Bengaluru, April 18: Only 29 candidates, including 17 Independents, filed their nominations till Wednesday across the state for the May 12 Karnataka polls.
According to the Election Commission (EC)'s website, the 29 candidates filed a total of 34 nominations, with three candidates filing more than one nomination, after Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R. Vala notified on Tuesday the single phase polling in 224 assembly seats.
Among the nominations, one was from the ruling Congress, two from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and two from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), while the remaining are 17 Independents and other parties.
As per the notification, April 24 is the last date for filing nominations. Scrutiny of nominations will be on April 25 and last date for withdrawal of candidatures is April 27.
Polling is to be held from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. across 58,546 polling stations across the state using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs). Votes will be counted on May 15.
In a related development, the EC surveillance squads along with the police, have seized cash worth over Rs 31.28 crore from across the state since March 27, when the model code of conduct was enforced in the state.
Over 1.13 lakh litres of liquor valued at over Rs 4.5 crore was also seized from the state by the Excise Department.
The southern state has till date 4.96 crore electors - 2.52 crore men and 2.44 crore women. Over 15 lakh are first time voters in the 18-19 age group.
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UN Sec Gen Antonio Guterres welcomes India, Pakistan ceasefire announcement
United Nations, May 10 (PTI): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, describing it as a “positive step” toward ending current hostilities and easing tensions.
Guterres “hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries”, a statement issued by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said.
The UN chief “welcomes the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan as a positive step toward ending current hostilities and easing tensions”, it said.
The United Nations stands ready to support efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region, the statement added.
The ceasefire came hours after India and Pakistan attacked each other’s military facilities, dangerously escalating the ongoing conflict.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said India and Pakistan have agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night of talks mediated by Washington”.
“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that over the past 48 hours, Vice President J D Vance and he engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, “including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik”.
“I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site,” he said.
“We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace,” Rubio said.
“India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in a social media post.
The announcement came days after India carried out Operation Sindoor striking nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir to avenge the Pahalgam attack. Since the operation, Pakistan targeted various Indian military installations without success.
