On Thursday, November 7th, the Karnataka High Court dismissed an FIR against BJP National President JP Nadda, related to his speech during an election rally last year in Haveri district, Karnataka. The FIR accused Nadda of trying to exert undue influence over voters—an allegation that Justice M. Nagaprasanna found unsubstantiated.
The legal proceedings focused on Nadda’s statements made during the rally held on April 19, 2023, at Shiggaon Taluk playground. Election Officer Lakshman Nandi, who filed the FIR, claimed that Nadda’s remarks implied that voters would lose out on Union government benefits if they did not vote for the BJP. Nadda’s speech included phrases encouraging continued support for the BJP and invoked Prime Minister Modi’s blessings, phrases his counsel argued were standard political rhetoric rather than an attempt to unduly influence the electorate.
Justice Nagaprasanna, after reviewing the statements, noted that the speech did not constitute undue influence as defined under Sections 171C and 171F of the Indian Penal Code. He remarked that the speech was “not problematic” and thus, found no grounds for the accusations, leading to the quashing of the FIR.
This decision removes a significant legal hurdle for Nadda, reaffirming his freedom to campaign without the shadow of legal repercussions from this particular case. The ruling underscores the judiciary’s role in distinguishing between typical electoral canvassing and actions that would legally constitute undue influence.
