Overview
- The Supreme Court, which ruled Monday, stayed the Sringeri recount and ordered T. D. Rajegowda reinstated as MLA until it hears the case.
- The bench said the Returning Officer appeared to exceed the High Court’s direction by rechecking already validated postal ballots and cutting 255 votes from Rajegowda’s tally.
- The recount held May 2 reduced Rajegowda’s postal votes to 314 from 569, led officials to declare BJP’s D. N. Jeevaraj the winner by 52 votes on May 3, and resulted in his swearing-in.
- The court issued notices to the Karnataka government and the State Election Commission, sought records of the exercise, and set the next hearing for May 21.
- Guideline 15.25 in the Returning Officers’ handbook requires mandatory reverification of rejected postal ballots when that number exceeds the victory margin, which the court said the High Court order went beyond.