LegislativeCouncil – Karnataka Begins Process to Fill Seven Vacant Seats
LegislativeCouncil – The process to elect new members to seven vacant seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council has officially begun following the retirement of several sitting members. Authorities issued the election notification on Monday, setting in motion the schedule for nominations, scrutiny, polling, and vote counting.
The vacancies were created after the completion of terms of seven Legislative Council members representing major political parties in the state. Those retiring include Govindaraju, Naseer Ahmed, Tippannappa Kamakanoor, and B.K. Hariprasad from the Congress party, along with M.T.B. Nagaraj, Pratap Simha Nayak, and Sunil Valyapure from the BJP.
Election Notification Issued
The official notification was released by Karnataka Legislative Assembly Secretary and Returning Officer M.K. Vishalakshi. With the announcement now in place, the nomination process has commenced and eligible candidates can begin submitting their papers for consideration.
Election officials have outlined a detailed schedule to ensure the smooth conduct of the process. Candidates interested in contesting for the vacant seats must complete their nomination formalities within the prescribed timeline.
Key Dates Announced for the Election Process
According to the election programme, June 8 has been designated as the final date for filing nomination papers. The scrutiny of submitted nominations will take place on June 9 to verify eligibility and compliance with election requirements.
Candidates who decide not to remain in the race will have until June 11 to withdraw their nominations. The election process will move to the polling stage only if the number of candidates exceeds the available seats.
Polling and Vote Counting Schedule
If voting becomes necessary, polling will be conducted on June 18 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The voting exercise will take place at Room No. 106 on the first floor of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
Election authorities have also confirmed that vote counting will begin on the same day at 5 p.m. Following the declaration of results and completion of all formalities, the entire election process is expected to conclude by June 20.
Nomination Rules for Candidates
The election administration has specified the procedures that candidates must follow while filing nominations. Contestants are required to submit their applications using Form D.
In addition, every nomination must be supported by the signatures of at least 10 sitting Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). This requirement is intended to ensure that candidates have adequate legislative backing before entering the contest.
Security Deposit Requirements
Candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories must submit a security deposit of Rs 5,000 along with their nomination papers. For all other candidates, the prescribed deposit amount has been fixed at Rs 10,000.
Officials have advised candidates to ensure that all required documents and payments are completed within the stipulated period to avoid rejection during scrutiny.
Political Significance of the Election
The upcoming Legislative Council election carries political importance as Karnataka continues to witness active developments across party lines. With seven seats available, political parties are expected to carefully select their nominees based on legislative strength, internal calculations, and broader political strategies.
The outcome is likely to reflect the current balance of power within the state legislature, making the contest closely watched by political observers and party leadership alike.
Further announcements regarding party nominees and candidate lists are expected over the coming days as political organisations finalise their choices ahead of the nomination deadline.