Supreme Court cautions Karnataka Legislative Council Dy Chairman against adjournment in election plea

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has cautioned Pranesh M K, deputy chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council that it would restrain him from drawing salary and other perks and would further prevent him from voting, if any adjournment was sought on a plea related his election.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took a strong exception to adjournment sought on his behalf in the plea filed by him against the Karnataka High Court's order of January 29, 2025 which directed for recounting of votes on a plea by unsuccessful Congress candidate A V Gayathri Shanthegowda and others.

The court fixed his plea for consideration on February 24, 2026.

Before deferring the matter, the bench said, "If there is any further request for adjournment on behalf of the petitioner-returned candidate, we make it clear that we would consider restraining the petitioner from drawing salary and other perks available to him as Deputy Chairman, as well as from voting in the proceedings of the Council."

Pranesh was elected as MLC in an election held on December 10, 2021 by a victory margin of six votes.

The election of Pranesh to Chikkamagaluru Local Authorities Constituency, Karnataka -2021 was challenged before the High Court primarily on the ground that nominated councillors of the Town Panchayat are not entitled to vote in the elections to State Legislative Council.

The apex court had earlier allowed recounting of votes but, it directed for furnishing the result in sealed cover before it.

Senior advocates Anand Sanjay M Nuli appeared for the petitioner and senior advocates A M Singhvi, A N Venugopala Gowda and advocates Balaji Srinivasan, K V Muthu Kumar and Karnataka's AAG Nishanth Patil and others for the respondents.