The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed strong displeasure over the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) failure to trace the video recording of the 2023 vote counting in Karnataka’s Sringeri Assembly constituency. The court warned that it could draw an adverse inference against the poll body if it failed to produce the available records at the next hearing.
The Supreme Court’s observations came during proceedings over the Sringeri Assembly seat, where Congress leader TD Rajegowda was initially declared the winner in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections by a narrow margin of 201 votes. On April 6, the High Court directed a recount of postal ballots, including the re-examination of 279 ballots that had initially been rejected. Following the recount, the returning officer announced the revised election result on May 3, 2026. Rajegowda’s vote count was reportedly reduced by 255, resulting in Jeevaraj being declared the winner.
“How can the Election Commission of India (ECI) say that it has lost its record? Your whole purpose is to hold an election, and you need to have a document,” the bench said, as reported by Bar and Bench.
Top court raps ECI over inability to present video of vote counting During Wednesday’s hearing, the bench was informed that Rajegowda had sought access to the election observer’s report and video recordings of both the original vote count in 2023 and the subsequent recount. We will not accept these kinds of lame excuses,” the court said, as reported by Bar and Bench.
There is no custody of records,” the court said, according to Bar and Bench. “Where is the question of you saying, ‘Yeah, we are trying to trace it’? You gave it to the elected candidate. “Whatever you have, produce it on the next date. Otherwise, we will have to draw an adverse inference against you.
