Karnataka MLC seat bypoll on March 15: ECI

Bengaluru, Feb 18: The bypoll to the Karnataka Legislative Council seat which fell vacant due to the death of Council deputy speaker S L Dharmegowda will take place on March 15, the Election Commission said on Thursday.

According to the ECI order, notification for the bypoll will be issued on February 25 and the last date of filing nominations is March 4. The last date for withdrawal is March 8. The ECI said the polling by the MLAs will take place between 9 am to 4 pm on March 15 and counting of votes will take place the same day.

The Commission said the election process should conclude before March 18. It also said the election will take place as per COVID-19 safety guidelines including wearing of face masks and using sanitisers. Dharmegowda, the 64-year-old JD(S) MLC, was found dead on a rail track in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka in the early hours of December 29, with police sources claiming he died by suicide.

The late leader was at the centre of high drama in the legislative council on December 15, which saw BJP-JD(S) and Congress members hurling abuses and pushing each other over a row pertaining to a no-confidence motion against then Chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty.

During the ruckus, Dharmegowda, who was in the Chairman's seat, was pulled down by some Congress legislators who accused him of occupying the chair against the rules.