Three-phased polls for Karnataka, dates out

ELECTION MODE: Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami announces the Karnataka poll schedule.

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Keywords: Karnataka, Assembly Elections 2008

New Delhi: Assembly elections will be held in Karnataka on May 10, 16 and 22 and votes will be counted on May 25.

The model code of conduct is now effect in the state, said Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami at press conference in Delhi on Wednesday. Karnataka, which has a 224-member Assembly, will be the first state to conduct elections after the delimitation exercise in the country.

Parliament will have to extend President’s rule, which ends in the state on May 19. The Assembly was dissolved on November 28 last year and a new House has to be constituted before May 28.

Parliament, which is in recess, is expected to take up the extension of President's rule when it resumes the Budget session later this month.

The notification for the first phase of polls for 89 constituencies will be issued on April 16. The last date for filing nominations would be on April 23 and the last date for scrutiny of nominations would take place the next day. Last date for withdrawal of candidatures would be on April 26.

Notifications for the second phase of polls for 66 seats would be issued on April 22. The last date for filing nominations, scrutiny and withdrawal would take place on April 29, 30 and May two respectively.

Notifications for the third phase of polling for 69 seats would be issued on April 26 and the last date for filing candidatures, scrutiny and withdrawal would take place on May three, five and seven respectively.

A total of 4,00,77,666 electors would be eligible to vote. Gopalaswamy said that 62 per ent of the electors have been provided with Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) coverage and the campaign would be on to increase the coverage.

The polling would be conducted through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Gopalaswami. "The Commission will be monitoring the ground situation closely and will take appropriate measures to ensure peaceful, free and fair polls in the state."

Parties welcome poll dates

State Congress leader M Mallikarjuna Kharge welcomed the poll schedule but said his party’s complaint regarding “bogus” names in the voters’ list has not been addressed.

BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said the Election Commission had done well by announcing early elections and was confident that his party would win. “The people of Karnataka are anxiously waiting to give BJP a chance—an opportunity which was denied to them last time,” he said.