Karnataka 2023 elections: The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections on Wednesday. As per the announcement, Karnataka will go into election mode on May 10 with a single phase-polling followed by the counting of votes three days later. Karnataka is the only state in South India where BJP has been in power and in the 2018 election, it emerged as the single-largest party, winning 104 seats in the 224-member assembly. The BJP will now eye a third straight win in the state with PM Narendra Modi also seen in the action in the state as this election will be a deciding factor for the upcoming 2024 general elections.
The Congress, on the other hand, had won 80 seats and the Janta Dal’s (Secular) tally stood at 37 in the last assembly elections of the state. After the election, the Congress and JD(S) formed a coalition government with the latter’s HD Kumaraswamy taking oath as the chief minister.
Though in July 2019, a contestation between some Congress and JD(S) legislators led to the collapse of the coalition government and the BJP returned to power under the leadership of BS Yediyurappa. In July 2021, Yediyruappa stepped aside to make way for Basavraj Bommai.
Here is a detailed look at the schedule of upcoming elections in Karnataka:
Karnataka has 224 assembly constituencies in six different regions- Bengaluru, Central, Coastal, Hyderabad-Karnataka, Mumbai-Karnataka and Southern Karnataka. Mumbai-Karnataka and Southern Karnataka are the state’s largest regions, consisting of 50 and 51 assembly seats, respectively.
Current Chief Minister: Basavraj Bommai
Issue of notification: April 13
Last date for making nominations: April 20
Scrutiny of nominations: April 21
Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: April 24
Probable result date: May 13
The tenure of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end on May 24, 2023. Chief Election Commissioner of India (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said that they have a number of regulations to make sure free and fair elections will be conducted across the state. There are 171 inter-state checkposts that will have a strict vigil. There will be assured facilities including drinking water, toilets, and ramps will be provided across all polling booths in the state.
A total of 58,282 polling booths will be installed in the state and about 50 per cent will be webcast. Out of these, 1320 polling stations will be managed by women.
Karnataka 2023 elections: Some facts stated by the Election Commission of India ahead of the elections
1. 58,000 polling stations would be set up across the state.
2. 224 Assembly constituencies of which 36 are reserved for the SCs and 15 for the STs.
3. The total number of 80 plus electors is 12.15 lakhs.
4. The number of persons with disabilities (PWDs) has increased to 5.55 lakhs
5. First-time voters have increased from 2018-19 by 9.17 lakhs in Karnataka.
6. The average number of electors per polling station comes to 883.
7. There would be 240 model polling stations which will be made eco-friendly and green booths. 100 booths would be managed purely by persons with disability.
8. Persons with disabilities and people over the age of 80 years can opt to vote from home.
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
