By-poll to fill vacant Karnataka legislative council seat tomorrow

Strict Covid-19 protocols will be in place during the entire election process. Wearing of masks, sanitisation and social distancing rules will have to be followed by poll officials as well as voters.

The by-election for one seat of the Karnataka legislative council, which fell vacant after the death of SL Dharmegowda of the Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S), will be held on Monday. According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI), polling is scheduled to take place from 9am to 4pm and the counting of the votes will start from 5pm.

The notification for the by-election was issued on February 25 and the last date for filing nominations was on March 4 and that for withdrawal was on March 8. (Arijit Sen/HT Photo)

Strict Covid-19 protocols will be in place during the entire election process. Wearing of masks, sanitisation and social distancing rules will have to be followed by poll officials as well as voters.

The commission has directed the Karnataka chief secretary to depute a senior officer from the state to ensure guidelines regarding Covid-19 containment measures are implemented.

The notification for the by-election was issued on February 25 and the last date for filing nominations was on March 4 and that for withdrawal was on March 8.

Dharmegowda, the 64-year-old JD(S) member of the legislative council and its deputy speaker, was found dead on a rail track in the Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka on December 29 last year. The police later said Dharmegowda died by suicide. Political leaders across the aisle expressed their condolences on Dharmegowda’s untimely demise. Dharmegowda’s term was up to June 17, 2024.