Bypolls are being held in 15 assembly constituencies in Karnataka on Thursday. Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. As many as 37.78 lakh people are expected to cast their votes.
The polls on these seats were necessitated following the disqualification of 17 rebel MLAs of Congress and JD(S) who had resigned from the assembly in July.
#Bengaluru: Voting for by-election to Shivaji Nagar Constituency, underway at BBMP PU College and High School, Tasker Town. #KarnatakaByelection pic.twitter.com/gn6Ltr4jxw
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) December 5, 2019
In July, the Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had collapsed after 17 of its MLAs resigned. The resignations also reduced the majority mark in 224-strong Assembly to 104.
The elections for 15 out of 17 seats are being held today since the poll body had withheld the elections for two seats — Maski and Rajarajeshwari — as the petitions against these Assembly constituencies are pending in the Karnataka High Court.
These by-polls are being considered very crucial for all three major parties contesting in these polls- BJP, Congress and JD(S). Apart from BJP and Congress which has fielded candidates in each of 15 seats, there are over 100 independents also contesting in these by-polls. JD(S) is contesting on 12 seats going to by-polls today.
The BJP with its 105 MLAs formed the government in the state. Now with by-polls on these vacant seats, the majority mark would increase.
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At present, there are 207 MLAs in Karnataka Assembly with 104 required for a majority. Now with the election of 15 MLAs, the number of MLAs in the Assembly would go to 222. With that, the ruling party would require 112 MLAs for a majority in the Assembly.
In the run-up to polls, section144, which prohibits an assembly of more than four people in an area have been imposed in the by-election constituencies which come under the jurisdiction of Bengaluru Comissionerate, including Mahalakshmi Layout, KR Puram, Shivaji Nagar and Yeshwantpura.
Other constituencies wherein bypolls are being held includes Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapura, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijayanagar, Chickballapura, Hosakote, KR Pete and Hunsur. The results of these by-polls will be announced on December, 9.
(With ANI inputs)