SC stays Karnataka HC order setting aside election of H D Deve Gowda's grandson as MP

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Karnataka High Court's September 1 order declaring the election of lone JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna from Hassan as null and void.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra, however, said Prajwal would not be entitled to cast his vote and receive any allowances as an MP, though he can participate in Parliament's proceedings.

The court also allowed a plea by his counsel that he would be entitled to contest the forthcoming Parliament elections next year.

Prajwal is the grandson of ex-PM H D Deve Gowda.

The court passed its order after hearing senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi and K K Venugopal on behalf of the petitioners.

Senior advocate Pramila Nesargi and advocate Balaji Srinivasan appeared for the election petitioner.

Senior advocate Venugopala Gowda who appeared for Prajwal's father H D Revanna and Suraj Revanna withdrew their appeals with the liberty to file special leave petitions.

In his plea, Prajwal contended that among other grounds the HC had consolidated two election petitions filed against him to arrive at its decision against the rules and procedures.

In its judgement, the HC had declared the 2019 election of Prajwal as null and void for not disclosing full requisite details, including of his properties in his poll affidavit.

Justice K Natarajan had delivered the judgement upon the election petitions filed by then BJP candidate and now a JD(S) MLA A Manju and another person.

The court had set aside his election on the grounds of corrupt practices for non-disclosure of material facts, wrong disclosure of the value of the properties, evading taxes, proxy voting, and exorbitant expenditures than the limit prescribed by the Election Commission.

The court, however, had said petitioner Manju cannot be declared as returned candidate as he was also involved in corrupt practices, and suppression of material facts, regarding income and pending cases.

During the pendency, petitioner Manju, who unsuccessfully contested on a BJP ticket against Prajwal, has switched sides and fought and won the election of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly as a JDS candidate from the Arakalgud constituency.

The HC had found Prajwal's father then Minister H D Revanna was involved in corrupt practices in helping the candidate and had issued notice to Revanna and his other son Suraj Revanna to show cause as to why they should not be so named as per Section 99(a)(ii) of R P Act.

Prajwal was declared as the winner having secured 6,76,606 votes on May 23, 2019. Manju, who contested as a rival BJP candidate came as a first runner-up with 5,35,282 votes.