The High Court of Karnataka has termed null and void the election of BJP MLA Nandish Reddy, due to lapses in election process in 2008. The petitioner Kavitha Mahesh had challenged Election Commission’s decision of rejecting her nomination as an Independent before the election. Judge Shailendra Kumar observed that M. Ashok, the Returning
Officer during the Assembly election had committed a lapse by rejecting the nomination of Independent candidate Kavitha Mahesh without giving any reason. He noted that it is responsibility of the Returning Officer to encourage the democratic process and not to hinder it.