The Karnataka High Court has intervened in the Malur assembly constituency, mandating a recount of votes following a legal challenge to the 2023 election results. The Congress party, which had narrowly won the seat, is affected by this decision. The initial victory was secured by KY Nanje Gowda, who defeated Manjunath Gowda of the BJP.
Manjunath Gowda contested the outcome, raising concerns about the integrity of the vote counting process. His petition alleged violations of electoral rules, specifically regarding the handling of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). He claimed that signatures were obtained from counting agents prematurely. He requested that the court review all relevant election materials and order a recount of the votes.
The High Court acknowledged that the absence of video evidence of the counting process hindered the verification of the allegations. The court’s order has been temporarily stayed to allow Nanje Gowda to potentially appeal to the Supreme Court. Malur is a constituency within the Kolar district, with a significant population of SC and ST voters.
The political history of Malur reveals shifts in party dominance. The BJP won in 2008. The JD(S) secured victory in 2013. The Congress emerged victorious in 2018 and again in 2023. The vote share statistics highlight the changing dynamics of the constituency. In 2008, BJP had a significant lead. In 2013, JD(S) gained a larger share. In 2018, the Congress led the vote share. In 2023, the competition between Congress and BJP was fierce.
In 2023, the Congress candidate secured 50,955 votes. The BJP candidate received 50,707 votes, and the independent candidate, Vijaykumar Hudi, received 49,362 votes.