The Karnataka High Court on Friday granted interim relief to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) by staying the trial court proceedings in a criminal defamation case filed by the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the controversial โCorruption Rate Cardโ advertisements issued during the 2023 Assembly election campaign.
Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar issued notice to the respondent BJP and directed the matter to be listed for further hearing on July 29, effectively halting proceedings until then. The High Court had earlier granted similar interim relief to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in January in connection with the same defamation case.
The defamation case stems from a series of advertisements titled โCorruption Rate Cardโ published by the Congress party ahead of the 2023 elections, accusing the then BJP-led Karnataka government of institutionalizing corruption. The BJP claims that these adsโfeaturing allegations of fixed โratesโ for appointments and transfers in government departmentsโwere defamatory and aimed at tarnishing the partyโs image during the poll season.
The complaint names D.K. Shivakumar, in his capacity as KPCC President, and then-Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah as the key individuals responsible for the publication and circulation of the ads. It also references Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly amplifying the material by sharing it on his social media account.
Among the most contentious elements of the campaign was the Congressโs reference to the BJP-led administration as the โtrouble engine Sarkarโโa play on the BJP’s own “double engine Sarkar” slogan. The BJP argues this was a calculated attempt to ridicule its governance ahead of crucial polls.
Representing Shivakumar in court were Senior Advocate K. Shashi Kiran Shetty and Advocate Surya Mukundaraj, while Advocates S.A. Ahamed and Sanjay B. Yadav appeared for the KPCC.
The case is slated for further consideration on July 29, when the High Court will evaluate the maintainability and merit of the defamation proceedings initiated by the BJP.
