Sringeri bypoll recount: BJP's D.N. Jeevaraj wins after Karnataka HC-ordered postal ballot reverification
Synopsis
After three years of legal battle, a Karnataka High Court-ordered recount of postal ballots has flipped the Sringeri Assembly seat from Congress to BJP — raising serious questions about the integrity of the original 2023 count and triggering an FIR, rival claims of tampering, and a looming Supreme Court challenge.
Key Takeaways
Jeevaraj was declared winner of Sringeri Assembly constituency on 4 May after a Karnataka High Court -ordered postal ballot recount.
The recount overturned the original 2023 election result, in which sitting Congress MLA T.D.
Rajegowda had been declared the winner.
Jeevaraj alleged that bundles of 25 votes each were improperly rejected during the original count, with votes allegedly added illegally.
Shivakumar called the development a
BJP candidate D.N. Jeevaraj has been declared the winner of the Sringeri Assembly constituency following a court-ordered recount of postal ballots, defeating sitting Congress MLA T.D. Rajegowda. Election Officer Gaurav Kumar Shetty officially announced the result on Monday, 4 May, after the reverification process — conducted on orders of the Karnataka High Court — was completed and a report submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday.
Background: A Three-Year Legal Battle
The dispute traces back to the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, in which Jeevaraj alleged irregularities during the original vote count. He subsequently moved the Karnataka High Court, which ordered a reverification and recount of postal ballots in the Sringeri constituency in Chikkamagaluru district. The process concluded over the weekend, with the official result formally declared on Monday.
Upon receiving his MLA certificate, Jeevaraj described the outcome as
Point of View
And that the recount produced a different winner, points to systemic vulnerabilities in how postal votes are handled and recorded at the counting stage. Both sides claiming victory simultaneously on Saturday and Sunday, and an FIR filed almost immediately after the official declaration, suggests that the legal battle is far from over. The Supreme Court challenge Jeevaraj has promised will likely put the evidentiary record of the original count under a national spotlight — and could set a precedent for how post-election disputes over postal ballots are adjudicated across India.
NationPress
30 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sringeri Assembly recount case?
The Sringeri Assembly recount refers to a court-ordered reverification of postal ballots from the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections. The Karnataka High Court directed the recount after BJP candidate D.N. Jeevaraj alleged irregularities in the original vote count, in which Congress MLA T.D. Rajegowda had been declared the winner.
Who won the Sringeri seat after the recount?
BJP candidate D.N. Jeevaraj was officially declared the winner following the recount, with Election Officer Gaurav Kumar Shetty announcing the result on 4 May. Jeevaraj received his MLA certificate on the same day.
Why was an FIR registered against D.N. Jeevaraj?
An FIR was registered against Jeevaraj following his victory in the recount, though the specific charges have not been detailed in official statements. Jeevaraj has denied any wrongdoing, calling the FIR illegal, and has announced plans to challenge it in the Supreme Court.
What did Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar say about the Sringeri recount?
Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar alleged that a large-scale conspiracy and systematic crime had taken place in the Sringeri seat in Chikkamagaluru district, describing it as a blot on the country and democracy.
What happens next in the Sringeri election dispute?
Jeevaraj has stated he will challenge the FIR registered against him in the Supreme Court. The Congress is also expected to contest the recount outcome legally, meaning the Sringeri seat dispute is likely to continue in the courts despite the official declaration of a winner.
