Justice H Billappa set aside the election on a petition filed by Congress worker M Chandregowda, seeking her disqualification on the grounds that irregularities were committed during the counting of votes.
Observing that her election had "materially affected" the result of the election, the court ordered re-counting to be completed within four weeks from today.
Chandregowda in his petition had also charged Shantha of producing a false caste certificate. He had submitted that Shantha who actually belonged to "Boya" community, which comes under backward community in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, had submitted a caste certificate which says "Hindu Valmiki" community, which is a Scheduled Tribe since Bellary is a reserved constituency for Scheduled Tribes.
However, this ground of the petitioner was not considered by the court.
Shantha, who defeated N Y Hanumanthappa of Congress in the election, is the sister for former Karnataka minister B Sreeramulu, who has floated his own party "Badavara Shramikara and Raithara" (BSR).
