Karnataka poll row: SC seeks records from ECI after original Sringeri counting footage goes missing

The Election Commission of India must account for the records of an election it conducted, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday, sharply questioning the poll body's failure to trace the original counting footage from Karnataka's Sringeri Assembly constituency in 2023.

The bench warned that it would not accept what it described as “lame excuses” and cautioned that the absence of records could invite an adverse inference.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva expressed strong displeasure after the Election Commission's counsel told it that it could not trace the video recording of the original counting.

The court directed the poll body to produce any available records at the next hearing.

‘How can the Election Commission of India say that it has lost the records? Your whole purpose is to hold an election, and you need to have a document. Where is the question of you saying we are trying to trace it?’ the bench asked.

‘We will not accept these kinds of lame excuses,’ it added.

The proceedings stem from a legal challenge by Congress leader TD Rajegowda, who is contesting the revised result of the Sringeri Assembly constituency.

Rajegowda had initially won the seat in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.

BJP candidate Jeevaraj subsequently challenged the outcome before the Karnataka High Court. The High Court later ordered a recount of postal ballots and the reverification of 279 postal votes that had been rejected.

Following the recount, the Returning Officer declared a revised result, naming Jeevaraj the winner. Rajegowda then moved the Supreme Court to challenge the revised outcome.

In May, the Supreme Court granted interim relief to Rajegowda, directing that he continue as the Member of the Legislative Assembly while his petition remained pending.

Rajegowda has sought access to the election observer's report and video recordings of both the original 2023 counting and this year's recount.

The missing footage has become a key issue in the ongoing proceedings, and the court is now seeking the records available with the Election Commission.

The bench has scheduled the next hearing for February 15, 2027.