Shringeri
The Congress has alleged electoral irregularities and a conspiracy in the 2023 Assembly election, claiming that 255 votes were wrongly invalidated during the counting process.
Speaking to reporters, Block Congress President K. M. Ramesh Bhat said that the re-examination of ballots and subsequent declaration of BJP leader D. N. Jeevaraj as the winning MLA raises serious constitutional concerns.
He alleged that during the original counting on May 13, 2023, election officials in the presence of agents from multiple parties had declared Congress candidate T. D. Rajegowda the winner by 201 votes after counting 569 doubtful ballots as valid. However, he claimed that in later scrutiny, 255 votes earlier considered valid were suddenly marked invalid, raising questions about consistency in the process.
Ramesh Bhat further questioned the integrity of the recounting process, stating that several ballot boxes had missing seals and that discrepancies were found in the handling of 279 rejected votes. He demanded clarification from the Election Commission on the missing ballots and procedural inconsistencies.
He also alleged possible “vote manipulation” and called for legal action against officials involved in the counting process, including the then district administration and election officers.
Congress spokesperson Umesh Puduvai said the episode appears to be a “systematic attempt to overturn a legitimate victory,” warning that such incidents could erode public trust in the electoral system.
Party leaders urged a transparent inquiry into the counting process and restoration of voter confidence in democratic institutions.