Major Setback for BJP: Supreme Court Ousts MLC M.K. Pranesh, Declares Congress Rival Victor
Public Lokpal
July 17, 2026
Major Setback for BJP: Supreme Court Ousts MLC M.K. Pranesh, Declares Congress Rival Victor
The Supreme Court has delivered a major setback to the BJP by declaring Congress candidate A.V. Gayathri Shanthegowda the true winner of the December 2021 Chikkamagaluru MLC election.
Dismissing an appeal by BJP’s M.K. Pranesh, who originally won by a razor-thin margin of six votes, a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant upheld a previous High Court order mandating a recount.
The recount, which had been kept in a sealed cover, revealed that the Congress candidate secured the majority. Shanthegowda will officially assume her council seat once the Election Commission issues its formal notification.
This legal triumph consolidates the ruling Congress party’s dominance in the 75-member Karnataka Legislative Council, boosting its majority to 40 seats. It also marks another high-profile legal victory for Congress regarding tightly contested local election margins.