Radical leftist and ‘actor’ Prakash Raj has been issued a non-bailable warrant by a Bengaluru court in connection with allegations that he possessed voter identity cards in multiple states, a matter that has been under legal scrutiny since 2019.
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Under Indian election laws, possessing voter registrations in more than one constituency is prohibited. Section 17 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, states that a person cannot be enrolled as a voter in more than one constituency. Further, Section 31 provides for imprisonment of up to one year, a fine, or both if a person is found to have furnished false information to electoral authorities in order to obtain multiple voter registrations.
The controversy began after allegations surfaced that Prakash Raj held voter identity cards in four states – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
In 2019, advocate Dileep Kumar lodged a complaint at Bengaluru’s Halasuru Gate Police Station alleging that the actor had obtained multiple voter registrations. When no action was reportedly taken, the complainant escalated the matter to the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner. Subsequently, a complaint was also submitted to the Election Commission.
After alleging inaction from the authorities, the complainant approached a special court in Bengaluru seeking legal intervention. The court took cognisance of the complaint and issued summons to Prakash Raj on two occasions, directing him to appear before it.
However, according to reports, the actor failed to appear before the court despite repeated summons. Taking note of his absence, the court has now issued a non-bailable warrant against him.
The latest order means that Prakash Raj could face arrest if the warrant is executed by the authorities.
Earlier, when allegations regarding multiple voter identity cards surfaced, Prakash Raj had strongly denied the charges. He maintained that he possessed only one voter identity card registered at his residence in Adyar, Chennai, where he has been living for more than two decades.
The actor had also alleged that the case against him was based on incorrect information and was motivated by political considerations.
However, it is noted that the immediate trigger for the non-bailable warrant appears to be his repeated failure to comply with court summons and appear before the court during the proceedings. The case is expected to come up for further hearing in the coming days.
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