Karnataka by-polls: AICC releases list of nine observers

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Sunday released a list of nine senior leaders, who will act as observers in the coming bye-elections to the assembly seats in Karnataka.

As per the list, AICC secretaries SA Sampath Kumar and Vamsi Chand Reddy are among the nine observers.

The other observers are MM Pallam Raju and N Tulasi Reddy, former MPs from Andhra Pradesh, former MP from Telangana Poonam Prabhakar, former Tamil Nadu MP Vishwanathan, Tamil Nadu PCC working president Mayura Jayakumar, Kerala PCC general secretary Sajeev Joseph, and AICC secretary (org) coordination JD Seelam.

According to the Election Commission, the last date for filing nomination is November 18. The date of scrutiny of nominations is November 19 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is November 21.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the decision of then Karnataka Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar to disqualify 17 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs under the anti-defection law but said that they can contest the upcoming by-elections in the state.

The by-elections for 15 out of 17 seats are slated to be held on December 5. The results will be declared on December 9.