Doddaputtegowda v. the State of Karnataka
Election/voter-eligibility dispute – Co-operative society
Case brief
What is this about?
Karnataka HC (Suraj Govindaraj J.), WP No. 3679 of 2025 (CS-EL/M), order dated 14-03-2025: writ petition under Arts. 226/227 by Petitioner Nos. 1 to 257 disqualified from voters list of Malavalli Taluka Primary Co-operative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank Ltd. DISPOSED OF following coordinate-bench ruling in H.S. Raju v. State of Karnataka (WP 8502/2022, dt. 7.6.2022): Art. 226 not proper remedy for election irregularities; voter-eligibility disputes cognizable only u/s 70(2) Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959 after results announced. Returning Officer to announce result within 7 days counting petitioners' votes kept in separate ballot box; separate-box retention to continue till disposal of any s.70(2) dispute; all contentions left open, no opinion expressed on merits.
What did the court decide?
Writ petition disposed of; Returning Officer directed to announce the election result within seven days counting the votes cast by the petitioners; all contentions left open to a prospective election dispute under Section 70(2) of the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959, with the Court expressing no opinion on the merits; petitioners' votes to remain in a separate ballot box until disposal of any such dispute.