Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: Election Commission notifies Karnataka Assembly polls

Election Commission notifies Karnataka Assembly polls
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NewsByte on 02 April, 2008 02:46:00
 
The state was put under President's Rule on November 20 after prolonged
political drama that saw fall of JD(S)-BJP government and subsequent dissolution
of the state Assembly on November 28.
The 224-seat Assembly will go to the polls in three phases, first being held on
May 10 and for which notification will be issued on April 16. In all 89 Assembly
constituencies in eleven districts will be going to polls in the first phase.
Last date for filing of nomination for the first phase is April 23, while
nomination could be withdrawn by April 26.
In the second phase, polling would be held on May 16, for which notification
for the same would be filed till April 29. The last day for withdrawal of
nomination is May 2. Sixty-six Assembly constituencies across ten districts of
the state will be going to polls in this phase.
In the final phase, 69 Assembly constituencies in eight districts would be
going to polls on May 22. Notification for the final phase will be issued on
April 26 and nomination for the same could be filed till May 3 and it could be
withdrawn till May 7. Counting would be done on May 25 for all the phases.
Announcing the dates, the Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy said that
the polls would be held in accordance with the new delimited constituencies, as
per the Delimitation Act of 2002. Under the delimited set up, 36 constituencies
(four more compared to the previous set up) have been reserved for the scheduled
castes and 15 for the scheduled tribes.
Gopalaswamy also announced that the Model Code of Conduct has come into force
with immediate effect. The Election Commission also directed the state
administration that no election officers above the rank of Sub-Inspector would
be posted in home town and similarly, no officer, who has completed three or
more years at one place can continue to be at the same place till the elections
are over.