New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it will defer the by-polls in the 15 seats of Karnataka as the hearing of the petitions challenging the disqualification of MLAs remains pending.
The by-polls on the 15 seats were scheduled to be held on October 21 and the results were due by October 24.
Meanwhile, the 17 disqualified Karnataka Assembly MLAs had moved the Supreme Court seeking an interim order or direction to allow them permission to contest by-polls scheduled on October 21.
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The MLAs were disqualified and barred from contesting elections in July by then Speaker K R Ramesh on grounds of defection when they resigned, allowing the BJP to challenge the 14-month-old coalition government of the Congress and Janata Dal Secular, and stake claim to power.