A Bengaluru court has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against actor Prakash Raj in connection with a case alleging that he held voter identity cards in three states in violation of provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
The 48th Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Court, Bengaluru, first issued the warrant on March 17 this year, and then issued twice after that, after the actor failed to respond to summons notices. The latest warrant was issued on June 12 and the next hearing in the case is on July 25.
The case originates from a private complaint filed by advocate K Dilip Kumar, who alleged that Prakash Raj was enrolled as a voter in four different electoral rolls across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
Dilip Kumar referred to documents allegedly submitted by Prakash Raj when he filed his nomination papers when contesting the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat as an independent in 2019.
Dilip Kumar said that being registered in more than one constituency simultaneously was a violation under Sections 31 and 125A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Section 31 of the Act deals with making false declarations in matters relating to the preparation, revision or correction of electoral rolls and prescribes punishment if a person knowingly furnishes false information. Section 125A pertains to penalties for filing a false affidavit or concealing material information in election-related declarations and provides for imprisonment of up to six months, a fine, or both.
In its order dated August 1, 2025, the court observed, “The documents prima-facie shows that, there is prima-facie case proceed against the accused. Therefore the complainant has made out sufficient grounds on record for proceeding against the accused for the offences punishable under Sections 31 and 125(A) of the Representation of the People Act 1950.”
The court further recorded that the complainant had alleged that Prakash Raj “has committed offence punishable under Section 31 and 125(A) of Representation of the People Act 1950 by enrolling his name in 3 elector roll and has purposefully with an intention of contesting from Bengaluru entered his name in elector roll in Shantinagar assembly constituency at Bengaluru.”
The complaint referred to voter registration details allegedly showing Prakash Raj's name in Shantinagar Assembly constituency in Bengaluru, two electoral rolls in Velachery Assembly constituency in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and another in Serilingampally Assembly constituency in Telangana.
The complainant argued that such registrations violated Sections 17 and 18 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Section 17 states that no person shall be entitled to be registered in the electoral roll for more than one constituency, while Section 18 bars a person from being registered more than once in any constituency.
The complaint also alleged that Prakash Raj had submitted a false affidavit by failing to disclose his alleged enrolment in other electoral rolls, attracting provisions under Section 125A of the Act relating to penalties for filing false affidavits.