Chikkamagalur: D.N. Jeevaraj of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)  has been declared the winner from the Sringeri Assembly Constituency in Chikkamagalur district, defeating Congress MLA T. D. Rajegowda by a margin of 52 votes following a recount of postal ballots.

Authorities handed over the election certificate to Jeevaraj this morning, officially declaring him the MLA from Sringeri for the remainder of the term.

The recount of 1,540 postal ballots, taken up on Saturday as per directions of the High Court, found 255 votes invalid.

At the end of the exercise, completed on Sunday, Jeevaraj secured a slender lead of 52 votes over Rajegowda, who had originally been declared the winner in the 2023 Assembly elections.

Jeevaraj had challenged Rajegowda’s victory in the High Court, leading to the recount conducted by the Chikkamagalur district administration.