Siddaramaiah's 2023 assembly elections win challenged before Supreme Court
Allegedly, promises made by the CM's party are said to amount to illegal inducements under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The Supreme Court today issued notice in a petition challenging the 2023 election of Congress leader and current Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramiah from the Varuna constituency.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mahta has issued notice on the plea filed by KM Shankar.
Earlier this year, Karnataka High Court had dismissed the instant plea in April this year. Shankar, a voter from Varuna constituency challenged the guarantees made in the Indian National Congress (INC) party's manifesto for the State polls in 2023. He alleged that the same amounted to bribery under the Representation of the People Act.
Shankar further alleged as the manifesto was issued with Siddaramaiah's consent, he too committed corrupt practices.
Justice Sunil Dutt Yadav of the Karnataka High Court had refused to agree with these submissions, holding that election guarantees cannot constitute a corrupt practice. High Court had further criticised the 'casual manner' in which the election petition was drafted.
"These instances are only illustrative and not exhaustive and would indicate very casual attitude in drafting an election dispute", the High Court had said in its ruling.
The Chief Minister is facing allegations that his victory was influenced by the widely publicized “five guarantees.” These promises free electricity, free food grains, financial aid for women heads of households, free bus travel for women, and unemployment support for youth formed the core of the Congress campaign and were central to the party’s electoral narrative.
High Court opined that election manifestos, even if attractive or generous, cannot automatically be equated with bribery or undue influence. It emphasized that manifesto promises have long been considered political declarations rather than enforceable legal commitments. The bench also took note of several technical flaws in the petition, including insufficient particulars, discrepancies in the affidavits, and procedural irregularities, which further weakened the petitioner’s case.
Case Title: K. SHANKARA Vs SIDDARAMAIAH
Bench: Justices Nath and Mehta
Hearing Date: December 8, 2025