Chincholi assly segment to go for bypolls on May 19

The Chincholi assembly segment that fell vacant with the resignation of Congress MLA Umesh Jadhav, who joined the BJP, will go for by-polls on May 19, the Election Commission said on Tuesday.

"There is one clear vacancy from 42-Chincholi (SC) Assembly Constituency in the state legislative assembly of Karnataka, which needs to be filled up.

After taking into consideration various factors like festivals and electoral rolls, the commission has decided to hold the by-election to fill this vacancy," an ECI release said.

As per the poll events listed out by the commission for Chincholi by-polls, notification will be issued on April 22 and the last date to file nomination is on April 29.

Scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 30 and last date for withdrawal of candidature is on May 2, it said, adding that counting of votes will take place on May 23, along with the Lok Sabha poll results.

Jadhav, who had resigned as Congress MLA and joined BJP, is now the saffron partys candidate from Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency.

He is pitted against veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

Jadhav was one among the rebel MLAs against whom Congress had petitioned the Speaker seeking disqualification,along with Ramesh Jarkiholi, B Nagendra and Mahesh Kumathali under the anti-defection law.

The disqualification petition was moved as the four MLAs had kept the party on tenterhooks for several weeks, defying its whip twice to attend the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meetings on January 18 and February 8 and had skipped the early part of the budget session.

Congress had also moved the Speaker against Jadhavs resignation in view of the pending disqualification petition.

However, Speaker Ramesh Kumar after hearing both sides, decided to accept Jadhavs resignation.

The Commission had earlier announced that Kundagol, another assembly constituency which fell vacant following the death of MLA and Minister C S Shivalli, will also go for by-polls on May 19 and votes will be counted on May 23.