The High Court has stayed the trial proceedings against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a high-profile defamation case filed by the BJP, which alleges that the Congress leader defamed the party through front-page newspaper advertisements accusing the previous BJP-led state government of large-scale corruption.

A single-judge bench headed by Justice S R Krishna Kumar passed the interim order while hearing a petition filed by Siddaramaiah seeking to quash the private complaint lodged by BJP state secretary and Legislative Council member B.S. Keshav Prasad.

During the hearing, Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty, appearing for the Chief Minister, argued that the trial court had already stayed proceedings against the other accused in the same case and hence the same relief should be extended to the Chief Minister as well. After considering the submissions, the bench ordered a stay on the trial pending further hearings. Advocate Surya Mukundaraj also appeared for the petitioner.

The defamation case dates back to the run-up to the May 2023 Assembly elections when the Congress made corruption allegations a central theme of its campaign. On May 5, 2023, the Congress published advertisements on the front pages of major Kannada and English newspapers, branding the BJP regime as a “40% commission government.”

The ads alleged that the BJP had institutionalised corruption by fixing bribes for postings and tenders, and that kickbacks of 25–30% were being taken in Covid supplies, public works, temple and mutt grants, midday meal eggs, and road projects.

The ads concluded with the sensational claim that the BJP government had siphoned off ₹1.5 lakh crore over its term, urging voters to reject what the Congress labelled a “Trouble Engine Government” — a pun on the BJP’s “Double Engine Government” pitch.

Following their defeat in the polls, the BJP hit back legally, claiming the allegations were baseless and amounted to a malicious attempt to tarnish the party’s image, mislead voters, and influence the election outcome.

The private complaint names not only Siddaramaiah but also Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as responsible for approving and disseminating the advertisements.

While the stay provides temporary relief for Siddaramaiah, the case is expected to remain a point of political friction as the BJP continues to accuse the ruling Congress of crossing ethical lines during the bitterly fought election. The matter will next come up for further hearing in the

High Court.