Karnataka HC stays withdrawal of 52 criminal cases

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday stayed a state government notification that sought to withdraw prosecution in 52 criminal cases, a move that had already triggered a political row in the state.

The order means the government cannot immediately go ahead with the withdrawals while the legal challenge continues. According to earlier reporting, the batch included seven cases linked to the 2022 Aland communal-riots episode in Kalaburagi district.

What the court order changes

The stay is an immediate setback for the Siddaramaiah government, which had issued the notification after an internal review of the cases. The court’s intervention puts the proposed withdrawals on hold and forces the state to defend the legal basis for dropping the prosecutions.

The exact grounds of the stay were not included in the verified reporting available for this article, but the practical effect is clear: the withdrawal notification cannot be implemented for now.

How the dispute escalated

The state’s move had already drawn sharp criticism from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, which accused the Congress-led government of partisan decision-making and minority appeasement.

Congress leaders, in contrast, said the cases had been scrutinised legally and that only politically motivated matters were being withdrawn.

A later report said the controversy widened further because the list also included cases involving BJP and Sangh Parivar-linked functionaries, prompting additional protests.

What happens next

The High Court is expected to continue hearing the challenge to the notification. The government may need to present a fuller justification for why these 52 cases were selected for withdrawal and how that decision fits the law.

The stay keeps the issue alive both legally and politically. For now, the state’s attempt to withdraw prosecution in the cases remains blocked, including the Aland-related matters that became part of the wider dispute.