SC grants temporary relief to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Congress leaders in 2022 protest march case

The Supreme Court grants temporary relief to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and others involved in a 2022 protest march, issuing a stay order against ongoing proceedings. This exempts Siddaramaiah from personally appearing in the Karnataka High Court and halts its directive, allowing time for response to allegations within six weeks.

The Supreme Court has ordered temporary relief to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and several other MLAs in connection with a protest march held in the state back in 2022. Justices Hrishikesh Roy and P K Mishra issued a stay order against ongoing proceedings and summoned the Karnataka government and the complainant involved in the case for further deliberation.

The recent ruling by the Supreme Court brings respite to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, exempting him from the requirement to personally appear in the Karnataka High Court. The interim stay order halts the implementation of the High Court's directive until further notice, granting Siddaramaiah and others time to respond to the allegations within six weeks.

The legal battle stems from a protest march organized in April 2022 following the suicide of Santosh Patil. At that time, Karnataka Minister K. S. Eshwarappa was under scrutiny, prompting the Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, to demand his resignation and stage a demonstration outside the residence of the CM Basavaraj Bommai in Bengaluru.

The Karnataka High Court's order to prosecute the Congress leaders for their involvement in the protest march was met with resistance, leading to the current legal proceedings. However, with the Supreme Court's intervention, Siddaramaiah and his colleagues have been given a temporary reprieve from the legal ordeal.