K'taka bypolls: Model Code of Conduct will come into effect from Monday says CEO

Bengaluru: As the bypolls will be held for 15 Karnataka Legislative Assembly constituencies on December 5, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar on Sunday informed that the code of conduct would come into effect from Monday only in constituencies where elections were scheduled and not in the entire district.

Addressing pressperson on the issue Sanjiv Kumar informed that the process for filing of nominations will also commence from Monday and the last day for filing nominations is November 18.

Earlier, the Election Commission had postponed the bypolls, which were scheduled on October 21, to December 5 in view of the pendency of the petitions filed by the disqualified lawmakers.

“Before the postponement of elections, 29 nominations have been received. All their nominations remained valid. Though the electoral notification was issued by the EC on September 27, the enforcement of the model code of conduct was suspended till November 10 since it would adversely impact the development programs of the government, particularly for the poor,” Kumar added.

The constituencies going to polls are: Athani, Kagwad, Gokak (all Belagavi), Yellapur (Uttara Karnataka), Hirekerur, Ranibennur (both Haveri), Vijayanagara (Ballari), Chikballapur, KR Pura, Yeshwanthpura, Mahalakshmi Layout, Shivajinagar (all in Bengaluru), Hosakote (Bengaluru Rural), KR Pet (Mandya), and Hunsur (Mysuru).