Karnataka High Court Quashes BJP Defamation Case Against Former CM Siddaramaiah Over 'Corruption Rate Card' Advertisements
The Karnataka High Court on November 4, 2026, quashed the criminal defamation proceedings initiated by the Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the controversial 'Corruption Rate Card' advertisements published by the Congress ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna allowed the criminal petition filed by Siddaramaiah and pronounced the operative order, stating that the petition was allowed and the proceedings were quashed. The detailed written order was awaited at the time of reporting.
Background of the Defamation Case
The dispute originated from newspaper advertisements published by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) during the 2023 Assembly election campaign. The advertisements accused the then BJP-led government, headed by former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, of widespread corruption and described it as a '40 per cent commission government'.
The campaign alleged that commissions were demanded in connection with public procurement, government contracts, appointments and transfers. It also claimed that approximately Rs. 1,500 crore had been extracted through corrupt practices and referred to alleged 'rate cards' and 'score cards' for government appointments.
The advertisements additionally used the expression 'Trouble Engine Sarkar' instead of the BJP's political slogan 'Double Engine Sarkar'.
BJP's Allegations and Legal Challenge
The Karnataka BJP unit alleged that the advertisements contained false and defamatory statements that damaged the party's reputation and adversely affected its electoral prospects. It subsequently initiated criminal defamation proceedings against the Congress party, KPCC and several senior Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, D.K. Shivakumar and Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress leaders challenged the criminal proceedings before the Karnataka High Court. Among their contentions was that the advertisements criticised the functioning of the then BJP government and its ministers rather than directly defaming the BJP as a political party. They also questioned the BJP's legal standing to institute the criminal defamation complaint.
High Court's Decision
Justice M. Nagaprasanna allowed Siddaramaiah's petition and quashed the criminal defamation proceedings against him. The decision follows earlier relief granted to other accused persons in connected proceedings, including Rahul Gandhi.
Reports also indicate that the High Court allowed related petitions involving the KPCC and D.K. Shivakumar. However, the detailed reasoning and precise scope of the orders are subject to the formal written judgment.
Legal Significance
The development is significant in the context of criminal defamation, political speech and election campaigning. It raises important questions about the distinction between criticism of a government and alleged defamation of a political organisation, as well as the legal requirements for initiating criminal defamation proceedings.
The detailed judicial order is awaited and is expected to clarify the legal reasoning behind the High Court's decision.
Case: Siddaramaiah v. State of Karnataka & Anr.
Case Number: Criminal Petition No. 9760 of 2025
Court: Karnataka High Court
Judge: Justice M. Nagaprasanna
Date of Decision: November 4, 2026