Today, On 4th August, The Supreme Court, led by CJI Gavai, dismissed Karnataka Minister Shivananda Patil’s plea in the defamation case filed by BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal, saying, “Fight your political battles outside, not in Supreme Court.”
The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal from Karnataka Minister Shivananda S Patil, contesting a Karnataka High Court decision that had cancelled defamation case against BJP MLA Basanagouda R Patil Yatnal.
Chief Justice B R Gavai stated at the start of the proceedings, sitting alongside Justice K Vinod Chandran,
“I always tell you all that fight political battles outside the court and not here,”
The lawyer argued against the Karnataka High Court’s order from September 28, 2024, which had dismissed Yatnal’s defamation case due to procedural errors not being adhered to under the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
The lawyer noted,
“He has been a sitting cabinet rank minister,”
Later increasing the cost to Rs 1crore, the Chief Justice responded,
“So what? … Dismissed with a cost of Rs 25,000,
Eventually, the bench waived the cost and allowed the appeal to be withdrawn after the lawyer made the request.
The dispute originated from statements Yatnal allegedly made during a rally prior to the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, which Patil claimed were defamatory and harmed his reputation.
He initiated criminal defamation proceedings under Section 223 of the BNSS, but the high court, while granting Yatnal’s petition, found that the magistrate had not followed the proper procedures in taking cognizance of the complaint.
The high court determined that the magistrate failed to examine the complainant and witnesses under oath and did not provide the accused with an opportunity to be heard by issuing a notice.
It concluded that the magistrate bypassed necessary procedural steps and quashed the defamation case accordingly.
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