Following the victory of BJP candidates in the recounting of postal ballots in Sringeri Assembly segment, a case has been filed against three individuals, including BJP MLA D.N. Jeevaraj, by Karnataka Police for suspected irregularities in the Sringeri Assembly constituency. The re-verification and recounting of postal ballots in the 2023 Assembly elections were ordered by the Karnataka High Court and completed, with a report submitted to the Election Commission of India. Responding to the FIR, Jeevaraj defended his win, stating that the allegations of tampering were baseless and vowed to challenge the case in the Supreme Court.
The complaint, filed by advocate Sudheer Kumar Murolli, alleged tampering of ballot papers during the counting process in Sringeri. He claimed that the strongroom storing the ballots was not properly sealed, with the trunk containing the papers found open and the seal broken, raising suspicions of tampering. Police have registered a case against three individuals, including the Election Officer Vedamurthy, BJP MLA D.N. Jeevaraj, and Deputy Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, under charges of cheating, criminal offenses, and forgery. Further investigations are ongoing.
The FIR includes sections of the IPC and Representation of People Act, with the complainant highlighting a delay in lodging the police complaint due to the late-night recounting process. BJP leader D.N. Jeevaraj has been declared the MLA from Sringeri Assembly constituency after a recount of postal ballots, winning by a narrow margin of 52 votes. This victory marks Jeevaraj’s fourth term as an MLA, with celebrations by BJP workers in N.R. Pura, Sringeri, and Koppa taluks.
