SC Upholds Karnataka HC Ruling, Dismisses BJP MLC M K Pranesh's Appeal In Chikmagalur Legislative Council Election Case

Bengaluru: The Supreme Court has struck down the primary membership of BJP Legislative Council Member and the Deputy Chairman of the house M K Pranersh, stating that the nominated members of local bodies have no right to vote during the elections to the Upper House from the local bodies.

The defeated Congress candidate Gayathri Shanthe Gowda will be the Legislative Council member from Chikmagalur Legislative Council Constituency for the remaining one and a half year term, as the legal battle was carried out for the last four and a half years.

The election for the upper house was held in Dec 2021, where BJP candidate M K Pranesh was declared elected by a margin of six votes. Of the 2041 polled votes, 39 votes had become invalid. While M K Pranesh got 1188 votes, Gayathri Shanthe Gowda got 1182 votes.

However, Congress candidate Gayathri Shanthe Gowda approached the court against the election officers' decision to allow 12 nominated members of various urban bodies in Mudigere, Chikmagalur, Kadur and Tarikere to vote. The Karnataka High Court ruled that the nominated members didn't had the rights to vote in elections to the upper house and set aside the election of M K Pranesh,

When Pranesh approached the Supreme Court, the Court asked the election officers to conduct recounting and keep aside the counting of 12 nominated members separately in a sealed cover. The then Chikmagalur DC Nagaraj had submitted the recounting and the result of nominated members separately to the Supreme Court in March 2025.

However, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of M K Pranesh, upholding the Karnataka High Court decision that the nominated members don't have voting rights in the Legislative Council elections.

Now, after taking oath, the Congress member Gayathri Shanthe Gowda will remain as Legislative Council member till January 2028.