Voting dates for Karnataka assembly election announced
New Delhi (PTI): Assembly elections in Karnataka will be held in a single phase on May 10 and the votes counted on May 13, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday, setting the stage for a key BJP versus Congress electoral fight ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha showdown.
The Janata Dal (Secular) is the third major party in the state, which has a 224-member assembly. The BJP currently has 119 seats, followed by the Congress with 75. The JD (S) has 28 MLAs, while two seats are vacant.
Addressing a press conference here, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the notification for the elections will be issued on April 13 and the last date for filing nomination papers will be April 20.
Kumar said the nomination papers will be scrutinised on April 21 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 24.
He said the elections have been scheduled on a Wednesday, and not on a Monday or Friday, to encourage greater participation of voters.
"People can take a day off and have a long weekend. But by holding the poll on Wednesday, the possibility has been reduced," he said, adding that the move is part of the EC's effort to ensure greater participation and curb voters' apathy in going to the polling stations.
The ruling BJP and the Congress have already launched spirited campaigns for the elections.
The Model Code of Conduct kicked in on Wednesday with the announcement of the election. But strict vigil was ensured even earlier on the Commission's directions during review meetings with enforcement agencies, he said, adding that more than Rs 80 crore has been seized so far.
Seeking to ensure inclusion and participation in the assembly polls, 100 per cent enrolment of eligible 'Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups' (PVTGs) in Karnataka is being ensured, the CEC said.
Forty 'Ethnic polling stations' will be set up for PVTGs. Special emphasis is being laid on the participation of the third gender in the election process, he said.
He said some people do not wish to enrol as third gender. But the EC is willing go the extra mile to register them in the gender they want keeping in mind their sensitivities.
Referring to 'urban apathy', Kumar said in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, nine of the top 20 low voter turnout constituencies were urban. This trend was also noticed in recently held Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections held in 2022, the CEC noted.
Focussed interventions are being made to create awareness in schools and colleges and voter awareness forums in organisations and RWAs, he said.
For the assembly elections, 58,282 polling stations will be set up in the state. The average voter per polling station is pegged at 883. Fifty per cent of the polling stations have webcasting facility.
A total of 1,320 polling stations will be managed by women officials.
Among the over 5,24 crore voters, over 5.60 lakh have been identified as persons with disability, the poll panel said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka Examinations Authority eases advance fee rule for high-fee medical seats in first round
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has relaxed its advance payment rule for candidates allotted high-fee medical, dental, and homeopathy seats in the first round of counselling.
KEA Executive Director H. Prasanna on Thursday announced that candidates allotted seats with course fees above ₹12 lakh and opting for Choice-2 will now be required to pay only ₹12,00,117 as an advance instead of the full course fee. SC/ST and Category-1 candidates will pay ₹2 lakh. The remaining amount must be paid after the announcement of the second-round allotment results.
Previously, Choice-2 medical candidates had to pay the entire fee upfront. The revised rule applies only to seats costing more than ₹12 lakh; those allotted ‘G’ category medical seats must continue to pay as per the earlier instructions.
Candidates securing seats under the All India Quota (AIQ) or in other states before the second-round results can cancel their KEA seat. In such cases, the advance amount will be transferred to the new college, or refunded in the case of SC/ST and Category-1 candidates. However, if they cancel without securing another seat through AIQ or other state counselling, the advance—₹12,00,117 or ₹2 lakh for reserved categories—will be forfeited.
Option entry for the first round closes on August 16. Choice-1 candidates must pay the fees by August 18, download the allotment order, and report to their respective colleges by August 19. Colleges have been instructed to remain open on all days, including public holidays such as Independence Day.
