Bypolls for 15 Assembly Seats in Karnataka Postponed to December 5, Votes to Be Counted 4 Days Later

New Delhi: The bypolls to 15 Karnataka seats, which the Election Commission (EC) had decided to defer, will now be held on December 5, according to a new notification issued on Friday. The counting will take place on December 9.

Citing proceedings in the Supreme Court on Thursday regarding the pleas filed by 17 disqualified MLAs of the state challenging their disqualification, the EC said that after deliberations, it has decided that the nomination process will restart on November 11 as per the new schedule.

The apex court will hear the matter next on October 22 and has expressed its inclination to decide the issue.

As per the new schedule, November 21 will be the last date of withdrawing from electoral battle.

As per schedule announced on September 21, the nomination process had started on September 23. It said nomination papers filed before returning officers between September 23 and September 27 will also be considered for scrutiny on November 19.

As per the previous schedule, the bypoll was to be held on October 21 and counting was to take place on October 24.

The EC had told the Supreme Court on Thursday it would defer the upcoming bypolls in Karnataka till it finally decides the pleas filed by the 17 disqualified MLAs.

The EC submitted this after a bench headed by Justice NV Ramana said it would be "better" if the pleas filed by these disqualified MLAs were decided finally as virtually two-third arguments in the matter were already over.

"Then I will ask the Election Commission to defer it (bypolls in Karnataka) for sometime," senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the EC, told the bench.

While expressing its inclination to finally decide the matter, the bench said, "Virtually almost two-third arguments are over. Lets hear it out completely and finish this matter. This is what we feel would be better."

(With inputs from agencies)