officials and BJP leaders of tampering with ballot papers and seeking an investigation into the rejection of the 255 votes.
Returning Officer Gaurav Shetty said the recount was conducted strictly as per court directions. After verification, all ballot papers were resealed and placed back in the strong room, and a detailed report has been sent to the Election Commission.
Despite the revised numbers, there is no official change in the election result yet. Rajegowda continues to be the sitting MLA from Sringeri.
Any final outcome will depend on the pending ruling of the Karnataka High Court. Only after a court order can the election result be altered and a new winner formally declared.
For now, Sringeri remains at the centre of a closely watched legal and political battle, with both sides claiming legitimacy while the final decision rests with the judiciary.
