Prakash Raj Gets Bail in Alleged Multiple Voter Registration Case, Bengaluru Court Recalls Non-Bailable Warrant

July 11, 2026 : A Bengaluru court has granted bail to actor and former independent Lok Sabha candidate Prakash Raj in a criminal case alleging that he was registered as a voter in multiple Assembly constituencies across different States and failed to disclose those details in the affidavit submitted with his nomination papers for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Jyoti Shantappa Kale granted bail on Friday, directing Prakash Raj to furnish a cash security of Rs 4,000 and remain present on every date of hearing during the trial. The court also recalled the non-bailable warrant (NBW) previously issued against the actor after repeated summons could not be served and he failed to appear before the trial court. It was the third NBW issued in the matter.

Appearing on behalf of Prakash Raj, Advocate Nagarjuna argued that the actor had never been served with the summons or warrants and came to know about the criminal proceedings only through media reports. The defence further informed the court that the voter identity card issued to him in Tamil Nadu had already been surrendered.

Counsel for the complainant submitted that the alleged offences were non-cognisable. After considering the submissions from both sides, the magistrate granted bail and directed that the trial proceed in accordance with law.

The case stems from a private complaint filed by Bengaluru-based advocate K. Dileep Kumar, who alleged that Prakash Raj was enrolled as a voter in multiple constituencies in violation of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. On August 1, 2025, the magistrate took cognisance of offences under Sections 31 and 125A of the Act after finding sufficient prima facie material based on the complaint, witness testimony and documentary evidence.

Prakash Raj had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the Bengaluru Central parliamentary constituency as an independent candidate. In the affidavit filed along with his nomination papers, he declared that his name was included in the electoral roll of the Shantinagar Assembly constituency in Bengaluru.

However, the complainant alleged that during the relevant period, the actor’s name also appeared in three other electoral rolls, including two entries in the Velachery Assembly constituency in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and one entry in the Serilingampally Assembly constituency in Telangana. It was further alleged that he possessed voter identity cards issued in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

According to the complaint, Sections 17 and 18 of the Representation of the People Act prohibit a person from being registered as an elector in more than one constituency or more than once in the same constituency. The complaint further alleged that Section 31 penalises false declarations relating to electoral rolls, while Section 125A provides punishment for filing a false affidavit in election proceedings.

During the proceedings, the complainant examined himself as the first witness and produced seven documents, including copies of Prakash Raj’s nomination affidavit, an additional affidavit dated March 21, 2019, and electoral records allegedly showing his registration in the Velachery and Serilingampally constituencies.

After examining the pleadings, oral evidence and documentary material, the magistrate observed that the available records prima facie indicated that the accused’s name appeared in multiple electoral rolls in 2019, while his election affidavit disclosed only his registration in the Shantinagar constituency.

Holding that the material on record disclosed a prima facie case under Sections 31 and 125A of the Representation of the People Act, the court directed that the criminal proceedings continue to trial.

The complaint was originally lodged at the Halasuru Gate Police Station in 2019. Alleging inaction by the police, the complainant later approached the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner and the Election Commission of India before filing a private criminal complaint before the magistrate.