Counting of Votes begins for bypolls in Karnataka

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Counting of Votes has begun for bypolls to 15 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka. Counting started at 8 AM and results are expected by the evening. Postal ballots are being counted first, which will be followed by votes in EVMs.

The results of the by-elections are crucial for the four-month-old BJP government in the southern state, as the ruling party requires at least six seats in the 223-member Assembly for a simple majority. An Independent MLA is already supporting the Yediyurappa government. At present, BJP has 105 MLAs, Congress 66 and JD-S 34 members in the assembly.

Around 67.9 per cent polling was recorded in Thursday’s bypolls. Byelection was necessitated following the resignation of 14 Congress and three JD-S MLAs. Bypolls in two seats – Muski in Raichur district and RR Nagar in Bengaluru southwest were not held due to a litigation in the Karnataka High Court on their results in the May 2018 Assembly elections.

The BJP and the opposition Congress contested all 15 seats, while JD-S fielded its candidates for 12 seats.