Legal Trouble Mounts: Bengaluru Court Issues Non-Bailable Warrant Against Actor Prakash Raj

A city magistrate has re-issued a non-bailable warrant for the actor after multiple summons failed to reach him in a case concerning alleged discrepancies in his 2019 election affidavit.

The legal net is tightening around actor Prakash Raj. A Bengaluru court, presided over by Magistrate Jyoti Shantappa Kale, has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against the actor after he failed to appear for hearings related to a private complaint. The proceedings, which have seen the court issue an NBW on at least three separate occasions, stem from allegations that Raj provided misleading information in his 2019 Lok Sabha election affidavit.

The controversy dates back to the 2019 general elections, when the actor contested from the Bengaluru Central constituency as an independent candidate. According to the complaint filed by local resident K Dileep Kumar, Raj declared in his affidavit that he was a registered voter in the Shantinagar assembly constituency. However, the complainant alleges that the actor was simultaneously registered in three other locations: two entries in the Velachery constituency in Chennai and one in Serilingampally, Telangana.

The Charges and Court Proceedings

The case highlights the strict legal framework governing electoral rolls in India. Under Sections 17 and 18 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, it is illegal for an individual to be registered as a voter in more than one constituency or to hold duplicate entries. On August 1, 2025, the magistrate formally took cognisance of offences under Sections 31 and 125A of the Act, finding sufficient evidence to initiate a trial.

The procedural journey of this case has been fraught with delays. Court records show that summons were repeatedly sent to the actor’s last known address, only to be returned unserved. By April 2026, the court noted that the actor had vacated the premises, leading to the initial issuance of an NBW. As of the latest updates, the warrant remains in force, with the court monitoring the progress of the police department’s efforts to secure his presence.

Why it matters

This case serves as a sharp reminder of the heightened scrutiny surrounding election affidavits. For public figures and candidates, the integrity of the information declared to the Election Commission is a cornerstone of democratic accountability. While the judiciary is currently addressing the specific allegations against the actor, the matter underscores a broader, long-standing issue in Indian electoral processes: the prevalence of "ghost" or duplicate entries in voter rolls.

Beyond the personal legal challenge for the actor, the outcome of this trial could reinforce the precedent that candidates are held strictly liable for the veracity of their disclosures. As the Bengaluru court continues to pursue the matter, it underscores the systemic push to clean up electoral records and ensures that the legal responsibility for maintaining accurate voter status rests firmly with the individual.