<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has stayed the proceedings in the FIR registered against K N Ramesh, former Deputy Commissioner of Chikkamagaluru district and Vedamurthy, former returning officer, in respect of alleged irregularities during the counting of postal ballots at the Sringeri assembly constituency in 2023. </p><p>Vacation judge Justice V Srishananda also extended the interim relief granted to D M Jeevaraj, BJP MLA in the case.</p>.<p>On May 3, after recounting postal ballots, D N Jeevaraja was declared MLA from Sringeri constituency. Soon after this, a complaint was filed by Sudhir Kumar Murolli, poll counting agent for Congress candidate T D Rajegowda that certain postal ballots, particularly the ones with votes in favour of Rajegowda, were manipulated after the counting in 2023. The FIR, registered by the Chikkamagaluru police, was for offences under IPC sections 143, 465, 468, 471, 120B, 149 and Section 136 of the Representation of People Act against Jeevaraja, K N Ramesh and Vedamurthy.</p>.<p>During the hearing, time was sought to file a statement of objections to the petitions filed challenging the FIR. The vacation judge granted time and adjourned the hearing to June 3, 2026.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has stayed the proceedings in the FIR registered against K N Ramesh, former Deputy Commissioner of Chikkamagaluru district and Vedamurthy, former returning officer, in respect of alleged irregularities during the counting of postal ballots at the Sringeri assembly constituency in 2023. </p><p>Vacation judge Justice V Srishananda also extended the interim relief granted to D M Jeevaraj, BJP MLA in the case.</p>.<p>On May 3, after recounting postal ballots, D N Jeevaraja was declared MLA from Sringeri constituency. Soon after this, a complaint was filed by Sudhir Kumar Murolli, poll counting agent for Congress candidate T D Rajegowda that certain postal ballots, particularly the ones with votes in favour of Rajegowda, were manipulated after the counting in 2023. The FIR, registered by the Chikkamagaluru police, was for offences under IPC sections 143, 465, 468, 471, 120B, 149 and Section 136 of the Representation of People Act against Jeevaraja, K N Ramesh and Vedamurthy.</p>.<p>During the hearing, time was sought to file a statement of objections to the petitions filed challenging the FIR. The vacation judge granted time and adjourned the hearing to June 3, 2026.</p>