The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday (December 17) dismissed the criminal proceedings against a man accused of printing a message on his wedding invitation that read, "The gift you can give me at my wedding is a vote for Narendra Modi."

A single judge bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the order on a petition filed by one Shivaprasad. It said “Allowed and quashed.”

Earlier, the court, while issuing notice to the respondents, said, “There shall be an interim order of stay of all further proceedings in C.C.No.238/2024, qua the petitioners, till the next date of hearing”

The petitioners moved the court to seek the quashing of an FIR filed against them under Section 127A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which imposes restrictions on the printing of pamphlets, posters, and similar materials.

Advocate Vinod Kumar M, representing the petitioners, contended that the wedding invitation was printed on March 1, well before the election was announced.

He pointed out that the election press note, which triggered the model code of conduct, was issued on March 16. Therefore, he argued, the act did not constitute an offense under Section 127A of the Representation of the People Act.

He further argued, “Acts were required to be done only during the election and not prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to attract the offence”.

Case Title: SHIVAPRASAD AND State of Karnataka & ANR

Case No: WP 19700/2024