The Supreme Court of India on Monday took a significant step by issuing a formal notice to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, compelling him to file a detailed response to a petition that directly challenges the validity of his election from the Varuna assembly constituency in the May 2023 Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections. The development has sent ripples through political circles in the state, as the outcome of this case could potentially destabilize the current Congress government if the election is eventually set aside.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath and comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta heard the matter briefly and, without issuing any interim order, directed the registry to issue notice to the Chief Minister and other concerned parties. The petitioner, K Shankara, appeared through counsel and urged the court to expedite the hearing, contending that the allegations of electoral malpractice strike at the root of free and fair elections. The bench, after perusing the petition, simply observed “Issue notice” and posted the case for further hearing after the response is filed.

K Shankara, a registered voter of Varuna constituency, had originally filed an election petition before the Karnataka High Court immediately after the 2023 results, seeking declaration of Siddaramaiah’s election as void on the ground of alleged corrupt practices under Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The petition reportedly pointed to specific instances of undue influence and bribery allegedly committed by the Chief Minister and his agents during the campaign. However, a single judge of the Karnataka High Court, after a detailed trial that included examination of witnesses and documents, dismissed the petition on April 22 this year, holding that the allegations were not proved beyond reasonable doubt.

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Dissatisfied with the high court’s verdict, Shankara escalated the matter to the Supreme Court through a special leave petition under Article 136 of the Constitution. The petitioner has argued that the high court committed a grave error in appreciating both oral and documentary evidence and that several crucial findings suffer from perversity. Legal experts note that while the Supreme Court admits only a small fraction of election-related special leave petitions, the very issuance of notice indicates that the bench has found at least a prima facie case warranting deeper scrutiny.

As Karnataka’s most powerful political figure and the architect of the Congress party’s 2023 comeback, Siddaramaiah now faces renewed judicial pressure barely months after surviving multiple controversies. With the Supreme Court seizing the matter, the case has the potential to drag on for months or even years, keeping the Chief Minister’s electoral legitimacy under a cloud and providing fresh ammunition to the opposition BJP and JD(S) ahead of future political battles in the state.

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