The Karnataka High Court on Friday granted interim relief to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah by staying proceedings in a criminal defamation case filed by the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The case centers around a series of political advertisements and slogans released by the Congress party during the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.
The Congress campaign accused the then BJP-led government of demanding up to 40 percent commission on public works and government appointments. The ads, published in multiple newspapers, labeled the BJP administration as a “40 percent commission sarkar” and featured a “corruption rate card” listing alleged bribe amounts for transfers, tenders, and contracts.
Justice SR Krishna Kumar, who issued the interim stay, pointed out that similar relief had already been granted to other Congress leaders named in the complaint, including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi.
The BJP’s complaint alleged that the Congress campaign materials were defamatory and aimed at damaging the party’s public image ahead of the elections. With this ruling, the High Court has paused proceedings in the lower court while it hears petitions filed by Siddaramaiah and others to quash the defamation case.