BJP's DN Jeevaraj took oath as the Sringeri MLA after a long legal battle following the 2023 assembly elections. Congress' TD Rajegowda had initially won by a narrow margin of 201 votes, but a court-ordered recount changed the outcome.
Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, on Wednesday hailed the oath-taking ceremony of BJP MLA DN Jeevaraj from Shringeri assembly after a long legal and administrative struggle following the 2023 state assembly elections, calling it a "constitutional victory" for the people of the assembly.
The Election Dispute
The assembly has been swept with controversy over its rightful MLA. The dispute traces back to the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, where Congress candidate TD Rajegowda secured a razor-thin victory over the BJP's DN Jeevaraj. The initial results showed a margin of just 201 votes, fueled by the rejection of 279 postal ballots.
During Sunday's re-verification, 255 postal ballots earlier marked for Rajegowda in 2023 were declared invalid. Election officer Gaurav Shetty said Jeevaraj's postal ballot count dipped slightly from 692 to 690, while Rajegowda's fell from 569 to 314.
BJP Alleges 'Deliberate Delay'
The delay in the oath-taking ceremony for Jeevaraj had sparked a fierce political row, with Narayanaswamy claiming that even after a court-ordered recount and certification from the Election Commission, the ruling party had "adopted a policy of deliberate delay" for the oath-taking ceremony for elected MLAs.
"In the oath-taking process of D.N. Jivraj, the BJP MLA from Shringeri, justice has finally prevailed in an unprecedented manner. Even after securing victory in the recount conducted as per the court's directive and obtaining the official certificate from the Election Commission, the delays in the oath administration by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly were disheartening. Moreover, the ruling party had adopted a policy of deliberate delay in administering the oath to the legally elected people's representative, attempting to throttle the voice of democracy," he said in a X post.
ಶೃಂಗೇರಿಯ ಜನಪ್ರತಿನಿಧಿಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕ ಸಾಂವಿಧಾನಿಕ ಗೆಲುವು! "ಸತ್ಯವಂತರಿಗಿದು ಕಾಲವಲ್ಲವೆಂದು ಸತ್ವ ಬಿಡಬೇಡವೋ... ಸತ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮನಿರುವನು" — ದಾಸಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠರ ಈ ವಾಣಿ ಇಂದು ಅಕ್ಷರಶಃ ಸಾರ್ಥಕವಾಗಿದೆ. ಶೃಂಗೇರಿಯ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಶಾಸಕರಾದ ಶ್ರೀ ಡಿ.ಎನ್. ಜೀವರಾಜ್ ಅವರ ಪ್ರಮಾಣ ವಚನ ಪ್ರಕ್ರಿಯೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೊನೆಗೂ ನ್ಯಾಯಕ್ಕೆ ಅಭೂತಪೂರ್ವ ಜಯ… pic.twitter.com/c0XtVd2bAp — Chalavadi Narayanaswamy (@NswamyChalavadi) May 6, 2026
Narayanaswamy characterised the struggle as a fight for the "Constitution's ideals", mentioning that meetings with the Governor over the issue have yielded results.
"The persistent struggle--meeting the esteemed Governor and urging the safeguarding of the Constitution's ideals--has today received its due justice. The official fixing of the date and time for the oath-taking stands as a proclamation of democracy's triumph," he said.
He framed the event not just as an individual's win, but as a "triumph for democratic values and the sanctity of the law"
"From today onward, the voice of Shringeri's people will resonate even more clearly in the Legislative Assembly," he said.
Conflicting Recount Information
Congress MLA Rajegowda had originally won the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections by a very thin margin of 201 votes, after 279 out of 1,822 postal ballots were rejected.
BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj, the opposing candidate against Rajegowda, moved the court, leading to a legal battle which continued till April 6, 2026, after which the Karnataka High Court ordered for the re-count.
At the end of the recount, Congress MLA TD Rajegowda's victory margin increased by two votes, from 201 to 203.
The recount was mandated by the Karnataka High Court in April 2026 to settle the 2023 election, where Rajegowda won by 201 votes -- 59,171 to Jeevaraj's 58,970. The High Court ordered re-verification of 279 rejected postal ballots. But the process has triggered tampering allegations.
Congress agents said locks and seals on several ballot boxes in the strong room looked disturbed before counting began Saturday.
During Sunday's re-verification, 255 postal ballots earlier marked for Rajegowda in 2023 were declared invalid. Election officer Gaurav Shetty said Jeevaraj's postal ballot count dipped slightly from 692 to 690, while Rajegowda's fell from 569 to 314.
With the recount done, Rajegowda now trails Jeevaraj by 52 votes. The EC will review the sealed report before deciding on a formal declaration. (ANI)
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