Supreme Court pressures Election Commission to produce missing Sringeri vote-count video
The Supreme Court warned the Election Commission of India to furnish any available footage of the 2023 Sringeri assembly count, threatening an adverse inference if it fails. The order stems from a petition by Congress leader TD Rajegowda over a disputed recount.
In a hearing on the Sringeri assembly election, the Supreme Court chastised the Election Commission of India for its inability to trace the 2023 vote-count video, labeling the explanation as a "lame excuse" and warning that an adverse inference would be drawn. Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva ordered the commission to produce any existing footage by the next hearing, scheduled for February 15, 2027. The court’s intervention was prompted by a petition from Congress leader TD Rajegowda, who was unseated after a recount that altered the margin in favor of BJP’s DN Jeevaraj.
The recount, ordered by the Karnataka high court, re-examined both rejected and previously accepted postal ballots, leading to a 52-vote victory for Jeevaraj. Rajegowda argues the recount exceeded the high court’s directives, and a criminal case alleging ballot tampering has also been filed. The Supreme Court’s demand for the video aims to clarify the legality of the recount process.
Why it matters
The ruling seeks transparency from India's election authority in a contested vote-count, affecting confidence in electoral integrity.
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