Karnataka by-polls to be held on Dec 5: EC

The by-polls for 15 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka will be held on December 5, the Election Commission announced on Friday.

"December 5, is the date on which polls start and December 11 is the date before which the elections shall be completed," the poll body said.

The poll for 15 Assembly constituencies namely Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapur, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijayanagara, Chikkaballapur, K.R. Pura, Yeshvanthapura, Mahalakshmi, Shivajinagar, Hosakote, Krishnarajpet and Hunsur, will be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm.

As per the EC, candidates can submit their nominations from November 11 till November 18.

"November 19 has been finalised as the date for the scrutiny of nominations and November 21 as the last date for withdrawal of nominations," the EC said in a statement.

During the hearing in the Supreme Court on Thursday, the Election Commission told the three-judge bench headed by Justice NV Ramana that it would defer the by-polls to 15 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka till the top court takes a decision on 17 disqualified MLAs, who were seeking interim relief to contest the by-polls.

Earlier, the by-polls were scheduled to be held on October 21 and the result was supposed to be announced on October 24.