Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Polling To Be Held In A Single Phase On 10 May, Results On 13 May

The polling for Karnataka Assembly elections will be held on 10 May and the results will be declared on 13 May, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the notification for the elections to the 224-member assembly will be issued on April 13 and the last date for filing nomination papers will be April 20.

The nomination papers for the Karnataka Assembly Elections will be scrutinised on 21 April and the last date for withdrawal of nominations will be 24 April.

Kumar said the elections have been scheduled on a Wednesday, and not on a Monday or Friday, to encourage greater participation of voters.

The ruling BJP and Congress have already launched spirited campaigns for the elections.

Karnataka is the only state in the south where the BJP has been in power.

In 2018 Karnataka elections, the BJP became the largest party with 104 seats out of 224 in the assembly, while the Congress won 80 seats and the Janata Dal (Secular) won 37 seats.

Despite this, a coalition government was formed between the Congress and JD(S), and HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) became the chief minister.

However, in July 2019, the coalition government collapsed due to a rebellion by some Congress-JD(S) legislators, resulting in the return of the BJP to power under BS Yediyurappa.

Yediyurappa stepped down in July 2021, and Basavaraj Bommai is currently serving as the Chief Minister.

(With inputs from PTI)