Supreme Court Issues Notice On Plea Challenging Election Of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Over 'Election Freebies'

The Supreme Court today issued notice on a petition challenging Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's election from Varuna constituency in the 2023 assembly elections.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order.

Although the bench was initially inclined to dismiss the plea, it issued notice after being informed that the decision in S. Subramaniam Balaji v. Govt. of Tamilnadu, (2013) 9 SCC 659 (on whether pre-election promises amount to corrupt practice) is pending challenge before a 3-judge bench and a co-ordinate bench (led by Justice MM Sundresh) issued notice in a similar case today.

"How declaration of a manifesto amounts to corrupt practice?" Justice Nath questioned during the hearing.

The petitioner, a voter from the constituency, challenges a Karnataka High Court, which dismissed his plea alleging that the Congress leader indulged in electoral malpractices.

Briefly put, the Congress party's manifesto provided five guarantees to the people of Karnataka: 'Gruha Jyothi' - 200 units of free electricity to all houses, 'Gruha Lakshmi' - ₹2,000 every month to each and every woman head of a family, 'Anna Bhagya' - 10 kilograms of food grain per month to every member of a below poverty line (BPL) family, 'Yuva Nidhi' - ₹3,000 per month for two years to unemployed graduates and ₹1,500 per month for two years to unemployed diploma holders and 'Uchita Prayana/Shakthi' - free travel to all women throughout the state in regular KSRTC/BMTC Buses.

As per the petitioner, promising such "freebies" amounted to corrupt practice. He argued that schemes like free bus travel (Shakti scheme) for women infringed Article 14 of the Constitution and discriminated against men. He sought that Siddaramaiah's election be rendered void and that he be debarred from contesting elections for six years.

Case Title: K. SHANKARA Versus SIDDARAMAIAH, Diary No. 61438-2025