New Delhi, Oct. 14 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its failure to trace video recordings of the original vote count in Karnataka's Sringeri assembly constituency in 2023, warning that it could draw an adverse inference against the poll body if it failed to produce the available records. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva rejected the commission's explanation that the footage could not be located and directed it to produce whatever records were available at the next hearing.
"How can the Election Commission of India (ECI) say that it has lost its record? Your whole purpose is to hold an election, and you need to have a document," the bench said, adding that it would not accept "these kinds of lame excuses".
The court was hearing a plea by Congress leader TD Rajegowda, who originally defeated BJP candidate DN Jeevaraj by 201 votes in the 2023 assembly elections. His victory was overturned following a recount of postal ballots ordered by the Karnataka High Court.
Rajegowda has sought access to the election observer's report and video recordings of the original counting and the recount conducted in May 2026.
On April 6, 2026, the high court ordered the recount, including a re-verification of 279 postal ballots rejected during the original counting. However, the Supreme Court noted in its May 11 order that the returning officer had also re-examined 1,251 ballots previously accepted as valid, potentially exceeding the high court's directions.
The recount invalidated 255 votes earlier counted in Rajegowda's favour and added two votes to Jeevaraj's tally, giving the BJP candidate a victory margin of 52 votes.
The Supreme Court subsequently allowed Rajegowda to continue as MLA while examining the recount's legality and kept consequential steps in abeyance.
The dispute has also triggered a criminal case alleging postal ballot tampering. Jeevaraj has denied wrongdoing and obtained an interim stay from the high court on further investigation.
The Supreme Court scheduled the next hearing for February 15, 2027.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.