Bengaluru, Nov. 29: Amid renewed Covid fears over a new variant found in South Africa and in other countries globally, the state election commission (SEC) on Monday issued notification for the election dates for 58 urban local bodies across the state.
These local bodies have remained without elected representatives for the last three to four years. Among 58 ULBs, five are City Municipal Corporations (CMCs), 19 Town Municipal Corporation (TMCs) and 34 Town Panchayats (TPs). Of these 58 ULBs, 51 ULBs where polls had not been held on account of reservation disputes.
The SEC’s note stated that the elections will be held on December 27 and the results to be announced on December 30.
The note added that the dates for these ULB elections were announced after the Karnataka high court, which directed both the state government and SEC to complete the election process before December 30.
According to the note, the High Court had initiated suo-moto case against both SEC and the state government and ordered the state government to submit the ward-wise reservation and delimitation list to the SEC before the November 26 and the SEC to complete the entire election process for these ULBs before December 30.
The SEC had an experience of holding the polls without any glitch, as it had experience of handling the Gram Panchayat polls during the Covid first and second wave in December 2020.
With the announcement of elections to these ULBs. Model code of conduct will come into force from December 8 and it will be in force till December 30.
The elections to 1185 wards of 58 ULBs will be yet another litmus test for chief minister Basavraj Bommai’s popularity. After recently concluded bypolls and ongoing biennial election to the Karnataka Legislative Council from 20 Local Authorities’ Constituencies for 25 seats is already underway and results of this election will be announced on December 16. These elections were necessitated due to retirement of the 25 sitting members of Karnataka Legislative Council from 20 Local Authorities’ Constituencies which are going to expire on January 5, 2022.
Both ongoing MLC elections and ULB polls are not only crucial for Mr Bommai but also to the Congress and JD(S), it will be an indicator for its ground support before heading to 2023 elections.
Dates: Notification date for elections by the district administration: December 8
Last date of filing nomination: December 15
Last date of withdrawing nominations: December 18
Election Date (7 am to 5 pm): December 27
Re-election (if any) date (7 am to 5 pm): December 29
